Colchester s Voluntary and Community Sector

Transcription

1 Colchester s Voluntary and Community Sector Published June 2013 Short edition This edition includes the Executive Summary Results Highlights Conclusions Next Steps, and an Postscript 0

2 Acknowledgements We would like to offer thanks to all of the voluntary and community sector representatives involved in producing this report, to our funders Colchester Delivers, North East Essex PCT and to NAVCA for their support throughout the process. 1

3 Contents Contents 2 Foreword 4 Executive Summary 5 Background to this report 7 Highlights of Results & analysis 10 Profile of the sector 11 Income of the sector 15 People 18 Making a difference 22 The changing sector 29 Conclusions 35 Next Steps 39 Postscript 42 2

4 Charts, Tables and Figures Contents Figure 1 Range of annual income of Colchester organisations 15 Table 1: Area of operation 11 Table 2: Comparison of contribution to statutory bodies strategic priorities and funding from statutory bodies 23 Chart 2: Districts served by organisations that operate outside Colchester 12 Chart 5 Beneficiaries of organisations 14 Chart 6 Income of organisations: No. of Colchester organisations in each of CCVS' income bands 16 Chart 9 Sources of income 16 Chart 10 Percentage of organisations receiving funding from statutory sources 17 Chart 11 Multiple income sources 17 Chart 12 Comparison of the numbers of staff in Colchester organisations 18 Chart 13 Comparison of the number of volunteers in Colchester organisations 19 Chart 14 Number of volunteer hours per week 20 Chart 20 Increasing involvement in delivering public services 25 Chart 21 Barriers to involvement in public service delivery 26 Chart 22 Support needs of organisations 28 Chart 24 Changes to total income from 2011/12 to 2012/13 30 Chart 25 Changes to income grouped by organisational size 30 Chart 26 Changes to income, grouped by source 32 Chart 27 Changes to staffing and Chart 28 Changes to involvement of volunteers 33 Chart 29 Changes to demand experienced by organisations 34 (the chart numbers reflect are drawn directly from the full report they have not been amended to enable comparison within the larger document) 3

5 Foreword CCVS plays a pivotal role... We have worked with a wide range of people and organisations to compile the information within this report and, acting as a voice for the voluntary and community sector, CCVS have managed to provide strong representation to such a diverse sector. We view this representation as ongoing and will continue to inform about local gaps in service provision to shape future and emerging policy. The report has identified areas for future work with certain beneficiary types for example, our relationship with the health sector is exceptionally strong, yet the faith and sport groups is slightly weaker. We will be looking to support these groups going forward providing more assistance where required. There is an obvious difference between the role of a volunteer to that of paid staff However, contrary to popular belief, volunteers are not free! Providing volunteering opportunities to individuals requires time and effort. It is also poignant to stress the power a volunteer can have on a community just from the hours and effort they dedicate to various projects. We must however, still recognise the balance between paid staff and volunteers who give their time and expertise unconditionally. They still require support, training and ongoing retention is key to the trust relationship. With the ever changing nature of society, it is important to once again recognise the role our local voluntary groups play in providing local intelligence and delivery, the credence of their information and additional respect to the services they provide to meet need. They know Colchester, what is needed, where the gaps are and often what the solutions they can contribute. We need to ensure clearer information sharing between partners which is fundamental considering the recent restructures taking place. Changes to relationships can affect funding relations, services, users not feeling supported, or indeed, not understanding who they can speak to. This is critical to maintain a strong dialogue, transparency and trust with commissioners and with any of our working relationships. Tracy Rudling Chief Executive Officer CCVS 4

6 Executive summary This report researched the nature, needs and contribution of the voluntary and community sector (VCS) in Colchester. The key findings are as follows: The sector is diverse: There is no such thing as a typical Colchester VCS organisation. Organisational income ranges from 110 to 40 million, staffing from none to over 1,000, and the number of volunteers ranging from none to over 500. This variety is a strength of the voluntary and community sector. Public bodies wishing to contract, partner or work with the VCS need to take this diversity into account and use multiple approaches. The size of the sector: The sector is a significant employer and income generator within the Borough: o The total number of staff in 100 organisations is 1,243 (full time equivalent). Extrapolated to the known number of organisations, 227, this would give an approximate total staffing of 2,822 full time equivalent staff. o The sector also uses volunteers, and although there is a significant variance in terms of number of volunteers involved in organisations in Colchester, the majority average between 6 and 20 volunteers. In 58 organisations across Colchester, volunteers gave on average approximately 30 hours of their time a week. Scaling this up to 227 organisations, based on the median hourly earnings for Colchester residents of 11.68, this would be the equivalent of 5.7m. o The total income for 151 organisations operating in the Borough is 96m, extrapolated to the total 227 organisations across Colchester the total income is 133m. The sector is a key player in the life of Colchester and makes a real contribution: The sector is a significant employer and volunteers make a substantial contribution. The sector makes a real difference to people s lives, providing services, training, employment opportunities, space for social interaction and opportunities to improve health and wellbeing. The sector is also a key contributor in helping local statutory bodies achieve their priorities. The sector has changed significantly in the last ten years: Income and staffing have increased, the sector is more involved in public service delivery and it has a greater sense of how it contributes to the life of Colchester. New organisational forms have emerged and in particular social enterprises and spin offs from the statutory sector have changed the profile of the sector. 5

7 The sector is undergoing further change: There is no single outlook for the sector in Colchester. Some organisations are thriving and looking to the future with hope if not confidence. Others are facing real challenges and threats. Many organisations are facing funding issues and many are reporting increased demand. Public service delivery will become increasingly important, but will not be suitable for all organisations. Organisations will need to adapt to new challenges and seize opportunities, and support providers and statutory bodies need to consider how they can facilitate this. The sector needs support: There is a diverse range of organisations in Colchester: different sizes, different aspirations, different roles. However one thing appears to be constant: almost all are experiencing change of some sort. This could be funding, staffing or relationships with other organisations. This change will be different for different organisations, for some it will be highly challenging for others less so. However to ensure that the sector continues to be able to contribute to the life of Colchester, there needs to be appropriate support from VCS support and development organisations and from public bodies. 6

