NCIA publications and research

1. Leaflets and position papers

Please email info@independentaction.net if you would like copies of any of our leaflets or papers to give out at events.

Time to fight for independence (2011) PDF, 2 pages
Short introduction to independent action and NCIA.

Managing for independence (2011) PDF, 4 pages
Tips on appropriate management styles, including how to get talking, make power visible, organise and act, and get help when you need it.

Voluntary action under threat: what privatisation means for charities and community groups (2011)
A survey of evidence about the role of commissioning, localism and ‘big society’ in the government’s wider agenda of privatisation.
Summary (PDF, 10 pages)
Full paper (PDF, 26 pages)

Big market: how localism and the ‘big society’ damage independent voluntary action (2011) PDF, 4 pages
A short policy paper to help us analyse what the government means by ‘big society’ and localism and how these threaten independent action.

Voluntary action under threat (2011) PDF, 4 pages
A short leaflet that presents the key evidence about the government’s agenda of privatisation and the role played by commissioning, localism and ‘big society’.

2. Resources

The NCIA Independence Audit (2011) PDF, 6 pages

The table we use to conduct an audit of an organisation’s independence: for use yourself, or to guide you when we come to do an audit with you.

How to do the NCIA Independence Audit (2011) PDF, 5 pages

Guidelines about doing an NCIA Independence Audit, either by yourself or with us.

Talking about independent action (2011) PDF, 2 pages
Notes to help bloggers and speakers prepare. Please email melaina@independentaction.net if you’d like a Powerpoint presentation to go with your talk.

3. NCIA research and case studies

Localism in action? A small community project’s experience of a local authority’s tendering process (2011)
NCIA
Case study of how bidding for a contract to run a local estate’s youth provision put an unnecessary strain on a small community organisation and contributed to delaying the project by 12 months.
http://www.independentaction.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/YW-commissioning-casestudy.pdf

Short-term funding to meet external targets (2011)
NCIA
Case study of what happened when a youth work project accepted funding to work with young people in ‘hotspots’ for crime and anti-social behaviour and tried to evaluate their work in terms of what worked and what didn’t rather than ticking boxes for the youth service.
www.independentaction.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/YW-targets-casestudy.pdf

From partner to butler: Defending young people’s participation from local authority take-over (2011)
NCIA
This shows how a council’s narrow vision of voluntary action limited young people’s participation in local democracy and describes some of the tactics a youth council used to keep their voice.
http://www.independentaction.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/YW-voice-casestudy.pdf

From merger to managerialism (2011)
NCIA
This case study details lessons learned from a merger between a small youth work organisation and an organisation with a more hierarchical management style. It offers practical advice about how to hang on to the principles of community-based work with young people and advises caution when considering merging.
http://www.independentaction.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/YW-merger-casestudy.pdf

The local state and voluntary action in West Sussex (2010)
Adur Voluntary Action, NCIA
Qualitative research with 16 voluntary organisations found that short-term government policies and commissioning undermined independent action and damaged the local political process, making it more difficult to respond to the needs of local people. Policies which may be appropriate to commission public services are not suitable for strengthening community life, locally-rooted services, and cohesion.
Summary: www.independentaction.net/?page_id=6223
Full report: www.independentaction.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/West-Sussex-report-final.pdf

Note: In 2011 we are revisiting the 16 organisations to find out how they are responding to the localism bill and ‘big society’ campaign.

Standing up for ourselves: supporting independent action amongst local advice agencies (2010)
NCIA
Report on the state of independent action in the UK advice sector, based on work done in 2009-10 by NCIA and Advice UK with local advice services to safeguard and nurture independent advice services. The report highlights lessons learnt in four places as well as the joint working relationship between NCIA and Advice UK.
Full report: www.independentaction.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/NCIAAuk_joint_work_report.pdf
Summary: www.independentaction.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/NCIA_fighting_for_our_rights_commentary_nov_10.pdf