The knock on effects of the Government’s financialsqueeze mean the reality of reduced budgets andan uncertain future are causing widespreadconcern in the sector.

As we look to rein in our spending and deliverservices more efficiently, the situation will not behelped by an increased demand for those verysame services, from the people we support.

In recent years we have seen a shift in the waywe are expected to deliver services. This, coupledwith the new economic environment in which weare expected to deliver more for less, will leavemany groups overstretched and struggling to keep up.

In this borough we are fortunate in that we haveavoided some of the savage cuts that have raisedalarm bells in other areas. We are pleased that thecouncil has listened to the views of voluntary sectorrepresentatives, that cuts should be implementedequally across the board rather than favouringsome services over others.

Whilst we understand challenging times meanthat the council has difficult decisions to make wehope our sector’s voice means our localcommunities do not lose out.

It will be important for us to map the way that theausterity drive impacts on our organisations, weneed to evidence the effects on frontline services,on staff and morale. We also need to share ourideas on ways of coping.

A new Cuts page on our website will update youon relevant news and also share resources andinformation about anti-cuts campaigns. In manyareas community led campaigns are springing up

A new age of austerity hangs over us as we settle into 2011 with many voluntaryand community organisations alreadyfeeling the pinch.

More to come? – In December VCS groups from across Londonprotested against cuts in London Councils funding.

Editorial 2

Feature: 3Change is a Gonna Come...

Organisational Development: 4 / 5Supporting the Sector in 2011

Health News 6

Partnerships & Forums 7

Coping with Cuts... 8

In this issue...

FEBRUARY – MARCH 2011

to try to shape the debate and challenge the wayausterity measures are being implemented.Alternatives are being put forward for dealing withthe budget crisis.

It is important that our communities arerepresented in this debate, only through enablingtheir voice can their needs be placed at the centreof decision making.

Austerity bites

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KENSINGTON & CHELSEASOCIAL COUNCILLondon Lighthouse111-117 Lancaster RoadLondon W11 1QT

020 7243 9800info@kcsc.org.ukwww.kcsc.org.ukCharity no 1087457Limited company no. 4146375

C O N T A C T U S

Chief ExecutiveMary Gardiner 020 7243 9803 mary@kcsc.org.uk

Office ManagerHarjit Dhaliwal 020 7243 9801 harjit@kcsc.org.uk

Organisational Development Team

Organisational Development ManagerLev Pedro 020 7243 9809 lev@kcsc.org.uk 07540 721765

Senior OrganisationalDevelopment Advisor Siobhan Sollis 020 7243 9807 siobhan@kcsc.org.uk

Development OfficerBrenda Nambooze 020 7243 9807 brenda@kcsc.org.uk

Policy Development Team

Policy Development ManagerAngela Spence 020 7243 9802 angela@kcsc.org.uk

Administrative Officer / Personal Assistant Mohammed Miah 020 7243 9808mohammed@kcsc.org.uk

Community LeadershipPatrick Little 07538 238946 patrick@cvshounslow.org.uk

Development Officer Personalisation AwarenessAneesa Chaudhry 020 7243 9800 aneesa@kcsc.org.uk

Information and Communications OfficerKuldip Bajwa 020 7243 9804 kuldip@kcsc.org.uk

4minds Project Team

Community Development WorkerJane Palmer 07540 721763jane@4mindsproject.org.uk

Team AdministratorShabana Siddique 020 7373 9113shabana@4mindsproject.org.uk

The views expressed in Link are notnecessarily those of KCSC.

Kensington & Chelsea Social Council (KCSC) works to support locally focusedvoluntary and communityorganisations serving local residents.

2

Our history hastaught us thatuniting as a localsector works tothe great benefitof local people.This, coupled withgood relationshipswith statutoryfunders means we remain ina relatively strong positioncompared to other areas. However, we still face uncertainty.We know that the council aretalking to our neighbouringboroughs of Westminster andHammersmith and Fulham aboutdelivering more joined up services.One council has expressedthoughts on a possible approachsupporting our sector and this iscurrently being considered by theother two.

