The document discusses effective communication and partnership between local government and the third sector in York. It provides information on York CVS, the types of third sector organizations, and reasons to work with the third sector such as fulfilling legal duties, gaining community insights, and building relationships. The York Compact agreement establishes principles and codes of practice to facilitate engagement between the sectors.

1. Better Communicating
with the Third Sector
Catherine Surtees – Partnerships manager
Casey Morrison - Information & development manager
Dec 2010
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2. Course Outcomes
• Knowledge of how to consult & involve.
• Information: newsletters, websites, email
distribution lists.
• York voluntary sector forums.
• Partnerships.
• Representation.
• The York Compact agreement.
• Co-production and outcomes.
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3. About York CVS
York CVS helps small We work with over 300 We represent the
voluntary sector organisations and hold voluntary and
businesses with: starting over 500 volunteering community sector in
a group, opportunities. York and helps public
charity/company Volunteers enable a bodies to work with
registration, monitoring massive amount of voluntary and
and evaluation, project valuable work to take community groups. We
planning, funding and place in the city; work run the Strategic Forum
financial management that otherwise would not for voluntary sector
and legal policies. happen. leaders in the City.
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4. 4

5. The Third Sector
“A diverse, active and passionate sector.
Organisations in the sector share common
characteristics:
• Non-governmental
• Value-driven
• Principally reinvest any financial surpluses to
further social, environmental or cultural objectives.
Encompasses voluntary and community
organisations, charities, social enterprises,
cooperatives and mutuals both large and small.”
(Office of the Third Sector) 5

6. Types of organisations
• „Voluntary and community sector‟
• Governing document
• Voluntary management committee (usually)
• Public or community benefit
• Charitable status
• Heads of charity
• Public benefit
• Run in line with charity law
• Registered/unregistered charities
• Social enterprise
• Trading for community benefit
• No or restricted distribution of profits to shareholders (if any)
• Describes activity not a specific legal form
• „Community Interest Companies are always non-charitable social
enterprises
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7. How can you tell if an organisation
is ‘third sector’?
• Registration: Charity number and/or Company
number
• Community Interest Companies must register with
the CIC regulator and include the words „Community
Interest Company‟ in their memorandum and articles
• Unregistered charities and community organisations
– governing document, voluntary management
committee
• Key questions:
– Who‟s in charge?
– Who‟s paying for insurance?
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8. Not third sector:
• Sole traders doing community-based
work, e.g. self-employed artists, child
minders
• Volunteering or community projects run
by statutory organisations (however
„arms length‟)
• For-profit businesses doing community-
based work
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9. How many third sector organisations
are there in York?
Nobody knows! (Yet)
Key facts (autumn 09):
• 727 registered organisations
• 200 – 300 unregistered organisations (under-
estimate)
• Generates 1.5 – 3% of GDP in York
• 4,160 trustees
• 2,579 paid staff
• 34,500 volunteers
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10. How to find York’s third sector
organisations
• York CVS
• Citizens‟ Guide
• Database
• Forums and networks
• Specialist groupings – sports, BME, faith,
arts, residents associations
• Charity Commission and CIC registrar
• Guidestar
• Yortime
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11. Why work with the third
sector?
• In your groups, list some reasons
• 10 minutes
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12. Why work with the third sector?
What the law says
Duty to involve - Section 138 of the Local Government
and Public Involvement in Health Act
The duty requires a best value authority where it considers
appropriate to:
(a) inform
(b) consult
(c) involve in another way
representatives of local persons in the exercise of any of its
functions
This includes „routine functions‟ as well as „significant one-
off decisions‟.
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13. Duty to involve and other duties
• Duty to co-operate
• Duty to promote democracy
• Duty to involve health users
• Equality duties
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14. Why work with the third
sector?
Why it’s a good idea anyway
• Better decisions and services through
insights and experience
• More transparency, legitimacy and buy-
in
• Builds bridges between public bodies
and citizens
• Ongoing relationships lead to better
involvement in future.
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15. Why work with the third sector?
Sometimes it‟s tough …
• Timescales and resources
• Culture and preconceptions
• Different agendas and roles: a conflict of
interest?
• The third sector as voice of the people?
• Working with infrastructure organisations
• Connecting with a diverse sector
• Political leadership
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16. The Compact – a tool to help
effective engagement
• A national framework to use to develop your
relationship with the local Third Sector
• Developed about 10 years ago in York
• A living document overseen by a group of
nominated representatives from the Third
Sector and key stakeholder agencies
• An overview statement with a series of
detailed codes
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17. Compact principles
• An agreement that voluntary and community
activity is fundamental to a democratic society
– Independence
– Right to campaign within the law
– Importance of transparency
• Its aim is to ensure the impact of the local
statutory sector has on the Third Sector is
positive
• Recognises added value of working in
partnership
– Each has distinct but complementary roles
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18. Compact detail
• Codes of Practice
– Funding and Commissioning
– Consultation
– Volunteering
– Partnership with the BME voluntary and
community sector
– Working with Community Groups
– Partnership
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19. Partnership
• Why involve the
Third Sector?
– Identifying needs
– Shaping services
– Support better
communications
– Sharing
responsibility
– Sharing good
practice and ideas
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20. Third Sector representation
Representing one voluntary Representing a Forum or
or community group constituency
• To influence the design of • To raise the profile of the
services that affect the need for services in the
people they work with area or for client group
• Feedback experiences • Accountable to similar
from people who use their groups or other members
group of the community
• To be part of a stronger
• To raise their profile with voice and perhaps exert
policy makers more influence
• To network with people in • To close gaps in
other sectors services 20