Social inclusion work of voluntary groups under funded

The voluntary sector’s contribution towards
the social inclusion agenda is severely under funded, accordingly
to new research, writes Sally Gillen.

Research, which looks at the work of nine
councils for voluntary services, found that only a minority
involved in social inclusion programmes received funding to do
so.

The report, commissioned by the National
Association of Councils for Voluntary Services and undertaken by
Sheffield Hallam University, says: “A huge problem exists with
funding.”

Lis Pritchard, NCVS director, said: “The
research has shown that we are heavily engaged in social inclusion
work. But the negative message is that there is a severe lack of
funding for strategic delivery.”

She also said: “They (the government) is
approaching us because they know they can’t deliver local
strategic partnerships etc without CVS’s. If they don’t
give more funding then our help will be less effective. They want
us involved, we want to be involved, so we need more money.”