1. Sheila Battersby- Policy Manager (NW) Office for Civil Society Greater Manchester BME Network Event 14 June 2012 Building a Bigger and Stronger Society

2. “We believe that the country will be stronger if we as citizens have more power and responsibility to improve our own lives, the communities we share and the public services we use.... To encourage more people to get involved and work together to improve their communities.... The opportunity to influence the world around you, to feel connected, to be able to make a contribution, and to trust those around you – these are some of the most important contributors to our well-being... This is about building on the large amount of inspiring work already done by the Civil Society and communities across Britain and doing more to recognise the value of that work and encouraging and enabling more to happen.” Letter to VCSE sector from Nick Hurd, Minister for Civil Society, October 2011 “We believe that the country will be stronger if we as citizens have more power and responsibility to improve our own lives, the communities we share and the public services we use.... To encourage more people to get involved and work together to improve their communities.... The opportunity to influence the world around you, to feel connected, to be able to make a contribution, and to trust those around you – these are some of the most important contributors to our well-being... This is about building on the large amount of inspiring work already done by the Civil Society and communities across Britain and doing more to recognise the value of that work and encouraging and enabling more to happen.” Letter to VCSE sector from Nick Hurd, Minister for Civil Society, October 2011 To build a bigger and stronger society

3. The Strategic Framework A whole approach to government with 3 core strands: Promoting Social Action Encouraging and enabling people to play a more active part in society Opening up Public Services Enabling charities, social enterprises, private companies and employee-owned co- operatives to compete to offer people high quality services Empowering Communities Transferring power – giving local councils and neighbourhoods more power to take decisions and shape their area

4. Social Action National policies and programmes............. Opening Public Services Social Action: Giving White Paper National Citizens Service Community Organisers & Community First Every Business Counts Social Action Fund Big Society Awards Opening Public Services: Open Public Services 2012 Free Schools DWP Work Programme Right to Request / Right to Provide Mutual Pathfinders Community Budgets Empowering Communities: Localism Act General Power of Competence Community Rights to Challenge & to Bid Transparency Agenda Supporting the VCSE Sector: Transition Fund Big Society Capital Transforming Local Infrastructure Fund Red Tape Task Force National Survey of Charities & SE Review of CRB Review of Charity Act

5. National Citizen Service The Government’s long-term ambition is to make NCS a universal programme that it is available to all 16 and 17 -year-olds and becomes a rite of passage. 8000 young people participated in 2011 30,000 places available in 2012 (over 4,000 NW) 90,000 places in 2014 Taking part in NCS gives young people the chance to learn new skills, develop confidence and leadership and learn about teamwork  meet new people from all walks of life  make a real difference to their community, or an issue they care about.

6. Community Organisers Aiming for 500 full time organisers and 4,500 volunteer organisers. Five teams established in NW. Programme delivered by Locality via a wide range of host organisations Organisers listen to people and encourage dialogue. They do not bring any message or seek any specific outcome. Consciousness-raising rather than capacity-building. Find the ‘generative themes’ that motivate people to act. Change ‘the bad scene’ into a specific set of issues that people can take action around. Actions may aim to change the powerful or to create a DIY response, or both. UNCLASSIFIED

7. Community First Helps communities come together to identify local priorities, plan and become more resilient focussed on areas with significant deprivation and low social capital £30m Neighbourhood Matched Fund Programme to provide financial support for community-led projects, www.cdf.org.uk Funds to 600+ wards across the country Each ward has a Community First Panel involving residents Also £50m Endowment Match Challenge available throughout England to build local endowments. These endowments should create a sustainable source of grants – www.communityfoundations.org.ukwww.communityfoundations.org.uk

8. Open Public Services 5 key principles: Power should be decentralised to the lowest possible level Increase choice by giving people direct control over services Public services should be open to a range of providers competing to offer a better service The State’s role is to deliver fair access, fair funding & fair competition Public services should be accountable to users and taxpayers

9. Growing the Social Investment Market The government’s ambition is for social investment to become a third pillar of finance for the social sector, alongside traditional philanthropy and government grants Big Society Capital launched in April 2012 Social Impact Bonds – payment by results Investment and Contract Readiness Fund - £10 million for social ventures Impact measurement Review of tax relief

10. Localism Act – main points Powers to communities Powers to councils Right to Challenge Neighbourhood Planning Right to bid (assets of community value) Freedoms on governance Freedom on social tenancy allocations General Power of competence Power to individuals Power to veto excessive council tax rises Directly elected mayors in big cities

11. How can we work together? Community led initiatives where local people have come together to support each other or get something changed New partnership working to meet community need – public sector / business / civil society / community Innovation in public service delivery Business contributing to the community in new and interesting ways Improved democratic participation and accountability Examples of generosity to support community We want to understand the impact of new policies and we want to hear about examples of:

12. Local Intelligence Team, Office of the Civil Society, Cabinet Office Sheila Battersby Policy Manager, Local Intelligence Team Office for Civil Society, Cabinet Office 7 th Floor, Arndale Tower, Arndale Centre, Manchester M4 3AQ sheila.battersby@cabinet-office.gsi.gov.uk 07900 165088 For more information: www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk www.communities.gov.uk www.number10.gov.uk/take-part/