Sector Development
Program Specifications
District Contracting and Support
Service System Commissioning
March 2017
CONTENTS
1.
Purpose ............................................................................................ 3
2.
Legislative framework ..................................................................... 3
3.
Policy directions and commitments ............................................... 3
4.
FACS commissioning approach ..................................................... 4
5.
Program description ........................................................................ 4
5.1. Business strategy ............................................................................................... 4
5.2. Key priorities ....................................................................................................... 5
5.3. Service activities ................................................................................................. 5
5.4. Key stakeholders ................................................................................................ 5
6.
Industry development and one-off funding arrangements ........... 5
7.
Key performance measures ............................................................ 7
8.
Service activities and performance measures .............................. 8
9.
Data collection and reporting ....................................................... 10
Sector Development - Program Specifications – March 2017
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1. Purpose
These specifications provide stakeholders with an overview of the Sector Development
program, and outline for service providers and the community what is being funded
under this program and the expected outcomes of the program.
2. Legislative framework
Family and Community Services (FACS) administers the Sector Development program
through the following principle Acts:
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Community Welfare Act 1987; and
Housing Act 2001.
3. Policy directions and commitments
FACS is the lead cluster for delivery of a number of Premier’s and State Priorities to
improve outcomes for the community, particularly those who are disadvantaged.
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decrease the percentage of children and young people re-reported at risk of
significant harm by 15 per cent over three years
increase the proportion of young people who successfully move from specialist
homelessness services to long-term accommodation by 10 per cent by 2016-17
increase the number of households successfully transitioning out of social
housing by five per cent over three years
increase housing supply across NSW
successfully implement the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) by July
2018.
NSW Premier’s and State Priorities can be found at: www.nsw.gov.au/premierspriorities
FACS policy directions and commitments aimed at delivering these goals are outlined in
the FACS Strategic Statement 2014-16: www.facs.nsw.gov.au/about_us
Objectives contained within the FACS Strategic Statement are:
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Children and young people are protected from abuse and neglect.
People with disability are supported to realise their potential.
Social housing assistance is used to break disadvantage.
People are assisted to participate in social and economic life.
People at risk of, and experiencing, domestic and family violence are safer.
Aboriginal people, families and communities have better outcomes.
The FACS Strategic Statement is due to be revised in mid-2017.
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4. FACS commissioning approach
Commissioning is a collaborative process to assess individual and community needs
and assets, agree on outcomes, and design and evaluate the most efficient response to
achieve outcomes over the short and long term.
FACS is taking the lead in NSW on commissioning the human services service system
needed to achieve better outcomes for clients through new forms of internal and
external engagement and shared responsibility between the government and nongovernment sector.
FACS has developed a Commissioning Framework to help embed commissioning as an
end to end process. The Sector Development program is aligned with a commissioning
approach that harnesses the expertise of the NGO sector in strengthening the service
system through peaks’ contribution to planning and implementation of FACS strategic
priorities and reform.
5. Program description
Through the Sector Development program, FACS engages peak organisations to
deliver a range of core activities that contribute to the development of a capable and
sustainable service system which delivers positive outcomes for FACS clients and the
broader community.
For the purpose of these Program Specifications the term peaks will be inclusive of
peak organisations, industry bodies and consumer representative bodies that represent
the interests of clients, consumers, citizens, communities and non-government
organisations working in the human services sector. They provide systemic advocacy,
policy development and sector capacity building for better service delivery and
functioning of community organisations1.
The Sector Development program enables FACS’ diverse range of stakeholders to
participate in policy and service delivery planning, and supports FACS partnership
approach to providing services in, and developing the child, family, community services,
homelessness and housing sectors.
The program is administered via a three year planning cycle to facilitate development of
long term strategies for the program with broad directions and priorities aligned with
FACS and government priorities.
5.1.
Business strategy
The Sector Development program requires funded peaks to have a business strategy
that articulates:
i.
ii.
how the organisation will be positioned to deliver for the sector and
the specific contributions the organisation will make to developing an effective
and sustainable sector that delivers client outcomes.
