Foreword Executive Summary Introduction Activities and Impact 2013/ Developing Volunteering... 4

Transcription

1

2 Table of Contents Foreword... 3 Executive Summary... 4 Introduction... 4 Activities and Impact 2013/ Developing Volunteering... 4 Supporting Social Enterprise... 5 Supporting and Developing Voluntary and Community Organisations... 5 Building the Third Sector Relationship with Community Planning... 6 Key Findings About this Report... 7 Introduction... 7 Context... 7 The TSI Monitoring Form... 8 Analysis An Overview of the Third Sector Interfaces Introduction Staff and Volunteers Perceptions of the TSIs Key Issues Developing Volunteering Introduction Activities Outcomes... 28

3 4. Supporting Social Enterprise Introduction Activities Outcomes Supporting and Developing Voluntary and Community Organisations Introduction Activities Outcomes Building the Third Sector Relationship with Community Planning Introduction Activities Outcomes Key Findings Introduction Developing Volunteering Supporting Social Enterprise Supporting and Developing Voluntary and Community Organisations Building the Third Sector Relationship with Community Planning Key Themes Future Priorities Appendix One Third Sector Interfaces in Scotland... 67

4 Foreword I am pleased to present to you our second Impact Report on Scotland s 32 Third Sector Interfaces (TSIs). Our first Impact Report illustrated a diversity and complexity of activity that had hitherto been something of an untold story at a collective level. That story - and with it the impact of the TSIs is being recognised more and more widely. The evidence: the ever growing demands on TSIs and VAS. This, to be clear, is a good problem to have. It shows the continued value of a local third sector advocate, connector and supporter. This report for the first time includes feedback from the third sector, volunteers and statutory partners on their TSI. From it we can see that the third sector and volunteers greatly value the services they receive from their TSI. The report also shows that what might be determined the traditional services ; help with constitutions, finances, governance, finding volunteers, funding and a huge range of bespoke support are as much in demand as they ever were. What has emerged over this report and the last is the challenge of providing a very full range of services alongside a much more complex and less well defined role. Described in the first report as a form of brokerage this has continued to grow. It is a role of huge value quite simply because it brings people together to tackle the issues faced locally. But, the job of building relationships and collaboration can be painstaking. If though we want as a country to build bridges across the statutory and third sectors to share resources and meet the needs of people better then it becomes an essential role. That then provides a challenge for TSIs, Government and VAS. For TSIs it requires a mindset oriented toward facilitative leadership, listening and impartiality. For the statutory sector (national and local) it means letting go on the one hand but strongly supporting on the other financially and culturally. For the Scottish Government in particular it means being clear about what Government seeks to achieve in its investment to the third sector and simplifying funding streams to meet this. For VAS it means shaping the proposition behind this role more effectively and clearly and demonstrating its value in practice. This report then is a spur to addressing these challenges. In the next year we shall use its learning to shape a dialogue with our network, the wider third sector and Scottish Government. That dialogue will come at a very important time. The shape of further constitutional change will emerge and present great opportunities for which the third sector and TSIs in particular must be ready. Calum Irving Chief Executive Voluntary Action Scotland Page 3

5 Executive Summary Executive Summary Introduction This report explores the impact of Scotland s 32 Third Sector Interfaces (TSIs) in 2013/14 in relation to their four key delivery areas: Developing volunteering; Supporting social enterprise; Supporting and developing voluntary and community organisations; Building the third sector relationship with Community Planning. It uses information provided by the TSIs in their annual monitoring forms which were due to be submitted to the Scottish Government by 30 April This report does not present an exhaustive list of activities which the TSIs undertook during the year but instead focuses explicitly on work relating to their Common Values and Services which were agreed with the Scottish Government. Activities and Impact 2013/14 Overall there is evidence that the TSIs have played a key role in supporting their local third sector through a range of activities including: Brokering new relationships between TSIs, the wider third sector and public sector bodies; Providing support and training for organisations and individuals; Contributing to the implementation and delivery of national initiatives such as health and social care integration, Reshaping Care for Older People and the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill. Developing Volunteering The majority of TSIs carried out promotional activities in order to raise awareness of their own services and the benefits of volunteering more generally. Some referred to awards ceremonies and other forms of recognition which they had facilitated during the year to celebrate achievements across their local area. TSIs felt that this work had contributed to an increase in the number of registered volunteers as well as a rise in the number of young people who were working towards the Saltire Awards. Page 4

6 Executive Summary One of the challenges which TSIs reported for this core function was that they felt there had been a blurring of lines between free will volunteering and compulsory work placements. Some felt that this had resulted in more volunteers who required additional support from the TSI in order to be ready for a placement, whilst others feared that it was limiting resources available to those who were volunteering by choice. In order to address this many of the TSIs referred to projects they had developed in partnership with external agencies such as Job Centre Plus, along with courses and training to help individuals who required additional support. Supporting Social Enterprise As a result of ongoing support from the TSIs a number of new social enterprises were established. In addition to this many of the local social enterprise networks which were facilitated by the interfaces saw a rise in membership numbers. Some of the TSIs also highlighted an increasing emphasis which they had placed on encouraging young social entrepreneurs. This was demonstrated through the development of new partnerships with local schools and colleges. A few of the TSIs reported a general lack of understanding from the wider third sector about what a social enterprise is. They felt that this had impacted on the interfaces ability to support relevant organisations as some did not recognise themselves as being a social enterprise. Some of the TSIs also thought that they were seen externally as primarily benefitting newer or smaller social enterprises. As a result they had actively tried to raise their profile so that more established social enterprise organisations would see value in engaging with their interface. Supporting and Developing Voluntary and Community Organisations Throughout the 12 month period the TSIs used a variety of approaches to support third sector organisations and to help develop their skills. These included the use of bespoke one-to-one support and standardised training courses. Many of the interfaces provided examples of organisations becoming stronger and more sustainable as a result of their intervention including improved governance, increased accessibility to funding and better financial procedures. Some of the TSIs suggested that third sector organisations only approached them once they had encountered an issue, such as difficulties recruiting committee members or limited financial procedures. This was also mentioned as a challenge in the 2012/13 reports and suggests that more work needs to be done to provide pre-emptive support to the sector. A few interfaces also referred to an increase in the number of additional agencies and individuals who offered support to third sector organisations. As a result a few of the TSIs mentioned internal training to they had completed to ensure their staff are recognised as experts in a range of areas. Page 5

7 Executive Summary Building the Third Sector Relationship with Community Planning All of the TSIs played a central role in building bridges between the third sector and the public sector within Community Planning. They all engaged and connected with the wider third sector, in some capacity, through a range of strategic forums and networks. In addition to this they were also involved with supporting the local implementation of a range of national initiatives such as Reshaping Care for Older People, Getting it Right for Every Child and the recent consultation process for the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill. Some of the interfaces noted concerns that the limited capacity of many third sector organisations would impact on their ability to engage with the level and breadth of legislative change in the long-term. Some TSIs adapted their approaches accordingly in order to encourage a more sustainable dialogue with the wider third sector. Whilst some of the interfaces reflected that there were improved working relationships with their Community Planning Partnerships, others felt that there were still some cultural differences across sectors which proved challenging. Some also provided examples of cases where they felt the third sector representatives were not considered as equals to their public sector counterparts and were not being included in all of the relevant decision-making meetings. Different methods were adopted to address this with some success. Key Findings Throughout the reporting year of 2013/14 the TSIs reported a number of challenges to meeting their core functions. These included internal organisational changes and difficulties in collating sufficient monitoring and evaluation data of their activities. Many of the interfaces also noted a strain on their internal resources due to an increase in the level of the demand from the wider third sector, coupled with the large scale of work they undertook with regards to Community Planning. Nonetheless, TSIs achieved a number of strong outcomes throughout the year and continued to carry out a range of activities in order to fulfil their Common Services. In their monitoring reports there are many examples of new partnerships, collaborations and new ways of working being developed by the TSIs in response to the needs of their local third sector. These highlight both the ability and the desire of the interfaces to contribute to local and national outcomes and priorities. TSIs reported a number of priorities for the coming year including the development of new collaborations and partnerships. They also recognised that prioritising their activities so that they are able to use their resources efficiently to meet local needs and achieve their Common Services would be important. Page 6

8 Section 1 About this Report 1. About this Report Introduction 1.1 This report explores the role and impact of the Third Sector Interfaces (TSIs) in Scotland. It summarises information provided by the TSIs in their annual monitoring forms and analyses their activities during the financial year 2013/14. 1 Context 1.2 There are currently 32 TSIs in Scotland each operating within a specific local authority area and they are responsible for supporting and developing local third sector activity in all its forms. The interfaces were set up to provide a single point of contact for voluntary, community and social enterprise activity and also offer an effective mechanism through which the third sector can connect to Community Planning. 1.3 TSIs receive funding from the Scottish Government to deliver four key functions: Developing volunteering; Supporting social enterprise; Supporting and developing voluntary and community organisations; Building the third sector relationship with Community Planning. These form the basis for the TSI Common Values and Services which were agreed with Scottish Government Throughout the year, some TSIs delivered activities which were additional to their core roles. This report, however, focuses explicitly on their common service delivery areas and so does not present an exhaustive list of the activities which they undertook. 1.5 Each TSI has adopted its own approach to delivering these core aims, in accordance with the specific needs, challenges and opportunities of the local authority area which it serves. For instance, while some operate as single agencies others have set up 1 Not all of the monitoring forms have been received in full and so the following analysis is based on the evidence which has been provided. 2 A guide to the TSIs Common Services Framework can be downloaded from the Scottish Government s website: [last accessed 21/8/14] Page 7

9 About this Report formal partnership arrangements of two or more organisations, each with a responsibility for a different key function or a different geographical remit. 1.6 Voluntary Action Scotland (VAS) is the national network organisation which supports, co-ordinates and advocates for all of Scotland s TSIs. It gives a national voice to the TSIs local impact. The TSI Monitoring Form 1.7 All of the TSIs were asked to complete a standard monitoring form on their core activities from 1 April 2013 to 31 March The form was sent to the TSIs electronically. It asked for information about the activities which they had undertaken during the year as well as exploring some of the wider issues, opportunities and learning which they had encountered. The questions were themed around six outcomes, each relating to the four key functions which the interfaces are expected to undertake. The outcomes were: More people have increased opportunity and enthusiasm to volunteer; Volunteer involving organisations are better able to recruit, manage and retain volunteers; Social enterprise develops and grows; Third sector organisations are well managed and deliver quality services; Third sector organisations feel better connected and are able to influence and contribute to public policy; The TSI is well managed and effective. 1.9 Despite the diversity of structures, governance and activities across the interfaces, each was expected to collect core data for their monitoring report which included a survey of the volunteers they had engaged with, third sector organisations and their public sector partners. Guidance on this was sent out alongside the monitoring return and is accessible through the Scottish Government s website Alongside the monitoring form, some TSIs also provided supplementary evidence including their annual report and a work plan for the 12 month period. These were 3 Voluntary Action Scotland, Guidance: Third Sector Interface s Monitoring and Evaluation, Scottish Government Website (November 2012), [last accessed 21/8/14] Page 8

