In September 2023, Macc launched our first What We Stand For policy statements. These new statements set out our stance on a range of issues that affect our city. However, these are more than just written statements. They are our commitment to sharing what we believe and collaborating with others to challenge the very real social issues facing our city.
We believe that Manchester is a great city but one that faces challenges such as poverty, homelessness, climate change and ill health. In fact, the impact of some of these issues such as poverty and ill health are felt more in this city than elsewhere in the country. We want to see real change in Manchester and so we are inviting you to join with us to discuss, campaign and take action on these issues.
Read our statements
Manchester Voluntary, Community, Social Enterprise Sector Statement
Business Partnerships Statement
In September 2023, we launched our first statement on poverty.
Poverty is not inevitable.
Macc will keep highlighting the effects of poverty, championing the work of the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector in tackling poverty, and challenging the social, economic and political decisions that lead to poverty, until it is eradicated in Manchester.
We’ve adopted the Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s definition of poverty, “When a person’s resources (mainly their material resources) are not sufficient to meet their minimum needs (including social participation).” Manchester has long faced higher than average levels of poverty which are linked to unemployment, lower household incomes from low paid work and benefits, and the increased cost of everyday life including rent, mortgages, utility bills and food. Behind the statistics are stories of lives blighted and potential wasted by the effects of poverty on people’s lives, health and life chances.
This leads to, and is made worse by, health inequalities. People living in poverty in Manchester are more likely to be ill for longer and to die earlier. However, there are also disparities within the city with a life expectancy gap of eight years for men and six years for women between those living in the most affluent and disadvantaged areas.
All people in Manchester should have an income that is enough to live a happy, healthy life and not just survive. Many jobs in Manchester are still underpaid and insecure. This directly leads to poverty as people are not paid enough to live and cannot save money as a protection from any financial shocks. A low income also means some people in Manchester are forced to make impossible decisions, such as going without food or heating, turning to sex work, or borrowing money on unfavourable terms or by illegal means just to get by. Added to this, the safety net of our social security system no longer does enough to protect people from poverty. It is consistently shown that people receiving benefits are still falling into poverty and are having to make really tough financial decisions.
Manchester charities, community groups, voluntary organisations, social enterprises and the community work of faith groups plays an essential role in supporting those dealing with the day to day challenges of living in poverty. The sector is at the frontline, providing a range of debt and other advice services, crisis support and homelessness services. We also recognise that the impact of poverty falls harder on some communities than others in Manchester, which reflects historical structural inequalities, and we believe that the solutions will need to be driven with people in all communities. Voice should not belong only to those in power or without need.
We want to work with anyone who wants to tackle poverty, its impacts, and improve the lives of people in the city, working together is the only way to solve this challenge. Macc will also campaign against poverty and challenge the decisions, wherever they are made, that contribute to it. We will continue to work towards a time when we can collectively tackle poverty and end it for good.
- To find out more about the picture of poverty in Manchester, visit the GMPA Poverty Monitor
- You can take action by supporting campaigns which aim to address the many factors that affect poverty such as the JRF and Trussell Trust Guarantee Our Essentials campaign, the End Child Poverty Coalition, the cash first approach of Greater Manchester Poverty Action and the Real Living Wage campaign.
Download our Poverty Statement here
On 23 October 2023, Macc launched our second statement on Anti-Racism:
Macc is working to be an anti-racist organisation, to celebrate diversity and to work with others to increase equity across Manchester.
We believe that every individual and community has unique skills, talents, knowledge and insights that are important. Our collective skills, knowledge and lived experience make Manchester’s diversity its greatest strength. Racism exists, it manifests in many different ways and harms people’s lives. Racism has no place in Manchester and is contrary to our values of being supportive, collaborative and influential. Communities experiencing racial inequalities* face structural racism daily in areas such as housing, social security, education, health and employment. Being an anti-racist organisation means we will actively identify and challenge structural and institutional racism publicly, and promote racial equity in Manchester. Whilst equality can mean each person is given the same resources, Macc argues for an equitable redistribution of resources so everyone can reach the same result. We will do everything we can to ensure we are an anti-racist organisation. This includes looking at our own organisational culture including reviewing our policies and processes, and helping Macc staff, volunteers and members to develop their self-awareness and understanding of racism.
