improvingsupport.org.uk
 

About improving support

Capacitybuilders believes that improving support is an important way of strengthening the third sector. It builds on the good work already achieved under the ChangeUp framework and aims to help the sector attain new levels of confidence and skills.

Capacitybuilders wants its funding to result in a step-change in the support available to frontline organisations working across England. The National Support Services (NSS) investment will give support providers the resources, evidence and good practice they need to deliver help to the frontline.

Nine new national workstreams target the areas where the sector needs improved support, through activities that have confirmed funding for three years from April 2008.

The initial six themes of the ChangeUp initiative – finance, performance improvement, workforce development, volunteering, governance, and information and communications technology – continue to be relevant for the growth of most third sector organisations. But consultations identified gaps in support provision, leading to the introduction of the NSS workstreams to address future challenges in the sector’s development. In particular, campaigning, advocacy and influencing governance are seen as increasingly vital components in the health of civil society. Also recognised is the need for greater community involvement, especially in local decision making and planning.

The NSS investment is one of Capacitybuilders’ principal funding streams running from April 2008 until 2011. The organisation’s website provides details on all of these.