At the Social Council we are notimmune to the changes andchallenges that all front line groupsface. For the second year runningour income will drop. Last year itfell by £50k and this year we face areduction of £145k. (Largely due toend of the 4Minds Project – butalso due to planned reductionsfrom the government and AdultSocial Care).

We will be making changes overthe coming months to ensure wecontinue delivering the bestpossible outcomes for you as ourmembers.

This will include reducing thenumber of meetings we serviceand only arranging training courseson a particular topic when more

A W O R D F R O M O U R C H I E F E X E C U T I V E

than 15 groups requestit. Changes to the VOFsare also planned andare detailed on page 7.

The other bigchange we areintroducing is a newand more relevant website. We hope to keepyou better informed ofsector developments

and engage those of you who areoften too short of time to attendmeetings. This does not mean wewill stop our face to face workwhich is always our main focus, but we do hope we can delivermore and improve access to ourservices.

Part of our new offer will be avirtual forum for Social Enterpriseoffering guidance and support.Later in the year we will be offeringsubsidised places at the School for Social Entrepreneurs fororganisations that show they areready to develop their plans further.

For those of you that areworried about this potentialdeparture from tradition wemaintain our strong views onequalities and commitment tosupporting small and BMEorganisations, and we have plansto strengthen our work in this areaover the coming year.

Please let us know yourthoughts on our current range ofservices and future plans.It is important for us all during thistime to keep an eye on the missionthat we share. That of reducingpoverty and disadvantage, andworking to support communities todevelop a voice that is heard andresponded to by decision makers.Best wishes for 2011.

Mary Gardiner

Revised Local Compact – Out in February!

www.kcsc.org.uk/compact

This important document safeguards a number of rights forvoluntary and community sector organisations in our relations withlocal statutory bodies like the council and NHS. Any organisation

working with the public sector needs to have a copy to hand. The new version is expected to be ready by mid-February and

will be available for download from:

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F E A T U R E

CHANGE IS AGONNA COME...

It is no secret that 2011 will be a challenging year. The coming twelvemonths will see us really start to feel the effects of last year’s decisions

to reduce public spending. It is the effect on communities, families and individuals that is causing the most concern for the

voluntary and community sector.2011 should therefore be a year inwhich the voluntary and communitysector’s voice is heard loud and clear.Our sector needs to come together ina way it has not done since the timeof overt racism and discrimination.

We need to make sure that wespeak up for the community todecision makers, tell them what ishappening to local residents andcollect the evidence which will help tostimulate debate and action. To dothis we need to be pulling in thesame direction and making allattempts to ride out these difficulttimes because it is a fact that peoplewill need us now more than ever.

At the Conservative Partyconference back in October 2010 thenew Prime Minister David Cameronstated that the government is leadingthe change ‘from state power to people power’ – from‘big government to big society’.

But at the moment the term Big Society still meansvery little. Whilst it strikes a chord with ourunderstanding of humanity and good will, it still feelslike an empty promise.

Can Big Society address the fact that not everyonehas the same capacity to participate and benefitequally?

Society is not equal and this means thatcircumstance will play a large part as to whetherpeople can join in and to what extent.

‘We are all in this together’ is a phrase we haveheard all too often – yet it sits uncomfortably when wecan clearly see the inequalities in income and inwealth. Most workers will expect to get a belowinflation pay rise during 2011, if at all. This will be setagainst rising costs for day to day living.

Currently almost one in five 16-24 year olds in the

UK is out of work, whilst more thanone million women are jobless. 13per cent of children are classed bySave the Children as living in ‘severepoverty’. The richest 10 per cent ofsociety now own wealth which is 100times greater than the poorest 10per cent and this gap has beengrowing for the last 30 years. Wehave a right to expect this to bereversed.

Big Society means that localcommunities will have a key role inthe future in holding local authoritiesto account. The Localism Billcurrently going through Parliamentwill strengthen these powers. Thevoluntary and community sector willbe vital to the process of ensuringlocal people use those powers.However, all this may not be as

simple as the Coalition government hopes. Societyoperates best when people feel happy and secure.The new period of austerity in 2011 threatens this.

