Information on the BIG Assist Beacons.

2. BIG Assist–Beacons for Change
Throughout 2015-16 BIG Assist is focused on sharing learning widely across infrastructure as
well as providing insight and evidence to inform those funders and policy makers concerned
with how best to build and strengthen infrastructure for the future.
A key area of this is working closely with those organisations leading change, inviting them
to become ‘BIG Assist Beacons for Change’.
What is aBIG Assist Beacon for Change?
BIG Assist Beacons are infrastructure organisations that are on a journey of change,
adapting and developing new approaches and work, new income and business models as
well as new relationships, partnerships and in some cases mergers.
WhoaretheBIG Assist Beacons forChange?
There are 30organisations that have been identified through the BIGAssistprogramme and who have
accepted their invitation to become aBIG AssistBeacon.
BIG Assist
BIG Assist is delivered by NCVO under contract to the BLF to support voluntary sector
infrastructure organisations.
BIG Assist works to help infrastructure organisations be more effective, sustainable and
better able to adapt and change.
Support through BIG Assist focuses on the infrastructure organisations that have the
potential to benefit most from the programme. This we consider are infrastructure
organisations:
 with adequate funding for the next year
 who have capacity to implement change
 can demonstrate a good understanding of the changes they need to undertake
 where support has potential to deliver impact.
BIG Assist provides support through:
 voucher awards of up to £15,000 in support for organisational development; and
organisations can reapply for support
 access to an online market place of approved suppliers rated and commented on by
BIG Assist customers
 peer to peer support including paid for visits to learn from others – the visiting
organisation receives £250 and the host organisation £400
 access to a wide range of free online resources plus face to face and on line events.

3. NCVO and infrastructure organisations
NCVO believes good infrastructure organisations help support both a strong sector and
strong communities.
Infrastructure organisations, in addition to their role of strengthening and
representing/voice, are increasingly playing a key role as an enabler between the public
sector and the voluntary sector (as well as with the business sector) unlocking local assets.
NCVO believes there is a growing number of infrastructure organisations actively adapting
and changing and a good way along their journey of change.
We believe there are few Infrastructure organisations who do not recognise the need to
change and, as seen through BIG Assist, over 700 have accessed support to change through
the programme via vouchers and visits:
 some are a good way through their journey and have impressive and valuable stories
to share – but continue to face challenges
 some are at the beginning of their journey and need both capacity and expertise to
both start and progress.
Below is some information ontheorganisations identified as BIG Assist Beacons forChange and
theirstory …
Bexley Voluntary ServiceCouncil
Sakthi Suriyaprakasam, Chief Executive
Bexley Voluntary Service Council (BVSC) has been an independent organisation since 1965.
Their aim is to support local voluntary and community groups by providing them with
training, advice and support. They also facilitate networks and forums which bring the
voluntary sector together and assist the sector to put forward its views on issues that affect
them. In the early 1970s they developed a Volunteer Centre to match potential volunteers
with groups seeking help and the Centre has been a part of BVSC ever since.
In 2013 Sakthi Suriyaprakasam came into post as Chief Executive for BVSC and, with a goal
to modernise the way the organisation operates and make it fit for purpose, identified many
of the areas of need within BCVS. Sakthi is very open to change and for looking for examples
of best practice elsewhere in the infrastructure sector.
As a result, BVSC undertook a complete strategic review that enabled them to understand
better the needs of their beneficiaries, involve all key stakeholders in the planning process
and help them identify their organisational priories for the future.
BVSC had a complex and unwieldy governance structure which made it difficult to operate
efficiently and respond to the rapidly changing external environment; BIG Assist supported
BVSC to undertake a governance review which identified that the existing governance
structure was not fit for purpose.
A new structure was proposed which removed a level of bureaucracy, decreased overall
trustee numbers but improved the level and quality of representation from member

4. organisations. This work has underpinned the whole process of change that Bexley are going
through. The board has been refreshed with 6 new trustees and are more aware of the
challenging environment that the organisation is operating in. The new structure means that
the Board are able to make key strategic decisions and respond to situations rapidly.
BVSC are exploring the different roles that CVSs have to develop in order to meet the need
of voluntary organisations and funders in a difficult financial climate. They have been
successful in negotiating with the CCG and Council for a social prescribing (SP) pilot in
Bexley.
VISIT 1: Social Prescribing on a Budget and Finding New roles for infrastructure
VISIT 2: Value of Infrastructure Programme - Impact
BradfordVolunteer Centre
Dave Forrest, Director
Bradford Volunteer Centre (BVC) has been promoting volunteering and supporting the local
voluntary and community sector for over 20 years – managing volunteers in charities,
businesses and the higher education sector.
Through the Bradford District Community Foundation they work to form partnerships
between community groups and have become one of the largest independent grant-makers
in Bradford, having given out nearly £1 million in grants to over 200 charities and
community groups. Another key focus is connecting young people (16-25 year-olds) with
suitable volunteering opportunities while offering a comprehensive range of practical
support for their member organisations to set volunteer programmes – the overall aim
being to ensure that organisations are complying with good practice and that volunteers
have a positive experience.
BVC has led the way in embracing technology to help them work better with key partners to
ensure infrastructure services continue and that the voluntary sector receives the support it
needs. Within the Bradford District Infrastructure Partnership (BDIP) they are one of five
organisations that provide infrastructure support to the VCS in the area. BVC were awarded
a BIG Assist voucher to get advice on a solution for information to be shared between the
five organisations. They wanted to make information on community groups more accessible
and have the ability to measure their outcomes and impact.
The database that BVC decided to implement has helped them to secure a £500,000
infrastructure grant from the local authority, and a CCG grant to support a local social
prescribing and signposting programme using health providers and GPs.
In addition, through a unique partnership with the BBC My Bradford Project, BDIP are
training community groups on using digital platforms to promote their groups. This has
already led to local community groups featuring on BBC TV and BBC Radio, and a specially
commissioned BBC filmto promote volunteering locally.
BVC has also introduced touch screen self-registration, using the new Voluntext mass text
messaging services which has helped to improve their services and reduce costs. Their
expertise in developing volunteering management systems, processes and strategies led to

