Understanding Personalisation Implications for LIO’s and their work with front line organisations Paul Ritchie Voluntary Action Rotherham

Overview About the research Research Findings Recommendations The Rotherham/South Yorkshire experience so far Opportunities/Challenges Final Word

About the Research The Partners Centre for Regional and Economic Research Sheffield Hallam University Voluntary Action Rotherham Doncaster CVS Voluntary Action Sheffield Voluntary Action Barnsley

About the research Objectives Improve partners understanding of personalisation Gather evidence about the opportunities and challenges arising from personalisation Identify examples of positive and innovative practice Get a better understanding about how to respond to personalisation more effectively

About the Research Research Methodology Review of existing evidence Semi structured research interviews with staff from front LIO’s and front line VCS orgs (14 Interviews) Engagement (via etc) with a wider sample of LIO’s and frontline VCS orgs A learning event attended by more than 50 staff from LIO’s and frontline VCS orgs

Research Findings For VCS orgs personalisation is a series of: Threats Opportunities Implications should be considered in two ways: Organisational development Challenges

Research Findings Organisational Development – three broad types of organisation: Fully developed Under developed and at risk Under developed but not at risk Challenges: Environmental Operational

Research Findings Organisation type 1: environmental challenges Waiting for LA to catch up Wondering if personalisation is more myth than reality Organisation type 2: operational challenges Issues around finance, marketing, staffing…… Cuts to block contracts could quickly threaten sustainability

Research Findings Organisation type 3: environmental and operational challenges Issues around finance, marketing, staffing…. But financial needs not pressing…..sustainability is not under threat as no block contracts Opportunities will not emerge if market is not developed sufficiently

Recommendations Recommendations fall into three broad themes: Facilitating an improvement in the external environment in which personalisation is being developed Building the capacity of frontline VCS orgs to respond to personalisation Developing a more strategic approach to LIO activity in support of both of the above

Recommendations Improving the environment More effective engagement with the public sector In areas where levels of third sector representation are low LIO’s should lobby key public sector officials and elected members for improved third sector involvement Promoting advocacy, support planning and brokerage Promote the importance of advocacy, support planning and brokerage with local commissioners Work with relevant VCS orgs to explore the feasibility of independently resourced approaches

Recommendations Improving the environment Supporting market development and intelligence Maintain an up to date picture of which VCS orgs are providing personalised services, and the types of services provided Hold regular ‘marketplace’ events where VCS orgs can showcase their services Facilitate a network or forum through which third sector service providers and public sector officials can share information about unmet needs

Recommendations Organisational capacity building Developing and supporting organisational capacity Develop packages of personalisation specific support in the areas such as financial management, marketing, training and workforce development, and human resources and legal advice Providing back office functions Explore the feasibility and demand for the provision of back office functions Investigate where economies of scale would lead to cost savings for VCS orgs

The Rotherham/South Yorkshire Experience so Far Improving the environment Adult Services Consortium VCS Representation at all levels of LA planning boards VCS Personalisation Programme Board Transformation task and finish groups Innovative Brokerage Service being developed

The Rotherham/South Yorkshire Experience so Far Organisational capacity building VAR 2012 project Transformation fund projects VCS Provider newsletter Development workshops – strategic and business planning Training days – working with experts from the Chamber Joint events with partners across South Yorkshire to promote personalisation

Challenges facing the VCS Marketing and promotion of services Moving from traditional services to ‘personal’ services Current cuts to contracts/funding Customer outcome focused delivery Understanding the environment – what do people want? Waiting for commissioners to catch up!

Opportunities facing the VCS Working together to deliver services (e.g. Support Brokerage) Flexibility – free from block contractual constraints Develop a variety of services Develop new markets Person centred approach to service delivery

Final word Its fundamental, that at the heart of every service that’s developed, delivered and commissioned is the ‘person’.

A Handy Philosophy When confronted with a difficult problem……I always ask myself….. What would Homer Simpson do?!!

Thank you Paul Ritchie