8 Background to the report No society is static: it is constantly evolving and the needs of local communities are constantly changing. This does not necessarily preclude constancy and also encourages innovation. In 2001, Colchester Community Voluntary Services (CCVS) commissioned a survey and report which mapped the contribution of voluntary and community groups from across Colchester Borough. Ten years later, CCVS began the process of reviewing this work within the context of the changing community. Local statutory partners contributed funding to achieve this and, in 2012, the National Association of Voluntary and Community Action (NAVCA) was commissioned to undertake the task. NAVCA and CCVS have worked in partnership with local non-profit organisations to provide an overview of the VCS as it is in 2012, demonstrating its size and diversity, how it contributes to the quality of life in Colchester and the challenges and opportunities it is facing. Although the report makes some reference to the findings of the 2001 report, this new report is not designed to be a comparative study between 2001 and 2012 too much has changed since then and such a comparison would not help to illustrate the sector as it is now. Methodology Previous research on the sector in Colchester In 2001 CCVS conducted research which identified 306 groups. More than half of the organisations had incomes of under 10,000. Only 3% of organisations had a local authority contract or service agreement and 8% received local authority grants. More than 75% of organisations sourced income from fundraising and donations. Although the 2001 report identifies more organisations than the current report, this does not necessarily mean that there has been a decline in the sector; as explained below assessing the number of organisations is not an exact science. Sources The information in this report is drawn from three sources: A survey of organisations conducted in June and July The survey was devised by NAVCA in conjunction with CCVS staff. It was distributed through Survey Monkey and as a Word version. It was sent to all CCVS members and publicised via other networks and the local press. Organisations were also offered help to complete the survey by CCVS staff. 41% of CCVS members that operate in Colchester completed the survey, although some parts were not completed by all respondents. The survey data 7

9 feeds into all parts of this report and the findings draw on the answers of all people who responded to the relevant questions. The CCVS database. Additional information was provided by drawing data from the CCVS database. Parts of the survey had already been designed to reflect the setup of the database. This was enabled us to source information from organisations that did not complete the survey. This data was used for findings on organisational structure, total income, areas served, services, beneficiaries, organisational form, staffing and volunteers. The Charity Commission database. This was searched to gain more detailed information on income and numbers of organisations. Processing The data was processed by NAVCA on behalf of CCVS. We have generally rounded percentages to whole numbers. Therefore in some cases the percentages on a chart may not add up to 100%. National statistics and national income bandings have been sourced from NCVO s Civil Society Almanac. When analysing qualitative information, the information provided has been used where it was most relevant rather than being restricted by which question the data was sourced from. For example respondents indicated, in response to a question about increased demand, that it was not just a historical or current issue but also a future concern, so this has been reflected in the challenges section as well. Data limits The data collected reflects the state of the sector at the time, essentially summer The VCS changes constantly and to an extent this is therefore only a snapshot. Collating all the organisations identified in all the sources gives a total of 227 organisations. As discussed in the national context section, it is difficult to determine exact numbers of organisations, and this is not an issue peculiar to Colchester or this report. It is clear that the figure of 227 is an underestimate of the number of organisations in Colchester, for the following reasons: There will be a large number of excepted and exempt charities that do not need to register with the Charity Commission (e.g. many churches and scout groups) Many community groups and voluntary organisations will be below the Charity Commission threshold or will not be wholly charitable and therefore will not appear on the Charity Commission register, and there is no requirement for these to be on official lists Not all organisations will feel the need to be known beyond their limited circle of participants or beneficiaries 8

10 The status of unregistered organisations (particularly very small ones) can change rapidly. New ones can emerge, others can close or lie dormant, so it is difficult to gain a true picture It does not include national organisations that work in Colchester but without a fixed presence in the borough Various studies highlight the difficulties in identifying the number of organisations This study concentrates on those organisations that completed the survey or are on the CCVS database. For many of the more detailed questions the study relies on only the survey answers. Notwithstanding these limitations, the report highlights the diverse nature of the sector in Colchester, key issues that organisations are facing and the value that the sector contributes to the life of Colchester. 9

11 Highlights from the results and analysis The following focuses of specific results gathered from the survey process. It pinpoints many of the key issues and focuses less on the make-up of the sector (further detail is available in the full report) and more on value and change. 10

12 Profile of the sector What Colchester s voluntary sector looks like what, where and for whom Area of operation Just over half of Colchester organisations operate only within Colchester. This means that there are many organisations that have decided to focus their services solely within Colchester and therefore it is important that any county-wide initiatives take account of the fact that many organisations work in just one borough, in this case Colchester. However, over 40% of organisations operate both in Colchester and in at least one district of Essex. There are also at least 8 national organisations that are based in Colchester, see chart below for more information. This demonstrates the importance of joining up support to the VCS across the county (and beyond, where appropriate), as many organisations do not fit neatly into the remit of a single provider. It is for this reason that CCVS already works collaboratively with other local support and development organisations across Essex. Area of operation Number Percentage Colchester only 92 53% Colchester and only one other district of Essex 28 16% Colchester and multiple districts of Essex 17 10% Essex wide 27 15% East 3 2% National 8 5% Table 1: Area of operation Whilst the organisations that operate only in Colchester tend to be smaller in terms of staffing and income than some of the organisations that operate over wider areas, this is not uniform. For example, two of the Colchester based national organisations report an income of under 50,000, which is consistent with national data. It is therefore vital that assumptions are not made about size of an organisation purely from where it operates. Organisations operating outside Colchester 42% of all Colchester groups also work in Tendring. 1 Of the organisations that do not work solely in Colchester, 89% also work in Tendring; this includes all national and 1 This figure includes all organisations, regardless of whether they operate outside Colchester or not. 11

13 regional organisations, see Chart 2 for more information. Of the national organisations referenced, 75% operate from a base in Colchester. 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Districts served by organisations that operate outside Colchester 51% 64% 52% 52% 58% 47% 49% 59% 48% 48% 89% 47% 49% Chart 2: Districts served by organisations that operate outside Colchester (excludes Colchester-only organisations, but includes national, regional and Essex-wide organisations) Serving the Community The VCS in Colchester provides a wide variety of services. These include providing youth clubs, supporting animal welfare, arts, health improvement and wellbeing, education and training, a community facility (e.g. community centre or hall) and community safety. There are a varied range of services offered by Colchester groups. It is particularly noticeable that: 35% are involved in information and support 34% are involved in advice and guidance 26% provide education and training 24% are involved in supporting health improvement and wellbeing However statistics alone do not demonstrate what organisations do, so organisations were also asked to describe what they do, some examples of which are presented below. Textual analysis of the responses highlighted that organisations clearly see themselves as focussed on providing services and support to the people and residents of Colchester. Again the word families occurred regularly in these descriptions, highlighting the important role that Colchester organisations can play in the complex families agenda. These illustrate the diversity of services offered but 12

