Introduction

This plan has been produced to prioritise the work of Community Change and the use of its resources for the period of April 2008 - March 2011. The aim of producing the plan is to ensure that the organisation meets the needs of:

• Community Change members
• Funders of Community Change’s work
• Other relevant stakeholders, communities, organisations and bodies that Community Change will come in contact with throughout the lifetime of this plan.

This plan comes at the end of a year long process for the Community Change Board of Directors and staff having sought the thoughts and opinions of members regarding their needs and the direction/s Community Change should take at various events organised throughout the year, mail outs, direct contacts, web site and the newssheet.

The plan incorporates a degree of flexibility so Community Change can be both pro-active and responsive to changing and emerging needs within the community and voluntary sector as well as the wider Northern Ireland Society.

A copy of this plan will be available for all members and key stakeholders. A formal review of the plan will take place annually with Operational Plans produces each year to plan and take the work within this plan forward. 

Community Change

Community Change is a regional capacity building organisation which has been established since 1998. As the name suggests Community Change focuses on assisting local communities, organisations and partnerships prepare for, and manage change, build capacity within the governance of community and voluntary organisations and embed good working practices into those organisations and groups.

Community Change works, and will continue to, work directly with voluntary and community based organisations delivering high quality facilitation, training and support to these organisations. These services are delivered through individual group support, training and facilitation using the community development process to provide a wide range of services on a wide range of topics. These topics range from building capacity within communities, building leadership skills, facilitating change processes and models of change within communities and partnerships, planning, good governance and management, collaborative and partnership working etc

Our tailor made 1.1 developmental support and training is created by working with each individual group to identify their specific needs and delivering that training and support at an appropriate level, time and pace for the group.

Collective generic training opportunities provide an overview of the range of training areas in which we specialise. Groups can then select 1.1 support and training from this menu if they require specific support around an issue related to the topic.

Given the remarkable changes throughout Northern Ireland and within the community and voluntary sector over the past few years planning for and managing change continues to play an increasing part of Community Change’s work. It is envisaged for the life of this Strategic Plan this focus will continue to grow and will require Community Change to build capacity in governance; leadership, skills and knowledge to assist develop and create positive change within Northern Ireland society.

Managing and supporting positive change will result in Community Change working at a wide range of different levels affecting change and influencing issues relevant to our grass roots membership base and community and voluntary sector generally. Community Change recognises that there is an increasing role and need to work with government departments informing and advising them on issues relating to capacity within disadvantaged communities and the wider community and voluntary sector. Within this plan Community Change will endeavour to carry out that influencing role to encourage positive changes in Northern Ireland Society.

The Community Change VISION  

Fair, equitable and resilient communities

The Community Change MISSION

Supporting Communities to participate actively in their own development and sustainability.

Community Development Values and Principles

Community Change is committed to delivering its work through the core community development principles of:

Self-determination
Social Justice
Working and learning together
Participation
Sustainable Communities
Reflective practice.

Values

These values underpin both the community development principles outlined above and the work of Community Change

• Community Change’s work is characterised by a fundamental respect for the local community groups with which it works upholding their unique identity, their right to self determination and responding proactively to their needs.
• Community Change will promote and encourage learning and good practice through support, training and networking
• Community Change is committed to encouraging innovative and reflective ways of working
• Community Change is committed to partnership approaches and will encouraging community groups to work collaboratively with us and with others 
• Community Change supports and encourages positive approaches to change as part of the natural community development process.
• Community Change strives for the participation and inclusion of all interested parties in its pursuit of helping local people to make a positive difference.  It does not tolerate the exclusion of anyone on religious, ethnic, class, or any other grounds. 
• Community Change’s professionalism and integrity underpins all its work.
• Community Change will challenge practices and principles where these are unprofessional, unethical and /or hinder progress. 
• Community Change is independent and impartial

Context within which Community Change will deliver this plan

1 Changing face of Northern Ireland re political developments

Undoubtedly the return to a local power sharing government within Northern Ireland has changed the context of life for all its residents regardless of age, gender, sexuality, disability, political or religious beliefs, ethnicity.  As the pace of social and economic change continues to gather pace, coinciding with the positive political developments the pressure for change at all levels is increasingly being felt within the voluntary and community sectors.

2 Review of Public Administration (RPA)

2011 will see one of the biggest shake ups and restructuring of the Northern Ireland Local Government structure perhaps since its establishment. It is planned that the current 26 councils will become 11 with new boundaries, representatives and a much wider emit. This wider remit will include roads, urban regeneration, rural development, community development, community relations and some aspects of planning, housing, economic development and tourism responsibilities.

These “super councils” will be responsible for developing community plans and for managing the development of the community planning process to create those plans

3 Changes in the funding environment for the community and voluntary sector

Reduced status in, and amounts of funding available from, European Structural Funds combined with a changing funding environment, which is emphasising and promoting a move away from traditional grant funding and promoting new ways of working, is changing the face of the community and voluntary sector. The move towards contracts, service level agreements and a more diversified income base within the sector combined with partnership and collaborative working has dramatically changed the face of the sector and will continue to do so.

