North East Regional Level Voluntary & Community

Sector (VCS) Infrastructure Development Plan

Background
The Regional Level Development Plan is based upon the findings and
recommendations contained within a number of pieces of research, conducted in the
last twelve months, into VCS infrastructure provision within the North East. As part of
the Early Spend Programme five interlinked pieces of research were commissioned
into VCS infrastructure provision and needs at the sub regional and regional levels.
Other research relevant to this development plan include those undertaken on behalf
of specialist regional VCS infrastructure providers, supported by the Early Spend
programme and other funding streams.

Regional Level Infrastructure Consortium

A Regional Level Infrastructure Consortium has been formed to prepare the

development plan and agree the priorities for inclusion. Membership of the
consortium is based on ChangeUp Investment Criteria and Guidance and includes
representation from:
• Generalist and BME VCS Networks
• Government Office North East
• ONE North East – Regional Development Agency
• Association of North East Councils
• A cross section of regional VCS infrastructure and frontline organisations
• Regional Volunteering Infrastructure
• Regional Social Enterprise Network
• Regional Funders Forum
• Each sub regional consortia
• Regional representation from the Learning and Skills Councils, National
Offender Management Service, Sport England

(A full list of members is included in Appendix One.)

This group was originally formed in May 2004, to guide the Regional Level
Infrastructure Research, mentioned above, and was widened to form a consortium in
October 2004.

Process

The consortium held two meetings between October and December 2004, to prepare
the development plan. Voluntary Organisations Network North East (VONNE)
facilitates the consortium. The deadline for submission of the development plan, set
by Government, was extremely tight and this necessarily introduced an unwelcome
level of haste to the process. It is the consortium’s view that the tight timescales have
caused significant problems within the decision making process and wish that view to
be forwarded to the Active Community’s Directorate. However, the consortium is
agreed that this plan represents the most practical and effective allocation of
ChangeUp Main Spend Regional Level Allocation, which could possibly be achieved
within the timescales allowed.

Key Principles

The consortium identified a number of key principles upon which a development plan
for regional level infrastructure should be based. The consortium believes all activity
undertaken by organisations providing regional level infrastructure support should be
based upon such principles and these are:

• Developing Capacity – a focus on developing the capacity of other VCS

organisations rather than direct service delivery
• Firm Foundations – build upon existing provision rather than create new
organisations
• Tangible Benefit/Needs Led – able to demonstrate tangible benefits to
frontline VCS organisations
• Collaboration – partnership and joint working across the VCS and other
sectors
• Equal & Diversity – central to all provision

All proposals contained within the Development Plan reflect these principles and the
programme criteria identified within the ChangeUp Investment Criteria and Guidance
(See Criteria and Guidance in Appendix 2.)

Priorities

The substance of the development plan is based upon the priorities identified within
the regional research, the expertise and knowledge of consortium members and the
six specific VCS support needs identified in the ChangeUp strategy
• Performance improvement
• Workforce development and leadership
• ICT
• Governance
• Recruiting and developing volunteers
• Funding VCS activity

The range of regional research, conducted over the last twelve months, identified
four main recommendations for investment in regional level infrastructure, which are
consistent with ethos of ChangeUp and can be achieved within the short term Main
Spend fund. These recommendations are:

1. Signposting – the development of a mechanism for signposting between

infrastructure organisations at regional level. There is a further role to ensure
that the North East region is linked with and supported sufficiently by the
national hubs for the six ChangeUp priorities and that the regional level
infrastructure is linked effectively with local and sub-regional infrastructure.

2. Good Practice – the development of a mechanism to share good practice in

infrastructure at the regional level. (This recommendation has been included
 as an activity to be funded within the North East Main Spend Fund
management budget.)

3. Funding/Business Planning – the development of initiatives to support VCS

organisations to plan for their future and investigate business solutions to their
funding needs.

4. Specialist Provision – there is a need for greater specialist infrastructure

provision at regional level.

The Consortium has identified a coherent package of activities, based upon these
recommendations, and reflecting the ChangeUp priorities, which form the substance
of the Regional Level Infrastructure Development Plan. Each activity is designed to
be collaborative and to link together, to improve the delivery of regional level
infrastructure in the North East.

ChangeUp states that investment should not be used to support core costs of
infrastructure organisations. Whilst the lack of core funding remains a significant
problem for regional level infrastructure organisations, the consortium recognises that
as Main Spend is only available to March 2006 it cannot provide any response to this
problem. Therefore no core costs for regional level infrastructure providers have
been included in this plan.

The consortium identified 18 activities and ranked them in order of priority, this is
listed below. Full details of the decision making process for the Regional
Infrastructure Development Plan funding allocations are contained in Appendix Three
and Three B. The available funding of £616,270 is only sufficient to provide activities
1-16 but the consortium wished to include activities 1-18 within the plan.

Rank Project Allocation Cumulative

1 Funding £150,000 £150,000
2 Facilitation £30,000 £180,000
3 Equality Consortium £37,000 £217,000
4 Signposting/Representation £31,000 £248,000
5 LGBT Infrastructure £15,000 £263,000
6 Workforce Development £37,000 £300,000
7 Faith Sector Support £31,000 £331,000
8 Community Development Network £38,000 £369,000
9 Regional Forum on Ageing £17,500 £386,500
10 Mental Health Consortium £39,000 £425,500
11 ICT Champion £52,000 £477,500
12 Volunteering Infrastructure £15,000 £492,500
13 Performance £15,000 £507,500
Improvement/Governance
14 BME Press Relations £19,270 £526,770
15 BME ICT Support £41,000 £567,770
16 Youth Sector Infrastructure £45,000 £612,770
17 Youth Social Exclusion £28,000 £640,770
18 Online Social Marketplace £32,000 £672,770
Capital Spend

ChangeUp guidelines indicate that 28% of funds are ringfenced for capital
expenditure, this translates to £172,556 of the regional level allocation.

Due to the nature of region wide organisations and services and reflecting the
priorities identified by the consortium only a minimal amount of capital expenditure
has been indicated as a priority inclusion in the development plan.

The ACU has agreed to reduce the capital requirement within the regional level
allocation to £70,000. GONE has set a deadline of June 2005 for the consortium to
identify a capital spend.

Appendix Three indicates two possible budgets. Firstly, if the capital element of the
regional level allocation can be reduced to nil as the regional consortium would wish
and secondly with a capital requirement of £70,000. These possibilities are reflected
in the two tables below. The consortium’s firm view is that the first budget reflects the
regional level needs and to be forced to include capital expenditure where no need
has been identified would be extremely detrimental.

Details of each activity are contained in Appendix Four.

Budget

Main Spend Allocation for Regional Level Infrastructure in the North East

Embedding Quality, Improving Reach:

New Initiatives: £197,573
ICT: £52,991

Modernising Infrastructure:
Development Planning: £84,394
Reconfiguration: £281,312

Total: £616,270

Budget One: (Capital Expenditure reduced to nil.)

ACTIVITY ChangeUp ALLOCATION

Allocation (£)
(£)
A: Embedding Quality, Improving Reach
New Initiatives: 197,573
LGBT Infrastructure: 15,000
Development of an LGBT VCS Network
Faith Sector Support: 31,000
Direct support to faith communities
Community Development Network: 38,000
Network for Community Development Practitioners
Regional Forum on Ageing: 17,500
Coordinated training and support for age-focussed
VCS organisations
Mental Health Consortium: 39,000
Consortium and portal development
BME Press Relations: 19,270
Support for the BME VCS to promote themselves to
all sectors
BME ICT Support: 41,000
Direct ICT support to BME groups
Total New Initiatives: 200,770
ICT: 52,000
Regional ICT Champion: 52,000
Regional coordinator to champion the merits of
ICT to the VCS in the North East

B: Modernising Infrastructure
Development Planning: 84,394
Facilitation of Regional Level Consortium & Future 30,000
Planning
Equality Consortium: 37,000
To encourage collaboration between specialist
infrastructure providers
Performance Improvement/Governance 15,000
Development Plan:
Investigate the need for regional provision of
support for two ChangeUp priorities
Total 82,000

Reconfiguration: 281,312
Funding: 150,000
Combination of three activities:
1. Extension of provision from Funding
Information North East (FINE)
2. Generate Project – to promote and explain
sustainable funding activities within the VCS
3. European Structural Fund support – to help
the sector prepare for the reduction in
European Funding
Signposting/Representation: 31,000
Provision of information on which regional
infrastructure organisations do what for whom.
Provision of information and support on VCS
representation on regional partnerships and bodies
Workforce Development: 37,000
Regional Coordinator to encourage increased take
up of learning opportunities within the VCS
Volunteering Infrastructure: 15,000
Support and develop the network of volunteer
bureaux in the North East, NEVI
Youth Sector Infrastructure: 45,000
Further development of the Regional VCS Youth
Forum
Total Reconfiguration 278,000
Total Reserve 3,500
Grand Total 616,270

Budget 2 Capital Requirement of £70,000

ACTIVITY ALLOCATION (£)

A: Embedding Quality, Improving Reach
New Initiatives:
LGBT Infrastructure: 15,000
Development of an LGBT VCS Network
Faith Sector Support: 31,000
Direct support to faith communities
Community Development Network: 38,000
Network for Community Development Practitioners
Regional Forum on Ageing: 17,500
Coordinated training and support for age-focussed VCS
organisations
Mental Health Consortium 39,000
BME Press Relations: Support for the BME VCS to promote 19,270
themselves to all sectors
Total New Initiatives: 159,770
ICT:
Regional ICT Champion: 52,000
Regional coordinator to champion the merits of ICT to the VCS
in the North East
Total ICT 52,000

B: Modernising Infrastructure
Development Planning:
Facilitation of Regional Level Consortium & Future Planning 30,000
Equality Consortium: 37,000
To encourage collaboration between specialist infrastructure
providers
Performance Improvement/Governance Development Plan: 15,000
Investigate the need for regional provision of support for two
ChangeUp priorities
Total 82,000

Reconfiguration:
Funding: 150,000
Combination of three activities:
4. Extension of provision from Funding Information North
East (FINE)
5. Generate Project – to promote and explain sustainable
funding activities within the VCS
6. European Structural Fund support – to help the sector
prepare for the reduction in European Funding
Signposting/Representation: 31,000
Provision of information on which regional infrastructure
organisations do what for whom. Provision of information and
support on VCS representation on regional partnerships and
bodies
Workforce Development: Regional Coordinator to encourage 37,000
increased take up of learning opportunities within the
VCS
Volunteering Infrastructure: Support and develop the network of 15,000
volunteer bureaux in the North East
Total Reconfiguration 233,000
Total Reserve 19,500
Capital 70,000
Total 616,270
 APPENDIX ONE
Name Organisation Area of Interest
Beverley Prevatt-Goldstein BECON Regional BME Infrastructure
Anne Burleigh North East Funders Forum Funders Forum
Brian Downes North East Funders Forum Funders Forum
Deborah Lamb Development Trust Association Regional Social Enterprise Network
Kay Howes DEFRA (GONE) Defra
Ian Dodds GONE GONE
Chris Clarke South Tyneside Council Local Authorities
Keith Bayley HVDA Tees Valley Consortia
Kath Heron Groundwork Regional VCS
Tom Adams Children North East Regional VCS
Mel White NEVI Volunteering
Amanda Young Volunteering England Volunteering
Ian Zass-Ogilvie Churches Regional Commission Faith/Regional Infrastructure Organisation
Jackie Graham NECCO Durham/Community Organisations
Pat Whaley NIACE Learning & Skills
Thom Bradley Blyth Valley CVS Northumberland Consortium
Roger Mould Newcastle CVS Tyne & Wear Consortium
Pauline Nelson GVOC Tyne & Wear Consortium
Dick Ellison ETEC Learning & Skills
Youth/Regional Infrastructure
Ivan Wintringham Regional Youth Work Unit Organisation
Mike Lazzari ONE North East ONE
Helen Deakin LSC County Durham Learning & Skills Council
Cate Mathews VONNE Regional Generic Infrastructure
Ray Cowell VONNE Regional Generic Infrastructure
Claire Jones Sport England Sport England
Bob Mcdonald Mental Health Care Regional VCO
Karen Gillard Regeneration Exchange Regional Partner
Clive Smithers One Voice Durham Durham Consortium
Refugees and Asylum Seekers/Regional
Saed Massik NERS VCO
Association of North East Councils
Emily Sweetman ANEC (ANEC)
Paul Walton NE Prison Service Regional Offender Management System
Stuart Mcphillipson NE Probation Service Regional Offender Management System
Community Development
Simon Underwood Network Community Development Network
Louise Hunter Business in the Community Business in the Community
Jenny Lee Dyslexia Institute Regional VCO
Guy Nokes Scarman Trust Regional VCO
Julia Lyford Equality & Diversity Forum Equality & Diversity Forum
Neil Bellerby Centrepoint Regional VCO
Donald Dempsey ESFVON European Funding/Regional Infrastructure
APPENDIX TWO
Change Up Guidance and Criteria – Project Criteria

 Needs led: linking activities to clear evidence of need.

