Investing in Smart Solutions

Background

With cuts of between £1.5billion and £2billion in real terms expected to the Northern Ireland block in the 2011/2015 budget, NICVA is concerned that voluntary and community organisations delivering public services will be vulnerable to unfair and potentially disproportionate cuts. This is because voluntary and community sector providers are often seen as additional to statutory services.

Important role

The important role played by voluntary and community organisations has been recognised in the 2010 NI Audit Office report Creating Effective Partnerships between Government and the Voluntary and Community Sector found that the voluntary and community sector “makes a significant contribution to the achievement of the Executive’s strategic goals and priorities.”

Investing in the voluntary and community sector is a win-win

By investing in the voluntary and community sector the Northern Ireland Executive is investing in tackling some of the most pressing and expensive social, economic and environmental problems facing Northern Ireland.