Introduction
The Cardiff visit will bring together VCS leaders from across Northern Ireland, who will participate alongside NICVA staff and representatives from the Joint Government and Voluntary Sector Forum (Joint Forum) Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) Panel.
Over the three days, participants will engage and share learning with Welsh Senedd members, Welsh voluntary and community sector colleagues and public sector representatives, and staff from our sister organisation, WCVA who are hosting the visit.
NICVA will select up to six VCS representatives to join the delegation.
Participants must be available for the full duration of the visit — departing Belfast early on Wednesday 11 February and returning on the afternoon of Friday 13 February.
To ensure broad representation across the sector — and recognising that the VCS Panel already reflects a range of sector interests — we particularly welcome nominations from the following sectors:
- Housing and/or homelessness
- Arts, culture and heritage
- Minority Ethnic groups
- Environment and sustainability
- Equality and human rights
- Older people
NICVA aims to ensure a strong mix of organisations across geography, sector, and organisational size.
Interested participants should be senior leaders within their organisations.
To apply, nominees must complete a short online application form, approved by their Board, CEO, Chair or Director (see full details in the ' Submitting a Nomination' section below) to be submitted by no later than 12 noon on Wednesday 28 January 2026 (deadline extended). You can apply here: NICVA Civic Threads Knowledge Exchange Visit - Nomination Form – Fill out form
Please note: This opportunity is open to paid employees only; volunteers cannot be considered.
NICVA will coordinate all logistical arrangements, including flights, travel, accommodation and scheduling. All relevant participation costs (travel, accommodation, meals) will be covered.
Purpose of the Visit
This Civic Threads strand is all about leadership development and policy exchange. Over three days in Cardiff, you’ll have the chance to:
- Better understand how devolved policy works across the UK
- Explore Welsh approaches to civic engagement and community empowerment
- Share ideas on funding, participation, and the role of civil society
- Build lasting relationships to strengthen cross-nation collaboration
It’s a unique opportunity to learn, connect, and bring back insights that can make a real difference in Northern Ireland’s voluntary and community sector.
Participants will also be expected to promote, share and disseminate learning from the visit across their relevant sub‑sector. The nomination form includes a short section asking applicants to demonstrate how they are well placed to do this.
This visit forms part of Civic Threads, a new UK‑wide programme led by NICVA, funded by the Northern Ireland Office Connect Fund and designed to:
- Build stronger east–west links between voluntary sector infrastructure bodies across the UK
- Share ideas on shared priorities and policy challenges
- Grow leadership capacity within Northern Ireland’s voluntary and community sector
- Develop practical tools for civic engagement across the UK
Who We’re Looking For
We’re seeking passionate leaders who can bring the voice of their sub-sector to this UK-wide conversation.
Nominees should be:
- Current senior leaders within their organisation
- Able to represent their sub-sector’s perspective in discussions on policy and civic engagement
- Committed to full participation, including:
- The three-day visit programme in Cardiff
- A follow-up All-Party Group (APG) on VCS session at Stormont on 10 March 2026 (where appropriate) to share insights and learning.
Further details on eligibility and criteria are outlined in the Nominee Information Sheet attached to this article.
Submitting a Nomination
Interested individuals should complete and return the short nomination form accessible via this link: NICVA Civic Threads Knowledge Exchange Visit - Nomination Form – Fill out form
An Information Sheet detailing the Nomination process and some background information to the visit is also included in this article.
The closing date for receipt of completed nomination forms is 12 noon on Wednesday, 28 January (extended deadline).
All nominations must be approved by the Chair, CEO, or Director of the nominating organisation.
Late or incomplete forms unfortunately cannot be accepted.
NICVA will select representatives to ensure a diverse range of sub‑sector interests, geographical coverage, and organisational sizes.
NICVA anticipates that the selected representatives will be confirmed by Friday 30 January.
A short information session for those representatives selected will be held online in early February.
About Civic Threads
Supported by the Northern Ireland Office Connect Fund, Civic Threads is a UK‑wide collaboration between NICVA, WCVA, SCVO, and NCVO. In addition to the Cardiff exchange visit, the programme includes:
- A strategic UK VCS roundtable (hosted in October 2025)
- Co‑development of a UK‑wide Civic Threads Toolkit
- A Toolkit launch event and webinar (March 2026)
The programme runs from September 2025 to March 2026.
Further Queries
If you have any queries about the nomination process, please contact Edwina Crummy in the first instance at: [email protected].
