Who are we and what do we do?

ViSTA specialises in providing education and training (for staff and volunteers of voluntary and community sector organisations and community learners).  We also deliver capacity building programmes for the voluntary and community sector.

We are an emerging voluntary sector learning consortium.  We provide services that support the voluntary and community sector (VCS) to engage more effectively in education, training and personal development programmes.  We receive funding from Somerset LSC.

ViSTA works closely with voluntary sector infrastructure organisations in Somerset.

Our main activities are:

• Delivering affordable workforce development programmes for staff and volunteers.
• Hosting VCS partnerships delivering education, training and personal development programes to individuals and groups
• Providing specialist infrastructure support to VCS training providers (curriculum development, Skills for Life, Accreditation, Quality Assurance etc).
• Supporting staff, volunteers and community learners with their professional development by offering a confidential and impartial learning advice and guidance service.
• Raising the profile of education and training programmes led by the VCS and advocating on behalf of the sector.

To find out more about our work, please look around this website or contact us:

08453 580372 or 01458 259487

The Business Plan

Our Vision Statement

The ViSTA Interim Evaluation

Executive Summary

ViSTA has proved to be a valued resource for the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) in Somerset providing workforce development programmes, infrastructure services and hosting partnerships delivering education and training.

There are a great many policy developments and structural changes underway within national and local government as well as key public sector bodies (eg Learning & Skills Council) that affect the future for ViSTA.  However following a period of reflection and consultation it is our view that ViSTA can continue to operate successfully in the emerging economic climate.

ViSTA will embrace social enterprise by trading in training to generate subsidy for the more specialist infrastructure services.  ViSTA’s 3 year Work Plan is closely aligned to the wider strategic priorities of the VCS, national government and the Local Area Agreement in order to maximise the potential for grant funding and service contracts.  The aim is to diversify our funding and reduce over-reliance on one or two sources of funds.   This will be achieved through expanding the markets for our existing provision and by developing new services.

The Organisation’s Background

In early 2004 the Somerset Voluntary Sector Network Ltd (SVSN - a county-wide organisation, committed to supporting and strengthening the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) in Somerset) was awarded funding by The SomersetLearning and Skills Council to deliver a county-wide training and capacity building project.   In August 2004 ViSTA was established as the training and capacity building arm of SVSN. 

SVSN has continued to develop its work in Somerset and is a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity.  SVSN has established a range of other infrastructure support services funded through The Change UP Programme including the Somerset Funding Advice Workers Network and the Somerset Volunteer Support Centre.

The original work plan for ViSTA was developed in response to “Working Together - A Strategy For The Voluntary And Community Sector And The Learning & Skills Council” - May 2004 and The HM Treasury Report “The Role of The Voluntary and Community Sector In Service Delivery – A Cross Cutting Review” -  September 2002 (CCR).  Both these policy initiatives continue to drive change across the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) and Public Sector and have been considered alongside others in producing ViSTA’s 3 year Plan. 

ViSTA’s first capacity building programme has been available to volunteer and paid staff from Somerset’s VCS since January 2005 and was funded in the main through LSC co-financing (European Social Fund).  During this period ViSTA has delivered training to over 900 individuals from more than 300 organisations.  In addition to the main programme ViSTA developed a number of subsequent projects to offer specialist infrastructure support services to the VCS in relation to their education and training provision, performance improvement, governance and quality assurance.

During the last quarter of 2005 the ViSTA team undertook a full service review.  This process included a facilitated Team Review, a Self Assessment Report (SAR against the criteria of the Adult Learning Inspectorate) and an independent mid-term evaluation (Appendix 1).  The review highlighted a number of distinctive features which ViSTA will seek to maintain and develop further.  These include being “an outward facing organisation”, keeping “well informed”, “demonstrating entrepreneurial skills and a commitment to quality” and “working effectively across organisational and sector boundaries ”.  This document sets out the next phase of ViSTA’s development and explains:

• How we plan to consolidate our activities and respond to our wider environment,
• How we plan to secure a long term future for our work,
• How we plan to structure our organisation and make the best use of our resources.  

