VANL Third Sector in North Lanarkshire Community Planning Improvement Programme A focus on developing processes and structures to better connect the voluntary sector with Community Planning in North Lanarkshire Craig Russell Voluntary Action North Lanarkshire

Community Planning… Key agencies and partners working together with communities to develop stronger, more cohesive, thriving communities Provision of Low Cost Social Services North Lanarkshire Council NHS Lanarkshire Provision of Low Cost Social Services Scottish Enterprise Provision of Low Cost Social Services NHS Lanarkshire Provision of Low Cost Social Services Voluntary Sector Provision of Low Cost Social Services North Lanarkshire Council NHS Lanarkshire Scottish Government Police Scotland Scottish Fire and Rescue Department for Work and Pensions Jobcentre Plus New College Lanarkshire Skills Development Scotland SPT (Strathclyde Partnership for Transport) Scottish Prison Service North Lanarkshire Partnership Trigger Point Local authorities tasked with initiating, facilitating & maintaining CPP’s through Local Government in Scotland Act 2003

Community Plan Vision for 2022 North Lanarkshire Community Plan and Single Outcome Agreement has a vision that by 2022 North Lanarkshire will be a place where people:  Want to live and live well as a result of the improvements the Plan has made to health, reducing inequalities, housing, and opportunities  Choose to do business because strong support for business is available, transport networks are good, and a quality workforce is available  Participate in learning at all ages and of life to achieve their full potential  Have a fair chance in life where factors which limit people’s opportunities and prospects are overcome  Our children and young people are safe, nurtured, healthy, achieving, active, respected, responsible and included “There’s no point because the voluntary sector is never viewed as an equal partner in these things” “It’s a good idea in theory but our organisation is too busy to get involved” “Is this the Council getting the voluntary sector to do their job for them?” “If we’re not funded as a sector to do it, then we shouldn’t be doing it” “It’s hard to see what Community Planning can achieve” Did you think any of these things?!

First Thoughts and Concerns… “I’m only a volunteer, I don’t know anything about Community Planning or have anything to contribute” “There’s no point because the voluntary sector is never viewed as an equal partner in these things” “It’s a good idea in theory but our organisation is too busy to get involved” “Is this the Council getting the voluntary sector to do their job for them?” “If we’re not funded as a sector to do it, then we shouldn’t be doing it” “It’s hard to see what Community Planning can achieve” Did you think any of these things?!

Taking everything into consideration … Is it really all that important that the voluntary sector engages in Community Planning? It’s important and it will become even more important for the voluntary sector to be engaged in future years Let’s explore why…

Why Is It Important For The Sector? Voluntary sector organisations and volunteers can significantly benefit in many ways from being actively linked to Community Planning… VOLUNTEERS More opportunities for volunteering through public sector agencies REPRESENTATION Representation of voluntary sector at key strategic groups INFLUENCE The voluntary sector can influence future policy and strategy ECONOMY Key partners will learn how financially valuable the sector is CO-PRODUCTION Other sectors can co- produce activity with the voluntary sector INCLUSION Preventing the voluntary sector from working in isolation RECOGNITION Partners will recognise the contribution made by the voluntary sector SUSTAINABILITY Voluntary sector is more stable supported by a range of partners STRATEGY Important objective of NL Voluntary Sector Strategy PLANNING Key link to Community Plan and Single Outcome Agreement FUNDING Increased funding openings for voluntary sector organisations COLLABORATION Partnership working benefits organisations and individuals ACCESS Access to key decision makers and partnership groups EDUCATION Partners become more aware of the impact of the voluntary sector KNOWLEDGE Greater information of external community activity acquired SERVICES Organisations will be better equipped to deliver quality services

The Journey So Far… Over the past decade, the local voluntary sector has made exponential progress in linking to North Lanarkshire Partnership and the Community Planning agenda…  as a result of the improvements the Plan has made to health, reducing inequalities, housing and opportunities  Choose to do business because strong support for business is available, transport networks are good and a quality workforce is available  Participate in learning at all ages and of life to achieve their full potential  Have a fair chance in life where factors which limit people’s opportunities and prospects are overcome  Our children and young people are safe, nurtured, healthy, achieving, active, respected, responsible and included “There’s no point because the voluntary sector is never viewed as an equal partner in these things” “It’s a good idea in theory but our organisation is too busy to get involved” “Is this the Council getting the voluntary sector to do their job for them?” “If we’re not funded as a sector to do it, then we shouldn’t be doing it” “It’s hard to see what Community Planning can achieve” Did you think any of these things?! 2004 A first NL Voluntary Sector Strategy outlines a desire for the voluntary sector to be actively engaged in Community Planning 2003 A firm and robust North Lanarkshire Partnership is established in response to Scottish Government legislation 2008 Locality and Thematic Networks for voluntary sector in NL are introduced as part of SVA Pathfinder Programme NL Voluntary Sector Partnership Group is established and two Third Sector Representatives are appointed to NLP Board 2010 Voluntary Action North Lanarkshire is established is the new Third Sector Interface in the local area, bringing together CVS and VC services 2013 New Third Sector Representative roles are created and appointed to Local Area Partnerships in North Lanarkshire 2013 NL Voluntary Sector Strategy is launched, identifying a clear vision for active voluntary sector participation in Community Planning 2014 Local Third Sector Community Planning Improvement Programme is formed as part of national improvement activity

CPI Programme: An Overview  Scottish Government Third Sector Unit have funded a national Third Sector Community Planning Improvement Programme for  Voluntary Action Scotland and the Improvement Service will undertake national activity to improve voluntary sector links to Community Planning  Voluntary Action North Lanarkshire selected as one of five partner Third Sector Interfaces to lead on a local Community Planning Improvement Programme during  North Lanarkshire Partnership endorses local Programme in June 2014  Unique opportunity for reviewing and implementing structures / processes for local voluntary sector’s connectivity to North Lanarkshire Partnership , healthy, achieving, active, respected, responsible and included “There’s no point because the voluntary sector is never viewed as an equal partner in these things” “It’s a good idea in theory but our organisation is too busy to get involved” “Is this the Council getting the voluntary sector to do their job for them?” “If we’re not funded as a sector to do it, then we shouldn’t be doing it” “It’s hard to see what Community Planning can achieve” Did you think any of these things?!