10 About this Report not analysed as part of this Impact Report, however many of them are available to view through the Scottish Government s website. 4 Analysis 1.11 This report was produced by VAS, with mentoring support from ODS Consulting, an independent research and consultancy organisation VAS sorted the survey responses into a matrix and the numerical answers were analysed using formulae within Excel The majority of the analysis was qualitative, however, and this was done through a system of manual thematic coding where key themes are identified and linked together and divergences are also noted and analysed Throughout the monitoring returns the TSIs included a number of case studies. Some of these have been selected for use in the final report in order to illustrate the activities undertaken by the TSIs and the outcomes that they met. Each of the case studies has been developed from the perception of the TSI and so where additional information was required this was obtained from the TSI either by telephone or . VAS did not consult any of the external organisations or individuals directly It is important to note that this impact report does not represent an exhaustive list of everything that the TSIs have done over the past 12 months. Instead it provides a thematic summary of the emerging trends in the TSIs activities, outcomes and impact Where a TSI operated as a formal partnership, the monitoring returns sometimes specified which partner organisation had undertaken each activity or project. In these instances the examples and case studies have been attributed to the specific organisation. Where a single partner could not be identified this report attributes it to the TSI more generally. A full list of the TSIs, their names and their partners is included in Appendix One Within the annual monitoring reports, TSIs were asked to provide some quantitative data relating to their activities. This was dependent on a survey of volunteers, public sector partners and supported organisations. The majority of TSIs did wide ranging consultations but some did very small survey work and a minority did not ask all of the standard questions detailed in the monitoring guidance. Between % of the TSIs collected figures for each of the questions, however, and so the data contained within this report is considered to be a representative sample of the TSI network s responses. Where figures are used we will note how many reports they are based on. 4 Scottish Government, Third Sector Interfaces, Scottish Government Website, [last accessed 21/8/14] Page 9

11 About this Report 1.18 Where possible, longitudinal analysis has also been conducted to compare the findings from the TSIs reports in 2013/14 to those submitted in 2012/13. The latter were evaluated in a report completed by ODS Consulting in August 2013, The Impact We Make, The Potential We Have - a report into the impact of Scotland s 32 third sector interfaces. 5 It is important to recognise, however, that the monitoring form which was sent to the TSIs differed greatly in both years and so for much of the quantitative data there is no direct correlation between the two. Nonetheless the use of qualitative analysis allowed us to explore overarching trends and how these may have changed over time It should also be noted that this report has been predominantly written in the past tense as it analyses the activities and impact of the TSIs for a fixed 12 month period. Nonetheless, some of the activities, for example certain training courses, continued beyond the end of the reporting period and may still be ongoing. 5 ODS Consulting, The Impact we Make, the Potential We Have a report into the impact of Scotland s 32 third sector interfaces (August 2013); available online at [last accessed 29/8/14] Page 10

12 Section 2 An Overview of the Third Sector Interfaces 2. An Overview of the Third Sector Interfaces Introduction 2.1 This section provides an overview of the TSIs in Scotland in 2013/ In 2008 the Scottish Government set out proposals to establish 32 TSIs in an effort to ensure that the third sector was being supported at a local level throughout Scotland. These organisations have emerged out of a long tradition of third sector infrastructure including Councils for Voluntary Services, Volunteer Centres and Social Enterprise Networks but are still relatively new in their current forms. 2.3 During the reporting period 12 of the TSIs operated as formal partnerships between two or more organisations; each one with a different responsibility for meeting the key functions or a specific geographical area to cover. The remaining 20 resulted from a merger of existing organisations and operated as a single agency to deliver the four TSI functions. 2.4 This marks a small shift from 2012/13 when 19 TSIs categorised themselves as single organisations, 12 as partnerships and one as other. The latter indicated that during 2012/13 it operated as a partnership between six organisations but underwent a merger to form a single agency. This merger was formally completed by 31 March The TSIs all share a number of common values and services to ensure that third sector organisations, volunteers and volunteer involving organisations can access consistent services, regardless of which local authority area they are based in. Nonetheless, the way these are offered and the management and branding of the TSIs have all evolved separately, according to local needs and expectations. Staff and Volunteers 2.6 At the time of the survey TSIs recorded a total of 846 members of staff working for them: 444 of these were full time and 402 were part time. This shows an 8% increase from the previous year. Some of the TSIs suggested that this rise was primarily due to the initiation of specific projects which were externally funded and required additional staff members to deliver them. 2.7 The total number of full time staff at each TSI ranged from one to 59. Many of the TSIs who reported higher staff levels operated as a formal partnership and were therefore accounting for staff at more than one organisation. The average number of full time staff at each TSI rose by one person from 13 in 2012/13 to 14 in 2013/14. Page 11

13 An Overview of the Third Sector Interfaces 2.8 The total number of part time staff at each TSI ranged from one to 38. As was the case with full time staff, many of the interfaces which reported higher staff numbers either operated as a formal partnership or were managing a number of additional projects as part of their TSI activities. The average number of part time staff at each TSI increased from 11 people in 2012/13 to 13 people in 2013/ The TSIs reported a total of 2,553 volunteers involved in TSI activity which included those working on specific projects and board members. The numbers for each TSI varied greatly from five volunteers at one to 427 at another. The average across all of the organisations was 82 with the majority having between 14 and 140 volunteers. Total Number of Staff and Volunteers Involved in TSI Activity Full Time Staff Part Time Staff Volunteers 2012/ /14 Figure 1 Total Number of staff and volunteers working for TSIs across Scotland 2.10 The average number of volunteers involved in each of the TSI s activities rose by four over the reporting period with one TSI recording a decline of 181 volunteers whilst another reported an increase of 198. Most of the interfaces attributed these shifts to either the start or end of specific, externally funded projects which engaged a large number of volunteers; for example, befriending or Timebanking activities. A minority of interfaces reported that the decline was the result of a merger between different organisations to form a single agency which required fewer volunteers to support its activities When a decline in the number of volunteers was linked to the end of a specific project, some of the TSIs suggested that the volunteers had continued to volunteer with other community groups. As a result the decline in volunteer numbers involved in TSI activities is not necessarily reflective of a decline in volunteering more generally. Page 12

14 An Overview of the Third Sector Interfaces Perceptions of the TSIs 2.12 As part of their ongoing evaluation TSIs asked all of the third sector organisations in the area about their perceptions of the interface and whether or not it met the needs of the organisation or group The feedback for the interfaces was largely positive: 77% felt that the TSI understood the needs of their organisation; 6 84% felt that the TSI provided services and support that were appropriate for their organisation. 7 Key Issues 2.14 As well as specific questions around their core functions the monitoring return also contained an initial, general question about the key issues facing the third sector in their area. Within this a number of key themes emerged: Contraction of public funding The majority of TSIs listed funding as one of the primary issues facing the third sector in 2013/14 and asserted that reductions to local authorities budgets and increasing competition for grants had created a high level of uncertainty for third sector organisations. As many grant making bodies would not fund core costs, TSIs said that a number of groups faced increased budgetary constraints during this period. The reports also noted that some organisations had begun to shape projects to meet the criteria of specific funding programmes rather than having them determined solely by an identified need. In response to this some of the TSIs worked with organisations to encourage new ways of generating income, supporting them with grant applications, strengthening partnerships and looking for new ways of working; Meeting demand and managing expectations TSIs indicated that there was an increasing expectation from local authorities and public sector bodies that the third sector could be used to fill gaps in provision where the local authority did not have the resources. A minority of TSIs reflected that some statutory agencies did not fully understand the legal and financial structures within which charities operated which led to unrealistic expectations of what they could achieve. Others highlighted the challenges created by increased 6 This is based on 2,476 responses recorded by 30 TSIs (94%). 7 This is based on 2,426 responses recorded by 29 TSIs (91%). Page 13

15 An Overview of the Third Sector Interfaces demand not being met with a comparable increase in resources. In an attempt to address this many of the interfaces intervened on behalf of their local third sector organisations. They facilitated meetings with relevant external agencies to manage their expectations and to identify ways in which the third sector could help to fill some of the emerging gaps. Training and support was also offered to wider third sector organisations to help them understand their potential roles within this changing landscape; Community Planning This continued to be of high importance to the interfaces and brought with it a number of challenges and opportunities. Despite initial tensions in some of the Community Planning Partnerships, many of the interfaces mentioned more effective working relationships during the reporting period. The TSIs also developed various strategies to make the Community Planning process as accessible as possible to third sector organisations. In 2012/13 some of the TSIs reported that they had developed or facilitated third sector forums to increase engagement between third and public sector organisations. This number continued to grow during 2013/14. Nonetheless, some of the TSIs expressed concern that the level of engagement required from the third sector is unsustainable in the long-term. In response to this a number of interfaces adopted a more targeted approach by hosting smaller working groups which then fed in to larger forums; National initiatives In The Impact We Make, The Potential We Have, it was noted that most of the TSIs had identified national initiatives, such as the Scottish Government Change Funds, as a high priority. 8 This continued into the reporting year for 2013/14 with the majority of TSIs referring to initiatives such as health and social care integration, Reshaping Care for Older People, joint commissioning, self-directed support and the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill. Whilst many of the TSIs provided examples of good practice within these areas some expressed concern about the breadth and pace of change. Others also felt that they were considered to be a junior partner when responding to these initiatives, in comparison to statutory agencies; Procurement and commissioning This was raised by some of the TSIs in 2012/13 and continued to be one of the key challenges facing the interfaces and the wider sector in 2013/14. The ongoing shift from grant funding to contracted and commissioned services has been highlighted by the interfaces as impacting on smaller groups and organisations who they believe can meet 8 ODS Consulting, The Impact we Make, the Potential We Have a report into the impact of Scotland s 32 third sector interfaces (August 2013), p.7; available online at [last accessed 29/8/14] Page 14

