This new recruitment round aims to refresh the membership of the Voluntary Community Sector (VCS) Panel for its next three-year term, including filling a number of recent and upcoming vacancies. NICVA hopes also to create a reserve list of voluntary and community sector candidates should further vacancies arise over this next Joint Forum term.
***PLEASE NOTE WE CLOSED FOR NOMINATIONS ON 14 NOVEMBER- WE SHALL PROVIDE A FULL UPDATE ON THE OUTCOME OF THE NOMINATION & SELECTION PROCESS VIA THIS SITE AS SOON AS CAN***
What is the Joint Forum?
The Joint Forum between the Government and the Voluntary and Community Sector NI commonly known as the ‘Joint Forum’ is made up of representatives from central and local government (Public Sector Group) and the voluntary and community sector (Voluntary and Community Sector Panel) in Northern Ireland.
In partnership these two groupings are charged with taking forward the Joint Forums current Work Plan and helping establish its future focus and direction.
The Joint Forum is supported by NICVA and the Voluntary and Community Division in the Department for Communities (DfC).
The Joint Forum was originally established in October 1998 with the overarching aim of:
"develop[ing] and lead[ing] an effective working relationship between Government and the Voluntary and Community Sector in Northern Ireland"
The key functions of the Joint Forum currently, are:
- To Act as a Forum for discussion of Shared Issues.
- To help Build Relationships and Mutual Understanding across the public and voluntary and community sectors.
- To help Shape and Inform Policy and Practice.
This upcoming term is anticipated to be an exciting and busy period for the Forum, where a key focus of its role and work plan will be supporting the implementation of the proposed new Partnership Agreement between the Sector and Government, which was developed in draft via this most recent Joint Forum term. The Partnership Agreement contains provisions to develop the relationship further,deliver impact and make progress, while building on the foundations of the original “Concordat between the Voluntary and Community Sector and Government agreed in 2011.
The Joint Forum currently meets three-four times a year, to help progress a shared work plan. The voluntary and community sector panel also meets independently from the public sector group, including in preparation for each full Joint Forum meeting.
Alongside other Joint Forum members, VCS Panel representatives regularly contribute to particular subgroups or work streams, aimed at advancing the Joint Forums current workplan.
You can find out more about the Joint Forums current structures and view it's most recent Terms of Reference here. Please note the Terms of Reference for the 2024-2027 Joint Forum term are due to be updated for this next term.
Who are the Voluntary & Community Sector Panel?
The Voluntary and Community Sector Panel (VCS Panel) is made up of 20[1] representatives from across the voluntary and community sector in Northern Ireland. You can view the most recent list of panel representatives here.
The VCS Panel is chaired by a VCS Chair and Co-Chair, nominated by VCS panel members, and is supported by NICVA as secretariat. The VCS Panel Chair also acts as Joint Forum Co-Chair.
To provide continuity NICVA now retains a regular place on the panels membership but will have no formal voting rights as a panel member and cannot vote for or hold the position of VCS Panel/JF Co Chair or Vice Chair.
NICVA is responsible for the appointment and support of the VCS Panel.
Voluntary and Community Sector Panel members are selected by a sub-committee of the NICVA Executive following an open nomination process.
What is the role of a VCS Panel member?
- Panel members are appointed to represent a particular sub-sector or ‘community of interest’ from across the sector, rather than an individual organisation.
- Panel members are appointed for a period of three years/1 full Joint Forum Term and will be entitled to seek re-nomination for a further three-year period/JF term. No panel members can serve more than two full JF terms.
- Panel members are expected to attend Joint Forum meetings and any VCS Panel meetings held prior and/or in addition to each full Joint Forum meeting in order to represent their particular sub-sector.
- In particular panel members are expected to actively contribute to thematic work groups and ad hoc meetings, or events aimed at advancing a jointly agreed work plan for the Forum. This includes chairing, leading on or supporting key pieces of work as part of this workplan.
- Panel members are responsible for ensuring that their own sub sector or ‘community of interest’ is consulted on and kept informed of Joint Forum developments.
- Panel members are also expected to disseminate information about the work of the Joint Forum or related activities across their own sub-sector. Members will also be expected to proactively seek input to the forum and it’s work plan from their sub-sector.
- It is anticipated that all panel members will commit adequate time and attention to their representative role and that they will make an active contribution to the Joint Forum and its priority work areas.
The VCS Panel is supported by NICVA staff as joint secretariat to the Forum.
How to make a Nomination?
NICVA is now inviting voluntary and community sector organisations to nominate suitable persons to be considered for selection to the VCS Panel.
Please note the nomination process is open to all organisations across the voluntary and community sector currently operating in Northern Ireland.
Organisations can nominate a suitable employee from within their organisation for consideration as a VCS Panel Member.
It is anticipated that nominees will be drawn from the senior leadership of an organisation. Volunteers cannot be considered for nomination.
Panel members should be nominated and will be selected for their ability to represent a particular sub sector and not the interests of their individual organisation.
Individual Nominations must be supported by the CEO/Director/or Chair of the nominating organisation.
NICVA is responsible for overseeing the appointment of all VCS Panel Members.
The new panel members will be chosen by a subgroup of the NICVA Executive Committee using the selection criteria attached.
NICVA acknowledges that the strength of the voluntary and community sector lies in its diversity and that it is made up of organisations of varying size and structures and of many interest groups working on a diverse range of issues. When selecting Panel members, geographical representation, sectoral balance and size of organisation will be taken into account by the panel in their selections to help ensure sector representation is as balanced as possible.
NICVA is looking to appoint up to 10 new VCS Panel members. This includes replacing a number of recent vacancies where previous panel members have stepped down or have come to the end of their Joint Forum tenure.
The remainder of selected candidates will form a reserve list, to fill any future vacancies as required.
Via this current nomination process NICVA is actively seeking to address any current gaps in terms of sector representation across the VCS Panel.
To request a nomination pack please email: [email protected], citing 'VCS Panel Nomination Form Request', in the subject area of your email.
Closing Date and Return of Nominations
The closing date for receipt of all completed nomination forms is 12 noon on Thursday 14 November 2024 .
All returned nomination forms must be signed by the Chair/CEO/Director of the nominating organisation. Electronic signatures are allowed.
Incomplete forms or those returned after the final closing date cannot be accepted.
Completed forms should be returned to the email address advised on the Nomination Form.
When considering and/or making a nomination please refer to the current VCS Panel Terms of Reference attached and the responsibilities of VCS Panel members in particular, when completing a Nomination Form.
NICVA anticipates that final appointments will be confirmed within 4 weeks of the closing date for nominations.
Final decision making on all appointments will be the responsibility of the NICVA Executive.
For more Information
For any queries regarding the Nomination process, to find out more about the Joint Forum or to discuss whats involved in being a VCS Panel member, please contact Kathy Maguire who provides secretariat and development support to the Joint Forum on behalf of NICVA via email: [email protected]
***PLEASE NOTE WE CLOSED FOR NOMINATIONS ON 14 NOVEMBER- WE SHALL PROVIDE A FULL UPDATE ON THE OUTCOME OF THE NOMINATION & SELECTION PROCESS VIA THIS SITE AS SOON AS CAN***
[1] It was agreed by the NICVA Executive in September 2024 to increase the total number of VCS Panel places from 15 to 20, to help ensure sector representation is as balanced as possible.