Hate crime is a major issue in Manchester - the highest rate of recorded hate crime, across England and Wales, is in the Greater Manchester Police force area. Race is the largest factor in hate crime. We will continue to be involved in campaigns such as Hate Crime Awareness Week and work with other organisations to highlight and challenge discrimination. For us, embracing diversity means championing and reflecting the needs and aspirations of all communities in the city, building shared understanding and increasing community cohesion. We aim to strengthen the voice of all communities and support our sector’s work to ensure no one is left behind.
Macc commits to exposing structural racism and working with others to campaign for equity for all. The more equal a society, the happier, healthier, safer and more successful that society is. This in turn benefits everyone. We are ready to play our full part in a movement to achieve justice for everyone experiencing discrimination, by campaigning for the removal of systemic barriers that are the causes of inequality. We want to work towards a city where everyone can flourish, free from racism and hate.
Download our Anti-Racism Statement here
Manchester Voluntary, Community, Social Enterprise Sector Statement
The voluntary, community and social enterprise sector (VCSE sector) exists all across Manchester and we are part of the fabric of the city. Manchester wouldn’t be the same without us.
There are almost 4,000 charities, community groups, faith organisations doing community work, not-for-profit and social enterprise organisations across the city. The VCSE sector is local people getting together to do useful things that make a difference in our communities. It is not about old-fashioned ideas of ‘charity’ but active citizens providing mutual support in organisations that are governed by and accountable to local communities. We make Manchester a better place to live, study, work and do business. The VCSE sector contributes to the economy and works to reduce inequalities. The VCSE sector is, collectively, a powerful force for positive change: in both practical action and in influencing decisions and policymaking.
The beauty of the VCSE sector is in its diversity. The scale, complexity, experience and wealth of talent forms a huge ecosystem. We often hear challenge from people outside the sector to rationalise and tidy it up. We think that is fundamentally wrong: you don’t look at a beautiful garden and decide it would be better if it was just one big flower. The VCSE sector is irreplaceable and represents the diversity of our city.
Like volunteering, the VCSE sector is not a cost-free resource. Local VCSE organisations have a lot in common with local businesses with challenges around running costs, workforce recruitment, and staff and volunteer wellbeing. Unlike businesses, the full effect of what the sector does cannot be monetised. Macc advocates for resources for the VCSE sector that fully reflect what our work costs. Recent years have seen the sector becoming overwhelmed with demand – this is taking its toll on organisations, workers (paid and voluntary), on leadership and on resources.
Macc often challenges the idea that some people are ‘hard to reach’ - it’s more true to say that some institutions find it hard to go to where people are. The VCSE sector is communities organising themselves so it's a great place to engage and collaborate but that must be recognised as requiring resources, not there to be exploited. These resources should be allocated equitably across the city.
Equally, Macc is a critical friend of the VCSE sector. We believe that the sector should model the future: as inclusive and fair employers, as purchasers of goods and services, as campaigners, and as providers of services. We share learning and, if needed, challenge poor practice - as well as celebrating the impact and achievements of our amazing VCSE colleagues in this city.
Macc’s goal is to make it as easy as possible for VCSE organisations and local people to make their best contribution to life in Manchester.
Download our Manchester Voluntary, Community, Social Enterprise Sector Statement here
All forms of homelessness can be prevented. Macc will continue to listen, lobby and collaborate with those with lived and learned experience of homelessness. Collectively we can, and will, end homelessness.
We believe that every person has the right to a safe and secure home. However, there are too many people in Manchester living in unsuitable and expensive temporary accommodation for too long with no prospect of a permanent home or sofa surfing, living in homeless shelters and living on our streets. Macc believes that this needs to change. Experiencing any kind of homelessness can lead to increased stress, exacerbate mental health concerns, and lead to relationship breakdown, with people losing jobs and a steady income, in need of primary healthcare support and less access to healthy food.
The Government has failed to provide funding to build adequate social housing, resulting in people with no access to affordable, long-term homes. The impact of this has been a massive increase in the use of expensive and private rented accommodation with Manchester now being one of the most expensive cities in the UK to rent in. This exacerbates the problem and means people are kept in a cycle of homelessness, whether they are living in temporary accommodation, hostel accommodation or rough sleeping. Manchester City Council has a house building programme but even more affordable housing is needed along with more suitable temporary accommodation.