16 An Overview of the Third Sector Interfaces outcomes effectively but who do not necessarily have the resources or knowledge to bid successfully for tenders. TSIs continued to support organisations to develop their skills around tendering and charging for services and also encouraged increased collaboration between third sector organisations to increase the resources available to them; Governance and sustainability Many of the TSIs noted a rise in the number of requests for support on governance and financial accounting. This was largely attributed to the shifting economic climate and the desire of many organisations to change their legal status in order to access more funding. The majority of TSIs offered training courses on a range of issues alongside bespoke support for those who required it. Some also began to improve or develop online toolkits which could be downloaded by groups seeking guidance in order to ensure that the interface s staff time was managed effectively Alongside these general trends, some of the TSIs also identified specific issues for their locality which included: Property and community asset transfer; Recruiting and retaining staff this was particularly true for TSIs in the north east of Scotland where the oil and gas industry was able to offer much higher salaries to employees; Transport and accessibility to a range of services, particularly in rural areas; The impact of deprivation on social capital; Restructuring of the local authority creating uncertainty for the wider third sector; Development and changes to the TSI s own governance structure providing challenges for its ongoing activities; The perception that local authority arm s length organisations received preferential treatment over third sector organisations in terms of accessing and receiving funding Many of the challenges which were identified in 2013/14 were consistent with those from the previous year, including the economic context, national initiatives and Community Planning. Within this the TSIs reported ways in which they had tried to capitalise on opportunities to support and develop their local third sector A more detailed look at how the TSIs addressed these issues in relation to their four key functions is provided in the following sections. These focus on each role in turn. Page 15

17 Section 3 Developing Volunteering 3. Developing Volunteering Introduction 3.1 One of the core areas of work for TSIs was the development of volunteering which was achieved through assisting both the individual volunteers and the organisations which engage with them. Overall, work in this area was largely positive with many TSIs reporting a rise in the number of volunteer enquiries, registration of new volunteering opportunities and an increase in the number of people looking to volunteer. Figure 2 - Word cloud generated from the TSI Monitoring Reports 9 Activities 3.2 One of the key activities which TSIs undertook was promotional work to raise their profile and to increase awareness of volunteering opportunities within their area. 9 This word cloud was generated from the text provided in the TSI monitoring reports regarding specific successes, challenges and learning which they had regarding the two volunteering outcomes: more people have increased opportunity and enthusiasm to volunteer; and volunteer involving organisations are better able to recruit, manage and retain volunteers. Page 16

18 Developing Volunteering Case Study: Volunteer Promotion in East Dunbartonshire Activities: During 2013/14, East Dunbartonshire Voluntary Action was able to recruit a young person through the Community Jobs Fund and a Graduate Intern from Third Sector Internships Scotland. As a result of this increased capacity the TSI was able to develop a range of new promotional activities to attract new volunteers and volunteer involving organisations. Local organisations were interviewed for podcasts which were then circulated via the local web-based East Dunbartonshire Community Radio. The interface also ran regular features on local groups in its quarterly newsletter, press releases and on Facebook and twitter and local organisations were encouraged to nominate a Volunteer for the Month. A social media toolkit was developed for local community groups so that they could create their own promotional activities. Outcomes: The TSI reported that this was one of a few contributory factors which led to a rise in the number of volunteer involving organisations and volunteers who engaged with the TSI. It now has a stronger social media presence and has improved both its own marketing skills and those of local community groups. 3.3 Many of the TSIs noted that there was a rise in online activity with regards to accessing their services. Edinburgh Third Sector Interface, for example, noted an increase of 16% in web based engagement but a drop of 14% in attendance at its generic drop-in advice service. As a result, many of the interfaces developed their social media presence and regularly produced e-bulletins. 3.4 As well as embracing social media TSIs also felt that having face to face contact with individuals and organisations was important in raising the profile of volunteering. As a result some attended Job and Volunteer Recruitment Fairs and felt that these had a positive impact. Voluntary Action Shetland, for example, reinstated its Careers Convention which engaged with over 100 people who were interested in volunteering. This resulted in 26 meetings being arranged to discuss volunteering opportunities in more detail. Page 17

19 Developing Volunteering Case Study: Volunteer s Day in the Scottish Borders Case Study: Volunteers Day in the Scottish Borders Activities: In June 2013, a Volunteer s Day was held in a partnership involving Activities: Volunteer In June 2013, Centre a Volunteers Borders, The Day Bridge, was held Berwickshire in a Association partnership of involving Voluntary Volunteer Service and Centre the Borders, Borders Care The Bridge, Learning Network. Berwickshire Over Association 100 delegates of Voluntary attended Service including and and the there Borders was a range Care Learning of guest speakers, Network. information This was designed sessions to and promote interactive workshops volunteering which as well examined as exploring some of some the of barriers the potential and challenges barriers to volunteering. and challenges to volunteering. The day included guest speakers for topics such as promoting volunteering and the Saltire Awards, Outcomes: information Feedback sessions following and workshops. the event In was total overwhelmingly 100 delegates positive attended, with including almost 100% a mix of those volunteers who completed and volunteer the managers event s evaluation who came confirming from a range that of they sectors would and like locations. to see similar Through events one held of in the the keynote future. speeches, AWAITING the FURTHER interface INFO recognised ON OUTCOMES. the need to improve its own communications strategy and not only created monthly e-bulletins but has also ran subsequent seminars on marketing for other third sector organisations. Outcomes: Borders Third Sector Partnership saw a rise in the number of registered volunteers as well as an increase in participation for the Saltire Awards, from new organisations and young people. A number of delegates requested additional support and the TSI reported that many volunteer involving organisations were being run more efficiently and effectively as a result. 3.5 A minority of interfaces also stated that relocating to a more central location during the year had helped to raise their profile. East Dunbartonshire Voluntary Action, for example, asserted that the increased footfall in its new premises had contributed to the 65% rise in the number of volunteers who registered throughout the year. 3.6 Some of the TSIs highlighted the forums and networks they had facilitated as a useful tool for strengthening volunteer involving organisations. This was because they provided an opportunity for groups to share experiences and learning. One example was Voluntary Action Angus which developed a Volunteer Managers Forum, focusing on best practice in volunteer management. This received positive feedback and also helped to refresh the Angus Community Planning Volunteering Strategy. Page 18

20 Developing Volunteering 3.7 Many of the TSIs mentioned more targeted activities which they had undertaken to actively engage new volunteers. For example: Borders Third Sector Partnership developed a coaching and volunteering action plan in partnership with Borders Sport and Leisure Trust and representatives from sportscotland. This led to an increase in the number of Saltire Awards which were given to Active Schools Volunteers from two in 2012/13 to 98 in 2013/14. It also highlights a desire of the interface to work in partnership with other sectors to deliver its services; Engage Renfrewshire facilitated contact with a number of organisations who were looking to engage with ex-offenders in order to promote co-production in achieving outcomes. 3.8 Some also referred to support which they had given to third sector organisations to develop new volunteer opportunities in order to deliver or expand their services. Case Study: Developing New Volunteering Opportunities in Argyll and Bute Activities: An organisation which relies heavily on volunteers was given the opportunity to expand its activities into a new locality in Argyll and Bute. It approached Argyll Voluntary Action (AVA) and requested support to establish its new branch as well as identifying new volunteers to support its operations. AVA assisted the organisation in submitting successful funding applications for startup costs and securing suitable premises. AVA also helped to identify a number of volunteers for the new venture and provided support for their initial training. Outcomes: The organisation has now established its new service and is able to serve a wider community. New volunteering opportunities have also been created within Argyll and Bute. 3.9 Increasing the number of young volunteers was mentioned as a priority by a number of TSIs who felt that this would help to embed a culture of volunteering from a young age. In order to achieve this many worked to strengthen links with local schools and colleges. Voluntary Action South Lanarkshire, for instance, based seven recruitment advisors at the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) and South Lanarkshire College which helped to raise the profile of volunteering amongst students. This also Page 19

21 Developing Volunteering led to stronger links being established between the interface and UWS which has resulted in additional projects being developed for the forthcoming year. This will include connecting business school students with third sector organisations so that each can benefit from the other Many of the interfaces reported an increase in the number of registered volunteers in 2013/14 and received positive feedback regarding their services. Indeed, when questioned, 89% of volunteers stated that the service which they had received from the TSI was either good or excellent. 10 The TSI is, always accommodating when arranging to meet a service user. [It] has a wealth of knowledge and [is] willing to share. [Volunteer providing feedback on its TSI] Thanks for setting this up I m looking forward to getting involved and helping people. [Volunteer providing feedback on its TSI] 3.11 As with the previous year, rewarding volunteers was used as a way to promote volunteering and to recognise achievements. The majority of TSIs referred to the Saltire Awards as the primary way that this was achieved. It is a national scheme which rewards young people aged between 12 and 25 according to the number of hours they have spent volunteering and many of the TSIs reported a rise in the number of registrations for it. Both Aberdeen Council of Voluntary Organisations (ACVO) and CVS Falkirk and District achieved their 1,000 th registration during the reporting period with the latter stating that they had seen a significant increase during the year Some of the TSIs also started their own award scheme in order to provide recognition for those out with the age range of the Saltire Awards. Co-Cheangal Innse Gall in the Western Isles, for instance, developed a local award for under 12s which proved popular and helped to instil an early volunteering culture. 10 This is based on 4,123 responses which were reported by 30 of the TSIs (94%). Page 20

22 Developing Volunteering 3.13 Alongside this, many hosted an annual awards ceremony as a way of recognising local achievement. This was mentioned in the 2012/13 report and since then more TSIs have developed their own events. These include Highland Third Sector Interface which held its first Third Sector Awards in October 2013 and tsimoray which will be running an event in late 2014 in partnership with six other organisations It was not just individual volunteers who received recognition, however. A number of TSIs actively promoted the Investing in Volunteers and Volunteer Friendly Awards and supported organisations to achieve accreditation. Voluntary Action East Ayrshire, for instance, delivered training sessions on volunteer management to staff at the local authority which resulted in East Ayrshire Council being awarded a Volunteer Friendly Award. Case Study: Support to Achieve the Volunteer Friendly Award in South Lanarkshire Activities: Voluntary Action South Lanarkshire worked with a local charity over a period of four months to help it achieve the Volunteer Friendly Award. The organisation already relied heavily on volunteers for the sustainability of its activities but felt that its policies and processes needed some TLC. The TSI s Volunteer Development Officer attended various meetings with the organisation s Volunteer Manager and helped to develop improved procedures as well as helping to assign evidence to the correct strands for accreditation. They also signposted the charity s Volunteer Manager to training courses which were available through the TSI; all of which were undertaken. Outcomes: As a result of the support provided by the TSI the organisation has received a Volunteer Friendly Award. It now has a volunteer representative on its board and is streamlining its application process. It has also increased the acknowledgement and celebration of its volunteers and the difference that they make Throughout the year TSIs delivered ongoing training to volunteer involving organisations and to individual volunteers in order to strengthen their capacity and capabilities. Much of this was developed in response to feedback and almost all of the TSIs noted an increase in demand for these services. Examples of some of the types of training included: Page 21

