INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2008-2014
Essex, Southend and Thurrock
Infrastructure Consortium (ESTIC)
Geographical area: Geographical county
of Essex
Lead Body: Rural Community Council of
Essex
Contact Details: Maureen Frewin,
Chair, ESTIC
Telephone: 01702 589647
Email mfrewin@hotmail.com
Our
Vision
The
work of ESTIC, and the purpose of this plan, is to support ‘frontline’
voluntary and community organisations across Essex, Southend and Thurrock, in
order to maximise their impact for the benefit of communities across the
county. To guide its work ESTIC has adopted a vision for 2014:
“A
strong, highly skilled and better resourced voluntary and community sector,
well placed to shape and deliver high quality services that meet the needs of
local communities across Essex, Southend and Thurrock.
Our Mission
Voluntary
and community organisations need strong effective and forward thinking support
if this vision is to be achieved...
ESTIC
aims to provide a clear evidenced based direction of travel to ensure sector
support services are ‘fit for purpose’ to meet the challenges of the next
decade.
Our
Values
·
To have clear and open two way
communication
·
To value the contribution of each
partner
·
To have high aspirations valuing the
progress we make along the way
Our
Strategic Aims:
ESTIC
is committed to embedding the cross-cutting themes of equality and diversity,
and rural-proofing in all its work. In addition we will aim:
Our Objectives
SA1. To build a strong and
supportive third sector infrastructure in Essex, Southend and Thurrock.
·
To develop a
sustainable and modern county-wide volunteer service able to meet the needs of
front-line VCOs and individuals.
·
To develop a
sustainable, streamlined and modern county-wide infrastructure of CVSs able to
meet the needs of front-line VCOs.
·
To improve the
quality and accessibility of specialist infrastructure support services across
Essex, Southend and Thurrock.
·
To ensure that ‘hard
to reach’ and special interest communities across the county can access
services appropriate to their needs.
·
To increase the
delivery of services using ICT, e.g. funding opportunities and advice.
·
To increase
investment in third sector workforce, staff, volunteers and trustees via
training and development.
·
To improve
collaboration in planning and delivery of infrastructure support services.
·
To embed equality and
diversity principles into the work of the third sector.
·
To build a strong
effective consortium able to deliver on its vision and mission, to reduce
unhealthy competition for the good of Essex, Southend and Thurrock
SA2. To improve access to high quality
infrastructure support services for front line organisations.
·
To ensure that high
quality advice and information services are available to all third sector
organisations, when they want and in a format that supports their needs.
·
To promote the work
of the third sector to the wider community, including public and private
sectors, and stakeholders.
SA3. To create a strong and influential voice for
the third sector, particularly relating to LAAs and third sector involvement in
LSPs.
·
To provide strong
leadership to infrastructure organisations across Essex, Southend and Thurrock.
·
To develop a
coordinated voice in order to raise the profile of the third sector in
strategic partnerships, with funders and with the wider community.
·
To influence key
stakeholders, including LAA partners, for the benefit of the third sector and
the wider community
Our
Outcomes or Long Term Changes
SA1.
To build a strong and supportive third sector infrastructure in Essex,
Southend and Thurrock.
·
Every potential volunteer living in
the county will have access to a good quality service from the county-wide
volunteer service to help and support them into volunteering.
ICT
and Communications
·
One web
portal providing generic third sector infrastructure support services designed
to meet the needs of VCOs.
·
FLOs able to
easily access specialist infrastructure support services through clear and
consistent signposting within the web portal.
·
Provision of
free websites to all front line VCOs (who want one) across Essex, Southend and
Thurrock.
·
More than
10,000 Essex, Southend and Thurrock VCOs promoted through the single web
portal.
·
Financial
support from key stakeholders to manage and maintain the web portal.
·
IT support
to be provided to all VCOs across Essex, Southend and Thurrock by Circuit
Riders or similar.
Consortium
Development
Embedding
Equality and Diversity
·
Greater
engagement with ’hard to reach’ and disadvantaged communities.
·
All VCOs have access to information
about the legal requirements of third sector organisations re: equality and
diversity, food hygiene, health and safety etc.
