CYP Now - How charities can demonstrate social value to commissioners

The way public services are commissioned is undergoing considerable change, but charities pitched into competition for funding with private companies have a possible advantage - as long as they can demonstrate the additional social values they provide above and beyond the primary aims of a project.

Recent legislation has brought these issues into the spotlight. The government's Open Public Services agenda aims to create a level playing field and a greater diversity of providers, so that charities, social enterprises, and smalland medium-sized businesses will be able to influence and deliver local services.

Opening up the process

Similarly, reforms from Lord Young scheduled for 2015 aim to increase the participation of small businesses and charities in service delivery. There are also new European Union procurement rules that have the potential to open up the commissioning process to the voluntary and community sector (VCS).

All these measures should support the intentions behind the Social Value Act 2012, which requires local authorities to consider how the procurement of a service can improve the economic, social and environmental wellbeing of an area.

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