 Accountability demonstrating that the proposal and then the project has
been developed by consulting appropriate frontline organisations, other
infrastructure providers, funders/ potential funders and other relevant
stakeholders and that it has support. Schemes that enable infrastructure to
become more accountable and more responsive to their stakeholders.
Schemes that assist frontline organisations to be more accountable and
user-focused.

 Collaboration: facilitating and promoting collaborative relationships

between the VCS, government and other key stakeholders. VCOs will need
to demonstrate that they are willing and able to work in partnership together
to deliver agreed outcomes.

 Outcome focused: based on achieving demonstrable and measurable

outcomes. Helping to promote and develop outcome focused planning and
reporting within infrastructure and frontline organisations.

 Sustainability: schemes which have thought through their longer term

sustainability and can demonstrate how this can be achieved. Schemes
which will help achieve economies of scale and efficiency savings –allowing
a greater focus on service delivery. Schemes which have the support of
other funders or are likely to lever in additional funding. Schemes which
include an element of earned income or which are about developing the
ability of infrastructure to income generate. Schemes which help create
sustainable infrastructure organisations through skills and asset
development.

 Subsidiarity: activities which are delivered as close to the point of need as

is economically viable and consistent with achieving quality.

 Diversity: schemes involving and benefiting the diversity of individuals,

communities and organisations in England and reflecting different needs in
different areas of the country and walks of life. Schemes addressing
inequalities in current provision and targeting the needs of small and
marginalised groups.

 A focus on social exclusion: schemes targeted at building the capacity of

VCOs to improve the quality of life of the socially excluded.

 Excellence: schemes that encourage and develop excellence in delivery of

infrastructure and capacity building support. Schemes that support frontline
organisations to strive for excellence and build their skills base.
 Efficiency: schemes that encourage and enable greater efficiency in
infrastructure and that build the capacity of frontline organisations to be more
efficient in their work and dealings with government.

 Learning: schemes which are willing to share learning and contribute to

evaluation.
 APPENDIX THREE

ChangeUp : Region-wide Consultation

Introduction

1. Government Office for the North East are responsible for managing the
regional allocation of the funding attached to the implementation of the
ChangeUp Framework. It is advised on this by a Regional Steering Group.
At the end of October VONNE was asked to pull together a cross sector
consortium and facilitate it to produce a development plan for region-wide
infrastructure support, to be presented by the end of December.

2. It is important to emphasise at the beginning that many people involved have

found the process to be too hurried with insufficient time to consider
suggestions properly. The unwillingness of Central Government to extend the
life of the programme has created a real dilemma for the sector. The longer
the time taken to agree plans the shorter the time groups have the resources
to complete their work. The refusal of Central Government to commit to a
further phase of funding mitigates against considering longer term goals.

3. This part of the overall process has had to be compressed into less than two
months after waiting nearly two years for the government process to start.
The consensus government requires simply can’t be done in that sort of time-
scale. The development goals it has are much longer term processes and
squeezing them into this time scale stretches relationships between groups in
the sector. The strategic approach necessarily gives way to pragmatic short
termism. One consortium member was so concerned about this that they
decided not to participate in the priority setting process – many others simply
did not have the time to respond.

The Resources

4. The resources that have been allocated to the Region-wide Plan are as follows:

Total resources : £616,536

Revenue = £443,906
Capital = £172,630
Ringfenced ICT = £52,000

New Initiatives = £197,573

Reconfiguration = £281,312
Development Planning = £84,394

The process
5. The first meeting of the Region-wide Infrastructure Consortium (11th
November) agreed that a broad approach should be adopted to incorporate
the priorities and suggestions contained in the national strategy and agreed a
limited number of generic project ideas. It asked VONNE to develop these
ideas into projects and also called for suggestions as to what specialist
infrastructure support should also be included in the immediate spending
plans (i.e. up to March 2006).

6. The second meeting of the Consortium (9th December) agreed a set of

principles on which to judge the suggestions put forward and discussed the
proposals (full details on all suggestions had been provided to Consortium
members, mostly just before the meeting, though the tight timetable did mean
that some were tabled at the meeting). The total amount of money being
sought by the suggestions was approximately double the indicative resources
available. It was agreed that four of the proposals should not be proceeded
with, and the three relating to funding advice be considered together. In order
to give members more time to consider the suggestions, and to assess them
in the light of the principles agreed, VONNE was asked to consult further via
e-mail, and to find a way of prioritising the remaining projects.

7. A pro forma was developed and circulated which asked Consortium members
to prioritise the suggestions and to indicate their preferred levels of
contribution to particular suggestions. Fourteen members of the Consortium
completed and returned the form and five others added comments. The
following results are based on the returned forms.

7.1 The ranking of proposals was arrived at by awarding each proposal 3 points
for each ‘high priority’ response, 2 points for each ‘medium priority’ response,
1 point for each ‘low priority’ response, and 0 points for each ‘no priority’
response.

7.2 The suggested allocation was arrived at by accepting the ‘funding requested’
amount if the majority of responses agreed to that. Where there was not a
majority in favour then the average of suggestions has been proposed.

7.3 Reduced amounts may or may not make the proposal viable, this will be
addressed as part of the assessment process.

The Results

8. The ranking and allocation arrived at through the consultation are as follows:

Rank Project Allocation Cumulative

1 Funding £150,000 £150,000
2 Facilitation £30,000 £180,000
3 Equality Consortium £37,000 £217,000
4 Signposting/Representation £31,000 £248,000
5 LGBT Infrastructure £15,000 £263,000
6 Workforce Development £37,000 £300,000
 7 Faith Sector Support £31,000 £331,000
8 Community Development Network £38,000 £369,000
9 Regional Forum on Ageing £17,500 £386,500
10 Mental Health Consortium £39,000 £425,500
11 ICT Champion £52,000 £477,500
12 Volunteering Infrastructure £15,000 £492,500
13 Performance £15,000 £507,500
Improvement/Governance
14 BME Press Relations £19,270 £526,770
15 BME ICT Support £41,000 £567,770
16 Youth Sector Infrastructure £45,000 £612,770
17 Youth Social Exclusion £28,000 £640,770
18 Online Social Marketplace £32,000 £672,770

9. The initial indications are that the amount of capital involved is negligible. The
ACU has agreed to reduce the North East regional level capital requirement
to £70,000.

9.1 If this is the case Projects 1 –14 can be included.

This would give a spend plan of:

Revenue: £546,270
Capital: £70,000

9.2 If the capital element is reduced to nil Projects 1 through 16 can be included

This would give a spend plan of:

Revenue: £616,270

9.3 All projects must be collaborative in nature and where applicable will link
together with other projects within the regional infrastructure package.

10. Respondents were asked to indicate a preference as to whether we should

now commission the organisations who put forward proposals to put in a
formal bid for funding, or whether we should open out the process to anyone
who thinks they can provide the service. No responses were received, so
unless a clear majority of Consortium members indicate otherwise we will go
with the first and ask the organisations who first suggested the proposal to
take the idea forward.
 Project Funding Ranking Allocation Comments
Requested £ Made
£
1 Facilitation: 30,000 High As 1. essential
Regional Level Priority = requested = 2. needed
Consortium and 3. is this
Coordination of North 9 8 GONE’s role?
East Infrastructure Medium Lower = 1 4. key role
Plans Priority = 5. add onto
4 Majority = an existing
Low 30,000 VONNE post
Priority =
0
No
Priority =
0

Ranking =
2nd
2 Workforce Development: 45,000 High As 1. existing
A regional coordinator to Priority = requested = LSC project
encourage increased take 2. duplication
up of learning opportunities 6 4 3. should be
within the VCS and Medium Lower = 4 financed by LSC
increased delivery of Priority = 4. link to sub-
learning and skills services 4 Average = regional activity
through the VCS. Low 37,000 5. seek joint
funding
Priority =
1
No
Priority =
2

Ranking =
6th
3 ICT Champion: 52,000 High As 1. expand role to
A regional coordinator to Priority = requested = look at greater
champion the merits of ICT co-ordination
to the VCS, including 5 4 2. link with
coordination of activity Medium Lower = 3 project 12
across the sub regions. The Priority = 3. high costs
regional ICT infrastructure 3 Majority = 4. is it
sub group put this proposal Low 52,000 sustainable
forward. 5. needs analysis
Priority = and information
4 only needed at
No this stage
Priority = 6. better done at
2 sub-regional
level
7. need to link to
Ranking = sub-regional
11th
4 Signposting/Representation: 45,000 High As 1. does it
To provide easily accessible Priority = requested = need to
information on which combine with
regional infrastructure 5 2 project 13
organisations do what and Medium Lower = 7 2. all that is
for whom. Priority = needed is a
To provide information and 8 Average = desktop
support on Regional level Low 31,000 exercise
representation from the 3. part of
VCS Priority = regional
2 consortium
No servicing
Priority = 4. VONNE’s
0 role, though it
needs
additional
Ranking = resourcing
4th
5 Performance 15,000 High As 1. work being
Improvement/Governance Priority = requested = done by NSF
Development Plan: (sic)
To investigate the need for 4 6 2. not
regional provision of support Medium Lower = 1 sufficiently
for two Change UP Priority = beneficial
priorities. 5 Majority = 3. add to
Low 15,000 VONNE’s role
Priority =
1
No
Priority =
4

Ranking =
13th
6 Equality Consortium: 50,000 High As 1. needs to go
To encourage collaboration Priority = requested = across all
between specialist networks
infrastructure providers 7 6 2. has a role in
Medium Lower = 6 development
Priority = of other
6 Average = equality
Low 37,000 projects
3. cluster with
Priority = other equality
1 projects
No 4. should be
Priority = done through
0 existing
mechanisms
5. link to project
Ranking = 2 and other
3rd generic
projects
6. crucial `hub` to
other diversity
projects
7. should not
necessarily be
housed at
BECON
8. lacks
specificity

7 Regional Forum on 17,500 High As 1. fits criteria

Ageing: Priority = requested = 2. cluster with
Coordinated training and other equality
support for age-focussed 4 Lower = projects
VCS organisations Medium 3. link to project
Priority = Average = 2
5 17,500 4. backed by
Low good
consultation
Priority = 5. is it not Age
4 Concerns
No existing role
Priority =
0

Ranking =
9th
8 Faith Sector Support: 38,000 High As 1. use LDA’s for
Direct support for faith Priority = requested = signposting
communities including, 2. relevant to
signposting, maintenance 5 4 collaboration
and development of Medium Lower = 5 and
database, regional interfaith Priority = signposting
network 5 Average = 3. not focussed
Low 31,000 enough
Priority =
2
No
Priority =
 1

Ranking =
7th
9 Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual 15,000 High As 1. fits criteria
and Transgender Priority = requested = 2. cluster with
Infrastructure: other equality
Development of an LGBT 6 7 projects
VCS network Medium Lower = 3 3. work with
Priority = project 6 and
6 Majority = regional
Low 15,000 consortium
4. momentum will
Priority = be lost if not
1 supported
No
Priority =
1

Ranking =
5th
1 Youth Sector 65,000 High As 1. is it
0 Infrastructure: Priority = requested = sustainable
Further development of the 2. links with
regional vcs youth work 1 1 project 17
forum Medium Lower = 9 3. costs seem
Priority = high
7 Average = 4. is it not the
Low 45,000 same as
project 17
Priority = 5. a forum led by
4 young people
No is needed
Priority =
1

