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A6 Explanation of terms
Review of Support Services for the Voluntary Sector
www.supportservicesreview.co.uk
Explanation of terms
This document provides detail of what is meant by each of the following terms which form the parameters of this review:
- Voluntary sector
- Organisational development
- Workforce development
- Technical support
- Income generation
- Lobbying and networking support
Voluntary sector
For the purposes of this review the voluntary sector will be characterised in a fairly broad sense with the key elements being that organisations are: structured; non-profit driven; non-statutory; autonomous; and run by individuals who do not get paid for running the organisation ( SCVO definition).
Broadly speaking it will be assumed that the desired impact of support provided to the voluntary sector is to assist organisations to function in an efficient and effective way. For example the Charities Aid Foundation defines a healthy voluntary organisation as one that:
- Has a robust mission, vision and goals supported by appropriate governance, management and staffing (including volunteering) structures
- Has a funding strategy that reinforces this mission, vision etc and supports the direction of the organisation's work
- Has a marketing and PR presence that reinforces the work of the organisation
- Is supported by financial management and planning systems
Organisational development
The term 'organisational development' has been used since the 1960s to describe a management approach whereby social and behavioural science is employed to improve both the effectiveness of organisations and the quality of work experience for its members.
- Organisational development is closely interlinked with all the areas of this review and in particular we will explore aspects such as:
- Organisational change (for example organisations starting up or moving from a small unincorporated group to become a registered charity)
- Issues relating to management and governance
- Business planning
- Responding to new legislation, policy or regulations.
Workforce development
Workforce development refers to a strategic approach to ensuring and sustaining (through a range of inputs) the pool of skills and knowledge needed to deliver the outcomes being sought (including outcomes for employers and employees).
The Voluntary Sector Workforce Hub defines workforce development as:
"Process of developing the skills and knowledge of paid staff, volunteers and trustees, underpinned by good management and employment practice. Attracting people to work in the sector so it can flourish and grow".
http://www.changeup.org.uk/hubs/workforce.asp
Technical support
This refers to elements of the infrastructure of voluntary organisations including ICT and finance systems. In Digital inclusion, connecting Scotland's people the Scottish Executive set out its vision for a digitally-inclusive Scotland and identified that achieving this vision will require enhanced access, skills and confidence in relation to ICT. This review will examine what voluntary organisations wish to achieve through the use of ICT and what support is available, and needed, to enable them to do this.
The review will also look at the needs of the voluntary sector in terms of financial management systems, particularly as these are crucial to the capacity of organisations to ensure efficiency and respond to the issues of best value and understanding how to cost services, including systems such as full cost recovery (described below in relation to income generation).
Income generation
This aspect of the review relates to support needs in context of the Strategic Funding Review and assess the adequacy of current support in meeting these. In particular we will explore the support required by the sector to respond to the 'best value' requirements on local authorities and the move towards an investment culture of funding and implementation of full cost recovery (whereby organisations realistically cost their services to take account of overheads) within the sector.
This links closely with the issue of financial management systems as these must be robust and efficient in order that organisations can accurately calculate and manage the costs of their work.
Lobbying and networking support
Lobbying and networking are key activities for many organisations within the voluntary sector and the Scottish Executive has recognised the role of the voluntary sector in the policy making process in: advocating for communities and individuals who find it difficult to articulate their needs and views; campaigning for increased or improved public provision; and contributes knowledge and experience.
Networking provides opportunities for building up and/or maintaining informal relationships. In the context of this review it refers to networking activities such as information exchange, sharing best practice and creating a platform for a shared voice or perspective.
The role of this review will be to identify the support currently available and the extent to which this builds the capacity of voluntary organisations, as opposed to acting on their behalf, to sustain networks or undertake lobbying. We will explore the needs of the voluntary sector in terms of what type of support they require, where they view intermediaries and other support organisations as adding value by taking a lead role, and where they would rather access support to build their own capacity.
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