14 also that some have a broad remit and others offer a niche service or focus on specific beneficiaries: We help people with lung problems to improve their quality of life (A) by gentle exercise (B) by social contact. Breathe Easy We promote cultural identity among old and new Chinese generations through social, cultural and educational activities; We reduce isolation and improve socialisation; We promote any charitable purposes for the benefit of members Colchester Chinese Culture Society To design, make and provide free equipment that cannot be obtained commercially for people with disabilities REMAP Essex NE We support the delivery of Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender equality in Essex Outhouse East We help students love their time at Essex University of Essex Students Union We provide excellent care and support services for older people from the Colchester area Balkerne Gardens Trust It is noticeable that between a quarter and a third of organisations state that they are involved in advice and guidance, education and training and information and support. These types of service will often be complementary to statutory provision and will enable individuals to gain more information or a better understanding of an issue. Furthermore, almost a quarter of organisations offer health and wellbeing services. It is interesting that whilst 10% regard themselves as self-help groups, these encompassed very different types of organisations: 22% of these had incomes under 1000, 28% had income over 500,000. Beneficiaries The sector works with a wide range of beneficiaries, as illustrated by chart (see below). In particular 38% say they work with everyone, but this means that the majority (62%) have a particular focus. Quite a few organisations focus on supporting people of a certain age or with a disability, though it is the number of different specialist client groups that is most striking. These findings illustrate that there is not one particular client group that the sector focuses on; there are groups that specialise in working with different beneficiaries. This means that there are organisations that can reach out to and have specialist knowledge of their particular client group, which is particularly relevant for public bodies and providers that need to make contact with particular parts of the community. 13

15 Beneficiaries Beneficiaries Age - Children Age - Older people Age - Working age Age - Youth Animals BAME - Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Bereaved Carers Disability - learning disability Disability - physical disability Disability - sensory impairments Drug and alcohol misusers Families / parents Forces personnel Gay / lesbian / bisexual / transgender Gender - men / boys only Gender - women / girls only Health conditions Homeless people Lone parents Mental health needs NEET (not in employment, education or Offenders and / or ex-offenders People on low income Refugees / asylum seekers Rural communities Survivors of abuse / victims of crime Tenants / residents Travelling communities Unemployed people Everyone 1% 3% 2% 2% 2% 2% 3% 1% 2% 1% 2% 8% 4% 5% 6% 7% 4% 6% 10% 10% 13% 12% 10% 13% 13% 13% 17% 22% 17% 16% 38% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% Percentage Chart 5 Beneficiaries of organisations 14

16 Income of the sector The financial impact and value of the voluntary and community groups in Colchester Total income The annual income of organisations ranges from just 110 to approximately 40 million, see Figure 1. This illustrates the vastly different types of organisation that make up the VCS as it encompasses small volunteer-led organisations to large employee mutuals, such as Anglian Community Enterprise (ACE) with its income of approximately 40 million. This organisation, formerly NHS North East Essex PCT Provider Services, is one of the new types of organisation that are forming. Other such mutuals, and spin offs from statutory bodies, may form and these could become increasingly important players in the local economy and change the nature of the sector. Annual income of organisations in Colchester million Figure 1 Range of annual income of Colchester organisations The median income of the organisations is 46,976 and the mean is 750,189 but this is heavily affected by the presence of ACE in the figures. Excluding ACE the median income is 45,951 and the mean is 441,136, but again larger organisations affect these figures. This being said, the median value of 45,951 is a more useful indicative figure of organisations average income than the mean. The total income of the 151 organisations working in Colchester for which it was possible to source a specific income is 96m, again which includes ACE. Without ACE the income is 56 million. If this figure is taken and extrapolated with the median total to 227 organisations and the income for ACE is then added this would give a total sector income of 99 million. Without including ACE at all, this would give a figure of 59 million, showing that ACE has a significant proportion of the voluntary sector income. 15

17 CCVS database uses income bands, so the income has been categorised, in Chart 6 below, according to these bands. Number of organisations Number of organisations by Colchester CVS income bandings Income band Chart 6 Income of organisations: Numbers of Colchester organisations in each of CCVS' income bands Sources of income Colchester organisations draw their income from a wide variety of sources. These include both statutory sources, such as Colchester Borough Council, Essex County Council and the NHS, and non-statutory sources such as lottery funding, charitable trusts, trading /service delivery and fundraising/ donations (see the chart below for a breakdown of the sources of income). In fact almost 80% of Colchester organisations source a proportion of their income from fundraising and donations, and for 17% of organisations this is their only source of income. Sources of income 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 15% Colchester Borough Council 34% Essex County Council 30% 17% NHS Lottery Charitable Trusts 49% 46% Trading / Service delivery 78% Fundraising / Donations Chart 9 Sources of income 16

18 54% of organisations do not receive any funding from local statutory sources (Colchester Borough Council, Essex County Council or the NHS) and only 8% receive from all three. Whilst the financial relationships with statutory organisations are clearly important for some, for many the relationship is of a non-financial nature; as indicated in the table below: Funding from statutory sources Percentage of organisations 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 54% 24% 14% 8% None One Two Three Number of statutory sources Chart 10 Percentage of organisations receiving funding from statutory sources Over two thirds of organisations source income from at least two types of funding, and just under half from three or more sources. This coupled with the variety of sources demonstrates that the sector is successfully drawing income from different streams but has the potential to diversify its income further. Even where organisations source from only one type of funding, this does not mean that it is from only one source. Moreover for almost all of these organisations this single source is either fundraising or trading/service delivery. Therefore in general these organisations will have several different fundraising or trading activities and not be reliant on a single source of income; see chart below: Multiple income sources 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 30% 23% 19% 16% 10% 5% 7% 3% 3% 0% One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Chart 11 Multiple income sources 17