1
Direct service delivery is not normally within the role of FACS funded peaks, though it is recognised that
some peaks provide small amounts of individual advocacy, secondary to the dominant activity of systemic
advocacy.
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5.2.
Key priorities
Agreed priorities for the2 2017-20 funding cycle are as follows:

Representation/advocacy & collaboration in planning & implementation of
government service delivery reform and strategic initiatives, including:
o OOHC Recommissioning
o TEI Reform
o Future Directions
o Their Futures Matter
o Volunteer Strategy
o Homelessness strategy
o NSW Domestic and Family Violence Blueprint
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Aboriginal Service Delivery
Permanency Outcomes (restoration, guardianship, adoption)
Building capacity of sector to measure and report on outcomes
Working in a commissioning environment.
Service activities and respective key deliverables/outputs proposed by peaks should be
aligned to these priorities. It is expected that key priorities be sufficiently addressed
across the program as a whole, although each priority may not be specifically
addressed in the Service Plan.
5.3.
Service activities
See Section 8.
5.4.
Key stakeholders
The Sector Development program has a broad range of key stakeholders, including:
 Board members, staff and volunteers of member organisations;
 Sector organisations and client/consumer groups involved in or delivering direct
services or policy development and advocacy in the sector;
 Individual clients and stakeholders receiving direct advocacy and/or providing
support services; and
 Government agencies.
Peaks funded under the program are expected to have a focus on ensuring that the
views of hard-to-reach services (e.g. in rural and remote areas) and communities (e.g.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups) are heard.
6. Industry development and one-off funding arrangements
From time to time, peak organisations may receive industry development or other oneoff funding in addition to their core Sector Development funding.
These time-limited funding arrangements are for the delivery of specific projects or
activities required to support the planning or implementation of key reform or initiatives,
which cannot reasonably be delivered through a peak’s core funding. These
2
Key priorities may change during the three year cycle. Service Plans may be adjusted to reflect changes
as required.
Sector Development - Program Specifications – March 2017
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arrangements support FACS partnership approach to working with the sector to deliver
outcomes for vulnerable people across NSW.
The deliverables/activities funded under these arrangements should not duplicate
activities that are ordinarily delivered under the peaks core Sector Development
funding.
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7. Key performance measures
Below are the three standard key performance measures that peaks funded under the Sector Development program will be required to report on
annually.
Service result/outcomes
Action
Performance measure
Data
ADVICE
Key government stakeholders demonstrate
awareness of key issues impacting the
sector or consumers that can inform
development and implementation of sound
social policy
Peaks seek input from consumers, the
sector and independent stakeholders
to advise relevant government
stakeholders of key issues to inform
sound social policy.
% of members and/or stakeholders
reporting:
• peak organisations have sought their
views around key issues to inform policy
% of government stakeholders reporting:
 peak organisations have engaged with
them effectively to provide advice
regarding key issues that inform
development and implementation of
sound social policy
Annual
member/stakeholder
survey
KNOWLEDGE
Sector organisations and consumers/
demonstrate increased knowledge of
relevant reforms and policy
Peaks support sector organisations
and consumers to increase knowledge
and understanding of reforms and
policy.
% of members and/or stakeholders reporting
that they are:
Annual
member/stakeholder
survey
CAPACITY
Sector organisations demonstrate
increased capacity to deliver services for
clients in a sustainable and effective
manner
Peaks offer a range of initiatives to
support service providers to develop
and improve capacity to deliver
services sustainably.
% of members and/or stakeholders reporting
that they are:
Consumers/citizens are empowered to
engage with government, service providers
and participate in their community.
Peaks support consumers/citizens to
be empowered to engage with
government, service providers and
participate in their community.
Sector Development - Program Specifications – March 2017
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well informed by peak about
developments in the sector and related
policies.
supported by peak to develop capacity:
a) in sustainable and effective service
delivery to achieve client outcomes
(member organisations/industry
bodies) or
b) to engage with government, service
providers and participate in their
community (consumer
representatives)
7
Annual Sector
Development program
Survey (Program
Manager)
Annual
member/stakeholder
survey
8. Service activities and performance measures
The service activities to be delivered under the Sector Development program are listed in the table below.
