Strategic Partnership, Isle Help CIC & Isle of Wight

Local Authority

Background

Isle Help is an Advice Service Transition Fund project based on the Isle of Wight. The partners are

Citizens Advice Bureau, AgeUK, People Matter, Footprint Trust, Community Action, and the Law

Centre. The delivery objectives of the project are broadly in line with Cabinet Office

recommendations following their review of the Not for Profit Advice Services in England published

on 25 October 2012. In summary the project has helped to improve the sustainability of the advice

service by improving collaboration, increasing service delivery channels, and creating a shared

service hub. Our approach has ensured the successful continuation of the ASTF project as Isle Help

has now been incorporated as a Community Interest Company and is now working as a funded

strategic partner of the Isle of Wight Council.

Issues we faced

The major issue we faced from the outset of the project was increasing uncertainty over continued

local authority grant funding. This issue was of particular concern to Citizens Advice Bureau and Age

UK as the local authority grant makes up a significant proportion of annual funding for information,

advice and guidance (IAG). During the early stages of the project it seemed more than likely that IW

Council would tender for advice services and follow the example of Portsmouth City Council who

had let an advice services contract in 2012. Therefore it was important for the partnership to use the

ASTF funding to position itself favourably in a bidding process by improving sustainability and the

services that were provided to clients.

What we did

From the beginning of the project we ensured that Isle Help was positioned to assist the local

authority to achieve its objectives, and prioritised project objectives that would have most beneficial

impact for the Council. For example we introduced a shared services hub in a prominent position

immediately opposite the Town Hall in the County town high street. The shared services advice hub

has reduced the overheads of project partners, greatly improved collaborative working and

therefore improved services to individual clients. It has also provided self-service IT facilities that will

assist the Council’s digital service provision programme and the introduction of Universal Credit. The

location of the advice services hub has also increased footfall and served to improve the awareness

of Council senior officers of the importance of voluntary sector services. The project has also

introduced a three year strategy http://www.islehelp.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Isle-

Help-Strategy-VERSION-3.1-2015-2018.pdf which was a clear indication of its intention to transform

into a vehicle that could deliver long term benefit for the local community. The strategy lays out Isle

Help’s strategic aims, values and objectives for the next three years. It was written to give deference

to the IW Council’s own priorities referenced in the local authority three year corporate plan. This

approach has given a clear indication to the council of shared priorities over the next few years. The

strategy also includes an annual action plan with clear accountability for delivery of the 2015-16

objectives. One of the priorities of the Isle Help strategy is to introduce a prevention programme to

prevent members of our from spiralling into crisis http://www.islehelp.org.uk/wp-

content/uploads/2014/09/Isle-Help-Prevention-Plan-2015-2016.pdf

The 2015-16 Isle Help prevention plan uses existing management information to identify the most

prevalent issues on the Island and profiles the clients most likely to come to Isle Help agencies for

advice. The plan is already yielding benefit to Islanders as outreach for priority issues such as debt

and benefits advice have been introduced into the lower level super output areas that suffer most

from deprivation.

What went well

The project has been successful in a number of ways. From a service users point of view it h as

introduced a conveniently located advice hub with access to a range of IAG services. An internet

based referral system has also been introduced which vastly improves the customer journey, and

peripheral access to debt and welfare advice is now available at outreach locations prioritised by a

comprehensive prevention plan. The success of the Isle Help project has significantly raised the

profile of the voluntary sector with the local authority. The aspirations of Isle Help expressed in its

strategy and prevention plan have convinced IW Council that it does not need to tender for IAG

services. A strategic partnership is now in place between Isle Help CIC and IW Council that enables

the council and voluntary sector providers to work together for the benefit of Island people. The

objective of the partnership is to agree and implement a joint strategy for the continuing provision

of advice, information and guidance at a time of increased demand and limited resources. The

partnership will ensure continued public access to effective advice information and guidance that

will help people to better respond to debt, housing, health, welfare, employment, consumer rights

and other issues. The partnership will continue to ensure reduced costs and greater efficiency

securing the future sustainability of both council and independent voluntary sector agencies offering

information, advice and guidance.

What didn’t go well

Currently there is only a potential for things to go wrong. In some ways the project has been a victim

of its own success and it will be a priority for the board of Isle Help CIC to carefully manage

expectations with regard to what Isle Help is capable of achieving. The austerity programme has

prompted the local authority to consider Isle Help for a range of prospective services but it will be

important for capacity to be carefully considered throughout the lifetime of the partnership.

Key lessons learnt

The outcomes from the project and the strategic partnership between the local authority and Isle

Help CIC provide good evidence that the voluntary sector can be of enormous benefit to public

sector services during periods of austerity. The voluntary sector has the necessary skills and

expertise to develop and deliver long term plans for the good of the community.

Lee Hodgson

CEO IOW CAB