19 People Their number, time and contribution The people involved in community activities make a vital contribution to the success of the voluntary and community sector in Colchester. People are involved as employees or volunteers or in a governance role. Therefore the sector not only provides employment but, by providing volunteering opportunities, it helps people into employment and develops their skills. The individuals involved contribute significantly to the life of the community in Colchester. Staff The total number of staff in 101 organisations is 2,343 (full time equivalent). However there is one organisation (Anglian Community Enterprise (ACE)), a mutual that emerged from the NHS, which has 1,100 employees, so a more realistic figure is 1,243 from 100 organisations. Extrapolated to the known number of organisations, 227, this would give an approximate total staffing of 2,822 full time equivalent staff, or 3,922, if ACE is included. Some caution has to be attached to this figure as this will include some people who are employed by Colchester based organisations but do not work exclusively in Colchester. However people employed by non-colchester based organisations that provide services in Colchester will also not be represented in these figures, so whilst the exact figure needs to be interpreted with caution, it is clear that the sector is a significant employer. It is noticeable that about a third of organisations have no staff and over three quarters of organisations have between zero and 10 staff (see chart below). Therefore the majority of organisations are small in terms of paid staff. There are implications in this for statutory bodies that wish to work with the sector, in that these smaller organisations may need to be supported and engaged in different ways from the organisations that have large numbers of paid staff. Number of staff 5% 2% 1% 1% 7% 7% 34% 12% 32% Chart 12 Comparison of the numbers of staff in Colchester organisations 18

20 Trustees 71% of organisations reported that they had governing committees comprising of trustees or similar appointed officers. The median number of committee members was 5.5 and the mean 5.2. The committee oversees the running of the organisation. They do this on an unpaid basis, although many would not class themselves as volunteers. Many will also volunteer with the organisation in delivering the service or supporting beneficiaries directly. It is vitally important that trustees are supported in their role of managing and running organisations that form an integral part of Colchester s civic life. Volunteers There is a significant variance in terms of number of volunteers involved, with 5% involving none but others (2%) involving over 500; though the majority average between 6 and 20 volunteers (see chart below). It is interesting to note that although 95% involve some volunteers, only 16% described offering volunteering as a service (see profile section P31). Therefore many volunteers are likely to be just an essential part of running their organisation, whilst a smaller number actively create and offer volunteering opportunities and regard these opportunities (and the skills, health benefits and social contact gained from them) as a particular service that they seek to offer the community. Numbers of volunteers 11% 26% 9% 1%2% 2% 5% 16% 28% Chart 13 Comparison of the number of volunteers in Colchester organisations 19

21 Contribution of volunteers 58 organisations provided an estimate of the number of hours service that their volunteers give per week. In total, across these 58 organisations, volunteers gave approximately 4,380 hours of their time towards making Colchester a better place to live and work. As Chart 13 shows there is a significant variance in the number of volunteers involved by organisations varying from zero to over five hundred. This illustrateds the variety of organisations in Colchester s voluntary and community sector; some involve a small number of volunteers whilst others involve large numbers. On average the total number of hours provided by the sample set equates to a mean of 75 hours per week per organisation, although it must be noted that this data is affected by the 13% receiving more than 101 hours support per week. The median number of volunteer hours provided each week within this sample is 30 and because this is not so affected by the 13% of organisations, this is a better indicative average figure than the mean. This is the equivalent of each organisation receiving almost a paid staff member s worth of time every week from volunteers. Number of volunteer hours Percentage of organisations reporting 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% 6% Not known 3% 17% 9% 13% 27% 13% % 5% % 500+ Volunteer hours per week Chart 14 Number of volunteer hours per week Apply both the median and the mean figures to an extrapolated total of 227 organisations results in estimates that volunteers in Colchester could give between 491,400 and 886,860 hours per year. Based on the median hourly earnings for Colchester residents of in 2011, this would be equivalent of a donation of 5.7m and 10.35m worth of time. This monetary value is only one way of looking at the contribution of volunteers, and does have limitations as it sees the contribution only in financial terms. It is clear, from looking at the number of organisations that 20

22 have no staff, that, for many organisations, volunteers are essential and the only way that the organisations can operate. Chart 14 demonstrates the value of volunteers: only 3% reported that they did not involve volunteers, whilst over a quarter of organisations reported having a weekly contribution of over 50 volunteer hours (and 13% over 100 hours). Certainly for these organisations volunteers are absolutely vital. Responses indicated that for some organisations having enough volunteers was essential for continuation of the service or organisation. 21

23 Making a difference How the voluntary sector benefits the community Making a difference for individuals and communities Organisations demonstrated that they have an awareness of how their work changes lives and has an impact on their clients. Longer case study examples are in Error! Reference source not found.. How do you make a difference to the lives of people in Colchester? Working with the NHS to reduce hospital waiting & treatment times. In the words of a school governor "Schools desperately need projects like yours, because they rarely have the money or expertise to provide the standard of experience that you provide." Increasing disabled peoples' independence and/or quality of life. Making life easier for carers By providing a value for money heritage leisure attraction and providing employment and volunteering opportunities for local people. Ensuring carers are informed of what is available to them e.g. respite, care packages, benefits, befriending, equipment, emergency planning, carers assessments, carers direct payments, residential care. Help to fund equipment not available from the NHS, allowing people with Multiple Sclerosis to have independent lives and for their family & carers to understand both the condition and the impact this will have. Textual analysis of responses showed that support, services, families, carers, and local people are particularly prominent. The responses demonstrate the variety of 22

24 different ways a difference can be made. Organisations can make a difference to individuals by: Providing employment Providing skills and training Providing volunteering opportunities that enable them to gain employment or meet new people, which can help them overcome mental health issues Complementing existing statutory services and providing extra support Providing information advice and guidance Representing individuals Providing companionship or a social circle Helping them with their finances Providing services that help then address complex personal or health issues Providing respite Providing them with sport leisure or recreation opportunities Working with the individual to access appropriate services Contributing to the strategic priorities of statutory bodies Organisations were asked whether their work contributed to achieving the strategic priorities of local statutory bodies. High percentages recognised how their work fitted in with the priorities of the three key local statutory bodies, as illustrated in Table 2, even if those organisations do not receive funding from said statutory bodies. Statutory body Percentage of respondents that identify that their services contribute to the statutory body s priorities Colchester Borough Council 80 % 15% Essex County Council 72% 34% NHS 68% 30% Percentage receiving funding from the statutory body Table 2: Comparison of contribution to statutory bodies strategic priorities and funding from statutory bodies Many more organisations recognised that they are contributing to the NHS priorities than identified that they were delivering a health or wellbeing service (24%) or said that their beneficiaries as people with health conditions (13%). This demonstrates that the contribution of the sector to health priorities lies with a broad range of organisations, not just specialist health related organisations. 23