Ranking =
16th
1 BME Press Relations: 19,270 High As 1. isn’t this a core
1 Support for the BME VCS to Priority = requested = BECON
promote themselves to all function
sectors 4 4 2. could be a
Medium Lower = 3 pilot for
Priority = signposting
4 Majority = 3. BECON
Low 19,270 activity
Priority =
2
No
Priority =
2

Ranking =
14th
1 BME ICT Support: 73,000 High As 1. use project 3
2 Direct ICT support to ICT Priority = requested = to research
groups need and
2 1 feasibility
Medium Lower = 8 2. link/fit with
Priority = project 3
6 Average = 3. links with
Low 41,000 project 3
4. doesn’t need
Priority = to be outside
4 of existing
No core services
Priority =
2

Ranking =
15th
1 Online Social 54,900 High As 1. combine with
3 Marketplace: Priority = requested = project 4
Development of early spend 2. not convinced
partnership project 1 0
with Regeneration Medium Lower = 3
Exchange through Priority =
appointment of regional 5 Average =
"Animator" to drive the Low 32,000
exchange and sharing of
regional VCS resources, via Priority =
unique online marketplace. 4
No
Priority =
4

Ranking =
18th
1 Volunteering 15,000 High As 1. remove backfill
4 Infrastructure: Priority = requested = costs
Support and development of 2. does this fit
the network of volunteer 6 6 criteria
bureaux in the North East – Medium Lower = 2 3. part of core
NEVI Priority = LDA work
3 Majority = 4. work with
Low 15,000 regional
consortium
Priority =
0
No
Priority =
5

Ranking =
12th
1 Mental Health 39,000 High As 1. use project 3
5 Consortium: Priority = requested = to research
Support the development of need and
a VCS mental health 5 5 feasibility
consortium, portal Medium Lower = 4 2. duplication of
development Priority = work done by
 5 Majority = other
Low 39,000 organisations
and funded by
Priority = NRF
0 3. concern about
No ‘portal’
Priority = approach
3

Ranking =
10th
1 Community Development 44,000 High As 1. remove 04/05
6 Network: Priority = requested = costs as it will
Part contribution to network be difficult to
for community development 1 4 start before
practitioners Medium Lower = 5 next year
Priority = 2. is it duplicating
11 Average = existing work
Low 38,000 3. this is the work
of CENs
Priority = 4. not acceptable
2 in present
No form
Priority =
0

Ranking =
8th
1 Youth Social Exclusion 53,000 High As 1. links/duplicatio
7 Infrastructure: Priority = requested = n with project
Infrastructure support to 10
organisations providing 3 3 2. much needed
services to socially Medium Lower = 3 3. CENs and
excluded young people Priority = NRF do this
5 Average = 4. is this not
Low 28,000 organisational
core costs
Priority = 5. where are the
1 links with LDAs
No 6. youth sector
Priority = infrastructure
4 already strong
and so not a
priority
Ranking = 7. is this a
17th regional
organisation –
currently only
seen in Durham
1 Funding: 320,500 High As 1. more
8 Three proposals were Priority = requested = collaboration
received: 161,000 10 needed
1. Extension of 1 2. is this core
provision from Funding Medium Lower = 10 funding for
Information North East 115,000 Priority = FINE
(FINE) 2 Average = 3. cant combine
2. Generate Project – Low 150,000 three very
to promote and explain different
 sustainable funding 44,500 Priority = projects and
activities within the VCS 1 even more
3. European Structural different
Fund support – to help No organisations
the sector prepare for the Priority = 4. this work is
reduction in European best done at
funding Ranking = sub-regional
1st level
5. deliver via
ESFVON
1 Community Work 28,000 The second
9 Assessment Consortium: Consortium
Regional infrastructure meeting agreed not
support regarding to go forward with
community development this project.
learning and qualifications
2 Third Sector Portal: 150,000 The second
0 Research the feasibility of a Consortium
web portal for the VCS meeting agreed not
to go forward with
this project.

2 Intranet: 30,000 The second

1 Improved administration Consortium
within VCS organisations meeting agreed not
through use of intranets to go forward with
this project.
2 Workforce Development 44,000 The second
2 Website: Consortium
Extension of the Voluntary meeting agreed not
Sector Skills website to to go forward with
include a section on training this project.
needs analysis.
APPENDIX FOUR - List of Activities

Activity One : Facilitation of Regional Level Infrastructure Consortium

Aim: To provide facilitation for the Regional Level Infrastructure Consortium and
support them in preparing a long term development plan in line with the ChangeUp
strategy.

To support the consortium to look at the possibility of greater coordination between

the sub regional and regional level infrastructure consortia. This activity will initially
be for one year.

The role will include:

 Facilitation of all consortium meetings, communications and other activities,
 Planning for next stages of development plan
 Feasibility of collaboration across sub regional and regional development
plans
 Hiring venues, equipment etc

Activity Two: Learning and Skills Coordinator/Champion Proposal

Aim: The ability of its employees and volunteers to do their work effectively will be
central to the continuing success of the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) in
the region. Skills and Training should not be seen as an add-on, it is about how well
an organisation does its job. This proposal aims:
• to ensure that the VCS’s skills needs are recognised by key partners
• to increase VCS awareness of training issues/policy developments
• to support increased delivery of training through the VCS

Resource: £45,000 to fund one post + costs to March 2006.

Description of Activities: The coordinator will take a lead role in promoting the
VCS as a major employer with training needs, as a key deliverer of training and as a
source of expertise on training issues. He/She will also raise awareness of training
and skills issues within the VCS.
This will involve:
• Developing links and building relationships with key partners such as the
Learning and Skills Council (LSC), Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) and the
Regional Skills Partnership (RSP) and identifying key contacts. Establishing
clear systems of engagement and representation of the VCS within partner
organisations and relevant structures such as the RSP.
• Setting up a regional VCS Skills and Training Forum that will provide a
mechanism for sharing/disseminating information and engaging with partners
in the region, in other regions and nationally.
• Support development of sub regional networks and sharing of good practise.
Advocate for increased funding to be made available for VCS training.
 • Promoting Skills and Training issues within the sector by stimulating demand
for workforce development and signposting to relevant organisations.

Outcomes: The VCS in the region will have strong structures that facilitate
information sharing within the sector and help to establish a dialogue with relevant
partners. The VCS will be in a stronger position to ask for funding for its training
activities. There will be an increased awareness within the sector of training issues
and learning opportunities.

Activity Three: ICT Champion

The Role
The role will be to champion the merits of ICT to the Voluntary and Community
Sector (VCS). This work will include coordinating a quarterly sub-regional ICT forum,
providing a means for voluntary and community organisations to network together
and learn more about developments in ICT within the North East.

The role will also involve lobbying local, regional and national bodies to ensure policy
and developments in ICT address the needs of the VCS in the North East.

The funding for this post will last until March 2006.

Aims of the Post:

• Map out current ICT support available to VCS groups and identify gaps in
across the region.
• Compile a list of ICT consultants and support workers working in the VCS.
• Provide sub-regional coordination around VCS ICT, working with other second
tier organisations.
• Link in with sub-regional ICT developments leading from ChangeUp.
• Form links and co-ordinate with the work of the national ICT Consortium.
• Assist the ICT consortium in signposting to a database of consultants and
trainers.
• Share sustainable models of support and experience amongst ICT
organisations.
• Arrange a quarterly sub-regional ICT forum meeting.
• Investigate volume-purchasing agreements.
• Assist with requests for representation on partnerships and boards.
• Develop the Circuit Rider network in the North East to enable technical
support officers to engage colleagues (through e-lists, websites and meetings)
across the UK for solutions to particular problems and help with more strategic
issues.
• To report back to the Steering Group on progress.

It is proposed that the role will be hosted within an existing organisation. A steering
group comprising of ICT specialists in the VCS will manage the work plan.
Activity Four - Regional VCS Infrastructure Signposting and Representation
System

Aims:
1. Provide accessible information on which infrastructure organisations do what
for whom
2. Compile an Regional Infrastructure Organisation Directory
3. Develop related website allowing easy access to information for all VCS
organisations and other cross sector partners in the region.
4. Explore the development of a Knowledge Management System
5. Link to national, sub-regional and local equivalents
6. To investigate systems which:
• identify existing and requested VCS representatives on regional groups
and partnerships
• inform the VCS of current arrangements and future opportunities for
representing the VCS
• Advise on selection procedures
• Support representatives
• Develop 2 way communication systems between the VCS and the
representatives
7. Propose an action plan

The Project

It is anticipated that this work would be undertaken within one post, for a 12 month
duration. The project cost is proposed as £45,000.

Activity Five – Performance Improvement/Governance Development Plan

Aim: In line with the ChangeUp strategy six national hubs are now being created to
work on the six priority support need areas identified in the strategy.(Performance
improvement, developing a highly effective workforce, ICT, governance, recruiting
and developing volunteers, financing VCS activity.) The regional consortium agreed
that these priority areas should be reflected in the regional level development plan
and specific activities for four of the areas to be included in the plan. However, for
two of the activities, performance improvement and governance, it was felt that
further investigation was needed into the activities that should be undertaken in this
region, if any is needed at all. The aim of this activity therefore is to:

Investigate the need for a regional project to provide support for the VCS in the North
East on the ChangeUp priorities of Performance Improvement and Governance,
linking with the newly created National Hubs. If a need is identified, to draw up a
development plan for a project(s).

This will involve working with partners across the region and nationally involved in
related work and research undertaken to date.
Activity Six – Equality Consortium

This bid is for funding to pump prime the development of an Equality Networks
Consortium Body in the North East Voluntary and Community Sector. The process of
developing a consortium will facilitate the exchange of views and negotiate a
position, which is currently lacking in the North East. A consortium will add value to
the work of the individual infrastructure organisations, facilitate shared learning,
shared initiatives, better communication, easier signposting and provide a stronger
focus for equality in the region. This consortium will feed into and complement the
Equality and Diversity Forum, which will continue to have multi-sectoral
representation.

Currently there are multiple regional infrastructure bodies for some areas, minimal for
some and emerging for others. All lack the resources to engage with each other on a
consistent basis or to contribute to wider networks such as the equality and diversity
forum, and this in spite of the fact that a significant proportion of the North East’s
VCS organisations are focused on some aspect of equality and diversity. This
fragments the equality and diversity agenda and prevents the sharing of resources,
learning and strategies. These limitations affect the wider voluntary and community
sector and the public bodies who in their drive towards equality and diversity will be
assisted by a more co-ordinated and better signposted approach.

This consortium development meets the needs identified in the BECON research on
the Commission for Equality and Human Rights and has been endorsed at the
meeting of the Equality and Diversity Forum on 23.11.04. It will enable the region to
engage vigorously with the emerging Commission for Equality and Human Rights. It
also meets the agenda of Change Up in prioritising partnership and co-ordination of
infrastructure bodies and a focus on diversity, social exclusion, excellence and
learning. A consortium, by benefiting the regional infrastructure organisations will
enable them to give a more co-ordinated holistic service to their member bodies and
to positively widen the horizons of other organisations. It will thus benefit our
communities and the community cohesion agenda.

The consortium will be developed by the existing regional equality networks, age
(youth and older people), disability, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered, Black
minority ethnic, women and the emerging faith networks. It will develop at the pace
consistent with these infrastructure organisations while resourcing them to participate
in the developing consortium. This developing consortium will work closely with
VONNE, where many members are represented, and also the Equality and Diversity
Forum. Both BECON and the Equality and Diversity Forum have a history of working
across equalities (BECON Inclusive Representation Conference, 2003, ‘Equal and
Diverse NE – Making A Positive Difference Together’ Conference Mar 2003). For the
purpose of the bid BECON will be the lead applicant and fund holder.
Activity Seven – Regional Forum on Ageing

A regionally coordinated training and support programme for age-focussed VCS

organisations and groups, through the vehicle of the emerging Regional Forum on
Ageing and its key VCS partners.

Links with the findings of the infrastructure and other research

The regional forum on ageing has been in development since the ‘Debate of the
Age’, a substantial two-year consultation exercise on ageing, which included five
major conferences in the NE region. This process resulted in the ‘Agenda for the
Age’, which identified the need for increased partnership and campaigning activity to
ensure the full inclusion of older people. In 2003 Age Concern commissioned a
mapping exercise of the ‘ageing’ field within the region, including further consultation
about how best to support older people’s voice within regional policy-making and also
how best to support older people’s groups and organisations in engaging with the
challenges resulting from an ageing population in the region.

