The National Council for Voluntary Organisations - Case Study Example

? Introduction The NCVO is an organization in the UK whose function is to oversee all other voluntary and community sector organizations in the UK. The organization came into being in the year 1919 but had begun as the National Council of Social Services and changed name to National Council for Voluntary Organizations in the year 1980 in 1st April. The founder was one Edward Vivian Birchall who passed 3 years after he founded the organization at the very ripe age of only 32. In the organization, he did not die and in my opinion the organization had individuals that upheld the values that Edward had propagated for the three years that he was working with the organization. His vision has multiplied and is felt all over the world. Individuals such as S.P.Grundy could be accredited with the success and the loyalty that he has shown his friend from the commissioning before he died .He told him, Grundy “ If I am scuppered I’m leaving $ 1,000 to do some of the things we talked about”. It is from this inheritance that the organization has grown to be what it is today. This is a big challenge to many organizations and they should be encouraged to partake in such kinds of acts. This has been the spirit since its inception with many companies have coming up as a result.( National Council For Voluntary Organizations) . The organizations which would essentially be regarded as projects of the NCVO include;- 1. Citizens Advice Bureaux 2. Age Concern 3. Charities Aid Foundation, 4. ACRE 5. Community Matters 6. Marriage Guidance Councils 7. SIA 8. Standard Committee of Women’s Social Services 9. Young Hostels Associations 10. Young Farmers’ Club among many others These are some of the main projects that through which the NCVO has seen considerable change and impact. Most of these movements for instance the Young Farmers’ Club has gone global to reach continents such as Africa and to be incorporated into the curriculum of these schools. The company conducts its operations from its head office at Regent’s Wharf, London. NCVO as began by Edward was to do its operations in the spirit of helping the community. The organization has over 8300 organizations or members under its umbrella and makes to be the largest organization in the world to have such following. (National Council For Voluntary Organizations ) In the year 2009, the organization celebrated 90 years of serving the world in voluntary and community service. During the celebration, the company indicated that it looks forward to serving the people for another 90 years. The organization has various numbers of functions. These functions are specifically a reflection of its vision and mission statement. The company’s vision is that whereby all people are influenced and in fact driven to make a positive impact in their diverse communities. The organization’s mission on the other side is such that it aims at being the voice of the people and to provide support for the people especially the voiceless in their communities. The organization also has certain values that it upholds and considers that for every organization under its umbrella has to observe. These values are Independence , it encourages the independence of all organizations under its umbrella, Innovation, in this the organization believes that its members are creative and it will help and uphold this value, collaboration in the sense that NCVO believes that if these organizations interact and do work as a team , then this will aid in the achievement of the goals, Inclusiveness, the NCVO appreciates that these organizations are diverse and it helps this in the sense that it focuses on including all these aspects in the work of the organization, Passion ,the NCVO believes that success of these members is driven by their passion and in so doing it shall uphold ,promote and enhance this value.( National Council for Voluntary Organizations ). Some of the aims of the organization include; To enhance the understanding and appreciation of most of the values that is upheld by its members include;- 1. It ensures that its members build the societies with which they work with by enhancing the values that the organization advocates for. 2. To nurture and develop whatever kind of relations including partnerships that exist between their members and also the other people not involved in the process 3. To ensure that its members are having all the information that they may require at any given point in time, this may include advising them on some of the best practices that will help them improve themselves while at the same time upholding their values. 4. It also seeks to ensure that their members are in control and in access of whatever kind of resources that they may need including human power and finances and further still ensuring that these resources benefit them and they are used in the most efficient kind of operations.(NCVO’s mission, vision and values ) NCVO AND PATNERSHIPS In conducting its operations, NCVO has interacted with partnerships and community sectors a great deal. As stated earlier in the introduction, the NCVO’s main aim is to provide assistance, information, resources and all kinds of support required by the civil societies in order to achieve their goals in the different communities that they serve. NCVO will come in as an overseer for these members. It will seek to harmonize the operations of these organizations and ensure co-ordination of its functions. It appreciates that for an organization to provide volunteer services to the communities, and then of course there has to be a lot to do with how respectable and presentable the organization presents itself to the people. In this regard, the NCVO aims at ensuring that these members are able to achieve this face in light of the diversity of the communities that they serve. In order for any of these organizations to be considered as members by the organization, they have to meet the criteria that NCVO requires of them. As such the membership is voluntary. In working with these members, it will look at their values and this is what it will aim at upholding .It will be looking at the civil society agenda which is four-fold in that there is social cohesion, climate change, wellbeing and financial security. An organization seeking to work with NCVO has to present their experiences in order for them to be heard, at the same time, they have to co-ordinate and work together with other organization s who are members, in this sense, the NCVO will be looking at which organization ha genuine and outstanding policies and as a result it automatically will be supported by NCVO. As stated earlier, the NCVO aims at providing access to information for its members and helping its members utilize this information in the best way possible, at the same time, it aims at promoting the values that the members propagate in their communities, it will uphold and encourage its members when it comes to this too. At the same time, it will provide access to human resources and funding that the organizations may require. In this case, it will ensure that its members apply the best practices when it comes to utilization of these resources. It also establishes avenues in which its members can access the resources that it so requires. The NCVO also engages in a lot of research in order to provide the members with the kind of information that could be affecting them .this could be for example in development. In this, the organization provides information at subsidized rates to its members. For instance, it provides publications to its members at a discount of 30% for all the publications. (Policy, Campaigns and Research). At the same time, it provides consulting services for its members that helps them manage effectively while still ensuring that they maintain independence in their civil society nature. ( NCVO consultancy services ) The organization has also established a discounts scheme for its members in the sense that it provides discounted services for its members in order to ensure that its members have a leverage way above other agencies not under its scope. (Our products and services). The organization also has a VAT helpline through which it seeks to advise its members on the best practices in which to avoid pay very high amounts of tax especially when of late governments have established a move to tax charitable organizations. This will usually apply in cases of VAT that cannot be recovered. In doing this, the organization has partnered with Saffery Champness in order to provide this service to its members. The Saffery Champness usually looks into how the charitable organizations are taxed and how they can evade taxation especially in those items that are almost not recoverable. The organization will apply a lot of innovation when it comes to this sector. (New VAT helpline) Strategy and Management Performance The company seems to be a monopoly in provision of these kinds of services. This means that for organizations under its umbrella, they will tend to benefit in their own special ways. For instance, the company provides discounted services to all of its members. The discount is usually very high. For instance, in the case of publications, it provides them at 30 % to all of its members. In this strategy, it ensures that the organizations are also well ahead as compared to other in the sector. During the 2012 annual conference, Donald Ritchie, the organization’s strategy and impact advisor observed that the management strategy of NVCO has a hierarchy. He observed the following. 1. Values, this refers to what are the values and the principles that the organization upholds. For instance, in our case the company has values such as independence, integrity and passion. This is what steers the company. 2. Beneficiaries. This refers to who or what benefits from your operations. In this case, the company has the civil society sector and all other partnerships as its beneficiaries. The company will also be looking at what it can manage to achieve for its beneficiaries for a given period of time. 3. Impact. This refers to the change that the organization will be seeking to bring for its beneficiaries. What king of new world that it will bring for its beneficiaries. 4. What activities. This refers to the different kind of activities that the organization will engage in and will provide to the voluntary and community sector. In this case, there should be a lot of innovation tin that what one provided previously should be different from what one provides currently. It entails looking at the ‘big picture’ 5. Focus. This entails remaining on focus and being productive as originally expected of one. This involves evaluating oneself to determine whether they can achieve what they had purposed without having to extend time durations. 6. Position. This entails monopoly. The organization will be asking itself what it does different from other organizations providing the same services; in doing differently it has to be done in a positive way. It is from here that the organization establishes a niche in the community; it is its own way of being recognized, through that unique approach that it has adopted. 7. External Relations. This includes how one relates with their competitors. There has to be a healthy relationship in this case. A healthy relationship will enhance good collaboration and learning from each other. An organization that performs quite well will be the one that sets standards for others in the sector. 8. Communications. This relates to how a community is seen by others and what message it intends to pass on to the others. 9. Resources. This refers to the methods that the organization will provide its resources be it financial, human resource, or even how it manages its time. 10. Improvements. This refers to the kind of changes the organization seeks to meet whether it delivers its goals or not, the changes must also be in line with the current trends in the civil society in matters of technology. Culture among others.