Manchester group The Art Corner are organising a funeral procession for the loss of our public services, to take place on the day of the royal wedding (29th April). They will have five coffins decorated with wreaths spelling out NHS, Education, Immigration, The Arts and Welfare. Participants will dress in black and march solemnly down … Continue reading
People are being urged to boycott the 2011 Census, being run by arms dealers and defence contractors CACI and Lockheed Martin. CACI, the Scottish agents, are said to have interrogated prisoners at Abu Graibh – and now they want to ask us a few questions. Check out Ethical Census for the Scottish campaign. On a … Continue reading
The issue that has, by far and away, put the national gossips in a tizzy has been the award of the £15M community organisers contract to Locality, the pseudo-business quango formed by the merger of Bassac and the Development Trust Association. Expected by all (including Locality) to go to the Citizens Organising Foundation (which at … Continue reading
‘Big society’ is a bust, local authorities have problems of their own and economic recovery is unlikely any time soon, writes Andrew Climo, CEO of Community Leaders. His advice for people who work in the community sector? Question partnerships with the statutory sector, only do projects with profound community benefits, lobby for what your community … Continue reading
So equality isn’t just a wonder word – it has a legal meaning that the courts are willing to uphold. NCIA member Kevin Blowe reports on a court win for Roma Support Group that has made London Councils re-run the process for deciding about funding cuts because they didn’t do equality impact assessments. Read more … Continue reading
A few hackles seem to have been raised following an open meeting on 7 December 2010 to discuss the Big Society Show, convened by the Community Sector Coalition (CSC).
People at the meeting had the temerity to be openly critical of the government’s motives and intentions, and even discussed the need to resist them! About … Continue reading
The latest version of the compact – the bit of paper that reckons to set out a more equal relationship between voluntary organisations and the government – has now been put off indefinitely.
We’re not too worried as the compact continues to ignore the bulk of small scale voluntary action. Meanwhile the compact industry sucks … Continue reading
Government has no business running civil society. And voluntary agencies have no business running public services. NCIA’s Peter Bird talks with trade unionists
Cameron’s ‘big society’ is a front for cuts, privatisation, the exploitation of labour and good will, and undermining trade unions. Peter explains….. The other morning I heard the Chief Executive of a … Continue reading
Just Wage campaign calls on Unite members. In 2010, the UK’s biggest trades union UNITE will hold elections for the post of General Secretary – their most senior elected officer. Just Wage is asking the candidates in this election to commit to:
1. a just wage within their organisations and
2. support for a campaign … Continue reading
Listen to NCIA’s Andy Benson air his views on social enterprise in this BBC Radio Wales interview.