The key issues to emerge from these research projects are:

• The need for a coordinated voice across the age-focussed VCS to make a
significant contribution to policy and practice development, and to develop a
strong campaigning basis in advance of the introduction of age discrimination
legislation in 2006.
• The need to encourage more collaboration, both between Age Concerns and also
with other key partners, in support of small local voluntary groups of or for older
people.
• The need to strengthen the age-focussed VCS capacity to build on its strong
performance in the health & social care field while building its contribution to
economic regeneration initiatives.

These priorities fit well with the emphasis within Change Up on partnerships and
collaborations, as well as recognition of the role of specialist infrastructure
organisations.

Proposed Activities
This project therefore sets out to
• Contribute to improved networking between age-focussed organisations and
groups, through briefings, network events and information exchange, to promote
ageing issues with policy makers
• Support for improved user involvement including action research skills,
campaigning skills, and the development of older people’s forums.
• Support for good practice in volunteering and promotion of older people’s role as
volunteers within the social economy.
• Tackling age discrimination in partnership with key regional agencies
• Developing a support programme including events, capacity building and
better access to resources and training for small groups working with older
people
• Carrying out action research involving older people in carrying out the
research.
The practical outputs of this programme would be:
• A regular newsletter and calendar (web and paper-based) offering wide access to
existing and new training and support programmes and courses
• Increased free or low-cost access to training by small age-focussed groups
across the region.
• Four networking events a year on priority themes for age-focussed groups
• Highlighting of good practice examples from across the region and elsewhere
• Briefings on key issues affecting age-focussed organisations, such as age
discrimination, older people and housing, health, regeneration.
• Opportunity for ‘buddying’ between larger and smaller age-focussed
organisations

Delivery Partners
Age Concern North East has provided the secretariat and financial management role
to the emerging Regional Forum on Ageing, and can continue to support the Forum
in this way as it develops its own constituted status during 2005.
Individual organisations bring particular strengths to the partnership:

Age Concern - Experience of supporting small groups, campaigning and policy,

developing multi-agency partnerships at local level, wide range of direct services to
older people, long track record of sustainable service delivery and capacity building.

Help the Aged – Facilitating development of older people’s for a, grants and support
to small organisations, research

Older People’s forums and pensioners groups – Access point for local older people,
research and lobbying work, self-help and campaigning

Timetable with key milestones

Quarterly newsletters and networking events
Regional Forum database developed
Briefings on age implications of regional strategies as appropriate
Buddying between larger and smaller VCS organisations and groups (up to 30)

Budget
Networking events x 6 @ 1000 6,000
Newsletters x 6 @ 500 3,000
Communications post 1 year .3 salary 8,500

Total: £17,500
Activity Seven – Faith Sector Support

The Churches’ Regional Commission in the North East (CRC) working with
Regeneration Exchange, ONE and NERA, with the support of BECON and VONNE,
carried out a regional survey under the VCS Early Spend Fund of all Faith
Communities in the North East. This, mapping their social action projects and much
else, achieved a 50.2% return (although only 20% in BME faith communities, due to
lack of time and resources to work through cultural and linguistic barriers). The
resulting report (with recommendations) is to be launched at DWP Newcastle on
Friday 10th December and the database, which can be interrogated, will be on the
northeast churches website.

A: For the regional Faith sector, the CRC makes the following proposals to the
consortium:

1. That the regional infrastructure needs of the Faith sector should be

recognised as being an integral part of the general infrastructure needs of the
VCS; i.e. it should not be deemed as being separate, but we note that
development is required to enable such mainstreaming.
2. Improved connectivity is therefore essential between faith communities, their
local VCS infrastructure support bodies and their local authorities. (Note: LGA
recommendations for working with faith communities). This new mutual
awareness and culture change will demand some continuing facilitation and
support from a regional faith infrastructure body.
3. This cannot occur without the new regional faiths database being maintained
and further developed – continuing to be made accessible both to the VCS
and to faith communities.
4. A regional inter-faith network is urgently required for the North East, but it is
one that should be grown from local networks (e.g. Gateshead Interfaith
Forum) rather than one imposed regionally - a quick-fix alternative followed
elsewhere. Currently out of its 1,448 faith communities, the North East is
unusual in that c. 97% of these are Christian denominations, with only 3% of
other faiths – although this may change in course of time. Development work
is required by an established regional faiths infrastructure body to bring the
inter-faith network into being, thus forwarding the agenda of the ICRC of the
ODPM.
B: Given adequate resources, the following outcomes could be assumed as
deliverable by CRC for faith communities and the VCS in the region (with
estimated time requirement):

1. Signposting on demand for both VCS and Faith Communities – assisting in

brokerage of new partnerships, sub-regionally between VCS and faith
communities and locally with CVSs, VDAs, and faith communities. Working in
partnership with Regeneration Exchange, CWACCNE and Project North East
etc. Target figures hard to assess, but increased use of website and
awareness of CRC role (there being no similar faiths body in the region) could
well generate at least 20 new partnerships pa
Allow: 55 days pa x £81.38 = £4,476 pa
2. Providing initial signposting, support and advice to the 300+ faith communities
identified in the survey as requiring some form of assistance. Delivery by
 Regeneration Exchange, CRC or LDA.
Allow: 2 hours per project x 300 projects x £12 per hour = £7,200
3. Maintenance and further development of CRC Faith Communities database
and assembly of further case studies and exemplar projects. Building on the
50.2% return already achieved in the faiths survey, this will provide an
updated information platform accessible to the VCS and faith communities.
Attending to consequent FAQs from VCS and faith communities. Working in
partnership with VONNE and BECON.
Allow: 83 days pa x £81.38 = £6,755 pa
4. Conduct a re-survey of the region’s BME faith communities (only 20% return
achieved under the original faiths survey). Working in partnership with
BECON.
Allow: 66 days x £81.38 = £5,371 + Consultancy fee to BECON +
Travel etc = £6,500
5. Facilitate the development of a regional inter-faith network (in support of the
ODPM’s ICRC agenda and also that of Interfaith Network UK, as well as in the
interest of local cohesion). Working in partnership with the principal three
existing sub-regional or local inter-faith networks and also MVDA, OVTV,
BECON, Regeneration Exchange and VONNE. CRC is the only regional
faiths body that has been engaged on this agenda to date, the faiths survey
and database positions it well to continue the development.
Allow: 110 days pa x £81.38 = £8,952 pa + Travel etc = £9,500 pa
6. Overseeing and ensuring delivery of the five activities noted above,
necessitates the addition of a 10% core management cost. Total of 1 – 5 =
£34,431 + £3,443 = £37,874

Allow a total of say £38,000 – to be allocated between Reconfiguration and New

Initiatives.

Note: Days allocated have had 10% added to allow for holiday and the rate of
£81.38 per day is based upon a baseline Administrator/IT salary of £16,000 pa plus
10% ENI, 5% pension and 15% general operational overheads. It is understood that
some of this work will need to be undertaken directly by the Chief Officer, in which
case the days allocated may be proportionately fewer (but accounted for
nonetheless).
Activity Eight – Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Infrastructure

During 2002-3, the LBGT community organisations in the North East benefited from
development work carried out and funded by the national Consortium of LGBCVO’s.
This work helped to establish a North East regional LGBT Network, and also carried
out research and consultation, that led to the establishment of the NE LBi Project,
hosted by VONNE, which offers support to Lesbian and Bisexual women’s
organisations and community groups across the region.

The national Consortium was not intending to maintain this role in the long-term and
when its support came to an end, a small regional steering group was formed, and
planned and coordinated three consultation events in Newcastle, Hartlepool and
Durham during 2003, funded by One North East. These events identified the need for
the development of a regional infrastructure organisation for LGBT community
organisations and groups.

“The vision was about the network empowering us, giving us a collective voice,
raising our profile, networking existing groups, being a source of information, being
supportive to groups and being a regional positive influence that linked us all. It was
a vision of us growing because we are the network”1.

The key priorities for such a network identified by the consultation process were:
o Communication and information exchange
o Continuing research of the needs of LGBT communities
o Further development work to encourage improved understanding and
collaboration between the four main distinct communities – lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender – each of which also embraces further diversities.
o Training within VCS organisations on community engagement and
representation.
o Work towards an independent constituted network
o Advising generic VCS infrastructure organisations on their capacity building
work with LGBT organisations.

Since these consultations took place, efforts by task groups to take this vision
forward have been hampered by lack of a central resource to support such regional
VCS development. The LBi Project with support from MESMAC has continued to
produce and distribute the LGBT Network newsletter, there has been an action
research project to train a small group of LGBT community members as researchers;
and in recent months there has been some planning for a ‘central hub’ for information
exchange, linked closely to the community engagement agenda. LGBT Network
members have also maintained a presence at the North East Equality & Diversity
Forum, by depending on a small number of regional groups to provide
representation.

Other support work to LGBT organisations has been developed at sub-regional and
local level, in order to help strengthen community engagement and representation,

1
Report of LGBT Network Development Day
October 11, 2003
with networks developing within some local authority areas, and other networks to
support LGBT community members in the workplace and in education.

There is a strong interest in the provision of training for LGBT groups to develop a
say in strategic bodies, making use of the resource materials developed by Stonewall
in partnership with the Northern Rock Foundation.

In 2003 a new legal directive was introduced governing discrimination on the grounds
of sexual orientation. The North East LGBT VCS-based community is keen to play a
pro-active role in campaigning and raising awareness of the issues raised by this
legislation, as well as supporting generic organisations in their efforts to offer
information and support on the implications of the directive.
As the proposals for a regional arm to the new Commission for Equality & Human
Rights develop, it will be crucial that the LGBT VCS communities are supported in
playing a lead role in issues that affect them directly.

The NE LGBT Network welcomes proposal for a diversity consortium as a way of

building the specialist infrastructure base within the region, and would seek to
complement this by continuing to develop its own specialised infrastructure needs.

Description of the proposed activities

1. Four LGBT Network events focussing on the identifying the priorities for each of
the four communities, which will feed into a combined LGBT event in Feb 2006.
Budget: £8,000
2. Resource to continue the newsletter and make it available online
Budget £2,000
3. Development work towards the establishment of a constituted network, with task
groups to oversee:
• Community engagement and campaigning, including training
• Research and development
• Partnerships
Budget £5,000
Total Budget: £15,000

The main delivery partners Steering Group for the project will include key agencies
from each of the four strands, key sub-regional projects, PIO’s active in this area and
the diversity consortium if established, with finances held by VONNE /LBi Project.
Activity Ten – Youth Sector Infrastructure

REGIONAL VOLUNTARY YOUTH SECTOR INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

OUTLINE PROPOSAL

• The Regional Youth Work Unit is a strategic development body which has
been supporting voluntary and statutory youth work and youth services in the
North East since 1989

• The RYWU hosts a number of groups, one of which is the Regional Forum for
Voluntary Youth Organisations. The Forum is a grouping of professionals from
youth work organisations with a region wide remit, and representatives from
local voluntary youth work networks. The voluntary youth sector is increasingly
recognised as a vital part of provision for young people across the North East
and works alongside Local Authority youth services and other statutory
partners such as Connexions and the Youth Offending Service.

