5. Key objectives

  Comment on this chapter

5.1 For Capacitybuilders to address the capacity building needs of the wider third sector is neither possible nor desirable. The agency cannot take responsibility for directly meeting the support needs and aspirations of every organisation in the sector.

5.2 If Capacitybuilders is to be successful, it must focus its investment and activities on the radical strategic improvement of infrastructure or support services. The end result of such investment, both of money and effort, must be a transformed sector at the front line.

5.3 The key objectives are to:

• improve the quality and efficiency of infrastructure support for VCOs and social enterprises;
• encourage extra investment in infrastructure through demonstrating its benefits to front-line organisations;
• ensure investments reach diverse organisations and address the needs of infrastructure bodies working with socially excluded groups; and
• develop knowledge of other funds available and influence policy and practice of other funders in this field.
   

5.4 Capacitybuilders will pursue these objectives through:

• the management and distribution of mainstream grant programmes for infrastructure organisations;
• the commissioning of innovative initiatives focusing on learning and the spread of best practice around the country;
• supporting the development of infrastructure organisations and networks working with diverse and socially excluded communities – e.g. black and minority ethnic organisations, rural organisations, disabled people’s organisations, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) organisations;
• implementing a range of recommendations on equalities and diversity issues and how they would change the programmes and activities of ChangeUp consortia around the country;
• working at a national level with government departments and agencies to improve the landscape for the third sector, securing new and sustainable sources of support and funding. In particular, we will work with Learning and Skills Councils, government departments, local authorities, primary care trusts, local strategic partnerships, the Big Lottery Fund, charitable foundations, the private sector and others – to identify the potential for joint work andmatched funding;
• engaging directly with local authorities and local third sector infrastructure organisations to support the work of local strategic partnerships, strengthen the participation of the third sector in local area agreements (LAAs) and facilitate increased local government involvement in supporting the sector;
• working not only with the ‘generic’ organisations supporting the third sector locally but also with a wide range of specialist or functional groups that themselves provide infrastructure services to front-line groups – e.g. MIND in the mental health field, Age Concern working with elderly people, Groundwork on the environment; and
• the establishment of a rigorous evaluation programme that will monitor and assess the outcomes of the programme.
   

5.5 There are three phases to this strategic framework:

• 2006–08;
• 2008–11; and
• 2011–14.
   

Work undertaken in the second and third phases will build on the progress and learning achieved through previous phases, as funding programmes are reviewed and new approaches tested.

5.6 This plan sets out the principal activities that will be undertaken in each phase in relation to our key objectives set out above. Inevitably, the proposed activities relating to the last period of the plan are more aspirational. It is virtually impossible to predict precise activity or the related outcomes in the period 2011–14, but Capacitybuilders intends, through its evaluation programme and its monitoring of progress, to be able to demonstrate that the vision will be achieved.

5.7 It should also be noted that the setting of specific objectives and targets will be an ongoing exercise. For example, new detailed briefing documents will be developed for the provision of national support services. These new specifications will be published in May 2007 following a consultation period from January to March 2007. The specifications will set out the work to be done nationally on each of the six thematic areas of the ChangeUp programme – provision of ICT, workforce development, finance and funding, volunteering, governance and performance – and, therefore, those targets for 2008–11 will be added to this strategic framework in May 2007.

Comments

[John Baxter]

"the establishment of a rigorous evaluation programme that will monitor and assess the outcomes of the programme"
I might have misunderstood this but ought not capacitybuilders be most concerned with measuring the outcomes for the actual infrastructure organisations (have they achieved the capacity to deliver all these wonderful outcomes?) AND with the outcomes for the VCS. Are the VCS organisations on the ground any better supported/ represented etc by the (increased?) capacity of the infrastructure organisations?

[Keith Atherton]

There is certainly significant duplication of activities currently undertaken by infrastructure organisations. In order to improve services to front-line organisations, much of this must be rationalised, allowing infrastructure groups to use their scarce resources most effectively. Infrastructure organisations often compete with each other rather than collaborate - much of this being driven by the need to generate funds for their own organisations. Funding mechanisms which recognise and reward collaboration are to be applauded. Capacity Builders looks good in this respect. However, for maximum impact, other funding organisations need to take a similar approach.

[Mick Smith]

I hear what Kieth is saying but with some concern as we have tried collaborative working and have found that one or two organisations that already have the capacity, the contacts etc have taken on all the work and are virtually cookoing their way into our patch! This is all done with the best possible intentions by the way but unfortunately it is doing nothing to increase our capacity - rather it is paving the way to merge us all into one group based miles away from here.

[Mark Reading]

I agree with Keith entirely. The external environment is taking us down a path of closer collaborative working, a path which will require us to be fit for purpose. By sharing and working together (and saving money!) we will stand a chance of being identifed as a sector (in the sub-regional context) that is fit for purpose.

[guy nokes]

Suggest you tighten / rationalise use of word "infrastructure" under objectives.
Its used with "support", on its own and with "bodies".
Commenting as I go through, but have you clearly identified what you mean somewhere by the term infrastructure.

[stephen woollett]

4. Key Objectives
4.1 We think there should be a key objective explicitly relating to improved co-ordination and collaboration amongst infrastructure organisations and service providers at local, sub regional, regional and national levels. This objective may also be reflected in a specific key performance indicator.

4.2 We question whether it is appropriate for CapacityBuilders to work directly with "local authorities, primary care trusts, local strategic partnerships…" Certainly CB should engage directly with relevant national agencies and organisations (e.g. LGA, IDEA,) but we suggest that in relation to local structures CapacityBuilders should focus its efforts on supporting and enabling local infrastructure consortia and organisations to engage with relevant local public sector partners. There is a case however for CapacityBuilders having some flexibility to work with and or commission services from local community based organisations where appropriate. In these situations it remains crucial, however, that there is good connection through sub regional consortia with mainstream provision.

4.3 The inclusion of a key objective relating to ensuring "investments reach diverse organisations..." and commitments to "implementing a range of recommendations on equalities and diversity issues" are to be welcomed. But we think Destination 2014 should give this field of work more emphasis and identify more explicit objectives, KPIs and activities relating to infrastructure working with and supporting "diverse and socially excluded" communities.