Our next blog is on the theme of networking.
In our conversations with VCSE organisations, including in the State of the Sector focus groups and review sessions, the value of opportunities to share knowledge and resources within the sector is frequently highlighted.
Within the report, organisations suggested there should be a mechanism for them to pool their resources together with other VCSE organisations. Additionally, it was suggested the most effective way to recruit volunteers and staff was through networking methods, using existing volunteers’ connections with people who have the necessary skills or time required by an organisation.
Therefore, the report made two networking-related recommendations to the Hampshire CVS Network of charities that support VCSE organisations across our county:
- Facilitate regular networking events for organisations with similar goals/focusses. These sessions should be focussed on sharing best practice and overcoming obstacles.
- Provide and monitor a platform for VCSE organisations to pool their resources and share information, which would allow the sector to better support itself and increase collaborative working.
We’d love to hear your thoughts and opinions on these recommendations in the comments via the Jamboard link below. Feel free to use the questions below as a prompt or share other thoughts around this topic and the recommendations above.
- Do the findings from the report reflect your experiences?
- Should current networking opportunities be focussed on overcoming the challenges brought on by the cost of living crisis? If so, what challenges should they focus on?
- Are there any networking platforms that already focus on collaborating on issues to address the cost of living crisis that you’d like to highlight to other VCSE organisations?
- How has the cost of living crisis impacted what practical elements you would need from networking opportunities? (e.g. online to reduce cost of attending face to face)
Across the CVS Network there are workshops, training and events that provide opportunities for networking and meeting others – check out the events calendar on the website for upcoming activities (via this link)
At Action Hampshire, we’ll be holding two in-person Connection Events this year (one in June and one in November) as well as many other opportunities to meet and share with others. We’d love to hear more about how you’d like to network, for example:
- Would you like to attend events specifically for networking, or would you like networking opportunities to just be built into other training/information sessions?
- How frequently would you like to attend networking events? – Monthly, quarterly, three times a year?
- Would you like to attend events online, in person, or a mix of both? – what time of day would be best, or just a mixed offer?
- Should networking events be based around a topic, or a general space for connection and collaboration? – should there be different events for different types of organisations, or should they just be networking opportunities open to all?
- What should a platform for organisations to interact look like?
Whatever your ideas or thoughts are, we’d love to hear them – so comment on the Jamboard (access the Jamboard via this link) or send us a tweet via @ActionHants
Why are we sharing this with you?
Recently, we launched our State of the VCSE Sector 2023 report, which details the current successes and challenges faced by Hampshire’s voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) sector. If you haven’t seen the report, you can find it here: follow this link for a copy of ‘Hampshire’s State of the VCSE Sector 2023’ report
At the end of the report are a series of recommendations, based on four consistent themes identified throughout. These are: advocacy, funding, networking, volunteering. We’d love to work with you – VCSE organisations in Hampshire, to create actions that will address these recommendations, which is why we are running this blog series – “State of the Sector: What’s Next?”. Every day this week, we are posting a blog on one of the recommendation themes, to kickstart discussion between VCSE organisations in the comments or social media – wherever you’re reading this! We want this to generate ideas for how we will collectively tackle the report recommendations, including issues related to the cost of living crisis.
You might also be interested in the below blogs:
- Follow this link to the blog – State of the Sector: what’s next? – Advocacy
- Follow this link to the blog -State of the Sector: what’s next? – Finance
- Follow this link to the blog -State of the Sector: what’s next? – Volunteering – coming soon
