Archived decisions

    Further information regarding the voluntary groups funded by the Council

    1 Infrastructure organisations

    1.1. There are 11 Councils of Voluntary Service (CVS), one in each district, and the county-wide group, Community Action Hampshire (CAH). These are known as infrastructure bodies as they providing support, advice and other services to locally based voluntary & community groups. CAH is also a Rural Community Council supporting and enabling initiatives in the rural communities. The CVSs are `trusts' (companies limited by guarantee) and registered charities for whom the core funding partners are the County Council and the District councils.

    1.2. The five primary functions of CVSs, as determined at the national level (NAVCA), are:

        o Services and support to front line local voluntary and community organisations (VCOs), e.g. funding information and support with applications

        o Liaison between front line VCOs and other agencies/ partnerships

        o Representation e.g. representing the views of the sector in Local Strategic Partnerships and the community strategy process

        o Development work e.g. strengthening the skills and capacity of front line VCOs

        o Contributing to and supporting front line VCOs in the delivery of sustainable community strategy outcomes - including the LAA.

    Examples of the support provided include:

        - Training information

        - Policies and procedures

        - Constitutions and governance

        - Loan Equipment

        - Group start up

        - Engagement and inclusion with consultations

        - Community Development

        - Financial Planning

        - Organisational development support

        - Quality and performance management advice

    1.3. The CVSs also provide a range of services on behalf of the Council. These are via contracts and grants from different departments and include for example community transport schemes, play schemes and lunch clubs for older people. In total the Council commissioned or contracted for services at a value of over £90m.

    1.4. Funding for all these groups is precarious, particularly in the current economic climate, which is why there is a move towards three year funding agreements in order to try and ensure the sustainability of groups and projects.

    1.5. Volunteer Centres

        Each of the district CVS's also runs a volunteer centre which aims to improve and increase the level of volunteering in the area and provide support for both individual volunteers and agencies seeking to recruit volunteer support. This supports the Local Area Agreement target of increased volunteering.

    2 Partnership working

        As well as the specific role and services provided by the infrastructure bodies, they provide the County Council with valuable access to the wider voluntary and community network and often act as coordinating body for county strategies and policy development. This includes coordination of the development of the Compact and the establishment of a consortium of different community networks to become a more effective vehicle for representation across the sector - The Hampshire Voluntary Sector Consortium. It is this body that has elected a representative for the Hampshire Senate. They are also leading on the voluntary sector input to the LAA and on Theme H (Strong Communities) including the development of a local indicator for developing an environment for a thriving third sector. CAH also act as link to the regional and national VCS and rural bodies, they also analyse latest policy & guidance to make more relevant to smaller local voluntary organisations.

    2.1. The CVS's are able to access external funds which are not available to the Council which is helpful in developing projects such as the Diversity Networks Project. The County Council's race equality scheme identified the need to build capacity within the minority ethnic communities and in order to do that there was a need to undertake a lot of community based work and that required funding. CAH secured funds from Capacitybuilders and other sources to run projects which set about mapping the diverse communities. They are now focusing work on building capacity within the wider voluntary sector so that when the Council or any other public body engages with local groups they can be assured that there is an understanding of the needs of local diverse groups.

    2.2. The overall relationship with the voluntary and community sector (now known as the Third Sector because it also includes Faith groups) is being considered through the work to develop a Third Sector strategy which will be reported to Cabinet for final approval in April 2009.

    3 Value for money reviews

    3.1. CVS network

    3.2. In line with the general approach within the Council to ensure that funds are used in ways which add value to the work of the Council a review was commissioned in 2007 to consider the grant funding for Councils for Voluntary Service (CVS). This work was undertaken by Treasurers Consultancy and resulted in a report with recommendations for improvement in both the voluntary organisations and the County Council.

    3.3. The review concluded that the County Council recognises that the Third Sector and the CVSs have a key role to play in helping it to deliver against the Corporate Priorities and the Local Area Agreement and in responding to the Government's agenda for working closer with local communities including seldom heard groups.

3.4. The review sought to answer the question of how this role can be best supported in the context of increasing budget pressures.

3.5. The review showed that, in general, to increase the value for money these organisations provide, there are some improvements which should be made and a number of projects have been identified where the CVS network can be more efficient. The Chief Executives of the CVSs meet regularly to share good practice ideas through the Chief Officers network. They were very supportive of this review and have set up a `modernisation' board to take forward the recommendations.

3.6. The recommendations from the review covered the following areas:

      · Development of a standard business planning methodology

      · Identification of specialised leads to avoid duplication and facilitate input

      · Development of a single policy approach

      · Development of a standard customer satisfaction survey

      · NAVCA best practice performance indicators in place

      · Plan for county wide information sharing

3.7. In addition, there were a number of areas where the County Council needs to improve its processes to clarify the level and type of support. The following recommendations were made:

      · Draft grant agreement agreed for 2009/10

      · Member champion appointed

      · Officer network developed to improve consistency of response

      · Funding formula developed for budget round 2009/10

      · Consultation to be Compact compliant (at 12 weeks minimum)

3.8. As a result of these recommendations it will be possible to build a set of performance measures and benchmarking data which will show how well CVSs perform and the level of improvement year on year. The implications and implementation issues for the recommendations for the County Council have been picked up through the review of the relationship with the sector which will be reported to Cabinet in February 2009.

4. Other voluntary organisation funded by the Council

4.1 Hampshire Association of Local Councils (HALC) The grant helps to maximise membership to the Association by keeping subscription fees low, and the main benefits of this to the County Council are access to a communications network covering 98% of town and parish councils in Hampshire, as well as the handling of large numbers of queries from these councils that would otherwise be directed to the County Council.

