ACU is co-ordinating the development of a strategy to support VCS infrastructure – the ‘second tier’ umbrella bodies and representative organisations that support voluntary and community organisations. This is complimentary to the futurebuilders initiative to strengthen the capacity of individual organisations providing direct services. The strategy is being developed in partnership with the voluntary and community sector and other key stakeholders, in line with key recommendations from the Cross Cutting Review, published in September 2002.
The Infrastructure Strategy aims to:
- develop a sustainable baseline of infrastructure support
- include proposals to address duplication and gaps in the support available to the sector at national and regional level
- guide significant Government investment in infrastructure support up to April 2006, and future policy development.
The document will identify the key infrastructure functions that can underpin a vibrant voluntary and community sector, and which could form the basis of an effective sector infrastructure.
It will also include an integrated Information Communication Technology Strategy (ICT) for the voluntary and community sector.
The Infrastructure Strategy will join up with capacity building recommendations from linked pieces of work, to form an overarching strategy for implementing the capacity building and infrastructure proposals from the Cross Cutting Review. This will include recommendations and actions for central and local government, other funders and the voluntary and community sector itself.
The consultation document is due for publication in the autumn, followed by a 12 week consultation period, which will enable a wide cross section of interested parties to 'have their say' on the draft recommendations. Consultation events will be held in all 9 regions, with a national event in London.
Contact
Infrastructure Review
Sector Development Team, Active Community Unit
020 7035 5309
3rd Floor, Allington Towers, 19 Allington Street, London, SW1E 5EB
Email
[email protected]
