Transformation Academy Evaluation: A 3 year collaborative journey

This report captures the learning from a 3 year project with NAVCA member Medway Voluntary Action. The interactive workshop, led by Medway Voluntary Action (MVA) and researchers from Nottingham Trent University, shared insights from the Transformation Academy – a community of practice of local VCSE leaders in Medway, Kent. The workshop explored MVA’s role in creating spaces for VCSE leaders to connect, reflect, and grow, and examine the enablers, challenges, and benefits of this and similar initiatives. Participants were also invited to exchange ideas on how local infrastructure organisations can make greater use of communities of practice, and reflect on the evolving role of LIOs in nurturing leadership through building community within the VCSE sector.

All together now: the convening power of local infrastructure organisations

This presentation, by Peter Horner and Rob Macmillan of CRESR, Sheffield Hallam University, is about their research around the convening role of local infrastructure organisations.

From division to connection: the role of civil society

This presentation accompanied the keynote speech by Olivia Field, CEO of the Jo Cox Foundation. It focuses on the role of local infrastructure organisations and wider civil society in building connections in communities, and countering division and extremism.

Making volunteering count: a balanced scorecard approach for local infrastructure

If volunteering doesn’t happen by accident, the funding and leadership that sustain it shouldn’t rely on luck either. This session, led by Chris Wade (Time for Impact) explored how Volunteer Centres can use a volunteering-focused Balanced Scorecard to evidence the full value of their work — combining robust data with powerful stories to shift perceptions from “overhead” to strategic investment. Learn practical ways to strengthen your case and make the impact of local infrastructure impossible to ignore.

Leeds Community Anchor Network slides

Find out how the Leeds Community Anchor Network works city-wide to listen to communities, gather insight and turn local wisdom into action. The session covered LCAN’s asset-based approach, the listening toolkit they’ve developed, and how what’s heard on the ground becomes the starting point for real system change.

Medway Transformation Academy slides

These slides are about delivering local infrastructure support through communities of practice, drawing on lessons from Medway.

Building community resilience: local infrastructure on the front line (panel discussion notes)

As conveners and connectors, LIOs have a vital role in bringing people together and building common ground. In this panel conversation with NAVCA members, we explored what’s happening on the ground, how we can support staff and volunteer wellbeing, how to strengthen community connection, and what we can do collectively as a network to counter the far right.

Neighbourhood health workshop - notes from the NAVCA Annual Conference

At the NAVCA Annual Conference, members joined a timely and candid discussion with senior leaders from the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England on the emerging neighbourhood health agenda and what it could mean for local communities, partnerships and the VCSE sector. The session was led by Tom Shirley and Emma Easton and explored both the national ambition behind neighbourhood health and the practical realities of delivering it locally.