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What is ChangeUp?
The Vision
ChangeUp is a government initiative to invest in improvements to local infrastructure services. By ‘infrastructure’ we mean those agencies that provide support services to voluntary and community organisations.
The ChangeUp Framework developed out of the HM Treasury document, ‘The Role of the Voluntary and Community sector in Service Delivery 2002 – A Cross Cutting Review (CCR).’ This Report recognised that despite a revolution in the contribution of the voluntary and community sector (VCS) to service delivery, many frontline organisations – especially small to medium-sized – are still unable to access the support they need. It recommended that the VCS and central and local government develop a shared strategy to underpin the capacity of the sector. The Framework is the response.
ChangeUp aims to ensure that by 2014 the needs of frontline voluntary and community organisations will be met by support which is available nationwide, structured for maximum efficiency, offering excellent provision accessible to all, truly reflecting and promoting diversity and sustainably funded. It describes the basic structure of support that frontline organisations need and has been developed in partnership with the sector.
The Framework provides a guide to how support should develop over the next ten years. Key support needs for the sector are identified as:
• Performance improvement in frontline organisations
• Developing a highly effective workforce
• ICT support and advice
• Governance of frontline organisations
• Recruiting and developing volunteers more effectively
• Financing voluntary and community sector activities
These will be delivered through three main programmes:
Embedding Quality And Improving Reach - to ensure frontline organisations have better access to high-quality support in performance improvement; governance; workforce development; volunteer recruitment and management; ICT; and income generation.
Modernising Infrastructure -to ensure infrastructure services are configured better to meet the needs of users, are co-ordinated, delivered efficiently and are more sustainable.
Driving up Activity in Key Service Areas - increased engagement of the voluntary and community sector in geographical areas of deprivation and priority public service areas, especially older peoples' health and social care services, correctional services, ethnic minority employment, homeless hostel provision and parenting support services.
The investment funding from central government is short term, investing small sums to help develop services but it won’t fund long-term needs. The government still expects core funding to be supported by statutory bodies and our own income generation.
ChangeUp recognises that support needs to be provided at a national, regional, sub-regional and local (borough) level.
National ChangeUp
On a National Level support will be provided by hubs of expertise where key players are brought together to provide leadership and act as beacons of good practice. These hubs are partnerships of voluntary and community organisations and focus on 6 key areas: Finance; Governance; ICT; Performance; Volunteering and Workforce.
The purpose of the hubs is to bring together VCS infrastructure and other key stakeholders in their respective fields of interest to improve efficiency, coherence and strategic development; identify gaps; drive up quality and better equip those already providing support to the sector. Furthermore, their presence should help to reduce the confusion about where to go for advice and support.
Finance – working in the area of procurement, fundraising, social enterprise and financial management. The accountable body is the Charities Aid Foundation.
Tel: 020 7832 3014
Email: plambert@cafonline.org
Web: www.financehub.org.uk
Governance – providing services and resources to improve the quality of governance in the voluntary and community sector. The Head of Hub and Administrator are based at NCVO.
Tel: 020 7520 2517
Email: governance.hub@ncvo-vol.org.uk
Web: www.governancehub.org.uk
ICT – planning and delivering a co-ordinated framework of guidance, good practice, advice and support. The core groups of the hub include: LASA; NCVO; NACVA: AbilityNet and IT4Communities.
Tel: 020 7520 2445
Email: michelle.edmundson@ncvo-vol.org.uk
Web: www.ictconsortium.org.uk
Performance – enabling VCS organisations achieve more through performance improvement. Charities Evaluation Services (CES) and the National Council for Voluntary Services (NCVO) are the lead partners.
Tel: 020 7520 2540
Email: pi@ncvo-vol.org.uk
Web: www.performancehub.org.uk
Volunteering – covering the themes of 1) strategy and management 2) information dissemination, good practice and management development 3) modernising infrastructure. Volunteering England is the accountable body.
Tel: 0121 633 5525
Email: chrispenberthy@volunteeringengland.org
Web: www.volunteering.org.uk/aboutus/volunteeringhub/
Workforce – dealing with language and skills; employment practice; promoting the sector as a positive place to work and volunteer; leadership and management development. Its host and accountable body is NCVO.
Tel: 020 7520 2490
Email: workforcehub@ncvo-vol.org.uk
Web: www.voluntarysectorskills.org.uk
Regional ChangeUp
At Regional Level Government Office for London convened a cross-sectoral Regional Consortium to agree the structure of provision that is needed in London and how it should be funded. Using this as a basis the Consortium has overseen the production of a Regional Infrastructure Development Plan. To view the Plan visit: www.lvsc.org.uk
Similar cross-sectoral groups have been convened and have developed plans for their infrastructure needs, taking into account community planning processes and sustainability.
To view local CVS ChangeUp plans in the south sub-region click on the relevant link below:
www.communitylinksbromley.org.uk
www.cvalive.org.uk
www.kva.org.uk
www.mvsc.co.uk
www.richmondcvs.org.uk
www.suttoncvs.org.uk
Sub Regional ChangeUp
At a sub-regional level, a south London steering group has been established to develop the Plan. For more information: look at the SLCVS Partnership and ChangeUp section.
Other useful websites:
http:/communities.homeoffice.gov.uk/activecomms/sup-vcs/changeup
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