Dear Colleagues,
Happy International Women’s Day!
One of the findings of our VCSEF Survey was that the sector has a significant number of women, 47%, leading our groups and organisations.
In terms of intersectionality, many of those women may also be from, for example, an ethnic minority group, have a disability or be LGBTQIA+, therefore, in terms of personal and lived experience, which we know is a key motivator for people to start and set up groups and organisations, a strong and holistic offer is being delivered.
➡️ Read the full VCSEF Survey Report here.
Please do have a look through; it’s full of insights directly from organisations and gives us all valuable data in one place regarding who we are and why we do what we do, in addition to the sector’s challenges, strengths, and impact. Indeed, we have tried to analyse the data to highlight key trends, identify gaps in support, and inform future initiatives that will help strengthen the sector.
Of course, the survey is a snapshot and a moment in time. We can only analyse the data we have from the organisations who completed the survey. We offered a £50 prize donation for one randomly selected organisation who completed the survey, and we are delighted to announce that the winner was St. George’s House Charity.
WVCA CEO Sharon Nanan-Sen presented the donation to Kevin from St. George’s House Charity, recognising their contribution to the VCSEF Survey.
Our hope is that in the future we will be able to build on this work to provide a greater and more comprehensive picture of our vast sector and its true place, value and impact within our city.
There is more news for our city and our sector. This week the government announced its new Plan for Neighbourhoods: a £1.5 billion programme to invest in 75 areas over the next 10 years and Bilston is one of those places.
Up to £20m is available to each place over a 10-year period. Local authorities will work with Neighbourhood Boards who have to confirm their membership by 22 April 2025 with boards having to submit their plans by winter 2025 and funding released from April 2026. There is more information here.
At WVCA, we are keen to work in partnership and support this initiative to ensure that it will, as the preliminary guidance says, “put local people at the centre of defining their town’s future, with responsibility for developing their Regeneration Plan”.
There is also a specific expectation that boards should “avoid under-resourced and generic consultation, to ensure Neighbourhood Boards hear from everybody, and include those from marginalised or deprived communities who typically may struggle to make their voices heard. These underserved groups include those whose socioeconomic circumstances, language or culture mean that they struggle to access ‘usual’ methods of engagement.”
We will keep you up to date as we hear the latest developments.
Thank you,
Sharon Nanan-Sen
Chief Executive Officer