The Purpose Of ViSTA

The Vision Statement

Our vision for the future is one where the voluntary & community sector actively engages with education and training as a means of empowering and enabling staff, volunteers and service users and as a means of addressing inequality and social injustice. 

The Mission

ViSTA is committed to providing high quality services that enable the voluntary & community sector to engage more effectively in education, training and personal development for the benefit of the individuals and the communities that they serve. 

Core Values

• Sector for sector support
• Champions of equality & empowerment
• Open and transparent working practice
• Commitment to partnership and collaboration
• Commitment to high professional standards and quality
• Commitment to long-term sustainability
• Supportive work environment for staff and volunteers

Aims

1. To deliver affordable workforce development programmes which meet the needs of the VCS.  
2. To develop and host VCS partnerships in order to deliver training and personal development programmes to individuals in Somerset and neighbouring areas.
3. To provide specialist infrastructure services for the VCS in relation to developing and delivering high quality services and education programmes. 
4. To raise the profile of the VCS and encourage collaboration and networking across the sectors.
5. To consult with our service users and the wider VCS in order to advocate on behalf of the sector and ensure that our services are responsive. 

Objectives Under Aim 1 (Workforce Development)

Governance

• To provide a specialist governance programme aimed at committee members, trustees and directors from VCS organisations and groups.  This will include a trustees’ mentoring scheme, a Somerset governance resource kit, networking events and training programmes.
• To provide a brokerage service on behalf of the VCS to open up new opportunities to access training from other providers.

Training

• To develop and deliver a programme of VCS workforce development activities which will include external training courses, work placements & secondments, in-house bespoke courses and peer coaching (cross agency skills coaching).
• To provide support and continuing professional development programmes for VCS staff involved in delivering training.

Trainers

• To offer organisational support programmes in relation to performance management, service development and quality assurance.

Performance

• To develop and pilot initiatives which provide VCS organisations with new approaches to enhance their provision and improve organisational effectiveness.

Careers

• To provide a careers information service and offer access to one to one learning advice and guidance for staff, volunteers and community learners. 

Objectives Under Aim 2 (VCS Partnerships for Learning)

Community Learning

• To develop and co-ordinate activities which bring VCS organisations together to deliver education, training and personal development programmes which meet the needs of their services users and which address the strategic aims of key agencies (LSC, RDA, County Council, PCT etc). 

Funding

• To raise awareness of potential sources of funds for VCS training and personal development programmes and provide support and guidance to other VCS organisations in relation to seeking and securing funding.

Objectives Under Aim 3 (Infrastructure Services)

Resources

• To provide VCS organisations with support and resources in relation to course development, course delivery and quality assurance.

Accredited Learning

• To offer VCS organisations accreditation for their courses by acting as a registered centre and providing access to awards within the National Qualifications Framework.

Skills for Life

• To provide specialist personnel and other resources in order to support VCS organisations to include Skills For Life programmes within their provision.

Quality

• To develop ViSTA’s role as a VCS learning consortium (offering contract management, accountable body status and learner administration, quality assurance services, etc).
• To provide support for VCS organisations (ViSTA included) to achieve recognised quality standards (eg Matrix, PQASSO etc).

Objectives Under Aim 4 (Profile Raising)

Events

• To host conferences and seminars and to provide on-line publications and reports.

Resources

• To maintain and develop the ViSTA website as a resource for the VCS and to act as a “window on the sector” (to promote and inform others about the work of the VCS within Somerset).

Networking

• To produce regular information updates and host networking opportunities across the sectors.
• To support multi-agency collaboration and the sharing of best practice.

Objectives Under Aim 5 (Representation and Advocacy)

Representing

• To maintain a profile across the county (and region) and promote new developments and opportunities to the VCS.
• To represent the VCS by maintaining membership of  networks and by attending relevant fora.
• To undertake consultation and act as a conduit for information exchange across the sectors.

Advocacy

• To advocate on behalf of the VCS.

