Sustaining in action – learning from the projects

Each project has shared its key lessons in terms of sustaining at both an organisational and operational level.

Sustaining your organisational approach

Gateshead

Build the project into Local Area Agreement targets and the council’s long term vision. Commitment from partner organisations/departments and from key workers is crucial to the success of the programme. Working with a county-wide group as part of their volunteering approach, joint training enhanced capacity and supported sustainability or Gateshead and Durham.

Lancashire

The council was identified as one of the recipient authorities for the v Talent Year in its final phase which will allow the further development of fixed term placements in the Authority.

Norfolk

Participation (involving young people in service planning and delivery) has been made a priority for Norfolk for the coming years, resulting in an independent budget being established to support ongoing development of young people post-volunteering.

Wakefield

The council ensured that some of the key skills needed for the project were transferred to others in the team so that the work could be replicated. They held regular review processes. They acknowledged the importance of project champions in sustaining their work. By thinking outside of their service area Wakefield drew in partners from other service areas, local authorities and voluntary organisations to create ongoing ownership

West Sussex

They involved a mix of staff and volunteers in their work, to avoid over-reliance on individuals. The council also invested in raising awareness and understanding through a range of campaigns, to create a network of ‘yes’ people, sharing the outcomes through films and magazines.

Wirral

With Liverpool, the council has created an expectation that the volunteering programme will be part of future plans and have built it into existing structures. The council used their council structures and processes to ensure work was embedded, working with the system rather than against it e.g. slotting volunteering information into existing structures such as their shadow cabinet.

Sustaining opportunities for young people

Lewisham

Young People in Lewisham are to set up an independent Youth Volunteering Service – ‘Youth Desk’.

Many of the authorities involved in the programme are now focusing on sustaining their approaches to volunteering and will share more of the lessons learned when they become available.

Read more about each council’s experiences in the story behind the practice >>