Impact Report - NCVO Annual review - 2005/2006
NCVO looks back at the year 2005-06, what we set out to achieve, and whether or not we succeeded in meeting these targets.
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Contents
- Introduction
- Our members
- Tailored membership
packages and
our members' profile - Aims and achievements
- Advice and information
- Campaigns and publicity
- Education and training
- Policy and briefing services
- Research and analysis
- Our organisation
- Financial highlights
- Who's who at NCVO
- Affiliate members
- Acknowledgements
Introduction
In 2005/06, we made good progress towards realising our new strategic vision. We met many of the operational targets we had set ourselves for the year, continuing to develop our external communications, monitor trends in the voluntary and community sector, and support the establishment of the new national hubs of expertise.
This impact report reviews the 2005/06 year, reminding us of what we set out to achieve and reporting on whether or not we succeeded in meeting our targets. It also allows us to reflect on what we hope to achieve in 2006/07 and these goals are summarised in this report.
September 2005 saw the launch of our new strategic agenda, NCVO's Vision for the Future . This was the result of extensive consultation with members, the wider sector, key opinion formers and others. Trustees and staff are now operationalising this agenda, producing tangible, measurable work programmes. Building on feedback from these consultations, we have also developed plans for a new Policy Forum, targeted primarily at members. This will be launched in 2006/07.
Our strategic review also confirmed the importance of influencing local government policy. With this in mind, we researched the relationships between parish councils and community groups, exploring the wider issues around community governance. We briefed members and responded to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's consultation on Local Strategic Partnerships, and participated in working groups on this issue and public services.
In addition we researched and reported on civil renewal and active citizenship, informing the debate on the role of civil society, and looking at the contribution of both civic and civil participation.
It is disappointing that the Charities Bill has yet to make it to the statute books. We have continued to lobby for, provide briefings on and maintain the profile of the Bill. We have also continued to campaign to ensure the interests of the sector remain under consideration as the Lottery Bill progresses through Parliament.
More pleasingly, good progress was made at the Third Sector Summit meeting in February 2006. Umbrella bodies and social enterprises engaged in positive discussions based on a position paper developed by NCVO. Those present agreed to a set of principles for the future of the sector, which was published in May 2006.
With all the national hubs of expertise now fully established, we have continued to work in partnership with a range of organisations to support and develop their work. Key achievements during the year included the development of new websites containing a wealth of information and the launch of freephone HelpDesk services. We are looking forward to a positive future for the hubs as they continue
to deliver essential services to the voluntary and community sector.
I am delighted that our membership totalled 4,555 voluntary and community organisations at the end of March 2006 and am particularly pleased that this included 520 small organisations who have taken advantage of our new free community membership package. In 2006/07 we will be evaluating this package to ensure that we fully understand the needs of these new members.
The past year has been an exciting one. The challenges continue over the next year as we start to deliver our new strategy and work to ensure a positive future for the hubs of expertise. The Board of Trustees, the Chief Executive, the senior management team and NCVO's staff have risen to the challenges of the past year, and I am confident they will continue to do so in the next. I extend my sincere thanks to them for their continued support.
Sir Graham Melmoth
Chair, NCVO
Our members
Our growing membership represents and reflects the huge diversity of the voluntary and community sector in England, giving us a firm basis on which to speak out on wider issues affecting the organisations we support, and ensuring our work is anchored in their learning and experience.
We are proud of our members and the work they do to improve the lives of the many different communities they support.
Ninety per cent of our member organisations, now numbering nearly 5,000, are registered charities. Over half work for their local communities, and nearly three-quarters are small or medium sized, with an income of under half a million pounds per year.
Over half are focused on improving education, health or social support for people in need, while the remainders work for a wide range of causes and visions, from environmental issues to animal welfare.
In doing so, they form an important and vibrant part of the social and economic fabric of our society. Between them, our members employ just over half of all paid voluntary sector workers in England - nearly 274,000 employees - as well as millions of volunteers. They also generate over 40% of the sector's £22.6 billion annual income.
As the voluntary sector's largest umbrella organisation, we exist to help all our members, whatever their mission or size, maximise their impact and effectiveness. We do so in three main ways: providing accurate and timely information; offering practical guidance and support; and encouraging our members to network with and learn from each other.
