The changing face of local infrastructure

Why strong local infrastructure matters more than ever

Communities and public services are changing rapidly. Devolution, local government reorganisation, neighbourhood health, financial pressures and changing community needs are all reshaping the way places work.

Against this backdrop, the role of local VCSE infrastructure is becoming increasingly important.

In a recent article, the National Association for Voluntary and Community Action (NAVCA) looks at the changing role of local infrastructure organisations and why they are essential to building strong, connected and resilient communities. The changing face of local infrastructure: why effective VCSE infrastructure matters more than ever.

What is local VCSE infrastructure?

Local infrastructure organisations help voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations to develop, connect and have their voices heard. They also build relationships between the VCSE sector, communities and statutory organisations.

This work can sometimes happen behind the scenes, but its impact can be significant.

Effective infrastructure helps organisations access information, funding, training and opportunities; encourages collaboration; supports volunteering; and brings local knowledge and experience into wider conversations about services and priorities.

NAVCA describes infrastructure organisations as the “connective tissue” between the VCSE sector and statutory partners. Their role is to build bridges, strengthen collaboration and make connections that might otherwise be missed.

A changing landscape

The environment in which communities and VCSE organisations operate is changing.

Local government reorganisation and devolution are creating new structures and relationships, while a greater focus on neighbourhoods and community-based approaches is changing how services are planned and delivered.

At the same time, organisations are facing financial pressures, changing funding arrangements and increasing demand, highlighting the risk that support can become fragmented when funding is divided between individual programmes and contracts. While specialist organisations and services bring valuable expertise, there is also a growing need for organisations to work together rather than in isolation.

This makes effective local infrastructure particularly important.

Connecting local knowledge with strategic decision-making

One of the most important contributions of local infrastructure is its ability to connect what is happening on the ground with wider strategic decision-making.

VCSE organisations are often close to the people and communities they support. They understand local needs, barriers and opportunities, and can identify issues that may not be visible through larger systems or datasets alone.

Infrastructure organisations can help bring that collective knowledge together, ensuring that community voices can contribute to policy development, service design and commissioning.

This benefits communities, but it also benefits public services by providing stronger relationships with local organisations and a better understanding of local needs.

What does the future look like?

Several characteristics that will be important for effective local infrastructure in the future:

• A strong local footprint – Infrastructure needs to remain connected to communities while also being able to see the wider picture and work across changing geographical and organisational boundaries.
• Strategic connection – Bringing organisations and sectors together is at the heart of the infrastructure role, helping people and organisations collaborate around shared priorities.
• Independence – Infrastructure organisations need to be trusted by the organisations and communities they work with, while also being able to provide constructive challenge to statutory partners when necessary.
• Equity – Effective infrastructure should ensure that the experiences and voices of marginalised and minoritised communities are not overlooked.
• Quality and development – As expectations increase and resources become more constrained, demonstrating the quality, effectiveness and impact of infrastructure support will become increasingly important.

What does this mean for Norfolk?

For Norfolk, these issues are particularly relevant as the county responds to changes in local government, health and public services, alongside the continuing pressures faced by communities and VCSE organisations.

Strong local relationships will be vital.

For CAN, supporting those relationships is central to our role. By connecting organisations, sharing information and opportunities, supporting collaboration and ensuring that the voice of the VCSE sector is heard, we can help create stronger links between communities, voluntary organisations and public services.

Local infrastructure may not always be visible, but it provides an important foundation for communities to respond to change, develop new opportunities and influence the decisions that affect them.

You can read NAVCA's full article, The changing face of local infrastructure: why effective VCSE infrastructure matters more than ever, here.