Skilled Representation and Stronger Voices

Skilling Up for Stronger Voices published by NAVCA reports on two research projects highlighting the role that representatives play in LSPs (Local Strategic Partnerships) and the skills and abilities they need and use.

The document reports on the roles that representatives have in LSPs the range of key tasks that they carry out the types of skills and abilities they are using. It is hoped the material will be useful in supporting representatives and the organisations working with them

The research has produced an outline of the range of roles and duties being carried out by third sector representatives and proposes a framework that describes the skills and abilities they are using. The material may also be of interest to representatives on LSPs from other sectors.

The document is embedded here as a Scribd publication:

View this document on Scribd

New policy document on stimulating the Third Sector expected – David Blunkett MP podcast.

David Blunkett MP was recently interviewed at NAVCA by Kevin Curley, Chief Executive. That interview is available as a podcast (click the NAVCA image where it can be played from within the NAVCA website or downloaded).

David Blunkett MP is the man tasked by Gordon Brown to draft Labour’s election manifesto policies for the third sector. A policy document on stimulating the third sector is expected to be released before Christmas.

In the podcast David Blunkett talks about some of the biggest issues facing local third sector groups, including;

* The role of local third sector groups in the current economic downturn
* How commissioning can be improved
* The role of grants to support the third sector.

Recipes for community representation – what ingredients do you need

27 January, BVSC, Birmingham.  Special events to discuss:

Click for details.

Urban Forum is collaborating with NAVCA to run a series of events to help voluntary and community groups to increase the effectiveness of community representation in their area.

The objectives of the events are for participants to gain an increased understanding of:

• The ingredients for effective community representation
• Different ways of organising community representation
• Ways forward to improve community representation in their area

ICT Innovation in the Community

Are you involved in community development, or do you work with organisations that are ?

Visit ICT pages for news of exciting FREE event in London.

Standards for Campaigners and Development Work

New Standards for campaigners and development workers

The UK Workforce Hub is currently developing new standards in two specific voluntary and community sector occupations:

• Campaigning
• Development Workers (those that give advice and support to organisations).

The development worker standards build on the work already carried out by NAVCA’s SKiLD project. To view their Development Worker Competency Framework please visit: www.skildframework.org.uk.

A consultation process for these standards will begin in December this year, if you are keen to come along to one of the UK events or wish to be kept informed about the online consultation, please visit the consultation page.

Recession affecting your local area?

Due to the current and developing economic recession NAVCA (National Association for Voluntary and Community Action) would like local infrastructure organisations to inform them how these issues are impacting on local areas, in particular whether organisations are concerned about loss of deposited funds or how they are coping with increased pressure for their services.

See Latest NAVCA news and updates – Current economic circumstances and your local area

You can email NAVCA Chief Executive Kevin Curley directly with your updates on the impacts of the recession on our area.  You might also wish to share your news by commenting on this website. Click comments/leave a comment below.

NAVCA – New Media makes National Conference even more accessible!

NAVCA (National Association for Voluntary and Community Action) have attempted to use new media to bring their recent National Conference to life for those members unable to attend.

Even if you did attend, you can re-visit your best bits!  Have a look at the conference page and links on the NAVCA website:

Interview – How Futurebuilders might help you? « ICT & Communication

Interview – How Futurebuilders might help you? « ICT & Communication.

How Your Council Works – Community Guide

Available from Urban Forum Website

How Your Council Works: A Handy Guide for Community Groups has been produced by a collection of partners (Urban Forum, NAVCA, IDeA and The National Empowerment Partnership) to explain the workings and typical structures of local authorities.

The document was referred to in the recently published Communities in Control. It gives the legal lowdown on what councils must do in order to engage with communities and the general public.

The document, perhaps controversially to some, re-enforces a local council’s leading role in its Local Strategic Partnership.

“While it is for the partners as a whole to decide how the
LSP should be run, the Government believes that local
councils should take a leading role. This is because they
represent, through the local councillors, democratic
accountability to local people. There are also a number of
specific legal roles that councils and elected members play
that make this LSP leadership role important”

Community Leadership, Page 17.

Click the image to take you to the Urban Forum website where you can download or order the document.

Local Commissioning and Procurement Unit

NAVCA’s new Local Commissioning and Procurement Unit (LCPU) is now fully staffed.  It has been established in response to the growing importance and interest in commissioning and procurement.  The Unit will be delivering a four-year programme funded by the Big Lottery Fund to provide support and guidance to local infrastructure organisations (LIOs) on commissioning and procurement.

The Unit is currently mapping activity and resources in this area and just some of the plans for the first year include establishing a network of procurement specialists, launching an enquiry service, setting up an email network and providing useful guidance to LIOs on relevant legislation.

Skilling up for LSPs

Research on leadership skills for effective strategic representation

This report published last year by NAVCA (National Association of Voluntary and Community Action) set out to identify the list of competencies that are needed to effectively undertake the strategic partnership / representation role on the executive boards of LSPs.

Executive boards of LSPs present third sector strategic representatives with both challenges and opportunities.

Representatives are under pressure to perform well and are subject to many demands – from their ‘constituents’ who want to know what’s happening, to other partners who want valuable input from the sector.

However, nationally there is very little support on offer for these representatives and very few skills development opportunities.

The findings of the research revealed that representatives are likely to undertake the following tasks:

1. Building relationships within the partnership
2. Developing a view
3. Standing up for the sector whilst maintaining      good relationships
4. Influencing decisions
5. Arguing your case
6. Feeding back information to groups
7. Reading papers and analysing complex
documents
8. Bridging differences in cultures between
communities and organisations
9. Enabling and facilitating others to be involved
in the process
10. Promoting the LSP and being accountable
for collective decisions
11. Influencing the agenda
12. Making decisions about funding and
resources
13. Reflecting on your ways of doing things
14. Collecting information on needs
15. Taking part in negotiations (contract or
otherwise)
16. Writing and presenting information and
reports
17. Resolving conflict

Building on this task list the research went on to identify 12 key competencies:

1. Partnership working
2. Representing
3. Negotiation
4. Mediation
5. Political skills
6. Communicating
7. Using values
8. Being strategic
9. Assertiveness
10. Self awareness
11. Problem solving
12. Accessing and using knowledge

The interviews carried out for this research showed that 55% of all representatives who responded had not received any support, learning opportunities or induction to directly address the skills and abilities they needed.

The report concludes by highlighting the potential there is to use the competency list for designing a new learning programme that can be geared towards improving effective representation.

Copies of the report are available free from NAVCA or SURF can copy the Executive Summary of the document for those not online – copying charge applies (0.32p).