Scottish Welfare FundConnecting with Third Sector

23 January 2013

Who are we?

• Lynn Williams, Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO)

• Beth Reid, Citizens Advice Scotland

Aim of session:

What do we mean by third sector?

Why is the sector critical to the Scottish Welfare Fund?

Connecting at local level

Desk resource – key third sector organisations

When you go back to your desk – what next?

What do we mean by the Third sector??

• An estimated 45,000 non-profit organisations currently work in Scotland• Around half of them are recognised as charities• It is called the ‘third’ sector because it is not part of the ‘public sector’ or

the ‘private sector’ – it is also referred to as the ‘voluntary sector’, ‘the non-profit sector’ or the ‘charitable sector’

• Turnover in 2011: £4.5 billion• Assets in 2011: £8.9 billion• Number of staff employed: 138,000• Volunteers and volunteer development

What do we mean by the Third Sector?

• The bulk of the sector is made up of small, community-based organisations, working in just one local area.

• At the other end of the scale - small number of large ‘household name’ charities, who often work nationally, and account for most of the turnover and staffing in the third sector.

• Many such as Marie Curie and Oxfam rely on public donations• Others such as the Richmond Fellowship and Barnardo’s hold

service delivery contracts with a number of local authorities.• Some have combination of local authority, health,

trust/lottery funding and private donations

What do we mean by the Third sector???

Examples:

Unpaid carers (650,000) - Network of 28 Carers CentresFamily Support – Contact a Family, Barnardo’s, Family Support projects; informal kinship care groupsCondition specific – Downs Syndrome, Stroke Association, National Autistic Society; Enable; Capability Scotland; local disability support projects; Mental Health e.g. SAMHAlcohol/Substance Misuse – Turning Point; Addaction; Scottish Families Against DrugsCrisis – Samaritans, Food banks; mental health charity helplines, Advice/Information – Citizens Advice Bureaux, organisations above, rights projects; Law Centres.Advocacy/indepth support – Advocacy Projects; welfare rights support, appeals, tribunals (CAB and others) Finance/money advice – Financial inclusion projects, Credit UnionsHousing / homelessness – Shelter, Bethany Christian Trust

What do we mean by Third Sector?

Third sector interfaces:Key points of contact for voluntary organisations in each local authority.

• Should be linked to Community Planning• Key players in Reshaping Care Change Fund – will have links to

local authorities, NHS and others in local area. • Existing networks through TSI will involve local and national

voluntary organisations:• with an interest in Scottish Welfare Fund, • who make referrals to Fund, • who may offer wider support for customers applying to SWF

– whether or not they are successful

What do we mean by Third Sector?

Citizens Advice Bureaux:• Citizens Advice Scotland is the umbrella organisation for

Scotland’s network of 80 Citizens Advice Bureau offices • CABs operate in 30 out of 32 LAs

www.cas.org.uk/bureaux • Provide free, impartial, independent and confidential

advice in over 250 locations • Benefits, debt, housing, budgeting, employment,

family and consumer advice• Clients sought advice on nearly a million issues in 2009/10• Citizens Advice Direct 0808 800 9060• Self-help information - www.adviceguide.org.uk

Welfare Reform affects Third Sector

• In a recent SCVO survey, 63% of respondents said that they would be either directly or indirectly affected by welfare reform (Oct 2012).

• Key concerns for organisations included:– Coping with increased demand– Dealing with increasingly complex enquiries– Lack of capacity means other work has to be dropped to meet demand

• Key concerns for clients included:– Stress from changes leading to increased mental health problems– Disabled people being badly affected by Work Capability Assessments

and the appeals process– The poorest and most vulnerable people in society being at increased

risk of social isolation, homelessness and destitution

Scottish Welfare Fund and Third Sector:

Why is third sector important to implementing fund?

• A range of community groups/charities already refer to existing DWP programmes. Will make referrals to new Fund.

• Meeting both immediate and wider needs of customers applying for new Fund:– Whether ‘yes’/’no’ – application process will pick up both crisis and other

needs for support. – Making sure that people are not on their own and are accessing help –

onward referral to other support networks/organisations– Meeting crisis needs e.g. suicide, food, debt etc. – Working in partnership with a range of voluntary organisations critical to

successful implementation and planning your “customer journeys”.

Scottish Welfare Fund and Third Sector

• Local authorities will already work in partnership with voluntary organisations which provide key points of support for families, people with disabilities, providers of advice and information, etc.

• Who are they? How will you connect with them?• How can they help? e.g. targeting publicity, providing supporting

advice, providing ongoing support services?• Remember there is space on the application form for people to

indicate what other support they may be receiving.

Scottish Welfare Fund and Third Sector:

Desk resource:• Quick, desk based resource to help you know where to

start• What charities are out there?• How do you connect with them?• Covering some helplines - Those organisations which

help with extremely difficult cases?• Support in addition to what the local authority also offer

(eg homelessness; social work, children’s services etc.) • Your views?

In small groups…Part 1Look at the (draft) third sector ‘desk’ guide:

– Is it useful? What do you think of the format? What would make it better?

– Take some notes in your groups – can someone do this?

Part 2How does your LA connect with 3rd sector organisations?• Which departments would have relevant contacts?• Who do you already work with?• What other national and local organisations are you aware of?• What different ways could the third sector help you?• What’s the best way to guide your decision makers to the right resources

and organisations?

Next steps

Check out:• Who else works with the third sector within your LA?• Are there any guides to voluntary services for your area?• Who is your third sector interface (e.g. local Council for

Voluntary Services)? Do you have a local CAB?• What are the key organisations in your area to liaise with?

– How can you work together effectively? – What services / support do they provide? – Who is eligible? – What capacity do they have? – How can they support you?