Give and Get Help

We're already being contacted by people who want to persue their own agendas but need help to do so - knowing what to do, finding the confidence to do it, getting personal and organisational support, finding allies and getting the right connections, dealing with barriers and outright attacks, knowing what tactics work and what might not.

And we know people who might be able to help, because they've been through it or are in the middle of their own struggles.

If you're looking for solidarity and fresh inspiration join the Coalition's support group. Participation is free - community activist support group

We are also working on some ideas to support local mobilising - getting started. And we have some ideas about resisting the drive to commissioning - the current destructive fad in funding voluntary action - say no to commissioning.

Use the discussion forms to post your request for help so that others who see it can offer any help they have to give - whether through information, advice or by practical assistance.We hope to encourage supportive and productive connections between people.

We will do what we can to give our help, even though our resources are limited. We'll be monitoring the discussion forum to see if we can offer anything ourselves.

In the meantime, other sources of help are:

The Compact Advocacy Programme, set up to ensure compliance with national and local compacts between government and the voluntary sector. Based at NCVO. www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/compactadvocacy

Public Law Project, which take on cases and give advice to those wishing to challenge decisions and activities of public bodies which impact on individuals, communities and voluntary groups www.publiclawproject.org.uk/EmpowerVolSect.html

Or contact us if you don't find what you need through the discussion forums or elsewhere