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A5 Provider Interviews Aide Memoire
Review of Support Services available to the Voluntary Sector Providers of services
Aide memoire
Thank you for agreeing to participate in the Review. This information will form the basis of our interview. There is a definitions sheet attached for your information.
"The aim of this Support Services Review is to ensure that the needs of voluntary organisations (including marginalised groups) are met by effective support available at national and local level, structured for maximum efficiency, offering provision which is accessible to all, while reflecting and promoting diversity, and which is sustainably funded. It is also to ensure the efficient use of public funds and value for money."
(From the 'Invitation to Tender' sent by the Scottish Executive)
The review will focus on five core areas of support to the voluntary sector:
- Organisational development
- Workforce development
- Technical support (financial management and ICT)
- Income generation
- Lobbying and networking support
Please complete the attached tables - this will provide the basis for discussion in each of these areas
Section a - Accessing Support
Organisational development
1. How do you know what the sector or organisation needs in this area?
2. What are the gaps, generally?
3. Are there any tools you use to systematically identify support needs?
Workforce Development
4. How do you know what the sector or organisation needs in this area?
5. What are the gaps, generally?
6. Are there any tools you use to systematically identify support needs?
ICT
7. How do you know what the sector or organisation needs in this area?
8. What are the gaps, generally?
9. Are there any tools you use to systematically identify support needs?
Financial Management
10. How do you know what the sector or organisation needs in this area?
11. What are the gaps, generally?
12. Are there any tools you use to systematically identify support needs?
Income generation
13. How do you know what the sector or organisation needs in this area?
14. What are the gaps, generally?
15. Are there any tools you use to systematically identify support needs?
Lobbying
16. How do you know what the sector or organisation needs in this area?
17. What are the gaps, generally?
18. Are there any tools you use to systematically identify support needs?
Networking
19. How do you know what the sector or organisation needs in this area?
20. What are the gaps, generally?
21. Are there any tools you use to systematically identify support needs?
Support Provision
22. What kind of support requests do you get in relation to one-off bits of info/advice? (no more than 2/3 areas)
23. What barriers exist for voluntary organisations to access support?
24. Where have you been unable to meet needs of voluntary organisations?
25. How often does this happen?
26. What is your response?
27. What are the cost implications of filling these gaps?
28. Do you refer support requests onto other organisations when you cannot fulfil a request? If yes, who to?
Identification of support
29. How do voluntary organisations know what support is available from your organisation?
30. How do you market your support services?
Future access
31. Do you assist organisations to look to the future, i.e. 3 years from now what will their needs be, are you providing assistance to plan or to anticipate what is coming over the horizon? In what way?
32. If yes, do you use any tools to do this?
33. What issues do you anticipate in meeting these needs?
34. What is required to overcome these issues?
Section B - Types of Support
35. What type of support do you provide?
- Information available over the phone (help-line)
- Information available on-line (broad-based)
- Information provision - printed materials
- Printed toolkits
- On-line tools
- Training - in person
- Training - online
- Tailor-made support
- Other (please state)
36. To what extent do voluntary organisations have a choice of provider of support?
37. Should some services be provided on a market basis? Which ones?
Section C - Impact of Support
38. What do you view as the primary objective of support provided?
39. How do you assess the difference your support makes, how do you know the added value? (measurement tools)
40. Do you systematically monitor and evaluate the impact of the support you provide ( i.e. systems in place opposed to ad hoc evaluation)?
41. What type of support has made the biggest difference to organisations and why?
42. Where do you feel support has failed and for what reasons?
43. How does the support you provide assist organisations to tackle inequality
44. Do you consider the support provided to the voluntary sector to provide value for money? In what ways?
Section D - Your perception of the quality of support
45. Define the characteristics of good quality support
Section E - Support agencies working together
46. Do you link in with any networks providing a support infrastructure for the voluntary sector?
47. Do you work with other agencies/organisations to provide support to voluntary organisations? (please provide examples)
48. If yes, how regular is this joint working? How effective is it? What can you provide together that you cannot do as a single organisation?
49. What ways do you see different support agencies working in partnership and where are they in competition?
50. How helpful/unhelpful is that?
51. How can agencies that support the voluntary sector work in a co-ordinated, strategic way and continue to meet the needs of the voluntary sector?
52. Should support structures be rationalised? If so, in what ways? If not, why not?
53. Can you make any suggestions for possible improvements to the networks of support to improve reach, efficiency and effectiveness?
Future
54. Looking to the future what does this (national and/or local) infrastructure need to look like? How does it need to change?
55. What needs to be different about it?
56. In relation to the 5 areas, what is the minimum that should be available to all in the voluntary sector, who should provide it?
57. What should the priorities be for public spending in relation to support services?
58. Standing back from all of this, what is the one thing that would make a difference to voluntary organisations?
59. What do we need to make this happen e.g. increased public expenditure, rationalisation of what already exists, something else…
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