Supporting Small Organisations

Why support small organisations?

Children England is funded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) to improve support for small voluntary and community sector organisations working with children, young people and families through a programme of research, resource development, information dissemination and network building.

Small organisations are the life blood of the voluntary and community sector.  They often work very locally or in a niche way, providing desperately needed services to vulnerable children, young people and families.  However, there are many challenges facing small organisations, including the move to commissioning from grant funding, the implementation of the Every Child Matters agenda and the need to evidence outcomes.  This has created a complex working environment for organisations that specialise in working with children rather than engaging with complex statutory processes.  If too many small organisations close or become isolated from the broader children's sector then the impact on vulnerable children, young people and families will be enormous.

Achievements

• Under the Radar: A survey of small organisations working with children young people and families.
• Seven fact sheets in the Why? series around some of the more challenging issues facing groups working with children, young people and families, which aim do to pick apart the issues and present them in a basic, understandable way. 
• Regional events for small organisations and for development workers who support them.
• Responding to inquiries from and about small organisations with relevant, up-to-date information and advice.

Next steps

The Supporting Small Organisation project has funding until March 2011 and will continue to respond to emerging needs with in the children, young people and families voluntary sector.

Resources 

The Supporting Small Organisations produces regular resources that are practical and topical, as well as acting as a signpost to other resources developed by and for the voluntary and community sector.  The resources page is regularly updated with new material.