vandna gohi equal right equal voices presentation

A national voice for the Black and Minority Ethnic voluntary and community sector

Equal Right, Equal Voices: A voice for the Black and Minority Ethnic voluntary and community sector

9th December 2010

Vandna GohilDirectorVoice4Change England

V4CE’s mission

To strengthen the voice of the Black andMinority Ethnic voluntary and community

sector to meet the needs of disadvantaged communities

Increasing capacity/

demonstrating impact

Providing an authentic,

influential voice

Raising awareness

A national voice for the Black and Minority Ethnic voluntary and community sector

V4CE: What we do

•Influence

•Connect

•Develop

On our way to becoming sector champions in environmental sustainability and PQASSO quality marks.

A national voice for the Black and Minority Ethnic voluntary and community sector

The BME VCS: why we need to be heard

A national voice for the Black and Minority Ethnic voluntary and community sector

• Communities coming together to self define solutions to problems – the Big Society!

• Response to failure of mainstream services.• Sensitive to cultural, religious and linguistic

needs.• Engage ‘hard to reach’ communities.• Empowering users and strengthening social

mobility.• Building bridging social capital and creating

social cohesion.

The coalition Government and equality

A national voice for the Black and Minority Ethnic voluntary and community sector

“ Equality has become a dirty word because it has come to be associated with the worst aspects of pointless political correctness and social engineering.” Home Secretary and Minister for Women and Equality Theresa May

The Spending Review and equality

A national voice for the Black and Minority Ethnic voluntary and community sector

• Gillian Guy, Citizen’s Advice: ‘Today’s spending review points to hard times ahead for people that rely on public services’

• Bob Reitemeier, Children’s Society: ‘the Children’s Society believes that the poor could become poorer and the disadvantaged more disadvantaged, despite the Government’s well-publicised promises before today’s savage Spending Review that cuts will not hurt the lease well off in society’

• Ceri Goddard, Fawcett Society: “the Comprehensive Spending Review, like the previous emergency budget, hits women hardest. It is women who will be the main losers as jobs are cut, public services are rolled back and benefits are slashed’.

• Mark Goldring, MENCAP: ‘These savings cannot be made by efficiencies and they will impact on services and care for those with disabilities”

• Helen Longworth, Oxfam UK Poverty: ‘Signs from local authority cuts announced so far are that once again the poorest people in the country are being made to pick up the bill’

Equality, fairness and the Big Society

A national voice for the Black and Minority Ethnic voluntary and community sector

• Putting equality into the Big Society: V4CE fringe events

• Responding in a time of cuts

• Engaging young people• Working better together• Accountability

Other key policies to watch for VCOs

A national voice for the Black and Minority Ethnic voluntary and community sector

• Localism• Public service reform• Commissioning and Procurement• Support services – OCS consultation• Compact

Shared Vision

A national voice for the Black and Minority Ethnic voluntary and community sector

•Collaboration

•Communication

•Celebration

Shared Vision: Pledge your support

A national voice for the Black and Minority Ethnic voluntary and community sector

• We believe the BME VCS is a crucial part of civil society.

• We support the BME VCS to seize the opportunities and tackle the challenges identified in A shared vision.

• We call on policymakers to act on the recommendations and commit to disseminating the messages from A shared vision findings through our networks.

• Website: http://www.voice4change-england.co.uk/shared-vision.html Phone: Heather Kennedy on 0207 843 6137

Contact

Email info@voice4change-england.co.uk

Telephone

0207 843 6130

Website

http://www.voice4change-england.co.uk/

A national voice for the Black and Minority Ethnic voluntary and community sector