News and Developments Archive

Expressions of Interest to deliver National Support Services

Following Capacitybuilders announcement of its plans to simplify and streamline the provision of National Support Services, a call for expressions of interest for the delivery of the nine priority work streams was published. Key prospectus and background information documents can be downloaded from the Capacitybuilders website.

Over 60 organisations from across the wider third sector responded. A number of these organisations submitted bids to undertake more than one of the nine priority work streams, with the Equalities and Diversity strand receiving a notably high rate of interest.

Capacitybuilders’ Grants Committee has now taken decisions on the lead organisations for all nine national support service priority workstreams, awarding over £11 million for the three year national investment programme:

• Campaigning and Advocacy - NCVO
• Equalities and Diversity - Women's Resource Centre
• Income Generation - ACEVO
• Leadership and Governance - NCVO
• Marketing and Communications - Media Trust
• Modernising Volunteering - Volunteering England
• Performance Management - Charities Evaluation Services.
• Collaboration - bassac
• Responding to Social Change - NCVO

These are supported in their bids by partnerships with a range of organisations from across the wider Third Sector. Capacitybuilders is currently working with the lead agencies chosen to deliver the nine national support service workstreams to develop detailed business plans.  In anticipation of the launch of these nine new workstreams in April 2008, initial meetings are already underway to plan how each national support service will operate and to develop links between each of them as well as local and regional work.

Further details on Capacitybuilders website

Funding Event

On 6 February, around 30 publically funded groups met with a range of funders and funding advisors to discuss the impact of funding within the East Midlands region.  The event was jointly sponsored by Capacitybuilders, The Big Lottery Fund and East Midlands Development Agency and provided an opportunity for delegates to share experiences and generate ideas in an 'Open Space' discussion format.

To find out more about the event and download a summary of the various discussion sessions, please visit the East Midlands Funders' Forum website.

Integration Lincolnshire Example

An organisation in Lincolnshire is breaking down the barriers faced by ethnic minority communities by improving services and training opportunities and encouraging integration through a range of community schemes and events.

The people delivering this project, and many other supportive programmes, have been praised by Trevor Phillips, Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, for helping the UK create a fairer and more equal society in the European Year of Equal Opportunities for All.

Integration Lincolnshire was established to provide better community cohesion and help develop a vibrant, secure and inclusive society. Its projects include: Lincolnshire Language Services; Boston Community Contacts; Community Kitchen.

Gordon Hunter, Director of the Lincolnshire Community Foundation, said: "The project has been incredibly successful so far. It has really helped increase skill levels amongst migrant communities, especially women looking to return to work after having a family, which has lead to better work opportunities and better integration."

Equality and Human Rights Commission Chair, Trevor Phillips, commented: "Projects like this - and many others in Lincolnshire - are bringing communities together and tackling issues faced by some of the people encountering the greatest inequalities."

Integration Lincolnshire - An Example 34k

The Future of National Support Services - Take Two - Sep 07

Capacitybuilders has agreed to further simplify and streamline the provision of national support services, following feedback from the sector and key stakeholders on the proposed framework for their future delivery.

Capacitybuilders has decided not to commission the four strategic leads, and to ensure the resultant savings are channelled to directly commission programmes focused on the programme outcomes and priorities.

Capacitybuilders will commission directly with organisations able to deliver the national programmes identified for 2008/11, there will now be nine national support programmes covering:

• Performance management
• Income generation
• Equalities and diversity
• Modernising volunteering
• Collaboration and partnership
• Adapting to social change
• Marketing and communications
• Campaigning and advocacy
• Leadership and governance

The Capacitybuilders Board has rejected the option of including two additional workstreams, on workforce development and ICT, but will be funding some specific additional work through its Learning and Innovation Programme.

Capacitybuilders will work with preferred  bidders to finalise 3-year business plans, ensure alignment with local, sub-regional and regional plans and address any transitional issues relating to the new services and previous similar work undertaken by the national hubs.

To meet consistent calls for accessible, reliable information about the work funded under ChangeUp, and broader support services available to the third sector, there will be a new ‘National Communications Centre’ about third sector support. It will be a condition of grants within the National Support Service programme that they feed information into, and work in collaboration with, the National Communications Centre.

Further details on Capacitybuilders website

A FAQ document on National Support Services is available

Regional ICT Strategy

Kevin Skingsley presented the Regional ICT Strategy and the work of the Regional ICT Champions to regional funders. The funders undertook to use the ICT Hub Publication ‘How to cost and fund ICT’ as a template in working with Voluntary organisations applying for funding to ensure that the full costs of ICT are reflected within funding bids. EMDA, Big Lottery, Community Foundations and other funders were interested in exploring ways of supporting current weaknesses in funding for IT Development Support and IT Training.  

item3.org.uk

New IT Champions for the East Midlands

Digital Umbrella, the IT services wing of High Peak CVS, has recently been appointed as the Regional IT Champion for the East Midlands, with funding from the ICT Hub until March 2008 for this role.

Tony Okotie will be leading this work, with support from the rest of the team. For the last three years, under Tony’s direction, High Peak CVS have been leading on delivering various IT projects and IT services across Derbyshire, designed to help 3rd sector organisations make the most of IT in delivering their mission. These services are now branded “Digital Umbrella” and run as a social enterprise. This project naturally fits with the work of Digital Umbrella. Tony is looking forward to contributing to the more effective use of ICT by the sector.

He said, “Technology is not a force for good in its own right – its how it is used that is important. I’m looking forward to working with organisations and partners to help create an environment where there is increased recognition of what ICT can do, and how to resource it, along with better support for organisations in how to use it”

Tony, along with colleagues from Voluntary Action Leicester and Purple Zebra, are already developing the 3rd sector ICT strategy for the East Midlands (due to be published shortly) and the role of the Champion will be to put the findings into action.

To find out more about the role of the Regional Champion, and how it could benefit your organisation, visit the Digital Umbrella website (www.digitalumbrella.co.uk) or call Tony on 01663 736 422.

Tony has started a new newsletter entitled 'News from ITEM 3', to help promote IT resources that are available, events in the region, etc. As well as being for frontline organisations to use, infrastructure organisations can cut and paste bits out of it for their own newsletters, use it in its entirety, email it out, etc. The idea is that it is a flexible resource to help groups find out more about what IT can do for them. Accompanying this is a news micro-website with blog (an online diary), where Tony will be posting details of his work, useful resources, etc. - www.ITEM3.org.uk.

IT in the East Midlands 3rd Sector (ITEM3) - August Newsletter 64k

National Support Services - Initial Approach - July 2007

Capacitybuilders has considered carefully how to move forward in the light of responses to the Draft Framework paper on national support services.

Capacitybuilders believes that it is right in principle to streamline the approach to national support services and that it must take account of the need to reduce expenditure in this area. It initially decided to move forward on the basis of four key national support services:

1) Finance and Resources
2) Performance
3) People and Skills
4) Voice

The proposed Workforce strategic theme was to be re-named ‘People and Skills’, with the modernisation of volunteering effectively comprising a major investment programme within that theme.

ICT support was to be an important part of the ‘Finance and Resources’ programme and it was envisaged that essential work on building strong governance would be included in the ‘Performance’ theme.

In drawing up the specifications for strategic themes, Capacitybuilders would identify a portfolio of specific priority programmes and ensure that any work being undertaken is demand-led, connected with local, sub-regional and regional consortia and dedicated to bringing about radical change – in support of its overall vision.

