Read the latest news from the dark side of voluntary action, along with stories of how people are fighting back and what NCIA folks have been doing to make a louder noise about resisting privatisation, hanging on to our principles in turbulent times, and making space for independent action in our communities. Let us know … Continue reading
A new panel is looking at voluntary sector independence. NCIA co-ordinators Rachael McGill and Melaina Barnes hope it revises its methods to avoid being sucked into the ‘big society’ marketing campaign.
NCIA has sent a response to the Baring Foundation’s voluntary sector Independence Panel consultation report.
We welcome the aim of the panel ‘to … Continue reading
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 … Continue reading
Colleagues at Adur Voluntary Action set out what’s wrong with the Transforming Local Infrastructure scheme and ask key questions to help us find an alternative.
The UK Office for Civil Society’s Transforming Local Infrastructure scheme offers £50m to fund local support organisations to merge, collaborate and share services such as IT. The funding is short … Continue reading
Two new youth work case studies show that we need to defend independent voluntary action if young people and youth workers are to be included in democratic decisions about youth services.
From partner to butler: Defending young people’s participation from local authority take-over (2011) shows how a council’s narrow vision of voluntary action limited young … Continue reading
Our new paper has evidence about the dangers of commissioning, localism and ‘big society’, all part of the government’s privatisation agenda.
• Public service cuts are a political choice, not an inevitability.
• Creating competitive markets in the voluntary sector through commissioning damages services, users and staff and threatens independence.
• ‘Localism’ and ‘big society’ … Continue reading
See our June newsletter if you’re asking ‘is it just me who thinks privatisation is insane?’. Plus gossip, ideas, resources and links to help us keep on keeping on…
Read our new guide and manifesto for managing for independence (4 pages PDF) for ideas about how to get talking, make power visible, organise and act, and get help when you need it. The guide is designed to help us remember that effective voluntary action can’t be reduced to targets and the latest management jargon … Continue reading
Listen to a podcast of NCIA’s Andy Benson speaking about whether there’s enough power to go around in the voluntary and community sector at the ARVAC annual lecture on 9 May 2011. You can also download a transcript of Andy’s presentation (Word, 6 pages) and the presentation slides (Powerpoint).… Continue reading
Read our two new papers if you want to get thinking about what privatisation means for charities and community groups and how the ‘big society’ and localism damage independent action.
Big market: how localism and the ‘big society’ damage independent voluntary action (2011) PDF, 4 pages
Voluntary action under threat: what privatisation means for charities … Continue reading