25 Barriers to contribution to statutory bodies priorities Some organisations feel that they try to contribute to the priorities but barriers are put in the way: We have tried [to contribute to NHS priorities] but again because we are in a specialist group they are not interested We do [contribute to CBC s priorities] but they don't listen We do support children and young people but we do not seem to fit any criteria for the borough when we make application for grants Some of these comments illustrate an expectation that contributing to priorities should result in a financial relationship; however others seem to indicate more of an engagement barrier. It is clearly unrealistic for all organisations that feel that their work contributes to the strategic priorities to have a funding relationship with statutory bodies. Furthermore, as can be seen from the section on delivering public services on page 25, not all organisations want a financial relationship. However for other organisations facing financial pressures and increasing demand, financial issues are relevant and the statutory bodies may need to consider how the contribution that these organisations are making to their priorities can be sustained, or even increased, in the current financial climate. It is therefore important for statutory bodies, when deciding how to invest in addressing their priorities, to recognise that there are VCS bodies that could assist and may be able to increase their contribution with appropriate support or investment. Also, while they may not support the organisation financially they may support it in other ways; this can include gifts in kind, support with publicity or promotion, engagement or addressing an organisation s concerns. Furthermore it is important that statutory bodies recognise the importance of developing relationships with the wider sector, not just those that they have a funding relationship with; some organisations will have considerable knowledge and experience and would like to ensure their voice is heard. The comments also indicate there may be some lack of clarity between the sector and statutory bodies as to the nature and expectations of relationships.. 24

26 Delivering public services It is clear that many organisations are already delivering public services, and the fact that some organisations are reporting increases of income illustrates that some are picking up contracts. The national and local policy environment will lead to more opportunities for involvement in delivering public services. There is also a clear appetite amongst many organisations for being involved in such delivery, with 41% expressing an interest in increased involvement (see chart 20). However there is a considerable number that are not sure. Some of these barriers are explored below. Increasing involvement in delivering public services 17% 41% Interested Not interested Not sure 42% Chart 20 Organisations' interest in increasing involvement in delivering public services Barriers The key barriers to increasing involvement in delivering public services seem to be funding and finance, and a lack of capacity, whether expressed as lack of people or lack of time (see table below). Whilst organisations of all sizes reported barriers, it was particularly the smaller organisations that felt that there were barriers in terms of time and funding for involvement in public service delivery. It was interesting that health related support groups particularly highlighted that, as their organisations are led and run by people with the condition that group provides advice and support on, their volunteers would not necessarily be in a position to be involved in more work. This is highlighted by comments below which demonstrate concerns about their readiness to take on such work and the pressures of current demand. As can be seen further on, demand is also increasing for some organisations and this will contribute to preparations for involvement with public services. 25

27 Number of organisations Barriers to involvement in public service delivery 11 Lack of finance / Funding 10 Lack of people / volunteers 6 Lack of time Barrier 3 Lack of understanding / knowledge / support 2 Other Chart 21 Barriers to involvement in public service delivery The quotes below illustrate the barriers to involvement in public service delivery experience by some organisations: We are still a small group whose majority of members are fairly elderly and quite considerably disabled by their condition so unsure about the level of involvement the group could sustain We need to establish the credibility of our service There is a lack of enthusiasm and understanding of the Third Sector with certain elements of the statutory services. We find sometimes innovation and risk taking to be unwelcome when working alongside statutory services We do not understand what is required Essex County Council have visited us 3 times and want to make us more of a business before they will consider a grant for us. We do not have enough people involved in our service who are able to do all the work 26 we're pedalling as fast as we can Sufficient funding for services is often not attached to demand.

28 Quality standards Whilst eight organisations did identify that they have achieved PQASSO (a voluntary sector quality standard) and a further one was working towards it, there was a fairly low number of organisations that had achieved quality standards that commissioners may be looking for. Of the eight, all but two already had funding from a statutory source and all were interested in more public service delivery or weren t sure. The low number with standards indicates that if organisations want to become involved in delivering public services, they may need to focus on achieving quality standards in order to be able to demonstrate that they can deliver the service. Often in the past, voluntary and community organisations have been asked to demonstrate quality in key performance indicators rather than quality standards. The increasing move to quality standards indicate that organisations will need support to focus on demonstrating quality in a different way. Appropriateness of delivering public services There were a small number of organisations that identified that they would be interested in delivering more public services, provided they were contingent with their organisations priorities and objectives. It is important in the current funding climate that organisations are aware of the dangers of mission drift and are taking this into account. It was also heartening that three organisations explicitly stated that it was not appropriate for their organisations; this indicates a considered decision making process. It is likely that many other organisations, who decided not to respond to questions about delivering public services, did so because they felt that delivering public services is inappropriate for their organisation; this explains the 42% of organisations who reported that they were not interested in increased involvement in delivering public service (see chart 20). It will be important within any move to encourage and help organisations to overcome the barriers to ensure that they are also informed of the dangers of mission drift and are supported to make truly informed decisions as to whether the delivery of public services is appropriate for their organisations and their client base or a realistic aim. Support needs In order to maximise their contribution, organisations seek support and help, and it is unsurprising that funding and funding advice are the most needed support services. This relates to the numbers of organisations citing lack of funding as a barrier to involvement in public service delivery and as a challenge that they are facing for the future. Equally the number citing a lack of volunteer support correlates to capacity issues (whether expressed as lack of people or lack of time). It is noteworthy however, that many organisations are seeking marketing and promotion. This demonstrates a recognition that with an increased emphasis on public service delivery and scarcity of funding, there is an increased need for organisations to promote and market their services and work, whether to statutory bodies or to the public. See chart below for a breakdown of organisations support needs. 27

29 Support Needs 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 15% 19% 9% 26% 55% 47% 9% 45% 42% 34% 23% 25% 11% 13% 17% 0% Chart 22 Support needs of organisations 28