In particular, we are now providing better, more targeted services for very small organisations. We are delighted that since the launch of our Community and Community Plus membership packages in 2005, nearly 1,000 organisations with incomes of less than £50,000 per year have joined NCVO.
You can find a complete list of all our members, including direct links to their websites.
We joined NCVO five years ago. We get support from NCVO that isn't just practical, it also helps to raise our profile. It's definitely enabled us to improve the way we work.
Carol McCall
Bexley SNAP
Tailored membership packages
By offering a range of membership packages tailored to meet the needs of both small and large voluntary and community organisations, we are now more representative of the sector than ever before.
Our membership fees are dependant on your organisation's annual income, so the smaller your organisation the less you pay. This has resulted in an increasingly diverse membership base.
You may be surprised to know that:
Over a third of our members have annual incomes lower than £100,000.
Only 15% of our members have annual incomes greater than £1million.
Less than a third of our members are based in London.
Over half our members are based outside of London and the South East.
More than one member in every seven subscribes to NCVO membership free of charge.
To find out about our full range of membership packages and benefits or call the membership team on 0207 520 2414
Aims and achievements
NCVO fulfils its mission by undertaking a wide variety of activities covering a diverse range of topics. We work with, and for, the voluntary and community sector in England by providing advice, information and support, and by representing the views of the sector to government and policy-makers.
The following text provides an overview of our achievements over the last year and our key aims for the year ahead.
Full details of NCVO's activities can be found on our website.
Advice and information
Our advisory and information services provide over half of the voluntary sector workforce with the tools they need to run more effective organisations benefiting their service users. NCVO strives to continue developing these services to reach the maximum number of people working within the sector, through a range of different channels and by
tailoring our services to meet different people's information needs.
Last year's aims included:
Continue to work with the hubs of expertise to develop their services and promote their work, including launching websites, HelpDesk services and printed materials.
ACHIEVED- we continued to work extensively with the hubs of expertise, particularly Governance, ICT, Performance and Workforce, including the development of new websites and the launch of free phone HelpDesks.
Enhance NCVO's range of member benefits, especially to smaller organisations, and promote this throughout the sector to ensure that all organisations have easy access to NCVO's expertise and advice.
ACHIEVED - we launched new, improved membership packages in September 2005, including a free electronic membership for small, community organisations.
Develop NCVO's web services to include online discussion forums for NCVO's networks and the Directory of NCVO Approved Consultants to be published online.
PARTLY ACHIEVED- we successfully piloted an online discussion forum for the Publishers Forum and collated information for the Directory of NCVO Approved Consultants via the newly developed website.
And this year we also:
Increased our voluntary sector membership from 3,746 to 4,555. This includes 520 small community organisations benefiting from our new free membership offer.
Commissioned a full external evaluation of our sustainable funding work, which provided evidence that we are reaching a good spread of organisations across England through face-to-face activity.
Launched the Local Compact Implementation Workbook and increased the number of participants involved in the Local Compact Developers Network.
Our aims for the forthcoming year include:
Further developing our website as a resource for our members and the wider voluntary sector.
Evaluating the newly launched free community membership scheme to improve our understanding of the needs of these members.
Continuing to work with the hubs of expertise, developing their services, promoting their work and ensuring they have a long-term future by working with CapacityBuilders.
We have received a lot of valuable information from NCVO which is strengthening our efforts to achieve long-term sustainability.
Dr Shofiqul Chowdhury, Bangladesh
Youth and Cultural Shomiti
Campaigns and publicity
Our campaigns and publicity work involves developing and implementing campaigns which influence policy and practice to benefit the entire sector. We use a range of strategies to influence our target audiences, opinion-formers and decision-makers.
Last year's aims included:
Launch phase two of the Compact Advocacy Programme, including producing a range of publicity materials, and extend compact advocacy at a local government level.
ACHIEVED- we held three high-profile launches of phase two of the Compact Advocacy Programme in Birmingham, London and Manchester, and developed a new communications strategy.
Achieve positive change in policy and practice at local level in relation to Local Compact compliance and continued improvement at a national level.
ACHIEVED- we took on 24 Local Compact compliance cases, achieving positive change in policy and practice.
Continue to build relationships at European level with MEPs and European Commissioners, and build more effective campaigning.
ACHIEVED- the UK Presidency of the European Union improved opportunities to strengthen international relationships, particularly with Commission, CEDAG and Solidar.
