peter lewis chief executive london voluntary service council
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The recession and London’s VCS. London Advice Conference 15.10.2009. Peter Lewis Chief Executive London Voluntary Service Council. London’s VCS. An estimated 60,000 organisations 26,634 registered as charities Employing around 250,000 people – 6 - 7% of London’s working population - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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Peter LewisChief ExecutiveLondon Voluntary Service Council
The recession and London’s VCS
London Advice Conference15.10.2009
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London’s VCS
An estimated 60,000 organisations
26,634 registered as charities
Employing around 250,000 people – 6 - 7% of
London’s working population
Approx. 5000 social businesses
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LVSC
• Set up to tackle poverty, inequality and poor health of Londoners
• Centenary next year• New strategy, same challenges
– Policy, support, training– Knowledge, best practice, impact
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Big Squeeze impetusMessages from national organisations notresonating in London
Needed to better understand impact on Londoners and VCS serving them
Desire to tackle the recession on the frontfoot, and present a positive VCS
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Who responded?
104 London–based VCS groups:
• 40% local organisations (one borough)
• 41% pan-London
• 16% sub-regional (more than one
borough)
• 4% national, but London based
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Who funds these groups?
25% - Local Authorities
19% - London-foundations (e.g. City Parochial)
18% - national foundations (e.g. BLF)
11% - regional statutory agencies (e.g. London Councils)
11% - national statutory bodies (e.g. CLG, Home Office)
9% - Primary Care Trusts
4% - private/corporate sector
3% - other
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Is the recession affecting the communities you work with?
Yes - 95%
Has your workload increased due to the recession?
Yes - 71%
Are you confident you will be able to meet increases in
demand now and in the future? No - 80%
Is your organisation already taking action to help survive
a
recession? Yes - 78%
Headline survey results
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VCS active in seeking solutions
Increasing number of cheaper / free services
Prioritising core services
Recruiting and investing in more volunteers
Reviewing existing services, looking for efficiencies
Stopping final salary schemes for all new employees
Freezing wages, reducing working hours
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Sectors with immediate impact
• Advice• Volunteering• Employment support
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LVSC experiencePEACe helpline
Redundancy and restructure calls rose by 100%
Variation of contract advice sought
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Psychological impact
- increased anxiety amongst client groups – heating bills; threat of redundancy (UBS)
- more people dropping in for support- Increased needs for counselling services
(FORWARD)
• “less motivated because they don’t think they will get a job anyway”
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Raising VCS profile & influence
Economic Recovery Action Plan“at this time the public sector should reaffirm itscommitment to the VCS which helps to provide vitallocal services” (Boris Johnson)
Working with London Funders “We’re in it together” Feb 09
Commitment to renegotiate from London CouncilsRe-stated at VSF conference
Catalyst for other recession work- Debt Summit; local initiatives
Renewed activity this autumn
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Future challengesMarginalised becoming more marginalised
Public spending cuts 5-10% over next 5 years
London’s poverty profile changing already
Unknown depth of this recession
Lag in impacts on the sector:unemployment; mental health; debt and advice needs
Commissioning
Pressures to collaborate more and merge (CLACs)
Change in government
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Questions to consider
• How did the advice sector respond to the recession? What would it do differently next time?
• Has the government’s Third Sector Action worked? Lessons for the future
• Is the relationship between specialist and generic advice provision working? What could be improved?
• How best can LVSC support the advice sector?
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Final thoughts
• Open dialogue with partners• Focus not just on outputs but
impact • Stronger together• Maintain focus on core mission