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What would make it a great Christmas for the sector?
John McCormick from NICVA asks representatives from various non profit organisations what would make it a great Christmas for the NI voluntary and community sector.
First published in NICVAnews magazine for members.
1. Frances McCandless, NICVA's director of policy would like:
An action plan from government that will make the Shared Future policy a reality.
A focus on poverty in Northern Ireland to match that generated this year by the Make Poverty History campaign - and a translation of all that energy into real decisions by world leaders next year to keep their promises to the world's poorest countries.
A way to turn unimplemented government strategies into renewable energy - since there'd be enough to power Northern Ireland for at least the next ten years!
2. Staff at Age Concern NI asked for a warm Christmas, a big fat pension and the right to retire when they want.
3. Although Community Arts Forum has a wish list as long as an Arts Council Evaluation Form, it would simply settle for a year in which the arts budget is not actually cut.
4. Trocaire says that if it could only ask for one thing, it would be for the NI public to support its Christmas Global Gift campaign which offers a range of practical life saving gifts that people can purchase on behalf of friends and family to help people in the developing world.
5. Training for Women Network would like more funding , equality for women, more opportunities for development and something to help close the pay gap.
6. NI Volunteer Development Agency would like the gift of time to be on everyone's shopping list this Christmas.
7. Ballynafeigh Community Development Association said "what would be really nice would be a period of stability for the sector, so that we can concentrate on doing what we need to be doing, rather having constantly to chase funding even for our core work.
"Since the chances of this are almost as real as Santa, we wish a happy Christmas and peace, energy and continuing strength to everyone in the sector."
8. ... and your NICVAnews editor? Since Boxing Day is my birthday, I have a dilemma - I'd like people to buy something from the alternative Christmas list (to follow), but I also would like something a bit personal to compensate me for getting older.
Visit www.communityni.org in the run up to Christmas for more quotations and ideas for Christmas.
If your organisation is running a special appeal or campaign at this time, please send the details to 
John McCormick at NICVA for inclusion in Communiytni.org.
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