In surviving these times the sector will have to facethe prospect of mergers (forced or voluntary),reducing service provision and redundancies.Whatever the prospect we have to work together inorder to emerge from this period stronger and betterprepared for the hard years ahead.

“ At the moment the term Big Societystill means very little.Whilst it strikes achord with ourunderstanding ofhumanity and goodwill, it still feels likean empty promise.

Can Big Societyaddress the fact thatnot everyone has the same capacity to participate andbenefit equally? ”

More info: www.kcsc.org.uk/noticeboard

If you are a local organisation why notadvertise it on the Social Council website

Community Noticeboard.

Do you have something to promote?

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O R G A N I S A T I O N A L

Supporting the SectSupporting frontlineorganisations to meet the demands of achallenging economicenvironment.

We will do this by: • Providing governance support• Supporting partnership working• Supporting Social Enterprise

development• Mentoring leaders

Supporting the sector toaddress the challenges and opportunities which arise from national, regional and local policy.

We will do this by: • Stimulating debate and action• Conducting research• Providing information on planning

development• Identifying good practice within

the sector• Providing customised training

when required

Developing opportunitiesfor organisations tocontribute to the reductionof health inequality andimproving health and well-being

We will do this by: • Sourcing commissioning

opportunities• Supporting organisations

tendering for contracts• Maintaining strong links

with relevant stakeholders such as GPs and the BME Health Forum

The new Social Council business plan sets out our priorities for the next fin

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D E V E L O P M E N T

or in 2011The Change Up programme has nowcome to an end due to funding cuts. However the organisations that providesupport to voluntary and communitygroups in Kensington and Chelsea are continuing to work together to co-ordinate their provision.

Current work includes:

• Supporting trustees and trusteerecruitment

• Jointly advertising training courses

• Looking at developing a building tohouse voluntary sector organisationsincluding the support services

News from Change Up

One in a series of seminars for trustees of voluntary and communityorganisations serving the borough ofKensington and Chelsea. Come along and network with othertrustees while discussing and learningmore about good charity governance.

This seminar will cover:

• Steering your organisation throughchallenging times

• Dealing with change in yourorganisation

• Report into mergers in locally basedvoluntary organisations

• What trustees need to know aboutinvolving volunteers

To book go to: trustee-seminar-2.eventbrite.com

TRUSTEE SEMINAR12 March 2011

10.30am - 2pmSmall Hall, Kensington Town Hall

Stimulating local actionacross the sector through lobbying andcampaigning

We will do this by: • Identifying and promoting

national, regional and localcampaigning

• Raising awareness on matterssuch as child poverty, housingand the environment

• Identifying and carrying outactions to bring about change

Strengthening localrepresentation and advocacy on behalf of the sector

We will do this by: • Training and mentoring new

and existing sectorrepresentatives

• Running quarterly forums and annual voluntary sectorassemblies

• Providing strong leadership from the Social Council

ancial year. Here are some highlights.

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The Secretary of State for Health claims that thebiggest reorganisation of the NHS since its creationwill have no impact on the public. Over the next twoyears, until the proposed GP consortia take over thecommissioning function, our local healthcommissioning organisation, NHS Kensington &Chelsea, is shedding 80 per cent of its staff andcombining its functions with our two neighbouringboroughs.

So it’s difficult to see how this will not affect thefront line. And with no community engagementspecialists in the new local NHS managementstructure, and no dedicated voluntary-sectorcommissioning role, we’re wondering how all thereally good partnership work that has developedbetween the voluntary sector and the local NHS willcontinue. We also need to know how commissionerswill be able to involve local residents in decision-making, which was a feature of the previousgovernment’s approach.

But where there is crisis, there can often beopportunity. On your behalf, the Social Council will be working at a strategic level to engage with the

NHS changes – how will it affect us?

6

H E A LT H N E W S

emerging GPcommissionersand ensure thatcommunities andlocal voluntaryorganisations arenot left behind. Wewill also supportyou to take part inrelevantconsultations.

