OR in the Third Sector

1. OR in the Third Sector Pro Bono Case Studies Huw Evans

2. Background • Police • Audit Commission • Independent consultant • Developing volunteering roles • Doctorate - developed an evaluative framework for approaches to and processes for public engagement • Community OR (COR) & OR in the Third Sector(ORiTS)

3. Context • Connected via The Cranfield Trust and REACH • http://www.cranfieldtrust.org • http://www.reachskills.org.uk • Community OR & ORiTS • Capacity building • Participatory approaches • Adding value

4. Developing the assignments • The link agency provided a project specification and expectations, e.g. time input required • Expenses paid ….. • The work was open to further interpretation and design in consultation with the client

5. Values • Open, transparent • Capacity building • Expectations • their problems remained their property • did they want to change? • Whole systems approach • Develop self-awareness • Outcome focus • Learning • Action orientated • Adding value

6. Scope • Strategic planning • Identifying outcomes • Gap analysis • Risk analysis • Clarifying my role • Capacity building • Making tacit knowledge explicit • Participatory approaches • Open, transparent, undermining ‘P’(‘p’)olitical agendas • Flexible / responsive approach to the assignment

7. Case Studies Four charities • 3 are small organisations • 2 are trying to cope with funding cuts • 1 planning a big project to refurbish an iconic building and enter into partnership with another charity • 1 a regional wide agenda around literature coping with recent amalgamation/absorption of other organisations • 1 with an espoused world wide conservancy agenda • 1 with a youth and community agenda • 1 with an advocacy role for minority groups

8. Theoretical domains • Complexity Theory • Groups • Systems Theory • Learning Organisations • Organisational Learning • Human Inquiry • Group Dynamics • Critical Systems Theory • Democratic Theory • Action research, participatory action research, self-reliant participatory action research

9. Common themes • Consultancy seen as too expensive • Lack of common understanding about the priorities • Managers & directors working in isolation – knowledge remained tacit • Failure to draw upon the breadth and depth of human capital available • ‘P’(‘p’)olitical’ agenda • Time • Weak approach to development and capacity building • Weak outcome and user focus

10. Blast & Prioritise workshop • Set a theme • Process • KISS principle • Blast - What works well? • Blast - What doesn’t work so well? • Group the issues and then prioritise them • Output • Develop and agree an action plan – inc risks • Requires some iteration • Outcomes • Self aware with a plan - refocused • Openness, transparency, undermines closed/political agendas, tacit knowledge made more explicit

11. Open Space with Future Search • Using an Open Space approach • Empowers anyone to contribute • Individual responsibility • Owen, H. (1997). Open Space Technology (A User's Guide). San Francisco, Berrett-Koehler • Future Search timeline • Past, present, future • Individual, world, organisational perspective • Share information • Makes explicit peoples’ vision for the future • Weisbord, M. R. and S. Janoff (1995). Future Search - An Action Guide to Finding Common Ground in Organizations & Communities. San Francisco, Berrett-Koehler

12. Case Study - 1 • Small agency – advocacy for BME groups • Funding had collapsed and were reduced to 1 member of staff • Unclear agenda, unrealistic expectations & confused priorities by the board • Developed a risk assessed action plan • Workshop with the recently redundant staff, manager and board

13. Case Study 2 • World wide conservancy agenda with a zoological exhibition • Open Space adapted with the Future Search ‘timeline’ with managers, staff, trustees revealed: • Lack of common understanding • Poor structure • Problematic governance • Further workshop with trustees • Mindsets challenged – new ideas emerged • Confidence boosted

14. Case Study 3 • Young people and wider community support agenda • Refurbishment of iconic premises plus partnership arrangement with an arts charity to share the new building • Coaching and mentoring the manager • Blast & prioritise workshop plus survey of users • New draft plan • More work emerging – this time for payment!

15. Case Study 4 • Regional literary organisation • Recently merged with 2 other organisations • Heavily reliant upon a single funder • Wanted a new business plan • Resistant to a whole system approach • Blast & prioritise workshop with staff and managers • Workshop with the business planning sub-group of the Board • Satisfaction with vision, mission, values? • Blast & prioritise • Survey of stakeholders • Several hundred potential but circulated to 7 of whom four responded • The organisation then felt they were in a better position to write their new plan

16. Theoretical domains

17. How was it for me? • Interesting, fun, met new people and worked in new areas& I learned a lot • Issues about power, ego, status • Small interventions can make a difference • The approach adopted often exposed the ‘elephant in the room’ • Strategy and operational delivery are inextricably linked in well managed organisations • Confusion about separating ‘governance’ and ‘management’ from service development • Organisations can make more use of the breadth and depth of the human capital available • Risk management is seen as an adjunct to planning and not integral to it • 3rd Sector infrastructure organisations may not be meeting the needs of the sector • Pro bono work is not ‘free’ • Working via other organisations may not raise the profile of OR or the ORS • Boosts your experience and CV

18. How was it for the client? • Added value • Knowledge management • Learning • People enjoyed being involved • More self-aware about challenges, priorities • New ideas emerged • Boosted capacity and confidence • “Failing to plan is planning to fail” (This, or variations, attributed to Benjamin Franklin, Winston Churchill et al)

19. Contact Dr Huw Evans Independent consultant T/A HSE Organisational Development Tel: 07595 419938 Email: huwdevans@gmail.com Twitter: @wildkippers Linked in: http://uk.linkedin.com/in/huwdevans