5. them becoming a VCQA (Volunteer Centre Quality Accreditation) assessor for which they
offer visits through BIG Assist to organisations wishing to learn from their experiences.
With continuing sustainability challenges as a result of shifts in the current funding
environment, BVC are working to create new service delivery models, including trading, and
examining potential income generation as a whole.
Case study - Smarter working through a cloud based digital platform
Visit: Volunteer Centre Quality Accreditation (VCQA) and Mentoring and Befriending
Foundation Approved Provider Standard
Chester Voluntary Action
Carol Berry, Chief Officer
Chester Voluntary Action (CVA) provides a full range of CVS functions including one to one
information and advice, training and workshops, facilitation of special interest forums and
networking, representation of groups and organisations, and signposting.
TLI funds enabled CVA to develop new initiatives such as ‘Skillshare’ and ‘ART’, an
organisational diagnostic tool which links to an online resource bank of tools and guides.
CVA was also able to build its own capacity through training staff to deliver all aspects of the
organisation’s work – the organisation was one of only a small number of projects referred
to in the NAVCA TLI evaluation report.
CVA has also been invited to the Cabinet Office and Office for Civil Society in relation to
Skillshare, an initiative which matches local business people who want to volunteer their
skills and expertise, with voluntary and community groups that require their services. There
are almost 180 professional services registered. Skillshare also provide monthly workshops
on topics such as charity law, governance and marketing which are delivered free of charge
by experts which CVA charges attendees a nominal fee which generates income.
CVA accessed BIG Assist for support to better formally evidence their contribution to
developing the sector.
Colchester Community Voluntary Services
Tracy Fortescue the Business Development Manager
Colchester Community Voluntary Services (CCVS) was established in 1968 to inspire groups
to seize opportunities and become more enterprising and sustainable through activities
which provide representation, enable development, encourage liaison and support to
promote voluntary action. The organisation has grown substantially over the last 4 years
from a team of 18 to a team of 50.
CCVS is recognised as having a lead role in representing the sector. There are currently 14
independent CVSs delivering services to the community and voluntary sector across Essex.
These CVSs are members of the Essex Association of CVSs (ECVS), which exists to help the
CVSs share information and support.
As one of the biggest CVSs, CCVS is frequently the lead contractor for joint bids both from
other CVSs, but also from frontline groups. Aware of the changes in the commissioning

6. climate, CCVS is keen that smaller groups are able to participate in delivery, and want to
position itself as a broker for small groups to access the marketplace.
CCVS is recognised as having a lead role in representing the sector, sitting on 20-30 steering
committees and partnerships including the North-East Essex CCG Board and various sub-
committees, Children’s Partnership Board, Essex County Council (ECC) Partnership Board,
Strengthening Communities and others. CCVS also works with other ECVS colleagues in the
delivery of My Social Prescription.
CCVS enjoys a strong relationship with local statutory agencies, and has previously seconded
staff to ECC, to support the ECC to better understand and engage local need. CCVS are now
in discussion with the CCG to explore how it can replicate this project.
The substantial growth in recent years affected the governance which did not keep pace
with organisational development. Marketing and communications in the organisation had
grown organically but had been a little disjointed for the organisation as a whole, with each
project having its own marketing, and general marketing undertaken through weekly
newsletters. CCVS then accessed BIG Assist and were awarded 2 vouchers to provide
support with both marketing and governance.
Community ActionSouthwark
Graham Collins, Head of Sustainability & Development
Community Action Southwark (CAS) was formed following the merger of two local
infrastructure organisations in 2008; Southwark Association for Voluntary Organisations and
SCRF, an organisation that worked within health and social care.
Two years ago CAS completely reassessed its work and market position and developed a
comprehensive three-year strategy placing outcomes at the heart of its work. They
developed a 'Theory of Change' map, squarely underpinning everything they do, ensuring a
clear link between all areas of their work. This has enabled CAS to have a coherent and
marketable offer that has increased their reach and reputation.
CAS approached BIG Assist in 2014 for support to build on their existing consultancy and
training services; CAS wanted to develop a clear offer with different levels and distinct
packages of work which would be attractive to different segments of the not for profit
sector, as well as undertaking market research and asking key questions particularly of new
markets; and designing a flexible model with appeal to a broad audience.
Support from the BIG Assist consultant enabled them to define more clearly their
consultancy offer and encouraged focus on where value could be added in a potentially
crowded market. This resulted in CAS being able to market their consultancy offer using a
multi-tiered approach appealing to all sizes and types of organisations, offering packages
including both free and paid-for support, ensuring clients with limited budgets were not
excluded.
VISIT: An outcomes focused strategy...that works

7. Community and Voluntary ActionTameside
Ben Gilchrist, CEO
Community and Voluntary Action Tameside (CVAT) support voluntary, community and faith
groups in Tameside. Like many infrastructure organisations, CVAT has sought to sustain core
services focussed on sector development work, volunteering support and partnership
building whilst responding to a challenging funding environment. They invested early in
their income generation activity and engaged with tendering opportunities.
CVAT’s collaborative work with Tameside’s voluntary sector, including consortium
development, and with their sister charities in Greater Manchester, have been an extremely
valuable part of this. They have developed a range of projects that complement their core
work from Timebanking to asset based community development.
In 2012 they established Tameside 4 Good with the vision of everybody helping to make
Tameside a great place to live and work by supporting local good causes. Tameside 4 Good
aims to strengthen voluntary, community and faith groups by making it easier for businesses
and people to help local good causes through the giving of time, skills, money and
resources.
Most recently CVAT have begun the process of agreeing a merger with their sister
organisation Voluntary Action Oldham whom they have a long track record of working with.
They are pursuing this as two strong organisations recognising the need to seize the
opportunities ahead, especially in relation to devolution and the need for further reach and
increased capacity that a merger enables.
BIG Assist funding has been a vital first step in this as it’s enabled CVAT to bring in the
consultancy input vital to developing merger proposals and plan efficiently. Having such
financial support has meant they can concentrate on the strategic needs of the
organisations and the complex process a merger entails. CVAT are confident this will be the
foundation for developing new, sustainable services that can benefit local communities in
Tameside.
VISIT: 4 Good - our business model
Energize Shropshire, Telford&Wrekin
Chris Child, Chief Executive
Energize Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin are one of 49 County Sports Partnerships which
cover England.
Launched in 2007, Energize STW was originally hosted by Shropshire Council. From 2009
they began considering options for funding the organisation on a more sustainable basis and
decided to create a new independent organisation, forming an advisory board to oversee
the transition.
Energize have now successfully transitioned from being hosted by a local authority to
becoming a charitable company creating a new enterprise culture to deliver community
benefits.