We will soon be advertising a joint meeting withour neighbouring boroughs to discuss the NHSrestructuring and to help you respond to relevantconsultations. Get involved – keep an eye on the Department of Health consultations webpage

www.dh.gov.uk/en/Consultations

BME Health Forum launchesmaternity projectThe project aims to gain a greater understanding of how maternity services in St Mary's and Queen Charlotte's hospitals are meeting the needs of Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) women and to use the experiences of the women to improve the service for BME women.The project will follow the journeys of ten pregnantwomen who will record their experiences of maternityservices from their first appointment to their postnatalappointments. The women will be trained to liaise withservice providers and patient groups and will beencouraged to develop a peer support network.

More info: Nafsika Thalassis 020 7150 8128nafsika@bmehf.org.uk www.bmehf.org.uk

Health consortium now ready for businessThe culmination of several months’ workinvolving more than 40 local organisations,KCSC has now registered a trading company‘Community Enterprises Kensington & ChelseaLtd’. It will provide a contracting vehicle to winpublic-sector contracts for the local voluntarysector. In February we will be advertising for anadvisory group that will develop processes andprocedures for responding to potential futurecontracts.

Consortium DevelopmentWorkshopThursday 17 March 2011, 10am – 4pm

For organisations that are interested in bidding forand delivering public-sector contracts through aconsortium.

• The changing operating environment • The pros and cons of different consortium

models • Understanding and mitigating risk

Participants from all sectors are welcome (e.g. health, regeneration, children & families).

Presented in partnership with CAVSA Hammersmith & Fulham.

More info: Lev Pedro www.kcsc.org.uk/healthconsortiumlev@kcsc.org.uk

If you work to promote sexual health orsupport people living with HIV in Hammersmith

& Fulham, Kensington & Chelsea orWestminster this one-day conference is

for you. Get in touch by 10 February if you would like to contribute.

SEXUAL HEALTH CONFERENCE Wednesday 30 March 2011, 10am – 4pm

At the Charity Centre, NW1 (near Euston Station)

More info: Lev Pedro www.kcsc.org.uk/sexualhealthlev@kcsc.org.uk

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P A R T N E R S H I P S & F O R U M S

Voluntary Organisation Forum (VOF) membershad the chance to discuss their outlook for2011 at the final Main VOF of 2010. The forummeeting held on 8 December was well attendedby many of the voluntary and communityorganisations that have participated and showntheir support through the year. Members had achance to review the past twelve months and

also catch up with the latest developments inthe sector.

The Social Council would like to thank thesector for supporting the forums throughattendance and participation in discussions andhope to see them go from strength to strengthduring 2011 – when the VOF reviewrecommendations will be implemented.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT

New elections for voluntary and community sectorrepresentatives were held at the Main VOF meetingon 8 December. Currently, representatives serve aterm of three years on the KCP and BVOAG beforeelections are called. A call for nominations was sentout in the autumn and a number were received fromboth new candidates and current representativesseeking re-election.

However, following the election not all places werefilled. This has led us to reflect on the current number

Borough Voluntary Organisations Advisory Group (BVOAG) andKensington and Chelsea Partnership (KCP) Elections for 2011/12

of available positions and the themes those rolesrepresent, in particular on the BVOAG.

The Social Council will be reviewing voluntary andcommunity sector representation on the BVOAG, andin due course, will provide an update on the numberof representative positions available and the rolesthey fill.

New representatives on the BVOAG and KCP willtake up their positions from April 2011.

As many of you many know, the forums werereviewed in the second half of 2010 by a task groupof the Community Equality and Inclusivity Partnership(sub-partner of the KCP).

Chaired by Zrinka Bralo, director of MRCF,members undertook a process of interviews and deskresearch to assess the value of the VOFs.

The review identified significant support andenthusiasm for the VOFs. The findings are helping toidentify how forums support individuals andorganisations, encourage communication andengagement, help promote partnership working andbenefit the users of local services.

However, there was a strong sense that the VOFs

Some of your comments from the review:

“ I do think it’s a networking opportunity. It’s a great opportunity to gain information…”

“ It is useful to have access to senior councillors via KCP and BVOAG but perhaps this is not always used effectively.”

“ The VOF gives strategic direction but it also briefs on key issues and strengthens the voluntary sector.”

VOF Review Outcome could be further improved and the reportrecommended a tighter framework from which itwould be easier to measure outcomes.