(Moving Forward) The NCVO uses this kind of strategy in order to keep abreast of the requirements of its members. Other strategies that the organization has adopted include the following;- 1. The NCVO has the Sustainable funding Project whereby it helps its member organizations by providing them with information that will help them become sustainable and have good tips in financial management. The project aims at helping the members plan their projects, manage their finances and further still on advanced measures of financial management. 2. The organization also has a vast variety of publications relating to financial management through which it provides to its members at reduced discount rates. These publications include The good financial management guide for the voluntary sector, the honorary treasurer’s handbook, guide to financial management. 3. The organization also has a VAT helpline that aims at helping charitable organizations reduce their levels of taxation. This has been made possible as a result of its liasons with Saffery Champness that looks into how organizations can manage and avoid irrecoverable taxes.(New VAT Helpline ) 4. The organization has also developed a policy of offering discounts for the services that it provides to its customers. In order to achieve this, it has developed a strategy whereby it has preferred suppliers. While granting these discounts, NCVO looks at the purchasing powers of any of these individual members. Other achievements of NCVO in management performance include; 1. The organization has a strategy whereby it appreciates diversity in its human resources. In doing this the company aims at being considered the preferential employer at any point in time. To achieve this, the company will always try as possible to ensure that it provides equal access and opportunity both for its employees and the applicants for jobs. At the same time, the organization also welcomes diversity by recognizing where it lies and appreciating it, the organization also gives an opportunity for everyone to be heard, it also ensures that the organization upholds justice and fairness for all its stakeholders and the potential stakeholders too. This is a great management practice that will enable all stakeholders to co-ordinate and appreciate each other as they all work towards meeting their goal, vision and mission. The organization in appreciating diversity also provides avenues for itself to become wide and change by the following;- Always employing a higher and a larger variety of employees Having an exceptional and better way of addressing the requirements of its personnel Exploring other territories Enhancing and always advancing in development and innovation Getting and maintaining capable and talented personnel within the organization Enabling the personnel to work in conducive working places and always encouraging them in whatever activities they engage in whether professional or for their own individual welfare. 2. The organization provides human resource training and development to its employees. This method of human resource management helps the organization to have employees who can manage their skill from any angle starting from the time the personnel are oriented, inducted to the time one is fully aware of what is expected of them. In doing this, the organization does the following. Make the personnel understand what is expected of them through explaining the policy and its substance as it’s expected from them. Providing access to the information through training and development of the members of the staff. Conduct performance appraisal methods that are accountable and transparent to all members of the organization. The appraisal methods can either be in the form of bonuses, pay rise, welfare schemes, among other kind of appreciation that will boost the employees morale and working ethics. Always evaluating how the employees are adapting to change while ensuring that they are prepare for any kind of change that would happen to the organization. NCVO appreciates that staff members are never prepared for change in case this change affects them negatively. Ensure that the appointment of personnel is from an agreed code of conditions that outlines the procedure and expectations that accrue there as a result. Being concerned with how your personnel welfare is like. This means that NCVO usually has to ensure that its staff’s welfare is well so as to ensure that they perform and deliver as expected of them by the organization. Conclusion In my view, NCVO is a good illustration of ‘turning dreams into reality’. The organization began from the simple dream of one young man named Edward at the age of 29.The dream has become a big reality penetrating into all the continents in the world. NCVO has also be a big breakthrough and of much support to voluntary organizations in terms of how they will derive and manage finances, how to avoid irrecoverable taxes among other incentives to its members. The organization has become a big breakthrough in many countries and has enabled especially the marginalized communities appreciate the good works of voluntary organizations. List of References Moving forward extracted from< http://www.slideshare.net > viewed on 26/04/2012 at 2200 hrs. National Council for Voluntary Organizations extracted from < http://www.ncvvol.org.uk > viewed on 23/04/2012 at 1100 hrs. New Vat Helpline to help charities save money extracted from < http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk > viewed on 22/04/2012 at 1330 hrs. Our products and services extracted from < http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk > viewed on 28/04/2012 at 1500 hrs. NCVO Barclays Leadership Programme 2012 extracted from< http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk > Viewed on 24/04/2012 at 1445 hrs. NCVO Consultancy Services extracted from < http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk > viewed on 26/04/2012 at 1300 hrs. Policy, campaigns and Research extracted from < http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk > viewed on 27/04/2012 at 1430 hrs. NCVO training and events extracted from < http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk > viewed on 26/04/2012 at 1500 hrs. NCVO vision, mission and values extracted from < http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk > viewed on 28/04/2012 at 1645 hrs. Read More