·
All VCOs have access to appropriate
training and skill development to meet their legal requirements.
·
All VCOs have access to awareness
raising sessions, follow-up training and mentoring packages to enable them to
meet minimum quality standards.
·
Learning Set training provision meets
identified needs of FLOs, as per annual needs analysis.
·
ESTIC members are confident in their
ability to tender for and negotiate service delivery contracts with partner
agencies.
·
Number
of staff, volunteers and trustees who have completed accredited training in
business management and other skills that will strengthen their organisation
and make it ‘fit for purpose’.
SA2. To improve access to high quality infrastructure support
services for front line organisations.
Advice
and information
Promotion
and Marketing
·
Raised
profile of third sector with partners in public and private sectors.
·
Raised
awareness amongst FLOs of infrastructure support services and routes to access
them.
·
Raised
profile of ESTIC, its role and the challenges facing the third sector.
·
Establishment
of web portal promoting the third sector in Essex, Southend and Thurrock.
·
Increased opportunities for the third
sector to deliver services to local communities.
·
Third sector recognised as a valuable
partner by the private and public sectors.
SA3. To create a strong and influential voice for the third
sector, particularly relating to the LAAs, and involvement in the LSPs.
Representation
and Leadership
Evidence
of Need
ESTIC aims to build a strong and supportive third sector
infrastructure in Essex, Southend and Thurrock
Essex
is a large geographical county, located at the very south of the East of
England region. It contains 14 local authority areas, two of which are
unitaries. ESTIC is the second largest third sector infrastructure consortium
in the country. Each district and borough has its own independent Council for
Voluntary Services. There are 13 Volunteer Centres, 9 of which are integrated
into a CVS structure while the others are independent. This level and
complexity of infrastructure support is unsustainable and available resources
need to be used more effectively.
A
wide range of county wide infrastructure support services also exist, providing
support to specific communities, e.g. older people, sports groups, rural
communities, people with disabilities, minority ethnic communities etc.
Approximately 40 infrastructure organisations are members of ESTIC, and more
than 10,000 county-based VCOs are known to them. ESTIC members utilise a wide
range of methods to consult with their client groups (front-line VCOs) to
determine their need for services. Across Essex front-line VCOs report the need
for access to a broad range of high quality infrastructure support services.
Originally identified in the Infrastructure Strategy, Investment and Implementation
Plan which was produced in 2004 this has been reconfirmed by ESTIC research
carried out since that time. A recent survey of services being provided by
infrastructure organisations suggests a broad range is available. However, the capacity to deliver is limited
and there is considerable variation in provision. Time-limited
funding and the unpredictable nature of grant applications are key factors
limiting core service provision. The patchy provision of services, with varied
quality and limited access remains the key concern of front line organisations
across the county.
ESTIC
members believe that radical change is required to establish a strong
infrastructure designed to tackle the challenges of the 21st
century. To provide consistent high quality services across the county requires
change to the structure, capacity and skills of the delivery body(ies) and
change to the delivery mechanisms, with much greater use of information
technology. It also requires delivery of services designed to ease the pressure
on front line organisations e.g. community accountancy, HR, Payroll etc.
ESTIC aims to improve access to high quality
infrastructure services by front line organisations
Essex
contains three significant regeneration initiatives: the Thames Gateway; the
Haven Gateway and the M11 Corridor. It is a county of extremes with pockets of
disadvantage; some Super Output Areas within the most deprived 10% in the
country and above average household income (Regional Household Income, March
2007). There are plans for significant population growth across the county with
the resulting need for a stronger community infrastructure.
There
are rural communities in 11 of the 14 local authority areas with 72% of Essex
being identified as rural, and 20% of the total population living in these
communities. Rural Essex is diverse with accessible rural areas – urban fringe
and green belt; remote rural areas, the coast and estuaries and market towns
across the county. Population density figures reflect the complex picture across
the county, with a range from 108 people per sq.km in Uttlesford to 3,802
people per sq .km in Southend-on-Sea. Other districts with densities of more
than 1,000 people per sq.km include Harlow (2.512), Castle Point (1,935) and
Basildon (1,512). (Mid 2002 Population Estimates for the UK, ONS).
