Big ideas, big opportunties

by Patrick Nash, Chief Executive, Connect Assist

David Cameron’s speech on the ‘Big Society’, delivered on Monday in Liverpool, makes it clear that the government is committed to increasing the contribution of the third and non-profit sector in delivering services, which were previously the responsibility of the state. In Cameron’s own words this is ‘the biggest, most dramatic redistribution of power from elites in Whitehall to the man and woman on the street’. But, the expectation that third sector and non-profit organisations can relieve some of the burdens of service delivery comes when many are already struggling to cope with increased demands on services along with reduction in funding and donations.

It’s a huge challenge, but as I have argued before, whether you view this as a crisis or an opportunity depends on your organisational response to the current climate. If the Third Sector continues to think that more income is needed to meet the growing demand on services, then it will be caught in a vicious cycle. There is an opportunity to break this cycle if we can think in a different way about service delivery to help more people make positive life changes that last.

We’re all in it together

While Cameron was making his speech, ACEVO (the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations) and the CBI (the Confederation of British Industry) released a report ‘Win - Win: The leadership of private and third sector public service partnerships’. This report features successful case studies of third sector and private collaborations, such as A4e’s work with the Scottish Refugee Council, and Turning Point and Catch 22 working with Serco to rehabilitate ex-offenders in the North East.

ACEVO and the CBI are enthusiastic for the potential for partnership working to deliver high quality, low cost public services: ‘Both the CBI and ACEVO believe that greater diversity in the public services market will deliver better outcomes for communities and help government spend less money. Increasingly, organisations from the private and third sectors are partnering to provide public services. This partnership approach enables the strengths of each organisation to be harnessed, resulting in better services that are innovative, cost-effective, and meet people’s needs.’

Through uniting the best characteristics of both sectors, partnership working can deliver more for less. It is already common in areas such as Welfare-to-Work, community development, education and health. Our experiences demonstrate that partnership with contact centres and IT services are totally viable as long as there is an understanding of the need to focus on outcomes rather than outputs and a sensitive measurement of SROI (Social Return on Investment).

Responding to the challenge

Responses to the Big Society have been inevitably mixed, and there is little evidence yet as to how it will work on the local level. But ACEVO and the CBI’s report shows us a way forward in responding to the challenges it presents.

By working in partnership the private and third sector can learn from each other to deliver what the public really needs – better services for more people, delivered for less. The Government has given us an opportunity so let’s be entrepreneurial and demonstrate that we can do it better together.

You might also be interested in:

• PAPER: Doing more with less »
• BLOG: Four typical organisational responses to recession »

Connect Assist runs professional helplines and web systems for charities and organisations that help people to make positive life changes that last. Services include:

• Transformational Helplines providing professional help and support day and night
   
• Engagement Systems that create lasting relationships with the people that you help
   
• Feedback & Insight that enables you to adapt quickly to changing needs