The Voluntary & Community Sector and the Compact in the Harrogate District 1

Defining the Voluntary and Community Sector

 Not for profit  3 rd Sector (including Social Enterprise)  The VCS  Not all volunteers!

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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? 3

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…… 4

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 5

What are some of the issues?

 Funding  Sustainability  Credibility  Professionalism  Profile  Government interest  Independence  Influencing policy (local and national) 6

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 7

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 8

CVS Core Work

• Development • Services • Signposting • Forums • Partnerships • Representation 9

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 10

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 11

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 12

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 13

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 14

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 15

 Builds on existing good practice  Raises our game  Provides a focus   Better relations Successful partnerships   Effective funding Better services  Meaningful consultation  Thriving communities 16

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

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The Voluntary and Community Sector & The Compact in the Harrogate District 18