Community Matters The National Federation of Community Organisations

1. Community MattersThe National Federation of Community Organisations Founded in 1945 as NFCA Became NFCO in 1982 Membership now over 1,150 (mainly England and Wales) Members – multi-purpose community organisations, local authorities, LIOs…

2. CO Membership 96% own/manage a community building 58% of buildings owned by LA 25% under £10K turnover Average of £80K turnover Just under half run entirely by volunteers Independent with intensely local focus Scale makes them vulnerable

3. Community Matters role Capacity building & infrastructure support Leadership – eg standard setting Consultation / voice Research Innovation and development Partnership – Community Alliance

4. Advice and information Managing community buildings Management committee roles, responsibilities and procedures Constitutions and governance Leases and other occupation agreements Charity law Employment issues Budgeting and accounts for small charities Developing and delivering activities and services Consulting the community and representing their interests Health and Safety requirements Licensing issues Trading and income generation Community regeneration Bar separation and incorporation Dispute resolution Equality and diversity matters Insurance Children’s and Youth services

5. Community Matters role Capacity building & infrastructure support Leadership – eg standard setting Consultation / voice Research Innovation and development Partnership – Community Alliance

6. Community Sector Range (COs – individuals) Community Sector Coalition Ethos (volunteering, mutuality, self-help, scale) Autonomous and self-directed

7. Public service delivery Pre-occupation in England at the moment COs can and do get involved and add value: Good local knowledge and local relationships Taking a holistic, multi-purpose approach Ensuring the services are well networked, employing local labour and supporting the local economy Helping to spread risk through multiple small-scale delivery Making services cost effective and delivering on a more intimate scale Flexibility and responsiveness Freedom from institutional pressures Strong track record of self-help and user involvement Could do more if worked with larger charities

8. Community organisation USP Informal services Children, youth, elderly, people with disabilities Vulnerable to displacement COs real strengths building strong social capital enhancing community cohesion through inter-community activity facilitating active citizenship and community volunteering Community anchor role incubating new community groups and enterprises community voice and democratic engagement.

9. Community Voice Community sector as a voice for communities Lots of them so don’t expect a wholly representative voice National umbrellas channelling voice up and down Challenges Their interest and expertise lies in the very local Limited capacity May not be universal access to electronic communication May need a broad community forum but recognise overheads Recognise and support their wider role

10. Funding Commissioning & contracting Grants Enterprise In-kind support – buildings etc Taskforce proposals Capital funds (grant and loan) for community buildings and enterprise development. Seed funding for new initiatives and for equipping community organisations to manage CSAs Micro-grants programme – easy access to regular small amounts of grant preferably locally distributed Learning for leadership – learning fund for COs to broaden and deepen their involvement.

11. Regeneration policy Moving-on from ABIs Focus on winners and losers Early ones poor at involving communities Focus on flagship projects Taskforce proposals Impact of the community sector Local Area Agreements Local Strategic Partnerships