Home › Blogs ›

Adam's blog Syndicate content

Farewell from our Engagement Officer, Adam Pickering

After an eventful two years as Engagement Officer at Compact Voice, I will soon be leaving to take up a Policy Officer role at Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), where I’ll be working to improve the conditions for philanthropic giving in the UK and internationally. It’s a great opportunity for me, but I’ll look back at my time with Compact Voice fondly.


  
      
Compact work and compliance – can one person really positively influence Compact compliance?

  
  
  

	
In our work, we all like to think that we have a positive impact, but in some jobs it is harder to measure than others. This is the third in a series of blogs exploring interesting trends to emerge from our 2012 annual survey of local Compacts. In this blog, we delve deep into the data in an attempt to assess the impact of local Compact work.



  

  
    
  
  
      

	  	  	

	  	
          

    
    

 



  
      
The reverse localism of local Compacts

  
  
  

	
Why are we seeing an increase in support for top-tier Compacts but decreasing numbers of district/borough level Compacts?

	

	This is one of the questions that cropped up when analysing the results of the 2012 Compact Voice Annual Survey. This blog (the second in a series of blogs exploring interesting trends from the survey results) will take a closer look at this question and put forward some possible answers.



  

  
    
  
  
      

	  	  	

	  	
          

    
    

 



  
      
From local Compacts to the Big Picture: the Compact Voice annual survey of local Compacts explained

  
  
  

	
The decision to undertake an annual survey of local Compacts was one that Compact Voice didn’t take lightly as we knew that to do it properly would be challenging. This, the first in a short series of blogs explains the process.



  

  
    
  
  
      

	  	  	

	  	
          

    
    

 



  
      
Introducing the East of England Compact Network

  
  
  

	
Our research suggested that regional Compact networks add real value to local Compacts. Now we are putting that idea to the test by establishing the East of England Compact Network



  

  
    
  
  
      

	  	  	

	  	
          

    
    

 



  
      
The dedicated Compact worker paradox

  
  
  

	
Let me play devil’s advocate: dedicated local Compact workers can be invaluable in getting local Compacts up and running, but can their influence also prevent the Compact from being self-sufficient?



  

  
    
  
  
      

	  	  	

	  	
          

    
    

 



  
      
Compact networking: A challenge worth taking on

  
  
  

	

	Compact leads are a diverse group. Only a handful of areas fund a dedicated Compact officer, but most will have someone with responsibility for taking forward the Compact - even if its just one aspect of their job. 



  

  
    
  
  
      

	  	  	

	  	
          

    
    

 



  
      
203, it’s the magic number

  
  
  

	
You will hopefully be aware that Compact Voice launched a survey of local Compacts last month. It’s something that we are pretty excited about … but then we are massive Compact nerds!



  

  
    
  
  
      

	  	  	

	  	
          

    
    

 



  
      
The Big Society, the right to challenge and the dangers of astroturfing

  
  
  

	
The Big Society is … 

	 

	That sentence has been finished in a wide variety of ways by both advocates and critics. However this points to at least some consensus - that it can be hard to define!



  

  
    
  
  
      

	  	  	

	  	
          

    
    

 



  
      
Organise it and they will come … Or will they?

  
  
  

	

	Having trouble getting people from the voluntary and community sector to attend Compact related meetings and events? You are not alone. Perhaps now is the time to start thinking differently about how to reach a Compact audience.



  

  
    
  
  
      

	  	  	

	  	
          

    
    

 


        


        
      
 

               
      
      
      

  



  
  

    













  


  



      
Blogs

  
  

    

  
  
  
  
      

        

    

  
      
The End

  
  
  

	
So, this is the end. Not for the Compact (online critics relax), but for my time at Compact Voice.


	A couple of months ago, I blogged about how the Compact isn’t quite dead yet and I’m pleased to report that it’s still here and alive and well.



  

  
    
  
  
      

	  	
          

    
    

 


  

  

    

  
      
Harnessing the power of complaints? 

  
  
  

	
Opinions about complaining are often divided but when we are living in a service-oriented society what do we do when services are poor and cause us distress?