The Staff Team

Senior Management Team: The SVSN Board of Directors have overall responsibility for the management of ViSTA and are the accountable body.  ViSTA has a dedicated Steering  Committee which oversees the work of ViSTA and includes 2 members from the SVSN Board of Directors.  The Steering Committee is accountable to the Board of Directors. 

The members of the ViSTA Steering Committee:

• Trevor Hazelgrove, Chair and member of the Board of Directors.  Trevor is the Chief Executive of Salisbury CVS.  Trevor has a keen interest in the development of the voluntary sector and works nationally on various programmes including COMPACT and Governance.  Trevor is a trustee of Learning Curve and a Frome Town Councillor.
• David Onamade, is the Chief Executive of Somerset Racial Equality Council.  David is a qualified Barrister who has had considerable experience of developing and managing services aimed at supporting the development of BME communities and infrastructure groups.
• Amba Chawla is a solicitor, an experienced trustee and a qualified adult tutor and facilitator.  Amba specializes in organizational development and management and works with staff and volunteers across a range of levels of responsibility and experience.
• Lesley Gagg is a barrister and worked for the Magistrates Courts Service.  Lesley has held a range of posts including Deputy Training Officer for Magistrates for Avon and Somerset.   Lesley is a qualified tutor, a governor of Strode College and the Vice President of Young Somerset.
• Brenda Pyle

The Chief Officer of ViSTA (CEO), Angela Kerr, reports to the Steering Committee and is accountable to the Board of Directors on a quarterly basis.  The CEO is line managed by the Chair of the Steering Committee.  Angela has many years of experience as a senior officer and project manager within the VCS across a range of service areas (substance misuse, disabilities, mental health and adult training).  

Project Staff

The Senior Finance Manager (SFM) is a qualified accountant who is responsible for the financial management systems and for advising the Board, Committees and senior staff on financial aspects of the organisation’s work. 

The Finance Administrator is responsible for the day to day administration of ViSTA and SVSN finances.

The Projects and Services Manager (PSM) manages the Rural Action Partnership and also has responsibility for working with the CEO to develop new provision.  The postholder is a qualified adult tutor with extensive experience of working in adult services (LSC and Jobcentre Plus). 

The Training and Curriculum Manager is a qualified adult tutor, an adult learning inspector and skills for life professional. The postholder is responsible for specialist infrastructure support services to VCS organisations engaged in education and training and leads on quality assurance and curriculum development within ViSTA.

The Administration and Information Officer has a dual role and is responsible for the day to day administration of the workforce development programme.  This postholder is the lead officer responsible for the careers information, advice and guidance service.

The Administration Assistant supports all aspects of ViSTA’s work.  The postholder is responsible for learner administration (produces data for contract monitoring reports to funders).  This postholder is responsible for the network support services and maintains the website and on-line resources. 

Associate Staff: Where there are identified skills gaps or where there is a need for additional staff associates join the team on a temporary secondment or by special agreement to create an “extended team”[1].  Where this has not secured the necessary staff external consultants, commercial organisations and freelance trainers will be sought to deliver aspects of the programme. 

All recruitment and secondment opportunities will be advertised in accordance with our Equal Opportunities Policy.  Wherever possible staff from Somerset VCS organisations will be supported and trained to deliver aspects of ViSTA’s work in accordance with our core value of “sector for sector” support.  This will encourage long-term sustainability, develop skills and expertise and create new opportunities for Somerset VCS organisations and staff to diversify their activities and engage in new partnerships/joint delivery. 

[1] The SVSN “extended team approach” in which all Members can engage and contribute according to their skills.  Hannah Reynolds Associates’ Report SVSN Forward Strategy 2004.

The Work Plan 2006 - 2009

Workforce Development

Training For Sale will continue under the Enhance Programme (developed as a regional pilot through ChangeUp).  This will be the main vehicle for our workforce development training programme.  ViSTA will deliver “affordable” training using cross subsidy, through opening up new markets, through partnerships and through fundraising in order to keep prices down. ViSTA will seek to expand the current partnership with the WEA (Workers Education Association) which enables us to access mainstream LSC subsidy for accredited learning.  The mainstream funding combined with ViSTA’s core resources will allow us to offer extremely competitive prices for nationally recognised qualifications.