Capacitybuilders is establishing a small technical advisory team, starting work immediately, to be chaired by Julia Kaufmann, Capacitybuilders Board member and Chair of its Grants Committee. This group will include independent experts as well as Capacitybuilders staff, and will take responsibility for driving through the whole process from creating the final specifications, running an initial pre-qualification exercise, overseeing the full tender and making final recommendations to the Capacitybuilders Board on the applications for the role of strategic leads for each of the four national support services.

The new national support services will be in operation from 1 April 2008. Therefore, the existing agreements relating to the current national hubs will finish at the end of March 2008 as already planned. The Chief Executive of Capacitybuilders will have the discretion to agree, where necessary, that sufficient staff are retained in April and May 2008 for the express purpose of completing the annual reports and accounts of the hubs for 2007/08. Such identified staff will be offered new 2 month contracts from 1 April to end May 2008 for these purposes and to enable a smooth transfer to the new national support services.

It is vital that the business plans for national support services for 2008/11 are aligned with the business plans and objectives of the local, sub-regional and regional consortia and take full account of the need to reach a range of socially excluded groups through their support bodies. Therefore, a working conference will take place in late January/early February 2008 to ensure such effective links between all the ChangeUp constituencies. This will be an important area of liaison work which will inform the details of the national support service business plans over the first three months of 2008 – before the launch of the new arrangements from April 2008.

Further details on Capacitybuilders website

Destination 2014 ChangeUp Delivery Strategy

 Destination 2014 (Jul 2007) 718k

Capacitybuilders launched Destination 2014 at its inaugural annual conference in Birmingham on July 3rd.  This strategy for the delivery of ChangeUp is the result of the consultation programme which ran from December 2006 to March 2007.

The new Destination 2014 document takes full account of the views expressed during the consultation process and is designed to indicate the way forward for Capacitybuilders in relation to the ChangeUp programme as a whole. 

Destination 2014 outlines how Capacitybuilders will achieve its mission, and how that in turn will help create a more effective third sector – delivering a better quality of life for individuals and communities.

An overview of the Destination 2014 strategy can be seen in the presentation by Chief Executive Simon Hebditch to the Capacitybuilders Annual Conference:

 Capacitybuilders Annual Conference 2007 (Jul 2007) 400k

The 'Consultation and Context' document serves as a companion to 'Destination 2014'. It covers the sectors’ response to the consultation; places the work of Capacitybuilders in context; and shows how the strategy will affect frontline organisations, support providers, government and other funders.

 Destination 2014 - Consultation and Context (Jul 2007) 889k

Capacitybuilders New Logo

Following consultation feedback Capacitybuilders have created a new logo that is easier to read and to use in print.

All organisations in receipt of Capacitybuilders / ChangeUp funding, should use the new combined 'ChangeUp | Capacitybuilders Funded' logo on all publicity materials. 

Guidance on how to use the branding is available on the Capacitybuilders website.

National Support Services Draft Framework

The draft framework paper on the National Support Services under ChangeUp is a culmination of the general consultations conducted through Destination 2014 during December 2006 to March 2007 and also draws on the Hubs Review of 2006.

The framework recommends four support themes of Finance, Performance, Workforce and Voice. Each would have a 'strategic lead' organisation coordinating the programmes, under the overall strategic leadership of Capacitybuilders. Within strategic themes, specific projects would be delivered by 'programme lead' organisations.

The suggested programme areas include for example: in Finance - fundraising, business planning, public service delivery; in Performance - quality assurance, strategic planning, ICT, mergers and alliances; in Workforce - governance, volunteer management, employment policies; in Voice - campaigning, user involvement, advocacy, community action.

A single gateway is proposed to information, advice and sign-posting for both infrastructure organisations and frontline third sector organisations.

From mid July to mid September there will be a process of identifying organisations capable of managing the strategic themes and gathering expressions of interest for the delivery of specific programmes. A further stage from October to December will involve detailed negotiations to determine specific business plans and delivery programmes.

The draft framework paper is principally being circulated to the Infrastructure National Partnership, Capacitybuilders formal advisory committee, and other specific organisations with a particular interest in helping to shape the future services.

 Draft Framework for National Support Services 2008/11 (Jun 2007) 141k

Destination 2014 - Consultation Feedback

The consultation process on Destination 2014, which closed at the end of March, has ensured that a wide range of voices from across the sector have had their say, feeding into the development of the strategic framework, which aims to identify the priorities Capacitybuilders should adopt to meet its vision and achieve its strategic objectives by 2014.

515 people attended the ten regional consultation events, plus over 50 at other related meetings and 200 at the launch event on 7th December 2006.

Capacitybuilders received written responses (blogs, questionnaires, letters and detailed submissions) from 134 people and organisations, including over 30 that came from wider consultations respondents’ carried out with their own members and partners.

The comments received throughout the consultation were very thoughtful and constructive, with support for Capacitybuilders as well as friendly challenges - and some robust criticism - just as one would value from the sector.

Many people suggested improvements and additions to the plans, along with highlighting a lack of clarity on some aspects of the emerging strategy. Many comments resonated with Capacitybuilders own thinking, which is encouraging.

Capacitybuilders website provides initial feedback on the main themes from the consultation process:

• Targets and Key Performance Indicators
• Consortia working
• Equalities and Diversity
• National Support Services

Specific documents are available covering consultation feedback from each of the regions. The East Midlands consultation feedback is available below:

 Destination 2014 - East Midlands Region Consultation Event 38k

The East Midlands consultation event was on Tue 6 Feb 2007 at Nottingham Gateway Hotel. See the report from the Destination 2014 event.

 Destination 2014 - QuickGuide 48k

 Destination 2014: Investing in Change - Draft for Consultation 371k

Case Studies to Demonstrate the Benefits of ChangeUp

Capacitybuilders are developing a database of case studies for marketing and PR purposes and seek to identify organisations and projects that are interested in helping to showcase how infrastructure investment is making a difference across the UK.

They seek to demonstrate real frontline benefits and change, supported by quotes, statistical information and photography where applicable. They are also looking for instances where there is an ongoing narrative so that the full story can be told over time.

If you are in receipt of ChangeUp funding and are interested in getting involved or would like to recommend another organisations or project that could be approached, please take a few minutes to complete the quick Case Study Data Collection Form. 

Review of the ChangeUp Consortium Model

This ran from April 2 to June 29, led by InAuriga Consultants, a team of external consultants commissioned by Capacitybuilders. The report is due in September.

The approach for the review includes analysis of available data on the consortia, including that from the Destination 2014 consultation, and building on the Good Foundations work carried out last year. There have been stakeholder interviews with 20 selected consortia including four workshops.

In August 2007 Capacitybuilders will publish guidance on the funding policy for support for regional, sub regional and local infrastructure improvement for 2008-11.

See Capacitybuilders website fo more details.

Capacitybuilders Consortia Development Fund

First announced in the Destination 2014 strategy launch in December 2006, the Consortia Development Fund is a national £7m package of support for consortia to develop. It is in line with Capacitybuilders high level aim that by March 2008 each region will have the necessary evidence base and structures to ‘look outwards’ and negotiate and collaborate with other partners to deliver high quality infrastructure services to front line VCS organisations.

The Consortia Development Fund is not about funding the development of individual organisations or the delivery of specific projects; it is about Capacitybuilders bringing national consistency to the delivery aspects of ChangeUp so that consortia nationally can demonstrate that they are fit for purpose by achieving four prescribed strands:

• Development of consortia against benchmarks
• Region-wide consortia collaboration
• Strategic planning to 2014
• Business planning for 2008-2011

The Consortia Development Fund is a 'closed' programme and is only available to existing consortia who have already been contacted by Capacitybuilders.

