The Health Check is an in-depth, broad ranging assessment of an organisation’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. After completing the Health Check and talking through their answers, here’s what Jake said were the benefits to him, his charity in short, medium and long term, and the reasons other CCF organisations should consider completing our Health Check.
What Jake had to say about working with Community Action Sutton over the past year or so.
Community Action Sutton has supported The Percenters from the early stages by helping connect us with other organisations, people and opportunities across the local voluntary and community sector. That support has made a real difference. The connections made through Community Action Sutton have helped us increase our network, gain traction, and build interest in what we are doing. Some opportunities may not have happened, or may have taken much longer, if people had not been made aware of The Percenters and what we are trying to build.
In the early stages of The Percenters, that has been pivotal. Community Action Sutton has helped us build momentum from the get-go, while continuing to support and guide us through things like the VCS Health Check so that our growth is not just exciting, but also sustainable and properly supported.
What Jake thinks the benefits will be for The Percenters in the Short, Merium and Long Term?
In the short term, completing the VCS Health Check will help make sure The Percenters has everything in place and is ready for scaling in a safe, structured and sustainable way. As we are still in the early stages, but growing quickly, it gives us a chance to check that the organisation is running well, that the right foundations are in place, and that any red flags can be raised before they become bigger issues.
It is also reassuring to have the green flags recognised too. When you are building something, it is easy to focus only on what still needs improving, so having Community Action Sutton’s reassurance around what is already working well is really helpful.
In the medium term, the Health Check means we can move forward with future planning from a more assured position. It helps us feel clearer and more prepared around governance, policies, funding, safeguarding, partnerships and sustainability. Rather than trying to work everything out alone while also delivering the work, it gives us a structured way to understand what needs attention and what is already in place.
In the long term, it gives us confidence as The Percenters continues to grow and takes on more opportunities, including fundraising, partnerships and wider sustainability. Having the expertise of Community Action Sutton involved means the process is not just a checklist, but a supportive and experienced look at where we are as an organisation and how we can continue developing properly.
Why should other leaders of VCS Organisations in Sutton complete Community Action Sutton’s VCS Health Check?
Leaders of other organisations should consider completing the VCS Health Check because it helps them make sure the right things are in place, including policies, governance, funding considerations, sustainability, planning and awareness of future opportunities.
Running or building an organisation means balancing a lot of demands at once, and it can take a lot of time and energy to work out what needs doing, what might be missing, and what should be prioritised. The Health Check helps make that clearer.
It is also valuable because you are not doing that reflection alone. Having someone sit down with you, go through the organisation properly, and bring another experienced perspective from within the sector is really helpful.
About The Percenters.
The Percenters is a local peer-led charity supporting young adults in Sutton and Surrey with stigma-free wellbeing activities, psychoeducation, and digital tools to prevent isolation and cover the cracks in mental health support.
Learn more about The Percenters and what they do through their website
Follow us on