Rapid
demographic change is taking place across Essex, with a large increase in bme
communities; asylum seekers; refugees and economic migrant workers,
particularly those from Eastern Europe.
Across
the county access to services is an issue for service providers. Access may be
complicated by geographical factors, socio-economic factors, age, poverty,
ethnicity etc. ESTIC believes that it is a priority to establish high quality
services that are accessible to all communities. This will require innovative
ways of providing services, changes to current arrangements, an improvement in
the skills of those providing the services, provision through many media, and
more targeted promotion of services and access routes to them.
ESTIC aims to create a strong and influencing voice for
the third sector, particularly relating to LAAs, and third sector involvement
in LSPs.
The
Government have recently released details of new Public Service Agreements
which they expect to be included in LAAs over the next three years. PSA 21
Indicator 5 is “A thriving third sector”. In addition the Government has
included a new “duty to involve” in recent legislation and it has identified
where it expects the third sector to be involved.
Three
Local Area Agreements are negotiated within the geographical county of Essex;
the “new Essex” area which covers 12 districts, Southend and Thurrock. There
are 15 local strategic partnerships, five primary care trusts and six Police
divisions.
Essex
recognises the importance of the third sector as a valuable partner
contributing to all five LAA blocks, from older people, health and social care,
environmental issues, crime and community safety, education, children’s
services, economic growth and enterprise. The third sector already has a seat
at the strategic meetings in Essex, Southend and Thurrock. In recognition of
its contribution across the LAA the Essex LSP has agreed to establish an
endowment fund for the third sector by top slicing LAA reward money at the end
of the term of the LAA. In 2006/07 Southend negotiated a “stretch” target for
increasing volunteering as part of the Southend LAA.
ESTIC
believes that transparent representation mechanisms are required to ensure that
people attending partnership meetings are representatives of the third sector
and that feedback processes are in place to enable all third sector members to
influence and to be aware of decisions and activities.
In
addition the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games provide opportunities and
present challenges to local communities and the third sector. To ensure that
the third sector benefits it will be vital for its voice to be heard amongst
the corporate giants and central government departments now actively working in
the area. There are many venues for the different sporting activities, some of
which are located in Essex. The impact of the Olympics and Paralympics and
their legacy will be significant, particularly relating to volunteering
activity. Essex must be ready for the expected increase in volunteers and needs
to be planning now to ensure that services are able to support both the
volunteers and their host organisations.
ESTIC’s Evidence of Need
Since
its first meeting in February 2004 ESTIC has commissioned, or been involved in
the commissioning of, the following research into the needs of the sector
across Essex, Southend and Thurrock:-
·
The Essex, Southend and Thurrock
Voluntary and Community Sector Infrastructure Strategy, Investment and
Implementation Plan (ChangeUp Essex, Southend and Thurrock, December 2004
·
PQASSO and the Voluntary Sector
(ESTIC, 2005)
·
Report on the Governance Support
Project (ESTIC, 2006)
·
Community Leadership in Rural Areas
(ESTIC, 2006)
·
Reaching Communities in the Braintree
District (ESTIC, 2006)
·
0 – 19 Network Research Report (ECVYS,
June 206)
·
Building capacity for the future
(ESTIC, June 2006)
·
Strategy for Volunteering
Infrastructure in Essex, Southend and Thurrock (ESTIC, August 2006)
·
BME – Mapping Exercise, A Report on
the BME Groups and the Gaps in Service (ESTIC, October 2006)
·
Researching the Voluntary and
Community Sector (ESTIC, December 2006)
·
Review of ESTIC (interviews with
members of ESTIC, March 2007)
·
Review Workshop with members and
stakeholders (April 2007)
·
Improving ICT Skills (ESTIC, 2007)
·
ESTIC Toolkit Assessment Day
(September 2007)
·
Survey of ESTIC members to determine
consultation methods used by members to identify needs of the front line
organisations using their services (November 2007)
·
Survey of ESTIC members to identify
the range and level of services being made available across Essex by
infrastructure organisations. (November 2007)
In
addition, the preparation of this strategy and the accompanying Business Plan
has been developed with the insights provided by the following research and
reports.
