The first APG meeting of 2025 was held on Wednesday, 15 January 2025 in NICVA's offices, Belfast.
The theme of this meeting was the ‘Relationship with Government’.
Agenda Items and issues under discussion at this meeting included:
Key Issues for Sector
Celine McStravick , CEO, NICVA provided an update briefing on issues of key topical interest for sector currently including;
- Impact of Increase in Employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs)
- UK Shared Prosperity Fund funding position
- NI Executive Budget Position for 2025/26 and Departmental Budget pressures
- Development and delivery of the Programme for Government.
Celine urged the need for much greater and meaningful collaboration with sector by government on current challenges faced and the role of sector in public service transformation more broadly.
Update on Partnership Agreement between VCS and Government
As part of the agenda MLAs and VCS representatives in attendance also heard an update from Joint Forum VCS Panel Chair Karen Smith, Disability Action, on progress against development of the ‘Partnership Agreement between the Voluntary and Community Sector and NI Executive (including the Fair Funding Principles and Ways of Working) , currently being developed via the Govt and Voluntary Sector Joint Forum
Briefing and Q & A session with Minister for Communities
The Minister for Communities, Gordon Lyons , MLA was in attendance to provide a briefing on key strategic priorities for his department and his vision as to the role and contribution of the voluntary and community sector more broadly.
The meeting also provided the opportunity for the Minister and MLAs to hear directly from and take questions from a packed room of voluntary and community sector representatives, on a range of topical issues. This included the impact of the planned increase in Employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) on sector, and the lack of progress with regard to publication and implementation of the Anti Poverty Strategy by his department, the continued role of civil society within further development of the strategy and its current omission within draft Programme for Goverenment.
VCS representatives also highlighted the significant funding and sustainability challenges being faced by the arts sector and also delivery of grass roots sports in communities and the need for much greater collaboration and leadership across the NI Executive and Government departments in response to the ongoing budget position.
The impacts of reduction in UKSPF funds for 25/26 on VCS delivery, a call for a greater lobby and options for funding by and from local Government departments to address this shortfall and the impact of loss of the Jobstart scheme on opportunities for young people were also highlighted and discussed with the Minister.
The sectors commitment to, and call for much greater collaboration by government departments in response to challenges faced , along with continued lack of progress and meaningful commitments by Government to racial equality and inclusion and the need for much greater connection /attention to role of philanthropy also highlighted by sector representatives.
Via the meeting the Minister committed to a number of key actions including; urgent engagement with the civil society Anti Poverty Strategy Design Group previously involved in the Strategies development by DfC, to discuss progress against the strategies publication etc. and also his commitment to support a voluntary sector delegation to meet with the UK Chancellor on issues of UKSPF funding and impact of national insurance contributions. The Minister also voiced a commitment to continued engagement with the APG.
Ministerial Meetings
At the meeting All Party Group Chair Diane Forsythe, MLA updated on a number of Ministerial meetings held via the APG last year, designed to support the sectors engagement with government including meetings with the Justice Minister and the Minister for Education. Diane advised that further Ministerial meetings were planned for 2025 and that NICVA as secretariat would keep organisations updated on arrangements for these should they wish to be part of/join.
APG Workplan for 2025
Diane also shared details of the proposed APG Work plan for 2025 , advising that future meetings around themes of Fair Funding including commissioning/funding models, Workforce Challenges for Sector and Public Sector Transformation (including health and social care reform) were in plan.
A note of the meeting is attached.
Next All Party Group Meeting - March 2025
The next meeting of the All Party Group on the Voluntary and Community Sector , NICVA is due to take place on Tuesday 25 March 1pm - 2pm, Senate Room Parliament Buildings, Stormont.
You can view details of the full schedule of planned APG meetings for 2025 HERE
Join our All Party Group Mailing List
To receive meeting notices and updates on the work of the All Party Group please contact Kathy Maguire, NICVA at [email protected] to join the APG mailing list.
What is the All Party Group on the Voluntary & Community Sector ?
All Party Groups (APGs) provide a forum by which MLAs and outside organisations and individuals can meet to discuss shared interests in a particular cause or subject. In this case, the wide range of issues facing the Voluntary and Community Sector – from funding through to recognition and collaboration.
The stated purpose of the All Party Group is to :
‘ensure issues affecting voluntary and community organisations are recognised and discussed throughout the workings of the Northern Ireland Assembly, in order to recognise the value of the sector and ensure that the relationship between government and voluntary and community organisations contributes to the wider well-being of people in Northern Ireland and that organisations are enabled to operate to their full potential.’
Chaired by Diane Forsythe MLA with NICVA as Secretariat, this APG provides a platform to advocate for the future role and sustainability of our sector and provide meaningful opportunities to engage directly with local MLAs on a collaborative basis.
The current Office bearers for the APG are as follows:
Chair: Diane Forsythe MLA
Vice Chair: Sian Mulholland MLA
Secretary : Brian Kingston MLA
