PCD 1351 My Ends Needs Assessment & My Ends Extension Arrangement

PCD 1351 My Ends Needs Assessment & My Ends Extension Arrangement

Since April 2021, the VRU’s place based MyEnds programme has been providing support and funding for communities to lead and deliver interventions across eight neighbourhoods affected by high and sustained levels of violence across London. 

In August 2022, the VRU announced the extension of the MyEnds programme across all eight currently commissioned neighbourhoods for a further 15 (fifteen) months from 1 April 2023 until 30 June 2024. This has been approved via PCD 1149 dated 25 May 2022.  

The VRU is seeking to commission a specialist provider to undertake a community needs assessment to inform the recommissioning of the MyEnds programme from April 2024. This is to ensure the VRU is evidence led in its recommissioning of the programme and is informed by the most updated information on local needs, gaps in support and drivers of violence, in keeping with the hyper local approach of the programme.  

Separately, following appropriate consultations and due diligence checks, the VRU is seeking approval to novate the current agreement with Hackney CVS for delivery of the MyEnds programme in Hackney to the Wickers Charity. This novation will come into effect on 1 April 2023 and be for the duration of the extension of the MyEnds programme upto 30 June 2024.  

This proposal is to (a) allocate a total of £200,000 to fund the community needs assessment over 5 (five) months from May 2023 to September 2023 to enable the VRU to consider the refreshed evidence prior to recommissioning the MyEnds programme in April 2024; and (b) approve the novation of the MyEnds grant agreement between the VRU and Hackney CVS for MyEnds programme delivery in Hackney to the Wickers Charity from 1 April 2023 until 30 June 2024.  

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to approve: 

• The total allocation of up to £200,000 from the VRU’s 2023/24 existing commissioning budget to undertake a grassroots/community level needs assessment across 10-15 local neighbourhoods across London. 

• Delegate the award of the final contract for the community level needs assessment to the Director of the VRU. 

• Approve the novation of the MyEnds grant agreement between the VRU and Hackney CVS for MyEnds programme delivery in Hackney to the Wickers Charity from 1 April 2023 until 30 June 2024. 

PART I - NON-CONFIDENTIAL FACTS AND ADVICE TO THE DMPC 

1. Introduction and background 

  This decision covers the following programme:  

• MyEnds programme 

• MyEnds programme evaluation  

  MyEnds Programme 

  The VRU developed the MyEnds programme (previously called Community Connectors programme); initially designed as a two-year investment programme where several areas across the capital benefited from a budget of up to £750k to build on their version of a community led collective impact model to reducing violence.  

2. The programme recognises and centres the critical role of local communities in supporting those exposed to the risk of violence. The core model endorsed by the VRU for this programme is based on empowerment of communities and recognises the collective impact community stakeholders have in violence reduction initiatives. Following a competitive tender process, the VRU awarded eight grants to eight networks of high-quality specialist and culturally competent support services in a placed-based context, who have been delivering across the following three strategic aims: 

• Systems change/collective impact across contexts  

• Grant funding Element (onward capacity building grants to grassroots organisations embedded in the local community) 

• Interventions: for young people and families  

3. The MyEnds programme has served a critical role in increasing community involvement, capacity, and resilience in the eight local neighbourhoods in which it operates. Overall, the programme has shown great promise at end of year one in developing and delivering locally informed and relevant interventions to reduce violence and is becoming a lifeline to many young Londoners. It is very much at the heart of a public health approach to tackling violence. 

4. The programme is now further extended for 15 (fifteen) months following a Mayoral announcement on 12 July 2022 up to 30 June 2024 and following approval through PCD 1149 dated 25 May 2022. 

  Evaluation and capacity building 

2.1      The VRU takes a public health approach to reducing violence, which is rooted in good multi-agency working and close working with communities, focused on prevention, and informed by the systematic use of evidence.  

2.2 Through ongoing evaluation and by endorsing dynamic learning approaches the VRU also empowers local communities and grassroots organisations through sharing best practice, upskilling & capacity building​. 

2.3 Evaluation has therefore been and continues to be a core component of the VRU’s plans for MyEnds. It has been vital for highlighting the strengths, barriers and key lessons from the programme. The VRU has commissioned an evaluation partner Cordis Bright to work with the successful networks across the two years towards three main aims: 

• Process evaluation – which has already (a) examined the nature and quality of the MyEnds programme and (b) highlighted borough specific implementation, successes and learning. This has helped shape the future delivery and implementation of the programmes in year 2 and beyond. 

• Impact evaluation – is currently being undertaken and due in June 2023. 

• Extended impact evaluation- to run contemporaneous to the programme extension from April 2023 to June 2024 (approved via PDC 1318) 

2.4 Capacity building for the networks – in addition to the evaluation piece, the VRU have commissioned a capacity building partner Listen Up Research to work closely with networks/communities on the group to enhance their own insight and evaluation skills, processes and resources. The capacity building piece was initially commissioned up to March 2023 but is now being further extended to run contemporaneous to the programme extension from April 2023 to June 2024 (approved via PDC 1318). 