Sub-Regional Evidence of Need
Investing
in Communities Thames Gateway Business Plan 2007 -2011
Investing
in Communities Mid and West Essex Business Plan 2007 – 2011
Investing
in Communities: Haven Gateway Business Plan 2007 – 2011
Community
Needs Survey of Essex, University of Essex 2004
Regional Evidence of Need
Regional
Social Strategy (EERA, 2004)
The
Social Enterprise Strategy for the East of England, (EEDA, 2005)
Clear
Vision: Clear Thinking – future development of the voluntary sector in the East
of England, EEDA, 2006
Economic
Impact Study of the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, July 2006
National Evidence of Need
A
Strategy for Volunteering Infrastructure in England, 2004-2014, Volunteering
England
Building
effective local VCS infrastructure, CRESR Report, June 2007 produced by NAVCA.
Voluntary
Sector Strategic Analysis 2007/07, NCVO Third Sector Foresight, November 2007
Principles
of representation: A framework for effective third sector participation in
Local Strategic Partnerships, DCLG Discussion Document, November 2007
The
UK Voluntary Sector Workforce Almanac, NCVO, 2007
Voluntary
Sector Skills Survey, NCVO/Workforce Hub, 2007
Implications
Finance
ESTIC needs financial resources to support the
delivery of this Strategy and the associated Business Plan.
·
Consortium
Development Fund resources will be used to recruit a Strategic Manager, an
Information and Communication Officer and administrative support.
·
An
application has been submitted to EEDA’s Investing in Communities which will
support a part of the Developing Skills project. A decision is due by the end
of 2007.
·
Applications
to BASIS will support the Advice and Information project, and the
Representation project
·
Discussions
are underway with other stakeholders to identify possible sources of funding
for particular work streams, e.g. Essex County Council re: web portal database.
·
Essex County
Council – currently undertaking work on the links between the third sector and
the LAA/LSPs. Due to make recommendations on representation mechanisms to
strengthen the voice of the third sector, which may be linked to resources.
Staff
Experience proves that in Essex neither the Strategy
nor the Business Plan will be delivered without dedicated staff. The lack of
appropriate skilled staff has proved to be a real obstacle for ESTIC and early
recruitment is seen as essential to the achievement of the stated
objectives.
Achievement of this agenda is a huge challenge for
all third sector staff across the county. Staff at all levels, from management
to front-line, will need to be supported through training or mentoring
programmes to meet the challenges, and to deal with the stress of “doing the
day job” while also responding to new ways of working.
The third sector across Essex is understaffed, and
faces difficulties in recruitment of appropriate staff and their retention.
Some third sector agencies are facing up to these challenges with increased
salaries and employment benefits to compete in the current jobs market. Often however,
these problems are exacerbated by the time limited funding granted to support
the posts.
There are also common reports of the statutory
sector poaching staff from the VCS, after the VCS have invested in the training
and development of the officer. This is considered to be a serious problem in
Essex, particularly for the youth sector.
Volunteers
Many of the same issues face the recruitment and
retention of volunteers as staff. There is a shortage of volunteers with
appropriate skills. Many volunteers have retired from the long hours of
commuting to a London job and are now looking for the chance for a better
quality of life and the opportunity to give something back. In an environment
where there are not enough volunteers, it is essential that VCS organisations
are able to use good practice processes in the recruitment, management and
retention of their volunteers.
In the youth sector most volunteers also have a day
job. This can lead to complex issues for the training and development of
volunteers and ensuring that they have the skills and knowledge to complete
their volunteering duties.
Most things that happen in rural communities are
provided by volunteers, including services that are provided statutorily in
urban areas, such as community buildings, youth services etc. These volunteers
operate at a very local level and generally do not receive support through
either the CVS or Volunteer Centre networks, although some support is provided
by the Rural Community Council of Essex. This is a distinct informal type of
volunteering, essential to the health and wellbeing of these communities. These
volunteers and their groups need to be included in needs analysis work
undertaken in the future.