• Early in 2004, a piece of research was commissioned to identify the level of

networking and co-ordination across the sector. This revealed a patchy
picture and suggested a need for a more co-ordinated approach to fully
capitalise on opportunities available and to better protect the sector from
threats and risks, which will arise. A key recommendation was the
employment of a voluntary youth sector liaison worker to facilitate further local
and regional developments. On the basis of this recommendation, an
agreement was established between the Regional Unit, the Regional Forum,
and Government Office to fund the post until March 2005 and an appointment
was made in September 2004

• The development of Voluntary Youth Sector Infrastructure is now moving into

Phase 2, involving the creation and maintenance of forums for voluntary youth
organisations in each local area, introduction of quality assurance framework
for voluntary youth organisations, developing collective responses to regional
and national issues, regional and sub-regional training and information events,
and closer links between the Regional Forum for Voluntary Youth
Organisations and its statutory partners at local, regional and national levels

• To continue the employment of the development worker, enable the

establishment of additional local forums, build the capacity of existing
groupings, and organise a series of training events will cost in the region of
£65,000 in the period April 2005 – March 2006. This consists of £60,000
revenue costs and £5,000 capital for IT equipment
Activity Eleven – BME Press Relations

Infrastructure Spend: BECON is submitting a proposal to enable the BME voluntary

and community sector in the North East Region to access each other more fully and
to promote their existence, needs and achievements more widely to all sectors. Total
Cost £19,270
BECON has been in existence since 2001 and has arranged network events,
consultation events, produced newsletters and engaged in research with the Black
minority ethnic (BME) voluntary and community sector and the local authorities in the
North East. Nevertheless, BECON’s services are not widely known (Regional
Research for Infrastructure Spend) and its role is frequently misunderstood. BECON
exists to promote the voice of a diverse, valuable but under-resourced sector and its
generalist role with the BME voluntary and community sector and its focus on BME
inclusion and race equality to the benefit of all needs to be better understood. One of
the issues identified in the Regional Research was `improving the quality of existing
organisations’ and `improving signposting’ and this bid fulfils this. Additionally
improved signposting to BECON will support the `Strengthening Diversity’ aspect of
Change Up in helping organisations access BECON to improve their outreach and
quality and will also assist BME groups to access BECON’s services thus `promoting
recognition of and increasing access to infrastructure particularly by BME,
faith...organisations (Change Up Guidance, p. 9) This bid to improve the signposting
to BECON therefore fulfils the need identified in the Regional Research and the focus
in Change Up on needs led, diversity and social inclusion reinforces the value of this
bid.

BECON has been engaged with Northumbria University, BME Reality and Strictly
Press on cataloguing a directory of BME groups, photography and press promotion
respectively. This now requires resourcing to take it to a sustainable level:

Producing and publishing a directory of BME groups in the North East:

This will facilitate the promotion of BECON and the network and enable the BME
groups to work together, facilitating collaboration Cost £5,000

A marketing strategy for BECON:

This will involve two seminars with organisations such as Mark Butcher Associates to
assist BECON and its network in marketing themselves. This will contribute to the
capacity and skills building of the sector. Cost £1,500

Press Promotion of BECON and its network:

This will involve three media workshops to members of the BECON network who
want guidance with promoting their stories to the region’s media and again will
contribute to the capacity and skills building of the sector. Cost £2,250

Promotional Strategy for BECON and its network:

Press releases: Each month Strictly Press would create two news stories for
regional and specialist media. One press release would be to promote a particular
BECON network event occurring during the month and the other press release would
be to profile a BECON partnership project. (A BECON diary will be set-up to make
sure media opportunities are not squandered).
Partnership stories: Strictly Press will develop a host of BECON partnership press
releases to enable the media to generate more detailed feature stories. We will look
at the people behind the partnership organisations (human-interest values) and show
how BECON is influential in assisting in ‘life changing’ activities (the BECON
database will be used to choose the possible story avenues). Strictly Press will also
be on-hand to deliver any ‘last-minute / un-planned’ media situations.
BECON website and photography: The press release content will be distributed to
the various media contacts and can also be archived on BECON’s new website. This
will enable people to find out more information about the organisation and allow them
to identify with the partnership opportunities: 6120.00 (2 press releases a month -
£255 each); Photography: £ 2400.00 (2 photo jobs a months - £100 each).
Administration and Management Costs £2,000

This bid will benefit BECON as an infrastructure organisation, its network members
and strengthen the signposting to a resource for the region. This activity during
twelve months should provide a long lasting boost that can be maintained to a large
extent via the website, newsletters and the increased skills in the BECON secretariat
and network.
Activity Twelve – BME ICT Support

BECON is a registered charity, registration number 1094993

North of England Refugee Service is a registered charity, registration number
3643622

BECON is the Black Voluntary Network for the North East Region and its role is
releasing funding for the sector, enabling networking and capacity building and
increasing representation and the voice of the sector. It has around 100 BME
voluntary and community groups accessing its service.

NERS is the refugee organisation for the North East formed to improve the condition
of life for asylum seekers and smooth settlement of new emerging communities.
They are an independent service giving advice, help and support to asylum seekers
and refugees. Around 4000 individuals contacted them for assistance last quarter.

BECON and North of England Refugee Service are proposing a bid to run a joint
project for the benefit of BME communities in the North East. This is to be a pilot
project initially for BME and established and emerging communities, but one that for
reasons of community cohesion, we would look to extending to all voluntary
organisations in the future.

It is estimated that only half of the BME organisations in the region have computer
facilities. The project will support local BME communities throughout the region gain
skills and knowledge in the area of IT. The training and advice will also act as a
springboard enabling participants to better access larger alternative on line services
and training available locally. The BME community currently under uses such
services.

The objective of the project will be to increase the capacity and communication of the
BME groups both internally and externally, and to build the skills and confidence of
BME individuals and communities to use ICT.

There are highly skilled refugee individuals within the North East who have extensive
knowledge of IT, but have not had their skills utilised in the past. The project would
employ these individuals and give them the opportunity to use this knowledge of IT
and provide help and assistance to local BME communities.

The funding will be used for:

Two drop in centres with PCs to be used by BME community groups and individuals.
One centre to be based in the north of the region, the other to be based in the south.

Utilisation of the ICT skills of refugees in the North East. Two refugee IT workers to
provide ICT support, advice and assistance to BME communities and keep abreast of
unfolding IT developments. One worker in north in the region, one worker in south.
Virtual knowledge library (diary of key events, summary of presentations, research
meetings, relevant BME community information) comprising of online access for
small BME groups. This will also enable projects to showcase best practice.

Support of BME community in area of IT structures and management, thus aiding

capacity to better access services and resources

Training sessions around IT skills of varying levels (databases, spreadsheets, web

page design, IT management etc) for individual benefit /community organisation
growth.

Phone help line

Funding requested: £73,000

Salary for two workers £42,000

Purchase of 10 PCs plus printer, software £10,000
Purchase of photocopier and office equipment £06,000
Training and support £10,000
Management Costs £05,000
Activity Thirteen – Online Social Marketplace
1.0 Early spend – Context for Main Spend
The Can do Exchange (www.candoexchange.org) is a new social marketplace
designed to maximise the use of community assets and infrastructure through
exchange, trade, sale or free offer using the Internet as the network. It aims to offer
to the VCS, a 24-7, 365 day one stop shop for seeking and offering resources.
Communities and individuals can promote their latest: -

• Needs (inc. networking with others / finding volunteers / seeking advice,

business planning & funding assistance etc)
• Resources (offering something to communities)
• Courses (encouraging take up, helping to achieve funder targets)
• Events (promotion of / requests for support etc.)
• Forums (debates and discussions)
• News and Jobs
• Partner community (by place or interest, customised home page and intranet
for communities)
1.1 Fully operational since November 2004, examples of current resources available
to communities include: - guidance on organisational reviews, access to an ICT
training suite, basic IT help, graphic design services, arts project development,
minibus evacuation procedures, hire of 12 seater minibus, business planning
support, funding for Community Champions. Many items are offered at no cost, or
the provider is willing to negotiate price. Under the early spend in partnership with
Ark 19 and Regeneration Exchange, The Scarman Trust developed the Exchange in
the NE achieving the following: -

Projected
1.2 Description of target Actual Achieved
Outcomes
Individuals invited to become members of the
Can Do Exchange NE 200 642 321%
Support/Development Agency membership of the
Exchange 40 43 108%
Bases established (physical and web-based)
2 2 100%
Community Resource libraries developed
2 2 100%
Signposting services established
2 2 100%
Groups gaining access to increased knowledge
and resources
(72 members signed up, 20+ groups attended a 200 220 110%
presentation, Network Day in July, 120 projects
invited), 8 projects advised at Blyth
Regional Network Days: -
Community Champions Intermediaries meeting
Blyth Valley Funding Fayre 3 4 133%
BECON Regional Event, Sunderland, Scarman Trust
& Regeneration Exchange Network Briefing Day
1.3 Under main spend we would like to ‘change up’ a gear with greater promotion,
growth and engagement supporting the ongoing infrastructure needs of the VCS in
terms of using what is out there and more effective signposting.

2.0 Proposal
To build on the regional capacity of this infrastructure resource through the
recruitment of a full time ‘animator’ for the NE region, to take the project to new levels
of volume of members and resources offered and sought. This person would work for
the lead organisation, The Scarman Trust having access to all the latest Exchange
PR resources but liasing very closely with key partners, Regeneration Exchange, Ark
19, Community Champions and their intermediaries.

2.1 The post holder would do this by building on Ark 19’s Fiery Souls project using
the extensive experience gained from 04-05 delivery to engage “Can Do Exchange
Volunteers”, supporting individuals who can become ‘champions’ of the Exchange in
their community whilst ensuring ongoing support for social entrepreneurs funded
under the DFES Community Champions programme.

2.2 In addition they would continue the work with Regeneration Exchange staff in
developing Regeneration Exchange as an exemplar ‘Partner Community’ with a wide
range of sector resources available for uploading and promoting to the NE VCS. The
animator would encourage, and develop additional new ‘Customised Partner
Communities’ offering opportunities for umbrella or membership based organisations
to establish Exchange pages customised to their members needs.

2.3 There would also be the offer of assistance to both statutory and non-statutory
agencies with review and uploads of relevant training / policy documents onto the
Exchange whilst organising direct mail, community surgeries and presentations on
the Exchange. In addition, work would be undertaken to develop the ‘added value’ of
the Exchange for award giving Foundations and Trusts who may offer it to their
award applicants. This will build on The Scarman Trust’s ‘better sector’ bid currently
with the Northern Rock Foundation for ‘online’ relationship development.

2.4 Continuity funding would be sought through Exchange fees, (membership is only
free to individuals) with consideration of other regional funding sources.

2.5 In the third and fourth quarter of delivery an evaluation of progress and business
plan for the forthcoming year would be undertaken.

4.0 Timescale
Initially 12months. Ideally animator in post for beginning 05-06.
Activity Fourteen – Volunteering Infrastructure

Part 1
Representational costs for NEVI members to work externally on regional matters.
At the present time NEVI membership comprises of LVDA’s incorporating a
Volunteer Bureau function, from across the north east region. NEVI is constituted in
its own right and as such elects a chair, vice chair, secretary and treasurer from the
membership. NEVI is recognised as the voice for volunteering in the region and is
therefore invited to meetings and consulted upon by other regional bodies such as
VONNE, Government Office North East, Business in the Community etc. We see this
as a very important aspect of NEVI’s role. It ensures that, where relevant, information
on regional matters is disseminated to both a local and national level.
At present this representation depends purely on the goodwill of the NEVI member’s
employer (usually a CVS or independent VB). In fact it actually costs the organisation
in terms of that workers time and travel, extra to their ‘normal’ day job. In order for
NEVI to continue the important role it has representing volunteering in the North East
we would like to consider these costs being funded.
At present the average time spent at such meetings by NEVI members is 10 hours
per month. Using ESF guidelines at £14 per hour to cover workers wages plus £60 to
cover travel, the total is £200 month. To fund this cost from January 2005 – March
2006 would be £3000.

Part 2
NEVI recognises, in the light of radical national reorganisation and development of
volunteering infrastructure, that regionally we need to consider reconfiguration.
We propose that NEVI employ a consultant to conduct research on the following;
- a review of NEVI and it’s membership
- identification of other volunteering infrastructure organisations and potential
engagement of such organisations in NEVI
- mapping of existing networks, with a view to considering more coordinated
regional networks for volunteering infrastructure, including those that operate
in specialist areas. This would aim to identify duplication where it may occur
and produce a new structure for regional volunteering infrastructure networks
to share good practice and raise standards in volunteer recruitment and
retention, with a special focus on diversity issues.
- To look at the future sustainability of a new NEVI including opportunities for
development and funding/staffing implications.

A consultant could probably carry out this research over 25 days at £400 per day
plus expenses. We estimate the total cost to be £12,000 (£10000 fees and £2000
travel).