8. “We are always learning and have been quite successful with our new approach and
business model.”
BIG Assist helped support Energize to develop a new customer led approach offering new
services and working more with local stakeholders, including new collaborations with local
CVSs that has secured new funding.
Energize have developed new marketing and communications including a new strapline
‘helping people find something to get their hearts beating faster’ which has changed the
view of them as a sports company and led to improved relationships with health partners.
Energize feel the process of working with BIG Assist has helped them make huge strides in
their business development and significantly improved project delivery.
Visit County Sports Partnership
Exeter Council for Voluntary Service
Simon Bowkett, Chief Executive
Exeter CVS (ECVS) is the largest CVS of 8 in Devon and is leading change by working with a
range of commissioners to identify key local needs, and then with the local VCSE sector to
develop sustainable and socially innovative responses.
Through working with local organisations and individuals Exeter CVS aims to build a thriving
community through learning, volunteering and building partnerships between the
voluntary, public and business sectors. Their vision is of active communities that are truly
alive – informed, engaged and resilient, and to awaken the potential within communities by
creating and connecting “doers” – people whose passion is infectious and whose actions
deliver change.
ECVS has recently received national recognition for developing a wellbeing hub that brings
together public, private and VCSE enterprises to address health inequalities, and to deliver a
range of recovery and wellbeing services to people at risk of social exclusion.
ECVS continues to provide core sector support to local VCSE groups as well as delivering
generic and supported volunteering programmes through its accredited volunteer centre.
Over recent years ECVS has developed to play a significant role in county-wide
developments. Their work has focused on developing collaborations and better partnerships
across the region’s local infrastructure bodies as well as engaging in innovative partnerships
with the local public sector.
Facing reductions in local authority funding, ECVS has been successful in securing diverse
funding through health and social care contracts, European funding, training and skills
provision, and brokering funding consortia. They are also working to expand paid-for
services and developing staff marketing and consultancy skills.
ECVS was an early beneficiary of two BIG Assist vouchers, and credits the contribution of BIG
Assist and the supplier (the Young Foundation) as instrumental in developing a new, more
enterprising business model. BIG Assist has funded ECVS to host visits from others keen to

9. learn more about collaboration, and co-designed approaches to problem-solving for social
challenges and community needs.
Most recently, ECVS has been developing a strategic local approach among commissioners
to social finance as a means of moving to more preventative interventions in health and
social care and criminal justice services. Exeter CVS is working with Big Society Capital, Social
and Sustainable Capital and the Access Foundation to explore ways that social investment
may work with (and invest in) infrastructure in order to develop capacity in the VCSE sector.
Visit ECVS: Developing "Voluntary Enterprise"
Greater Manchester Centre for Voluntary Organisation
Alex Whinnom, Chief Executive
Greater Manchester Centre for Voluntary Organisation (GMCVO), established in 1975, works
across the Greater Manchester city region to shape and support local voluntary action and
enterprise, enable collaboration with other sectors, and influence local and national policy.
It has a track record of developing innovative ways of working.
Faced with a fundamental shift in the roles of state and market, increasing competition for
resources and “position” and the devolution agenda, GMCVO has adapted both what it does
and how it works. This required demonstrating impact, developing a new organisational
culture and relationship building across five sectors, underpinned by a new business model.
In 2014 GMCVO underwent major restructuring enabling its universal services, voice and
policy functions to be sustained through specialist business units carrying out mission
related trading (conference centre, open source software, accredited training, research,
support for social enterprise, development of community assets). It also developed its role
as a lead body and commissioner. There were new appointments to staff and board, a
membership drive and big changes to internal management structures and processes. Two
additional subsidiary trading companies were established. GMCVO also worked with
another large local infrastructure organisation towards a joint venture.
To address changing needs and reductions in funding to local infrastructure organisations
across Greater Manchester, GMCVO has also tried to support greater collaboration and to
encourage new provision to address gaps, for example in volunteering infrastructure.
Building on a track record of collaboration, all its projects are now multi-sector partnerships
enabling local voluntary organisations to play to their strengths alongside others. For
example, Greater Manchester Talent Match, one of the best performing nationally, involves
so far 70 ethical businesses working alongside 50 youth organisations. Another example,
GMCVO publishes reports into specific aspects of local voluntary action in collaboration with
universities and has currently over £300k ESRC funded work over the next few years in
practical research partnership projects (the value of relationships in neighbourhoods, how
urban governance can support social innovation), plus investments in research posts based
with partners.
BIG Assist supported GMCVO to work with two different specialist suppliers chosen from
outside the region to provide a new perspective and reduce conflict of interest, and focused
on developing their strategy and business capabilities and scaling up a Databases trading

10. enterprise, helping with financial projection, markets and marketing. GMCVO supports
other infrastructure as a visit host through BIG Assist and through consultancy support as a
BIG Assist supplier.
Visit: Greater Manchester Centre for Voluntary Organisation
Hackney Council for Voluntary Service
Jake Ferguson, Chief Executive
Hackney CVS has successfully developed and led local partnerships of frontline VCS
organisations to deliver public services in the community for many years now.
They have recently established a special purpose vehicle called City & Hackney Together
which is a formal membership mechanism by which local not for profit organisations can bid
together for health and social care contracts. They now have over 70 members and have
started to secure substantial contracts locally.
Hackney CVS are also leading a £5.8m partnership bid which will help socially isolated older
people. Using local voluntary and community organisations, Hackney CVS will invest in
community led solutions to the issues of isolation among the over 50s. Interestingly, they
are using participatory budgeting as part of their commissioning process – older people are
choosing what services should be funded.
Hackney CVS hosts the City and Hackney Social Care Forum which is a provider network of
over 450 voluntary and community sector groups with an interest in health and social care.
This network provides elected representatives to sit on a range of key structures locally. It
also provides opportunities for the sector to work together on developing social prescribing
projects with local GPs, developing the personalization agenda through market
development, and co-producing a range of strategies with the public sector which has led to
commissioning and grant opportunities for local VCS organisations.
Given the local need for small grants, Hackney CVS have also founded Hackney Giving
(www.hackneygiving.org.uk) in partnership with the East End Community Foundation to
provide a simple mechanism through which corporate companies, SMEs and local residents
can donate money towards a grant pot which is then distributed to local community groups.
Since its launch in Feb 2014 they have raised £150k from corporate sponsors and have
funded over 25 great community projects.
Visit: Winning health & social care contracts using a Special Purpose Vehicle
Visit: Influencing commissioning using a local health provider network
Visit: Setting up a local giving scheme to provide grants to small grants
Hammersmith& Fulham Volunteer Centre
Dominic Pinkney, Chief Executive
Founded in 1996, Hammersmith and Fulham Volunteer Centre (HFVC) is one of the largest
volunteer centres in London working with individuals, organisations and businesses across
several West London Boroughs.