The Social Council agree that there is a need tocontinue to strengthen the forums and will maintainthe sub forums i.e Children, Young People andFamilies and Engaging Communities. The OlderPeople’s Forum will possibly be widened to includehealth and well-being, bringing together a range oforganisations working in adult health and social care.

The Main VOF will be much more interactive andprovide the sector with the opportunity to raise issuesthat matter to them. It will consider ways in which theSocial Council and wider sector can work together toaddress or challenge important issues.

Please give us your thoughts on the Review of the VOFs or get in touch with us if you areinterested in a role as a voluntary sector representative.

Minutes, agenda and news from all of the forums are published on the Social council website.

More info: Mohammed Miah mohammed@kcsc.org.uk www.kcsc.org.uk/vof

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C O P I N G W I T H C U T S . . .

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In 2011 we want to turn the Spotlight onto local organisations that have beenaffected by cuts in funding and learnsome lessons from how they have coped.

In the first in the series we spoke toClare Richards, Chief Executive of The ClementJames Centre.

What does the ClementJames Centre do?We are a local charity offering:IntoUniversity – a long-term multistrandedprogramme enabling children and young people toraise their aspirations and fulfil their potential. Weoffer academic support, trained mentors, aprogramme of workshops and advice andguidance. Communicate – an adult learningprogramme providing ESOL and basic skills classesto local hard-to-reach adults. IntoWork – a newprogramme supporting long-term unemployed tofind employment.

We also have a Community Garden – open tothe public throughout the year and a CommunityShop – providing clothing, household goods andfood to local families in need.

The demand for our services is greater than ever– with waiting lists for all of our adult classes andover 1000 children and young people accessing ourIntoUniversity Programme each year, but finding themoney to run these programmes is morechallenging then I have ever experienced.

How have the cuts affected The ClementJames Centre?Several pots of Borough funding that we have reliedon for the past few years no longer exist and thechange in government’s funding of adult learningmeans that the majority of our existing adultlearners are no longer eligible for free classes.

Under the government strategy on skills, the onlypeople eligible for full funding are those on “activebenefits” – jobseeker’s allowance or employmentsupport allowance. Those on “non-active benefits”such as income support will not be eligible.

Many of our learners are women in domesticisolation, caring for children or in low-paid jobs.They have sought to learn English, not only toimprove their lives but those of their children andthey also wish to make a greater contribution totheir community.

How will you address these cuts?We have always balanced the funding risk betweentrust funds, individual donors and Council funding,but this year will present a funding challenge! Wehave squeezed the budget as much as we possiblycan – without reducing our staff team or our servicedelivery, so that we may continue to provide

Developing Social Enterprise‘Social enterprise’ is a broad term whichcould mean anything from a company withsocial aims to a charity that wants tointroduce a more enterprising orentrepreneurial approach and identify newways of generating income.

In 2011 we will be offering potentialSocial Enterprises a specially tailoredprogramme of support.

If you have an idea for developing a newproduct or service, please contact theSocial Council.

For further details visit the new Social Enterprisesupport page on our website.

More info: Aneesa Chaudhry 020 7243 9805 aneesa@kcsc.org.uk www.kcsc.org.uk/socialenterprise

services that meet a clear need in the community.We have already put out an appeal to our donorsfor stationery and I.T. equipment etc. and we’vebeen overwhelmed by their generosity.

We will be seeking funding from additional truststhough inevitably, with the cuts to public funding,there will be more charities competing for trusts’funds. We will be trying to attract new individualdonors and thinking creatively about other sourcesof income.

What effect has this had on staff?Like many charities we are fortunate to have ahighly skilled, highly motivated, talented and hard-working staff team who aren’t highly paid. I don’twant to burden them with worries about funding, but they are anxious about the year ahead andparticularly the adult learning team (as it is alwaysharder to find trusts or individuals who will fundadult learning than it is to find funds for childrenand young people).

However, It is valuable to pool everyone’s ideasabout money saving and money raising and this willbe one of the key themes of our annual vision daynext week – when staff and trustees come togetherto look strategically at our future.

ESOL and basic skill class provided as part of ‘Communicate’

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