Catching up - the Hodgson Review

Well it has taken rather longer than planned to update this blog.  So what has happened since the last post.  Quite a lot, as it happens.  After a period of ill health in the spring (fully recovered and back with a vengeance - thanks for asking!) - the focus of my work has been on community development or social action projects.  

There is an evident gap in service provision for vulnerable people, as local authorities grapple with limited funding and pressures to cut or re-imagine the ways in which they work.  Here in North London we have a local authority subcontracting in a significant way, and this is of concern to residents.  How will the provider square quality of care with pressure to make a profit for shareholders?  What will happen to smaller organisations with local knowledge and existing relationships?  Whatever happened to Choice and Independence?

On the other hand, putting the children and young peoples services out to tender has resulted in the bulk of the contracts awarded to the voluntary and community sector - individually or as consortia.  So there is a commitment to support a thriving voluntary sector.

Recent assignments have including governance work for embryonic voluntary and community groups, who have seen a gap and secured funding to address real issues.  Getting the foundations right is really important for future growth - and I have been working on organisation development issues such as legal frameworks, policy structures, development of trustee teams, sustainable business plans and recruitment of key staff.

In each case there is a individual, or a small group, with a clear vision and a heart for changing the lives of the vulnerable.  

If this is of interest to you - then contact karen@flourishing.me.uk

In the meantime - take a look at this document, produced by Julian Lomas at Almond Tree.  I am pleased to be part of the Synatus network of freelance consultants working in the third sector.  Julian has shared this summary of the Hodgson Review of the charities act.  Please contact him to share your thoughts.

Was the Hodgson Review a Damp Squib

Trends for faith groups

This mind map was produced for the London Borough Faiths Network as part of the discussions reviewing the role of faith groups in the delivery of public sector services.  It represents personal experiences and these contrast with other working in different London boroughs.

One of the biggest challenges is in engaging with local authority commissioning.  In some cases faith groups are excluding from bidding for service contracts or applying for funding.  Consortium working can be a solution.  Also the development of alternative governance structures eg a CIC.

Faith groups continue to address gaps in services.  These gaps are increasing as pressures on local authority budgets reduce scope to deliver services.  Poverty, hunger, unemployment, debt, homelessness.  All these real issues attract practical responses from faith groups across the spectrum.

Socially enterprising responses are developing as individual giving levels fall.  Whilst there are still sources of grant funding and light touch faith based funders continue to support visionaries, other approaches are needed to sustain projects and services.  Income generation eg through premises hire or trading are being developed.

The mind map is intended to support the discussion, and there are specific references to projects underway eg Living Way's homework club, SOFT (sharing our food together), Trussell Trust food banks.

If you would like more information on any of the strands - then please get in touch for details - karen@flourishing.me.uk

Reflections on the DOP Conference

A couple of weeks ago I went to the BPS Division of Occupational Psychology Conference after a gap of twenty or so years.

Time to refresh my Occ Psych credentials and be challenged and stimulated by the latest research findings.

It was a packed and well organised conference, with some familiar faces and a fantastic musical chairs networking session to open (to the tune of Call Me Maybe - inspired soundtrack!).

Here follows a few themes and ideas that I am committed to following up over the next few months - either through reading relevant papers or participating in CPD events.  I don't present these as a comprehensive summary of the conference content - but as triggers for me personally.  If they intrigue you too - get in touch, and maybe we can get some discussions going.

1. Mindfulness - one speaker talked of a study investigating the impact of mindfulness training on staff - with particular reference to perceptions of stress and wellness.  I am familiar with the concept and process as a strategy for those with ADHD.  Worth reading around - and exploring any research that establishes a link between mindfulness and productivity.  To build a solid business case for investing in programmes for the workplace.
2. To my mind a similar set of questions apply to the concept of Flow.  A state of absorption in a task - living in the present.  With connections to resilience (trait) and coping (process).  Again more to explore, particularly with regard to the creation of working environments that support Flow - and job roles where it is practically achievable.
3. A third theme for me - which relates very much to the sector that I work in - one speaker talked about the motivation that businesses have for supporting charitable causes.  Is it around guilt, offsetting harmful effects of the business?  I would like to dig into this a bit further, especially the positive benefits - emotional and practical - of philanthropy.
4. A broad observation of mine - some presented studies explored differences across cultures and across public and private sector workplaces.  But there was little on the charitable sector.  I feel that differences do exist, especially with regard to the characteristics of leaders, work-life balance, trade-offs that people make on a day to day basis.  Mavericks, visionaries, activists - all find a place in the charitable sector as charismatic leaders achieving change.  

I can see a few areas that could stand some rigorous research.  So there is the challenge. 

Do get in touch if these ideas resonate with you.

Review of 2012

Finally there is a small break in the busyness of life to pause and review 2012!

Business Planning and Sustainability continued to be a strong theme through different assignments.  Including:

• Drafting business plans for three voluntary and community groups...
• ... Which then formed the backbone for successful funding applications.
• Working for a funder to ensure that organisations receiving grants used the money prudently and effectively.

Research and Mapping assignments covered:

• Identifying organisations delivering arts projects and/or working with vulnerable adults - in two specific geographical regions.  This work enabled the client to explore expansion, through partnerships, into new areas.
• Researching and marketing a quality scheme for voluntary sector providers of after school activities.  This included training as an advocate for QiSS and QES - to support providers through the schemes.

Participation and Engagement covering:

• Including users in the shaping of services designed for them.
• Particularly where there are communication issues, mental health or disability.
• Researching perceptions of the psychological contract that exists between a corporate and their employees across a number of functions.
• Editing the newsletter for national disability organisation, including commissioning articles from medical professionals and profiling personal stories.

Recruitment and Development activities included:

• Design and delivery of a consultancy skills workshop for special needs advisors working in schools.  With a strong emphasis on personal skills and change management models.  To be repeated in 2013.
• Design and delivery of recruitment processes for clients.
• Provision of advice on a range of HR issues relating to the employment of sessional staff.
• Sourcing speakers for development workshops eg raising awareness of local FGM issues for health professionals

Interesting Events and Conferences always prompt new and creative responses to real needs, and also provide an opportunity to share best practice and talk about Flourishing Consulting's work.  There were an abundance of such activities during 2012.

• ENORB in Brussels - meeting at the European Parliament for the inaugural meeting to discuss faith responses to conflict across Europe.
• Babcock and TES SEN exhibitions offering the latest innovations in special needs education.
• Children England conference offering examples of effective models for mergers and partnerships for voluntary sector groups.
• Youth into employment - presenting a variety of practical models operating at a local level.
• Reclaiming London - developing faith based community responses to the London disturbances in the summer of 2011.
• Division of Occupational Psychology Conference - in January 2013 - where I spoke, albeit briefly, on self employment options.

On top of that - my first Published Article in SEN Magazine - looking at faith perspectives on disability.

So far, Trends for 2013 continue to be:

• Survival of third sector organisations through mergers, partnerships and consortia.
• Building capacity to bid for local authority tenders.
• Diversifying income streams through creative and socially enterprising activities.
• Smart ways to maximise staff potential - through flexible work patterns, clarity on core competencies, investment in tailored development.   

If you like the kind of work I do - and the concept of Flourishing - please get in touch at karen@flourishing.me.uk