A View From The Turret On Sustainability

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The New Normal in Sustainability.

I tend to read a lot. Being a CEO it’s hard not to notice some of the content which arrives at your Inbox.

There have been copious amounts recently about Charity Sustainability and what’s called the New Normal.

I like IVARS definition the best which is: A complex mix of surviving cuts and finding new sources of funding. If ever there was an understatement I think that’s it.

In 25 years of working in the Charity Sector I have never seen an environment quite so tough and challenging. A few years ago, a CEO with any form of game plan could hope to bring a Charity into Sustainability within 2-3 years. My own personal view now is that the time period has been extended to 4-8, such is the upheaval not only within Local Authority Finances but with our UK wide Economy.

And unfortunately, there is no one thing or no one person that can bring about Sustainability (unless you have a multimillion-pound donor in your back pocket).

But here are some threads to think about:

  • Compile, Establish and Promote your Strategic Plan. If you haven’t got one then you need one.
  • Position and Influence Map – Work out who your key Stakeholders and Partners are or could be.
  • Demonstrate and Evidence Impact and Expertise. If you don’t know how to do this contact VIN and we can try and assist. It’s not easy but keep it simple and offer something.
  • Diversify the Income Portfolio – Easier said than done but look to nontraditional partners and new influencers as part of your organisational Effective Risk Management.
  • Identify Opportunities – Health Inequalities/ICS/Place/Poverty/CYP – There’s lots on offer but you might need to look at your original constitution and see if its still relevant for today’s world.
  • Stretch the Brand and Project Reach – The More for More Approach. Can you be more, or do more, and how?
  • Demonstrate Excellent Cost Control – Don’t be Part of the 38% (apparently it’s been identified that 38% of Charities do not have a granular understanding of their Finances).
  • Reduce the Cost of Provision – A Positive approach to Good Housekeeping. Its not a negative, it’s a way of thinking effectively about how you run your business.
  • Be true to your Mission, Vision, and Beneficiaries – The Culture War. Don’t Mission Drift and Chase Cash – it’s a recipe for disaster.
  • Lead pragmatically to intuit the Landscape – Dare to Dream. Think about what good looks like and chase it.

Another definition of Sustainability is Perseverance, and we are all going to need bucketloads of this over the next 2 years. VIN is here to help smaller community-based organisations grapple with some of these issues. Remember, you are not alone. If it keeps you awake at night, it will be keeping someone else awake too…..

Re-Imagining Planned Care together

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Northamptonshire NHSs are seeking VCSE assistance to help, support and improve Outpatient Care across the County.

They are already working together as a Health and Care Partnership System with patients, carers, and our local communities, but they now want to promote a series of small workshops where the views of VCSE Representatives and their Beneficiaries can be heard,

Why are they doing this?

They know that despite the innovations they have implemented and the re-design of some of the services they provide there continues to be several challenges.

  • People wait longer than they should.
  • That care is not always delivered locally or conveniently.
  • There is limited coordination of care for a person, which results in multiple appointments that patients may struggle to make and is made more complicated when more than one service is involved.
  • People being bounced between GPs and hospitals leading to confusion and needs not being met or delayed.
  • There are inequalities in accessing support and health outcomes from different communities and individuals where the way they offer care does not work for them.

How can the VCSE be involved?

The next step for THEM is to complete a series of co-design workshops. These workshops will focus on “Access,” “Assessment,” “Treatment” and “Discharge from treatment/services/care and will be attended by patients, carers, staff, and other sectors working to provide services.

The workshops will take place over 8 non-consecutive days (2 days per pathway section) during May and June, with dates and venues to be confirmed. We want to hear from the many different perspectives of our local communities as your views will help to inform and shape the design of future planned care services so that they will work for you, your families, and your friends.

Your insights, views, and expertise are invaluable. You can participate as much or as little as you are comfortable with.

Opportunities include: –

  • You can join a briefing group: This is an open virtual forum via Microsoft TEAMS that will be brought together as and when needed. In this group, you will be able to share your views and see the design ideas that are coming out of the workshops.
  • You can act as an ambassador for the programme: you will be provided with briefings to share with your own communities and networks.
  • You can express an interest in joining the co-design workshops and provide ideas and help design the blueprint itself. (Spaces may be limited due to room capacity).
  • Or you may have a particular skill that you could offer to the team. For example – helping us to develop the materials for the workshops.

If you would like to be involved or require any further information, please email  Jayne Chambers (jaynechambers@nhs.net) or Cath Chisholm (cath.chisholm@nhs.net)

There is also a possibility that the VCSE could host 2 or 3 of these workshops. If this is of interest please contact russell.rolph@voluntaryimpact.org.uk

Northampton West Local Area Partnership Engagement Day

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In collaboration with Community Spaces, the Northampton West Local Area Partnership will be hosting a Community Safety and Engagement Day on Saturday 27th April 2024 @St Crispin’s Community Centre.

The Local Area Partnership Lead Michelle Grimwood is looking for 5 or 6 VCSE organisations to take part with community stalls or outside activities.

This is a perfect opportunity to showcase your work and allow members of the public to understand the work you do and why it’s important.

The event is taking place between 11am and 3pm.

If you would like to reserve a community stall or provide an activity on the day (such as Yoga or Thai Chi for example) then please contact: Michelle.Grimwood@westnorthants.gov.uk

Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce offer 30 free Memberships.

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The Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce are offering 30 Free Memberships for a 12-month period to any community organisation within Northamptonshire that might be interested.

Organisations can register their interest here:

Community Funded Memberships | Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce (northants-chamber.co.uk)

Please note that organisations that have been Chamber Members for the past 2 years will not be eligible.

Successful organisations will be contacted directly by Chamber representatives.