The Enhance Training programme will focus on the specific needs of the VCS in Somerset and will link into the Regional Agenda for the VCS.  Courses will be developed to respond to issues identified through ViSTA’s Training Needs Analysis, The Regional Workforce Development Strategy (March 2006), through learner evaluation and relevant research.

Governance continues to be a priority for the VCS (Action Point from the Regional Workforce Development Strategy 2006).  ViSTA will seek further funding to:

• Produce a Somerset Trustees Pack
• Run a mini programme of networking events
• Create a dedicated area of our website
• Maintain a mentoring support service for Trustees
• Link the Somerset governance programme into other local and national initiatives.

Learning  Information, Advice and Guidance is an area of growing significance within the VCS.  The National Workforce Hub and the Sector Skills Development Agency place increasing emphasis on skills within the workforce.  ViSTA will continue to offer individual one to one advice and guidance in relation to career development and access to learning.  It has not yet been possible to secure funding for this work (restricted to services for adults qualified at level 2 or below) and the staff will pursue funding for the IAG service.

The Organisations’ Programme brings staff, volunteers and trustees together to work on specific issues affecting their organisation (ie business planning, marketing, quality assurance etc).  Continuation funding will be sought as this complements government policy (equipping organisations for the contract culture and developing entrepreneurial skills).  The “whole organisation” approach encourages a learning culture where staff development is recognised as being of value for the whole organisation and the newly acquired skills are used to greater effect within the team.     Other new elements will be included (skills coaching, cluster tutors, ICT technicians 

Partnerships For Learning

ViSTA was successful in bidding through the Local Area Agreement to host a VCS partnership addressing rural social exclusion.  The current political climate favors partnership and collaboration with particular regard for the cost savings that these arrangements can bring.  ViSTA will further develop the partnership hosting service because it offers a route into funding for smaller organisations and meets the emerging needs of the Public Sector (LSC, Probation and Local Authorities are all tasked to increase the number of service level agreements they hold with the VCS).  The staff team and Committee have expanded over the last 12 months in order to ensure that ViSTA has the specialist knowledge and expertise required to manage service level agreements and partnership.

ViSTA submitted a Learning Consortium bid to the Somerset LSC (November 2005) which sought funding for accredited learning programmes from 12 VCS partners.  The bid failed due to the re-structuring within the LSC.  ViSTA continues to work with the LSC (and other Regional and National VCS bodies) to negotiate access to mainstream learning funds for the VCS.  It is hoped that the LSC will continue to fund ViSTA to work on this development.

Infrastructure Services

 ViSTA will continue to provide capacity building services for VCS organisations to meet their own training needs as well as those of their clients and their members as follows:

Continuing Professional Development (subsidised through the WEA partnership) for staff and volunteers involved in tutoring, learning advice or learner support.  Within this element of work ViSTA will train specialist staff that can support a cluster of organisations (either geographical clusters or service area clusters {eg children and young people}).  These specialist staff will complete Assessor , Mentoring, Expert Witness Awards and Training the Trainer qualifications in order to offer access to accredited learning in the workplace and minimising the need to attend off the job training.  ViSTA will link this programme into new opportunities emerging for the VCS (eg the Somerset Children and Young People’s Workforce Strategy & ICT Circuit Riders) as well as with developments from other stakeholder groups (eg Sector Skills Councils[4]). 

ViSTA will continue to develop a strand of work that links the VCS into the Skills for Life agenda.  Funding will be sought to deliver basic awareness raising programmes (includes the Adult Learner Support award) as well as the specialist level 3 and 4 qualifications (literacy, numeracy, ESOL).

