"Smaller voluntary and community sector organisations play a vital role in our local areas, providing support and services that reach deep into communities and often reaching residents that other organisations struggle to. The recent series of crises and challenges that the country has faced – from COVID-19, through refugee arrivals from Syria and Ukraine, to flooding and the cost of living crisis – have seen many councils engaging effectively with smaller and grass-roots Voluntary Community Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations. That joint working has helped to deliver food packages to vulnerable people during lockdown, to ensure that there is support and a welcome for refugees arriving in communities, or assisted with tailoring cost of living support packages to maximise their impact.

Outside that crisis response, many councils have excellent working relationships with smaller VCSE organisations. However, sometimes the mismatch of size, resource and knowledge can mean those relationships either don’t form or don’t work as well as they could. Local infrastructure organisations can be an effective bridge between councils and the full ecosystem of VCSE organisations, overcoming those mismatches, helping to bring the full range of VCSE voices to the table, and empowering smaller organisations to work effectively with councils."

We're interested to see this new guide that sets out:

• why working with the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector is beneficial for councils
• the importance of creating a culture that values the VCSE
• how LIOs can facilitate this to build effective and trusted relationships

NAVCA, which Nova are a proud member of, was commissioned by the LGA to produce this guide for council officers and elected members.

Six key aspects of good practice are highlighted, and the guide is brought to life through seven case studies that cover: reaching and engaging with communities furthest from council services; building the capacity of VCSE organisations to deliver activities and services for local residents; offering flexibility and agility to respond to crisis situations; and meeting the needs of minoritised communities.

The Good Practice Guide is published on the LGA website.