Shaping Support For Sandwell’s Voluntary Sector

Like many charities and not-for-profits across the country, Sandwell Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) organisations have faced a tide of post-pandemic challenges during 2023, many relating to the current cost of living crisis.  Sandwell VCS umbrella organisation SCVO is seeking feedback from local VCS organisations on what support they need now to ensure they remain healthy and sustainable so they can continue providing effective local support to Sandwell residents.

Many Sandwell VCS leaders will recall and reflect on the lifeline our Sector offered many vulnerable residents through the pandemic, and recognise how strongly their organisations, staff and volunteers have ‘bounced back’ over the last year.  However, organisations are currently enduring a range of financial, inflationary and workforce pressures, as well as significant demands on services and activities as many residents feel the strain of the current cost of living crisis.

Over the last 12 months SCVO has provided support to VCS organisations around a range of issues including funding, workforce, collaboration, service development and grant funding.  In the autumn last year SCVO undertook a Sector survey into the ‘cost of living’ pressures, sharing the report widely in late 2022.

To inform SCVO as it shapes and plans its support for the Sector, local VCS organisations and community groups are being invited to share with SCVO their current priorities and challenges, and their thoughts on developing and sustaining their activities and services in the future.  As ever, the findings from this survey will be shared on this website and with local strategic partners.

SCVO really values feedback from our local members and invites all active VCS groups and organisations to complete this short survey.

The survey can be accessed here.