[4] Skills for Care and Development, SkillsActive and Skills for Justice

Infrastructure Services

Learning Consortium Support for VCS organisations delivering education & training will be made available and will be modelled on a number of successful VCS Learning Consortia (eg Humberside, Cumbria, Sussex and Wiltshire).  This will include support with backroom services (finance, quality, data collection & reporting) as well as practical assistance with curriculum development, tutor development, programme delivery, accreditation, production of a SAR (self assessment report) and access to funds.

In particular support will continue to be available in order to link the VCS into Skills for Life(a priority for the South West).  Resources (diagnostic & initial assessment) and access to Exam on Demand will be made available to VCS organisations.  ViSTA will maintain registered centre status with National Open College Network and other awarding bodies in order to act as a gateway for VCS organisations seeking to accredit the learning programmes they deliver. 

Quality Standards and Quality Assurance will be a priority within ViSTA’s Programme.  ViSTA will seek funding to run a variety of initiatives to support VCS organisations through recognised generic quality standards (eg PQASSO) as well as more specialist requirements (in particular those of Ofsted and The Adult Learning Inspectorate). 

Profile Raising and Advocacy

ViSTA’s website is highly valued as a sector resource - a “window on the sector”.  Over the coming years the site will be used to showcase best practice, to promote the work of VCS organisations, to provide access to information and consultation events, to host a library of resources, to service our training programme (on-line enrolment) and offer on-line services.

Many VCS organisations in Somerset work in discrete parts of Somerset (funding from District Authorities has limited their provision to set geographic areas).  This combined with other factors (access to public transport and significant number of part time staff and volunteers) presents a real challenge for the sector in relation to the dissemination of information and the co-ordination of representation.  Somerset Voluntary Sector Network (SVSN) will lead on behalf of the sector in relation to providing a channel for communication and representation.  ViSTA will support this work by offering a dedicated network resource in relation to education and training and by offering our website as a resource for SVSN.

Profile Raising and Advocacy

A series of conferences and seminars will be included in ViSTA’s programme each year as part of the networking and information sharing service.  ViSTA has also run conferences for other agencies (NIACE and Aim Higher South West) and we plan to further develop this service as an income generating activity to subsidize our training programme.

ViSTA’s staff and Committee members will maintain a presence at various events and meetings across the county and the region.  This will ensure that the VCS is represented and that ViSTA may advocate on behalf of the sector if appropriate.  Newsletters, policy updates and circulars will be available through the website and through direct mail.  Training events and conferences will be used as a means of sharing information and gathering feedback from sector staff and volunteers.

ViSTA will maintain close working relationships with existing and emerging networks and agencies as follows:  The Learning Curve, South West Forum, SAVAGE, NIACE, Consortia+, The Children & Young People’s Partnership Somerset, The Somerset ESF Forum,  The Somerset Black Development Agency, The Rural Womens’ Network, The CLINKS Network, The Skills For Life group (sub group of the Learning Partnership), Exeter CVS, Voscur, Black SW Network, The Black Development Agency,  The Somerset Widening Participation Forum.

Marketing and Communications Strategy

Overview

ViSTA has established an identity within the VCS in Somerset (and certain regional and national VCS groupings) over a relatively short period of time.  The original marketing plan (2004-06) set out to create a brand image which offered a high quality and specialist service to meet the training and workforce development needs of the VCS in Somerset. 

The recent independent, Interim Evaluation Report indicates that ViSTA has been successful and that the strategy for engagement has been effective.  In order for ViSTA to sustain services and develop the organisation further it is necessary to:

• Diversify our funding base and increase unrestricted funds
• Expand our provision (to reach new beneficiaries and participants)
• Maintain our profile and “accessibility”
• Safeguard our reputation

As in our previous Marketing Plan the over-riding strategy will be one of “customer-intimacy” (understanding the issues affecting our service users and stakeholders by maintaining close communications, analysing feedback, responding to the needs of individuals and organisations and consulting with our stakeholders). 

The challenge for ViSTA will be to continue to build competitive advantage for the organisation whilst maintaining a strong alliance with the VCS. 

