Newry & Mourne Women Ltd respond to the Minister's letter

We advocate for women from the Newry & Mourne  District  Council area.

The views of our organisation in response to the 3 questions. 

Question 1:
As stated you are the lead Minister for the voluntary and community sector. Our organisation representing the Women’s sector, has operated on piece meal funding from various strands exclusive of departments, yet we have addressed the needs of women from our geographical area who are suffering:  isolation, alienation, poverty, economic, educational and social disadvantage over a ten year period. 

In light of our excellent record and as needs increase, we feel that the funding currently distributed from your department to the Womens sector should be reviewed and distributed equally across Northern Ireland, because at present some areas receive more than others and Newry, Mourne, South Down and South Armagh fall into this unequal distribution of resources.  There is documented evidence to back this up.   What works in Belfast/Derry does not necessarily work in Newry, Mourne, South Down, South Armagh or in the outlying rural hinterlands. 

What would work best in relation to the Women’s sector, which covers health, education, social mobility, in both rural and urban areas would be if core costs for established organisations were distributed on a cross departmental basis.  Perhaps all departments could review this considering the current threat to future public spending of what we consider to be an established front line service.

Question 2:
The Voluntary established organisations should be given priority within specific council areas where they have been addressing the needs of society on health, gender, education and training over a perceived number of years.  This would without doubt deliver greater benefits to the community, address overheads, cease duplication, create more cohesion, increase interaction to work collectively over different areas and ensure that the voluntary and community sector can continue to work at grass roots level. What has evolved now is that Statutory agencies i.e. Regional Colleges & Social Services are securing funds to duplicate services already on delivery.

Question 3:
The budgetary situation is of great concern to all of society.  However when one considers the departments that have money ring fenced for core costs, why are the most vulnerable in society which your department has responsibility for, being penalised over a budget.  I am sure that your department also has to be accountable for your spend combined with the outputs and outcomes that have been documented in order to receive funding each year.  Are all the objectives being met, what value and improvements have resulted from the resources that have been spent to date? 

If all Departments reviewed these points, supported the Voluntary organisations that work best, then money could be saved on having to create new posts and new projects at the dismantling of others.

Effective communication, equal distribution of resources on a Cross Departmental structure and differentiation between regional, urban and rural could be very cost effective in addressing the current situation.

Kathleen Smith
Newry & Mourne Women Ltd

Other Responses

A list of the other organisations willing to share their responses. If you would like yours to be included, please forward to lisa.mcelherron@nicva.org

Smart Solutions in Tough Times

To keep up to date with what's happening in the sector on the issue of the Comprehensive Spending Review, including a number of events, check our Smart Solutions section or read the campaign blog.