Lets be clear: there is no-one doing it that we can copy. There is no toolkit. There is not even very good examples that work after the initial enthusiasm has run out.But there are people all over the UK working on it. so we have hope too.
However, there are parallels to draw, associations to make. Voluntary organisations are being bought into public commissioning for their innovation, yet the public bodies are asking them to design projects which are not like anything they have done before. They want services that rely much more heavily on technology and on volunteer effort, and that (whisper it) are simpler cheaper.
So here's a parallel. The evolution of political organisation.
(I have a similar chart at home for how organisations operate, but the final box is still a blank.. )
So where do we start? I was talking to the CEO of a CVS about the amount of time they spend doing tasks which added no value to their work. then you multiply this. but merging is a blunt tool. I think we need to separate the task of running an org from leading an org. and i know some people employ an operations manager and separate this from the CEO. but this still keeps the problems in house.
I'm thinking of some way for small organisations to outsource their business functions (HR, payroll, even staff management in some respects) so that all participants are free to pursue the mission. So something like the fiscal sponsorship that @GMAddVentures are trialling. So something like a solicitors model may emerge for social change organisations along this spectrum:
Contracted out
|
Delivered by partners
|
Staff-led
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Volunteer-led
|
Customer self-led
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Now where did i put that GSOH..
(I also like):
- a national grid for community infrastructure - julian dobson
- participatory paradigms - tessy briton
- mititant optimists - david barrie