The total bid would therefore be £15,000

Activity Fifteen – Mental Health Consortium

Mental health has traditionally not been a priority when it comes to resource
allocation. It should be a priority as mental health has no boundaries or demarcation
lines. Everyone has mental health needs, whether or not they have a diagnosis of
mental illness. A focus on mental health will impact positively across the sector in
that it will:-

- strengthen individuals by promoting self esteem and coping skills.

- strengthen communities by increasing social inclusion
- reduce structural barriers to mental health via initiatives to reduce
discrimination and inequality.

The early spend money was used to research the need for a unified approach to
mental health work across the voluntary sector in the north-east. A unified approach
to policy development and infrastructure development across the sector would
ultimately strengthen individuals, communities and reduce structural barriers. The
mental health voluntary sector needs to develop the capacity to take this unified
approach forward.
The Coordinator will report to the Consortium Steering Group who have identified
that a significant mechanism for improving partnership working and communication
across the sector is via an information technology based solution, which would
provide the sector with a significant capacity to work in a consistent and unified
manner. The practical application of this would be in the form of a virtual gateway or
portal, which would provide access to:-

- communication and learning opportunities between agencies

- training and H.R. access
- discounted purchasing
- website and I.T. development
- policy formation and consultation
- procurement opportunities

This is an exciting opportunity that could bring 200 plus organisations together as a
Mental Health Consortium. This would be operated as a social enterprise. The model
also has the potential to be replicated across other sectors and other regions.

The Steering Group under the Specialist Infrastructure investment therefore request
£39,000 to:

- develop capacity within the sector to pay for the first years running expenses of
the Mental Health Consortium (£12000)
- to determine with the mental health voluntary sector what their specific needs
are in relation to the portal (£5000)
- devise and produce a portal prototype, which will put the basic framework in
in place (£22000)

The £39000 will be a contribution to the Consortium development and the sector
development. The remaining costs will be sought from elsewhere.
The work will be implemented by the Coordinator with support from the Consortium
Steering Group. Once the above work is complete additional funding will be used to
further develop the Consortium and portal. In the longer term it is anticipated that the
Consortium and portal would become self funding from corporate sponsorship and
revenue generated from the procurement opportunities.
Activity Sixteen – Community Development Network

The health of our communities, the successful implementation of many Government

programmes, the success of One North East’s Regional Development Plan and the
success of the work of much of the community and voluntary sector depend upon
one thing – good and effective community development.

Talk about apple pie and motherhood! - “community development” is quoted all over
the place as the answer in vague and hopeful terms. But what really is good
community development? How is it done? Who does it? Who supports people doing
it? Nearly three years ago people involved in community development from all over
the North East came together to see what could be done to promote and support
good community development. The result – after two years of development work is
the establishment of CDNE.

CDNE is a new network initiative. Its purpose is to assist the promotion and support
of community development principles and good practice on a regional basis. CDNE
has been developed carefully over a 2 year period based upon carefully gathered
first hand experiences of people involved in community development from all over the
North East. In addition to individual CD practitioners, key regional agencies are
involved as partners on it’s steering group - Government Office North East, VONNE,
BECON, Regeneration Exchange, CWACNEE and One North East when we can tie
them down. And approximately 200 sub regional, district and local CD practitioners
and agencies are on the CDNE “membership” database.

The development of the project has been supported by £30,000 of Government

Office funding during 2004 and the assistance of Banks of the Wear Community
Projects as project consultants. We have tested and delivered a number of things
during 2004 – set up a website, run seminars, contributed to consultations on
Government initiatives, consulted local practitioners in detail. But we now desperately
need the funding to take CDNE forward on an ongoing basis.

Key activities to be undertaken by the network are as follows;

• Providing a regional focal and contact point for community development

practitioners; providing networking opportunities and enabling information,
learning, good practice development and peer support on the subject of
community development.

• Acting as a formal and informal channel of communication between local, regional

and national organisations that have a particular interest in community
development.

• Encouraging and supporting the development of community development

networks and support groups at all levels and in all sectors and communities in
the region.

• Facilitating an ongoing policy forum to discuss and comment upon issues relevant
to community development at the regional level. Influencing public authorities and
other organisations in the statutory, voluntary, community and private sector, on
 the basis of good community development values and evidential practice
experiences.

• Accessing community development consultancy and other development support

services for the Regional Development Agency, Regional Government Office and
other regional and sub-regional bodies: including for example Countryside
Agency, Learning and Skills Council, Police and Health Authorities.

• Providing communication, sponsoring regional events, seminars and conferences

to strengthen understanding of and support for good community development in
the region.

The proposed model is that CDNE will travel light. Its energies and resources will be
concentrated in enabling others, rather than building up more long term infrastructure
demands. But even so, it needs people to make things happen. We plan to employ
1.5 persons to co-ordinate and develop the work of the network. To minimise
administrative costs and complexity, these people will be lodged within a parent
organisation; they may also be seconded or contracted from other bodies. And a
range of the outreach and delivery work that CDNE plans to do will be contracted out
to sub-regional or other suitable partners.

Length Of Project

Our plan is for two phases of the project. 1] Continued development – until April 2005
and then 2] implementation from April 2005 onward. This application for funding
support covers both.

Funding Required

Our business plan identifies an annual running cost for the network of approximately
£70,000 per year for the next three years. We are in the process of seeking funds
from a variety of sources, including exploring the potential of member contributions
and the sale of services.

It is a truism that the community sector represents 100% of the recipients of

community development input. The C and V sector together also provide
approximately 50% of CD delivery in the region. On this basis we wish to apply for
50% of CDNEs funding needs over the next 15 months. ie £8,750 for the remainder
of 2004/5 if available and £35,000 for 2005/6. Even without match funding these
sums will enable CDNE to deliver parts of its planned programme of action.
Activity Seventeen – Youth Exclusion Infrastructure

Since 1989, Centrepoint has provided specialist infrastructure support to voluntary

and community sector organisations (VCOs) working with socially excluded young
people and young adults.

Youth social exclusion in the north east is growing; this has wide-ranging effects on
individuals and both urban and rural communities. As VCOs are increasingly
providing public services, this brings additional requirements on the sector through
the implications of contracting with statutory organisations and meeting funders
requirements in a Best Value/continuous improvement environment.

Centrepoint provides specialist support to voluntary sector organisations working with

socially excluded young people across the north east to develop their capacity to
provide services effectively and efficiently. This includes:

Providing information, advice and support

Policy information, organisational reviews and business planning, supporting and
developing organisations, developing management committees/improving
governance, developing new and improved services, securing funding/resources.

Improving structures for working

Bringing together VCOs and statutory organisations to develop relationships, improve
networks, sharing, co-operation and cross sector working, facilitating forums,
seminars, round table discussions, developing regional directory of services,
researching, promoting and developing good practice.

Improving performance
Improving and developing policies and procedures, quality assurance, management
information systems, providing training and development opportunities for staff,
volunteers and management committees.

Representation
Representing the views/concerns/issues of the sector to statutory organisations,
regional and national government, funders and other bodies.
To provide effective support to this sector, the bid is for the costs of a F/T Regional
Development Worker (including on costs/travel/office/related costs) = £42,262 and
IT development to provide MI systems/hub = £10,000.

The total bid is £52,262

The activity will be carried out from 1st April 2004 to 31 March 2005.

The lead organisation is Centrepoint, though working with a wide range of VCOs
across the region.
Activity Eighteen – Funding

This activity to include elements of three funding related proposals and collaboration
across those proposals.

The three proposals are detailed below:

1. Funding Information North East Investment Plan

Aim:
Initiatives, which test, out and deliver new or more effective ways of providing support
to diverse frontline organisations.

Introduction
Funding Information North East (FINE) was established in 1985 by the five Tyne &
Wear Councils for Voluntary Service (CVS) and the Rural Community Councils of
Northumberland and Durham. Its aim is to support the CVS network in the region by
providing timely and quality funding information to the voluntary and community
sector in the North East of England.

FINE meets that aim by providing three core functions;

1: Information Provision – FINE researches funding relevant to the North East of

England and keeps organisations up to date with funding opportunities via
publications and newsletters in varying formats, its website and an online searchable
database.

2: Support for funding advisers working in Local Development Agencies mainly

through the facilitation of a Funding Advice Workers Network, which provides
members with the opportunity to share information and best practice and meet with
funders and the implementation of a funding advice quality standards programme.

3: Liaison and advocacy – FINE liaises with various regional agencies and forges
relationships with funders in order to keep them informed of the changing needs of
the voluntary and community sector in the North East of England.

Governance and Financial arrangements

FINE is managed by Gateshead Voluntary Organisations Council (GVOC). It
employs three full time members of staff; Project Manager, Project Officer and
Administration Officer. A Development Group, comprising the seven Directors of the
Tyne and Wear CVS and the Rural Community Councils of Northumberland and
Durham, meets quarterly. The role of the Development Group is to decide and review
the strategic direction of the Project. Terms of Reference as to the governance of
FINE are included in a written agreement signed by each member of the
Development Group. As the Project is managed by GVOC it also reports to the
GVOC management committee, which is made up of a wide representation of
organisations within Gateshead.

FINE is funded by various local grant making trusts;

Northern Rock Foundation
Lloyds TSB Foundation
Sir James Knott Trust
Hadrian Trust
1989 Willan Trust
Joicey Trust
Rothley Trust

As well as grant funding, the Project also generates approximately 20% of its own
income through the sales and subscriptions of its publications, newsletters and
database. (see attached financial information).

Partners and Stakeholders

FINE works across the whole of the North East, (Northumberland, Tyne & Wear, Co.
Durham and Teesside). Through the Funding Advice Workers Network its partners,
as well as stakeholders are the Local Development Agencies within the region. Its
broader stakeholders are the voluntary and community organisations, which
purchase and/or subscribe to FINE’s services, (over 1800 purchasers of the
directories; 370 subscribers to the information bulletins).

Partner and stakeholder involvement is ensured through regular evaluation and

feedback as to the quality, relevance and improvement of FINE’s services.

Partnerships have also been developed with local funders. Primarily through FINE’s
membership of the North East Trust Secretaries Group and the secretariat support
provided to the North East Funders Forum. These two networks provide FINE with
the opportunity to develop effective links with funders across all sectors and enable
the Project to be a direct means of contact between the voluntary and community
sector and funders for the dissemination of information. They also are vehicles for
influencing the practice of funders to build recognition, improve best practice and
develop joint working. As a result the quality of funding in the region is improved and
a more effective voluntary sector develops.

Analysis of key challenges, visions/outcomes, functions and time tabled action plan
FINE is a regional gateway, that is, it is a single point of access to funding
information for both infrastructure and frontline organisations. It acts as a signpost
referring organisations to assistance and further information and advice.

Two key challenges exist within the region, which fall within FINE’s core functions
and its role as a regional hub of expertise.

Throughout the regional infrastructure and the individual sub regional mapping
research funding information and advice has been highlighted as the main priority of
need within the voluntary and community sector. Together with the potential
decrease in funding programmes post 2006 there is overwhelming evidence of need
for a comprehensive funding information service, which will enable both infrastructure
and frontline organisations to access information on diverse and alternative funding
sources and assist the sector’s sustainability.
This need for diverse, alternative funding information also requires those workers
within infrastructure organisations providing advice to attain a higher level of
knowledge and competency to support those organisations within their geographical
area.

To meet this need FINE wishes to build upon it past and present research expertise
and production of funding information and develop its support to funding advisers.
The outcomes of the initiatives proposed will;

• Plug the gaps that exist within the North East for the provision of comprehensive,
high quality, cost effective and easily accessible information, guidance and
resources which can be adapted by infrastructure providers for use and
dissemination at all levels and used directly by the voluntary and community
sector.

• Increase the knowledge of the wide range of funding opportunities.

• Increase the knowledge of the various funding policies, criteria and application
processes.

• Increase the capacity of the voluntary and community sector groups to submit
effective, quality applications.

• Improve the quality of funding advice to the voluntary and community sector.

• To achieve the above outcomes FINE wishes to develop and deliver three new
initiatives over the next twelve months.

1: To develop an online grants database to include all sources of grant and loan
funding relevant to organisations within the North East of England.

