Briefings

VONNE has a selection of briefings on areas of importance to the voluntary and community sector in the North East. The briefings have been categorised by policy area and can all be downloaded below.

 

Communities

The Compact Refresh

The Compact outlines how the public and voluntary and community sectors should behave towards each other. It was refreshed in 2010 after being out for consultation. This briefing outlines the key changes and the response from the North East's third sector.

Compact Refresh - January 2010 (PDF 67kb)

 

Working with Offenders

The prison and probation services are more aware of the importance of the voluntary and community sector and the range of services it can provide. This briefing looks at this issue in more detail and outlines how this affects the sector.

Working with Offenders - August 2009 (PDF 26kB)

 

Environment and Planning

 

Integrated Regional Strategy

The new Regional Strategy will set out how we will achieve sustainable economic growth in the North East over the next 15 to 20 years. The Regional Strategy will bring together the economic development emphasis of the Regional Economic Strategy with the spatial planning aspects of the Regional Spatial Strategy and new policy areas such as reducing carbon emissions.

The Integrated Regional Strategy - August 2009 (PDF 77kB)

 

Regional Third Sector Strategic Influence on housing in the North East

This briefing sets out the Homes and Communities Agency's broad investment priorities for the North East alongside opportuntities to influence this by the third sector. These reflect established regional housing strategies and regional plans and take account of the programme commitments made by Communities and Local Government (CLG), the Housing Corporation and English Partnerships.

Regional Third Sector Strategic Influence on housing - May 2010 (PDF 56kb)

 

Equalities

Equalities and Human Rights Agenda

There are a number of changes within the Equality and Diversity field which impact on the voluntary and community sector as they do the public sector. This is a summary of the main regional and national policy developments along with an overview of the key agencies.

Equalities & Human Rights Agenda - August 2009 (PDF 33kB)

 

Single Equalities Bill

On 27 April 2009 the Government published the Single Equality Bill, which aims to provide a more streamlined legislative framework to tackle disadvantage and discrimination within the law.

Single Equalities Bill - July 2009 (PDF 25kB)

 

Health and Social Care

Promoting the Value of the Third Sector in Reducing Health Inequalities in the North East

This briefing outlines a project aiming to promote the role of the third sector in tackling health inequalities, through the wider determinants of health, to key policy makers in the North East. The project will build the case as to how third sector organisations improve health outcomes for marginalised communities and individuals in the North East.

Reducing health inequalities - August 2010 (PDF 225kb)

Changes in Health Commissioning from the Health White Paper

In July 2010 the Government published the White Paper Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS, proposing changes in how health care is delivered.  Four consultations were then launched as to how these changes would be made.  One of the consultations most relevant to third sector organisations is "Commissioning for Patients" which sets out detailed proposals for changes in commissioning of health care services.

Changes in health commissioning - August 2010 (PDF 225kB)

Proposed New Structures in the Health Service

In a drive to increase efficiencies in the health service, the Health White Paper, Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS announced comprehensive structural changes to the NHS. This briefing aims to give readers an overview of the proposed structures in the developing health service.

Proposed New Structures in the Health Service - August 2010 (Word 93kB)

Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS, Implications of the Health White Paper for the Third Sector

In July 2010 the Government published the White Paper: Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS.  The Paper outlines what it wants the NHS to achieve without prescribing how it should be achieved.  Four consultations have since been launched to look in more detail at the mechanisms.  This briefing paper outlines the main themes in the Paper and gives an overview of opportunity for the third sector to influence the consultations.

The Health White Paper -  July 2010 (PDF 225kB)

Personalisation - what it means to the third sector

Personalisation is a concept by which public services are designed and delivered and made responsive to the needs of individuals, as opposed to individuals having to fit into the services available. For most third sector organisations it is a daunting process, adapting all systems and services to be fully person centred.  This briefing paper explores what personalisation means for third sector organisations and how it is progressing across the North East.

Personalisation- what it means to the third sector - June 2010 (PDF 225kB)

Social Care Green Paper: Shaping the Future of Care Together

In July 2009 the Government published the green paper: Shaping the Future of Care Together and launched the Big Care Debate, consulting on the proposed reform of adult care. This briefing note gives an overview of the proposals and suggests some key questions to consider when reviewing the paper.

Social Care Green Paper - August 2009 (PDF 58kB)

 

Infrastructure

National Support Services

A support package is available for third sector organisations from a national level. Partners from a range of national third sector support providers are working together to deliver a strategic package of information, events, signposting, tools, contracts.

National Support Services - August 2009 (PDF 23kB)

 

Comparison Report on Funding Issues for Infrastructure

This report provides an overview of the key funding issues facing infrastructure organisations in the North East based on a surveys carried out in February and September 2009. The main issue facing infrastructure organisations is they are facing a funding crisis in March 2011 when a number of targeted funding programmes will end.

