VCS On The Cusp

1
VCS On The Cusp

• ANNIE BELL
• Head of Partnership Development
• Norwich and Norfolk Voluntary Services
• All Together Now
• 17th November 2005

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CUSP

• The point at which two
• branches of a curve have a
• common tangent

3
Roots of Voluntary and Community Action

• Individuals with vision and energy
• Desire to make things better
• Challenge to the status quo
• Altruism and philanthropy
• Faith-based motivation
• Mutuality

4
Major Areas of Work

• Prevention and Relief of Poverty
• Advancement of Education
• Advancement of Health
• Other aspects of community benefit
• Total of 11 charitable purposes

5
UK Voluntary and Community Sector

• Major employer 570,000 paid staff
• 2 of national workforce
• Total income of 21 billion
• Assets totalling 70.1 billion
• Major growth since early 1990s
• Major provider of welfare services
• Major purchaser of goods
• and services

6
Strengths of VSC in service-delivery

• Flexible and innovative
• High levels of public trust
• Specialist skills and knowledge
• Reaching the most marginalised
• User involvement/self-help
• Citizen/volunteer participation

7
Growing importance of the VCS

• Role in delivering public services
• Recognition of the importance of volunteering and
  active communities
• Increasing levels of Government funding
• 3.17 billion in 1991/1992
• 7.53 billion in 2001/2002
• Recognition of the need for high quality local
  infrastructure support services

8
Key national landmarks for the VCS

• 1990s Development of contract culture
• 1994 National Lottery
• 1996 Deakin Report
• 1998 National Compact published
• 2002 Treasury Cross-Cutting Review of the Role
• of the VCS in Service Delivery
• 2004 ChangeUp Strategy
• 2004 Think Smart, Think Voluntary Sector
• 2005 Year of the Volunteer

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Some local milestones

• 1999/2000 VOLCAAN Project (capacity-building)
• 2001 Norfolk Compact
• 20022005 Norfolk Compact Codes on
  consultation, volunteering, funding,
  equality and diversity
• 2002 County Council strategy on working with the
  VCS
• 2004 Funding bid for North Norfolk VCS
  Development Post
• 2005 Countywide volunteering campaign
• 2005 ChangeUp Norfolk, Year 1 Plan

10
Changing Landscape for the Public Sector

• Partnership working
• Focus on enabling
• Focus on well-being/quality of life
• User involvement
• Community involvement and consultation
• Recognition of limits in provision of services
• Concern over democratic deficit
• Local Strategic Partnerships

11
On the Cusp?

• Opportunities
• Challenges
• Decisions
• Next steps