23 Developing Volunteering Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway worked in partnership with specific third sector organisations to deliver necessary training to their volunteers. This meant that the organisation could direct more of its internal resources to the delivery of outcomes; When it submitted its report, Voluntary Action South Ayrshire was in the process of putting together SQA accredited training packages with a particular focus on the needs identified through its Volunteer Managers Forum; Two programmes of training sessions were delivered by Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action. These covered topics such as how to recruit and retain volunteers, volunteer motivation and dealing with difficult volunteers ; West Dunbartonshire CVS produced a series of how to guides which were accessed by over 210 organisations. 92% of those confirmed that the guides were either useful or very useful. Case Study: Training Provided in Perth and Kinross Activities: Voluntary Action Perthshire supported a local organisation to design and implement volunteering processes and procedures. It also assisted in the development of the volunteering management practices. Following a request from the organisation it conducted a short, informal session for the organisation s management committee and staff on recruiting volunteers and risk assessment. The session was tailored to suit the needs and expectations of the attendees. Outcomes: The organisation is in the final stages of working through the Volunteer Friendly Quality Mark and continues to consult with its TSI about the development of its volunteering programme When questioned by TSIs, the majority of volunteer involving organisations provided positive feedback about the interfaces services: Page 22

24 Developing Volunteering 87% rated the service they had received as either good or excellent ; 11 77% confirmed that as a result of the services they had received they were better able to recruit, manage and retain volunteers. 12 Without the input [from the TSI] we would not benefit from volunteers coming to befriend at our organisation. [Volunteer involving organisation providing feedback on its TSI] Around 50% of our volunteers come through [the TSI s] website They also provide a valuable service for us in helping to set up processes and procedures to make sure we get the most out of our volunteers support and that they get the most out of the experience as well. It is very much a two way process. [Volunteer involving organisation providing feedback on its TSI] 3.17 As well as an increased demand for specific training sessions, the TSIs also provided a large amount of bespoke support to volunteers and volunteer involving organisations. For example, Dundee Third Sector Interface identified an opportunity to accompany potential volunteers on an initial visit to their chosen volunteering opportunity. 73% of people who were supported in this way went on to volunteer in contrast to 53% who used the interface s drop-in service. 11 This is based on 1,916 responses which were recorded by 29 TSIs (91%). 12 This is based on 1,638 responses which were recorded by 30 TSIs (94%). Page 23

25 Developing Volunteering Case Study: Volunteer Support in Highland Activities: An individual with complex needs was referred to Highland Third Sector Interface by a member organisation as it was felt that the TSI would be able to offer them broader support. The individual was initially reluctant to volunteer due to their background but after discussion with the TSI staff member the registration was completed and some activities were agreed. The TSI supported the volunteer with the clearly defined activity programme as well as regular one-to-one support sessions. These gave them the opportunity to discuss their journey as well as providing positive feedback for all the tasks they had completed. As their confidence increased they also felt able to participate in courses which were delivered by the interface, including one on First Aid. Outcomes: The individual has continued to regularly volunteer with the TSI and has completed an SQA Award in Volunteering Skills. Their self-confidence has grown as a result of their volunteering activities and, as a result, they have been encouraged to access courses through the local college. They hope that this will assist them to be work ready within the next year On average, 68% of volunteers who received support from a TSI went on to active volunteering. 13 Some of the interfaces recorded lower figures for this - between 40% and 60% - but this was often linked to volunteers who had identified an opportunity and were waiting to hear back from the placement organisation. For instance one TSI noted that only 44% were actively volunteering at the time of replying but that a further 22% were waiting to hear from their chosen opportunity A minority of interfaces reported a drop in the number of volunteers seeking support who went onto active volunteering. They suggested that one of the reasons for this was a lack of available volunteering opportunities. As a result, some TSIs sought to create new volunteering placements in order to meet demand. 13 This is based on 4,319 responses which were recorded by 31 TSIs (97%). Page 24

26 Developing Volunteering Case Study: Identifying new Volunteering Opportunities in East Ayrshire Activities: Volunteer Centre East Ayrshire was approached by a local community organisation which sought information on how it could use its skills to volunteer in local Care Homes. The Volunteer Centre supported the group with an application to Voluntary Action Fund to cover the cost of materials and volunteer expenses. It also assisted with the production of promotional materials in order to advertise the organisation s services to other Care Homes in the area. Outcomes: As a result of the Volunteer Centre s support the organisation was able to volunteer in three local Care Homes. An unintended outcome of the TSI networking with NHS staff was that additional volunteering opportunities were also identified. Information was passed to relevant groups and there are now more third sector organisations providing voluntary services in Care Homes in East Ayrshire TSIs also reported that another potential reason for the small drop in volunteering placements was due to shifts in the employability agenda, in particular the Community Work Placement Scheme. Interfaces felt that this had led to a shifting relationship between volunteering and employment benefits and reported that in some cases it had led to volunteering being seen as a mandatory requirement for receipt of benefits rather than as a voluntary activity. This resulted in some individuals registering as volunteers with little desire to secure a placement In addition to this, a few TSIs felt that some training providers and agencies such as Job Centre Plus were increasingly trying to access volunteering opportunities as work placements for those with little or no experience. These individuals would frequently require a higher level of support to be ready to volunteer with no additional assistance or resources being offered to the volunteer involving organisation. TSIs recognised the value of the third sector in this area and many identified ways to support individuals and volunteer involving organisations, as detailed below. Nonetheless, some felt that these referrals took resources away from those who were seeking to volunteer of their own free-will and sought out ways in which their resources could be used most effectively. Page 25

27 Developing Volunteering 3.22 For example, some interfaces engaged directly with relevant agencies to manage expectations and to identify ways in which they could support each other. For example, CVS Falkirk and District engaged in discussions with various agencies to clarify the difference between volunteering, work experience, shadowing and student placements, while other interfaces tried to ensure that individuals saw the benefits of volunteering and engaged with it of their own accord. Case Study: Working with Job Centre Plus in Dumfries and Galloway Activities: Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway worked closely with its local Job Centre Plus to raise the profile of volunteering and to highlight the diversity of opportunities available. It delivered presentations to managers and staff at various Job Centre Plus offices in order to embed the values and benefits of volunteering at a strategic level. These values were then echoed to advisors who tried to encourage and enthuse clients about the benefits of volunteering. The TSI also distributed electronic and printed information leaflets on volunteering and Saltire Awards. Outcomes: The TSI recorded an increase in the number of volunteer referrals and individuals looking for information on volunteering who had come from the Job Centre In order to increase accessibility to volunteering some TSIs developed specific courses for those who required additional support. For example, Voluntary Action North Ayrshire delivered two bespoke training programmes to volunteers who were considered to be furthest from the labour market and who wished to use volunteering as a route to employment. All participants took part in the TSI s EAGER course (Enabling Adults to Gain Employability Roles) which increased skills, motivation and enthusiasm to take up a volunteering placement. Similarly, Voluntary Action East Ayrshire worked in partnership with the Job Centre Plus and delivered a series of Ready to Volunteer courses. Page 26

28 Developing Volunteering Case Study: Learning Project Supporting Volunteering in Aberdeenshire Activities: Through its Skills for Volunteering and Employability Learning Project, Volunteer Centre Aberdeenshire offered support to more than 160 individuals with various levels of learning and development support needs. The project was funded by Scottish Government, Aberdeenshire Council and Big Lottery Fund and was developed in response to feedback from volunteer involving organisations that they found it difficult to take on volunteers who required higher levels of support or supervision. Programme courses included Skills Plus, SQA accredited Employability Award and Volunteer Skills Award, basic literacy classes and a programme for basic computer skills. Outcomes: Almost all of the individuals who have engaged with the Learning Project have progressed to volunteering, further learning or employment. Feedback from the partner agencies was positive with many noting a tangible improvement in confidence, attitudes and motivation among their clients A minority of TSIs expressed concern that some third sector organisations had an unrealistic expectation of what volunteering could offer them. For instance, some TSIs felt there was an assumption that they would be able to produce the desired number of volunteers with the right skillset for an organisation. As a result, the volunteer involving organisations did not always have the capacity to support and develop those who wanted to volunteer but did not have all of the necessary skills. In some instances, the TSIs intervened to manage expectations and to ensure realistic outcomes were understood and achieved A number of TSIs also supported organisations to place volunteers who required additional support. tsimoray, for instance, conducted a pre-registration visit to every organisation which expressed an interest in using its volunteer recruitment services. Page 27

29 Developing Volunteering Although this was time-consuming it helped to foster good relationships between the TSI and the wider sector and meant that organisations could also be signposted to additional support services if required There was a sense from some of the TSIs that MILO a shared database for all of the interfaces - was not yet functioning in a way which supported their daily operations. As a result some chose to supplement it with additional databases that met their own requirements. The majority acknowledged the ultimate benefits which will be derived from MILO, however and continue to work to improve the system. Outcomes 3.27 We identified some general trends from the TSIs monitoring forms regarding the outcomes which were met in this area. These included: Stronger volunteer involving organisations TSIs were able to provide examples of how their activities had improved the ability of various organisations to recruit and support volunteers. Some of the TSIs reported an increase in the number of organisations that were awarded the Volunteer Friendly Award and mentioned supporting many of them through the accreditation process. This demonstrated that, with support from the interfaces, third sector organisations were better able to effectively recruit, manage and retain volunteers; Increased number of volunteers Many of the TSIs reported an overall rise in the number of registered volunteers as well as a rise in the number of young people who received at least one of the levels of the Saltire Award. This was largely attributed to promotional activities carried out by the interfaces and to the creation of new placements. Overall there was a 3% increase in the number of volunteers who had gone on to volunteering placements from the previous year; Examples of partnership working A number of TSIs provided evidence of partnership working with a range of external agencies and organisations as a way of better meeting their volunteering outcomes. For some the partnerships led to the development of increased volunteering opportunities while for others it offered enhanced support to volunteers and volunteer involving organisations. Page 28

