Category Archives: community

The voluntary and community sector could have a crucial role in renationalisation

The voluntary and community sector could play a crucial role in returning services to public ownership, says outsourcing commentator John Tizard. The recent report from ‘We Own it@ – ‘When ‘We Own it: a model for public ownership in the 21st century’ – – makes a very strong case for public ownership and public management of public services… Read More...

Brexit Matters – and it should matter to the sector

With the biggest challenge for the country since the Second World War swirling around us, why is the sector so silent? Brexit is the most important and fundamental political challenge for this cou ntry since 1945, so where are the voices of charities and the voluntary and community sector? To be silent is a mistake,… Read More...

We have many questions – let’s start to think about answers over the summer

It’s time to take a break but also to prepare to focus on what lies ahead for the sector I know that many VCS colleagues – trustees, staff and volunteers – will have precious little opportunity to have much of a break this summer. Pressures continue to mount, be they from increasing demand for services,… Read More...

Charities and VCSs should treat staff well

The appeal court ruling on sleep-in carers might have satisfied Mencap and other organisations, but the case underlines that government should fund social care properly Last week’s Appeal Court decision upholding an appeal from Mencap on staff payments for sleep-in duties in residential care is deeply disturbing. It raises fundamental questions about employment practices, staff… Read More...

A dozen tenets that national VCS infrastructure bodies might consider

The board of Navca is holding a strategic awayday this week. I’m the honorary adviser to the board and a former vice-chair, so this has made me think about how national infrastructure bodies can best maximise their value. A membership body, Navca is the national representative organisation for local infrastructure bodies such as councils for… Read More...

Does the DCMS understand or care about civil society?

The government should commit to much more than it is doing in its consultation on civil society, writes our columnist. Civil society is vital to our social, economic and environmental wellbeing, so it is appropriate that the government should have a strategy to support the development of a strong, sustainable civil society, and indeed it… Read More...

Reach out for long-term relationships

When I speak to leaders and activists from the local voluntary and community sector (VCS), I am increasingly struck by the similarity of questions and concerns they are raising. Many of them relate to local government and the localist agenda.Of course, there are the inevitable (and justified) concerns about the lack of sufficient funding and… Read More...

Use dormant funds for systemic local change

Last week the government announced – or was it re-announced? – that it was unlocking £330m from dormant accounts, with the Big Lottery Fund and Big Society Capital distributing cash to initiatives tackling many social challenges. It announced that these funds would address a range of issues including the housing of vulnerable people, helping disadvantaged… Read More...

Charities And The VCS Should Get Back To Basics – Pressing Their Case Fearlessly Not Impersonating Outsourcers

One of the attributes that separates charities and the voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations from other sectors is that they are driven primarily by their mission – by their cause. Indeed, many were founded by individuals, with a passion for a specific cause: wanting to address social, economic and environmental wrongs; wishing to create… Read More...

A Shared Society Has To Offer Hope, Opportunity And Social Justice Not Fear, Inequality And Austerity

David Cameron launched his “Big Society” initiative only to let it wither on the vine of government. Through the “Big Society” he wanted an increased role for volunteers, voluntary social action and charities taking over from the state. Over his period in office public sector financial support for the voluntary and community, and wider charity… Read More...