Transcript Document

Voluntary Sector
Futures
Adapting to a changing
environment
John Hannen
Voluntary Sector Futures
• There is no single future for the
voluntary sector
• We came to where we are now by a
variety of different paths
• Some organisations have changed
radically, some are much the same,
some are no longer with us
Voluntary Sector Futures
• Understanding the changing
environment (PEST)
• Understanding changing demand
• Understanding the choices we need to
make
The challenges
Increased inequalities between
– Generations
– North/South
– Skilled/Unskilled
– Neighbouring communities
– Big/Small organisations
– Public/Private
Social Change
• Lack of shared experiences and
services
• Harder to support communities
• Reduced solidarity
• In this state of flux there are
opportunities to reshape shared values
• Key role for VCSE to build common
ground
Economic Change
• Squeezed middle
• Wages & housing crisis
• Social enterprise or charging will not replace
public funding
• Micro-enterprise approaches are more viable
• Asset base (including volunteers) needed to
develop competitiveness
• A time for mutuals and co-ops?
Political Implications
• Lots of noise but limited capacity to create
significant change
• Significant change in the role and impact of
the state
• Waiting for the next big idea
• Once in a generation chance to shape the
agenda – last was Thatcher/Regan
• Voluntary sector has opportunity to build
popular institutions
Technological Change
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Digital by default
Mobile first
Age/Class/Cultural barriers
Online learning growing
Collaboration tools underused
Competitiveness advantage
Summary of change
• Wages and housing crisis won’t be fixed
any time soon
• Erosion of institutions and common,
shared experiences but…
• Voluntary sector excels at institution
building
• Whilst there is flux this is a once in a
generation chance to shape society
Adapting to change
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What is our purpose?
What do we do?
Who are “our people”?
What are our assets?
Key decisions
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Cost vs Value
Scale vs Specialism
Place vs Identity
Safety vs Risk Taking
Disruption vs Persistence
Demand vs Need
Market led vs Beneficiary led
Charging vs Free
Summary
• There is change and it is significant and
disruptive
• New organisations and ways of working will
start to emerge
• There will be a collapse in public services but
also space to do something new
• If you don’t make a choice it may be made for
you