RedbridgeCVS Strategic Plan –2009 to 2014
Strategic Plan
2014-2019
“Inspiring everyone to play a part in a caring, vibrant community”
3rd Floor, Forest House
16-20 Clements Road, Ilford, Essex, IG1 1BA
Tel: 0208 553 1004 Fax: 0208 911 9128 Email: www.redbridgecvs.net
RedbridgeCVS is a registered charity (number 1005075) and registered company limited by guarantee in England (number 2569614).
Contents
Strategic Plan 1
Contents 3
1 BACKGROUND 5
1.1 A Brief History of RedbridgeCVS 5
1.2 Planning for Success 6
1.3 The Future 7
2. ABOUT REDBRIDGECVS 8
2.1 Our Mission 8
2.2 Our Aims 8
2.3 Our Values 9
3. CONTEXT FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING AND CHANGE 11
3.1 Internal Environment 11
3.2 External Environment 13
3.3 Responding to the Internal and External Environment 22
4 AIMS, OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES
4.1 Redbridge voluntary and community sector to be strong and strategic partners when working with the local statutory bodies.
4.2 Redbridge voluntary and community sector to maintain its independence and flexibility.
4.3 RedbridgeCVS to be a credible and authoritative representative of the voluntary and community sector.
4.4 RedbridgeCVS to be able to respond to Redbridge voluntary and community sector support and development needs, enabling Redbridge voluntary and community sector to grow to meet local needs.
4.5 RedbridgeCVS to continue to encourage, support and facilitate the development of sustainable communities.
4.6 RedbridgeCVS to provide sound planning for sustainability in order to continue the furtherance of our work supporting the voluntary and community sector in Redbridge.
5 FINANCIAL PLAN
5.1 Background
5.2 Current Funding Position
5.3 Current Situation
5.4 Financial Plan
6 APPENDICES
6.1 Appendix 1
6.2 Appendix 2
6.3 Appendix 3
6.4 Appendix 3
1 BACKGROUND
1.1 A Brief History of RedbridgeCVS
The Redbridge Council for Voluntary Service (RedbridgeCVS) is a Charity and Company Limited by Guarantee. It has its roots in the Ilford Social Services Association (1923), Redbridge Council of Social Service (1966) and Redbridge Voluntary Services Association (1975). It was established in 1990 with the purpose of strengthening and developing the local voluntary and community sector. RedbridgeCVS has successfully developed a wide range of activities to help promote voluntary action and the voluntary sector. These activities include providing services and support, building skills and capacity building, developing networks and strategic partnerships and providing representation for local people by working across the sector with new, emerging and established voluntary, community and faith-based groups and social enterprises and with statutory sector partners, and the wider voluntary and community sector in East London and beyond.
Over recent years RedbridgeCVS has continued to grow, evolve and further develop its good working relationships with statutory organisations including the Redbridge Local Authority and Redbridge CCG. This relationship is demonstrated by our involvement in the development of the Redbridge Compact and the Health and Wellbeing Board.
We have also built on our success and standing in the training and accreditation arena to develop a sub-regional learning and skills project, RedbridgeCVS Employment and Skills (formerly called “East Tenders”). This is now delivering some large cross-borough contracts in partnership with voluntary sector sub-contractors, funded via London Councils and others.
Since we agreed our last Strategic Plan (2009-2014) many things have changed, including our own work. Changes include the independence of the Redbridge LINk (which is now Healthwatch Redbridge) and the Redbridge Children and Young People’s Network – both of which were formerly projects of RedbridgeCVS. In another major development, since April 2013 we have been in receipt of long-term funding via a commission from Redbridge Council to provide a Volunteer Centre. The Volunteer Centre is fully accredited by Volunteering England (which is now part of NCVO) and is making great progress.
Our past work has created a firm financial footing from which to meet existing needs and has enabled a growth in service provision to more voluntary organisations. Looking ahead, as Governments continue to turn to our sector to play a more central role in the delivery of services, we face a backdrop of austerity which is driving up need whilst reducing the funding available, RedbridgeCVS is well positioned to assist groups to make their contribution.
