New membership scheme to tackle ‘false dichotomy’ between generic and specialist voluntary sectors
For the first time in the history of the voluntary and community sector (VCS), generic and specialist organisations have come together to pioneer a collaborative membership venture. The Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) support organisation Voice4Change England (V4CE) have brought together two leading generic support organisations, NCVO and Community Matters, to reach the unmet needs of BME voluntary and community organisations.
New membership scheme to tackle ‘false dichotomy’ between generic and specialist voluntary sectors
For the first time in the history of the voluntary and community sector (VCS), generic and specialist organisations have come together to pioneer a collaborative membership venture. The Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) support organisation Voice4Change England (V4CE) have brought together two leading generic support organisations, NCVO and Community Matters, to reach the unmet needs of BME voluntary and community organisations.
V4CE is pioneering a new venture that will tackle what they see as a ‘false dichotomy’ between the specialist and generic VCS. The collaboration fuses the strengths of specialist and generic infrastructure, to resource and support organisations who the generic sector often fail to reach.
Charity Builder have joined the collaboration and added to the membership programme free, interactive tools in vital areas like HR and health and safety.
Find out more about the new programme Becoming a Member
What the partners are saying about the programme
Voice4Change England
“This membership programme marks a ground breaking step for VCS collaboration. It plays to the strengths of all four partner organisations and proves what can be achieved through fruitful, equitable partnership. Specialist infrastructure should maintain its independent policy voice, but by brokering stronger relationships between BME VCOs and generic infrastructure, this unique membership scheme provides strategic support and avoids any duplication of services. To create a society where the needs of all communities are met, we need support and funding for both generic and specialist services. But we believe in a VCS where specialist and generic organisations are not in competition but collaborate and complement one another to share their strengths and improve services for their beneficiaries. I am pleased to be launching a programme that responds innovatively and efficiently to the needs of BME VCOs." – Vandna Gohil, Director, Voice4Change England
Community Matters
Our expertise in the management of community organisations and community buildings has proven invaluable to our members and we look forward to working with BME organisations who share our vision of a national network of grassroots community action. – David Tyler, CEO, Community Matters
Charity Builder UK
Charity Builder, a Tennyson Insurance initiative, is pleased and proud to partner with V4CE at this exciting time for them as an organisation. We believe that Charity Builder will be a helpful new tool to many of V4CE’s members as it provides interactive help with Human Resources and Health and Safety management, two issues which are often time-consuming and expensive to deal with. Charity Builder will be available free of charge to all V4CE members. We look forward to supporting the BME sector in 2011 and for years to come. – Simon Wright, Managing Director, Charity Builder UK
NCVO
I am proud that NCVO is working in collaboration with V4CE, bringing together leading national support organisations and reaching thousands of BAME organisations that would otherwise not receive the support and resources that we can both offer. This relationship will allow us to provide these members with the specialist knowledge of V4CE and NCVO’s national perspective – Gillen Knight, Head of Marketing and Membership, NCVO
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