11. After a review of their income strategy, HFVC now focus on what they believe to be their
key strengths – volunteering, employability and working with the private sector through
‘Works4U’, the social enterprise arm of the organisation that sets up corporate volunteer
challenges within the community to help businesses and employees fulfil their corporate
social responsibility.
Successful in winning contracts in other boroughs including Brent, Harrow and Hounslow,
HFVC recently established a partnership with the Camden Volunteer Centre, with CEO
Dominic Pinkney leading both organisations and sharing resources and expertise in finance,
HR, quality accreditation, employability and employer supported volunteering.
BIG Assist helped HFVC work through the implementation and customisation of a cloud-
based monitoring and reporting tool for the whole organisation, gave support with
capturing and reporting the impact of their work and explored how they could secure more
earned income.
Supported through BIG Assist, HFVC visited Volunteer Centre Southwark and, as an outcome
of the visit, set up the ‘London ESV Network’, a London-wide partnership now delivering a
paid for service to the private sector to support more impactful and sustained volunteering.
VISIT: Employer Supported Volunteering
Hunts Forum of Voluntary Organisations
Julie Farrow, Chief Executive
Hunts Forum of Voluntary Organisations (HFVO) is the main infrastructure body in
Huntingdon Cambridgeshire. It was set up in 1994, formed by a coalition of local voluntary
organisations.
HFVO first approached BIG Assist in 2013 looking to develop new products and ways of
working. They were also looking into a potential merger, purchasing the community building
that they leased and the possibility of trading other viable opportunities.
The impact of BIG Assist support has been very positive, among other things helping to
develop and build new relationships.
After the consultation they decided not to purchase the community building but are
working on utilising the asset much more effectively to generate income.
The staff team has decreased to 3 FTE and the organisation is now sharing a development
worker with one other CVS. This has worked well and is being considered for another post.
The board are considering their options which include a merger and the current Chief
Executive, Julie Farrow, has led an all staff meeting of the CVSs to look at roles and
requirements to consider different ways for working more effectively across the region.
Following successful BIG Assist visits, Julie Farrow is leading the renegotiation with three
other CVSs of a joint membership offer, communications and the sharing of all development
and back room staff across the whole area. The strategic review highlighted new areas of
work including developing a business and parish council offer.

12. HVOSS (Herefordshire Voluntary Organisations Support Service)
Will Lindesay, Chief Executive
Herefordshire Voluntary Organisations Support Service (HVOSS) provides information,
guidance and support to voluntary community organisations and groups in Herefordshire.
They offer a range of support services to ensure that charities, community groups, village
hall committees, sports and leisure clubs and social enterprises can thrive and continue to
make a contribution to life in the county.
HVOSS provides information and support to its members as well as continuing to develop
good working relationships and commissioning arrangements with other organisations that
have a role in supporting the sector.
In 2014 HVOSS was awarded a BIG Assist voucher for £5000 for strategy and business
planning and are currently working on improving their asset management, and marketing
and building strategic relationships.
As well as holding the contract for HealthWatch, HVOSS is also the lead organisation behind
a successful bid for funding through BIGS Talent Match programme which aims to tackle
youth unemployment. This will bring in £1.8M of funding over five years.
In late 2014 HVOSS acquired a business through Talent March. It is currently a café and
smoothie bar and HVOSS has identified a number of opportunities for the premises going
forward both in terms of the opportunities it will offer young people and also income
generation.
Interlink Foundation
Chaya Spitz, Director
Founded in 1990, the Interlink Foundation is a charitable company with offices in London
and Manchester, established after it was identified that the Orthodox Jewish community
had a vibrant voluntary sector with support needs that weren’t being met.
Although the Interlink Foundation are a national organisation, the majority of their work
centres on four areas; Haringey, Hackney, Salford and Bury. Their mission is to support and
capacity-build community organisations to achieve better outcomes and to work
collaboratively with public sector organisations to improve services.
They developed a successful consortium at a time when consortiums were quite novel,
capacity building and generating unrestricted income for themselves and member
organisations. They approached BIG Assist for support to further develop and grow this
consortium, and in particular to review their model and identify any areas of improvement,
including understanding how much it costs to deliver support to and manage the
consortium and identifying how best to grow income. As a result of support from BIG Assist,
they now have more ideas for generating income and developing the consortium.
Significant changes have been made to their consultancy model since being awarded a BIG
Assist voucher which was used to consider the real cost of the service, undertaking a
competitor analysis and reviewing the charging model. Interlink Foundation now includes

13. the use of diagnostics and tools to improve consistency and quality of service, reviewing
how work is distributed amongst staff and how the team collaborates on client work, as well
as reviewing pricing and charges. Since implementing the changes the organisation feels
more optimistic and positive about the consultancy model and income has risen steadily and
another development worker has been recruited to increase capacity.
Visit: Interlink Foundation
LGBT Consortium
Paul Roberts, Chief Executive
As a former Strategic Partner of the Cabinet Office, and with funding from Capacity Builders,
the LGBT Consortium had grown as an organisation, but started to experience both drastic
funding cuts and ‘mission drift’; losing touch with their members, starting to compete with
their members and focussing inwards rather than outwards towards their membership.
Paul Roberts came into post as the new CEO in April 2011 with the aim of turning the
organisation around, focusing on rebuilding trust and confidence within their membership,
working more efficiently and reviewing the consortium mission and strategy.
Quickly finding that the organisation needed to do some serious thinking about how it was
going to face the future, Paul faced some incredibly tough decisions. As a result, they have
been through considerable change as an organisation.
During a 360 degree review of the organisation, the Board and CEO identified a critical need
to restructure in order to continue providing support for their specialist LGBT communities.
Decisions were taken to focus more activity on online support and develop stronger
relationships with generic infrastructure organisations in order to focus their specialist
knowledge where it was most needed.
LGBT Consortium rebuilt their website to reflect the range of support they could offer to
member organisations. They implemented a streamlined membership structure, including
fee-paying membership, which has strengthened the sense of ownership members have
over the organisation and now work to a rolling member-mandated strategic plan.
Faced with the need to reduce running costs, the organisation required changes in staffing
and structures, resulting in a smaller core staff team and the reorganisation of existing job
roles.
Paying for office space was one of their highest expenses, so in 2011 they took the decision
to go officeless and all staff now work from their home locations. This has resulted in many
benefits including better links with local member organisations.
“We are still here, we are struggling to survive (who isn’t) but we have the right tools to give
it the best shot at providing LGBT organisations with the infrastructure support they want
and need into the future.” Paul Roberts
Case study: Going office-less
Visit: From office to remote working

