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What is ChangeUp?

ChangeUp, a national Government initiative, was launched in late July 2004.

Government believes that the voluntary and community sector plays a crucial role in delivering public services and in building strong communities. The ChangeUp initiative is driven by the vision of frontline voluntary and community organisations playing their full potential in improving the quality of life of the communities they serve. To achieve this full potential Government is encouraging a review and reconfiguration of the support services available from all sources to frontline voluntary and community organisations. The work is led by the voluntary and community sector itself.

The Government's ChangeUp initiative "sets out a bold but achievable aim - that by 2014 the needs of frontline voluntary and community organisations will be met by support which is available nationwide, structured for maximum efficiency, offering excellent provision which is accessible to all while reflecting and promoting diversity, and is sustainably funded."

How is ChangeUp Delivered in the South East?

The Government Office for the South East (GOSE) has been charged with delivery of ChangeUp. GOSE has set up a Regional Consortium to plan and oversee the delivery of the programme. The Consortium includes members from both the statutory sector and voluntary and community sector, in approximately equal numbers, in addition to GOSE.

The Regional Consortium has agreed a Regional Plan that describes the programme of investment, fund-holders and outlines the method of local implementation in the South East.

The Regional Consortium has commissioned 20 local organisations, one per shire county and per unitary authority area, to form a consortium for its area and to produce a "local infrastructure development plan" (LIDP) by March 2006. This LIDP must be based on robust research of the support needs of frontline voluntary and community organisations. Local consortia have been issued with guidance but this is to be used flexibly.

5 Key ChangeUp Messages

The Regional Consortium has identified 5 key messages about implementation of ChangeUp in the South East. These are:

Helping frontline voluntary and community organisations - identifying and meeting their support needs more effectively and efficiently to enable delivery of public services.

Integrated delivery of support services - a co-ordinated and clear approach by partners working together in a way that makes sense to frontline organisations. This will be developed through Infrastructure Development Plans agreed by local consortia.

The need for change - recognising this is a 10 year programme of reform by all working in different ways to ensure a sustainable voluntary and community sector. Support is available to the sector to assist the changes

Meeting researched regional needs - the themes of ICT; funding and finance; BME and marginalised groups; and social enterprise will be incorporated into the local Infrastructure Development Plans.

Local control ensures local benefit ChangeUp is a national programme delivered regionally and implemented locally through local consortia. There is flexibility at the local level to ensure maximum benefit and sustainability in each locality.

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