Implement an international strategy that will ensure that NCVO makes a significant contribution to developing civil society globally.
ACHIEVED- an international strategy approved by our trustees was implemented, enabling us to establish relationships with 14 countries.
And this year we also:
Continued to campaign to make the Standard Information Return a more effective tool for charities and their supporters, rather than an extra regulatory burden.
Launched a revised, updated VS magazine following an extensive readers' survey.
Our aims for the forthcoming year include:
Working with the Third Sector summit to promote understanding of the role of the wider sector.
Improving relationships within the voluntary and community sector, and between the voluntary and community sector and government, at both a national and local level, through the effective implementation of the Compact Advocacy.
Ensuring the creation of a modern and effective legal and regulatory environment for the sector through a new Charities Act.
Ensuring that through proposed primary legislation, a New Distributor for lottery grant dispersal is established that preserves and protects a number of key principles and operates in the best interests of the wider voluntary and community sector.
Our strongest quality is the empowerment we offer people. It makes a remarkable difference, and we see a lot of confidence building. It's also about giving voice to the community, making sure that BME communities are represented. It makes an immense difference to people's lives.
Awa Ahmed
The African Child
Education and training
We are committed to providing the sector with opportunities for learning and improving skills including publishing a range of materials and providing conferences and events which encourage networking, knowledge sharing and development of best practice.
Last year's aims included:
- Continue to strive to ensure that our events are relevant, topical and accessible to our members.
ACHIEVED- in addition to providing a wide range of events covering topics as diverse as ICT, publishing, performance, governance and marketing, our 2006 Annual Conference achieved record levels of satisfaction from delegates. We also held a highly valued research conference, providing an excellent forum for practitioner and academic researchers to share ideas and discuss research.
Develop NCVO's range of publications, ensuring that they meet the needs of our members and are accessible to the widest possible audience.
ACHIEVED- we produced 13 key new titles, including updating many of our Good Guide' series. A change of distributor resulted in improved service to our customers with faster despatch of orders.
Continue to ensure we understand our members' needs and that our services are adapted and developed appropriately.
ACHIEVED- we undertook extensive market research to establish our members'opinions of our services. The results formed the basis for an action plan approved by our trustees.
And this year we also:
Increased the discounts available to members in our conference suite, enabling a greater number of organisations to benefit from our excellent conferencing facilities.
Spoke at, and supported, a variety of local and regional events across the country.
Our aims for the forthcoming year include:
Continuing to provide relevant, accessible events and publications to help our members achieve the highest standards of practice and effectiveness.
Evaluating and reviewing how we deliver our services, to ensure they are the most relevant and efficient ways of improving effectiveness in the sector.
We regularly go to NCVO seminars and training. I use NCVO for help on anything to do with regulation, it's difficult to find that kind of information elsewhere. The guides and publications help us to improve the way we work. I've also rung the HelpDesk in the past, and found that really useful.
Jenny Rabin
British Association for Early Childhood Education
Policy and briefing services
In consultation with our members and the wider sector, we formulate and develop policy positions on key issues affecting the sector. Our policy is evidence-based and represents the views and experiences of our members. We work both reactively - by responding to government or other bodies - and proactively - by highlighting those issues which are most important and relevant at that time.
Last year's aims included:
Continue to develop understanding and partnership between local government and the voluntary and community sector.
ACHIEVED- our Local Ideals project was developed as a pilot, and we briefed members on local vision and on the Local Strategic Partnerships consultation. We responded to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's consultation, and participated in working groups on public services and Local Strategic Partnerships.
Ensure that Charity Law reform is fully implemented and the sector is aware of the implications of the reform.
PARTLY ACHIEVED- despite the delays in the parliamentary progress of the Charities Bill, we have continued to lobby for appropriate changes to the law and provide extensive briefings to both the voluntary and community sector and Peers.
Ensure that the Big Lottery Fund operates in the interests of the wider voluntary and community sector.
ACHIEVED- we have continued to brief members and parliamentarians, lobby foramendments to the Lottery Bill, and workwith others in the sector and the Big Lottery Fund to achieve improved outcomes.
Enable the needs, concerns and interests of voluntary organisations operating in rural areas to be addressed.
ACHIEVED- our Rural Policy Network has been reviewed and expanded. We have also undertaken research into the role of the voluntary and community sector in local governance, and their relationship with parish councils.
