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Tag Archives: 2009

Newsletter No: 14 – December 2009

Posted on 17 December, 2009 by — No Comments ↓

The last newsletter of 2009. Everyone says this is a bad time to send anything out but I wanted to do it anyway. For we need to mark the passing of the year and anticipate the next one. It’s not been a good one, that’s for sure, though that may not be true for the … Continue reading

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Newsletter No: 13 - October 2009

Posted on 15 October, 2009 by — 1 Comment ↓

News from the Coalition

NCIA Assembly meeting – 2nd November

The next Assembly meeting will take place on the 2nd November in the afternoon, in London. If you’re an Assembly member and you intend coming, can you let us know please, so we can keep an eye on numbers. Help with travel costs is available.

Posted in Newsletter | Tagged 2009, Newsletter | 1 Reply

Newsletter No:12 – July 2009

Posted on 1 July, 2009 by — No Comments ↓

Not only what you do, but the way that you do it…….

A hot summer hello from the Coalition. It’s odd, sometimes uncanny, the way themes emerge from the scan of news that gets distilled into this newsletter. A strong one this time is process – the ways things are done, what effect these ways

Posted in Newsletter | Tagged 2009, Newsletter | Leave a reply

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Not in our name!

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Not in our name!

We, the undersigned – along with many people active in voluntary, community and campaigning groups – disagree profoundly with much of the content of this letter. These national bodies do not speak for, or lead us.

We take issue on two matters of principle. Firstly, the letter commits to a party political agenda: the Open Public Services agenda. This policy is code for privatisation and termination of public services. We question whether the sector can be supportive, since charities are forbidden at law from engaging in party politics. We also question whether we should connive in delivery of policies about which there is growing evidence of damage to our common wealth and to vulnerable people. Our starting point should always be the expressed needs of our beneficiaries and those with whom we stand in common cause.

The letter uses the term “public service reform” without any recognition of the diversity of views that exist about the types of reforms needed. We find the letter’s references to government welfare reforms particularly disingenuous, because these are not reforms. They are cuts, the effects of which we observe daily, and are being monitored nationally. The clear inference is that the sector is, through these leaders, offering through increased levels of volunteering to compensate for shrinking public services. This is an untested and dangerous assertion that is being increasingly challenged in the academic and professional worlds, and from within local communities.

Secondly, the letter shows no understanding of the diversity and independence of voluntary action: between national and local organisations, and between service delivery and campaigning bodies. These independent bodies are all corralled together to “stand ready” to help deliver key government policies. The letter fails to mention the increasingly important role that is opening up for voluntary and community groups – campaigning alongside service users, trades unions and public sector staff against harmful cuts. To suggest that the sector’s role is to “help individuals and families prepare for and manage change” or “preparing for their impact” in “this time of transition” is frankly offensive to our members, our self-help communities and the users of our services. Our duty, rather, is to listen to and understand the experiences and needs of local people, then act according to our best judgements and consciences.

One responsibility of the independent voluntary sector is – in a constructive spirit of genuine critical thought and independence – to question and challenge policies which our users and members tell us are harmful. It is certainly not to pen letters which demean us all with a willingness to connive in almost anything, however damaging.

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NCIA campaigns to defend and promote the rights of civil society to act independently, and hold to account, the State and other powerful political, business and financial interests.

NCIA supports such action by individuals or groups for social justice, equality and solidarity. We are particularly interested in local action which makes a material difference to the conditions of daily life.

We believe in public services run by publicly accountable institutions. The role of voluntary services is to complement, challenge and test out new ways of meeting need: not to take the place of public services. We will oppose the privatisation of public services whether into the private sector or through voluntary services.

We assert the right to dissent, as part of a healthy democratic society. Power is not given but taken. Dissent – or at least the willingness to engage in some form of dissent – is required to challenge injustice and powerful interests and to push for alternatives. Dissent is particularly required when consensus, collaboration and negotiation has failed and where the stakes are high for individuals and communities. Without this capacity, the democratic role of voluntary action (or civil society) is fundamentally undermined.

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