30 Section 4 Supporting Social Enterprise 4. Supporting Social Enterprise Introduction 4.1 Each of the TSIs developed its own approach to supporting and developing social enterprise according to the needs of the local sector. Nonetheless there were a number of trends which emerged including the development of forums, networks and training sessions. Overall the interfaces reported a number of positive outcomes for this core function, particularly with reference to the creation of new social enterprises in their area. Figure 3 - Word cloud generated from the TSI monitoring reports 14 Activities 4.2 Providing opportunities for social enterprises to network and share learning amongst themselves was the main point of focus for the TSIs regarding this function, with almost all of them referring to events and meetings that they had facilitated for this purpose. 4.3 The overwhelming majority highlighted the importance of these forums as a way for organisations to share experiences, learning and to make new contacts. Indeed, 14 This word cloud was generated from the text provided in the TSI monitoring reports regarding specific successes, challenges and learning which they had regarding the development of social enterprises. Page 29

31 Supporting Social Enterprise members of tsimoray s social enterprise network asserted that it was the most beneficial resource available to them locally. Whilst some of these forums were initiated before 2013 other TSIs established one during the 2013/14 reporting period; for example, Voluntary Action South Ayrshire. In addition to this a minority of interfaces reported that they were in the developmental process for creating one, such as Voluntary Sector Gateway West Lothian. 4.4 A number of TSIs observed an expansion of their existing social enterprise networks; something which was also noted in many of the 2012/13 monitoring reports. During the 2013/14 reporting period Glasgow s Third Sector Interface, for example, saw a membership increase of 40 to 83 while Voluntary Action Perthshire saw its social enterprise membership increase from 22 to 52 members. 4.5 Whilst most noted the importance of these networks, TSIs frequently mentioned that one of the key challenges they faced was social enterprises struggling to attend all of the meetings due to limited internal resources. Some interfaces identified new approaches to increase accessibility, including Voluntary Action Perthshire which introduced rural meetings for its Local Social Enterprise Network (LSEN). This meant that members did not always have to travel as far for meetings. 4.6 Many of the TSIs referred to support which they had provided to help establish new social enterprises. For example, STRiVE in East Lothian supported the development of a start-up model and funding for a Care at Home Agency. All of the necessary policies and procedures had been established and were being assessed by the Care Inspectorate at the time of reporting. Case Study: Supporting the Creation of a New Social Enterprise in North Ayrshire Activities: TSI North Ayrshire was asked to support two individuals who wanted to establish a new social enterprise. Through a series of meetings the founders were given support on issues such as committee skills, constitutions, pricing structures, business planning, legal structures and bank accounts. The interface was also able to broker a number of partnerships with other third sector organisations and external agencies. These helped the social enterprise to develop new projects and secure new funding streams. Outcomes: The social enterprise is now trading, generating income and is in discussions about embedding one of its project with the Curriculum for Excellence. Page 30

32 Supporting Social Enterprise 4.7 As well as supporting individuals and groups to create new social enterprises, some of the TSIs also mentioned social enterprises which they had developed themselves, in partnership with other organisations. Many of these were linked to the delivery of public services, particularly health and social care. 4.8 Developing training programmes in response to the needs of local social enterprises constituted a significant element of the work that the TSIs undertook to support and develop social enterprise. These programmes involved a range of topics including the development of business skills, branding and the use of social media. Voluntary Action Orkney, for example, developed workshops which helped expanding organisations to establish and implement appropriate financial controls and staff protocol whilst Engage Renfrewshire developed a series of bespoke social enterprise toolkit training workshops. Case Study: Training Programme Delivered in Clackmannanshire Activities: CTSi offered a range of practical support such as mentoring support, business development workshops and funding advice for existing and aspiring social entrepreneurs. Alongside this structured support, CTSi also invested in The Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) programme of awards as a way of further enhancing key skills and competencies within the Social Enterprise sector. The TSI is now approved to deliver ILM accredited training to level two and has chosen to focus a range of modules, including; Understanding Effective Team Working; Managing Yourself; Methods of Communicating in the Workplace; Providing Quality to your Customers; and Setting Team Objectives in the Workplace. Outcomes: Throughout 2013/14, ten individual social entrepreneurs working within eight social enterprises were supported through the ILM programme. As a result they developed increased confidence in their abilities, a clear understanding of the distinction between outcomes and outputs and enhanced team working skills. This led to benefits for the social enterprises more generally, including improved governance and a clearer vision for the business alongside a more achievable business plan. Page 31

33 Supporting Social Enterprise 4.9 Some of the TSIs also held specific sessions on fundraising to look at alternative ways in which local social enterprises could increase their revenue in light of increased competition for traditional grants Case Study: New Approaches to Funding in Midlothian Activities: Social Enterprise Alliance Midlothian (SEAM) hosted a networking lunch on crowdfunding which was attended by 14 individuals from various social enterprises. One of the attendees at the lunch identified the possibility of initiating a crowdfunding campaign to fund an apprenticeship with their organisation. SEAM supported the organisation throughout the process by either providing direct access to support or by brokering relationships with external expertise. The campaign initially stalled having reached 1,000 but, after seeking advice, a fundraising night was held to raise awareness of it. SEAM also signposted the organisation to a Dragon s Den style event and helped them to develop the strategy for their successful pitch. Outcomes: The organisation has raised sufficient funds to run the apprenticeship in part and has developed new fundraising skills As well as running many of their own sessions a number of TSIs also identified opportunities to develop workshops in partnership with other organisations and agencies who had relevant expertise. One example is ACVO, in Aberdeen, which organised two legal surgeries in conjunction with SENSCOT Legal, each followed by a number of 20 minute one-to-one consultations. Similarly, Voluntary Action South Ayrshire negotiated a leadership training course with Ayr College for local social enterprises and also collaborated with UWS to deliver a range of useful training events TSIs felt that whilst many of the social enterprises in their areas delivered good services, they occasionally lacked relevant business skills. This was identified as being a particular challenge with regards to the implementation of the Procurement Reform Bill and the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act. As a result, many of the TSIs worked with partners such as the local authority, Business Gateway and the local Page 32

34 Supporting Social Enterprise Chamber of Commerce to deliver specific training in business skills in an attempt to prepare organisations for this transition Alongside a calendar of training events and opportunities, many of the TSIs also noted the importance of offering bespoke support to social enterprises in order to address their individual needs. Case Study: Providing Support to Social Enterprises in Inverclyde Activities: Inverclyde Third Sector Interface provided ongoing support to a new charitable organisation. The TSI initially helped the organisation to identify an appropriate legal structure for its purposes and assisted the board with the process of registering with OSCR. It also supported with various funding applications including some for start-up costs and others for the continuation and development of specific projects. Alongside this organisational and governance support, the TSI also created opportunities for the organisation to influence the local Community Health and Care Partnership so that it could begin to develop how its services could be commissioned in the future. Outcomes: The organisation is now fully established, employs staff and benefits an increasing number of service users in the area Some interfaces reported increased demand for individual support including West Dunbartonshire CVS which ran a successful, designated surgery for one day each month. Voluntary Action South Lanarkshire also noted that it had supported 64 social enterprises during the year, across a range of topics including funding, project planning, marketing and governance During the 2013/14 monitoring period, the TSIs received positive feedback regarding the services they provided for social enterprises. When questioned: Page 33

35 Supporting Social Enterprise 85% of social enterprises who had received support from an interface rated the service as either good or excellent; 15 79% felt that they were more confident to develop their enterprise as a result of the service(s) they received While all of the interfaces ran their own programmes for training and support, many also offered a formal referral and signposting service to organisations such as First Port, Just Enterprise and Business Gateway. This provided access to specific expertise where required. Case Study: Signposting Social Enterprises in Shetland Activities: Voluntary Action Shetland was approached by a group of individuals who wished to develop an indoor play area and café within the local community. They required assistance in order to formally establish the group and the TSI was able to offer direct advice and guidance in a range of areas; for example, registering to become a SCIO. Where the interface considered that other agencies had specific areas of expertise which went beyond its own, it facilitated links between the organisations. For instance, Business Gateway provided template business plans while Development Trusts Association advised on the process of Community Asset Transfer. Outcomes: By using local strengths the TSI maintained effective working relationships with other support agencies and was able to better meet the needs of the social enterprise. The organisation receives ongoing support from the TSI and the local authority is currently reviewing its application for the asset transfer As well as supporting existing social enterprises, many of the TSIs felt there was importance in embedding an entrepreneurial spirit within the local population. As a 15 This is based on 1,148 responses which were recorded by 29 TSIs (91%). 16 This is based on 1,007 responses which were recorded by 28 TSIs (88%). Page 34

36 Supporting Social Enterprise result, a number of interfaces worked in partnership with schools and colleges to develop programmes which were designed to encourage young people to develop their own enterprising ideas. One example was Voluntary Action East Renfrewshire which created the Enterprise Awareness Programme with timetabled sessions as part of the Curriculum for Excellence. Individual social entrepreneurs were then supported by the TSI or signposted to external agencies Just as promotional activities were integral to the TSIs role in developing volunteering, a number of interfaces also mentioned it with regards to social enterprises; both in terms of raising their own profile within this area and also that of social enterprises more generally. Voluntary Action North Lanarkshire, for instance, worked in partnership with a range of other organisations to facilitate a pop-up shop in which several local enterprises showcased their projects and sold low-cost goods. The shop was open for five days and proved to be popular with the general public. Case Study: Social Enterprise Trade Fair in Aberdeen Activities: Aberdeen Council for Voluntary Organisations (ACVO) organised The Aberdeen City and Shire Trade to Trade Fair as a way of promoting inter-trading amongst social enterprises, raising the profile of social enterprises and encouraging new partnership working across the third and private sectors. On the day there were 40 social enterprise stall holders from Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire alongside social enterprise support organisations such as First Port and Senscot legal who also had stalls. Over 150 people attended the event and it has led to ongoing discussions about creating a Friend of Aberdeen Social Enterprise Network group. This will be for private sector organisations who use and promote social enterprise products and services. Outcomes: 98% of respondents to the evaluation survey agreed that the fair had been a success and there was evidence of increased partnership with some social enterprises working together to apply for funding. Other social enterprises also reported that they had received new tenders as a result of the event. Page 35

