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Th NI Assembly has come out in support of the call for an Executive White Paper on the voluntary and community sector.
On Tuesday 25 November 2008 the Northern Ireland Assembly debated and agreed a motion that called on the Executive to produce a policy paper committing itself to strengthening the relationship between Government and the voluntary sector, thereby developing an important asset for the whole community; urges Ministers to review the impact of efficiency savings and other departmental discussions on the sector and those who depend on its services; notes the downturn in European Union funding across the sector; and further calls for better cross-departmental funding to support the delivery of Programme for Government targets using the third sector's capacity.
Introducing her motion Alliance MLA Anna Lo said that the policy paper referred to in the motion was intended to be the equivalent of the White Paper on the Voluntary and Community sector for which NICVA has been campaigning. She said:
Over the years, the sector has built up enormous experience and expertise in many areas, including human rights, equality and good relations. It has shown itself to be innovative, flexible and value for money. It is timely that NICVA is campaigning for a parliamentary paper to clarify and define the relationship between Government and the voluntary and community sector in Northern Ireland, given the changes in society with a devolved Administration and proposals for increased powers for local councils under the review of public administration.
All of the speakers commended the expertise of the sector which was described by the SDLPs Alban Magennis as 'an enormous asset.' Simon Hamilton MLA from the DUP said:
The strong community and voluntary sector reflects our history over the past number of decades, as it has done lots of work that the Government were unable to do -- or did not want to do -- or it was absolutely necessary for the work to be done on the ground' and noted the role that the sector will have to play in the current economic downturn and the role voluntary and community organisations play in building community capacity and confidence.
Jennifer McCann from Sinn Fein said that a White Paper should examine how government perceives the voluntary and community sector and should also address issues of sustainability. Funding for the sector was a topic raised by most of the speakers with many agreeing that multi-annual outcome based funding was necessary to allow the sector to concentrate on the delivery of services instead of chasing funding.
Roy Beggs MLA said:
Although we all agree that the voluntary sector provides an invaluable service, we cannot expect it to live from hand to mouth and still deliver at its best.
The impact of efficiency saving being passed on as cuts to voluntary and community organisations was also raised by many of the speakers and Mr Beggs commented that he was aware of NICVAs call for an efficiency review of the sector adding:
Some Members may be surprised that NICVA has pressed for that. However, as I understand it, the last time that a major review of the voluntary sector was carried out was in the 1980s, under a Thatcher Government. Even they had to acknowledge the strength and value for money that the community and voluntary sector brought to many issues and the fact that it provided an efficient delivery of services.
MLAs also noted that current departmental strategies on the relationship between government and the sector, such as the Compact, were not as effective as they should be and that their was a growing frustration within the sector regarding how organisations are treated by government.
Basil McCrea MLA said:
Voluntary and community organisations feel that they work very hard, face challenge and despair all the time, and all that they get is a bit of platitude. When the pat on the back has been received, and people go away, the voluntary workers realise that they are no further on and that government should be striving to harness the innovation and enthusiasm of the sector.
Commenting on the debate the Minister for Social Development said that she had already told her Executive colleagues that she intended to introduce a series of proposals to strengthen the relationships between the Government, the Executive, the Assembly, the public sector and the voluntary and community sector. The Minister said she remained to be convinced about the merits of a White Paper but would not rule it out completely and confirmed that her officials are looking closely at other models used in other devolved administrations such as Wales. The Minister added
My officials and I have already had discussions with NICVA and the Joint Government/Voluntary and Community Sector Forum to identify the key areas in which progress is needed. I very much welcome the public conversation on the future of civil society in Northern Ireland, which NICVA began last week at its annual conference.' The Minister went on to say that the sector had played a 'distinctive and honourable role throughout the past 40 years, during periods of conflict, and, at present, in building a more prosperous and peaceful society. Our dependence on the sector to deliver local services and to tackle need should also not be underestimated.
The Minister acknowledged and agreed with many of the issues raised by other speakers but added that in a time of economic downturn it would be 'foolish' for the Assembly to make promises it couldn't deliver on. Minister Ritchie also said that while her department had lead responsibility for the sector it (DSD) 'now seems to be regarded as the funder of last resort when other organisations have ceased to fund, and that point must be taken on board.' She went on to say:
Although I want the relationship between Government and the voluntary and community sector to be -- dare I say it, intimate -- I do not want it to be overly paternalistic. I do not consider Government or DSD as the voluntary and community sector's employers because that could become a stranglehold.
The Minister finished by expressing her commitment to supporting the call for the production of a policy paper designed to strengthen the Assembly's relationship with the voluntary and community sector as 'that will be to our mutual advantage and to the benefit of the entire society in Northern Ireland'.
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