1.2 Planning for Success
In 2013 we embarked on a review of our strategic aims and objectives as well as the finance and other resources required for achieving these and are consolidating this into the 2014-2019 Strategic Plan. This plan builds on previous plans and reflects the internal and external changes and developments that have occurred during the period 2009 to 2014. This document is both a means of taking stock of our current situation and prioritising our activities for the future.
RedbridgeCVS’ strategic planning is a consultative process. We are consulting our stakeholders on this draft in a range of ways, including through facilitated focus group sessions, undertaken by an independent consultant, as well as inviting online, written and one to one input.
The Board of Trustees have set the context of the Strategic Plan, ensuring it is based in our values, aspirations and aims.
Our staff and volunteers have collectively looked at the range of services and activities we currently, previously and potentially provide, and at the operational and support requirements of the organisation.
Based on the feedback from the cross section of RedbridgeCVS stakeholders, the Chief Officer will work with RedbridgeCVS staff and Board members to identify resource requirements and potential funding streams. This strategic planning document will provide a roadmap for our continued development and the milestones against which to measure our progress over the coming years. It will also serve to ensure that any future activities we undertake support the aims and objectives that we have agreed are vital to the success of RedbridgeCVS, as well as providing mechanisms by which we can review our achievements.
1.3 The Future
This five year Strategic Plan is a useful high level road map for the next 5 years, providing a clear destination and a route for getting there. However, the planning process is just as important as the plan itself. The changing nature of the sector and the volatile external environment, together with the needs of our service users, partners and staff, mean that such a Plan can never be ‘complete’. It should be viewed as an ongoing ‘work in progress’ supported by annual action plans which are reviewed and revised in light of the opportunities and challenges of the day.
Strategic Planning of this kind is both more difficult and more important in the current climate of uncertainty surrounding our political, economic, social and technological environment. This environment is increasingly referred to as ‘the VUCA world’. VUCA is an acronym that stands for Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous. It originates from the U.S. Army College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania in the late 1990’s and the business sector in this country has been talking about ‘the VUCA world’ for a couple of years now, suggesting that this turbulent environment is staying with us, and has become “the new normal”.In Section 3, below, we outline some of the specific contextual issues we will need to address – including reflecting on the uncertainties that we face at this time.
The plan reinforces and reiterates that our primary focus continues to be the ‘not-for-profit’ sector in Redbridge, encompassing voluntary and community groups, faith-based organisations and social enterprises. It also recognises and endorses our role in representing the interests of Redbridge’s not-for-profit sector locally, regionally and in the national arena and as advocates for the sector.
We are confident that this plan will provide the framework we need to meet our agreed aims and objectives whilst allowing the flexibility to respond positively to the needs of our stakeholders. Our intention is that our core activities will continue to provide a stable and effective base and that from this we can undertake other identified key activities so that our shared vision of a strong, effective and independent voluntary and community sector in Redbridge can be achieved.
2. ABOUT REDBRIDGE COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE
Redbridge Council for Voluntary Service (RedbridgeCVS) is a member of the National Association for Voluntary and Community Action (NAVCA), London Voluntary Service Council (LVSC) and the National Council of Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) and is committed to promoting and developing local voluntary and community action. We are a registered charity and company limited by guarantee and have been in existence since December 1990.
2.1 Our Mission
Our mission is:
“To promote, support and develop a strong, effective and independent voluntary and community sector in Redbridge.”
2.2 Our Aims
We plan to succeed in the RedbridgeCVS mission by working to achieve the following aims:
1. Redbridge voluntary and community sector to be strong and strategic partners when working with local statutory bodies and promoting a positive vision of Redbridge.
2. Redbridge voluntary and community sector to maintain its independence and flexibility.
3. RedbridgeCVS to be a credible and authoritative representative of the voluntary and community sector.
4. RedbridgeCVS to be able to respond to Redbridge voluntary and community sector support and development needs; enabling Redbridge’s voluntary and community sector to grow to meet local needs.