Information to be included will be, all Lottery distributors, central and local
government, quangos, European as well as sources of loan finance.
The database, although separate, will link to FINE’s existing charitable trusts
database. Subscribers will access one search page, which will be searchable by
keyword and subject. However when a search is entered the programme will search
both databases and produce one set of results. Information provided will include
contact details, funding policy and criteria, application processes, deadlines and
exclusions.

The information for this database is already researched by FINE for its information
bulletins therefore no extra staff time is envisaged for the research. However the
database will require a high level of maintenance to ensure its accuracy and
currency. Again it is intended that this can be carried out within present staff
resources. Extra financial resources will be required for the design and programming
of the database. Approximately six months will be required to complete the project.
Once complete the databases will offer the most comprehensive coverage of grant
funding available in the region.

2: The production of directories and database of private sector support

 The provision of private sector support and the aforementioned grants database will
result in the coverage of all funding related support available to the voluntary and
community sector in the North East of England.

Information regarding corporate support within the region is very sparse, as

highlighted in the report produced by ARK Associates on behalf of Business in the
Community and Government Office North East (August 2004). However this support
is increasing as more companies realise the benefits of Corporate Social
Responsibility Programmes both to themselves and the local community. The
production of information of this nature is therefore very timely, not least because of
the need for the voluntary sector to diversify its funding income.

The information provided will include the following support;

• Cash donations.
• Secondments.
• Volunteering (including staff team building opportunities).
• In kind support.
• Pro-Bono support.
• Sponsorship.
• Cause related marketing.
• Matched fundraising.

The range of companies targeted will cover;

• National companies with local offices.
• Regional companies.
• Local companies.
o Professional firms
o Financial companies
o Supermarkets
o Retail
o IT companies. etc.

This initiative will require a high level of research time and cannot be achieved within
FINE’s present staffing resources. There will be a need to “buy in” freelance
researchers.

Cooperation will also be sought from existing contacts such as, Business in the
Community, Funders such as the Community Foundations, Libraries, Local Councils
and Business Community Connections. Links will be developed with Chambers of
Commerce and One NorthEast to ensure a comprehensive coverage of the region.
Due to the nature and differing kinds of support, the database will be stand alone
available through a separate subscription to the grants database. It will be
searchable by company, kind of support and subject (e.g. children). The hard copy
directories will be similarly arranged. It is anticipated that there may be a need for
separate sub regional directories, however there will only be a single database.

It is estimated that the project will take twelve months (March 2006) to complete,
including around six months for the development and programming of the database.
 Approximately four researchers will be employed on a freelance, part time basis to
cover each of the four sub regions. Their tasks will be to;
• Identify companies.
• Make personal contact with companies to find out what support is available.
• Analyse questionnaires and compile directory / database entries.
• Follow up with draft entry agreements.
The input and maintenance of the information will be carried out by existing FINE
staff.

3: Delivery of Level 3 accredited Giving Funding Advice and Continuing Professional

Development training courses to infrastructure organisations.
The Giving Funding Advice training course has been developed by FINE with the
assistance of funders as well as funding advice workers. It is one element of FINE’s
quality standards programme available to workers who provide funding advice.
The course will be delivered one day a week over a six week period. There will be 30
hours of tutor delivered learning, (workshops, discussion groups and practical
sessions) and a further 30 hours which will involve participants in private and directed
study in their own workplace.

The course will provide participants with;

• An in depth understanding of the range of resources available to voluntary
organisations and community groups.
• Guidance on developing an effective funding advice service.
• Practical support in delivering effective funding advice sessions.

The delivery of the course will enable FINE to contribute to driving up competencies
and standards within funding advice, as well as develop and expand its provision of
support to funding advisers working with frontline organisations.

FINE’s goal is to provide every worker with the chance to access the course and as a
result hold a relevant qualification. The qualification would also add to the
measurement of quality standards within their own individual organisations and could
be used as a means of levering in funding. Completion of the training will ensure that
all funding advice within the region has a baseline standard. The result will be a
greater impact on the capacity of the sector to look at ways of sustainable working,
attract relevant funding and /or support and submit better quality applications.

To achieve this objective resources are required to deliver the Giving Funding Advice
training course, at least once, in each of the four sub regions over the next twelve
months. A further possibility will be to run the course for individual infrastructure
organisations which employ a number of development / funding advice workers. The
course will be delivered by FINE’s Project Manager or freelance trainers, in
association with local funders and other experienced funding advisers.

FAWN members also require continuing professional development training to

maintain their standard and quality of work. This training will take the form of half or
one day sessions and will be in addition to the regular FAWN meetings. A training
needs analysis amongst the FAWN members will be required to identify relevant
training up to March 2006.
Objectives and actions to specifically meet the needs of various targeted
organisations.
The two funding information initiatives will provide comprehensive coverage of
funding and support opportunities to every section of the voluntary and community
sector, including small neighbourhood groups and rural and urban organisations.
They will provide the resources and tools to assist all infrastructure organisations
supporting these groups. In particular, it will further assist the Community
Empowerment Networks working with harder to reach groups. Targeted mailings and
contact with all levels of infrastructure providers will ensure that the availability of the
resources is well publicised. For the first time the two databases will provide more
relevant funding information to Social Enterprises. The Development Trust
Association and North East Social Enterprise Partnership will provide useful contacts
to disseminate publicity to social enterprises.

FINE will use all its existing marketing avenues to ensure information about the
resources is well publicised and reaches a wide range of organisations who work for
or with specific targeted groups, i.e.
• LDA newsletters
• Press releases to all local media
• Can Do Exchange website
• Community Channel Newswire
• Countryside Agency – Market Towns newsletter
• Funders
• FINE’s presence at funding fairs and events.

The increase in support to funding advice workers through the delivery of the Giving
Funding Advice Course and the Continuing Professional Development training
courses will build upon the knowledge and expertise of those workers to enable them
to provide effective, relevant funding information, advice and support to a wide range
of organisations.

Monitoring and Evaluation framework

FINE already has in place rigid procedures, which are used to monitor and evaluate
its work and services. A yearly work plan is produced indicating outputs, targets,
output indicators, outcomes and outcome indicators. This is reviewed every six
months by the FINE Development Group and every week at the FINE staff meetings
to ensure that targets are being met.

Specific monitoring for the new projects will include;

• The number of purchasers and subscriptions to the directories and

databases.
• The number of companies included within the private sector support
information.
• The number of training courses provided.
• The number of participants undergoing the training courses.
• Collation of statistics as to
o the uptake of training by advice workers in the individual sub regions,
o a breakdown by sub region of purchasers and subscribers and
 o a breakdown of the kind of organisations using FINE services.

Monitoring will be utilised to target marketing where any gaps are identified.

Specific evaluation will centre around;

• Feedback from purchasers and subscribers.

• The percentage of companies successfully contacted and included in
the directories and database.
• Participant’s evaluation of the training courses.
• Level of increase in successful funding and / or support accessed
through the use of the databases and directories.
• Level of funding to the voluntary and community sector from a wide
range of sources.
• Level of voluntary and community organisations submitting applications
and the range of groups.
• Level of eligible and successful applications received.
• Extent of knowledge and expertise of funding advisers.
• Extent to which the voluntary and community sector express satisfaction
with information, advice and support received.
• Level of debate in networking events, conferences and seminars around
funding.
• Extent of funders using FINE’s services to inform the voluntary and
community sector.

All feedback will be collated and used to improve the quality and effectiveness of
FINE’s services.

Investment Plan – how sustainability will be achieved

The successful completion of the three initiatives will help to lever in further
continuation funding from local grant making trusts post March 2006.
The increased income the databases and directories will generate will assist with
their maintenance and production of new editions as well as contributing towards
FINE’s present staffing and core costs.
Once the initial research for the private sector support information has been gathered
FINE’s existing staff team will be able to up date, expand and produce the
information.
FINE’s continued secretariat role to the North East Funders Forum will open up
opportunities to other funding opportunities as its support for this network is
increasingly recognised.
It is the aim to market the Giving Funding Advice training course nationally. This will
provide further income as other CVS networks buy in to the training, possibly through
the National Financing Hub of Expertise.

The long-term goal however is to access more longer term strategic funding from key
regional agencies. The functions of FINE enable the building of the capacity of the
voluntary and community sector to lever in funds to the region, thus contributing to
the regeneration of the North East. The comprehensive tools and resources provided
by FINE through its role as a Regional Hub of Expertise and in particular the private
sector support information will provide FINE with the opportunity to enter into such
discussions with the Regional Agencies. The main evidence and argument used will
be that private sector support of the voluntary and community sector improves and
adds to the economic regeneration of the area. Not least because;
• A Corporate Social Responsibility programme provides tax incentives
and increased sales of products.
• A company develops a positive image with the public if seen to support
the community.
• High level of publicity
• Increased staff morale as seen as a good company to work for,
therefore less staff turnover and sickness and increased productivity.

The aim is to persuade regional agencies to accept these arguments and work in
cooperation with FINE to increase the level of private sector support in the region.
FINE will then disseminate the information through its services.

BUDGET
£
¹ Research / Consultancy Fees 60,000
Database design and software 5,000
² Guide Production Costs 67,171
³ Training Project Costs 14,000
4
Management Fee 14,600
_______

TOTAL EXPENDITURE 160,771

_______
Notes to Budget

1. Research / Consultancy Fees: Approx £15,000 x 4 sub-regions

2. Guide Production Costs: Staffing £25,171
Printing £7,500 x 4 sub-regions
Post-related costs eg, stationery, telephone,
rent etc, £12,000
3. Training Project Costs: Based on 6 x day accredited course
in 4 sub-regions
Tutor fees @ £500 per day 12,000
Venue Hire 3,600
Catering & Refreshments 1,600
Travel Expenses 1,200
Accreditation Fees 400
______

TOTAL COSTS 18,800

_______
LESS INCOME FROM COURSE FEES
(10 Participants x £120 x 4 Regions) 4,800
_______
BALANCE £14,000
____

4. Management Fee includes Payroll, Book-Keeping, Monitoring and Project

Management costs

2. The Generate Project - Helping the Voluntary &

Community Sector Generate Income

Need
There have been and will been substantial changes to the funding of the Voluntary
and Community Sector (V&CS) which are causing considerable concern:

1. With European enlargement the availability of European Union funding is likely

to substantially reduce
2. Single Programme funding which, in the North East, will be managed by One
North East is replacing the Single Regeneration Budget. Initial concerns are
that this funding will be much more focused on economic outputs.
3. The National Lottery is generating substantially less income for good causes.

The decline in funding has prompted VONNE to launch a campaign, “Invest 2006”.
The response of funders is seen to be the promotion of social enterprise as an
alternative to grants whilst at the same time government policy is seen to promote
and encourage social enterprise solutions.

At the same time, the understanding of what social enterprise is low amongst
community and voluntary organisations, often being seen as an alien and hostile
concept to the fundamental ethos of the V&CS. Funders too often have, or appear to
have, unrealistic expectations of what social enterprise can do.

The combination of scepticism and unrealistic expectations of what social enterprise

is and can do is also potentially damaging to the social enterprise sector.

Solution
VONNE and NESEP are extremely concerned about this situation and are concerned
that the potential social enterprise has to benefit the North East could be lost due to
ignorance and misunderstanding.

The two organisations have therefore developed an outline pilot project, called
Generate. It will have two elements.

1. The first will be somewhat equivalent to the NCVOs Sustainable Funding Unit.
It will work with VCS organisations and help them identify potential assets that
they have (they could be knowledge of their users or buildings and so on) that
can be used to generate income. For most agencies this will be a relatively
small amount of their income, but for some could be substantial and could
 help a small proportion become social enterprises. This element of the project
will work not only with VCS agencies, but also these that support them.

2. An awareness campaign targeted primarily at the VCS, both individual groups

and support agencies but also at VCS funders. This will involve events,
specific materials, media work and so on. It will link in with promotional
activities of NESEP to raise awareness of social enterprise, but particularly
focused at the VCS. It will also use VONNE and NESEPs websites and other
existing communication channels.

Generate will link with NCVO’s Sustainable Funding Unit and sub-regional initiatives,
such as those being developed by Sunderland Voices, with which initial positive
discussions have been had.