And this year we also:
Undertook extensive consultations with NCVO members to inform the development of NCVO's Vision for the Future.
Published reports with the National Audit Office identifying problems with procurement between the voluntary and community sector and the public sector.
Published a policy analysis setting out the sector's role in public service reform, beyond simply service delivery.
Our aims for the forthcoming year include:
Launching a new Policy Forum, targeted primarily at members, building on feedback from our regional consultations on our future strategy.
Focusing on achieving an improved understanding between local government and the voluntary and community sector.
Increasing the understanding of the importance of the sector to a healthy civil society, including the role that faith-based voluntary and community organisations can play in civil society and promoting social cohesion.
Increasing the access to, and understanding of, the range of different resources available to voluntary and community organisations and how to make best use of them, including developing and understanding of when organisations need support and what support they need.
We have good services here, we also recognise the gaps in our services and as a result we actively encourage and promote service user and carer involvement. Our service provision is acknowledged in Safe Newcastle's Strategy asbeing a model of excellence'.
Gail Robson
Newcastle PROPS
Research and analysis
NCVO's research involves a long-term programme of work providing both qualitative and quantitative evidence and information on the sector. In turn this informs our other work and promotes a better understanding of the sector and its activities to our members and beyond.
Last year's aims included:
Increase public understanding of the dynamics of the voluntary and community sector economy and its paid workforce.
ACHIEVED- we launched the UK Voluntary Sector Almanac
2006 summary, which contributed to the understanding in the sector, among policy-makers and the public, and through press coverage, of the size and scope of the sector, and its income, expenditure and workforce.
Ensure that all of NCVO's campaigns, policy and practice is underpinned by robust research.
ACHIEVED- our research and report on civil renewal and active citizenship informed the debate on the role of civil society, looking at the contribution of both civic and civil participation. We also undertook research on the relationships between parish councils and community groups, exploring the wider issues around community governance and informing our policy work in this area.
And this year we also:
Began the first phase of a two-phase study examining skills gaps and skills shortages in the sector.
Distributed The Voluntary Sector Strategic Analysis
2005/06, to all NCVO members, free of charge. This provided them with an overview of the changing operating environment and strategic drivers for the voluntary and community sector leaders, helping members to think through the implications of these for their organisation.
Held a series of seminars exploring strategic issues, including changing attitudes towards risk and the Pensions Commission report on the future of UK pensions.
Our aims for the forthcoming year include:
Developing a detailed understanding of the dimensions of UK civil society, by publishing the new UK Civil Society Almanac, an expanded and updated version of the UK
Voluntary Sector Almanac 2006.
Progressing our study examining skills gaps and skills shortages in the voluntary sector, providing a nationally representative survey to aid understanding of this issue.
Informing voluntary and community organisations of emerging trends and changes in the environment to facilitate better planning.
We receive a lot of information from NCVO that keeps us informed. If I had some advice, I'd say learn about the sector you work in and talk to people.
Matthew Pegg
Mantle Community Arts
Our organisation
We seek to meet high standards in how NCVO works as an organisation, both in developing and motivating our staff and volunteers, and responding to the diverse needs of those who visit our building. In 2005/06, we were delighted to be recognised as one of the 50 Great Places to Work organised by the Great Places to Work Institute UK and the Financial Times.
Last year's aims included:
Measure staff satisfaction.
ACHIEVED- we undertook a survey of our staff's perception of employee benefits. Over the next year we will implement the action plan developed from their responses.
Retain the Investors in People standard.
ACHIEVED- our staff development group continued to ensure that Investors in People standards were met by the organisation. An action plan to demonstrate compliance with the new standard was compiled.
Develop a Volunteers Policy.
ACHIEVED- we developed and approved a volunteers policy covering both volunteering opportunities at NCVO and opportunities for our staff to volunteer.
Introduce a Whistleblowing Policy.
ACHIEVED- we developed and approveda whistleblowing policy which is now fully implemented.
Continue to work towards achieving RNID's Louder than Words Charter.
ACHIEVED- we introduced a number of improvements recommended by the initial assessment, including installing an induction loop at our reception desk. We expect to apply for the charter early in 2006/07 following the upgrade of building signage.
And this year we also:
Were successful in our application to 50 Great Places to Work, being placed 31st on the list.
Our aims for the forthcoming year include:
Benchmarking our rewards package.
Successfully obtaining continued recognition of the Investors in People standard.