5. RedbridgeCVS to encourage, support and facilitate the development of sustainable communities.
6. RedbridgeCVS to provide sound planning for sustainability in order to continue the furtherance of our work supporting the voluntary and community sector in Redbridge.
It should be noted that these Aims are interrelated and in no particular order.
2.3 Our Values
RedbridgeCVS exists to promote, support and develop a strong, effective and independent voluntary and community sector in Redbridge in order to improve the quality of life for individuals, groups and communities. This requires us to work actively towards combating the poverty and disadvantage that exclude or constrain the opportunities of many individuals, groups and communities from full participation in civil society.
We recognise the richness and creativity of a diverse society. We are committed to ensuring that no individual, group or community is disadvantaged or excluded from playing an active part in society because of their race, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexuality, religion, age, class or geographical location.
We also recognise that inequalities exist based on the above factors and we will therefore actively work with individuals, groups or communities whose full participation in society is limited by economic, political and social disadvantage.
Our policies and practices stem from the following set of values:
· We believe in equality of opportunity and social justice for all;
· We believe in the right of individuals to work collectively to participate in decision making and local action;
· We believe in the importance of building the capacity of local voluntary and community groups in order that they are democratic and accountable;
· We believe the voluntary and community sector must always be at the heart of community development and regeneration.
RedbridgeCVS is committed to delivering services within an honest, open and welcoming environment where all service users, partners, staff and funders are treated with respect. In doing so we embrace:
· Equality and Diversity. RedbridgeCVS will actively oppose all forms of discrimination carried out on the grounds of gender, colour, creed, ethnic or national origin, disability, social background, age, marital status, health status or sexual orientation.
· Quality – RedbridgeCVS strives to ensure that all services and outputs reflect current best practice and are accurate and timely in delivery.
· Integrity – RedbridgeCVS deals openly, honestly and equitably with all service users and partners and maintains confidentialities.
· Respect – RedbridgeCVS treats all those whom with we come into contact in the same respectful manner - whether they are service users, partners, staff, funders or suppliers. This means valuing their time and their contribution to RedbridgeCVS objectives.
· Sharing – RedbridgeCVS encourages the sharing of resources and skills, promotes best practice and networking.
· Continuous improvement – RedbridgeCVS is committed to staff development and the principles of life-long learning). Staff are encouraged to become involved in the running of our organisation and actively seek development opportunities.
3. CONTEXT FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING AND CHANGE
3.1 Internal Environment
The rapidly changing external environment means that our internal resources need to be regularly reviewed and amended as appropriate.
The Board
The RedbridgeCVS Board has a broad range of experience and a diversity of backgrounds. However, the Board recognises the need to continually review its membership and offer further training to Board members. The Board will review its recruitment and continuity planning in relation to the strategic aims and objectives of the organisation.
Staff
RedbridgeCVS recognises the pivotal role that the staff play in achieving its objectives and ambitions and is proud to have a highly committed team. However, there is a constant demand for an increased range of skills and resources required within RedbridgeCVS to meet the demands of changing external environments and the expectations of our services users, as well as the needs and opportunities that the staff themselves have identified. We will use the annual appraisal system to review how the work of individual staff contributes to our strategic objectives and report on this.
Volunteers
RedbridgeCVS recognises the pivotal role that our volunteers play in achieving our objectives and ambitions and is proud to have a highly committed team. We are committed to best practice in the recruitment and support of volunteers and have signed up to Greater London Volunteering’s Volunteer Management Charter.
In addition, RedbridgeCVS now provides the services of a fully VCQA accredited Volunteer Centre. This helps support high quality volunteering across Redbridge as well as supporting our own volunteer development.
Constitution
During 2014, RedbridgeCVS is committed to reviewing and, as necessary, amending its Constitution (the Memorandum and Articles of Association of Association) that outlines responsibilities of the directors, the kind of business to be undertaken, and the means by which the stakeholders and members exert control over theboard of Trustees and Directors. Our current documentation is no longer ‘fit for purpose’ and we expect to propose a new Constitution to our AGM in the autumn of 2014.