Why a small charity in Glasgow is refusing to become a social enterprise
Sarah Findlay runs Starter Packs a small charity in Glasgow that collects household items and gives them to people who need to get themselves back on their feet, generally after homelessness. The charity also provides volunteering for socially disenfranchised people who are … Continue reading
A spirit of independence helps an older people’s project in Leeds keep going without council funding but it’s a struggle to provide the activities that people need
Stanningley and Swinnow Live at Home Scheme (SSLaHS) was formed in 1988 by St. Thomas’ Church Group and became part of a neighbourhood network system that was unique … Continue reading
Read NCIA member Kevin Blowe’s blog on how a policy of community ‘resilience’ will stop people getting independent advice in Newham, east London.
Kevin writes: “Local advice agencies in Newham are launching a campaign, starting with a FaceBook page and online petition, to try and stop the destruction of advice work in the borough … Continue reading
There’s no sheepishness from 
In Defense of Youth Work! Join them for free events in London on 26 April and Manchester on 27 April to share experiences of how people are dealing with the marketisation of youth and community work and the wider voluntary sector.
Since the start of its campaign, In Defence of Youth … Continue reading
Here’s a good read that elegantly puts together different pieces of the jigsaw – the state of the economy, private sector influences on it, the undermining of public services and the welfare state, and how we might come together to resist the plans that the neo-liberals have for us.
Learn to speak like a fully engaged, customer-facing choice moderniser…
Health Emergency have an entertaining and insightful guide to the language and spurious concepts used by those currently busying themselves with the dismantling of our welfare state. Have a giggle, get cross, pass it on:
http://www.healthemergency.org.uk/pdf/TeachyourselfLansley.pdf… Continue reading
The winners and losers in the Transforming Local Infrastructure beauty contest have been announced. But is twisting yourself into a pretzel to please the government the best way to support local voluntary action? Here Adrian Barritt has a rant against the rise of the cyberstate….
Back in the 1970’s, the Cybermen with their sibilous metallic … Continue reading
NCIA was pleased to see a strong attack on the effects of market-led commissioning models, but thinks the panel needs to be less cautious on the change that is needed on two key issues: funding and commissioning mechanisms, and the need for voluntary organisations to combine to fight off the threats to their autonomy.
NCIA … Continue reading
Compact Voice continues its happy-clappy approach to the disaster that is the Compact in welcoming the National Audit Office report on its (non) implementation in central government. “We are delighted that the Compact is supported by government departments and that the NAO have found good examples of it being applied” says Compact Voice’s Simon Blake, … Continue reading
For nearly two decades we have been told that ‘partnership’ is the way forward, bringing us all together in ‘one big happy family’. But is partnership working really a confidence trick, confirming and exploiting unequal power relationships? Here Professor Jonathan Davies of De Montfort University outlines the arguments and trails his recent book which locates … Continue reading