14. Newcastle Council for Voluntary Service
Giovanni Spatuzzi, Support & Development Business Manager
Newcastle Council for Voluntary Service (NCVS) was set up in 1929 to promote voluntary
and community action. They do this through supporting and developing groups,
encouraging organisations to network and get involved and by advocating for the voluntary
and community sector and representing it on strategic partnerships.
Poverty and inequality are significant issues for Newcastle; the city is ranked 30th amongst
local authority districts with the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in the Index of
Multiple Deprivation 2015. As a result combating poverty has always been central to the
aims and mission of NCVS and they achieve this through research and reports and their core
work supporting other voluntary sector organisations.
Newcastle CVS works to support an improved quality of life for all of Newcastle’s citizens by
supporting the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector, providing independent
advocacy services to those in need, delivering professional community accountancy services
and promoting best practice in health and social care.
NCVS have worked hard develop a good organisational culture, to build strategic
relationships and have a more enterprising attitude.
Newcastle CVS provide a range of infrastructure services that they divide into 3 main areas
of work:
 Supporting & Developing - NCVS help with all aspects of setting up and running a
voluntary or community organisation, charity or social enterprise. They do this by
providing a range of information, training, events and one-to-one support (by phone,
email or in person).
 Networking & Involving - NCVS helps voluntary and community organisations in
Newcastle to work together, to network and to have a voice. They do this through
running a number of networks and forums.
 Representing & Influencing - NCVS works with frontline organisations to empower
local communities. They do this by:
o Facilitating representation of the voluntary and community sector on
partnerships and multi-agency structures
o Promoting, advocating and lobbying for the shared and diverse interests of
the sector
o Initiating and supporting consultation processes which are meaningful and
inclusive.
Newcastle CVS also runs and hosts separate projects and initiatives that enable it to achieve
its objectives.
For 20 years Newcastle CVS has offered a charity accountancy service, Ellison Services. A
trading subsidiary Ellison offers a full range of accountancy services including payroll,
bookkeeping and management accounts. Ellison services returns a surplus back to
Newcastle CVS, contributing to its sustainability and independence.

15. Advocacy Centre North offers a range of free, independent advocacy services including BME
case advocacy, Mental Health advocacy and Community advocacy which enable people to
say what they want, secure their rights, represent their interests and obtain the services
they need.
Newcastle CVS co-hosts Newcastle HealthWatch, which works with local communities, gives
voice to those who are not often heard and finds out what matters most to communities so
that they can improve design and delivery of social care and health services in Newcastle.
NCVS approached BIG Assist for support to develop a new marketing and communications
strategy to consider the different ‘brands’ that NCVS have and how these operate in
conjunction with each other and how staff can best cross promote/cross sell services.
Since being awarded a voucher from BIG Assist, they have had additional enquiries as a
result of better marketing, both from the City Council and outside of Newcastle, and have
established an enterprise group which looks at gaps in services, developing new services and
improving existing mechanisms.
Pay & Employment Rights Service (Yorkshire) ltd
Phil Simmons, Chief Executive
Pay and Employment Rights Service (PERS) was originally established as the Yorkshire and
Humber Low Pay Unit in 1986. In 2002 the organisation re-registered as PERS, and in 2012
underwent a rebranding exercise alongside a change in focus to delivering advice on
employment rights to the VCS. PERS is a registered charity and company limited by
guarantee, working predominantly across West Yorkshire, which consists of the 5 District
Authorities of Leeds, Bradford, Kirklees, Wakefield and Calderdale.
PERS is a specialist infrastructure organisation delivering Advice Quality Standard HR advice
to the voluntary sector, working with both employers and employees. Originally working
only with employees and funded by 5 District Authorities to do so, PERS extended its remit
to cover working with employers as funding for employee-focussed work diminished. The
organisation now delivers advice and services to both employers and employees where no
conflict of interest exists.
PERS provides business support, HR and employment law support for third sector
organisations, social enterprises and small businesses that do not have an HR department or
access to expensive private-sector business consultancy.
PERS had identified numerous SMEs operating without HR support, and felt SMEs could
benefit from the flexible support PERS is able to offer. Although PERS’ development plans
include penetration of this SME market, it had little knowledge of the market and how to
target it. PERS were also keen to better understand structures within the NHS such as CCGs,
to see how this might be used to the advantage of PERS in creating and making offers to
emerging markets arising from changes within these structures.
PERS accessed BIG Assist for support to better understand the needs of SMEs, structures
within the NHS and other agencies, and potential opportunities arising. Support also in
exploring the feasibility of ideas to expand their services and generate extra income, to
ensure they invest resources most appropriately.

16. Payment & Employment Rights Service (Yorkshire) Ltd PERS is also engaged with BIG Assist
as a BIG Assist Approved Supplier; they have worked on a number of BIG Assist voucher
projects.
Rape Crisis England& Wales
Lee Eggleston, Chair
Rape Crisis England and Wales (RCEW) are a very small, infrastructure charity who support
the network of Rape Crisis Centres. BIG Assist awarded them £5k worth of vouchers in 2013
for work on financial sustainability and innovation, new products and services. As part of
this they worked with a consultant to consider and identify new ways of funding their
organisation.
Working with the BIG Assist consultant enabled them to bid for a large contract for the first
time and coincided with an explosion in demand for Rape Crisis services; as an illustration,
the number of clients seen by a single centre in the South East in the first quarter of 2015
was equal to all the clients they supported in the whole of 2014.
This unprecedented increase in demand, which is repeated all over the country, instigated a
number of critical changes in the way they work with members and with other second tier
groups. Communication, coordination, collaboration and new opportunities for funding are
key to their sustainability strategy.
Their new business development strategy group successfully harnessed the expertise of
their members to ensure the services they offer are increasingly professional and meet the
needs of members.
This group led the development of better channels of communication with members, and
this in turn enabled members to drive the development of the new strategic priorities. As a
result the response rate to their latest member survey went up from a very low level to
more than 70%, and they are better able to recognise, and tailor their services to meet, the
needs of very different types of member organisation, and effectively segment demand.
RCEW also have a new, enhanced business-driven understanding of what their members’
value, what needs to change in the support they provide and in the regional and
national infrastructure they maintain.
They now provide members with access to an accredited RCEW training programme and
have increased overall delivery capacity via a cadre of qualified trainers and a learning
portal. They have established a professional register of RCEW members who have achieved
the bespoke RCEW National Service Standards.
“Members now say the support services are ‘invaluable’, and that our regional infrastructure
supports innovation, especially in financing for the larger members, via ‘new partnerships
and consortium working’ across a bigger arena. They say our National Service Standards
‘distinguish us as professionals’ and provide a ‘kite mark’ that helps them to lever local
investment.”

