VS6 Liverpool City Region VCFSE Sector Statement

The Voluntary and Community Sector in the Liverpool City Region (as it has right across the country) has responded strongly to the challenges we face.  While normal ways of working have been suspended, VCFSE groups have mobilised, redeployed staff and reinvented delivery models in order to continue to provide support to our communities and beneficiaries.

The approach and support shown by the Metro Mayor, Steve Rotherham, alongside recent statements issued by many Councils, commissioners and funders, have been extremely well received by the sector and represent a significant milestone in the maturity of our partnership. We thank partners for their support, especially given the challenges they are also dealing with. Your recognition for our vital work is greatly appreciated. We recognise that, without the support of politicians and officers across the Local Authorities and Combined Authority, many of our members may have folded and therefore be unable to deliver the emergency responses they are.

We are also conscious that local infrastructure organisations have played a major role in developing the resilience system within their localities. This has been a significant early win that should be built upon.

Added to this, the opportunity for the sector to be involved and represented in senior strategic-level meetings has been testament to the important partnerships established within the City Region. We would ask that the opportunity to be represented and to engage in senior strategic level meetings continues going forward. Once we begin to move forward VS6 and our constituent members will be key to rebuilding the social infrastructure.

As the “end of the beginning” draws near, VS6 recently met to share updates, assess what we now need and draw together a number of issues that need to be addressed. We identified the following seven areas for opportunity, risk and action:

1.      Inequality

We are gravely concerned about existing and emerging social and health inequalities making the emergency response even more challenging for some people and communities. We know that the LCR Fairness & Social Justice Board are gathering evidence on this issue and we think that this needs urgent consideration. We would ask for a particular initial focus on the concerns of the disability community and disabled people’s organisations (digital exclusion, Personal Assistant support, appropriate PPE equipment, supply of medical equipment to disabled people and carers, and food access) and BME individuals. We will pro-actively support this process, collating wider VCFSE feedback, escalating priority issues, dedicating communications capacity to share issues and actions, and contributing our time and resources to jointly identified solutions. The need to communicate effectively with different communities is a constant. This must be two-way and there is a clear role for our sector to coordinate this.

2.      Engagement:

2.1  Short term: Mechanisms have been identified to ensure VCFSE involvement and engagement in the next phase of the emergency response e.g. two VCFSE reps on the new Out of Hospital Cell (one VCFSE provider, one VCFSE infrastructure). We are very pleased that this has now happened and thank partners.

2.2  Medium/Long Term: Meaningful inclusion in the development of next stage strategic approaches after the immediate crisis has abated, is a clear ask from the sector, as we turn our thoughts to rebuilding society. The VCS need to be an equal partners and central to the policy development and operational decision making within the rebuilding process.

3.      PPE and Testing

PPE equipment and testing (as supply increases) needs to be rapidly available to frontline VCFSE staff, volunteers and carers.

4.      Economic impact

4.1   Issues of economic impact on the VCFSE sector, including social enterprises, and the self- employed, alongside the limited availability of current Government measures, is currently being lobbied for by national VCFSE agencies.

Whilst the impact of the scale of the current emergency nationally amounts to £4.6 billion, the current emergency funding for communities and the VCS falls well short of need, even in the short term. There is also a significant difference in approach to the rescue plan for the charitable sector which almost always means having to compete for the funding.

Any support for this campaign would be greatly appreciated.

We also offer our support, in any way that we can help, in lobbying for resources for Councils, Liverpool City Region and the North of England.

4.2  We welcome the City Region funds launched for frontline and COVID-focused VCFSE delivery that complements the National Emergency Trust funding. This includes LCR Cares Fund and approaches taken by other funders and public bodies. However, whilst this is a positive start, we would welcome discussions on how to build on this. We seek to build resilience within the Sector as a whole, to prepare for the key role we will play in the build back better approach.

5.      Volunteering

There are two key messages from us in regard to volunteering:

1.      Volunteers do not endanger themselves and are supported so that they can play a valuable role in dealing with the current crisis.

2.      The myriad of high profile volunteering schemes now in operation should be as effectively connected together as possible. Some of the approaches do not help the local mobilisation of volunteering and local action through existing trusted groups and organisations. There is a concern that existing volunteer networks are suffering from an inability to access DBS checking services due to the prioritisation of new NHS volunteers which leaves those volunteer services at risk. Our offer is to continue to work with partners in order to achieve both of these principles and to ensure that those giving their time have a positive and safe experience.

We offer our expertise and will work closely with key partners and stakeholders to ensure the effective co-ordination of this.

 6.      Emotional support

This is a traumatic and challenging time, not only for all frontline workers, but for the general public dealing with the consequences grief, loss and a lengthy period of isolation.

The VCFSE can offer high quality formal and informal support in this area, utilising its experience and resource (including peer support and advocacy) to build coherent systems that allow those struggling to receive emotional and practical assistance.

Shared, fast track access to professional emotional and mental health counselling and support should be made accessible for frontline VCFSE staff, carers and volunteers.

7.      Redeployment of Resources / Use of Skills

We are fully aware that the current situation is pushing Health and Social care capacity to the maximum and that as Covid-19 positive cases rise there will be instances of key staff being unavailable. The VCFSE has an untapped resource of clinical, strategic and front-line experts and the potential for redeployment should be assessed. This will not suit all groups (some will need to focus on supporting their beneficiaries) but there will be a number of agencies who could support increased capacity in this area.

We look forward to engaging colleagues from all sectors on the above issues in the upcoming weeks and months.

Ellen Loudon

Chair, VS6 on behalf of the members of VS6 and the VS6+ groups