Assessments will now take place, in two or three phases between May and September 2007. The revised date for completion of the Infrastructure Business Plan and Infrastructure Development Strategy is December 2007.

 Consortia Development Fund - Guidance Notes for Consortia (Feb 2007) 169k

ChangeUp Hubs Review (Nov 2006)

Following the National Hubs Review, the Capacitybuilders Board has committed itself to a programme of change in the future delivery of national support services to the voluntary and community sector and social enterprises:

Capacitybuilders will take a greater strategic leadership role in pursuing all elements of the ChangeUp programme and an increased role as a direct commissioner of national services.

Chief Executive Simon Hebditch commented: “Capacitybuilders will be directly commissioning organisations next Spring to take responsibility for delivering essential national services to the sector. We will be consulting the sector between January and March 2007 on the future priorities for national support and will be opening up a major commissioning exercise in May 2007 to ensure that these programmes are taken forward effectively over the years to come."

The East Midlands consultation event has been set for the 6th February 2006.

>> MORE ON HUBS REVIEW

Consortia IIP Analysis - ChangeUp Evaluation (Oct 2006)

On taking over the ChangeUp programme from the Home Office in spring 2006 Capacitybuilders commissioned the Good Foundations Consultancy to collate data and analyse what has been funded and achieved through the ChangeUp programme. The work was completed by 31 July 2006 and a final and full report with recommendations were presented to the Capacitybuilders Board.

This report will help Capacitybuilders understand the current state of development and formulate the strategic plan up to 2014.  The final report has now been published. The Board’s response to the recommendations will be published before the end of November 2006.

The full report, consists of 4 sections :

 ChangeUp IIP Analysis - Aims, summary and recommendations 85k

 ChangeUp IIP Analysis - Main Report 340k

 ChangeUp IIP Analysis - Regional Perspectives 330k

 ChangeUp IIP Analysis - Appendices 157k

The Regional Perspectives section has a three-page regional analysis for the East Midlands. The following examples have been identified of particularly good projects or successes:

• Reconfiguring the infrastructure in Lincolnshire into three centres.
• High Peak CVS and its IT leadership, including design of the national ChangeUp portal.
• South West Leicestershire’s Playbus – working with travellers and so reached them by putting CVS development workers on the bus.
• Parish churches in Northamptonshire with key messages on volunteering.

The following is an extract giving the analysis for East Midlands:

 ChangeUp IIP - Regional analysis and interviews: East Midlands 62k

Improving Reach:
Capacity Building of Marginalised Groups (Aug 2006)

In August 2006 Capacitybuilders announced details of the Improving Reach programme, which aims to build the capacity of infrastructure for a range of marginalised groups.

The pilot programme runs until March 2008. After an evaluation it is hoped to extend the scope of the programme and build on its success in future years.

The Improving Reach programme seeks to improve access to capacity building and support for a range of frontline groups / organisations that may not have been reached in previous ChangeUp programmes.

In particular the programme is aimed at :

• Black and minority ethnic groups
• Refugee and migrant groups
• Faith groups
• Isolated rural groups

Improving Reach is open to all eligible organisations and is not restricted to existing ChangeUp consortia, in recognition of the barriers to participation which may have limited active involvement in ChangeUp by some organisations.

Around 50 to 80 awards will be made across England from an initial allocation of £6M.

 Improving Reach Programme - Grant Allocations (Dec 2006) 195k

 Improving Reach Programme - East Midlands Grant Allocations (Dec 2006) 14k

Improving Support Together

Improving Support Together is an East Midlands ChangeUp National Support Services event taking place on Monday 9 June, 9.30am-3.15pm, at the Peepul Centre in Leicester.

The event is for all local and regional infrastructure consortia members in the East Midlands, organised jointly by Leicestershire Third Sector Infrastructure Support Services Consortium and East Midlands Single Platform on behalf of the East Midlands Infrastructure Steering Group. All National Support Services staff aim to attend.

This event provides an opportunity for you to discover how the National Support Service workstreams can help you be more effective and to develop ideas for your own organisations and consortia. Nationally there have been concerns that ChangeUp has not always worked as well as it might have and this is a chance for all of us to develop better joint working.

The deadline for booking is Friday 28 May. Please see booking details on the flyer below. Contact Leann Leverton regarding booking by email lleverton@emsp.org.uk or by phone 0115 934 8471.  If you have any questions regarding the day's events please contact Becky Nixon, Leicestershire Infrastructure Consortium Manager by email becky.nixon@voluntaryactionleicester.org.uk or phone 0116 257 5057 / 07932 061446.

Improving Support Together Event Flyer 177k

Project Officer, Third Sector Support for Derbyshire (3D)

£28,919 - 37 hours per week, 3 Year Contract
at Derbyshire Rural Community Council

Third Sector Support for Derbyshire (3D) is a Consortium of third sector support agencies working to provide the best possible support to frontline third sector groups. 3D has secured Big Lottery Funding to establish a new project called 'A Voice for the Third Sector' in Derbyshire. The project will work with frontline third sector groups to enable them to engage productively with representational partnerships. To make that project a success we are looking to recruit a talented and enthusiastic Project Officer with substantial experience of training, networking and policy interpretation.

Applications packs are available from www.derbyshirercc.org.uk. For more details please email Lizzie Marko at lizziem@derbysrcc.org.uk or call 01629 821927.

Closing date: 10 am Wednesday 26th March 2008
Interviews: 8th April 2008

ChangeUp Evaluation Scoping - Team Appointed (Jun 2007)

Capacitybuilders have appointed a team of experts to scope out the evaluation of ChangeUp. Following a competitive tender exercise the appointed team brings together the Sheffield based COGS consultancy, the Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research at Sheffield Hallam University and the Cities Research Centre at the University of the West of England.

The initial scoping phase of the evaluation will consist of four main strands:

1) Mapping and analysing existing information about changes in infrastructure support and the impact on front line organisations.

2) Developing and testing the methodology for the evaluation of ChangeUp.

3) Setting up systems to communicate ChangeUp achievements and share information and learning.

4) Planning the main evaluation.

From January 2008, Capacitybuilders will operate an ongoing main evaluation process for ChangeUp, with a focus on the impact that investment in support organisations and networks has had on front line organisations.

 Scoping Evaluation of ChangeUp (Jun 2007) 21k

Capacitybuilders Newsletter - Winter 2006/7 (Dec 2006)

 Capacitybuilders Newsletter - Winter 2006 (Dec 2006) 1Mb

• Welcome by Chair Chris Pond
• Influencing government policy
• 3rd Sector – Delivering 4 Community events
• ChangeUp: a temperature check
• The shape of things to come
• Positive associations
• An update on Capacitybuilders’ funding programmes
• What to look out for in the coming months

Commission on the Future of Volunteering Consultation Event

The Commission on the Future of Volunteering is an independent body set up to establish a long term vision for volunteering in England.  Between now and June 2007 they are consulting widely to find out what people think about volunteering now and in ten years time.  As a part of this consultation they are holding 18 regional consultation events across England. 

There will be two events in Nottingham on Friday 9th March. The morning event ‘Volunteering Now and in the Future’ will be focussed on topics and issues surrounding volunteering in the East Midlands. The afternoon event ‘Health and Social Care Volunteering’ will be examining issues surrounding volunteering in health and social care both in the East Midlands and Nationally.

