Why data matters to Alison Haskins, CEO 2 nd May 2014

Wakefield District Wellbeing Consortium + Voluntary Action Wakefield District

Data was crucial throughout our journey....

1. To promote and explain the Wellbeing Consortium

The VCS in Wakefield  567 registered organisations  per 10k population (N Yorks 49.39)  Income p/h of population £120 (Sheffield £788, Barnsley £210, Hull £371)  3.7% of population are volunteers (Bradford 6%, Kirklees 10.5%)  1.9% of workforce in VCS (4.7% N Yorks, 4.2% York)  c. 750 unregistered organisations  More unregistered organisations in deprived areas

Q: What’s all this got to do with the Wakefield District Wellbeing Consortium?

A: It’s been set up in response to all the above!

What is the Consortium? A ‘special purpose vehicle’, set up to enable collective VCS delivery of services in Wakefield District. It is a company ltd by guarantee and a registered charity

The VCS already holds public contracts – what’s the point? Savings: public bodies likely to want to create larger contracts Or may want to ‘bundle’ existing contracts More opportunities emerging (e.g. Catalyst Council) Many small organisations don’t hold contracts Competition for larger commercial providers Create management capacity for sector SROI carried out on commissions

2. In strategic discussions about VCS role in new world order (i.e. post-2010)

3. In our successful Transforming Local Infrastructure bid

4. In the Joint Learning Programme: 37 slides in 30 mins to explain the VCS!

5. Within business planning for Nova, the new entity

6. Within the Wakefield Third Sector Strategy

Purpose To create a collective approach, across Wakefield Together partners, to maximise the potential of the third sector in the district

The Four Themes Encourage active citizenship and voluntary action within local communities Increase opportunities for the sector to design and deliver public services Ensure the sector is able to influence policy and decision-making Develop effective support for the sector

7. To use in bids and campaigns

Favourite data sources:  Third Sector Trends Survey 2010 Below the Radar Mapping Registered Third Sector Organisations in Yorkshire and the Humber Third Sector Organisations in Yorkshire and the Humber  Quarterly Confidence Survey (Involve YH)  NCVO’s Almanac  National Survey of Charities and Social Enterprises  Third Sector Research Centre  Wakefield Observatory

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