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Exploring sustainability credentials: identifying factors to contribute towards long-term resilience

This is the third blog in a series examining sustainability by Visiting Fellow, Dr Helen Britton.

When we think about our credentials, we often think in terms of a measurement to indicate our suitability for something: our achievements, a quality, an assumed confidence or ability. This may produce a certificate or a membership to an organisation. As important as these undoubtedly are, this blog post explores the idea that our credentials are more than those important bits of paper.

23rd January 2024

Spending more, giving more flexibly and shifting power: reflections from spend-out grant makers

Sally Vivyan was a PhD student affiliated to CVSL until autumn 2022 and is now a visiting research fellow with the centre. For her day job she had returned to grant making and in this blog she reports on the work done behind a recent Voluntary Sector Review paper she co-authored with Tessa Durham titled “Spending more, giving more flexibly and shifting power: reflections from spend-out grant makers”.

31st October 2023

Strengthening resilience for a more sustainable future

This is the second blog in a three part series by Visiting Fellow, Dr Helen Britton

This blog builds on her previous blog: ‘Trying to sustain practice in a shifting landscape of uncertainty’.

It asks the question: How can I strengthen my resilience beyond a survival capacity to make my organisation more sustainable. By making several suggestions, it highlights the need to orient our thinking and to recognise the interconnected elements of building a resilience mindset. Resilience is the ‘the art of thriving’. It is our ability to withstand, adapt and accelerate our responses to crisis, shocks and disruptions. Increasing the knowledge base of factors that influence sustainable practice are central to strengthening the resilience of our organisations.

31st October 2023

In search of ecosystems: reflections from a back-office perspective

In a series of blogs in summer 2023, Carol Jacklin-Jarvis and Steven Parker consider current theory and practice for multi-agency collaboration, drawing on the ideas of hybridity and ecosystems.

In this final blog, Steve and Carol reflect on how the experience of engaging with an ecosystem can be different for people working in back-office roles.

25th October 2023

My internship journey and insights gained

In her second blog post, Claire Horn shares insights into the learning from their internship with CVSL. This blog emerged from Claire’s work on a scoping research project that an OU team led by Dr. Wendy Turner and CVSL Director - Dr Fidele Mutwarasibo is undertaking on behalf of MK Community Foundation. 

1st September 2023

Student Internship at the Centre for Voluntary Sector Leadership: Learning and Takeaways

In this blog, Claire Horn shares insights into her experience as an intern at CVSL between March and July 2023. During the period, Claire worked on events planning and management, undertook desk research and did outreach work to increase CVSL reach, among other activities. 

11th August 2023

In search of hybridity and ecosystems: a front level practice perspective

In a series of blogs over summer 2023, Carol Jacklin-Jarvis and Steven Parker from the Centre for Voluntary Sector Leadership reflect on current theory and practice for multi-agency collaboration.

In this third blog, Carol and Steve explore the perspective from the front-line.

7th August 2023

Does whistleblowing have its place in the voluntary sector?

In this blog post, Michaela Clark, Capacity Building Manager at MK Community Foundation, makes a case for voluntary sector actors speaking up when they notice things going wrong.

 

28th July 2023

The enchantment of the hub and other (im)perfect integration solutions

In a series of blogs over summer 2023, Dr Carol Jacklin-Jarvis and Dr Steven Parker from the Centre for Voluntary Sector Leadership reflect on current theory and practice for multi-agency collaboration.

In this second blog, Steve reflects on ‘The enchantment of the hub and other (im)perfect integration solutions’

12th June 2023

Trying to sustain practice in a shifting landscape of uncertainty

This is the first of three blogs by Dr Helen Britton with a specific focus on exploring the environment around the not-for-profit (NFP) sector and the challenges it presents for sustainability.

7th June 2023

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