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The Voluntary & Community Sector and the Compact in the Harrogate District. Defining the Voluntary and Community Sector. Not for profit 3 rd Sector (including Social Enterprise) The VCS Not all volunteers!. Understanding the VCS. What is a community group?
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The Voluntary & Community Sector and the Compact in the Harrogate District
Defining the Voluntary and Community Sector • Not for profit • 3rd Sector (including Social Enterprise) • The VCS • Not all volunteers!
Understanding the VCS • What is a community group? • What is a voluntary organisation? • What are the issues for the VCS? • What do the Councils for Voluntary Service and the Volunteer Centres do and why? • What’s a Compact?
Community Groups • Run by volunteers • Health-related support groups • Environmental groups • Sport and cultural groups • Neighbourhood support • Fund raisers • General Community (eg Rotary, Lions, WI) • Animals • Children and more……
Voluntary organisations • As above but…. • Governance by volunteers • Often employ paid staff • Many, but not all, have volunteers supporting their activities • Local branches of national charities (eg Barnardos, Age Concern) • Organisations developed locally in response to need
What are some of the issues? • Funding • Sustainability • Credibility • Professionalism • Profile • Government interest • Independence • Influencing policy (local and national)
About Councils for Voluntary Service? Background: • Core purpose is to support the local VCS • Local branches of a national movement • Developed according to local needs • 147 member organisations • Both CVS’s working in partnership • Community Houses
The Role of the Volunteer Centres • Both are integral parts of the CVS • Promoting volunteering • Brokerage – helping people to find suitable volunteering opportunities • Supporting volunteer-involving organisations • Promoting good practice in volunteering • Working in partnership
Development Services Signposting Forums Partnerships Representation CVS Core Work
History: • 1998 National Compact and Codes of Practice (government initiative) • 2001 HBC Compact with the local Voluntary and Community Sector • 2004/5 North Yorkshire Compact and Codes of Practice • 2006/7 HBC & HDSP sign up to North Yorkshire Compact
Purpose: • National and local • Improving the relationship between the public sector and the VCS • An agreement with commitments and principles • Underpinned by Codes of Practice
Key Principles: • The independence of the VCS should be respected • A healthy VCS is part of a democratic society • Working in partnership with the VCS can result in better policy and services, and better outcomes for the community • Partnership requires strong relationships (e.g. integrity and openness) • Local government can play a role as funder of the VCS
What’s “the deal” locally? • NY Compact sets out how to work together – a reference document, sets standards • HDSP owns it and looks at what partners should be doing together: “getting it right together rather than wrong alone” • All key partners signed up via the HDSP
In practice: • 12 weeks for consultation • Active role for VCS in developing ideas, projects, policy, consultation – from the start • Funding support (core costs, small grants, easy access) • Proportionate monitoring • Notice of changes • More people involved in volunteering
In practice: • Action plan – communication, training and monitoring • Role of Compact Champion (Lead Member) • Links with … • Scrutiny Commissions, Best Value • HDSP, NYSP and Local Area Agreement (LAA) • Local Government White Paper (“Strong and prosperous communities”) • Procurement/commissioning • Dispute resolution
Builds on existing good practice Raises our game Provides a focus Better relations Successful partnerships Effective funding Better services Meaningful consultation Thriving communities
Harrogate & Area Council for Voluntary Service (Hazel McGrath) 01423 504074 www.harrogate.org Ripon Council for Voluntary Service (Lynette Barnes) 01765 603631 www.riponcvs.co.uk Harrogate Borough Council (Karen Weaver) 01423 556706 www.harrogate.gov/voluntary Compact Voice c/o NCVO www.thecompact.org.uk
The Voluntary and Community Sector & The Compact in the Harrogate District