Key deliverables for the service activities are developed by peaks in consultation with FACS and must be aligned to the 2017-2020 key priorities
as outlined in Section 3.2. Performance measures for key deliverables will be identified in negotiation with each peak, using the list of example
measures below as a guide, and where relevant may include targets. While some output measures may be relevant to demonstrate progress,
there will be a focus on outcome measures where possible.
Peaks will be required to report on progress against the key deliverables quarterly, however it is not expected that data on all performance
measures identified in a service plan will be available every quarter.
Activity Type
Description
Example performance measures
Policy advice,
advocacy and
collaboration in
service design,
planning, reform
and implementation.
Peaks provide informed social policy advice to government
regarding issues impacting the sector, service system and the
community.
# social policy advice or advocacy activities undertaken by peak.
Develop member
organisations
(applies to peak
organisations and
industry bodies)
Peak organisations also collaborate with government in the
development and implementation of policy and service
priorities, directions, and reform.
Peak organisations provide leadership, guidance and support
to:
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facilitate the development of the organisational
capabilities and performance of their members (including
governance, financial management and service delivery)
to deliver client outcomes.
assist members in understanding and working with FACS
on reform and strategic initiatives
promote development of a consistent culture of
continuous improvement amongst members and within
their own organisation that is supported through data
collection, reporting and evaluation.
# service design, planning, reform and implementation activities peak
participated in.
#% of members/stakeholders reporting their views were sought by
peak on social policy issues affecting the sector and/or community.
# forums/events convened by peaks to inform members/stakeholders
of government policy, reform and strategic initiatives
# of resources or projects developed by peak to support members to
develop organisational capacity, improve service delivery and/ or
promote continuous improvement using data & evidence based
practice
#% of members/stakeholders attending forums and events
#% of members/stakeholders accessing resources or participating in
projects
#% of members/stakeholders that who report they were informed
about government policy, reform and strategic initiatives.
#% of members/stakeholders that report peak has supported them to
develop organisational capacity and improve service delivery
Sector Development - Program Specifications – March 2017
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Activity Type
Description
Example performance measures
#% of members/stakeholders who report they are using evidence
based informed practice in their work
#% of members/stakeholders that report peak has assisted them to
develop a culture of continuous improvement
Support for
consumers:
a) Systematic
advocacy
b) Develop
awareness for
consumers
(applies to
consumer
representative
bodies)
Peak organisations provide leadership and guidance to
support clients/consumers/citizens to:
Sector learning and
development
Peak organisations deliver projects and partnership building
initiatives which facilitate skill/workforce development of the
sector.
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# of systematic advocacy platforms peak is represented
# activities undertaken or resources developed by peak to facilitate
positively engage with government, service providers and
participate in their the community; and
understand and engage in government policy and service
delivery
*Whilst it is acknowledged that some peaks provide small
amounts of individual advocacy, this must be secondary to
the dominant activity of systematic advocacy.
# activities to increase consumer skills and facilitate participation
% of policy advice/advocacy activities that include consumer voice
#% of consumers report peak has kept them well informed of new
directions in government policy and service delivery and other relevant
issues
#% of consumers that report they were well supported by peak to
participate in policy and service delivery planning forums or
workshops
# of projects and initiatives
% of projects and initiatives delivered in partnership
#% members participating in learning and development projects or
initiatives
#% of participants who state they have increased skills and knowledge
due to involvement in learning and development projects or initiatives
#% of participants who have implemented new work practices as a
result of participation in learning and development initiatives
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9. Data collection and reporting
Peaks are required to collect data and report on the three standard key performance
measures (section 7) and on performance measures for specific key deliverables outlined
in their Sector Development Service Plan.
Reporting against key deliverables and measures is required quarterly and annually for
standard key performance measures. Reporting is via the Sector Development Quarterly
Report which peaks must submit to FACS one month after the end of each financial
quarter.
It is acknowledged that it may not always be possible for peaks to provide quarterly data
on all key deliverable performance measures (particularly outcome/impact measures).
Therefore, where relevant, peaks are able to include brief commentary on progress
against key deliverables.
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