Is your organisation managing to stay independent and true to the purpose it was set up for? NCIA challenges you to find out.

These are difficult times for the voluntary sector. NCIA is getting more and more reports from people who are uncomfortable about changes to working methods and management styles which make their workplace feel more like the private sector or the public sector.

Our independence audit is now available. You can do it yourself, or we can do it with you. Go to our Independence Audit page for all the details.

How the audit can help
It is easy to lose sight of where your organisation is going at times of pressure, change or insecurity. The audit can be used to help focus you and remind you of what you’re there for, and to give you arguments to use if others are questioning your right to exist. It can also be used to help you make decisions about new directions to take (or not), which funding to go for or which partnerships to pursue.

By doing the audit and sharing their results with us, organisations will also help NCIA to record and understand threats to voluntary sector independence, areas where people need information or support and possible remedies. If we want to make any information you have given us public, on our website or elsewhere, we will ask your permission, and we will not use your organisation’s name if you don’t want us to.

What people have said
‘Really useful and interesting what came up…I’m going to take it to the next management meeting…very clear on areas we can improve.’ (Sheffield Alcohol Support Services)

‘Using the materials made me feel more in charge. Having parameters for an argument and a construct to work from helped me to think straight…I realised we had strayed a long way from our purpose and needed to get back to it.’  (A disability organisation in South East London).