For further information about the commission and it’s activities, how you can get involved and how to submit evidence, visit their website at volcomm.org.uk

 Consultation Event 102k

 Registration Form 145k

VCS Area Profiles (Aug 2006)

Knowledge and understanding of local voluntary and community organisations could increase dramatically as a result of a new project aimed at mapping the sector, through the creation of Voluntary and Community Sector Area Profiles.

Project leaders NAVCA are promoting the use of a toolkit - a tested and standardised approach that will enable infrastructure organisations to profile their local voluntary and community sector.

>> MORE ON AREA PROFILES

 Getting to Know your Local Voluntary and Community Sector - Developing VCS Profiles 682k

Capacity Builders (Jun 2006)

The Capacitybuilders website was launched on 15 June with details of who Capacitybuilders are, what they do and information on the new funding programmes. Email updates of the latest developments are available by subscription.

Capacitybuilders Launch First New Programme

The first of the new programmes to be launched by Capacitybuilders was the Consortia Projects Programme for 2006-2008. Under this programme funding has been made available to ChangeUp consortia around the country to support the projects they consider are a priority for encouraging the modernisation of infrastructure provision in terms of its sustainability, quality and reach.

Its main aim is to help infrastructure organisations improve their support for frontline voluntary and community organisations through, for example, development of ICT, good governance, recruitment and HR policies, financing and planning.

 Consortia Projects Programme - Grant Allocations all Regions 28k

Launch Event

Capacitybuilders was launched on 3 April at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham by the then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Home Office, Paul Goggins MP, with over 280 representatives from the voluntary and community sector in attendance. Chief Executive Simon Hebditch unveiled Capacitybuilders' strategy showing how the funds will be distributed and the objectives achieved.

 Capacitybuilders Launch Event - Engage Briefing - 114k

 Capacitybuilders Strategy - Fit for Growth - 770k

 Capacitybuilders Launch Press Release - 20k

 

Contacting Capacity Builders

Capacity Builders, 77 Paradise Circus, Birmingham B1 2DT

Tel: 0121 237 5100

Email: info@capacitybuilders.org.uk

Web: www.capacitybuilders.org.uk

East Midlands ICT Strategy

Engage East Midlands, on behalf of the East Midlands Infrastructure Steering Group, have recently commissioned the development of a regional 3rd sector IT strategy. This will identify how local, sub regional, regional action can enable frontline organisations to have consistent access to ICT services & capacity building support and to achieve service and outcomes improvements through ICT.

The work on the strategy is being carried out by a partnership of three organisations from the region: Digital Umbrella (High Peak CVSs IT projects); Purple Zebra (a Nottinghamshire based social enterprise); and Voluntary Action Leicester Trading for Change.

It will address a number of key areas:

• strategic influencing of funders (both regional and sub-regional) to improve the funding available for ICT to the third sector;
• a strong evidence base with which to influence statutory agencies and front-line organisations of the need to invest in ICT support;
• clarity on the ICT investment priorities across the region.

The strategy will provide evidence and arguments for agencies such as the Big Lottery Fund and Emda (for the purpose of influencing their SSPs) to understand the need to fund third sector ICT support. It is therefore really important that the views and experiences of front line and infrastructure organisations in the region are captured, whatever their size.

Over the next three months the partnership will be carrying out detailed telephone interviews and arranging focus groups in each county. There is also a simple questionnaire - which can either be completed online (please go to www.digitalumbrella.co.uk/ITsurvey ) or returned by post.

Download East Midlands ICT Strategy Survey

We hope that you will take the time to give us your views, and also to encourage as many organisations to complete this as possible. The closing date for the questionnaire is 9th March.

If you have any specific questions or queries about the project, please do not hesitate to contact Tony Okotie.

Human Resources Enterprise (May 2006)

The 'Report of the Feasibility Study into a Proposed Human Resources Enterprise' has been published. In October 2005 a tender brief was issued by Voluntary Action Leicester on behalf of a working group of organisations in the East Midlands.  It sought to appoint a consultant to undertake a feasibility study into the potential for the provision of Human Resources support as a collaborative enterprise across the East Midlands. 

Based on the evidence and conclusions reported in all stages of thier work the consultants recommend that the Steering Group do not continue to pursue the idea of setting up a joint HR Enterprise which is outside the generalist HR type of services currently on offer. They found little evidence to suggest that there is a gap in the market for any one particular specialist service. However, there was considerable enthusiasm for the idea of an HR Healthcheck being rolled out across the region.

Summary Report of the Feasibility Study into a Proposed Human Resources Enterprise (May 2006) 96k

Final Report of the Feasibility Study into a Proposed Human Resources Enterprise (May 2006) 211k

HR Service Provider Directory 2006 (May 2006) 96k

Faith in Derbyshire (May 2006)

‘Faith in Derbyshire’ has been published.

This research has three aims:

• to discover the nature and extent of faith group activity in Derbyshire communities;
• to identify the Infrastructure support needs of faith groups;
• to increase understanding between faith groups and other sectors with a view to improving possibilities of collaborative and partnership working.

The research has been undertaken in the context of an increasing acknowledgment from Central Government of the positive contribution that faith groups make to the quality of life. Alongside the findings of the research a number of case studies are examined. Conclusions are drawn and a series of recommendations made.

Faith in Derbyshire (May 2006) 2.2Mb

Faith in Derbyshire - Launch Presentation (May 2006) 171k

Delivering 4 Community: Exhibition and Conference

Capacitybuilders are one of the sponsors at a series of 10 regional exhibitions and conferences in support of the ChangeUp Programme.  The events have been organised by J4b and provide a platform for partners from the voluntary, community, charity, public and private sectors to share knowledge and best practice and build on their existing skill set.

In addition to exhibiting, Capacitybuilders are providing keynote speakers at each event and running a series of interactive workshops.

The next event in the series is on November 28th at the East Midlands Conference Centre in Nottingham - more details. 

ICT East Midlands Conference - 4 Oct (Chesterfield)

The ICT Hub is hosting a regional conference for the voluntary and community sector in the East Midlands region in association with Engage.  This one day event will help you understand the potential Information and Communication Technology (ICT) can have for your organisation.

The event on 4 Oct in Chesterfield has 50 free places for small, voluntary and community groups. It will introduce you to the ICT Hub and identify local support for ICT in the East Midlands region.

If your organisation has little or no internal ICT support, you have some or total responsibility for ICT in your organisation or you have limited technical expertise, this event will:

• Demonstrate how you can cost and fund ICT
• Introduce you to Open Source
• Identify simple changes you can make to make your website accessible for disabled users
• Maximise the use of free IT volunteers
• Signpost to local sources of ICT support

To find out more or to book a place at this conference visit the ICT Hub website

 ICT East Midlands Conference Programme 1.2Mb

Performance Courses for Mentors

An introduction to performance improvement for mentors
This course is for those who are new to helping third sector organisations achieve more. Participants will gain a basic understanding of five approaches to improving performance. Nottingham - 12th Sept.

Quality assurance for mentors
Quality is about organisations learning what they are doing well and striving to do it better. This course explores some of the most popular quality standards and frameworks. Nottingham - 18th Oct.

These new interactive one-day courses are aimed at people who support third sector organisations to improve their performance. Participants will gain a practical understanding of performance tools and models and learn how to break the concepts down and explain them to others. All participants will receive a free copy of 'Performance Improvement: A Handbook for Mentors', a comprehensive guide to supporting organisations to achieve more.

For further details, or to book a place, visit the Performance Hub website: www.performancehub.org.uk/givingsupport, email: mentors@performancehub.org.uk or call 020 7078 9381.

