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Developing Consortia - first steps

The VCS is an often complex and sophisticated beast. Within it there is a range of infrastructure organisations that might be able to offer support or even help to lead the development of a Consortium. Many existing Consortia have been built into this infrastructure. Who to involve might be dependent on what you think the Consortium will be attempting to achieve. In some cases, are made up entirely of what are known as generic infrastructure organisations, in other cases, Consortia are made up of a wide range of VCS learning providers.

Page Map:

• Who to involve.

• Building on what already exists.

• Encouraging diversity.

• Delivering Embedded Basic Skills with Disabled People.

• Leadership to drive the process.

Who to involve

When making decisions about which organisations need to be involved, it might be helpful to consider the following checklist:

• Are the partners membership organisations, and do they have a mandate for representing the views of other organisations?

• Is there, within the proposed structure, a way of representing the specific needs of marginalised groups and communities such as Black and Minority Ethnic groups, or disability groups?

• Do all of the organisations involved have the resources and ability to support the development of a Consortium towards its goals?

• Can those involved bring more than their own organisational interest to the table, and work towards the wider benefit of the whole sector

• How open is the process for involving partners, and how will the core group eventually be decided?

• Is the invitation open to all organisations? If not, what might be the reasons for this.

The Consortium will eventually need to be accountable to the wider VCS, and considering these questions from the outset, will encourage a transparent process, and begin to build the long term credibility of Consortia.

Building on what already exists

A key factor in the success in Consortia is to ensure they are embedded within the existing infrastructure. There are many generic VCS infrastructure organisations, as well as a number of specialist infrastructure bodies. The most common local generic Infrastructure organisations are Councils for Voluntary Service (CVS), although not always called CVS. There are specialist rural infrastructure organisations in the form of Rural Community Councils and organisations and forums that represent community organisations. In some areas there are Black Community Forums and specialist volunteering infrastructure bodies.

> Case Study: Learning Curve: Structure
> Case Study: Humberside Learning Consortium Structures
> Case Study: SVCSLC Structure
> Case Study: Devon Association of CVS Structures
> Case Study: Berkshire Structure 

And

> Case Study: Learning Curve Consortium Development.
> Case Study: Humberside Learning Consortium Development
> Case Study: SVCSLC Development
> Case Study: Devon Association of CVS Development

The picture across the country is not a consistent one, and the Government, though ChangeUp, are making attempts to bring some coherence to it, and to develop a baseline of support for VCOs in all areas of the country. However the message from government is clear. It wants to build on what is already in place, it wishes the sector to operate in a collaborative fashion, and look at ways in which partnerships could bring added value and economies of scale.

It is therefore important that whatever Consortia are aiming to achieve that they ensure that their work dovetails with existing VCS infrastructure to ensure it:

• is informed, influenced or even led by those Local Infrastructure Organisations that may have been providing similar support for the VCS for tens of years,

• can identify what works in an area or what might have been tried and failed,

• can use existing networks for the dissemination of information,

• obtains prior knowledge about existing learning provision,

• harnesses the energies of individuals with expertise who may act as champions to lead the development of Consortia.

• utilises the knowledge of existing infrastructure to the benefit of the wider consortia group, and ensure that its work dovetails with existing provision

Encouraging diversity

It is generally accepted that there are groups in society, and individuals within communities who find it harder to access the services of the mainstream VCS Local Infrastructure Organisations. Organisations representing and supporting Black and Minority Ethnic groups, Disabled People, Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, transsexual and other marginalised communities, may need specific and targeted work to ensure they feel able to engage in Consortia or the services they offer. The infrastructure for supporting marginalised groups in most circumstances, is under developed, and so it may be less easy to go to one representative organisation to ensure their needs are met through Consortia. In such circumstances, Consortia may wish to consider creative ways of engaging VCOs from these groups, and find ways of ensuring their specific needs and concerns are reflected in any emerging structures.

Delivering Embedded Basic Skills with Disabled People

> Jump to section called "Delivering Embedded Basic Skills with Disabled People"

Leadership to drive the process

Often within a developing consortium, an identified organisation, or more specifically, a person within that organisation, has been responsible for driving the process towards its development. Not only is this helpful in terms of having one contact point for funders, but it is also helpful in co-ordinating the information flow with and between partners. Tasks might include the following:

• co-ordinating meetings,

• pulling together papers,

• being the accountability body for start up funding,

• employing consultants to undertake research.

Alternatively, different people and organisations might take on responsibility for specific aspects of Consortium development, such as:

• one might lead on co-ordinating research,

• another might lead on contact with funders,

• whilst a third might focus on establishing the constitutional and legal aspects of any new organisation (if applicable).

There are no prescriptions as to which model would best suit a given situation and often the decision as to who drives the process is reliant on which individual or group has the time and resources to do so. Whichever organisation or individual adopts these leadership roles, they need the support of each of the potential partners in the developing consortium, and to maintain trusting working relationships.

> Case Study: Humberside Learning Consortium Development
> Case Study: SVCSLC Development

[What are Consortia]
[Why are they important?]
[Getting Started]
[Developing Consortia]
[Next Steps]
[Roles and functions]
[Continuing Steps]
[Continuous Steps]
[Helps and Hindances]