Heart of the SW Local Enterprise Partnership

Evaluation Report for SW Forum/ViSTA Seminar

 Introduction to the Heart of the SW Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and the Somerset Employment and Skills Board (ESB)

Tuesday 28 June, 9.30am-1pm

Exchange House, Taunton.

 

Attended by:

Katherine Armstrong (CEO) and Keeley Rudd – Somerset Community Council

Fiona Phur - Learning South West – Youth Work Unit

Jan Ross - Engage West Somerset

John Robinson - South Somerset Voluntary and Community Action

Rick Szur - Somerset Advice Network

Katie Pratt - Equality South West

Zoe Truong - Thrive (Arts RFO)

Matt Day – Somerset Market Towns Forum

Catherine Beedell – Workforce Services Development Manager, ViSTA

Leslie Gagg – Chair of Board of ViSTA

Melanie Roberts and Natalie Wainwright from Somerset County Council’s Policy and Resources team

The two main themes of this seminar were:

 


  • How can we work with the Somerset Employment and Skills Board to ensure our beneficiaries’ interests are represented? www.somerset.gov.uk/esb

Melanie Roberts and Natalie Wainwright from Somerset County Council’s Policy and Resources team helped participants to get a better picture of these emerging opportunities.  Catherine Beedell from ViSTA facilitated action planning around how the VCSE can influence the LEP. 

  1. Melanie Roberts,  SCC Economic Policy and Resources Team Manager, outlined what’s currently happening with the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership covering the large geographical area of Somerset, Devon, Torbay and Plymouth.  They have produced a prospectus and are applying for funding in order to develop the LEP further.  The LEP Forum which sits below the Executive, may provide an opportunity for the VCSE to get involved but it will be huge and much of the engagement will be virtual.    The LEP is also applying for Enterprise Zone status.    There is no statutory guidance that LEP’s should become involved with the VCSE but it was noted that VOSCUR had managed to engage with the West of England LEP and it was suggested we found out more about this.

  1. Natalie Wainwright,  SCC Senior Economic Development Officer and Somerset Employment and Skills Board Co-ordinator, introduced the Somerset ESB , how it fits with the LEP and how the VCSE might engage with it.  The ESB has similar aims to the LEP to reduce worklessness and raise skills,  and there is therefore a good fit and it is hoped will continue to be a thematic group for the LEP.   There are five ESB’s in the Heart of the SW LEP area and they meet collectively as PSfDS – Productive Skills for Devon and Somerset.  It’s membership consists of a range of organisations including ViSTA as a representative of the VCSE.  It has recognized that the VCSE has a critical role in removing barriers for people who are entering, and staying on in education and training.  This includes work in the following areas: 
  • Employment skills and welfare to work
  • Training
  • Work with NETS
  • Business and Enterprise Support
  • Housing
  • Information and Guidance
  • Regeneration/community cohesion/citizenship

 

But it is clear that more work needs to be done to raise the profile of the VCSE

The Somerset ESB has two supporting sub groups – 1/ Worklessness and 2/ Raising Skills.

Comments and further actions were raised during the final session facilitated by ViSTA as follows: 

  1. The group felt that there is a very strong case for the VCSE’s contribution towards the achievement of The Big Society and economic growth should be made much more strongly to the LEPs.   BE LOUD, BE PROACTIVE, BE COMPELLING 
  1. Concern was raised about the ‘Get Britain Working’ scheme being based on payment by results – a problem for cash strapped VCSE organisations who are well able to work with other agencies on this scheme but can’t afford to take the risk. 
  1. Don’t accept the lack of representation at LEP Board level as a fait accomplis– maybe we should as the LEP what they believe their corporate social responsibility to be?

Ideas fur future action included: 

Provide Compelling Sector Statistics/Evidence to raise profile of VCSE:

  • SW Forum (SW Observatory) or another infrastructure organisation to provide statistics in a presentable format to include details about the number of VCSE organisation, jobs, volunteering opportunities and skills base. 
  • Think beyond our own organisations when promoting the sector. 
  • Those infrastructure orgs that represent the sector like ViSTA/SW forum should find ways to improve two way communication. 
  • Develop training for VCSE orgs on speaking the same language as LEPs on measuring and demonstrating economic impact in a way that the LEP’s and other influencers can relate to. (ViSTA/SW Forum could do this) 
  • Look at qualitative as well as quantitative outcomes and  measures of success. 
  • Engage more with the private sector – build relations with the private sector and tap into their corporate social responsibility agenda.  Build up a dialogue – it was felt that the private sector often don’t have a clue about the VCSE and have many misconceptions. 
  • Recognise that the public sector/VCSE sector representatives on ESB are the voice of social responsibility, the conscience of the private sector.

 

Additional comments from evaluation forms:

 

  • Find out more about other LEPs and whether they are engaging with VCSE
  • Instigate a county wide marketing campaign – ‘Who is Delivering the Big Society?
  • I would like to keep in touch with this group
  • Need a single point of communication for LEP developments throughout the region as cross LEP learning is vital.
  • Concerned about timescales and how major decisions such as terms of reference for the LEP Forum and Business Planning process occurring behind closed doors and before the establishment of a representative forum.

Many found the action planning session useful, also the presentations and the opportunity for networking.  (I will post copies of evaluation forms).

Powerpoint presentations can be seen by following the links:

Local Enterprise Partnership  Update

Somerset Employment and Skills Board

Report compiled by Catherine Beedell, Facilitator from ViSTA, 28/6/11

ViSTA, The Town Hall, Bow Street, Langport, Somerset, TA10 9PR
Company no 6074763 , Registered Charity no 1119172, Telephone: 08453 580372
UK Learning Provider Reference Number: 10020323