37 Supporting Social Enterprise 4.18 Many of the TSIs adopted social media and e-bulletins as a tool to promote their message more widely. One example of this was Voluntary Action East Renfrewshire which sent downloadable e-bulletins and web alerts to its membership. These were then available to download via its new website which was launched in September Over 2,800 new visitors were recorded through the site and the TSIs active twitter and Facebook accounts helped to increase the amount of traffic to the website Although each of the TSIs developed distinct organisational and operational strategies in response to the needs of their specific area, there was also a recognition that sharing learning across the network was advantageous. As a result, many of them conducted study visits to social enterprises which were supported by other interfaces. This helped to showcase a range of activities, enabled them to make new contacts and enabled TSIs to share practice. These visits were well received and it is anticipated that they will continue in the coming year As the amount of support which TSIs offered social enterprises increased a minority of interfaces expressed concerns around possible tensions emerging with other support agencies, particularly with regards to the potential duplication of activities. As a result, some of the interfaces collaborated with other agencies, both local and national, to ensure that they were able to manage potentially competing work as well as avoiding any overt gaps or duplications in services Another potential solution which was identified by one TSI was the development of a local referral pathway. Page 36

38 Supporting Social Enterprise Case Study: Creating a Referral Pathway in East Renfrewshire Activities: Voluntary Action East Renfrewshire developed a Third Sector Development Pathway. This provided new and existing social enterprises with an interactive pathway of support which will grow and change according to the needs of the sector. The TSI acted as the first point of contact for organisations and individuals and then identified the most appropriate source of support. For example, an individual approached the TSI for guidance on using social enterprise as business model. The TSI capacity building team arranged sessions on legal structures, volunteers and sustainability. They also signposted the entrepreneur to the Lloyds School for Social Entrepreneurs Programme which offered start-up office space and peer mentoring. During 2013/14 the TSI made ten referrals to external agencies and had 13 referrals from other support providers. Outcomes: The creation of a formal referral system and protocols for support meant that many third sector organisations and individuals were better able to meet the shifting demands of the third sector. It has also strengthened links between the interface and external support agencies An additional challenge which was raised by some of the TSIs was a lack of overall understanding about what a social enterprise is within the third sector. Research conducted by Glasgow s Third Sector Interface, for instance, highlighted that a large percentage of social enterprises did not recognise themselves as such and so did not engage with the services being offered by the interface. To counteract this, many of the interfaces actively directed resources to enhance organisations understanding of the term social enterprise, as well as organising targeted events which aimed to strengthen engagement in the area A few of the TSIs also observed a low level of engagement from existing social enterprises. They felt that this was at least in part due to a perception that the TSI was better able to help newer and smaller organisations. This is something which some interfaces are actively seeking to address in the coming year. Page 37

39 Supporting Social Enterprise Outcomes 4.24 We identified some general trends from the TSIs monitoring forms regarding the outcomes which were met in this area. These included: Creation of new social enterprises As with the previous year, a number of TSIs referred to the creation of new social enterprises as an outcome of their ongoing activities in this area. Many of these were linked to the delivery of public services, particularly health and social care. With the integration of health and social care high on the agenda for Scottish Government, it highlights the ability of TSIs to meet both local and national outcomes; Improved relationships and partnership working Many of the TSIs reported specific cases where they had worked in partnership with other organisations to develop social enterprise in their area. Examples frequently included working with other support agencies such Business Gateway, First Port and SENSCOT as a way of providing training and referral opportunities for social enterprise organisations; Increased opportunities for shared learning As a result of the conferences, forums and networks which the majority of interfaces facilitated, many reported increased opportunities for networking amongst social enterprises. TSIs felt that this would lead to examples of good practice being shared more widely and for a network of peer support to be developed and supported. Page 38

40 Section 5 Supporting and Developing Voluntary and Community Organisations 5. Supporting and Developing Voluntary and Community Organisations Introduction 5.1 Throughout 2013/14 the TSIs carried out a range of activities aimed at strengthening and developing third sector organisations. As well as responding to specific enquiries, interfaces also organised general training sessions and events focused around needs which they identified in their local sector. Figure 4 - Word cloud generated from the TSI monitoring reports 17 Activities 5.2 The majority of TSIs referred to training and support packages which they offered to local third sector organisations. This was primarily done through a mixture of one-toone support as well as a range of training courses and online toolkits. 17 This word cloud was generated from the text provided in the TSI monitoring reports regarding specific successes, challenges and learning which they encountered through their activities of supporting and developing voluntary and community organisations. Page 39

41 Supporting and Developing Voluntary and Community Organisations Case Study: Employers Advice Service in Glasgow Activities: The Glasgow Council for the Voluntary Sector (GCVS) ran an Employers Advice Service to support third sector organisations to manage the responsibilities of being an employer. For an annual fee members were given access to advice, support and training on various aspects of recruitment, employment law, contracts of employment, dismissals, redundancies, staff development and appraisals. The service also provided bespoke consultancy work for organisations, including one instance when it helped to review and draft amendments to staff contracts to the satisfaction of all parties. Feedback from its stakeholder survey confirmed that the wages and payroll service were particularly valued. Outcomes: As a result of this service more organisations were able to comply with employment law and fulfil their obligations as an employer. Case Study: Support Offered to a Third Sector Organisation in West Lothian Activities: Voluntary Sector Gateway West Lothian was approached by a local community organisation which was looking for support to develop its capacity so that it could better meet the needs of its service users. The TSI provided training on various governance issues including the roles and responsibilities of the committee members. It also helped the organisation to identify a source of funding which paid for necessary IT equipment. Outcomes: The community organisation has now produced a full calendar of events and has developed its website and Facebook account so that potential users can find it and stay informed of its activities. Page 40

42 Supporting and Developing Voluntary and Community Organisations 5.3 The main areas of support which were offered by the interfaces remained largely consistent with those identified in the 2012/13 report: Funding - This included help with sourcing appropriate funding streams, applying for a variety of grants and identifying more enterprising approaches for generating income; Legal status This included support to identify appropriate legal structures, applying for charitable status through the Scottish Charity regulator, OSCR and ensuring that the organisation understood the requirements placed on it by the regulatory body; Governance This included reviewing procedures and constitutions, recruiting Board members and outlining their roles and responsibilities; Finance and financial management Including financial health checks to identify potential issues and free, independent examination of accounts; Training for staff and volunteers Including recruitment and management, PVG checks and bespoke training offered to volunteers with certain third sector organisations; Organisational issues This included creation of business plans, support with EFQM and/or PQASSO third sector quality standards, data protection and policies and procedures; Communication Including social media. 5.4 A small minority of TSIs also referred to specific training around asset transfer and community ownership for organisations which wanted to assume responsibility for a community facility. This is a reflection of ongoing national policy in Scotland to increase community empowerment. 5.5 As well as providing support to existing organisations, a number of TSIs also referred to activities they had undertaken to help establish new third sector organisations. This included work on draft constitutions, setting up a bank account and recruiting committee members. Page 41

43 Supporting and Developing Voluntary and Community Organisations Case Study: Support to Start-Up a New Organisation in Renfrewshire Activities: An individual approached Engage Renfrewshire on behalf of a new group which had started to meet on a Sunday morning. They were hoping to formalise the organisation but required advice on how best to do that. The TSI provided support to write a constitution, set up a bank account, select office bearers and to identify appropriate funding streams. It also attended a meeting between one of the group s representatives and the leader of Renfrewshire Council in an attempt to broker an ongoing relationship between the two organisations. Outcomes: The organisation is now fully operational and has developed and implemented a number of successful projects which meet its aims and objectives. 5.6 Issues around governance were seen as one of the biggest challenges facing third sector organisations with some TSIs noting a general lack of understanding amongst third sector organisations about the roles of committee members and the legal requirements for different types of organisations. The interfaces sought to address this through ongoing one-to-one support as well as training courses. For instance, Inverclyde TSI developed a nuts and bolts brand of short courses which included a specific module on governance. Case Study: Governance Support Offered in Fife Activities: Fife Voluntary Action supported a new third sector organisation to develop a formal governance structure. This helped to make the organisation eligible for funding and, with additional support, it submitted a successful application which will contribute to two years running costs. The TSI also assisted the organisation to understand employment procedures and it has now recruited a Project Manager and a number of volunteers. Outcomes: The organisation now has appropriate governance policies in place and is better able to meet the needs of the wider community. Page 42

44 Supporting and Developing Voluntary and Community Organisations 5.7 As well as supporting organisations which had directly approached the TSI for assistance, a few of the interfaces also mentioned referrals which they received from funders and regulatory bodies such as OSCR. Voluntary Action South Lanarkshire, for example, was asked by the Big Lottery Fund to provide support to a third sector group to improve its governance arrangements in readiness for receiving and managing a large grant. 5.8 Whilst an increase in referrals was not raised by all of the TSIs, those that did mention it also noted that it had put a strain on their resources. As a result, some of the interfaces identified potential solutions. These included: Edinburgh Third Sector Interface began to standardise its offers of support including training in order to be able to meet increased demand; Voluntary Action Orkney, in partnership with Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), invited OSCR to deliver a talk to local Community Trusts about Charity Law. This sought to raise awareness about good governance before it became an issue. 5.9 Funding was an area of support which TSIs explicitly mentioned as making up a high proportion of their work, as it did in the previous year. This frequently involved supporting organisations to make bids to a range of funding bodies. For example, Voluntary Action South Ayrshire indicated that it had assisted on a number of cluster fund bids which were submitted to Voluntary Action Fund. Case Study: Support Accessing Funding in Falkirk Activities: CVS Falkirk and District has been in regular contact with a local community organisation since it was first established and provides ongoing support for its governance and general activities. During 2013, intensive support was given to the organisation in completing an application form for the Big Lottery Fund s Support and Connect programme as well assisting it to comply with all of the eligibility criteria. Outcomes: The application was successful and the organisation secured a grant to support its operational expenditure over a three year period. Page 43

45 Supporting and Developing Voluntary and Community Organisations Case Study: Actively Seeking Funding in West Dunbartonshire Activities: West Dunbartonshire CVS adopted a strategic approach to funding and so it actively targeted local organisations which it felt could benefit from the Big Lottery Fund s 2014 Communities funding programme. 116 organisations were ed or written to and this was then followed up with a telephone call. All were offered support in applying to the programme. In total 65 organisations had accepted the offer of support and submitted an application to the Fund with help from the interface. Outcomes: By March 2014 the TSI had helped the organisations to secure 69,772 of funding from this programme with 26,000 still awaiting assessment In addition to this, a few interfaces also mentioned new ways in which they had tried to generate more revenue for third sector organisations. For example, Inverclyde Third Sector Interface recruited a new Strategic Investment Officer whose role was to help the area secure a greater share of national funding through the development of partnerships and creative ways of working Some TSIs also referred to support which they had offered to third sector organisations in an effort to make them more enterprising and less reliant on traditional grants. Voluntary Action East Renfrewshire reported some success in this area following an increase in the number of organisations which defined themselves as enterprising rather than voluntary organisations rose from 20% in previous surveys to 50% in 2013/14. Page 44

