An opportunity to participate

If the government was to ask the voluntary and community sector tomorrow 'what do you want us to do?' what would we say?

The NICVA Policy Manifesto is an attempt to answer that question.

It is an opportunity for the sector to produce a proactive set of priorities - discussed and agreed - rather than responding to government's agenda in consultations, on topics that are not of our choosing.

NICVA, together with the sector, has published two previous manifestos (in 2002 and 2003).

These were intended to influence the manifestos of the political parties in NI and the development of the Executive's Programme for Government. In the absence of devolution the document has been used to influence policymakers.

What does the manifesto contain?

The last manifesto contained an introductory section focusing on cross-cutting issues that affected all organisations such as charity finance, core funding, volunteering and infrastructure.

There were 22 sections that focused on policy issues in the following areas:

Advice services, arts, carers, charity law, children, community development, disability, education, environment, equality, europe, health, housing and homelessness, human rights, older people, poverty and social inclusion, rural development, sectarianism, transport, urban regeneration, women and young people.

This list is not exhaustive - it merely represents the broad themes which many organisations are involved in. We want to check that these are still the relevant main themes for the majority of organisations.

The process

First, we need to agree the list of themes.

If you have a suggestion for a new theme which has wide relevance within the work of voluntary and community organisations, please contact Cathy Breslin at NICVA before 31 January 2006.

Cathy Breslin
028 9087 7777
Or write to Cathy at NICVA, 61 Duncairn Gardens, Belfast BT15 2GB.

Due to restrictions on the document's length, it may not be possible to incorporate all new suggestions and some existing themes may have to accommodate new ones.

When the themes are finalised, organisations will be invited to discuss the main policy issues facing them within each theme. The issues will be distilled into a short set of key policy demands which they wish to see incorporated into public policy.

Themanifesto will then be drafted, and discussed and agreed at a seminar. A subcommittee of NICVA's executive will be responsible for overseeing the final drafting.

After publication, the final manifesto will be circulated to politicians and policymakers in government.

Queries

If you have any queries on the process please contact:

Frances McCandless at NICVA
028 9087 7777