Summary

OCID:

Published by:

Croydon Council

Authority ID:

AA39314

Publication date:

21 April 2020

Deadline date:

-

Notice type:

Contract Award Notice

Has documents:

No

Has SPD:

No

Has Carbon Reduction Plan:

N/A

Abstract

The infrastructure support service will be required to:

— support growth and investment in the VCS,

— provide a support offer which is responsive to the needs of the sector,

— facilitate VCS organisations and groups to build networks and connections in communities and to work with others,

— facilitate and to prioritise prevention and early intervention,

— enable VCS organisations to contribute to the delivery of place-based locality service models, integrated offers that help residents find the information and support they need within their local community,

— provide the voice of the sector and act as an advocate for the VCS in Croydon at a regional and national level,

— provide information, advice and guidance to the VCS in Croydon.

The service will have a base in the borough and will be expected to:

— have a governance structure, which has a strong element of local representation from the VCS,

— be an organisation that has a track record of providing VCS infrastructure support,

— actively engage with residents and the VCS on a regular basis to ensure VCS services are designed appropriately and meet the needs of the population,

— demonstrate strong engagement, communication and collaboration across the VCS,

— reflect the diverse nature and communities of interest in Croydon,

— have robust well managed financial and organisation governance,

— have in place a full range of good governance policies with the ability to demonstrate monitoring. Support organisations to set up their own good governance structures,

— evidence and provide robust GDPR compliance alongside policies and procedures,

— demonstrate organisational resilience,

— demonstrate technical capacity and a track record of gathering, managing and utilising data to drive, guide and advise on development and change,

— demonstrate a structure and means of operation which make the most effective use of available resources and sustain the organisation in the long term,

— operate with respect for equality and diversity as an organisation,

— be a London Living Wage employer,

— has a profound understanding and knowledge of the borough and locality strengths and needs.

The required and expected outcomes and activities are described below.

The aims of the service are to:

— maximise the potential of the VCS organisations and groups to be recognised, supported and developed as a key partner of the council,

— enable the building and sharing of information, knowledge, expertise and resources; including better use and sharing of premises and the development of robust information governance across the sector,

— connect people, places and services in the community to build a resilient network that delivers the priority outcomes within the VCS strategy,

— reduce the dependency of Croydon’s population on statutory services, whilst creating a culture of self-care and community support that promotes preventative lifestyles and independence in Croydon,

— increase the funding and investment in Croydon’s VCS by identifying and supporting innovative approaches, encouraging cross-sectorial collaboration and embedding a culture of impact-measurement and continuous improvement to maximise potential external fundraising,

— ensure VCS is represented on local partnership groups and boards and that VCSOs are better empowered to speak as advocates for the sector and for their beneficiaries,

— secure funding (external to Croydon public sector) for VCS organisations in the borough to improve services to local residents,

— promote and support innovative approaches across the sector.

The service will focus and evidence its delivery of outcomes in the following areas:

— capacity building and support, including access to premises,

— fundraising support,

— development of partnerships, collabo