I am just getting back to my blog after literally forcing myself to take some time off. The jury is still out as to whether my own enforced downing of tools has been helpful. I might be able to unplug my gadgets but unfortunately the old grey matter does not have an ‘off’ switch. This is a common third sector story.
The old grey matter has been doing some re-evaluating over the past couple of weeks or so in light of my own personal recognition that I am actually a ‘productivity junkie’. I am guessing there are many of us driving forward Third Sector Organisations (TSOs). The result of the reliance on uncertain funding streams rather than income generation for many TSOs means that resourcing the delivery of services is limited. Officers and Managers working in many small to medium size TSOs are not paid the same as their counterparts in the Public and Private Sectors. There is not always the capacity to fully succession plan or fully cover leave. A manager’s role is often one of managing staff and volunteers but also one of administration, facilities management, fundraiser, marketing, bottle washer and cleaner. The harder and more productive we are in non-income generating roles, the more work we create but for no further financial reward.
The talent within the Third Sector really needs to be recognised. Successful TSOs are driven by committed and invested individuals who are passionate about the organisations and communities they work for. As I said earlier, they are often not paid commensurate to their Public or Private Sector counterparts so are most likely not doing it for the pay. Having been a manager in the Private Sector, individuals like these are gold.
Although in literal terms many TSOs are non-income generating, the financial impact of the Third Sector in terms of grant funding levered into area and social impact multipliers, cannot be underestimated.
Perhaps the very fact we are referred to as the “Third” sector is partly responsible for the lack of financial value placed on the work we do. Other identifiers such as “Voluntary” or “Not for Profit” also create a perception which downplays the quality and professionalism delivered by many TSOs. Maybe there is a need for a rebrand and more effective Public Relations (PR).
Better get down off my soap box.
The work we are undertaking regarding the Route Map for Community Participation in the Recovery Phase is focussed on demonstrating the value of Third Sector contribution and highlighting the community response to the pandemic. This community action has been a real boost to the PR effort.
Having identified Steps One to Four being; ‘Step One – Effective and Inclusive Community Engagement; Step Two – Building Strong Communities – Commitment to Sustainable Resourcing and Support of Anchor Organisations; Step Three – Better Collaboration; and Step Four – Trust in Community Ownership and Community Enterprise.’ I find myself asking whether ‘Step Five –Be prepared to do things differently – Public Services can be shared to shape, innovate, deliver, and add value’ should actually be our starting point.
This needs to come from a position which recognises that citizens and communities are the lifeblood of our place and that engaged and active communities are not a by-product of a successful place but a prerequisite for its success. It is the community and voluntary activity of local people which builds sustainable and resilient communities. Policies need to support and build on this. Community participation can offer services which are creative, and community led providing added value. Applying this approach to some public services could shape, innovate and deliver outcomes with added value.
The need to be prepared to do things differently suggests a change in approach from Public bodies but it is important to ensure the same is expected of the Third Sector. It is a mistake to run with the belief that if it is community it is inherently good or if it is Third Sector it has to be better. Just as in any walk of life the Third Sector, has some awesome organisations and some that are not so strong or not yet ready. If we want to be taken seriously as an equal credible partner, it is important that we are prepared and able to stand up to scrutiny.
We are keen to co-produce services because we are in touch with our communities. There is an assumption that third sector organisations can be utilised effectively for service user engagement. We have to be ready to stand up to examination and be able to demonstrate meaningful service user inclusion. If we want to see the Third Sector contribute to the delivery of services at a time of decreasing public funding and increasing demand, we should be focusing internally on improving our own processes and procedures as well as externally improving our partnership and collaborative working to ensure we are making best use of all resources and delivering the best outcomes for our communities.
It will be interesting to see how the Route Map develops with thoughts and contributions from my fellow “Productivity Junkies”. I am confident that we are now paving the way for a more sophisticated relationship between the Third and Public Sectors.