17. Regenerus
Cate Murphy, Chief Executive
Regenerus (previously South Sefton Development Trust) was created in 2004 to continue
the work of the Government-funded South Sefton Partnership regeneration initiative. They
are a registered charity and company limited by guarantee operating as a social enterprise.
Although their beneficiaries are primarily in the Sefton area, they operate in the wider
environs in order to achieve their objectives.
Regenerus offers a range of support services to new and existing organisations and social
enterprises, as well as pre-employment training, professional development and business
skills training.
The organisation was a key player in bringing Antony Gormley’s ‘Another Place’ to Crosby
beach, and are spearheading some inspiring community projects such as the £1.3m Carnegie
Crosby Community Third Space and a ‘Social Supermarket’.
With funding from Liverpool CCG, Regenerus have been working with small tech companies
and local community organisations to develop and road test IT solutions that tackle health
and social care issues, helping people live more independent lives and saving carers’ and
staff time and resources.
Regenerus are developing a good reputation locally with the health and public sector as
innovators for change in the assisted living sector.
They also run a large modern building and generate income by renting some of the space to
a variety of organisations on a commercial basis, including to charities and social
enterprises.
In 2010 the funding landscape shifted dramatically for Regenerus and others in the sector.
During this time rental income dropped and funding programmes were ending requiring a
period of consolidation to ensure they were on solid foundations for the future.
BIG Assist supported Regenerus with their strategy and business planning, examining
priorities and in assessing the operating environment to see where they could have the
most impact for their beneficiaries, as well as a change of organisation name and re-
branding.
Regenerus now has a very clear strategy going forward. Their operation has been divided up
into four key areas and they use this as a framework to evaluate new work and
opportunities including bids. The board are now more engaged with a new ‘ambassadors’
role. As a result Regenerus have developed new projects and products helping to make
them more sustainable and are now beginning to be approached by commissioners and
contractors interested in the social impact they can now demonstrate and include in their
marketing.
Visit: Making Your Assets Work for You

18. Support Staffordshire
Garry Jones, Chief Executive
Support Staffordshire is the countywide service for VCSEs in Staffordshire. The organisation
was incorporated in March 2014 as a company limited by guarantee and is a registered
charity and was formed from a merger of 6 individual CVSs who had been working together
as a consortium for more than 10 years, sharing databases, membership structures and staff
and submitting joint bids for services.
Support Staffordshire continues to have a base in each district ensuring a local presence and
district funding and relationships have been maintained. The new organisation is also now in
a stronger position to work with countywide organisations better.
In November 2014 SS was awarded a BIG Assist voucher for £4,000, and also inherited some
vouchers from the individual merged organisations, towards supporting and developing
people and organisational culture.
Extensive work’s been done with funders and partners, and in April 2015 Support
Staffordshire published a Charter for Collaboration, outlining the organisation’s aims and
principles when working with others, and the organisation have been invited to talk to
partnership boards as a result.
Torbay Community Development Trust
Simon Sherbersky, Chief Executive
Having experienced a period of significant change, the newly formed Torbay Community
Development Trust exists to foster community development, funding and development
support and collaboration both within the sector and with organisations from other sectors.
They have undertaken a journey of change and innovation to become sustainable, survive
into the future and serve the local community.
As Community and Voluntary Action Torbay (CVA) there were limited contracts with the
public sector and they were running out of money. CVA Torbay were offering fairly limited
support to their members and weren’t hugely valued either by members or stakeholders.
They needed to explore ways in which they could survive in a changed environment of less
public spending and, together with a number of other organisations, decided something
different was needed; something that was fit for purpose and would survive into the future.
Torbay Community Development Trust was created.
Torbay’s journey of transformation followed Kotters 8 steps to successful change over a two
year period. This journey saw the demise of the CVS and the emergence of a new approach
in the form of Torbay Community Development Trust, taking a very different ethos and
approach. Focussing on an asset based approach to community development, volunteering,
skills sharing and a real emphasis on innovation and a less hierarchical and traditional
approach. “We are not the experts you need to keep you dependent. We are catalysts for
positive change that enable you to find the answers that you hold within. We want a modern
approach and now have a new team in place that walk the talk of our values, defined by the
wider sector:

19.  Success Through Empowerment: believing that community development is what
people do for themselves and that organisations can be supported to foster
grassroots action
 Asset Based Community Development: building on the strengths or assets in our
community to address its needs
 Adding Value: not competing with or threatening the interests of member
organisations but advocating the use of existing services and signposting people
 Sustainability: supporting sustainable solutions to local issues, meeting local needs
now without compromising those of the future
 Accountability: being accountable to the Torbay community as a whole
 Co-operation: Facilitate cooperation and collaboration both within the VCSE and with
business and public agencies
 A lighter touch: working with the minimum of bureaucracy
 Innovation: seeking to support, broker and/or facilitate innovative ways of working
 Equality of Opportunity: being committed to creating an equal and inclusive society.”
Torbay have also been using Timebanking as an alternative to the traditional infrastructure
model by setting up an organisational time bank of local charities registering their skills and
knowledge, and then trading ideas, skills, resources and spaces amongst themselves. They
are also setting up local neighbourhood Timebanks.
Torbay Community Development Trust received support from BIG Assist to look at
sustainability, measuring impact and setting up a volunteer centre.
“Having the BIG Assist voucher has been a catalyst. As the newly formed Torbay CDT we had
a skills deficit in most areas apart from funding. Our BIG Assist voucher allowed us to buy in
expertise so we could investigate how to make our existing assets work better and explore
other possibilities such as community regeneration projects.” Simon Sherbersky
Case study: surviving in a changing environment
Visit: Journey of Transformation
Voluntary ActionCalderdale
Soo Nevison, Chief Executive
Voluntary Action Calderdale (VAC) was formed in 2000. Originally VAC occupied rented
premises but after winning a Single Regeneration Budget they were able to purchase and
renovate their current property, The Resource Centre, moving in in the summer of 2006.
VAC supports local communities by working with voluntary and community groups,
networks and individuals. They work to:
 support and help groups and organisations to develop and deliver their own local
projects
 help local people to influence how local services are delivered
 bring people and groups together to create solutions for local communities.
VAC has an excellent working relationship with its local Clinical Commissioning Group and
have successfully obtained funding from the CCG, receiving a three year grant to develop

20. the capacity and capability of frontline groups to deliver NHS services. This health based
funding stream shifted the focus from generic support to tailored support for health related
VCS organisations, with a focus on the Quality Management Standards.
VAC also work closely with the CCG procurement department to advise on how best to
shape their procurement procedures to align with their requirements.
Their work has enabled the CCG to invest in excess of £2m into frontline groups. The new
developments include an online directory which can be used by GPs and other healthcare
professionals to search for local voluntary sector services (one method of social prescribing);
training the local VCS to engage with local communities on behalf of the NHS and quality
assessing frontline groups through a new tool developed at VAC.
VISIT: Delivering for the NHS
Voluntary ActionLeeds
Richard Jackson, CEO
Voluntary Action Leeds (VAL) is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee.
They are also a membership organisation. They have been offering services of various kinds
since 1945.
VAL offers a range of services including targeted support to small VCOs across 9 key areas
through a ‘business support’ market place, plus specialist support on commissioning and
contracting.
As part of the merger with Leeds Voices, VAL took on a strategic representative role on
behalf of the sector, now providing a more authentic and knowledgeable voice from the
sector, and includes the development of a renewed democratic Voluntary Sector Assembly
(Third Sector Leeds).
The local authority wants to hear from the VCS and is open to being challenged and
informed by the sector. VAL work to facilitate communication between the statutory and
VCS, supporting transparency and accountability in a range of areas via forums and
networks, included children, health and crosscutting strategic activity, including the Leeds
Third Sector Ambition Statement describing what sort of thriving Third Sector all key
strategic partners in Leeds would like to see.
VT Services is VAL’s trading arm providing payroll, events and project management services
with profits gift aided to VAL. VAL also rent out office and meeting space and have invested
to improve the building they own and see it as a third sector asset rather than an
organisational one.
VAL has worked to support greater collaboration and less rivalry and competition across the
sector. They led the TLI programme identifying 23 infrastructure organisations in Leeds who
wanted VAL to facilitate and manage infrastructure across the city rather than be a direct
deliverer. Good progress has been made including the Doing Good website, an independent
neutral single portal and access to support in the city as well as a standard diagnostic used
by all key agencies.