4.2 Citizens Advice Hampshire provides residents across the county with access to consistent, professional, advisory services. The confidential and complex nature of the service makes monitoring of outcomes difficult, but following organisational changes, the service is in the process of reviewing performance management processes, providing the County Council with the opportunity to influence the information that is collated, monitored and shared with funding bodies.

4.4 Victim Support, Hampshire support of victims of crime. The grant is specifically given to enable the recruitment and training of volunteers, this links to one of the Council's performance indicators.

4.5 Relate The grant is in support of the rental costs for its Winchester office. They provide a confidential counselling service for couples experiencing relationship problems.

4 Examples of voluntary and community sector activity

    Estimates show that there are approximately 8,400 voluntary and community groups active across Hampshire. These groups make a significant positive impact in supporting quality of life across many areas and contribute to many social, economic and environmental issues. The CVS Network provides a range of critical support to these groups and aim to be pro-active in meeting their needs. Here are some examples.

5.1 Seeds of Africa - Rushmoor Voluntary Services

    In 2004, a small group of adults contacted Rushmoor Voluntary Services (RVS) because they were keen to start up a support group for people of all ages with serious long term chronic illness, with particular reference to HIV/Aids. They were very clear about what they hoped to achieve and had ambitions to eventually have a centre of their own within the Rushmoor area.

    RVS gave the group support and advice which they took on board. The group had lots of ideas as to how they wanted to progress and held regular meetings to agree a Constitution and organise a calendar of activities which would help raise awareness of Seeds of Africa.

    The adults were keen to engage with the young people and were successful in their grant application to the Local Network Fund to enable them to take the young people on an activity weekend. The weekend included some advice and guidance by qualified speakers relevant to sexual health. They continued to engage with the young people and encourage them to have an input into the group's events. Further funding enabled the young people to take part in an Art and Music Project using the West End Centre in Aldershot to run workshops involving drama, dance, new media and photography.

    Seeds of Africa were unable to take the responsibility of looking after their funds, so RVS provide the necessary support to maintain their money. However, the group has progressed to the point of being a recognised community group. They are more aware of the processes and procedures which they need to adopt to ensure the activities they do are safe, appropriate and specific. They get involved in local forums and engage with others to ensure they are a represented body.

    The project worker involved has taken a Community Development Foundation qualification. Through the coursework RVS' Development Officer has acted as a mentor and also supported her work.

5.2 Mind the Gap - Community First New Forest

    Mind the Gap is a Community Interest Company that provides research and looks for community solutions regarding gaps in services for Children and Young people and their families. One of the first major projects they have successfully set up is an out of school club for children and young people in New Milton.

    Community First New Forest supports this organisation in a number of ways, we operate a payroll service for them, provide CRB checks and have given advice and successfully supported their funding bids. Our community transport department has provided Midas training for their staff and subsequently hired transport to them, for out of school activities.

    In the words of Mind the Gap themselves `I don't know what we would do without Community First, they are always able to help us'.

    This is one of many examples where Community First New Forest provides a range of support services that meets the needs of local voluntary and community groups.

5.3 Arthritis Care Romsey - Test Valley Community Services

    Test Valley Community Services (TVCS) started working with Arthritis Care Romsey and District following a visit from their Chairman who was looking for volunteers. It became apparent that this Group desperately needed fresh impetus to keep them going. The same Committee has been in place for many years and two or three members in particular were feeling the strain. Although the organisation has 50 - 60 members the work has been left to three or four stalwarts.

    Arthritis Care Romsey and District offers an excellent support service to both the newly diagnosed and older members including facilitating hydrotherapy visits, regular club activities and a welfare programme. TVCS and the Volunteer Centre continue to work with this Group and to date has:

      · Persuaded the current mainstays of the Committee to stay on for another year in office whilst new initiatives are put in place. The Group urgently needs a volunteer Treasurer. TVCS has offered to manage the accounts until one can be found.

      · Helped with a new publicity campaign, collaborating over new posters for example and introducing new places for their display. Promoted the Group through the Valley Messenger Newsletter and on Radio Solent.

      · Given the Group table space at a Volunteering Event in the Town Hall, one of twenty five groups present, sharing in the promotion for that event. (Romsey Advertiser, for example.)

      · Advertised for volunteers, nationally and locally.

5.4 Rowner Sure Start Children's Center - Gosport Voluntary Action

    Rowner Sure Start Children's Center is identified in the indices of deprivation in the top 20% in a number of categories. The Rowner Sure Start programme was one of only two in Hampshire. Gosport Voluntary Action (GVA) was involved from the beginning of the development of the centre and GVA's CO is chair of the Sure Start Company now running the children's centre as a third party provider for the County Council.

5.5 Tiddley Winks Parent and Toddler Group - Winchester Area Community Action

    This group was referred to Winchester Area Community Action (WACA) by the City Council Partnership and External Funding Officer. They wanted to apply for funding but realised that to do so they had to formalise themselves as a group. WACA provided them with information sheets on roles and responsibilities for trustees, a model constitution and child protection policy, and explored funding options. This resulted in a successful Local Network Fund Application. WACA continues to support the group to access training through WACA's Learning Project.

5.6 Police Placement Project - Rushmoor Voluntary Services

    The Police Officer community placement project inducts new officers into the community. Feedback from senior officers tell us this is a vital community link enabling officers to meet community groups and gain the trust of individuals. It also gives a broad insight to officers of community services available.