Capacitybuilders Newsletter - Summer 2006 (Aug 2006)

 Capacitybuilders Newsletter - Summer 2006 384k

 Capacitybuilders Regional Bulletin - East Midlands and East 58k

Supporting Performance: Action Learning Sets

The Performance Hub and Action Learning Matters are running a series of action learning sets across England starting this autumn. They are now accepting applications for an action learning set in the East Midlands region which is due to start in September 06. The closing date for applications is now 15th August.

The action learning set programme is for development workers working specifically to support frontline VCOs in England with performance improvement. The East Midlands set is open to all infrastructure organisations; from CVSs and Rural Community Councils, through to black and minority ethnic development organisations, social enterprises, national bodies with a presence in the region and specialist organisations and community forum anchors. The set will focus on the various performance improvement initiatives you may be working on, for example; strategic planning, quality improvement, benchmarking, monitoring and evaluation

Action learning is a simple and powerful tool of personal, professional and organisational development. Action learning involves working on real problems, focusing on learning and actually implementing solutions. It is a form of learning by doing. It operates through peer learning: the sharing of issues and ideas with colleagues doing similar jobs supporting third sector organisations.

Action learning occurs in a group called a set a space where peers work in a supportive and collaborative way around real issues that each are facing in their work and implementing solutions. Everyone's knowledge and confidence will be increased as a result of working together. There are six people in a set. The set meets monthly, for a whole day. Each set has a facilitator to guide it.

Action learning will enhance your personal effectiveness and impact, and benefit your organisation by adding value to and enhancing customer service delivery.

The Performance Hub and Action Learning Matters contribute £170 towards the overall cost of each set. The total cost to your organisation per person is £250.

If you are interested then take a look at the information pack available at www.performancehub.org.uk/page.asp?id=385 which should answer your questions and then return a completed application form to Fiona Martin. If you want any more information, please contact Fiona, Performance Support Officer, tel: 0114 278 6636 ext 125, email: fiona.martin@performancehub.org.uk.

Prison and Probation Service Volunteering Event (Mar 2006)

CRISP (Clinks Regional Information and Skills Project) invites you to attend a FREE Regional Information and Skills Event (RISE) on Tuesday 21 March 2006 at Age Concern, Leicester, 10am-3.30pm. Lunch and refreshments will be provided.

• Interested in creating or enhancing services for offenders and their families?
• Wanting to know more about the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) and funding possibilities?
• Looking for ways to work in partnership with Prison and Probation Services?
• Keen to network with a diverse range of voluntary and community organisations?
  

Please book your place quickly as the number of places on this event is strictly limited.

CLINKS Regional Information and Skills Event 173k

Consortia Projects Programme Funding Information Workshop

For the East Midlands a Funding Information Workshop will be held on Wed 5 July, lead by Capacitybuilders Regional Co-ordinators Kally Barot and Mike Wilkins.

The workshop will run from 10am-12noon at Nottingham Voluntary Action Centre, 7 Mansfield Road, Nottingham NG1 3FB. Limited places are available on a first come first served basis to members of ChangeUp infrastructure Consortia in the East Midlands. There are at least 3-4 places per Consortium, depending on demand. To ensure a place register with Jenni Parker on 0115 934 9533 or jenniparker@engage-em.org.uk .

Kally and Mike’s intention is to go to as many Consortia meetings as possible to support Consortia in putting forward proposals to Capacitybuilders but due to the timescales, the time of year and also that all Consortia may not have diaried in meetings before the Consorita Porjects Programme deadline of the 31st July they agreed to take the opportunity to have a regional presentation and questions session on 5th July. Kally and Mike will also be available to meet outside of Consortia meetings regular business and be as flexible as needed, to assist organisations in preparing bids for the deadline.

See National Developments page for further information on the Consortia Projects Programme

Capacity Builders (Apr 2006)

Capacity Builders opened for business at its new base in Birmingham on Monday 3 April. Between 14 February and 14 March members of the Board and Simon Hebditch, the agency's Chief Executive, held a number of regional consultation sessions on the early priorities of Capacitybuilders.

The first task of Capacitybuilders will be to manage the £70 million ChangeUp programme, a major investment in support for voluntary and community organisations.

Capacity Builders’ vision for the sector is for it to be an independent, innovative, flexible, diverse, responsive and sustainable voluntary and community sector, which achieves its full potential in: Service delivery; Policy analysis; Community development and Campaigning.

Capacity Builders will be responsible for:

• The ChangeUp programme’s overall design and management
• Making and managing grants
• Co-ordinating ChangeUp with other grants programmes
• Ensuring that activities take account of diversity and
• Evaluating the programme’s results

Further details of the strategy of Capacitybuilders can be found in the Engage briefing notes and the Capacitybuilders Strategy documents below:

 Capacitybuilders Launch Event - Engage Briefing - 114k

 Capacitybuilders Strategy - Fit for Growth - 770k

 Capacitybuilders Launch Press Release - 20k

 

Launch Event

Capacitybuilders was launched on 3 April at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham by Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Home Office, Paul Goggins MP, with over 280 representatives from the voluntary and community sector in attendance.

Former government minister and Chief Executive of One Parent Families, Chris Pond, is chair of Capacitybuilders and commented in his opening speech: “this is a great opportunity for voluntary and community organisations which we believe they will embrace. The government's support of the sector in launching Capacitybuilders is a sign of its commitment, ensuring that voluntary and community organisations have the funding that they need to fulfil their potential and offer even more aid to the people they serve.”

Chief Executive Simon Hebditch unveiled Capacitybuilders' strategy showing how the funds will be distributed and the objectives achieved. Simon commented: "it is essential that voluntary and community organisations working on the frontline have access to resources and expertise to help them improve their services to communities and individuals in need."

ChangeUp National Hubs Event - 28 Mar

at The International Convention Centre in Birmingham 10am-5pm.

Find out how you can run your organisation more effectively. There will be sessions on: Funding; Governance; ICT; Performance; Volunteering; Workforce.

Chris Pond, the new Chair of Capacity Builders and Stuart Etherington of NCVO will be plenary speakers. Staff from each hub will be on hand to provide expert advice, discuss how you can engage with the hubs and talk about plans for the future. There will also be a networking reception afterwards.

Email: Event@ncvo-vol.org.uk.

 Hubs Launch Event Programme (Feb 2006) 700k>

Meeting with CEO CapacityBuilders (Mar 2006)

Infrastructure lead bodies for the region met on 1 Mar 2006 with Simon Hebditch, Chief Executive of CapacityBuilders, to open up a dialogue between East Midlands consortia about how CapacityBuilders will work and and its relation with regional consortia.

Lead bodies met prior to Simon Hebditch’s arrival to discuss questions and issues to be raised. Simon initially set out his vision for CapacityBuilders, the national context, what other regions are doing and any issues arising. He also gave an update on the practicalities of CapacityBuilders and future strategy.

Wynne Garnett of Enage EM gave an overview of East Midlands structures to manage ChangeUp. Simon Hebditch's response was that as CapacityBuilders can only relate strategically within regions and not with the 140 local consortia in the whole country, he would be relating to consortia through a series of strategic advisory groups.  The lead bodies group suggested for the East Midlands is an obvious source of such strategic advice.  He also wanted advisory relationships with specialist groups such as BME groups.

