The Department for Communities’ Voluntary and Community Division has carried out a programme of extensive engagement over the past few months to inform a refresh of our approach to supporting sector infrastructure and the development of an integrated policy framework to underpin future funding programmes. We have engaged with people from a wide range of organisations to draw together their collective experiences, understand key priorities and needs, listen to ideas and opinions and add voice and input to help us to shape future programmes for whom the refresh will deliver. See complete overview of engagement here.

Through this engagement, desk research, and survey data findings, we were able to identify the current needs and priorities for future support in the sector and map them against the four functions of Infrastructure Support for exploration.

We are now keen to share what we have learned, and seek views on our proposed Infrastructure Support Framework through a public consultation: https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/consultations/consultation-voluntary-and-community-sector-infrastructure-support

We welcome views and responses on the proposed framework through our consultation events being hosted both in person and online in November and December. The events will take the form of roundtable discussions and are an opportunity to share thoughts, ideas, or comments.

We also welcome views and responses on the proposed framework via email: vcsinfrastructure@communities-ni.gov.uk

VCS Infrastructure Support Consultation Engagement Event - Virtual