CPI Programme Vision… “A thriving and inclusive local voluntary sector that actively participates in, contributes to, and benefits from Community Planning activity, with the ethos, value, and impact of the sector widely understood and acknowledged by all Community Planning Partners” “There’s no point because the voluntary sector is never viewed as an equal partner in these things” “It’s a good idea in theory but our organisation is too busy to get involved” “Is this the Council getting the voluntary sector to do their job for them?” “If we’re not funded as a sector to do it, then we shouldn’t be doing it” “It’s hard to see what Community Planning can achieve” Did you think any of these things?!

Local Improvement Wheel Year 1 sees Voluntary Action North Lanarkshire develop a local programme of improvement activity Year 2 and the wheel rolls on with learning and information sharing across the whole of Scotland Year 1 sees Voluntary Action North Lanarkshire develop a local programme of improvement activity Year 2 and the wheel rolls on with learning and information sharing across the whole of Scotland Year 1 sees Voluntary Action North Lanarkshire develop a local programme of improvement activity Local Improvement Wheel Year 2 and the wheel rolls on with learning and information sharing across the whole of Scotland Year 1 sees Voluntary Action North Lanarkshire develop a local programme of improvement activity

Key Local Programme Activities October-December 2014  Introductory Self-Assessment paper highlighting history of voluntary sector in local CPP  Self-Assessment Exercise with Community Planning Partners  Self-Assessment Exercises with voluntary sector  Voluntary sector consultation on six Local Area Team Action Plans  Presentations about voluntary sector to six Local Area Partnerships  Consultation and information gathering period for local Voluntary Sector Impact Assessment Analysis “There’s no point because the voluntary sector is never viewed as an equal partner in these things” “It’s a good idea in theory but our organisation is too busy to get involved” “Is this the Council getting the voluntary sector to do their job for them?” “If we’re not funded as a sector to do it, then we shouldn’t be doing it” “It’s hard to see what Community Planning can achieve” Did you think any of these things?!

Key Local Programme Activities January-March 2015  Self-Assessment Action Plan and Improvement Tools developed  First phase Voluntary Sector Impact Assessment Analysis completed  Online platform for sharing Community Planning information with local voluntary sector introduced  Manifesto outlining the local voluntary sector’s role within Community Planning and identifying a future vision launched  Training to upskill voluntary sector and Community Planning Partners  User-friendly Organisational Chart mapping voluntary sector linkage to Community Planning made available   Self-Assessment Exercise with Community Planning Partners  Self-Assessment Exercises with voluntary sector in six localities  Voluntary sector consultation about Local Area Team Action Plans  Presentations about voluntary sector to six Local Area Partnerships  Consultation and information gathering period for local voluntary sector impact assessment “There’s no point because the voluntary sector is never viewed as an equal partner in these things” “It’s a good idea in theory but our organisation is too busy to get involved” “Is this the Council getting the voluntary sector to do their job for them?” “If we’re not funded as a sector to do it, then we shouldn’t be doing it” “It’s hard to see what Community Planning can achieve” Did you think any of these things?!

Contributing to the Programme… Voluntary Action North Lanarkshire is seeking contributions from voluntary sector organisations and volunteers in a variety of ways:  Participate in Self-Assessment Event Self-Assessment Event will take place on Wednesday 19 November 2014  Complete Surveys Voluntary Action North Lanarkshire will be contacting organisations seeking feedback as part of Programme research  Share Information Voluntary Action North Lanarkshire is keen to learn about local voluntary sector activities with Community Planning Partners  Submit Intelligence Any data or statistics evidencing the impact that the voluntary sector is having in communities is welcomed  Communicate Your Views Views about what works well or doesn’t work well for the voluntary sector within Community Planning can be shared Contact Craig Russell at Voluntary Action North Lanarkshire T: | E: “There’s no point because the voluntary sector is never viewed as an equal partner in these things” “It’s a good idea in theory but our organisation is too busy to get involved” “Is this the Council getting the voluntary sector to do their job for them?” “If we’re not funded as a sector to do it, then we shouldn’t be doing it” “It’s hard to see what Community Planning can achieve” Did you think any of these things?!

Voluntary Sector Self-Assessment Event… Voluntary sector organisations and volunteers can actively contribute to the Improvement process by attending a Voluntary Sector Self-Assessment on: Wednesday 19 November 2014 | 6.00pm-9.00pm Coatbridge Community Centre, St Andrew’s Sports Complex, 9 Old Monkland Road, Coatbridge, ML5 5EA Book places by phoning or “ The more organisations and individuals who participate, the better we can plan our improvement for the voluntary sector’s involvement in Community Planning! ” “There’s no point because the voluntary sector is never viewed as an equal partner in these things” “It’s a good idea in theory but our organisation is too busy to get involved” “Is this the Council getting the voluntary sector to do their job for them?” “If we’re not funded as a sector to do it, then we shouldn’t be doing it” “It’s hard to see what Community Planning can achieve” Did you think any of these things?!

Thanks for Listening! Any Comments or Questions? CPI Programme Information or Enquiries Contact Craig Russell at Voluntary Action North Lanarkshire T: | E: