On July 14th Macc is holding a voluntary sector assembly about social prescribing, where we will be helping the VCSE sector to write a manifesto about what we collectively want from social prescribing. This article is my personal take on some of the issues.
It’s an old question: “have you ever wondered what it would be like if….?” (Bit of a cliché in fact, but go with me, it’s the end of a long difficult year...)
On the day I’m writing this, we’re asking that question about the work of local charities, community groups, faith groups, voluntary organisations and social enterprises. Have you ever wondered what it would be like if they just weren’t there?
No Going Back, Macc's latest report brings together the experiences of 22 local voluntary sector leaders who shine a light on the critical role that the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector has played during the response to the Covid-19 crisis. As well as reflecting on the lessons learned during the crisis, the leaders make the case for change going forward and highlight the unique opportunity society has to make things better in the future. Articles cover a diverse range of issues including: mental health; disability; community radio; funding; community centres; racism; sexual abuse; domestic violence; prisoners; commissioning; partnership; youth support; LGBT; and advice.
As you may be aware, earlier this year Manchester City Council and Manchester Health and Care Commissioning launched a competitive tendering process for the contract to provide support to the city's voluntary and community sector for the next three years. We are delighted to announce that Macc has been awarded this contract.
I’ve been involved in Greater Manchester Social Value Network since its beginning in 2015. I have been to dozens of meetings about social value, run many workshops, attended a fair few conferences and, despite the efforts of the network and other social value organisations, there is still a lot of basic misunderstanding about some aspects of a social value approach. One of the mistakes I come across frequently is the confusion of social value with “additional” or “on-top” value and that’s what this blog is about.
Monday 22 July 2019 marks 100 years (to the day) of the formation of Manchester and Salford Council of Social Service. Macc, Salford CVS and Gaddum have worked together to mark the occasion with a celebratory event at the People’s History Museum. We felt it is important to mark 100 years of social action across the twin cities of Salford and Manchester.
Darren Knight, Chief Executive of Bolton CVS has conducted some research, on behalf of Greater Manchester VCSE Devolution Refernce Group, into the relationship of Local Care Organisations (organisations that bring together stautory community health and social care providers) and the VCSE sector. In brief, all LCO's want to work with VCSE sector and recognise their importance but that is not translating into funding or consistent engagement mechanisms as yet.
I like stats and I like stories and I like it even better when the two are put together, because that’s where real richness is found.
"Care & Repair England aims to improve housing & related services so that older people can live independently in their own homes for as long as they choose.
We seek to improve related policy and practice."
"Curiously enough, the only thing that went through the mind of the bowl of petunias as it fell was “Oh no, not again”.
Many people have speculated that if we knew exactly why the bowl of petunias had thought that we would know a lot more about the nature of the Universe than we do now."