The NCVO’s (National Council of Voluntary Organisation) piece about preparing for a Burnham government is worth a read. It encapsulates just what a ‘compelling offer’ we have as the VCSE sector.
This section was of particular relevance to us. “We create change at pace and scale, nationally and locally. Our independence is a strength. We combine evidence with lived experience and deep community insight. We help drive local growth, strengthen communities and solve problems that no single organisation can tackle alone. We can create connections and open doors – locally, thematically, and through our existing partnerships within civil society, and across sectors.
And perhaps most importantly, we are experts in prevention. If government wants to intervene earlier, reduce demand on public services and deliver better long-term outcomes for communities, civil society should be involved from the beginning, not brought in once decisions have already been made.”
This is the case we at Action Hampshire make for and with the sector everyday.
We are starting to plan an event in the autumn with Hampshire Leadership Forum and with our colleague LIOs across Hampshire and the Solent, to engage with the new Mayoral authority, This event will be open to all VCSE organisations across the region.
We absolutely agree that “as power moves closer to communities, charities and voluntary organisations must have an equal seat at the table alongside local and regional leaders to ensure strong representation of people and communities.”
And we join with NCVOs call to action: “let’s do it [make the case] with confidence and collective voice, because our offer is compelling”
Keep an eye out for more details about the autumn event, and be sure to be linked to all our socials!
