Sector-Led Plan: You Said, We Did

Throughout our engagement around the Sector-Led Plan, there were some messages that we heard time and again. Work to implement the actions from the Plan continues, but here are some of the ways we have responded so far: 

You said: “We want you to promote and celebrate the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector.”
 

We did:

• - Used the Sector-Led Plan to highlight the sector’s role as an employer and investor in Norfolk, bringing an estimated £57m additional funding into the county and involving an estimated 84,000 people as staff or volunteers.
• - Brought the local sector together to share skills and learning at the Stronger Together conference, with more than 150 delegates representing 90 different organisations.

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You said: “There are challenges around commissioning.”

We did:

• - Ran a series of workshops with Children’s Services Short Breaks team
• - Facilitated a session for colleagues to  ‘Ask the Commissioners’ at the Stronger Together conference

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You said: “We feel valued by the public sector but not understood.”

We did:

• - Published a robust evidence base about Norfolk’s voluntary, community and social enterprise sector. The report was based on Charity Commission information as well as views from across the sector: we heard from 137 delegates at workshops, 68 interviewees and 282 survey respondents.  
• - Provided opportunities for the sector to engage with Norfolk County Council officers and elected members at events in May, June and July, including for Small Charities Week

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You said: “We don’t understand what forums are out there, who represents us or how to communicate with them.” 

We did:

• - Established a Systems Leadership Group with a clear and open process for appointed and elected members.
• - Made more information available online and improved our email communications to more than 5000 contacts

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You can download a more detailed summary of our work so far below

So what’s next?

We will:

• - Take forward actions from the Sector-Led Plan
• - Promote the importance of the VCSE sector as an employer, investor and essential partner with key stakeholders
• - Continue to facilitate engagement with Norfolk County Council as together we ‘re-imagine services’
• - Develop an information hub for the sector through the Community Action Norfolk website
• - Continue to monitor and support best practice in commissioning in the county