21. VAL aims to identify gaps in service provision and, through reserves, incubating new
innovative services. This proactive approach has led to diversification of income with a
number of different grants and contracts as well as generating trading income. The focus of
this approach is to better deliver the organisational aims in a way which is needs/user led.
VAL runs the Leeds Volunteer Centre, staffed mainly by volunteers. The services provided
are diversifying and include employer supported volunteering (ESV) and the service ‘Giving
Time’ aimed at people shortly leaving prison. This has had a great impact, with evidence
showing a real reduction in reoffending rates which currently stands at 0% against a local
average of over 70%. Despite the success of the programme it was hard to secure further
investment. However, the service has been expanded to other prisons locally and young
people at risk of offending.
VAL were supported through BIG Assist to plan how best to select new products and
services to meet local needs as well as generating new income. As well as support to revise
the organisational model post TLI and merger. VAL have been proactive in sharing learning
though social media, case studies and through hosting BIG Assist visitors.
Voluntary ActionNorthLincolnshire
Carole Phillips, Chief Executive
In 1997 Glanford and Scunthorpe CVS merged to form Voluntary Action North Lincolnshire
(VANL).
VANL’s ethos from the board downwards is completely voluntary sector focussed. It has a
stronger development agency role than many other CVS organisations as there are no other
development agencies in the area.
North Lincolnshire is a unitary authority, with a rural/urban split, although the urban areas
are very small. The rural population is dispersed over a wide geographical area; the majority
of the voluntary sector activity takes place in the rural areas.
Working to promote, develop and support voluntary activity within the community, VANL
provides advice, training, volunteer brokerage, community research, community
development support and community accountancy, and support the development of
collaborations of VCS or cross sector organisations, host the development of new
organisations and work to advocate for communities and VCS organisations in strategic
planning arenas.
VANL has successfully created consortiums to establish a Healthy Living Centre and an
Advice Partnership and is currently engaged with a consortium in Greater Lincolnshire LEP
area created by other infrastructure organisations and are using this learning to develop
partnerships in the Humber area.
Looking to work closer with the CCG, VANL have a very good relationship with the private
sector which they are looking to involve in grass roots grants.
VANL are also considering ESF funding potential for VCS capacity building, developing
charged out services including DBS, PAT Testing and accounting for new markets including

22. care homes and other small businesses. BIG Assist has provided support to VANL to help in
this area of income strategy and new business models.
VISIT: Creating a Consortium and Partnerships
VISIT: CiviCRM: Can this open source CRM work for your organisation?
Voluntary ActionNorthSomerset
Lorna Muffett, Programme and Operations Manager
Voluntary Action North Somerset (VANS) is both a Volunteer Centre and the local
infrastructure organisation for North Somerset. Our core focus is to support and represent
the voluntary and community sector in North Somerset, ensuring a diverse, thriving and
sustainable sector in the area.
Following our work as lead organisation for the successful TLI bid, VANS has developed
expertise delivering Volunteering Pathway programmes supporting people with additional
needs into volunteering. We deliver volunteering programmes on behalf of other
organisations and run a volunteer centre matching organisations with volunteers.
VANS has been supported by BIG Assist in the past increasing our expertise around
commissioning and procuring of services. We now work more closely with the local council
and also with the West of England Civil Society Partnership. We are leading locally for the
sector on commissioning and procurement through social value. VANS has undergone a staff
restructure including recruiting a new Chief Executive and senior management team.
We are delighted to be working with Big Assist once again on the next phase of our
development. We have been able to visit a number of other organisations to learn from
their experience and are now working to develop our Volunteer Centre and services to
members to become excellent, sustainable and offer the best possible support to the sector.
Voluntary ActionRotherham
Janet Wheatley, Chief Executive
Voluntary Action Rotherham (VAR) is the lead body for supporting, developing and
promoting the voluntary and community sector in the Rotherham borough. Its core
activities and associated projects are a keystone for local community engagement and
development and it works to support and develop effective, sustainable and influential
voluntary and community action bringing positive change in the lives of individuals and
communities in Rotherham.
VARs work has 3 main strands
 Information and Influence – ensuring the VCS has relevant high quality and timely
information. A co-ordinated voice to shape policy and practice. Support to network,
collaborate and work in partnership. Promotion of the VCS. Provision of strategic
representation and leadership.
 Strengthen and Support – provision of a range of high quality support services.
Accredited volunteer centre. Specific projects eg DREAM supporting volunteering
opportunities for adults (18+) with learning disabilities. Plus lead partner and

23. contracting / commissioning organisations for the Social Prescribing Service and Base
service providing support to those affected by Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE).
 Efficiency and Effectiveness – governance, membership, quality, financial
diversification of itself and within the sector.
VAR operates from a purpose built building whose ownership will revert to VAR in a few
years. They continue to grow and diversify their income to be less reliant on grant income.
VAR are the lead partner and co-ordinator of a social prescribing service linking GP referred
patients with long term conditions to services and activities provided by the VCS funded by
the CCG/Better Care Fund. The service known as the ‘Rotherham model’ received an NHS
England Award for Individual Participation and is attracting a lot of national interest. In 2015
the service began piloting a similar model taking referrals from the local mental health
provider trust to support specific groups of patients who were deemed potentially discharge
ready.
The project has opened up a new role for VAR as a broker and commissioner for voluntary
sector services on behalf of CCGs and potentially other statutory services eg LA’s, Health
Provider Trusts. With funding cuts to statutory bodies, CCGs and LA's struggle to find the
resources to commission and manage lots of small contracts and are inclined to
delegate/contract this function to another body – infrastructure organisations being ideally
placed for this role that sits alongside support to local VCS organisations to develop capacity
and growth. The evaluation of the service is showing some interesting and relevant
information demonstrating the impact of the preventative work of VCS organisations on
reducing more costly acute based interventions e.g. hospital admissions as well as showing
the financial return on investment and savings.
BIG Assist voucher support helped VAR develop the strategic governance and management
as well as impact measurement for Social Prescribing programme.
VAR have been very active in sharing the opportunity they see social prescribing offers local
infrastructure and through BIG Assist they have hosted 11 visits (in all the service has
received over 80 contacts from across England). They offer advice on making the case to the
CCG, developing the business case in partnership with the local VCS as well as advice on
governance, management and impact measurement.
VISIT: Rotherham Social Prescribing Service
Voluntary ActionSheffield
Sue James, Director of Operations
Voluntary Action Sheffield (VAS) is the main infrastructure organisation in Sheffield
providing a range of services to over 800 voluntary and community sector organisations per
year and generates over 50% of its income through the sale of services and products to
customers, transforming its business model over the years and adopting a flexible and
innovative approach to embracing opportunities.
VAS has a strong track record of charging for services and products, these include a range of
professional services, IT products and services and income from The Circle; a purpose built
conference centre, with a range of meeting rooms and office space which VAS own.