Investigating the opportunities offered by the new Investors in Diversity standard.
Completing our work towards, and achieving, RNID's Louder than Words Charter.
Financial highlights
The following information is derived from the full audited financial statements, copies of which can be obtained from:
The Company Secretary,
NCVO,
Regent's Wharf,
8 All Saints Street,
London N1 9RL.
Download Financial highlights details (PDF 65KB)
Who's who at NCVO
GOVERNANCE
Patron
Her Majesty the Queen
President
Baroness Rawlings of Burnham Westgate
Chair
Sir Graham Melmoth
Vice-Chair
Jane Slowey
Honorary Treasurer
David King
Elected Trustees
Koku Adomdza
Jo Ash
Fran Becket OBE
Carole Davidson
Erica De'Ath OBE
David Emerson
Dominic Fox
Kate Housden
Jonathan Isaac
Clyde Job
Graeme King
Pippa Langford
David Locke
Jonathan Moore
Doreen Osbourne
Heather Petch
Anne Pridmore
Pat Tarttelin
Mike Tichelar
Gill Tishler
Diane Warwick
Co-opted Trustees
John Knight
Clare Thomas
Ex-officio Trustees
Stephen Ainger
Graham Benfield OBE
Lord Cairns
Tom Jones OBE
Seamus McAleavey
Anne O'Reilly
Martin Sime
Joan Stringer
STAFF
Chief Executive Stuart Etherington
Director of Enterprise Richard Williams
Head of Membership and Marketing Martin Nee
Head of Information and Publications Emma Moore
Director of Planning and Resources Lynne Gregory
Head of Central Services Tracy Kiernan
Head of Finance Oliver Sladen
Head of HR Barbara Waugh
Head of IT Simon Bishop
Director of Public Policy Campbell Robb
Head of Campaigns and Communications Helen Donohoe
Head of Campaigning Effectiveness Programme Chris Stalker
Head of Policy Ann Blackmore
Head of Research Karl Wilding
Director of Services and Development Ben Kernighan
Head of Partnerships Elizabeth Ladimeji
Head of Performance Improvement Richard Piper
Head of Sustainable Funding Claire Glossop
Head of Governance Hub Jolanta Lasota
Head of Workforce and Skills Janet Fleming
Head of ICT Development Nicky Thompson
Affiliate members
- Full list of voluntary sector members
- List of Public Sector Affiliates
- List of Corporate Affiliates
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank our many supporters, funders, sponsors and partners, whose help enables us to deliver a wide range of services and effectively to represent voluntary and community organisations' interests.
Associa
Barclays Bank
Big Lottery Fund
Bridge House Trust
C3 Imaging London City
Calouste Gulbenkian
Foundation (Portugal)
UK Branch
Centre Point Software
Centrica plc
Ceridian
ChangeUp
Chantrey Vellacott DFK
Charity Bank
Charity Business
Charity People
Class Telecommunications
Comet Business Services
Commission for Rural
Communities
Consortium (The)
Corel
Datek Solutions Ltd
Dulverton Trust
Friends Provident
Futurebuilders England
GBS Corporate Training Plc
Guardian (The)
Halifax
Home Office Active
Communties Directorate
HSBC Investments
Infoworks
Keegan & Pennykid
(Insurance Brokers Ltd)
Lloyds TSB Foundation for England and Wales
LSI (Utility Broker)
Microsoft
Nationwide Building Society
Phoenix Software
PKF (UK) LLP
Prospectus Ltd
Provident Financial plc
Bexley SNAP
The African Child
British Association for Early Childhood Education
Bangladesh Youth and Cultural Shomiti
Note
This publication can be made available in large print and alternative formats on request. Please contact NCVO on 020 7713 6161 for more information.
NCVO's vision is of a society in which people are inspired to make a positive different to their communities; our mission - a vibrant voluntary and community sector deserves a strong voice and the best support. NCVO aims to be that voice and support by providing:
Advice, information, education and training for voluntary and community organisations on a wide range of issues
Sector research and analysis
Development of policy positions on key issues, in consultation with voluntary and community organisations
Development and implementation of campaigns which affect policy and practice to benefit the entire sector.
Members of NCVO enjoy access to all of these as well as enhanced networking opportunities and a range of discounted products and services. To find out more about becoming a member, please contact NCVO's membership team on 020 7520 2414, email Membership.