Comparison Report on Funding Issues for Infrastructure - January 2010 (PDF 57kb)

 

Update on infrastructure regional planning

A briefing note on the refreshed Regional Infrastructure Consortium business plan. 

Infrastructure regional planning - December 2009 (PDF 185kb)

 

ChangeUp and the North East

This is a summary of the developments and achievements of infrastructure consortia in the North East. It explains what funding programmes are available and what they have funded and how this supports the work of the voluntary and community sector in the North East.

ChangeUp and the North East - July 2009 (PDF 23kB)

 

Regeneration

Regional Employability Framework

Bringing together national Government agencies, regional stakeholders and local bodies, the REF is to provide a single accessible network of employability support to meet the needs of both employers and individuals.  

Regional Employability Framework - January 2010 (PDF 69kb)

 

Welfare Reform

The Government has introduced a number of initiatives and reforms with an aim of modernising the welfare system. This briefing looks at the Welfare Reform White Paper - "Raising expectations and increasing support: reforming welfare for the future" - published in December 2008 and the subsequent Welfare Reform Bill, which are the latest steps in moves to overhaul the welfare system.

Welfare Reform - December 2009 (PDF 36kB)

 

Sustainable Development

Put simply sustainable development means "development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs".  This briefing looks at what is happening nationally and regionally and how it relates to the voluntary and community sector.

Sustainable Development - August 2009 (PDF 30kB)

 

City Regions

The government’s concept of two ‘city regions’ in the North East (Tees Valley and Tyne and Wear) is based on the premise that cities are the main drivers of a region’s economy and that efforts to stimulate growth should be concentrated there. This briefing looks at what this means and how it affects the voluntary and community sector.

City Regions - August 2009 (PDF 42kB)

 

A Brief Guide to Social Value

The term ‘social value’ refers to a range of different techniques used to measure, and sometimes give, a monetary value to the social impact of activities. VONNE has produced this brief guide to some of the common terms which are being increasingly used in relation to social value.

Social Value - August 2009 (PDF 58kB)

 

Gross Value Added

Gross Value Added has become an increasingly important issue for the voluntary and community sector over the last few years.  This briefing explains how it is calculated and the pitfalls in its use when measuring the output of voluntary organisations.

Gross Value Added - June 2009 (PDF 34kB)

 

Learning and Skills

The 2008 Government paper ‘Raising Expectations’ contains proposals to dismantle the current learning and skills system and create two new systems, one for pre-19 provision and the other for adult (post-19) provision.  This briefing explains the changes in more detail.

Learning and Skills - December 2009 (PDF 64kB)

 

Skills Accounts

Skills Accounts are introducing personalisation into the learning and skills arena. They are a new way for individual learners to take ownership of their learning and working life through an online service.  The service will give direct access to skills and careers advice, provide details of eligibility for government funding for training and provide information on available courses in the local area. 

Skills Accounts - March 2010 (PDF 59kb)

 

Sector Issues

North East Strategy

The North East Strategy is about the integration of business, people, built and natural environment priorities; with the overarching aim of achieving 'sustainable economic growth' for the region over the next 20 years. This briefing paper explains the stages and timescales of strategy development with an expected sign-off from the Secretary of State in July 2012. The briefing paper explains how to contribute to its development and in particular why the third sector should be getting involved.

North East Strategy - February 2010 (PDF 51kB)

 

North East Strategy Community Involvement Statement

In February 2010 One North East and the Association of North East Councils developed a draft statement setting out how wider stakeholders can be engaged in designing the North East Regional Strategy.  This is VONNE's submission in response to that statement.

North East Strategy Community Involvement Statement - March 2010 (PDF 78kB)

 

Surviving NOT Thriving - the Impact of the Recession

During spring 2010, VONNE undertook the third survey in our continued monitoring of the impact of the recession on the North East's voluntary and community sector (VCS). During the course of the survey the political landscape changed dramatically, and as the survey results show, the public sector budget cuts have the potential for significant impact on the sector in the region.

Still Surviving NOT Thriving - July 2010 (PDF 225kB)

 

Challenges for the Region

Following the survey into the impact of the recession, this briefing note looks the challenges for the region from a voluntary and community sector perspective.

Challenges for the Region - July 2009 (PDF 23kB)

 

Role of the Sector in Procurement and Commissioning

During the last decade there has been a significant shift in voluntary and community sector funding.  A greater number of voluntary groups are earning a greater proportion of their income from contracting with the public and other sectors to deliver public services.  This briefing provides a detailed analysis of some of the key issues facing the sector around this agenda.

Procurement and Commissioning - November 2009 (PDF 65kB)

 

 

Regional Networks

VONNE develops networks and partnerships of voluntary and community sector organisations across the region, and supports representation on multi-sector policy making groups. VONNE also engages in direct advocacy on behalf of the sector. This briefing lists the networks that the sector is engaged with at a regional level in the North East.

Regional Networks - November 2009 (PDF 44kB)

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