Across Essex there are shortages of trustees who are
able and willing to lead VCS organisations. Many Essex residents with the time
to volunteer, lack confidence and the appropriate skills. Those with higher
levels of skills are less enthusiastic about the responsibilities of managing a
third sector organisation in a highly competitive and poorly resourced climate.
Often those with skills who do volunteer for ‘trusteeship’ become involved with
several organisations and become too overstretched to dedicate sufficient time
to contribute effectively.
The 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games
planners predict that 70,000 volunteers will be required. They will need
support and training, which will require resources which have yet to be
identified. It is also anticipated that the Games will leave a legacy of
increased involvement and/or interest in volunteering which will need to be
managed. Retaining large numbers of volunteers and redirecting them into other
volunteering opportunities could bring huge benefits to local communities. The
possible rewards are great, as are the challenges which are likely to arise.
The third sector in Essex, Southend and Thurrock needs to be ready for life
after 2012.
Geography
Essex is facing many challenges, rapid demographic
change, massive housing programmes and economic growth. It already includes one
of the major London airports, and faces the growth of London Southend airport
as part of the Thames Gateway regeneration. The transport infrastructure is
already under huge strain with all major arterial roads congested. Essex is a
large county and travelling from east to west or north to south is often a
difficult journey.
Between 1981 and 2006 the population of the East of
England grew by 15.5%. In the last five years the most rapid population growth
in the UK has been seen in the East of England and in the East Midlands.
The 2001 Census population figures for the six
counties in the East of England are reported in the following table.
|
County |
Population
– 2001 Census |
|
Essex |
1,615,220 |
|
Hertfordshire |
1,033977 |
|
Norfolk |
796,733 |
|
Cambridgeshire |
708,715 |
|
Suffolk |
668,548 |
|
Bedfordshire |
565,961 |
The most densely populated part of Essex is the
south, with almost 40% of the county’s population residing in the five most
southerly local authority areas. The Index of Multiple Deprivation 2007 shows that
83 Super Output Areas (SOAs) across the East of England lie within the 10% most
deprived in the UK. One quarter of those being in just four districts in Essex,
Southend-on-Sea has 8, Thurrock has 5 and both Basildon and Tending have 4 SOAs
each. Other affluent SOAs contain pockets of hidden deprivation, often
containing rural communities.
The density of population, coupled with the
difficulties of travelling across the county mean that services need to be
easily accessible to geographical communities who do not travel far, including
the 20% of the population who live in rural communities. Innovative ways of
delivering services need to be developed to ensure that geographical and
special interest communities are able to access services when they want and in
an appropriate way. Some outreach work will be required as there will always be
a need for in depth work with some communities. Service provision cannot be
centralised in Essex with the hope that communities will access services. There
will need to be some service provision in different locations across the
county.
Skills
and Knowledge
Essex is a county of extremes – low wages, low
aspirations, poor skills in the more disadvantaged areas, and higher skills but
less time and commitment to their local communities in the more affluent areas
and amongst the commuting communities. Often a single geographical community
can contain all these extremes.
A review of the training and development pilot
projects has shown a wide range of responses. There was initially a poor
take-up in the Governance project with fewer sessions delivered than had been
planned. The Hallmark for Village Hall Committees Project enjoyed double the
expected attendance, proving to be very well received.
Lack of time and resources are frequently quoted as
barriers to training and development and whilst many VCOs value training and
development, often less time is spent on developing improved skills and
knowledge than many would aim to achieve.
Evidence from national research shows that the VCS
workforce is increasing, particularly in the areas of health and social care.
The workforce is typically employed in small workplaces, female, part time and
well qualified (although not necessarily in directly work related areas). These
factors mean that particular attention to workforce development issues is vital
for both organisational and individual development.
Essex has adopted Uniservity as its chosen web-based
database. Training provided to support the pilot has reinforced the belief that
ICT skills are at a low level within the third sector and that training and
support are required for staff to be able to use and access these resources.
Resources
ESTIC is the second largest consortium in the county
and the largest in the Eastern Region with over 40 members. The size of the
consortium and the diversity of Essex, Southend and Thurrock bring about a
range of difficult challenges for the Consortium to address.
