Capacitybuilders success brings Christmas cheer for community partnership 

Release date: Thursday 20 December 2007

A new bassac-led partnership of five organisations working in the community sector is celebrating today (Thursday 20 December) after being awarded nearly £2 million from Capacitybuilders to run the National Support Service Collaboration workstream.

The Collaboration workstream will provide advice and support to the community and voluntary sector. It will be delivered by bassac, the Institute for Voluntary Action Research (IVAR), Community Foundations Network (CFN) and Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE), with support from the Charities Evaluation Service.

Ben Hughes, chief executive of community umbrella network bassac, the lead partner for the workstream, said: “We are thrilled to be working with our partners to deliver this new service for the community and voluntary sector. This dynamic package of community sector, research and rural organisations will bring together national, local and regional experience on collaborative working in a unique way.”

 This three-year partnership will: 

• Use a national collaborative working evidence base to develop and deliver national, regional and local services, which will support the community and voluntary sector.
• Gather evidence on effective practice on collaboration between community organisations and its local impact.
• Strengthen sub-regional structures to engage better with frameworks like Local Area Agreements, strategic partnerships and commissioning arrangements.
• Increase skills and support services in the sector, and
• Include ongoing evaluation of the workstream during its three years of operation.

Ben Cairns, Director of IVAR, said: “This award of funding is a fantastic boost for the research community as, at the heart of the partnership’s approach, is a commitment to developing and exchanging knowledge.  We are delighted that the potential benefits of action research have been recognised in this way.”
 
Sylvia Brown, Chief Executive of ACRE, said: “The rural context poses different problems and solutions in delivering collaborative activity.  Many innovative approaches have been developed through our Rural Community Action Network to strengthen community action at local level and we look forward to participating in this national venture.”  

Stephen Hammersley, Chief Executive of the Community Foundation Network, said: “Community Foundation Network is looking forward to working with bassac and the other partners on this programme. Through our 56 community foundation members, we are looking forward to supporting the dissemination of information and best practice in collaborative working. We will build on the work that many members are already delivering locally, namely, co-ordinating and joining-up a range of funding from public, private and statutory sources. ” 

For media enquiries contact: Liz Nightingale, bassac: tel 0207 336 9417, email liz@bassac.org.uk or  for out-of-hours media enquiries only, call 07825 175 866.

NOTES TO EDITORS

Capacitybuilders Collaboration media briefing
Capacitybuilders has awarded bassac £1,803,441 for this three-year stream, to be delivered with IVAR, Community Foundations Network, ACRE and the Charity Evaluation service.

The organisations will work with five government departments, nine Regional Development Agencies, and four Local Government infrastructure bodies (IDeA, LGA, NALC, SOLACE) to provide support to a minimum of 2700 2nd tier organisations. 

The partners will deliver 36 seminars across all years, with one seminar being delivered every month from April 2009 onwards. It is anticipated that each seminar will be attended by people form 15 different organisations. We expect to deliver a total of 150 training days of all kinds.

About the Capacitybuilders Collaboration partners:
bassac is the national membership body representing and supporting a network of multi-purpose, community-based organisations who deliver positive change in their communities. We have a strong national profile based on speaking effectively for community groups to influence national policy by drawing on robust evidence from action research and front line experiences. We bring considerable expertise in developing and sustaining multi-stakeholder partnerships at a national level and building pioneering partnerships at local level promoting collaboration and effective joint working. 

Institute for Voluntary Action Research (IVAR) is an independent research, education and training charity. It is concerned with building, refining and exchanging knowledge for practice and policy and theory, using action research principles. Website: www.ivar.org.uk

Community Foundation Network represents the community foundation movement in the UK. Its aim is to generate new resources to strengthen communities  by helping clients create lasting value from their local giving through the network of community foundations. Website: www.communityfoundations.org.uk

ACRE is the national body of the Rural Community Action Network, which promotes a healthy, vibrant and sustainable rural community sector that is well connected to policies at national, regional, sub regional and local levels. The Network comprises 38 Rural Community Councils which provide all-round support and advocacy to rural community groups throughout England. Website: www.acre.org.uk