Cost
We anticipate that Generate will require two members of staff, a promotional budget,
which will fund the production of promotional materials and PR work, and resources
to fund support to V&CS organisations that can be seen as pathfinders in developing
their income generation capacity. This we expect will cost in the region of £115,000
per year. This sum will include an amount for evaluation, for this is very much a new
pilot approach and one that therefore requires a thorough evaluation.

Conclusion
The aim of Generate is not to convert VCS organisations to social enterprises,
though this may happen in a small number of cases. Much of its work will actually be
about helping them understand that for many, if not most, this would be inappropriate
and ineffective. It will, however, help many organisations increase their income
generation capacity and so provide some free money that may in some cases make
the difference between survival and collapse and for others may give them the
freedom and resources to make them selves more effective.

3. European Structural Fund Support

European Structural Fund Support To The Sector
Over the past 15 years voluntary and community organisations have made an
increasing contribution to the social and economic regeneration of the North East, a
significant part of this regeneration being funded through the European Structural
Funds.

It is recognised by Government that the voluntary and community sector are ideally
placed to respond to the needs of those facing, or experiencing social exclusion and
the sector's track record in the region demonstrates the crucial need to reconfigure
operations to enable it to respond to changing circumstances arising from the reform
of the European Strucutural Funds.

Esfvon Support To The Sector

During this period the sector has been supported by ESFVON, the region's specialist
development agency that provides a range of services to assist both potential
applicants and projects ranging from project development to technical support and
training.

Current European Resources To The Sector

The current Objective 2 and Objective 3 Programmes commenced in 2000 with
voluntary and community groups being approved to date for c£100 million, i.e. an
average of £20 million per annum.
Potential Loss Of European Resources To The Sector
It is widely anticipated that the North East stands to lose very significant levels of
European funding post 2006, which will impact heavily on the hundreds of voluntary
and community groups which have benefited, or are benefiting, from the current
Programmes.

There is therefore a need to prepare the sector for these potential changes, both in
respect of the sustainability of existing initiatives, as well as to take advantage of new
opportunities, which may arise.

Reconfiguration Of The Sector

ESFVON proposes that a detailed assessment is undertaken of the needs and
expectations of organisations with regard to European funding, both in respect of the
anticipated reductions in current levels of support and of the potential to develop new
initiatives including transnationally in the exchange of good practices.

This initiative will inform the future service provision by ESFVON which in turn will
maximise the opportunities available to organisations, contribute to sustainability, and
provide for exit strategies to be developed where necessary. The development of a
transitional initiative utilising identified and targeted actions by ESFVON will have the
added value of not just maintaining the strength of the regional infrastructure but also
directly contributing to the strength of sub regional, local and community
organisations to continue to effectively utilise European Structural Funds for the
benefit of individuals and communities throughout the region.

In the reconfiguration of the voluntary and community sector contribution to social

and economic regeneration funded from Europe, ESFVON proposes the undertaking
of initiatives that will inform:

Research
Sector requirements / expectations / opportunities
Policy Development
Through Representation / Consultation develop regional sectoral contributions /
responses linking nationally with the Third Sector European Network
Representation / Consultation
Development of membership
Involvement of network
Development of sectoral partnership working
New Opportunities
Establishment of Strategic Planning Group
Identification of new opportunities particularly in relation to social inclusion
Implement transitional arrangements / support
Resource Requirements
One employee for one year + administration, events information and communication
£44,500
NON-AGREED ACTIVITIES

(These activities were considered by the consortium but were agreed not to be
included in the development plan. This does not prohibit them being considered in a
longer term plan.)

1. Community Work Assessment Consortium North East England

CWACNEE led the Empowering Communities Programme and partnership through

SRB funding over 3 years to March 2004 a partnership to develop the infrastructure
of community development skills, learning and assessment. This process produced
a large number of outcomes for community groups and organisations throughout the
region. This included the development of training and learning courses and NVQ’s in
Community Development. It was agreed by the partnership that the process of
taking forward the network of support for the emerging local learning networks,
assessment centres, assessors and trainers should rest with CWACNEE.

Community Development is seen by those partners as being the core process of

development needed by virtually every community and voluntary organisation in
terms of their daily work or as part of the way that new groups and organisations are
developed. The national occupational standards (NOS) are now firmly embedded in
the frameworks fro development and the successful creation of the Lifelong Sector
Skills Council that covers all of the community based learning and development
sector means that the NOS will increasingly be linked to funding and learning
outcomes. CWACNEE has entered into a new world of delivery that is defined by the
LSC and hard outcomes. In order to do this it has to reorganise (reconfigure) to meet
the more commercial demands being placed on it to achieve outcomes and outputs
that are funding linked. As part of this process CWACNEE needs to move to a
different form of delivery based on supporting work happening directly in localities
and amongst communities; providing the training, learning and assessment through a
wide network of assessors and trainers. This requires a small team at the core to
develop and grow effective systems that meet the LSC and other funding bodies’
standards. CWACNEE is looking to appoint a Community Development Learning
Manager who can co-ordinate that function and support the organisation to make
those shifts in support to local organisations.

CWACNEE has direct connection to the new Lifelong Learning SSC and is also in
discussions with the England Standards Board (the endorsing body for Community
Development Qualifications) about developing a regional endorsement process for
training in Community Development in the region. The Community Development
Learning Manager would create the capacity to bring those functions into the region
and negotiate further support for local and sub regional groups.

At present CWACNEE holds a contract with Tyne and Wear LSC for development
work and can fund this process within Tyne and Wear but not across the rest of the
region.
This proposal would enable CWACNEE to reconfigure and provide infrastructure
across the region for community development learning and qualifications in the
voluntary and community sector.
The proposal will meet 60% of the costs of the Community development learning
manager post for a year and pay for some consultancy work in setting up systems
and databases.
Community Development Learning Manager
60% @ £29100 17460

On costs inc ERC, ins, pension @ 20% 3492

Office costs 1500

Communications (IT, phone, fax etc) 800

Travel and transport 1000

Consultancy 10 days @ £350 3500

27752

2. Third Sector Portal

Project Proposal

This project aims to research the feasibility of a third sector ‘Web Portal’ specifically
designed to develop a web community for the voluntary and community sector. This
would include information sharing, legislation updates, policy and procedure
guidance, models of best practice, case studies and the opportunity to share
problems, issues and successes with other similar projects. The site would also
include hotlinks to other useful sites such as the Charity Commission, local Council
for Voluntary Service organisations and funding websites.

Many third sector organisations find it difficult to access timely and relevant
information, advice and guidance. The nature of the third sector is such that voluntary
and community organisations operate to serve a geographic community or
community of interest in the most appropriate way. Organisations usually deliver
essential services to meet very specific needs, which have been identified “locally”.
They are provided to fill a “gap” in service provision, therefore, many organisations
have no direct competition. This can result in the organisations operating in a very
insular manner, not looking outside of their own area to consider best practice or
alternative ways of doing things.

Process
The project would be developed in three stages, over a three-year period, as follows:

1. Feasibility – the first six months will involve undertaking a feasibility study,
working with voluntary and community organisations to assess their information
requirements and networking needs and developing an appropriate system. A
focus group will be set up to enable third sector feedback in to the process.
2. Pilot project – the portal will be developed and run as a pilot system over a period
of six to twelve months. The focus group will assist with feedback and
development of the pilot prior to it’s launch.

3. Development, update and Launch – the final stage will involve the regional
launch of the project, developing membership and use of the system and
monitoring and updating it as required.

Partners
Project North East and Zebra host will be the leading organisations with support from
the focus group – made up of local voluntary and community representatives from
across the region.

Funding
The project will require £150,000 over the three-year period to develop the Portal and
by the end of the three years it is anticipated that the system will become self
sustaining. Focus group members will develop their ICT skills with the support of the
Portal Manager (employed through Zebra Host) which will enable them to manage
their own sections of the Portal if required. Additionally, it is anticipated that the
Portal Managers post will be funded through the sale of advertising opportunities on
the site to organisations who wish to publicise their services and products to the
voluntary and community sector and through sponsorship from regional
organisations.

3. Intranets Can Help

Overview
The idea behind this programme is to review critical areas of organisation
administration, using the Intranet as a cost effective management tool. Whilst
technical issues are covered, the emphasis is on achieving cost-effective solutions
for the hard pressed administrator in an ever more bureaucratic world. Delegates
have the opportunity to review legal and other administrative requirements, and to
develop an Intranet model, which they may, or may not choose to implement.
Delegates may opt to buy Intranet development consultancy following the
programme. The idea is to review the general administrative process, where an
Intranet is the principal tool for documentation, and communication. The basic
approach is to look at the requirement, look at how an Intranet can help, and explore
the best route for developing a suitable system.

Target Audience
Candidate organisations need to be developed enough to warrant use of an Intranet.
Intranets are especially useful when staff and volunteers are not all at a central
location. Delegates should have significant responsibility for organisation
administration and have some access to intranet technology.
Benefits
Voluntary organisations usually have pressure on overhead costs, yet need to deal
with an increasing range of administrative requirements. Effective intranets build
capacity by freeing up resource for mission-critical activity, and ensure that the
workforce gets the information they need to do their jobs.

How Intranet Can Help:

• Facilitate Compliance - Provision and update of critical documents to all staff
can be assured, including terms & conditions, personnel policies, fire
instructions, H&S information.
• Cut Bureaucracy - Reduced Paperwork. No paper of mailing costs. Review
and revision much simpler. No administrative support required.
• Rationalisation - Provided ideal opportunity to develop clear and simple
classification, remove unnecessary, and duplicated information.
• Document Control - Use of authorised versions by staff is guaranteed. Ideal
for ISO9001 and other quality management processes.
• Improve Internal Communication - Regular use for reference by staff, and
email reminders provide opportunity to ensure that staff are kept informed
about what is happening in the company. Facilitates Publication and response
to consultation papers.

The Proposal

Stage 1
To deliver 4 one-day workshops, one in each sub-region, to raise awareness of
intranet systems, their applications and how they can be developed.

Stage 2
To provide one-to-one support for up to 8 organisations in developing and
implementing an intranet to meet the needs of the organisation and increase
efficiency through the use of ICT.

Costs
Development 25 days £6,000

4 workshops, £1000 each £4,000

One to one support = 40 days @ £500 £20,000

Total £30,000

4. Workforce Development Allocation Proposal

Background
The voluntaryskills.com project and website, already researched, developed and
operational throughout the North East, provides the model for the activities outlined in
this proposal. The key issues the project aims to address are the development of a
strong infrastructure to support the sector with awareness, capacity building and
increased aspirations. It aims to encourage the take up of development opportunities
in order to enhance the skills and abilities of individuals within the sector, inevitably
increasing personal progression as well as significantly contributing to improved
quality and effectiveness of the sector as a whole.

The voluntaryskills.com website includes a searchable database for the North East of
over 3,700 courses in ten generic subject areas, as well as case studies of people
working in the sector, direct links to training provider contacts, plus news, events,
feedback and a training review section. It is a very user friendly site, conforming to
accessibility guidelines and requiring only a low level modem connection, which aims
to make current training opportunities easily accessible to those working and
volunteering in third sector organisations.

Proposal
The current proposal suggests a further addition to the website in order to enhance
the overall scope of the project, and contribute further to the development of a more
effective workforce. It is suggested that the pilot introduction of a ‘Training Needs
Analysis’ section, incorporating training and development information linked to
specific sector roles, would be beneficial to the regions VCS workforce.

This new development will involve thorough background research into the skills and
training that will be beneficial when undertaking certain sector roles and functions, for
example the skills, qualifications and personal attributes required to be a ‘Community
Development Worker’ or for filling in a funding application. It will provide users
looking to change career with comprehensive information on options available to
them at their current skill level, or give indications of areas to improve for their
chosen career route. Users interested in finding out more about useful skills to help
them in their current role will also benefit from the information.

It is accepted that to work in the sector you need to have a variety of skills that don’t
necessarily fit within particular job titles. This proposal does not intend to provide a
definitive skills checklist for every possible job title or function in the sector, moreover
it aims to provide a starting point for people interested in development, and allows
users to make a more informed choice about where they are heading. It will present
the different options available to reach their particular goal and provide links to the
relevant training relevant to them within their area.

Cost Indication for 1 Year

The cost of this initiative for one year will be in the region of £44,000. It will include
salary costs and overall management fees, promotion of the facility and technical
modifications to the website.