Finance
Staff
Training
Needs
Previous difficulties of recruiting appropriately
skilled staff may re-occur and training and development programmes for staff
will be essential to ensure that they are able to acquire the skills sets
needed to deliver.
ESTIC members, like VCOs across Essex, have training
needs particularly around business skills and management, strategic thinking
and collaborative working.
Developing
partnerships
As the second largest consortium in the country with
more than 40 members already, ESTIC faces challenges around partnership
working. There is a need for partnerships between existing Volunteer Centres,
the 14 CVSs (including Rainbow Services), generic and specialist infrastructure
support providers, the VCS and statutory and private sectors. Some partnership
working is already underway but a great deal more can be achieved through
learning and sharing through others experiences. We need to build on developing
trust and a united vision to make our partnership working more effective.
Strengthening
the consortium
Our review in April 2007, and Toolkit Assessment Day
in September 2007 identified areas where we need to invest time and energy to
make the consortium more effective and representative. We aim to be recognised
as the conduit for statutory partners with FLO’s. We will aim to share
information, engage with the membership and FLO’s to ensure we are delivering
services that meet the needs of the 21st century
Delivery
|
Organisation/Person |
Role |
Timescale |
|
Accountable
Body |
To
prepare and submit all returns, and be accountable for financial
arrangements, and the successful delivery of the Business Plan |
On-going |
|
Strategic
Manager |
Manage,
convene and administer 10 ESTIC
Steering Group meetings during the year |
Full time
position |
|
|
Prepare
Performance Management reports for monthly Steering Group meetings. Liaise
with all project leads for information and updates. |
|
|
|
Manage,
convene and administer quarterly ESTIC forum meetings |
|
|
|
Undertake
mapping research for modernising Volunteers Centre project |
|
|
|
Supervision of IT and Communications Officer,
Equality and Diversity Officer and
Administrative Support |
|
|
ESTIC Chair |
Supervision
of Strategic Manager |
Minimum of monthly meetings |
|
|
To Chair the Consortium,
ensuring high standards of governance, build strong relationships with
stakeholders and the wider community. |
Ad hoc with 10 monthly meetings of Steering Group
and quarterly meetings of Consortium |
|
ESTIC Steering Group members |
Responsible for driving forward the Business Plan,
accountable to the whole Consortium |
10 monthly meetings and 1/4ly Consortium meetings |
|
Project Leads including EACVS, EAVC, Learning Set,
Equality and Diversity |
Lead
on the projects |
As required |
|
FLOs |
Surveyed
annually by ESTIC, in addition to contact with other infrastructure
organisations. Involved as appropriate Membership
of 5 focus groups. |
Ad hoc |
|
Statutory sector partners |
Invited
to Consortium meetings Kept
informed |
1/4ly Consortium Meetings and other meetings as
appropriate |
Monitoring
and Evaluation
|
Who |
Process |
Key Step |
Timescale |
|
ESTIC
Strategic Manager |
Consultation
with front line organisations |
Survey
to determine quality of service provision and ease of access |
Baseline
survey Q4 2007/08 and then bi-annual |
|
|
Consultation
with ESTIC members |
Survey
to determine level of service provision and changes, and feedback from
members’ own client groups |
Annual |
|
|
Consultation
with stakeholders |
Survey
to determine knowledge of ESTIC work across the county |
Annual |
|
Steering
Group |
Review
Performance Management Report at each meeting |
PM
Report prepared by Strategic Manager, in liaison with all project leads |
10
meetings pa |
|
Consortium
|
Reporting
back to ESTIC members |
·
Regular e bulletins to all members |
10
pa |
|
Project
Leads |
Ongoing
monitoring and evaluation of projects. Report back to Steering Group via
Strategic Manager |
·
Monthly reports to Strategic Manager |
Monthly |
INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
Name
of Consortium: Essex, Southend and Thurrock (ESTIC)
Lead
body signature: Maureen Frewin - Chair
Date
signed:
Date
signed off by Consortium: 18th January 2008