Voluntary & Community Action Trafford

1. Voluntary & Community Action Trafford Volunteering Workshop Trafford Partnership Conference July 2010

2. Overview • Quick introduction to VCAT • Some definitions • The sector – nationally & Trafford • Key indicators • Recent Developments • VCAT Recommendations

3. VCAT • Created in 2000 by Voluntary and Community Sectors • Membership organisation – 500 members • We aim to develop an effective and highly skilled voluntary and community sector, capable of making a strong contribution towards a fair and open society in Trafford.

4. Key Services • Development • VCAT supports the identification of needs in the local community and facilitates improvements in service provision to meet those needs. • Support • VCAT assists local voluntary organisations and community groups to function more effectively and deliver quality services. • Liaison • VCAT facilitates effective communication, networking and collaboration amongst local voluntary organisations and community groups. • Representation • VCAT enables the diverse views of the local voluntary and community sector to be represented and supports structures which promote effective cross-sector partnership working. • Strategic Partnership Work. • VCAT ensures the voluntary and community sector’s role as an integral part of local planning and policy making.

5. Priorities Funding Support Volunteer Development Committee Development Improving Quality Community Development Activities Training Information Advice & Support Forums & Networks Representation VCAT: Support & Development

6. 50+ Forum Health & Social Care Adult & Community Learning Legal Services Family Support Mental Health Priority Neighbourhoods Trafford Partnership CYPS Safer Health & Wellbeing TEA Culture 50+ Diverse Communities Beyond Trafford Representation & Liaison

7. Strategic Interventions • Compact • Funding & Commissioning • Volunteering and Workforce Development • Engagement • BME Groups • Community Groups • Community Engagement Strategy

8. Definitions & Context

9. “Volunteering” • “an activity that involves spending time, unpaid, doing something that aims to benefit the environment or someone (individuals or groups) other than, or in addition to, close relatives.” • National Code of Good Practice on Volunteering • Endorsed by Trafford Compact

10. Volunteering • Important to recognise: • Takes place in voluntary organisations, community groups and public bodies • People volunteer at different levels • Supporting children to read School governor • Hands on – Legally responsible

11. Principles Choice Diversity Reciprocity Recognition Priorities Volunteer Management Investing in volunteers Promoting volunteering Volunteering Infrastructure Trafford Compact CoP

12. “Voluntary and Community Sector” • Collective name for all the voluntary and community organisations • Voluntary sector (which excludes the majority) • Third sector (which some see as suggesting third rate) • Non-Profit Sector (which obscures the right to make a surplus on contracts) • part of the Independent Sector (which is confusing).

13. Voluntary Sector in the UK • Income of £35 billion • 35% from statutory sector (£12bn – ¼ grants, ¾ contracts) • Operating expenditure of £32.8 billion • Assets of £96 billion • Workforce of 668,000 • Over 145,000 charities • NCVO Voluntary Sector Almanac

14. Voluntary and Community Sector in Trafford • VCAT Membership 500 • Mostly Community Groups • 410 Registered Charities • Not all are VCAT Members • Multiple PTAs & educational, Scout & Guides, Industrial, Playgroups, • no way for VCAT to compare lists

15. Key Indicators • NI 6 - Participation in regular volunteering • NI 7 - Environment for a thriving third sector

16. NI6 on “Participation in Regular Volunteering” • Chosen as a priority for Local Area Agreement • 19.5% (2008/9) • in worst 25% nationally • Target to increase to 22.9% (2010/11)

17. NI7 – an environment for a thriving third sector • Not chosen as priority for Local Area Agreement • Score 10.4% • 5th lowest score in whole country • Lowest outside London

19. Recent developments • Recession • Big Society • 2011 Year of the Volunteer • 2012 Volunteering Legacy

20. Recession • Increase in people looking to volunteering to develop skills. • Volunteer Centres • 100%-150% increase in 18months • DWP Volunteering Option

21. Opportunities for Volunteering • 2011 – European Year of Volunteering • 2012 – Volunteering Legacy • Sport, Environment, Culture • Olympic Borough: “Games time” volunteers

22. Big Society • “to put more power and opportunity into people’s hands” • Give communities more powers • Encourage people to take an active role in their communities • Support co-ops, mutuals, charities and social enterprises

23. VCAT Recommendations • Volunteer Strategy • Support development of a joined up approach • Volunteer Infrastructure • Cultural shift • From hand outs to Big Society

24. Volunteering Strategy / Infrastructure • Those with strategic responsibility across all sectors • Volunteering ‘Partnership’ • Implement, monitor & update

25. Volunteering Strategy / Infrastructure • Volunteering England Quality Standards • Brokerage of volunteers • Good practice support for volunteer managers • Developing volunteering opportunities • Promoting Volunteering • Strategic Development of volunteering • Policy Response and Campaigning