mergers, collaboration, partnership, experience and good practice - nigel newton sawyerr

Collaboration Merger PartnershipWhats their place in difficult times?

Nigel Newton SawyerrEnigma Solutions

Collaboration NI 30th March 2011

Agenda

• Current context: what’s driving collaboration

• Spectrum of Collaboration – what others have done

• Critical Success Factors• Support needed – who

needs to do what?

What is Collaboration Benefits

• Resources - collection & dissemination of good practice

• Skills - training and developing support providers

• Action - facilitating collaborative clusters/developing good practice

What’s driving Collaboration Weaknesses/Threats- REACTIVE

The ‘vulnerability of smallness’• Governance problems / organisational crises• Lack of influence• Inability to meet users’ needs fully• Lack of procurement/ commissioning experience• Onerous requirements & extra costs • Aggregated contracts & larger areas for

provision• Funder pressures (duplication / waste) • Funding reductions (economic downturn)

Collaboration Drivers – Opportunities - PROACTIVE

• History of informal networking & collaboration • Flexibility & fleet-footedness• Greater influence• More robust Governance/management• Meeting users’ needs more effectively• Increased co-ordination & Economies of scale• Pooled resources & expertise• Financial opportunities / Funder support• Broadening the organisation’s offering

Organisational benefits

• Better use of resources (e.g. efficiency savings or economies of scale)

• Increased access to resources/ improved sustainability

• Increased skills/ knowledge• Higher profile• Reduced risk

Benefits for Communities

• Improved, increased, maintained services• New services (meeting more needs)• Improved access to services (extended reach)• Increased influence/ stronger united voice• Better co-ordination (filled gaps/reduced

duplication)

Spectrum of collaboration

• Networking / forums• Influencing / campaigning• Joint tendering – Consortium working• Integrated service delivery• Sharing staff or resources/joint purchasing• Sharing accommodation• Joint business planning• Merging

Merger

Community Action Southwark:•Duplication/too many orgs•Potential to reduce overheads•Strengthen voice•Increase Services•Vision/leadership/planning

Co-location/sharing back office

One Stop Shop Lutterworth:•Under one roof/cohesive services•Better premises•Compatible values•Joint bidding•Stronger organisations/voice

Sharing workers & expertise

Hanley Crouch Co-operation:•Stronger together•Enhanced services•Cost savings•Linked governance•Longer term impact

Joint tendering/consortia

Ealing One Stop Jobs Shop :Lead body consortium

Lancs 3rd Sec MH Consortium:New independent body

What do you want to do?

1. Clearly defined Aims/Vision

What are we trying to achieve?• By when?• How will we know if its achieved?

Why are you doing it?

2. Business case• Is it relevant to all partners?• What will be the likely benefits for us?• Does it fit with our mission?• Do we have the powers to do it?

What needs to be in place

3) Ownership• By all partners• Within/across each partner

4) Communication• Across the partnership• With everyone directly affected• With everyone indirectly affected

and what more?

5) Leadership• Make things happen• Take everyone with you

6) Clear and Agreed:• Roles & responsibilities• decision-making

and what else

7) Resources• Sufficient time• People• Money• Other resources

8) Mutual Trust and Understandingprobably the biggest deal maker/deal breaker?

Who needs to do what?

• VCS Trustees – Take responsibility & trust• VCS Leaders – Develop understanding & be bold• Local Infrastructure – Develop information & skills

to support• Regional/National Infrastructure – Resources/

awareness training/ training programmes• Policymakers – Create structures and policies that

enable the VCS to collaborate• Funders – Support all of the above!

Support Needed

• Web resources (guidance, templates, case studies)• Publications/signposting/phone or e-advice• Awareness seminars & training• Facilitation support for complex collaborations

Local infrastructure agency; e.g. CVS, RCC National agencies/programmes like Collaboration NI

www.bassac.org.uk/collaborationbenefits

Contact

• For further supportcontact

Nigel Newton SawyerrEnigma Solutionsenigmafalcon@yahoo.co.uk

07984 489946