BDCVS hosted the NAVCA's (National Association for Voluntary and Community Action) London and Essex regional consultation on the DCMS (Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport) Civil Society Strategy.
In two hours Councils for Voluntary Service (CVS), from across London and the southeast, discussed:
- the consultation process;
- methodology;
- the relationship between CCGs (Clinical Commissioning Groups), local organisations, national and local government; and
- crucially, the definition and future role of civil society.
Within the Barking & Dagenham context we will be discussing the strategy at the next Commission Watch meeting and also holding a special meeting on Tuesday 15th May, 2–4pm where we will use the DCMS toolkit to help groups develop their own response, and also develop a collective response from the sector.
BDCVS shall also be using the opportunity to begin our own six-month consultation into a future vision for the not-for-profit sector locally. A vision, we hope, will run alongside and expand on the council's Borough Manifesto and support the sector to 2037.
As part of the BDCVS consultation, we will be publishing a special call for groups to get further involved, and also receive a small grant to help do their own consultation with beneficiaries, trustees, staff and volunteers, to feed into the collective vision.
For further information contact Rita Chadha.