2.5 In addition to the existing evaluation and capacity building activities, the VRU intends to commission a community needs assessment to inform its decisions, resource allocation and design of the recommissioned MyEnds programme. The commissioned provider will be required to consult VRU’s in house research and evaluation team and be guided by them on prioritisation of neighbourhoods that have been flagged as ‘high need’ areas in our internal scoping exercise, which shall be completed prior to commissioning. The provider will be required to supply the VRU with a detailed report setting out stakeholder and service mapping of each identified local neighbourhood as well as an updated report of local needs and gaps in critical interventions which shall be additionally informed by consultation with local stakeholders and young people.  

3. Issues for Consideration 

MyEnds Programme- Extension 

3.1 In order to re-design the programme, the Violence Reduction Unit will work with the current eight consortiums and the local authorities to ensure the programme is even more effective and will continue to use evidence and intelligence to ensure projects are operating in the areas they are needed most. This is line with the initial aims which recognised that the programme would continue to grow, develop and upscale to reflect continuous learning and insight gathered through delivery and implementation.  

3.2 A large focus of MyEnds is on upskilling and capacity building of community owned and led groups. Following a successful two years of delivery of the programme from 1 April 2021, Wickers Charity who are consortium partners in Hackney MyEnds have expressed a wish to lead the consortium and shape the MyEnds programme in Hackney through their specialism and frontline experience. The current lead partner Hackey CVS is in full support of this and this fits with the ambition of MyEnds in creating opportunities for community groups and independent charities to take on leadership roles. The VRU have successfully concluded due diligence checks on Wickers Charity. Subsequently, we are seeking approval for the novation of the MyEnds grant agreement between the VRU and Hackney CVS for MyEnds programme delivery in Hackney to the Wickers Charity from 1 April 2023 until 30 June 2024. Hackney CVS will continue as lead partner for the current grant round until 31 March 2023 and the novation will come into effect from 1 April 2023.  

4. Financial Comments  

1. This report is seeking approval to undertake a community needs assessment at a cost of £200,000 and this will be funded from VRU Mayor’s core funding budget of 2023/24.  

5. Legal Comments  

1. Paragraph 5 of the MOPAC Scheme of Delegation and Consent provides that the Chief Executive has delegated authority to approve the procurement strategy for all MOPAC revenue and capital contracts of a total value of between £50,000 and £499,999. 

2. The Commissioning of the Community Needs Assessment must comply with the procedures mentioned in Section 1 paragraph 1 of the MOPAC Contract Regulations 2018. 

3. MOPAC’s Scheme of Delegations states that the novation od contracts should be approved by DMPC or CEO depending on the value. There is no delegated authority mentioned for the novation of grants, however the document does state all award of grants should be approved by DMPC. This Decision is therefore seeking the approval to novate the Hackney CVS grant agreement for MyEnds to the Wickers Charity following a compliance check carried out by MOPAC finance and the VRU Commissioning Team. 

6. Commercial Issues  

1. The VRU wishes to engage with an organisation to carry out a grassroots/community level needs assessment across 10-15 local neighbourhoods in London. The VRU shall conduct an open competitive tendering process to award a contract.  

2. The tendering evaluation criteria of Quality 80% and Price 20% will be adopted and the process will comply with the Public Contract and Regulations 2015 (PCR 2015), with award selections to include Responsible Procurement requirements; payment of London Living Wage to all staff delivering to the contract, awareness of Modern Day Slavery, delivery of Social Value and all aspects of ethical procurement delivery. 

7. Public Health Approach  

1. The spend plan takes a public health approach to tackling violence, which means looking at violence not as isolated incidents or solely a police enforcement problem. Instead, this approach looks at violence as a preventable consequence of a range of factors, such as adverse early-life experiences, or harmful social or community experiences and influences. 

2. Evaluation of good practice to answer the question ‘what works and for whom?’ which must also happen before policy and programmes can be effectively scaled up and sustained to contribute to population level outcomes (a core requirement for public health programmes). 

8. GDPR and Data Privacy  

8.1      MOPAC will adhere to the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018 and ensure that any organisations who are commissioned to do work with or on behalf of MOPAC are fully compliant with the policy and understand their GDPR responsibilities. 

8.2 All contracts will include clear provisions relating to compliance in this area, and in relation to the processing of personal data. These terms have been drafted following consultation with MOPAC’s GDPR Project Manager. 

9. Equality Comments 

9.1      Under s.149 of the Equality Act 2010 (the Equality Act), as a public authority the Deputy Mayor/MOPAC must have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation, and any conduct that is prohibited by or under this Act; and to advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not. Protected characteristics under the Equality Act are age, disability, gender re-assignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, and marriage or civil partnership status (the duty in respect of this last characteristic is to eliminate unlawful discrimination only). 

9.2       An understanding of the communities most affected by violence and the importance of cultural competency and local context, as well as the proven ability to build strong trusting relationships with communities, will be a key requirement in the tender process for the evaluation of this work.  

10. Background/supporting papers 

None.