Maintaining The Profile Of The Organisation

• Maintain a range of communication media (internet, paper based and face to face) and a wide network of contacts,
• Personal presence – staff will be present to “meet and greet” at all our events,
• Individual staff allocated networking responsibility (eg Learning Partnership), 
• Provide a channel for communications to allow information to flow and circulate,
• Provide feedback mechanisms to ensure accountability,
• Establish a regular programme of workforce development,
• Maintain and develop links with other agencies and sectors,
• Continue to develop our information, advice and guidance services (telephone, website and one to one),
• Ensure sector representation (strategic bodies/committees),
• Promote co-operation and information sharing within and across the sectors,
• Prioritise resources to support our communication strategy.

Safeguard our reputation

• Invest in our quality assurance systems, staff & associate development and performance reviews,
• Maintain and develop feedback mechanisms and complaints procedures,
• Keep abreast of developments and changes in the sector and wider environment,
• Promote education and training from VCS organisations by raising awareness, raising aspirations and celebrating success,
• Strengthen our brand image and adopt a more corporate style (website, printed materials etc),
• Continue to monitor our customers (beneficiaries and stakeholders) to ensure we are offering a valued and responsive provision.

Expand Our Provision And Diversify Our Funding

• Identify new services within our area of expertise (education and training)
• Explore alternative sources of funds (donor subsidy, resource banks, public sector service delivery and grants/trusts),
• Conduct regular gap analysis to identify potential development opportunities.

Summary

The current economic climate affecting the VCS is full of uncertainty but there are emerging opportunities for ViSTA.  We will need to plan carefully to balance our efforts  between developing our current services and diversifying into new markets.  We intend to maintain current staff levels and will use ICT creatively to support our communication strategy, our quality assurance programme and to minimise duplication of effort. 

Market Penetration: - ViSTA will maintain and develop our existing service provision (better meeting the needs of the individuals and organisations that we have already worked with and better understanding the needs and targets from existing funders/stakeholders).

Market Development: - We will work in partnership to identify and develop new markets for our existing and emerging workforce development programmes (new sectors or areas),

Diversification: - ViSTA will diversify into new but related markets.  We will develop a partnership management service (modelled on the VCS learning consortia format) to enable us to bid to host VCS led learning and personal development programmes which work with individual learners in the community.

Fundraising Strategy

ViSTA has undergone a period of strategic development which has been timed to coincide with the end of a major service contract (LSC contract expires Dec 2006).  This fundraising strategy sets out the plans to mobilise funding and meet the resource requirements for the organisation’s service development and diversification programme. 

The recent organisation review identified an area of weakness for the organisation due to a lack of stable funding and an over-dependence on one main funder.

The Fundraising Goal

• Diversify our funding sources,
• Increase unrestricted funds,
• Improve financial dexterity (management information systems, staff competency  and smart policy {income generating investments}),
• Focus on cost efficiency,
• Embed the fundraising strategy across the whole organisation. 

Fundraising Personnel

The CEO is a member of the Institute of Fundraising and has overall responsibility for the development and delivery of the fundraising strategy.  Other staff will have delegated responsibilities in relation to raising funds or providing support services in order to ensure a whole organisation approach to fundraising. 

Fundraising Principles

ViSTA will adhere to the Institute of Fundraising Code Of Fundraising Practice and will commit to the Fundraising Standards Board self-regulation scheme as this becomes available.  The fundraising activities will be planned and reviewed in order to ensure that the core values and charitable objectives of the organisation are upheld.

Fundraising Resources

The organisation benefits from a comprehensive Management Information System which meets the monitoring requirements of our funders and is also capable of providing information to support full cost recovery, performance management and cash flow forecasting.  The recent appointment of the Senior Finance Manager and the upgrading of our finance system are linked to the fundraising strategy.  Other initiatives (on-line payments, interest generating accounts and a membership scheme) will follow over the next 9 months.  The organisation will continue to hold membership with the National Institute of Fundraising and the Somerset Fundraisers Group.  Staff training and development will maintain expertise across the whole organisation (staff and Committee).

Our Business Plan can be viewed in full as a pdf in our documents area.