I’ve spent most of my career working in health and social care, whether that’s been in the NHS, Adult Social Care, Public Health or the VCSE sector. Although the organisations have changed, one thing has always stayed the same, the people and communities we serve have always been at the heart of what I do.
When I first joined the VCSE sector 15 years ago, I was genuinely excited. I loved the idea of working somewhere that could make such a tangible difference to people’s lives. What I wasn’t prepared for was just how competitive the sector could be.
Like many people new to the sector, I enthusiastically started reaching out to other charities and community organisations. If they could help the people I was supporting, why wouldn’t we work together? I quickly realised it wasn’t always that simple. Some organisations had difficult histories with one another, often born from years of competing for the same limited funding. There was almost an expectation that charities should see each other as competitors rather than partners.
Looking back, it’s not hard to understand why. When everyone is trying to secure funding from the same small pot, organisations inevitably end up being pitted against one another. Collaboration becomes much harder when the system rewards competition.
But I never really accepted that way of thinking.
For me, it was never about who delivered the support or whose logo was on the funding application. It was about making sure the person in front of me got the help they needed. The organisation I worked for couldn’t do everything, nor should it. Families needed specialist advice, community groups, local charities and statutory services all working together. They needed a network of support, not organisations protecting their own corner.
Isn’t that why most of us work in the voluntary sector in the first place?
Fifteen years on, I think the sector has changed for the better. There is still competition for funding, of course, but I see far more organisations recognising that together they can achieve more than they ever could alone. I see partnerships forming, joint funding applications, organisations sharing expertise, celebrating one another’s successes and recognising that no single organisation has all the answers.
That’s one of the reasons I enjoy working for Action Hampshire. As an infrastructure organisation, our role isn’t to compete with local charities, community groups and social enterprises, it’s to help them thrive. We exist to build capacity, strengthen organisations, create connections and support collaboration across the voluntary sector. We know that stronger organisations create stronger communities, and that by working together we can achieve far more than any one organisation could alone.
A big part of my role is supporting the Hampshire and Isle of Wight VCSE Health and Care Alliance (HIVCA) and it’s a privilege to work alongside so many passionate organisations that share the same mindset. HIVCA exists to champion the VCSE sector working in health and care as a whole rather than individual organisations. It creates opportunities for members to connect, share learning, influence health and care services, celebrate one another’s successes and demonstrate the collective value of our sector. It’s a reminder every day that collaboration isn’t just a nice idea, it’s how lasting change happens.
As public services face increasing demand and resources become more limited, the role of the VCSE sector has never been more important. We know the impact our organisations have. We know the value we bring to communities. We know that we often reach people in ways that others can’t.
Now is the time to tell those stories. To celebrate the incredible work happening across our sector. To open doors for one another, share what we’ve learned and champion each other’s successes. Because every time we choose collaborations over competition, our communities are the ones who benefit most.
Collaboration beats competition. Every time.
