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The importance of ‘voice and influence' in the VCS
VAS has issued a statement about the impending loss of OFFER's work and the need for a dialogue with public sector partners about the role and importance of ‘voice and influence' in the voluntary and community sector.
VAS believes that the loss of the work undertaken by OFFER will leave a big hole in the support available to the local VCS and the capacity of the sector to be involved in contributing to Sheffield First Partnership. We also feel that OFFER's funding situation should have been clearer sooner, and there are lessons from what has happened.
OFFER has been the ‘Community Empowerment Network' for Sheffield for the past 9 years, supporting voluntary and community sector involvement in the local strategic partnership, Sheffield First. Sheffield City Council said in February that it cannot fund support to the VCS via OFFER next year. Since then the Council has offered up to £30,000 to try to continue some key elements of support and we will work with OFFER and the reps on Sheffield First Partnership to see what can be done to address their immediate concerns and support needs.
We feel strongly that there needs to be a clearer understanding within our sector and with the public sector about the role and importance of the "voice" function in the VCS, and not just in relation to the Local Strategic Partnership. We believe that the VCS has much to contribute to helping to shape future public sector policy and practice as well as an increasingly important role as delivery partners for public services. We need a dialogue about this and VAS is committed to convening this process in the coming weeks and months.
The time has come to have a careful look at what the sector needs to be an effective partner, and what might be possible in the future.
4 March 2010