46 Supporting and Developing Voluntary and Community Organisations Case Study: Increasing Organisational Capacity in South Ayrshire Activities: Voluntary Action South Ayrshire was asked to assist a third sector organisation to explore different options for building its capacity following a reduction in the amount of support it received from the local authority. With support from the TSI, the organisation recognised the potential to create new volunteering opportunities which would allow it to expand its activities, reach new members of the community and to potentially generate income through the sale of goods. The interface assisted the organisation with the development of appropriate volunteer management procedures and with the selection of a Volunteer Coordinator, both through the initial funding application for the role and then with the recruitment process. Outcomes: As a result of the interface s support the organisation was better able to engage with a range of volunteers and is looking at how to make the Volunteer Co-ordinator s role sustainable once the project funded period comes to an end In addition to ongoing training programmes, some of the interfaces referred to sector wide events which they held as a way to encourage networking between different organisations and to share learning. Grow Your Group, for instance, was an event held by Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action. Through it 22 organisations attended workshops and talks on governance, evaluating and reporting to funders, volunteer recruitment and social media Feedback from third sector organisations was very positive regarding the TSIs support for third sector organisations. When asked: 87% felt that the service they had received was either good or excellent; This is based on 2,451 responses which were recorded by 30 interfaces (94%). Page 45

47 Supporting and Developing Voluntary and Community Organisations 80% felt that their organisation was better managed or able to deliver better services as a result of the TSI s support. 19 We would strongly recommend [our TSI] to other groups who find themselves at the beginning of a charity registration. The examples and support we received was incredibly insightful. [Third sector organisation providing feedback on its TSI] 5.14 A few of the TSIs highlighted forums and networks which they established as a way of increasing the level of peer support available to organisations. Third Sector Midlothian, for instance, established a Chief Officers Group to promote mutual support within an increasingly complex funding and legislative landscape The 2012/13 reports highlighted that many of the TSIs had developed forums as a way to facilitate discussions around national policy agendas such as Reshaping Care for Older People. This continued into 2013/14 and many continued to host networks as a means of supporting input to and feedback from the local third sector. One example was Engage Renfrewshire which maintained a high level of contact with third sector organisations regarding the Reshaping Care for Older People Agenda. This included organising a high volume of meetings which have subsequently evolved into localitybased meeting groups in preparation for integrated health and social care provision A few of the interfaces referred to ongoing staff training which they organised to ensure that the support and advice they offered to third sector organisations continued to meet the needs of the sector. Voluntary Action South Lanarkshire, for example, noted that it had seen an increase in the number of enquiries regarding the pros and cons of becoming a registered charity and had reviewed its internal training programme accordingly Internal training was seen as particularly important by a minority of interfaces who had observed an increase in the number of external agencies and individuals who provided professional advisory services to third sector organisations. As a result they felt that it was increasingly important for their staff to be recognised externally as having expertise in relevant areas. Voluntary Action Orkney, for example, sought to address this by requesting specific, bespoke training for its staff from OSCR. 19 This is based on 2,212 responses which were recorded by 32 interfaces (100%). Page 46

48 Supporting and Developing Voluntary and Community Organisations Outcomes 5.18 We identified some general trends from the TSIs monitoring forms regarding the outcomes which were met in this area. These included: Increased sustainability of third sector organisations Many of the TSIs noted that organisations were most likely to approach them once they had reached a crisis in terms of their management. As a result of the bespoke training and one-to-one support which they offered, the majority provided examples of how their interventions had resulted in improved sustainability for organisations. Particularly with regards to: o Improved governance structures, including more organisations with an appropriate legal structure and an understanding of the associated requirements; o Enhanced accounting practices; o Strengthened links with funders; o Improved understanding of the management committee s roles and responsibilities; o Resolution of conflict between staff and management committee; o Increased levels of partnership working between the third and public sectors; o Increased number of registered charities and SCIOs. These are consistent with the previous year and highlight the ongoing outcomes which are being met by the interfaces various activities. Some of the interfaces also referred to an increase in the number of awards which had been bestowed on organisations in their area as an example of increasing strength in the sector. These awards included Volunteer Friendly Accreditation and the EFQM Committed to Excellence; Supporting the creation of new third sector organisations - As well as ensuring the continuing development and sustainability of third sector organisations, some of the interfaces also indicated that they had supported the establishment of new voluntary and community groups. This included guidance in drafting a constitution, identifying an appropriate legal structure and applying for start-up costs. Page 47

49 Supporting and Developing Voluntary and Community Organisations Increased access to funding TSIs were able to evidence various ways in which they had supported organisations to secure funding including bespoke support and funding surgeries. A few also noted an increase in the amount of enterprising activities which took place in their area as a result of their work. Interfaces considered this to be an important area of work as they felt that reductions to local authority budgets and increased competition for grants was one of the primary challenges facing third sector organisations during this period. Page 48

50 Section 6 Building the Third Sector Relationship with Community Planning 6. Building the Third Sector Relationship with Community Planning Introduction 6.1 The fourth key function of the interfaces was to build the third sector relationship with community planning. To achieve this they each undertook a range of activities designed to brief the third sector about key developments, gather responses to it and then feed those back to relevant strategic groups. Figure 5 - Word cloud generated from TSI monitoring reports 20 Activities 6.2 All of the TSIs were represented at the highest level of their Community Planning Partnerships. 20 This word cloud was generated from the text provided in the TSI monitoring reports regarding specific successes, challenges and learning which they had in relation to building the third sector s relationship with Community Planning. Page 49

51 Building the Third Sector Relationship with Community Planning 6.3 The majority of TSIs confirmed that they attended and facilitated a range of strategic meetings. Although the annual monitoring reports did not specifically ask what partnerships they were involved in, many noted ones which focused on: Early Years and Young People These included Early Years Collaborative, Integrated Children s Services and Getting it Right for Every Child; Older People Many TSIs mentioned forums which focused on Reshaping Care for Older People and the associated Scottish Government Change Fund. Some were involved in partnerships around health and social care integration, as well as some which looked at specific issues such as support services for older people; Health and Wellbeing These included Community Health Partnerships and Public Partnership Forums as well as related groups exploring specific topics such as mental health; Community Safety These included Community Safety Planning Partnerships; Employability These often focused on young people and sometimes included links to wider Welfare Reforms. These were largely consistent with the key themes recorded in 2012/13 and reflect ongoing regional and national priorities. 6.4 TSIs worked to build bridges between the local third sector and other Community Planning Partners through such things as: Taking part in Community Planning Partnerships; Setting up events, roadshows, workshops and conferences with the aim of bringing together third sector organisations to discuss key decisions, strategies and policies; Supporting third sector organisations to gather local views on Community Planning through similar events; Establishing forums and networks to bring third sector organisations together around a key theme, such as mental health or older people; Virtual methods of providing information about Community Planning to third sector organisations. Page 50

52 Building the Third Sector Relationship with Community Planning 6.5 TSIs received positive feedback from the third sector organisations they worked with in this area. Of those who responded to the TSIs survey questions: 68% felt more able to influence and contribute to public policy due to the TSIs activities; 21 84% felt more connected with other organisations as a result of networks and forums which the TSIs had facilitated In some cases, TSIs had created new posts to support third sector engagement and involvement in Community Planning. Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway, for example, recruited a Policy, Research and Community Planning Officer to deliver on four key milestones. These included the creation of thematic networks across the sector and the development and implementation systems for supporting third sector organisations, including training and briefing sessions. 6.7 Some TSIs also reported improved working relationships with Community Planning partners. When TSIs asked their partners, 89% felt that the interface brought extensive knowledge of the third sector and its views to the Community Planning Partnership This is based on 1,562 recorded responses which were provided by 29 TSIs (91%). 22 This is based on 1,805 responses which were provided by 31 TSIs (97%). 23 This is based on 317 responses which were recorded by 29 of the TSIs (91%). Page 51

53 Building the Third Sector Relationship with Community Planning Case Study: Bridging the Gap between the Third Sector and the Community Planning Partnership in Angus Activities: As part of its ongoing activities to support third sector involvement in the Community Planning process, Voluntary Action Angus facilitated the formation of a new third sector partnership: the Third Sector Strategic Forum. This brought together leading third sector organisations to consider strategic and policy issues and allowed third sector change through lobbying. In order to encourage increased collective representation, the TSI also assisted the creation of a Third Sector Collaborative Agreement. This formally committed to identifying new ways of working within the sector and to move towards the development of a shared vision across the sector. A number of local third sector organisations across Angus signed the Agreement which outlines the principles and terms of reference for the Forum, the TSI and for third sector representatives. Outcomes: Feedback from the third sector and community planning partners highlights that there is a clear difference in the way the third sector, supported by the TSI, is able to build greater, more effective and equal relationships with Community Planning. 6.8 A number of TSIs referred to thematic forums or networks as one of the primary ways in which they connected third sector organisations to wider policy discussions. Some examples included: Fife Voluntary Action s Third Sector Strategy Group was themed around categories including children s services, mental health and older people. It then fed back into the Community Planning Partnership. The TSI felt that this had encouraged a more detailed engagement and had also enabled the wider third sector to take a more proactive stance and help shape the Community Planning agenda, rather than just responding to it; Edinburgh Third Sector Interface developed Thinkspaces which were responsive to current issues and were accessible to individuals with limited capacity to contribute to policy discussions. The sessions included speakers Page 52

54 Building the Third Sector Relationship with Community Planning and a workshop format and the interface asserted that they had helped to gather a comprehensive view of the sector; CVS Falkirk & District facilitated a Community Care and Health Forum which met bi-monthly and had a membership of over 30 organisations at the end of the reporting period. Case Study: Strengthening Voluntary Sector Engagement with Community Planning in North Lanarkshire Activities: Voluntary Action North Lanarkshire organised and hosted six Voluntary Sector Locality Networks and four Voluntary Sector Thematic Networks throughout the area in an effort to encourage more volunteers and third sector organisations to engage with the Community Planning process. Each of these met twice a year and provided an opportunity for people to learn more about the voluntary sector s role in Community Planning as well as enabling them to share their views and participate in consultations. The TSI also facilitated the appointment of a Third Sector Representative to each of the six Local Area Partnerships in order to raise local awareness of the Community Planning process. Outcomes: As a result of the Networks and local Representatives there was increased awareness of, and engagement with, the Community Planning Process. More third sector organisations contributed to the strategic decision making process with the total number who actively contributing to Locality Networks rising from 242 in 2012/13 to 296 in 2013/ Facilitating events was highlighted as a further way in which the TSIs had connected with the wider sector. Some examples which were in the monitoring reports included: Argyll and Bute Third Sector Partnership organised a series of community engagement roadshows in partnership with the other Community Planning Partnership partners. Using the draft Single Outcome Agreement as a guide, Page 53