Whilst this change to new ways of working and an emphasis on income diversification offers many opportunities for the sector it also creates many challenges for community and voluntary organisations, especially the organisations that historically have formed the backbone of community development in Northern Ireland.

4 Establishment of Charity Commission for Northern Ireland

The Charities Bill has been passing through the U.K legislative structures and it is hope that 2008 will see the establishment of Northern Irelands first Charities Commission. This is an important development for the N.I. charitable sector which will place increasing emphasis on the need for Good Governance at all levels for groups and organisations with charitable objectives and/or charitable status. How this develops will bring about changes within the structure of the community and voluntary sector throughout, and beyond, the lifetime of this Strategic Plan.

5 Positive Steps / Compact

These can be seen as the moving forward of the Taskforce recommendations regarding how the community and voluntary sector work together. The focus is much more on a partnership / joint approach to met the needs and provide services within Northern Ireland communities.

6 Shared Future

The Shared Future agenda remains a focus and influential factor within government departments and policy. It plays a key role as Northern Ireland continues to emerge from a conflict situation into a future which supports good relations regardless of people’s differing religious beliefs and political backgrounds.

It strives to create a society where people are more integrated, diversity is viewed as a strength and were people have a common vision for the future.

7 Volunteer Strategy

A consultative process has begun on a Volunteering Strategy for Northern Ireland. The aim of the process is to create a strategy which will create the conditions that will enable volunteering to flourish throughout Northern Ireland. The strategy when completed will have implications for Management Committees and throughout the sector.  

Strategic Aims and Objectives

Aim 1: Continue to build capacity of community and voluntary groups and   organisations throughout Northern Ireland 

Strategic objectives:

Help build the capacity of community and voluntary groups’ management committees and Boards to understand what is required of them.

Support community and voluntary management committees and boards to implement and carry out their duties.

Objectives are to provide:

• Development support, facilitation and training on the roles and responsibilities of a Management Committees and Boards
• Development support, facilitation and training on drawing up and reviewing constitutional documents
• Development support, facilitation and training on Financial management and planning
• Development support, facilitation and training on management and Human Resources
• Continue to provide support and training to networks and network groups  through the Lottery project
• Support and advice regarding the changing nature and needs of the voluntary and community sector. For example the establishment of a  Charity Commission for NI 
• Good practice learning and networking opportunities

Aim 2: Develop and build skills and capacity in managing change and encourage groups to embrace collaborative and partnership working

Strategic Objectives:

Develop and build change management skills in community and voluntary groups

Encourage community and voluntary groups to embrace collaborative and partnership working in response to changing environment in which they operate.

Objectives are to provide:

• Development support, facilitation and training in aspects of anticipating and embracing change and the management of the change process
• Development support, facilitation and training on the theories and principles underlying partnership and collaborative  working (including possible mergers)
• Development support, training and facilitation exploring and identifying options for forging partnerships and collaborative working.
• Networking opportunities highlighting good practice examples of Partnership and collaborative working 
• Engage in range of fora and policy discussions and debates regarding aspects relating to partnership and collaborative working
• Develop opportunities for Community Change in collaborative and Partnership  working

Aim 3: Expand, promote and build capacity in organisational and strategic Development within community and voluntary organisations

Strategic Objectives:

Build organisational and strategic development skills and knowledge within Community and voluntary groups

Work as an agent for change by advising statutory agencies (including regional and local government) at a strategic level on capacity and leadership needs in communities.

Objectives are to provide:

• Strategic and Action planning development support, training and facilitation to community groups, organisations and other agencies
• Take active role in range of policy fora to advise and inform policy development 
• Feed into policies relevant to the sector at a range of levels and feed accessible information re policy development back to members
• Community Change work at a Strategic level with key agencies, government departments and new local government structures etc in a range of levels and roles 
• Carry out relevant bits of research to inform policy , departments, agencies and programme development

Aim 4 Develop and secure the future sustainability, effectiveness and impact of Community Change

Strategic Objective: Ensure the future of Community Change as a key regional organisation of high quality, progressive and effective services through:

Staff and organisational training and development
Expansion and development of appropriate resources
Development of IT systems as tool of effective communication with members
Engagement with users at a wide range of levels

Objectives are to:

• Continue to build an active regional membership
• Continual monitoring and evaluation of Community Change services
• Development of range of assessable resources and information opportunities for members
• Develop and review Community Change systems, polices and procedures and ensure the implementation of these into day to day practice
• Secure and identify a range of funding options including earned income to finance the work of Community Change
• Ensure, maintain and develop a highly skilled staff team  
• Maintain and develop a skilled, resourced, effective regional Board of management providing regular development and training opportunities 
• Ensure Community Change premises, resources, are of good standard to promote good practice within the organisation

Conclusion

This Strategic Plan for 2008-2001 sets out a framework for the work of Community Change throughout that period to help meet the changing needs of Community Change members and stakeholders and the community and voluntary sector generally.

It emphasises our commitment to delivering our work through the principles, values and practices of the community development process as a process encouraging positive collective change for and with communities. It places communities, and the people who make up those communities, at the core of that change process.

Over the three years lifespan of this Strategic Plan there will undoubtedly be many changes within communities and the wider Northern Ireland Society. This plan lays out the role Community Change will play influencing positive change for and with communities in the years ahead.