Delivery of a Community Business Partnership for Shropshire

Invitation to Submit an Expression of Interest

Details of leadbody: Shropshire Voluntary and Community Sector Assembly

Contact: Sarah Dodds or Elaine Griffiths, VCS Assembly Coordinator

Address: Shropshire Council, Shirehall, Shrewsbury

Telephone: 01743 252740

Email:

Project title: Establishment of a Community Business Partnership

Proposed start date: September 2013

1.Purpose

The VCS Assembly wishes to find an organisation/body willing to lead work to establish a Community Business Partnership/ Corporate Social Responsibility Network for Shropshire.

2.Context

The Shropshire Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) Assembly works to represent Shropshire’s voluntary groups and organisations. It brings the sector together, providing a voice, and raises common issues and concerns. It encourages and promotes partnership working within the sector but also partnership with other sectors. In particular the VCS Assembly allows the VCS to work with the Public Sector to increase cross sector understanding and facilitate joint projects and initiatives that allow the needs of local people and communities to be met more effectively.

Any VCS group or organisation operating in Shropshire is encouraged to become a member and to participate in the Assembly as much or as little as suits their organisation. The benefits of joining the VCS Assembly may include the ability to network, exchange information and ideas, address common problems and develop more awareness of the context within which we all work.All members are kept up to date with the latest developments through the website, information bulletins and a weekly newsletter. There are approximately 300 members.

Members are also encouraged to join and support the Assembly’s Forums of Interest. Forums of Interest are groups of VCS organisations which come together to discuss and address common issues. Forums of Interest may deliver similar activities/share aims, provide common types of service and target similar client groups. There are 16 Forums in total.The Assembly is led by a Board which meets at least four times a year and leads a range of task and Finish/Project groups. The Board is formed of representatives from each different Forums of Interest.

During 2010/11 the VCS Assembly Board and its wider membership recognised the importance of improving relationships with the private sector, particularly in the context of exploring the potential for businesses and large corporate organisations to invest through corporate social responsibility. This could identify resources that private sector partners may offer the sector, including opportunities for a collaborative approach to tendering and increasing sustainability.

3. Work completed to date

In January 2012 consultants were appointed (Impact Consultancy Services) to lead the Extended Partnerships project. The following activities were completed during the project:

  • Research into VCS needs/ demand for partnership with the private sector
  • Lunch and Learn training
  • Dragons Den event
  • Step into my shoes
  • Research meetings to explore whether Shropshire Business Board’s mentoring scheme could be extended to the VCS
  • Research meetings to explore collaborative service delivery options
  • Briefings disseminated to Private Sector and VCS to develop a shared understanding between sectors (knowing more about each other).
  • Research into Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) functions of private sector businesses.
  • A second series of lunch and learn sessions.
  • Research and proposals for the establishment of a Community Business Partnership in Shropshire.

A particular focus has been on the development of a Community Business Partnership or similar model as a means of maintaining relationships between the Voluntary and Community Sector and Private Sector in Shropshire. Feasibility work has included:

  • An on-line survey to targeted businesses
  • Researching existing business community models
  • A scoping exercise with interested businesses

The feasibility work has shown that idea of developing a Community Business Partnership would be supported by local businesses. Its establishmentis a viable option and it would provide a focus and a sustainable resource to support the on-going development of relationships between local businesses and the VCS.

4.Aim and Objectives

The primary purpose of the Community Business Partnership or Corporate Social Responsibility Network is to promote and strengthen business links with the voluntary and community sector and to translate this into actions that help to make a real difference to the lives of individuals and communities. The network would bring together representatives from local businesses that take their corporate social responsibility seriously and want to put something back in to the communities in which they operate.

Through working collaboratively with the VCS the network will identify opportunities to use their members’ collective skills, experience and resources in order to support local community organisations, projects and to address local issues.

Whilst the focus of the network’s work will be determined by its members the type of activities it will undertake could include:

-the establishment of a countywide pro-bono network

-collaborative work targeted at a particular area of need (geographical or issue based e.g. rural stress, homelessness, unemployment)

-the development of a ‘community engagement charter’ for businesses

Benefits for Local Businesses/Private Sector

  • Opportunities for professional and personal staff development, engagement and team building
  • Increasing staff motivation, recruitment and retention
  • Giving businesses a competitive advantage by demonstrating commitment to community investment and how to demonstrate added social value
  • Creating a positive company image and promoting the company’s brand locally
  • Learning and sharing of good Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practice
  • Building closer connections with the local communities
  • Providing opportunities for businesses to work collaboratively and network with other influential business people in the local area

Benefits Shropshire’s VCS groups and organisations

  • Access to local businesses willing to invest time and other resources in the local community.
  • A focal point for brokerage of employee volunteering.
  • Access to local businesses that may be willing to share their skills and expertise with VCS groups and organisations (such as business planning, marketing skills etc.).
  • A single point of contact for VCS organisations seeking support.
  • A forum/mechanism that will allow VCS groups and organisations to better promote the local support they receive – a way of saying thank you.
  • Building longer term relationships across sectors – this may lead to opportunities around cross-sector collaborations in other areas of work such as bidding for joint service delivery opportunities.

5.Activities and Key Tasks

The following bullet points highlight key areas of work that are recommended:

  1. Branding the network/partnership
  2. Launch and initial promotion
  3. Membership recruitment
  4. Membership administration
  5. Financial management – use of membership fees
  6. Organisation and facilitation of network meetings
  7. Brokerage support
  8. Coordination of other network activity
  9. Provision of general CSR information and guidance

6.Deliverables

The objective for the project is to establish a Community Business Partnership or Corporate Social Responsibility Network for Shropshire. The activities and tasks outlined above are suggested areas of focus for the partnership arrangement/brokerage of VCS and private sector partnerships.

7.Management Arrangements

No formal management arrangement can be put in place due to the absence of any financial relationship but it is anticipated that the Shropshire VCS Assembly (Board) will oversee the delivery of the work and will maintain a close relationship with local business networks including the Shropshire Business Board.

As commissioners of the Extended Partnerships project and owners of the research and feasibility work completed to date, the VCS Assembly would like to remain lead partnership body, working closely with the organisation/body chosen to deliver the Community Business Partnership model in Shropshire.

Shropshire VCS Assembly will be the mechanism through which relationships between the VCS and private sector will be brokered. Private sector contacts will be made through membership arrangements (see activities and key tasks above).

8.Budget

There is no funding or contract available for this work. Any organisation/body expressing an interest in leading on this project will need to collect membership fees in order to cover costs.

9.Expressing an Interest

To express an interest in delivering this activity please include the following information in your proposal:

11.Decision making process and timetable

A completed Expressions of Interest should be submitted to Shropshire VCS Assembly by 12 noon on Tuesday 9th July. Please send your Expression of Interest by email to:

All Expressions of Interest will then be considered by the VCS Assembly Board at its meeting on Wednesday 17th July.

The VCSA Board will try to reach a decision at that meeting. All organisations/bodies that have expressed an interest in leading the work will then be contacted by email or telephone made aware of the outcome of the discussion/decision. Contact will be made no later than Wednesday 24th July.

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