30 The changing sector As described earlier, the national and local policy context is changing significantly. It is therefore inevitable that there will be some impact on the sector. This section explores the quantity and nature of change that organisations are currently experiencing and their hopes and concerns for the future. The experience of change 93% of organisations have experienced some change over the last year. For some, this has been positive change: increased income or volunteers; for others, negative: a loss in funding, cuts to staffing or increased demand. For some this change will have been minor, perhaps just affecting a single funding stream. Other organisations have faced multiple changes, perhaps the multiplier effect of reduced funding and increased demand or perhaps a major expansion of their work. Whilst the nature of the change can be quite different, one thing is clear: almost every organisation in Colchester is experiencing changes of some sort. Organisational change 11 organisations are expanding their area of operation, with four expanding into Tendring and the remainder expanding within Essex or the East of England. Many organisations are looking at changing how they operate in order to adapt to new circumstances. In particular, 11 organisations (15%) reported increased partnership working. However organisations are also undertaking strategic reviews, changing their organisational form and reducing or developing services. Income and finance Between 2011/12 and 2012/13, 31% of organisations have reported that their finances have increased, while 27% have reported a decrease (see chart below). In many other parts of the country, particularly those that received significant Area Based Grants, up to 80% of organisations are reporting decreases. In that context Colchester has not been affected as much as some areas. Some of the increase in income may be down to winning of new contracts, potentially previously provided by the State, so this increase can disguise decreases for existing provision. 29

31 Changes to total income 27% 31% Increased Stayed the same Decreased 42% Chart 24 Changes to total income from 2011/12 to 2012/13 Nevertheless, behind this picture of increase there is a more detailed story, which shows that changes to income are related to organisational size. Decreases in income are particularly affecting small organisations, while micro organisations (income less than 10,000 and which will be entirely volunteer led or majority volunteer led with occasional paid-for sessional work) essentially exist in a steady state. Small organisations (with income between 10,000 and 100,000 and with typically one or two paid staff) have suffered most from decreasing income with 58% of these organisations being affected. Medium organisations (with income between 100,000 and 1 million) are predominantly experiencing an increase or a steady state. Changes to income by organisation size Percentage experiencing change 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 57% 58% 53% 37% 21% 21% 21% 21% 11% Micro Small Medium Organisation size Increased decreased stayed the same Chart 25 Changes to income grouped by organisational size 30

32 For organisations reporting a decrease, the median decrease is 6,951, but this represents a decrease in income by 14%. On the other hand, for those organisations reporting an increase in income, the median increase is higher at 20,000, but this represents an increase of only 10%, which reinforces that the decrease is most affecting the smaller organisations, and also demonstrates that it is a fairly critical change. 31

33 Changes to sources of income Organisations appear to have been successful at increasing their income from Colchester Borough Council, reflecting the fact that the Council has increased its overall support to the sector. There are also increases in income from trading and service delivery, as well as lottery funding. Four organisations reported that all their sources of income had decreased, although all four had only one source. For one of the organisations this source was Colchester Borough Council, for the other three their sole source was fundraising and donations. A significant number of organisations have experienced decreases in income from fundraising and donations, Essex County Council and Charitable Trusts. Reductions in donations and trust funding income are likely to reflect the impact of the economic downturn on these sources, while the reduction in income from Essex County Council is likely to reflect changes to their funding arrangements. It is however also worth noting that for the above-mentioned sources several organisations have seen increases. This indicates there is volatility in these funding sources and emphasises that different organisations are experiencing change in different ways. Changes to sources of income 70% 60% 50% 46% 46% 45% 55% 60% 48% 60% 48% Percentage 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 9% 35% 20% 25% 20% 30% 10% 33% 19% 32% 27% 25% 8% Increased Decreased Stayed the same Source Chart 26 Changes to income, grouped by source 32

34 People Over a quarter of organisations have changed their staffing levels over the last year (see chart 27). Some organisations have been able to increase their staff numbers whilst others have had to decrease their staffing. Changes have typically related to one or two staff members and changes were concentrated in those organisations with fewer than twenty staff. Reports from other parts of the country, particularly those that received a significant amount of Area Based Grant, indicate that in many areas there have been trends towards reductions in staffing across the board in the voluntary sector. Therefore whilst some organisations in Colchester have had to cut staff numbers as a result of reduced income, the situation in Colchester is not currently as severe as in some other areas. 30% of organisations have changed the number of volunteers they involve in their organisation (see chart 28). Some have been able to increase the number whereas others have decreased. In general changes are low numbers, but a few have seen large increases, in one case of nearly 200 volunteers. Changes to staffing 18% 74% 19% Increased Stayed the same Decreased Changes to involvement of volunteers 8% 70% 22% Increased Stayed the same Decreased Chart 27 Changes to staffing Chart 28 Changes to involvement of volunteers 33

35 Increasing demand There is a clear indication that the majority of voluntary sector organisations are experiencing an increase in demand for their services (see chart 29); 69% of organisations have had an increase in demand over the last year, with 28% of organisations saying they have experienced a significant increase in demand. About a quarter (24%) of those reporting an increase say that they are unable to meet the demand, particularly citing lack of funding or lack of volunteer time. 16% have managed the demand via waiting lists or restricted eligibility for service use. A few organisations have also restructured their services to be able to adjust to increased demand. While many report that they have been able to absorb the extra demand, although some are finding it easier than others; sometimes this has been made possible by obtaining new funding. With the changing demographics of Colchester, increasing demand could become an even more important issue. Decreased demand generally relates to less demand for purchased services, such as room or venue hire. Changes to demand 3% 3% 20% 6% 28% Significantly increased Slightly increased No change Slightly decreased Significantly decreased 41% Don't know Chart 29 Changes to demand experienced by organisations The quotes below show the effects that changes in demand have on organisations: We now get a lot more referrals from partner agencies, but unfortunately no additional funding. We are recruiting additional volunteers to help us cope with the demand, but this will clearly have financial implications. We have waiting lists for some services. We have grown as an organisation and lottery funding has allowed us to deliver further groups across a broader area We don't have sufficient capacity to meet all the needs that are brought to us. To do this we would need more staff, which requires more funding. We have seen a decrease in hall hire and café use. 34