24. Initially VAS sought BIG Assist support to improve marketing of their professional services
and conference facilities, to meet clients’ needs more effectively and explore new markets
for these products and services. Prior to this they’d lost a lot of conference bookings when
their local authority, their biggest customer, began holding all meetings in-house and there
was scope to increase income from this source.
BIG Assist awarded two vouchers totalling £7,000 to look at innovation and new products
and marketing and building strategic relationships.
VAS are always coming up with and exploring new ways of operating. In 2014 they received
a further BIG Assist voucher to explore the possibility of changing the Circle to a community
shared ownership model and have had a thorough feasibility study done. The support has
really increased the organisation’s knowledge about community ownership and the benefits
of risks to taking on a project like this. Without the study the organisation would not have
been able to progress the idea so quickly or have projections that they could confidently
take to the Board and share externally. As of July 2015 the Trustees of VAS have given a
tentative green light to take the project forward but there is still much work to be done.
Case studies - Shared community ownership of VAS’s building and Improving our
marketing
VISIT: Voluntary Action Sheffield
Voluntary Norfolk
Alan Hopley, Chief Executive
Voluntary Norfolk is a strong organisation with a high profile. Established in 1969 as the
‘Norwich Organisation for Active Help’, they began life as a mobile volunteer centre based in
a caravan. Through the intervening years, they have developed into Norfolk’s major
volunteering organisation as well as a major provider of services. Faced with the prospect of
reduced funding from the local authority, Voluntary Norfolk has worked to develop a more
diverse funding base.
A strategic review led to a restructure, reducing costs in order to become more sustainable.
New work and income was secured by engaging in new commissioning opportunities and in
2009 purchased the business of a private company, renamed as Charity BackRoom. The
company primarily offered training, but in response to the expressed needs of local
organisations, Voluntary Norfolk set out to quickly expand the range of services on offer,
employing qualified HR and payroll professionals and partnering with a local firm of
solicitors and a reputable not-for-profit insurance broker to deliver top quality advice and
support. As demand for the services have grown, so Voluntary Norfolk has been able to
improve and expand its offer; for example, by now offering electronic DBS checks.
Through BIG Assist, Voluntary Norfolk received support with marketing and building
strategic relationships which helped raise their profile and expand their trading income.
Charity BackRoom is the Strategic DBS partner of NCVO and is one of their approved
suppliers. Continuing to respond to the expressed needs of voluntary organisations,
Voluntary Norfolk has now taken over the business of a fundraising agency whose services
have been added to those available through Charity BackRoom.
Voluntary Norfolk has developed its role with commissioners and is engaging successfully
with the new commissioning agendas. Following a request for partnership from a private

25. company, they now provide volunteer drivers for Norfolk’s non-emergency health transport
service. They continue to lead partnerships in funding bids, including the recently successful
Great Yarmouth Fulfilling Lives project, which will build on their award winning community
development and employability work. They have coordinated the voluntary sector
collaboration for the Building Better Opportunities Fund and are the Norwich delivery
partner for the New Anglia LEP’s Talent Match programme.
Visit: Involving Volunteers with Criminal Convictions
Visit: Business Doing Good
Warwickshire Community &Voluntary Action
Paul Tolley, Chief Executive
Warwickshire Community and Voluntary Action (CAVA) was formed on the 1st April 2008
from the merger of North Warwickshire Council for Voluntary Service, Nuneaton &
Bedworth Council for Voluntary Service, Rugby Council for Voluntary Service, Volunteer
Centre Rugby and Warwick District Council for Voluntary Service & Volunteer Centre.
The organisation provides a range of infrastructure services as well as direct delivery of
projects, and acts as employer for some small and developing community organisations.
Covering most of the County, Warwickshire CAVA has maintained the premises of all of the
original pre-merger organisations and so is able to provide services tailored to local needs.
They also provide Volunteer Centres in Rugby and Warwick.
As part of their community development role, Warwickshire CAVA have employed people
on behalf of smaller organisations whilst those organisations develop to the point where
they can take over employment themselves.
The organisation also owns/manages a number of buildings which house other
organisations and is currently in a position where 23% of its income is earned
income separate from grants and contracts.
Warwickshire CAVA engaged with BIG Assist for support in developing the market for the
intensive support service that they provide. This included support with scoping the specific
service, staff skills and capacity, costing (relative to affordability, worth and market rates) as
well as fundraising with local stakeholders to help ensure small organisations can access the
support including where free services should stop and charging begin.
In anticipation of a cultural change towards more ‘self-generated’ income (i.e. move away
from reliance on grant funding) they were also provided support to look at a programme of
visits, coaching and training for trustees, senior management and staff around areas such as
understanding the market, innovation, pricing and marketing, cross sector working.
Young Lancashire
Graham Whalley, Chief Executive
Young Lancashire (YL) is the only specialist children, young people’s and family’s
infrastructure support provider in Lancashire, based in Preston. Established in 1923, YL is a
registered charity and company limited by guarantee.

26. The organisation has been through a number of changes to both diversify their income as
well as implementing a number of new areas and ways of working.
YL facilitated the formation of Greater Together in 2011, a consortium of frontline groups
working with children, young people and families. The consortium has been successful in
winning contracts totalling £1.5m last year, for which YL earn a 5-10% management fee.
Graham Whalley, CEO of Young Lancashire, also chairs ONE Lancashire, a company set up in
2012 consisting of a consortium of 36 infrastructure organisations across Lancashire. ONE
Lancashire was awarded a £700k grant from Lancashire County Council in 2014 for the
provision of infrastructure support services, via a number of members, for a period of two
years.
YL have accessed support from BIG Assist through 2 voucher awards totalling £8k and as a
registered host they have received 4 visits. YL used the support to develop their plans to
acquire a new building, develop their strategy, planning and managing change and assessing
and communicating impact.
VISIT 1: Collective Cloud Counting
VISIT 2: Social Media visit