CapacityBuilders Meeting with EM Lead Bodies (Mar 2006) 54k

Destination ChangeUp: Thematic Workshops 20 Feb & 7 Mar

Engage recently spoke to infrastructure consortia about what they would find most helpful in terms of programme support. One of the clear messages was to bring people together around key themes that were being addressed by more than one consortium and where there would be benefit in sharing ideas and collaborative working. Feedback also indicated that it would be useful to establish links with the national hubs.

Consequently, Engage have arranged two 1-day events focusing on some of the key cross cutting ChangeUp themes. There is a choice of two dates in different locations:

20th February 2006, Holywell Park, Loughborough

7th March 2006, Newstead Miners’ Welfare Community Centre, Newstead

Each day will consist of themed workshops on workforce development, performance improvement, governance, ICT and funding/financing. This is a key event for infrastructure organisations active in the above areas. It will provide an opportunity to see how we can make the links between national, regional and local initiatives for the greatest benefit to individual voluntary and community groups. Representatives from the national hubs will attend some of the workshops and this will provide an opportunity for you to ask them questions.

The Engage team are keen that all delegates come to the event ready to share what they are doing, the plans within consortia, the difficulties, barriers and success stories. They want you to leave the event better equipped to tackle these challenges. If you have any particular questions about the event, please contact Sam Lloyd on 0115 934 9515 or email samlloyd@engage-em.org.uk.

Please complete and return the booking form. Engage are keen that you get involved but please respond quickly to give yourself the best chance of a place. The deadline for returned completed booking forms is Friday 3rd January 2006, so reply now to avoid disappointment.

Destination ChangeUp: Thematic Workshops - Booking Form 60k

Destination ChangeUp: Thematic Workshops - Invitation Letter 33k

net:gain Update (Mar 2006)

net:gain tackles a question facing many in the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) – how to make the right decisions about technology, faced with a shortage of resources and funding restrictions. The programme’s primary aim is to help VCS decision makers (Chief Executives, Trustees, senior managers, etc.) identify how technology can help them work more efficiently and improve their services.

net:gain have awarded capacity building funding to two UK online centres in the East Midlands - Appleby Online (Information Byway) and Holmewood and Heath Community Action Partnershipto. This will enable them to extend their current activities to engage VCOs and develop their understanding and use of ICT. These VCOs will be subsidised from net:gain ACD ChangeUp funding to attend workshops and take up ongoing support services.

net:gain Update for GOEM (Mar 2006) 76k

Capacitybuilders (Jan 2006)

Introductory letter from Chair Chris Pond (Dec 2005) 29k 

Board and Chief Exec Appointed
The new team to run Capacity Builders, the agency charged with fund managing the £150 million ChangeUp programme, was announced today by the Home Secretary, Charles Clarke.

Headed by new Chair Chris Pond and Chief Executive Simon Hebditch, the focus of Capacity Builders will be to implement the ChangeUp investment programme, designed to build capacity and infrastructure framework for the voluntary and community sector.

Commenting on the appointments, Home Office Minister Paul Goggins said:

"We have assembled an impressive team to implement the Home Office's flagship ChangeUp programme. The Government places a high value on the voluntary and community sector and on the time, talents and passion invested up and down the country in making a real and positive difference to people's lives. Capacity Builders, through the ChangeUp programme, will support organisations in the VCS and harness these talents to play an even greater role in society."

New chair of Capacity Builders, Chris Pond, said:

"I am very pleased to accept this challenging opportunity as the Chair of Capacity Builders. I know that a lot of useful work has already gone on under the ChangeUp programme and I am keen to work with colleagues and partners in the VCS to build on this momentum and make a significant difference to the support available to front-line VCS organisations."

Biographies of the appointees can be seen in:
Capacity Builders Board and Chief Executive Appointed (Nov 2005) 39k

ACD ChangeUp Quarterly Newsletters

Download Issue 4 Newsletter - Word (244k) or Acrobat (79k)

New Fund-Management Arrangements (Nov 2005)

From 1 Nov 2005 the responsibility for fund management and administration has transferred to EM5 - the regional network of Community Foundations.  There is a Community Foundation in each county of the East Midlands - see contacts page. Under the arrangement Nottinghamshire Community Foundation will act as accountable body and service the regional Consortia.

The arrangement will be in place until March 2007 with a transfer to Capacity Builders post April 2006.

The duties of EM5 will be four-fold:

• Fund management and payment of projects agreed in Windows 1, 2 and 3
• Monitoring, reporting and evaluation of projects to Government Office for the East Midlands, Consortia, Funders and the emerging leadership board
• Development and co-ordination of a regional leadership board which will have a strategic overview of the programme
• Development and delivery of the transition fund

Each Foundation will be in touch with funded projects and Consortia over the coming weeks to discuss progress, expenditure and future plans. It will be essential to build a strong relationship with your local Community Foundation.

Information on the suggested regional approach to transition funding is given in the following (see also Transition Funding page):

ChangeUp Fund Management Questions & Answers 32k

EM5 Update on ChangeUp Progress and Transition Funding 149k

Appendix 1 - Payment Profile 31k

Appendix 2 - Bank Details 33k

Appendix 3 - Transition Fund Consortia Request 40k

Appendix 4 - Consortium Details 32k

Appendix 5 - Community Foundation Contact Details 39k

ChangeUp Programme Event (Nov 2005)

Nottinghamshire Community Foundation has been commissioned by GOEM to facilitate a conversation relating to the ChangeUp programme so far.  The purpose of the event was to provide some learning about the success of the programme, barriers to change and some recommendations for the future. The event was held on 8 Dec 2005 at the Albert Hall, Nottingham. The notes and summary from EM5 will be available from early New Year.

Keys areas for discussion:

• Process and Programme design
• Roles and Responsibilities
• Engagement of specialist providers
• Rural proofing
• Learning for the future
• Capacity Builders

ACU ChangeUp Quarterly Newsletter - Issue 3 (Nov 2005)

Update from the Home Office Active Community Unit (ACU) on progress, events and good practice in the national ChangeUp programme:

• ChangeUp Logo
• Continuation Fund
• Partners in Reducing Re-offending
• Hubs - Links and News
• Workforce Hub
• Capacity Builders Appointments
• Diversity Strategy Implementation
• National Infrastructure Modernisation Fund

Download Issue 3 Newsletter - Word (235k) or Acrobat (75k) formats

Profiling the VCS (Oct 2005)

Area Profiles is a pioneering Audit Commission project to test the feasibility of producing profiles of the quality of life and public services in a local area. The tools being developed will help users bring together data, information and assessments about the quality of life and services to synthesise a comprehensive picture.

The Government’s emphasis on localism, citizen outcomes, community engagement and the role of the VCS has highlighted the need for the sector and their Local Strategic Partnership partners - particularly local authorities - to develop a systematic understanding of the voluntary and community organisations in their area, in terms of their objectives, activities and potential.

This may be of interest to those delivering ICT work for ChangeUp as it is seeking to promote a common database mapping VCS organisations.

Area Profiles - Profiling the VCS (Oct 2005) 386k 

Window-3 Indicative Funding Decisions (Oct 2005)

The indicative list of organisations which the decision making meeting voted to support is given below. Final settlements will be agreed with each individual project, as in some cases the decision-making group questioned the amount requested. Formal offer letters will be sent out as soon as fund management mechanisms are agreed (see next item).