36 Conclusions What we have learnt about the voluntary sector and what must be recognised about its role The sector is diverse: It is clear that there is no such thing as a typical Colchester voluntary and community sector organisation. With organisational income ranging from 110 to 40 million, staffing from none to over 1000, and the number of volunteers ranging from none to over 500; one organisation can be radically different from the next. This variety is a strength of the voluntary and community sector. Organisations take different forms: some are charities, some are small community groups but there are also an emerging number of social enterprises and community interest companies. Some organisations deliver very specialist services to a select number of clients, whereas others have a broad range of services or are open to everyone. Equally, funding is diverse; some receive funding from multiple sources, others are more exposed. Also, some receive statutory funding whereas others do not. The relationship with the statutory sector is more than just financial, with many more organisations recognising how they contribute to statutory bodies priorities than actually receive funding from them. In some circumstances it may not even be helpful to think of there being a single sector; it may be more relevant to refer to specific organisational types. Depending on context these could include, large service delivery organisations, volunteer-led organisations and Colchester focussed organisations. In terms of structure, the variety of organisations involved in the voluntary and community sector will also continue to increase. The introduction of the Charitable Incorporated Organisation will only add to this diversity, as will the continuing development of social enterprises. Since producing this report, several new organisations have been established in Colchester Borough, many of which are Community Interest Companies. By being so varied, the sector is also able to connect with communities of interest, such as adults with learning disabilities or ethnic minority communities, which currently form or will be forming ever greater sections of our local society. The sector has changed since 2001: Income and staffing have increased, the sector is more involved in public service delivery, and there is a greater sense of how it contributes to the life of Colchester. New organisational forms have emerged and, in particular, social enterprises and spin offs from the statutory sector have changed the profile of the sector. However some things remain constant, such as the important contribution made by volunteers and the challenges associated with obtaining funds. Organisations are facing increases in demand: Predicted demographic changes mean this is likely to become even more significant. It will be necessary to plan how to increase the capacity of the sector to reflect the increasing population. This may 35

37 mean supporting organisations to grow organically but may also mean a need to help seed new organisations, particularly in new housing developments. The sector is undergoing further change: There is no single outlook for the sector in Colchester. Some organisations are thriving and looking to the future with hope if not confidence. Others are facing real challenges and threats. 57% of organisations report that their income has changed; 30% of these say it has increased and 27% say it has decreased. There is however a particular concern that organisations with an income of between 10,000 and 100,000 are facing decreases. Some organisations are looking to expand their area of operation, and some organisations from outside the area have expanded their operations into Colchester. Some are looking to increase their number of volunteers, whilst others are decreasing the number. Within this context there are both opportunities and threats to the sector. In recent months, the Whole Essex Community Budgets programme and North East Essex CCG have offered opportunities for commissioned services that will make a change to local communities; voluntary and community groups have been actively involved in this process. In the coming months, Community Right to Challenge options will be available with Essex County Council and the Office for the Police and Crime Commissioner will be opening funding streams for the sector. Yet conversely, policy change is bringing with it increased pressures on a number of organisations who are reporting increased contact with different client groups, age groups or greater footfall. National and regional organisations, who have previously worked in other parts of the county or country, are challenging for contracts where traditionally local providers have been operating. Furthermore, the introduction of new processes, such as e-procurement systems and real time information reporting with HMRC, commissioned rather than grant funded programmes, and personalisation will require voluntary and community groups to keep up speed to be able to respond to changes as they arise. They must also be aware of the landscape within which they operate, who is providing services that they may be able to partner with and maintaining relationships with commercial or statutory partners where applicable. Efficient and effective communication is key within these relationships, as will be questions relating to capacity building and the support needs of the sector. The sector needs support: There is a diverse range of organisations in Colchester; different sizes, different aspirations, different roles. However, as noted above, one thing appears to be constant; almost all are experiencing change of some sort. This could be funding, staffing or relationships with other organisations. Specifically results show: Funding is a significant issue: Although more organisations saw funding increase from 2011 to 2012, 68% explicitly mentioned that funding is an issue for their organisation. Since production of this report, CCVS has also spoken to local funders who have identified poor quality applications and insufficient numbers of applications to meet funding levels. This raises questions about skills levels. 36

38 Skills and organisational development is important: staff and volunteers require training and support to enable them to fulfil their roles and benefit the community. 19% of respondents requested development support, 34% training and 42% volunteering support. Without investment in these areas organisations, the resilience and capability of organisations to respond to opportunities will be curtailed. The sector is a key player in the life of Colchester and makes a real contribution: The sector is a significant employer, employing over 2,800 people or almost 4,000 if the largest employer is counted. Each organisation receives an average of 30 hours work from its volunteers and the contribution of volunteers could be worth up to million, although perhaps more importantly volunteers are essential to the continued existence of many organisations and to community cohesion. Furthermore, volunteering can contribute to people being job-ready and support the development of the economy locally. The pressures of an increasing population and demographic change, as well as increased demand, will require greater capacity for which organisations may need support to meet. The sector makes a real difference to people s lives, providing services, training, employment opportunities, space for social interaction and opportunities to improve health and wellbeing. The multi-million pound employee mutual will have completely different services, requirements and capacity to engage than a small volunteer-led self-help group. However both will have a contribution to make and should be assisted to do so. There are some indicators that organisations and statutory bodies have different expectations of their relationships with each other. There is, therefore, a need to be clearer about the different types of relationships and the expectations that the VCS can have of statutory bodies and vice versa. Statutory agencies recognise the role of the voluntary sector but the contribution of voluntary organisations to statutory programmes is greater than funding relationships demonstrate: All statutory agencies reference areas of interest which correspond to the voluntary and community sector. However, the contribution of the sector towards these areas of interest is not restricted to statutory funded projects. Voluntary and community groups generate income through other means and use this to address the needs of local communities. They have a value as match funders and community leaders and supporters which connect with the aims of statutory services. The involvement of several organisations within regional and local strategic partnerships further reflects the value of the information and services they provide for informing and contributing to work in the Borough and beyond. Therefore it is vital that statutory bodies engage with the diverse range of organisations that make up the voluntary sector, in ways that suit their needs. Public service delivery will become increasingly important but will not be right for all organisations: There will be an increased role for the sector in delivering public services and there is an appetite from organisations to have more involvement in public service delivery. However it will not be appropriate for all organisations and some that aspire to do so may not currently have the capacity, financial stability or 37

39 quality assurance mechanisms that would be necessary for greater involvement. In order to engage, the needs of the VCS should be considered. For example, if partnerships between voluntary and community groups are preferred when bidding for contracts, there should be sufficient time available prior to deadlines for groups to form viable partnerships. The existence of organisations who provide successful services should also be taken into account alongside desires for innovation or new projects. 38

