A THREE YEAR STRATEGY TO SUPPORT OUR NATION S CHARITY AND SOCIAL ENTERPRISE LEADERS

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1 A THREE YEAR STRATEGY TO SUPPORT OUR NATION S CHARITY AND SOCIAL ENTERPRISE LEADERS

2 Our generation of charity and social enterprise leaders is truly world-leading. You help make Britain great. You are delivering the campaigns and services that mean everyone has a chance to thrive. Your organisations are the glue that hold our communities together. Your collective voice is the voice of our nation s conscience. In all your endeavours, whatever the stage of their development, ACEVO is by your side. ACEVO is the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations. For nearly 30 years, we have provided support, development and an inspiring, collective campaigning voice for our members, the leaders of small, community based groups, ambitious medium-sized organisations, and well known, well-loved national and international not-forprofits. This is ACEVO s new three year strategy. The result of a national consultation and a year long survey programme, that will help ACEVO help our members lead the charge for their beneficiaries, for their organisations - and for society.

3 Vision We want to see a nation of inspiring charity and social enterprise leaders who are empowered to make the biggest difference they can to their beneficiaries, to their organisations and to society. How do we achieve this? We will bring more charity and social enterprise leaders into ACEVO membership and support and inspire them at every step of their social leadership journey. We will help our members boost and develop their organisations so that their vital work lasts long into the future. We will campaign and lobby with a robust and vigorous collective voice on their behalf on the issues that matter. Whatever the challenge, the situation, or the aspiration, we at ACEVO are here for our members.

4 SUPPORTING YOUR LEADERSHIP JOURNEY HELPING YOU PLACE EXCELLENCE AT THE HEART OF YOUR ORGANISATION REAL, LOCAL SUPPORT, BY YOUR SIDE IN YOUR AREA ONE ON ONE HELP FOR WHEN YOU RE IN NEED A LEADING NATIONAL VOICE THAT WORKS FOR YOU GIVING YOU THE TOOLS TO BOOST YOUR BUSINESS REPRESENTING, LOBBYING AND CAMPAIGNING FOR YOUR INTERESTS MODERN, RESPONSIVE SERVICES FOR OUR MEMBERS

5 A leader never stops learning. That s why ACEVO is dedicated to providing our members with best-in-class training and support. SUPPORTING YOUR LEADERSHIP JOURNEY You asked us to broaden our leadership development support. And so we will form, in collaboration with partners, a Leadership Development Institute, a one-stop shop for all our members leadership development needs. There will be masterclasses, training workshops, personal development plans and offers that are responsive to the needs and aspirations of the sector s stars of today and tomorrow And we will continue to inspire our members with sessions with some of the most inspirational leaders from all walks of life of our time.

6 HELPING YOU PLACE EXCELLENCE AT THE HEART OF YOUR ORGANISATION Our nation needs charities and social enterprises that are excellent. You told us you wanted to be supported on governance, management and administration so that in difficult times, your cause will endure. Furthermore 75% of respondees to our strategy survey said they wanted support with new technology. We are dedicated to helping our members ensure that their organisations reflect their own values and standards of excellence. That s why we will establish a Charities Excellence Hub, as part of ACEVO, to support Charity and Social Enterprise Leaders to improve their governance, modernise their management and embrace new technology. There will be a resource bank, governance health checks, hands-on services and guides. We will give our members the tools they need to ensure that the relationships between CEO and trustees in their organisations are strong and healthy. We will help ensure that ACEVO members organisations are in the best possible condition.

7 REAL, LOCAL SUPPORT, BY YOUR SIDE IN YOUR AREA The ACEVO family is found across the UK and our movement begins on the ground. Local forums are the lifeblood of ACEVO. From Yorkshire and Humber to the South Coast, the ACEVO team is there, on the ground, to help our members where they are working and help them network and get the best out of each other. You told us you value this work and, in an era of devolution and localism, we will ensure that we are there for you as the leading local networking resource and policy forum for emerging and established charity and social enterprise leaders.

8 ONE ON ONE HELP FOR WHEN YOU RE IN NEED Sometimes even for leaders things go wrong; our Governance and CEO in Crisis helplines are used by ACEVO members in need. You told us you value that support and have been using it more and more, year on year and so we are going to build on that work and create a CEO in Confidence service that gives you practical, direct support in times of difficulty. We will be here for you, not only when there s a crisis to be managed, but to support you so that a crisis can be avoided.

9 ACEVO members are uniquely represented by a sector-leading national media voice that will never compel them to accept second best. This is ever more crucial in an ever more difficult media environment. You told us you wanted us to be ever more vigorous in defending your interests - and so we will strengthen our press unit to allow us to respond even more rapidly and effectively in your time of need. A LEADING NATIONAL VOICE THAT WORKS FOR YOU We will use our unique voice to help our members causes penetrate more national print and broadcast media than ever. We will continue to be first on the scene, by your side, on the big issues. And we will work in partnership to create initiatives to restate the positive case for brand charity. We will ensure that in the big debates, our members individual and collective voices are heard - and that the positive case for your work and for effective, professional, modern charity leadership is made and made again.

10 GIVING YOU THE TOOLS TO BOOST YOUR BUSINESS It s not just about surviving, but thriving. 80% of you who responded to our strategy survey told us you wanted business development and bid support. That s why we will develop ACEVO Solutions, our unique, member-focussed consultancy service, with new service lines, including a full bid writing, advice and contract-winning service that will help you win the contracts and investment you need in order to help as many people as possible. Whether you are adding a new service offer or getting into a consortium, we will help you grow and help you help more people thereby. 10

11 ACEVO members are on the inside track on the big political developments - and the sector campaigns that make change happen. From engaging directly with Westminster and other tiers of government, to our leading political party conferences programme, to agitating for reform in concern with sector colleagues, ACEVO members are at the heart of social and legislative change. REPRESENTING, LOBBYING AND CAMPAIGNING FOR YOUR INTERESTS You told us to continue to keep you briefed and abreast in real time with the latest developments that affect you. You told us that you wanted us to engage more closely on the political side on your behalf and so we will create tailored initiatives to work even more closely with major political parties. You told us that you wanted our research to tackle systemic policy issues where the third sector can make an impact - as well as issues that help leaders of under-represented groups platform their beneficiaries. And you also told us that you wanted more of a say in how we conduct our lobbying work. So our priorities for legislative change will be democratised and shaped by you, by way of an Annual Policy Assembly, to give our members the say they deserve.

12 MODERN, RESPONSIVE SERVICES FOR OUR MEMBERS ACEVO s membership is growing. And we fully intend to keep it that way. The bigger and broader our movement of social leaders, the greater our collective voice and the more we can achieve together. Our member services will reflect our values and the values of our members. They will be: And so we hope we can continue delivering for charity and social enterprise leaders, for the next three years and into the future. Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations. Company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales, company number Registered charity number