Plotting a new future

Over the past two months NICVA has been consulting on the proposals in the 'Pathways for Change' document from the Taskforce on Resourcing the Voluntary and Community Sector. In addition to a general consultation, three seminars explored specific proposals namely funding for community development, mergers and collaborative working and costing core work.

So far participants at the seminars have welcomed the discussion as a real chance to plot a new future for the relationship between government and the sector in the years to come. There has been a sense that the changes proposed in the document, such as the social investment model and the increased participation of voluntary and community groups in service delivery, will require changes in culture and approach by both the sector and government if they are to work. The relationship between government and the sector has come under scrutiny with organisations exploring the tension between working closer with government and the need for the sector to retain its role as independent advocate and agitator - can we bite the hand that feeds?

At the seminar on funding community development, activists outlined their constant struggle to deliver long term results in a context of short term funding. This brought to the fore the need for a clear strategy to fund core costs and emphasised that community development is a process which funders need to be educated about. The seminar on collaborative working heard from community organisations which had gone through the process of working closer together and one which had merged. Discussion focused on the need to be pro-active in finding ways to work together but also strongly emphasised that this process must be driven by needs within the sector as opposed to being forced on us by reduced funding.

In all of the seminars participants broadly welcomed the move towards long-term funding and the measurement of outcomes as opposed to just outputs. There was a lot of discussion about the need for the sector to get better at explaining and highlighting the value of what we do and a strong feeling about the need for the sector to be adequately resourced to be full partners in any new arrangements.

There has been healthy scepticism of the ability of government to deliver on its side of the bargain. It is felt that in order for new arrangements to work government needs to become much more flexible and transparent, with officials who are interested in and knowledgeable about what we do. That said, there is a real desire to be optimistic and creative in designing new ways of working and a genuine enthusiasm to take advantage of the opportunities offered by 'Pathways for Change'.

The deadline for submissions is 27 March 2004.

For more information visit the Taskforce page and SCOPE magazine.

Email Lisa McElherron