Voluntary Sector Forum 17 March 2015 The Future For Information Advice & Guidance

A changing environment Pressure on public and voluntary resources. Increasing demand – debt, health and welfare, housing, employment and consumer issues. Legislative and social policy changes – Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, the Care Act etc.. Turning to communities - for local solutions.

Current Provision Public and independent sector services with paid staff, volunteers and a range of locations or channels: Physical - Office and community access, often provided near to or with client. GP surgeries, Govt Office etc. Phone – A wide range of help services, often locally based, some national. Local call centres, the NHS Hub, government contact points etc.. Virtual – Council, NHS and government websites. Help with decisions or increasingly gateways to entire public welfare processes (Universal Credit).

Advice Services Transition Fund 2013 Government - providers using public funding must prepare for higher demand and less grant. Assumption – Providers will only survive if they work more closely together to make the best use of their skills and resources. Solution – Lottery funding. Successful bidder partnerships share assets, standards, knowledge and skills. Outcome – More sustainable, effective and more robust future provision.

Public – Voluntary Partnership To this point : IsleHelp strategy - sharing of assets and reduction of duplication. Development of some shared assets and systems (i.e. hub and referral system). Council needs to reduce current levels of funding – providers adapting. As a provider, the council faces the same challenges. Cross/inter sector collaboration – e.g.SWISH

Benefits of partnership Future availability of services Reduction in costs across the (open) partnership. New approaches (digital, shared assets etc.). Better understanding of need and what works. Simplify and improve client experience. Platform for sharing savings and income. Effective working relationships. Open to any provider organisation

Proposed Partnership Joint Governance - Council and IsleHelp CIC (open membership). Tapered council funding for partners providing infrastructure. Potential for other council and external funding for related services. Joint strategy (single business plan for changing council and member services). 3 year agreement with possibility of extension.

Big issues for a partnership and the wider sector How will we know that info and advice services are working well for people and communities? What are the future priorities for public and voluntary organisations providing advice. Which priorities must have limited public funding? Are there barriers to organisations from any sector working together within and between sectors? What are they? How can they be overcome? How should people access information and advice in the future (Digital or in person, Newport or local etc..)?