Window-3 Indicative Funding Decisions 38

The Transitional Fund (Oct 2005)

As many stakeholders are aware, we have been given the go ahead to commit £658,700 of Capacitybuilders' budget for the region next year to consortium support and development from April 06 to March 07 and to sustain some of our existing projects until CapacityBuilders is in a position to consider further investments. There is Home Office guidance for use of this money. The use of this money within the East Midlands will ultimately be decided by a sector-owned decision-making body, informed by the following two pieces of work:-

Programme Evaluation

GOEM advertised the opportunity for an organisation to undertake scrutiny of the programme over the summer and six submissions were received, all from organisations involved in the programme in some way. These were considered by a panel drawn from the VCS, with a particular focus being given to how potential conflicts of interest could be managed. This panel struggled to reach concensus about which bidders should be taken forward to further discussions about undertaking the work. However, ultimately the majority recommendation was that GOEM should explore one of these proposals further. Following further discussions with the bidding organisation a contract is being finalised for the work to report in mid December.

Consortium Development Toolkit

Defra has funded the development of a self-assessment toolkit, which gives consortia the opportunity to consider their achievements to date and examine what they might need next in terms of support and development. Defra is offering us a training day for consortium leads to explore the potential use of the toolkit and it's relevance for their consortium. Suggested dates for this to happen are November 15th, 17th or 22nd. Please could consortium leads let Philippa know their availability for these dates asap so we can finalise arrangements.

ChangeUp Continued Funding and Structure 2006/7 (Oct 2005)

The £7m ChangeUp continuation fund aims to “maintain momentum” of local and regional work in 2006/07 - equivalent to 30% of the funding allocated for such work during that year. The Active Community Unit of the Home Office have now issued guidelines for the continuation fund with details of:

• Aims, Outcomes, Objectives
• Budget Allocations for each region
• The allocation of budgets within each region
• Time scales
• Regional delivery systems
• Resources and programme administration
• Grants
• Cross programme criteria, eligibility and project criteria

ChangeUp Infrastructure Investment Programme Continuation Fund 2006/2007 - Guidance for Government Offices 123k 
Continuation Fund - Outline of Guidance Relevant to East Midlands 127k 

Previously, as part of a consultation, the Home Office produced a paper covering the development of Capacity Builders; decisions and feedback on ChangeUp to date; questions on continuation funding for 2006/07; and questions on local and regional structures in 2006/7. This was followed by a summary of responses:

ChangeUp Local and Regional Activity 2006/2007 (Aug 2005) 90k 
Changeup Continuation Fund and Structure of Capacity Builders (Aug 2005) 127k - 2-page summary of above document.
Summary of Responses to paper on ChangeUp Local and Regional activity 2006/2007 (Sep 2005) 76k 

Connecting Communities Plus 2006-09 (Oct 2005)

Connecting Communities Plus is a new grants programme which will provide funding for race equality and community cohesion projects.

The Fund was launched on 19 October 2005. It follows the existing  Connecting Communities grant programme which comes to an end in March 2006, but its purpose is to support the cross-government strategy ‘Improving Opportunity and Strengthening Society’ published in January 2005. Total funding for grants to be distributed between April 2006 and March 2009 will be up to £18 million and all funding must be spent by 31 March 2009.

There are three levels of grant:

• Strategic grants for national level organisations working across the English regions - up to £150,000 per annum for 3 years.
• Project Grants for organisations based in at least one of the English regions - between £12,000 and £100,000 per annum, although grants of less than £70,000 per annum are more likely to be awarded.
• Community Grants for local groups - usually up to £6,000 per organisation.

The guidance below only covers Strategic and Project Grants.  Further details and guidance on Community Grants will be available in the New Year.

Connecting Communities Plus 2006-09 - Guidance Notes (Oct 2005) 190k 

Faith Communities Capacity Building Fund (Oct 2005)

The Faith Communities Capacity Building Fund is a new fund which opened on 23 September 2005. The fund was announced in the Home Office's 'Improving Opportunity and Strengthening Society' strategy in January 2005 and is sponsored by the Cohesion and Faiths Unit (CFU) of the Home Office.

The fund is for faith and interfaith groups and organisations in England and Wales, particularly those in the most disadvantaged areas and with the most diverse minority populations. It will support capacity building and interfaith activity to increase community cohesion in wider society. The Community Development Foundation will administer the fund. Closing date for applications is 2nd December 2005.

Funding for Charities Helping Children and Families (Oct 2005)

A new streamlined funding programme that brings together five former grant schemes for voluntary organisations working with children, young people and families has been launched by the Department for Education and Skills.

The Children, Young People and Families Grant Programme is a national strategic fund available to charities and voluntary organisations whose work supports the Government's Every Child Matters: Change for Children programme and who are set up and run on similar lines to a charity .

The new grant programme brings together the Children and Young People's Consultation Fund, the National Voluntary Youth Organisations Grant Scheme, Safeguarding Children and Supporting Families grants, the Strengthening Families Grant and the Sure Start VCS grant.

The first funding round will provide around £20 million. Grants will be awarded for strategic activities and projects. Strategic grants will support organisations that make a significant contribution to achieving the grant programme's aims.  The activity for which strategic funding is sought must have national significance in improving outcomes for children, young people or families. Project grants will support innovative approaches to service delivery that have national significance because they can be replicated or scaled up for delivery in a greater number of locations and because the learning from them will be disseminated. 

Guidance for eligible bodies, FAQs and downloadable application forms are on the Every Child Matters website everychildmatters.gov.uk .

Applications for the first round funding must be submitted by  noon on 11 November 2005 . Decisions will be made by the end of January 2006.

For further information email: cypfgrant.programme@dfes.gsi.gov.uk .

Fund Management Mechanisms (Oct 2005)

In recognition of the extreme cashflow problems which delays in payments are causing, GOEM has entered in to negotiations for a third sector organisation to become the fund holder for the programme. This would mean that the contracts for all projects funded during windows 1 and 2 would transfer to this organisation to make future payments, whilst contracts for window 3 projects would be issued from this organisation from the outset.

GOEM hopes that transfering fund management in this way will make a significant difference to the ability of many organisations to deliver ChangeUp projects effectively within the region. The organisation would also take responsibility for monitoring the progress of projects and discussing this with consortia and GOEM. As soon as a mutually satisfactory contract has been agreed GOEM will update project and consortia leads on the changes and any impacts they may have.

Joining Up ChangeUp Event (Sep 2005)

The Home Office organised a Joining Up ChangeUp event on 21 September. Participants included the Home Office, national hubs, Government Offices, regional VCS networks, and people from individual consortia.  Copies of the presentations with summaries are available below.  Subjects discussed included:

Joining up local work with the national hubs

Making the Links: National hub themes and regional/sub-regional infrastructure investment plans 42k  - NACVS mapping of IIPs, including a summary of issues from the research that NACVS did of IIPs nationally. 

Making the Links: 250k - A full copy of the research from the NACVS site.

"Joining up" at national level, the Opportunities and Challenges 39k - presentation from the Governance hub, covering areas such as a joint helpline, hubs launch, recruitment, branding, mapping activities, glossary and research.

There was a feeling that hubs needed to work closely together, as many areas of their work are interlinked. Some of this is already taking place but it is apparent that there needs to be further thought. There was also a lively discussion about the funding split between national and local.

Performance Improvement

PERFORM: Planning and Assessing Outcomes for Infrastructure 311k - information about the development of a tool to help infrastructure assess outcomes. This is currently in pilot stage, and is being developed by consultancy COGS. They are holding an event about this in Birmingham on 8 December (see flyer). If you want to continue to be informed about developments, email mail@cogs.solis.co.uk

Home Office Update

ChangeUp Local/ Regional Continuation Fund 06/07 55k - this is a summary of intentions around the Home Office Continuation Fund for 2006/7. The Home Office is intending to send guidance on the Continuation Fund to Government Offices on 30 September. See the original consultation paper and a summary of responses. We will publish a summary of the guidance to Government Offices as soon as we have it.

