Make-or-break-time for charities and the voluntary sector
After nearly 10 years the National Coalition for Independent Action is closing down. In an act of defiance not defeat, NCIA believes that now is the time to make space for new forms of opposition to the stifling co-option of charities and voluntary services groups as servants … Continue reading
After 10 years NCIA is closing down! We are not going out of business – we’re not a business. Our decision is an act of principle – we don’t think we should continue.
We’re stopping for two reasons. When we started, our message – that voluntary groups were in danger of losing their independence and … Continue reading
Back in 2013 Ursula Murray produced an important paper which examined the influences of neo-liberal thinking on developments in the voluntary sector, which we published on this website. Ursula has just sent us a revised version of this paper dated February 2014 which she says is “…still in a late 2013/ very early 2014 mindset … Continue reading
A new rendition of the findings of our Inquiry into the Future of Voluntary Services can be found in the Summer 2015 edition of Soundings: A journal of politics and culture – Issue 60 – Austerity and Dissent. A PDF version of this article is to be found here. For subscription enquires to Soundings … Continue reading
We hear a lot from service providers about how they have no alternative but bend to government and state policies or risk going out of business. But another way is possible. Those of us who went to the recent NCIA meeting in Sheffield were lucky enough to hear Gina Clayton talk about the work of … Continue reading
Fighting poverty, more cuts, disability rights, silencing dissent, privatisation, turning voluntary groups into sub-contractors, abandoning whole communities…… how can community action deal with this tsunami? These are some of the themes that will be explored at:
‘Protecting Democracy: independent community action in North East England’
Thursday 16th July (10am – 4pm)
At: Alington House … Continue reading
The Perils of Participation: Voluntary Groups, ‘Workfare’ and Benefits Sanctions – Manchester 14th July 1-4pmThe Government’s ‘Help to Work Programme’ is specifically designed to attract the involvement of charities and voluntary groups.
Has your voluntary group received offers of ‘too-good-to- be-true’ 6 month long ‘volunteer’ placements? Have you been put under pressure as more … Continue reading
‘CUTS, CO-OPTIONS AND TROJAN HORSES:
VOLUNTARY GROUPS AGAINST A CONSERVATIVE GOVERNMENT’
HOUSE OF COMMONS ON TUESDAY 30th JUNE 2015
5.30pm – 8.30pm
Under New Labour and Coalition Governments, the role and purpose of those providing voluntary and community services has been co-opted by central and local government. Contract-based commissioning and procurement regimes have replaced grant … Continue reading
NCIA Transition Roadshows – Meet… Discuss… Debate…Act…
The NCIA Transition ‘roadshow’ is about to start. The first three are happening in Sheffield, Durham and Brighton, each organised by a local host in collaboration with NCIA. This is part of NCIA’s transition and goodbye handshake in its current form. Book your place directly with the local … Continue reading
In the year since Keep Volunteering Voluntary launched, over 550 charities and voluntary groups have pledged to turn their backs on workfare. Together we are highlighting the value of volunteering and building a strong consensus that responsible voluntary organisations will not take part in workfare schemes and put people at risk of devastating welfare sanctions. … Continue reading