This time last week I put my big girl pants on and went and did some networking. After leaving my full-time role at Pilotlight and spending the summer with my boys I am now embarking on a career as a freelance charity consultant, so networking is essential!

I have lived in Letchworth for 8 years but haven’t really engaged in my local charity sector but now is my chance and so I popped along to the North Herts and Stevenage CVS AGM.

So, what did I learn?

The needs of the sector are top of mind

Partnership working and listening to the needs of the voluntary sector and those it supports were top of mind for Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation and the CVS. In fact, they have now launched their survey of the sector so orgs in North Herts and Letchworth can really tell them what they need https://bit.ly/3V4TtoF. Yes, this is another survey, but it is the first in-depth survey of its kind for groups across North Herts and Letchworth so worth the time to complete.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion – remains a priority for funders

The Heritage Foundation was super clear that Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is really shaping its work and it will be asking applicants to share their approach to DEI when they apply. It has been on its own DEI journey and has worked hard to diversify its board. The continued focus on DEI is not just a local one, this week, Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales has released its new 5-year strategy with a strong emphasis on supporting small charities that ‘understand the complexity of the challenges people face or the barriers they experience, particularly due to ethnicity or disability’ https://bit.ly/3MfKNHH.

When looking at acting on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion many organisations can struggle with where to begin. Starting the journey is the important bit rather than where you start. But beginning with the board is as good a place as any and Getting On Board offers some great support to do just that.

Funders want to give

The Foundation shared it struggled to give away its full funding pot last year.  Approx £600k is available for orgs supporting those in Letchworth, the Foundation gave out 37 grants and was left with 10% of its pot to give. When times are tough this feels ridiculous but not all that surprising. Time did not allow a full exploration of why this was the case, but my experience would suggest orgs are vulnerable, time poor and focused on the people they serve, resulting in applications needing to be prioritised, and smaller funds can drop off the to do list.

I would also hazard a guess that orgs might be underestimating the true costs of their services which leads to reduced funding asks. We are known as a sector that over delivers and it would be great to see the full picture of this captured in grant proposals and of course, the true costs accepted by funders.

Volunteer numbers struggle to bounce back

Many orgs are still struggling to recruit following the pandemic. Not all volunteers have returned and recruiting new ones is proving harder than ever. This is echoed by the organisations I speak to across the country, and I fear that as costs rise people will need to prioritise paid work over volunteering. Locally, #TeamHerts Volunteering is playing a crucial role in matching vols with vacancies across the county, but charity experience suggests vacancies tend to outstrip volunteers.

I also learnt that the process to on board vols can be long, checks and training takes time, and this can cause drop out. So, how can we reduce on boarding time without compromising on safety and quality of service? I don’t have the answer, but I am sure Reach Volunteering  and Volunteering Matter would have some great advice.  

The Hertfordshire charitable sector is buzzing

And finally, I learnt that Hertfordshire charitable sector is buzzing and if you have a need they have it covered. I heard from Home-Start Hertfordshire that support families with a child under 5, Letchworth Men in Sheds (letchworthshed.org) that  provide a supportive community for local men who might be isolated or lonely, and Up on Downs a small charity supporting families with children with Down’s Syndrome.

According to the charity commission there over 600 organisations operating in Hertfordshire, and I can’t wait to discover more about them because it turns out networking is not that scary after all.