Review

Our original strategy focussed on an initial two-year period (from My 2021 to May 2023) on the basis that in Northamptonshire, Unitary Transformation had only just begun in earnest. Little did we know at that stage the implications of a new Integrated Care System (Or ICS) which has added a further even more complex transformation piece across the County. Much of what we originally wrote still stands. The situation in relation to the VCSE in general is challenging, exacerbated by COVID of and now a Cost-of-Living crisis against which many VCSE organisations will have to adapt, develop, or alter even more to survive and thrive.

VIN will continue to do what it can to support the smaller VCSE organisations of which there are many. How we do this will be subject to constant review and moderation, based upon our income streams. We will also do as much as we can to advance the cause of the VCSE within the ICS, and ensure that engagement with communities is engagement as opposed to the presentation of already agreed policies and approaches.

We have therefore tweaked our strategy very slightly, and looked towards a further 12 months where hopefully the ICS will have consolidated an approach through the Well Being Forums and the many Local Area Partnerships.

We will also continue to attempt to diversify our income portfolio, which is always easier said than done. In Infrastructure, we do not have the luxury of a myriad number of front facing projects which appeal to a wide donor base, but we do have some, and we will look to extract the maximum efficiency from these. We will also seek a West Northamptonshire Infrastructure Contract, which has been sadly missing since 2017.

I hope you enjoy revisiting our strategy.