Whilst the Government talk a good game about the 'Big Society', there is already a thriving corner of the voluntary sector matching volunteers up with community needs. In Stowmarket and Haverhill, to name but two far from large Suffolk towns, Ros has met with people whose efforts underpin a culture of volunteering. Besides, you can hardly hand over key services to volunteer groups without helping them to build sufficient capacity, can you?
And it would be worse if the Government attempted to build new support frameworks rather than use the existing ones, wouldn't it?... Ros thinks so, certainly...
27 January 2011
Asked by Baroness Scott of Needham Market
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the England-wide Volunteering Infrastructure Programme will provide funds to existing as well as to new volunteer centres.[HL6109]
Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The Volunteering Infrastructure Programme will connect people with local volunteering opportunities and support organisations to manage volunteers. The Government are currently considering the shape of the programme, including the eligibility criteria.
There will be further announcements on the volunteering infrastructure programme in the coming months.
Now call me quirky, but doesn't that sound as if the Conservatives hadn't really thought through the consequences of the 'Big Society' before the election? Or enough since?
No comments:
Post a Comment