40 Next steps How can we apply the lessons gathered in this report This section looks at how voluntary and community organisations, CCVS and statutory bodies can use this report. Next steps for voluntary and community organisations With a large number of organisations sourcing income from donations and a substantial number citing this as their only source, organisations need to investigate making use of Gift Aid. Small organisations with income between 10,000 and 100,000, appear to be at particular risk from decreased income and are vulnerable to threats from competition and contracting. They will need to review their strategic direction and future, and whether there are opportunities for merger, partnership or service redesign. Organisations need to understand the manner in which changes in commissioning will affect them. They need to gain a better understanding of opportunities and threats posed by delivery of public services and decide whether this is an appropriate course of action for them. If they wish to be involved they are likely to need to work towards quality standards and be able to demonstrate their impact. They may also need to investigate alternative funding sources such as loan financing or social investment to enable them to develop capacity and have a more stable financial platform from which to bid for services. Organisations need to raise their profile and promote their services with the public and users. Organisations need to understand the changes that statutory services are undergoing, and adapt to these changing circumstances. Next steps for CCVS CCVS should use this report to inform its support and development and representational work. It can demonstrate the nature and value of the voluntary sector and the challenges it is facing, but also the opportunities that engagement offers. This report highlights which areas should be the priority for development support. It also provides evidence to support the continuation of existing provision or to justify changes. Priorities emerging from the report are: o Providing Gift Aid training and support on maximising fundraising income: given the number of organisations that source income from 39

41 fundraising, it is important to ensure that organisations are making the most of this source, particularly in view of the upcoming Small Donations Bill. o Helping organisations to understand the nature, challenges and opportunities offered by public service delivery opportunities, helping those organisations that are not sure whether they want to be involved to make positive decisions. o Supporting organisations to achieve quality standards in order to enable them to compete for contracts on a more level playing field. o Focussing support on small organisations, as these appear to be the most vulnerable. Micro organisations that are almost entirely volunteerled and survive on almost negligible income are not affected by cuts and changes significantly. Larger organisations are more resilient to changes, but small organisations will be most affected by changes and the need to be the focus of support. o Training in promotion and marketing With the increasing population and organisations seeing an increase in demand, there will be a need to reflect on how to increase the sector s capacity. This could represent a need to help a significant number of new groups emerge. CCVS will need to work with statutory bodies to ensure that there is funding for developing community infrastructure as well as physical infrastructure in any new approved planning permissions. This report can also form the basis of future surveys and studies of the sector, to see how the sector evolves in the challenging environment. Support organisations with the changes to representative structures and ensure appropriate representative voices Support the sector and statutory bodies to clarify the different types of relationships between the sector and appropriate expectations. Next steps for statutory bodies Statutory bodies need to be aware of the diversity of the sector and that there will often be a need to engage with a wide variety of organisations, as they will all have different roles to play. This will require a variety of different engagement methods and for statutory bodies to be clearer about their relationships with the sector and what are reasonable expectations. There is a need to engage organisations with whom they do not have a funding relationship. Many organisations will be contributing to the statutory body s strategic priorities. They may need support with managing the level of referrals, promoting their services or listening to the voice of their clients or members. There is a need to be aware that some organisations are facing multiple challenges, of which funding is only one. If these organisations close there could be implications for statutory bodies as this could lead to increased numbers of people presenting at their services, possibly in greater need. 40

42 Ensure that there are planning requirements ensure there is funding for developing community infrastructure (not just facilities) in any new housing developments. There may be organisations whose work statutory bodies would wish to support, but who would not have the capacity to take on a service delivery contract. They therefore need to ensure that there are still elements of grant funding available and mechanisms to support organisations to develop the capacity to deliver contracts. Statutory bodies need to consider how they can support the sector to ensure that they have the capacity to feed into representative structures, particularly where the representative arrangements are undergoing significant change. Statutory bodies should ensure that they communicate effectively and efficiently with the voluntary and community sector, within an appropriate time frame. Clear communication will enable partnerships to grow for the benefit of the local community and minimise the pressures that can be placed on VCS working with limited resources. 41

43 Postscript What has already been achieved Throughout the process of compiling this report, CCVS has remained in contact with voluntary and community groups and statutory partners. As a consequence of this, the Troubled Families agenda and the development of the associated Whole Essex Communities Budgets work-stream, a separate report relating to organisations working with families with complex needs will be published in the coming months. It will focus in upon the differences and value of groups supporting families, as well as offering next steps for the future. Statutory partners have offered support to the sector, particularly in relation to information sharing and skills development. Training to increase access to local intelligence and statistics which will help organisations to plan for the future and complete funding bids is already being planned. Representatives from statutory agencies will facilitate this and bring their expertise to Colchester Borough for groups to take advantage of. CCVS has committed to review its methods for information sharing in order to ensure that the most relevant information is reaching as many people as possible for the greatest benefit. CCVS is planning an event to explore topics including outcomes, quality standards and effective monitoring. This will be designed to support organisations receiving grant funding but will place an emphasis on ensuring that organisations are tenderready. CCVS has been lobbying for appropriate funding processes, which have accessible eligibility criteria, support partnership working, understand the importance of local knowledge and accept the role of existing projects against innovation. CCVS s aim is to further support the recommendations made in Next Steps and to see positive changes for the sector locally. We would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the completion of this report and welcome feedback. Tracy Rudling Chief Executive Officer Colchester Community Voluntary Services 42

44 Colchester Community Voluntary Services Vision Thriving local communities Mission CCVS will enable affective communities and voluntary action by, empowering and inspiring our local society through our five core values Support, Development, Liaison, Representation and Strategic Partnership Working. Colchester Community Voluntary Services (CCVS) is an independent charity whose aims are to promote effective community service and voluntary action in Colchester Borough. The role of CCVS is to bring together and assist voluntary organisations, to link with statutory and business partners to influence and co-ordinate community effort. Established in 1968, CCVS provides a range of services including funding advice, training, networking opportunities and representation. In doing so, the charity has five core functions which are shared with our national body NAVCA. These are: Support CCVS assists local voluntary and community organisations to function more effectively and deliver quality services Development CCVS supports the identification of needs in the local community and facilitates improvements in service provision to meet those needs Liaison CCVS facilitates effective communication, networking and collaboration amongst local voluntary and community organisations Representation CCVS enables the diverse views of the local third sector to be represented and supports structures which promote effective cross sector partnership working Strategic Partnership Work CCVS ensures that the third sector s role as an integral part of local planning and policy making CCVS also manages a number of front line service delivery projects for the benefit of community members in Colchester and North East Essex. These include Colchester Transport and Shopmobility and Colchester Volunteer Centre and Time Bank. For more details about our services or if you have any questions regarding this report please contact us or visit us online or at the following location: Colchester Community Voluntary Services Winsley s House Tel: High Street information@ccvs.org Colchester CO1 1UG 43