55 Building the Third Sector Relationship with Community Planning the roadshows took place in every locality throughout Argyll and Bute and formed an additional mechanism to feed into the planning process; CTSi, in Clackmannanshire, held a third sector event at which a panel debated a range of topical issues and attendees engaged in broader discussions. 51 organisations attended in total; Voluntary Action South Ayrshire hosted its inaugural third sector conference on Health and Social Care Integration. Case Study: Health and Social Care Integration in Moray Activities: As part of its annual conference, tsimoray held a workshop on Health and Social Care Integration. This was to facilitate third sector engagement in the development of Moray Community Health and Social Care Partnership s plan. The workshop focused on the key elements of the Joint Working (Public Bodies) (Scotland) Bill and the route to integration through healthier living, independent living and positive experiences outcomes. The workshop was supplemented by additional activities including the delivery of presentations to groups such as the Older People s Reference Group, Age Concern Scotland and Independent Living Scotland. Outcomes: Responses from the workshop helped to shape the overall vision and future priorities for the partnership. It also encouraged the Partnership to think about health and wellbeing in a broader and more holistic way, rather than focusing only on what the NHS and local authority delivered. Page 54

56 Building the Third Sector Relationship with Community Planning Case Study: Information Roadshows in the Western Isles Activities: In February 2014, the five organisations which made up the Western Isles Third Sector Interface Co-Cheangal Innse Gall toured to four areas with an information roadshow and a networking lunch. The roadshow was targeted at voluntary organisations, volunteers, community groups and social enterprises and it aimed to raise the profile of the TSI and to promote the range of services offered by the partners. It also gave the TSI the opportunity to connect directly with the third sector and to hear about the needs, successes and challenges in different areas. In total over 80 people attended the roadshows in Castlebay, Tarbert, Balivanich and Stornoway. Outcomes: Anecdotal feedback highlighted that people felt more able to share information with each other and with the TSI as a result of the event Some of the TSIs highlighted virtual methods of relating information to relevant organisations to help increase awareness of, and accessibility to, Community Planning. Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway, for example, began to develop a web page for each of the Community Planning and public sector partnerships it is involved with. These are still in process but will help to promote the remit of each partnership, details of who represents the third sector and what the key issues are. Page 55

57 Building the Third Sector Relationship with Community Planning Case Study: Connecting Communities Project in Orkney Activities: Following a variety of meetings and workshops it became apparent that more needed to be done to explain to communities, third sector organisations and older people what the Reshaping Care for Older People Change Fund objectives were. There also needed to be increased engagement from the wider third sector so that organisations and individuals could help decide what needed to be changed, introduced or improved. The Change Fund Leads allocated 70,000 to the project over a two year period and agreed that Voluntary Action Orkney would facilitate it. One of the main outputs of the project to date was the creation of a directory of services for all statutory and third sector organisations that deliver services or activities for older people. A hard copy was given to all front line staff so that they had information about relevant services and activities when meeting with older people, their carers and their families. The information was also added to the ALISS database and a Growing Older in Orkney website was created to share the information more widely. Outcomes: The directory helped to improve the understanding of services which are available to older adults living in Orkney. It also improved the ability to share information on available services in a more accessible way; both between services and to the service users As was the case in 2012/13, a number of the TSIs were involved in making decisions about, or monitoring funding schemes. Page 56

58 Building the Third Sector Relationship with Community Planning Case Study: Managing a Resilience Fund in Edinburgh Activities: Edinburgh Voluntary Organisation s Council (EVOC) managed a Resilience Fund, on behalf of the Edinburgh s Reshaping Care for Older People Change Fund partners. When faced with an underspend, EVOC submitted a proposal to the Change Fund Core Group that it be used to support small-scale work with decisions being made through a participatory budgeting approach. In total, the Canny wi Cash programme distributed 56,000 to 56 groups with decisions being made over a voting fortnight. 312 older people cast their votes at 29 different venues throughout the city. Outcomes: Older people felt more included in the decision making process and in some instances, became more aware of groups and services which operate in their area Some TSIs noted concern about the level of input required from the wider third sector in Community Planning as many organisations had limited capacity to engage in ongoing discussions in a meaningful way. A few interfaces identified potential solutions to address this. These included: Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action was involved in the North East Learning Collaborative: a partnership which provides theoretical and practical learning to third sector and public sector organisations. One of the modules Collaborating for Outcomes Leadership Programme offered training for senior managers to help them to influence public policy; Voluntary Action South Ayrshire held a workshop entitled, Building the Third Sector Relationship with Community Planning. 18 people attended in total and the session explored the aims of community planning and how the third sector could become involved and participate in decision making and outcomes of the Single Outcome Agreement. Page 57

59 Building the Third Sector Relationship with Community Planning 6.13 In some instances interfaces did not feel that the approach they had adopted was generating sufficient engagement and so, where possible, they sought alternative methods to involve the wider third sector. Some examples included: ACVO, in Aberdeen, stated that although it had organised specific events, the level of debate was not as active as it would have liked. As a result a more targeted approach will be adopted in future. This will involve smaller events for which relevant parties will be fully briefed in advance and feedback will be gained in a more co-ordinated manner; tsimoray reported that its initial approach was to develop an overarching network to discuss strategic issues and then have smaller thematic networks which fed into that. Due to limited resources fewer third sector organisations were contributing than anticipated so a community development approach was adopted. This involved networks which focused on a specific area of work, for example managing volunteers and children and young people. This was considered to be far more successful A number of TSIs also referred to the high level of internal resources which were required in order for them to build the third sector relationship with Community Planning. They felt that managing various forums and networks, as well as disseminating relevant information across the wider third sector and attending various partnership meetings, involved a large amount of staff time and that this had put a strain on their internal resources An additional concern felt by some TSIs was that they were not always considered by public sector bodies to be equal partners in Community Planning, with key decisions being taken without them. In an effort to counteract this, some developed strategies to increase the level of understanding about the wider third sector from public and independent sector agencies. These included: Voluntary Sector Gateway West Lothian arranged a number of meetings and visits where Heads of Service were invited to visit the locations of various third sector organisations and to meet their staff and clients. It was felt that this interaction created a greater degree of awareness of the strengths and limitations of the third sector; Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action began discussions around a potential secondment for a staff member to take a full or part-time post as a Health and Social Care Executive. It is anticipated that this will help to strengthen links between the sectors. Page 58

60 Building the Third Sector Relationship with Community Planning Case Study: Showcase Event in Dundee Activities: Dundee Third Sector Interface held an event to showcase the third sector contribution to the Reshaping Care for Older People Change Fund. The aim was to provide a more detailed understanding of the work which was being developed through the Change Fund. All of the third sector organisations that were funded through it had a stall and some delivered presentations. These included Alzheimer Scotland s Musical Minds Choir and taster massages from Dundee Carers Centre. All of the activities which were shown on the day demonstrated preventative approaches to the Change Fund outcomes. In total 143 people attended the event, including senior staff from the Change Fund Partnership. Outcomes: The TSI reported that the event had served to make the third sector contribution tangible to the Change Fund partners and had resulted in increased engagement from third sector contributors Despite this, many of the TSIs also provided evidence of successful partnership working across a range of projects. These included partnerships with other third sector organisations as well as working across different sectors. Case Study: Bridging Multiple Services in East Lothian Activities: STRiVE was fundamental in bridging multiple services and managing to agree funding for a new Royal Volunteering Service project in East Lothian. It held a series of facilitated dialogues with a range of individuals and organisations, including GP s in East Lothian, NHS Lothian and East Lothian Council. These culminated in a successful Reshaping Care for Older People application for Royal Volunteering Service to run a volunteer led transport service to help older people get to and from GP surgeries and local hospitals. Outcomes: The TSI reported that the year-end evaluation for the project was strong and that it continues to support older people to remain as mobile and independent as possible. Page 59

61 Building the Third Sector Relationship with Community Planning 6.17 Overall many of the TSIs felt that this was a strong area of delivery and anticipate that this will continue to improve. Many of the Community Planning Partnerships were in the process of being restructured at the end of the reporting period in an effort to increase their efficacy. This was partly due to internal reviews being conducted by the Community Planning Partnership and partly due to Audit Scotland s analysis of eight Community Planning Partnerships from The reports of the external evaluations will be made public and the learning will be shared across the network. Outcomes 6.18 We identified some general trends from the TSIs monitoring forms regarding the outcomes which were met in this area. These included: Improved relationships with public sector agencies - Although a few of the TSIs noted tensions in some of their partnerships which work across different sectors, many reported a significant improvement. For some this has been achieved by proactively raising awareness of the value that the third sector can bring to Community Planning, as evidenced above; Increased connections to Community Planning The majority of TSIs facilitated a range of thematic networks and forums which were used to gather targeted responses from third sector organisations. Where it was felt that these did not have the anticipated level of engagement, some of the TSIs actively adapted their approaches in order to encourage increased connections between the wider third sector and Community Planning; Wider dissemination of information A few of the TSIs noted concerns about the level and speed of change and so actively worked to disseminate information as widely as possible. This was achieved through a range of activities including conferences, workshops and information roadshows. As a result of these activities it was felt that third sector organisations were more familiar with relevant legislative changes and had more access to information about the changes and how they could input to policy decisions These outcomes are largely consistent with the previous year and highlight the ongoing commitment of the TSIs to shape local, regional and national policy in a variety of areas. Page 60

62 Section 7 Key Findings 7. Key Findings Introduction 7.1 This report explores the activities, outcomes, impact and of the 32 TSIs in Scotland in 2013/14. It focuses explicitly on work which related to the four key delivery areas around the TSI Common Values and Services. These were agreed with the Scottish Government and are linked to developing volunteering and social enterprise, third sector support and building the third sector relationship with Community Planning. 7.2 While each interface has evolved to meet local needs and expectations some general trends have emerged across the network, both in relation to their successes and some of the challenges which they have faced. 7.3 Overall there is evidence that the TSIs have played a key role in supporting and strengthening their local third sector through a range of activities including: Brokering new relationships between TSIs, the wider third sector and public sector bodies; Providing support and training for individuals and organisations; Contributing to the implementation and delivery of national initiatives such as health and social care integration, Reshaping Care for Older People and the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill. Figure 6 - TSI Word Cloud This word cloud was generated from all the text included in the monitoring reports. Page 61