ChangeUp & Capacity Builders Update 48k - this is a summary of ChangeUp progress so far, and also sets out future timescales for decision-making around the continuation fund and Capacity Builders.

There were mixed views about the continuation fund.  Some people expressed the view that although it was important to maintain consortia, making short-term funding also available for projects was detracting from consortia being able to take a long-term strategic view. Points were also made about the need for the Home Office and Capacity Builders staff to visit the regions and to find out what we were doing and what had worked well and what hadn't in order to make informed decisions about Capacity Builders.

Changes to Window-Three Funding Processes (Sep 2005)

The Home Office has secured permission for the East Midlands to convert up to £600,000 of our capital funding to revenue. As a concession to the Treasury to secure the above, the Home Office will review all regional funding allocations based on reports due in on 14th October. Unless regions can demonstrate that money has been fully committed and will realistically be fully spent by grant recipients before the end of June 06, the Home Office may well have to claw back uncommitted regional allocations.

The third funding window opened on Monday 5th September as originally intended. However to fit in with Home Office timescales this window should close on Wednesday 5th October. There is no ring-fencing for this window, but GOEM has indicated some priorities set out in a letter, which also contains detail of the processes:

Proposed Window-3 Priorities and Processes 87k 

GOEM are still intending to develop the use of the remaining capital allocation to purchase a fund that could make capital grants and revenue loans in parallel to running the funding window, thus keeping options open for how the sector uses the remaining ChangeUp allocation.

ChangeUp Local and Regional Activity 2006/2007 (Aug 2005)

A Home Office consultation paper is available covering the development of Capacity Builders; decisions and feedback on ChangeUp to date; questions on continuation funding for 2006/07; and questions on local and regional structures in 2006/7. Responses are requested by 2 September.

If anyone is making a response to this working paper, please copy in East Midlands ChangeUp Programme Support - Becky Nixon - BNixon@engage-em.org.uk .

ChangeUp Local and Regional Activity 2006/2007 90k 
Changeup Continuation Fund and Structure of Capacity Builders 127k 
- 2-page summary of above document.

Capacity Builders Stakeholder Conversation (Jul 2005)

A report is available of the feedback and ideas generated at the stakeholder conversation on Capacity Builders held on Thursday 16th June 2005. Together with the individual feedback from participants, the report will inform recommendations to ministers over the summer, and then to the Capacity Builders board. The more detailed evaluative feedback on the event will also help to inform the organisation of future events by the ACU.
Capacity Builders Stakeholder Conversation Report (Jun 2005) 120k

Capacity Builders Local Impact Paper (Jun 2005) 83k 
- this exploratory paper from the ACU tests out potential delivery mechanisms for Capacity Builders. It incorporates feedback from a range of stakeholders, including the event on 16th June, to move towards some practical options as to how Capacity Builders might work.

ChangeUp National Hubs (Jul 2005)

The ChangeUp national hubs of expertise have now been agreed by Home Office ministers. Further detials and links to their websites can be found on the National Hubs page.

Performance Improvement Hub

Led by Charities Evaluation Service (CES) and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), the National Performance Improvement Hub is a strong partnership of leading infrastructure organisations that have united to lead a step change in the sector's performance improvement skills.

To receive full information about the hubs' services, please fill in and return the response form on page 3 of the Business Plan Summary or go to the ‘join us' section of the hub's interim website performance-improvement.org.uk.

Performance Improvement Hub Business Plan Summary (Jul 2005) 251k

Governance Hub

The newly established Governance Hub, formed by a group of leading infrastructure bodies and funded by the Home Office ChangeUp initiative, will be commissioning a number of pieces of work over the coming months. These include the following:
A baseline study of trusteeship in England and an associated evaluation process
A website including a trustee recruitment portal
Various printed and electronic materials providing advice on governance

ACU ChangeUp Quarterly Newsletter - Issue 2 (Jul 2005)

Update from the Home Office Active Community Unit (ACU) on progress, events and best practice in the national ChangeUp programme:

• Capacity Builders: a stakeholder conversation
• Capacity Builders Update
• Governance Hub gets the go-ahead
• ChangeUp in Greater Manchester
• Department of Health - Consistency Project
• Local networking? Yes please!
• PERFORM - an outcomes-focused performance improvement framework for VCS infrastructural organisations

Download Issue 2 Newsletter - Word (76k) or Acrobat (52k) formats

Consortium Progress Reports (Jul 2005)

Updates on recent developments in the East Midlands Consortia through ChangeUp:

Derbyshire July 2005 Update 38k - What’s happening?; Year of the Volunteer roadshows; Consortium co-ordination; Other projects; Project proofing; ChangeUp applications made in Window-2; Support from partners; Future plans.

Lincolnshire July 2005 Update 46k - Current themes; Future themes; Improving the process.

Rutland July 2005 Update 68k - Community Projects Team.

Capacity Builders Stakeholder Conversation (Jul 2005)

A report is now available of the feedback and ideas generated at the stakeholder conversation on Capacity Builders held on Thursday 16th June 2005. Together with the individual feedback from participants, the report will inform recommendations to ministers over the summer, and then to the Capacity Builders board. The more detailed evaluative feedback on the event will also help to inform the organisation of future events by the ACU.
Capacity Builders Stakeholder Conversation Report (Jun 2005) 120k

Capacity Builders Local Impact Paper (Jun 2005) 83k 
This exploratory paper from the ACU tests out potential delivery mechanisms for Capacity Builders. It incorporates feedback from a range of stakeholders, including the event on 16th June, to move towards some practical options as to how Capacity Builders might work. It would be useful to have the views of VCS colleagues and participants in the EM ChangeUp programme to feed into the discussion. If people have anything to contribute to a regional response from GOEM, please could they email their comments to Philippa Morley.

ChangeUp National Performance Improvement Hub (Jul 2005)

Led by Charities Evaluation Service (CES) and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), the National Performance Improvement Hub is a strong partnership of leading infrastructure organisations that have united to lead a step change in the sector's performance improvement skills.

To receive full information about the hubs’ services, please fill in and return the response form on page 3 of the Business Plan Summary or go to the ‘join us’ section of the hub’s interim website performance-improvement.org.uk.
Performance Improvement Hub Business Plan Summary (Jul 2005) 251k

Funded by a Home Office grant of £2.5m until March 2007 and with an ambitious business plan in place, the Hub now needs to appoint the team to deliver it:
Chair of the Hub Partnership (£10,000 pa - approx 2 days/month);
Performance Improvement Hub Co-ordinator (£39-42k - CES, London EC1);
Performance Improvement Consultant (£30-£32k - CES, London EC1);
Executive Officer (£25-27k CES, London EC1);
Development and Policy Officer (£26.5-28k - NCVO, London N1);
Communications Officer (£26.5-28 - NCVO, London N1);
Performance Improvement Support Officer (£24.7-£28k - NACVS, Sheffield).

Closing date for applications is 8 Aug 2005. See job advert.

ChangeUp Governance Hub (Jul 2005)

The newly established Governance Hub, formed by a group of leading infrastructure bodies and funded by the Home Office ChangeUp initiative, will be commissioning a number of pieces of work over the coming months. These include the following:
A baseline study of trusteeship in England and an associated evaluation process
A website including a trustee recruitment portal
Various printed and electronic materials providing advice on governance

The Governance Hub are looking for expressions of interest in this work, by 8th August 2005 - more