We believe that tackling homelessness is essential to helping people out of poverty and one way is to work with landlords to ensure people are provided with good quality accommodation at a reasonable rate. Macc supports initiatives such as the development of a Greater Manchester Good Landlord Charter to bring about safe and affordable housing for all. Our current system does not hold landlords accountable. The most vulnerable people in Manchester are at higher risk of being forced out of their homes with immediate effect e.g. those with No Recourse to Public Funds, people experiencing mental health concerns and people out of work.
We believe that prevention is part of the solution. Manchester’s voluntary, community and social enterprise sector has taken steps to identify key preventative methods. The Manchester Homelessness Partnership is a collective made up of people with lived and learned experience of homelessness. Their work includes mapping prevention systems, services and initiatives across the city, and Macc will support this collective to identify prevention gaps and lobby for policy change.
Macc is committed to work in collaboration with anyone looking to tackle the key causes of homelessness. Macc stands with those organisations supporting people experiencing homelessness to not only prevent homelessness but address the real every day needs of people experiencing homelessness in Manchester and reducing the stigma around experiencing homelessness. Working together will enable us to share power with people who use homelessness services, enabling all parties to have an equal say in design and decision-making. Collectively, we will move towards a Manchester where no one is made homeless.
Macc is part of the Manchester Homelessness Partnership. You can find out more about this partnership and other ways to contribute to the collective work to end homelessness in Manchester.
Download our Homelessness Statement here
At Macc, we are deeply committed to addressing the urgent climate crisis and taking meaningful and practical action towards a sustainable future. According to the latest reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, human activities, principally through emissions of greenhouse gases, have unequivocally caused global warming (IPCC, 2023). This crisis is already leading to widespread adversity and suffering, and affecting human health and wellbeing in increasingly unpredictable ways. Failure to take action today would impose significantly higher costs on future generations than the material efforts and spending required to address the issue promptly. It is a local, national and global issue that will affect us all.
We believe it is imperative that action now follows to protect human and ecological health, economic wellbeing, and reduce rising inequalities. The environment is pivotal in shaping all aspects of our daily life in Manchester, and everyone's quality of life will be affected by environmental change. Increasingly extreme and unpredictable weather, such as heatwaves and floods, will risk property and infrastructure, and threaten life as well as biodiversity. Globally, as regions become uninhabitable due to rising sea levels and other climate factors, and resource scarcity causes rising unrest, populations will be displaced. Mass migration will put additional strain on already densely populated cities like Manchester and lead to challenges related to housing, health, work, education and social inclusion. As Manchester continuously grows, climate action must respond proportionally to the emerging needs of a growing population, which should include the expansion of green spaces, public transport and sustainable infrastructure.
The effects of climate change are uneven, and some marginalised communities, regions, and ecosystems are particularly vulnerable. It is important that people from those communities are heard, and their needs addressed, as they are likely to be more affected by climate change and have less resources to adapt to it. The potential direct impacts on health are varied, including respiratory problems, cardiovascular diseases and allergies. It will disproportionately affect vulnerable populations in Manchester such as children, the elderly and people living with pre-existing health conditions. The action taken to tackle climate will also be beneficial for public health, the economy in the long-term and everyday quality of life. Often, wins for climate justice also mean wins for social justice.
Macc’s Climate Action Strategy is focused on three areas where we can influence change:
We aim to build a culture of awareness and create a safe space for dialogue, so all staff can speak openly about difficult environmental topics. We aim to inspire our staff to make changes in their own live.
We continuously seek opportunities to improve our environmental performance and integrate environmentally responsible practices and policies into our own operations at Macc. We aim to minimise our carbon footprint, promote environmentally conscious decision-making, and encourage others to do the same.
We acknowledge that our resources in the VCSE sector are stretched. We all have different focuses, but Macc believes that everyone can play a role in local climate action, regardless of their mission. Through collaboration and partnerships, we aim to play our part in limiting the impacts of climate change and contribute to creating a thriving, healthy, green, and socially just Manchester. We realise that climate jargon, like 'net zero', and 'carbon neutral' can make conversations inaccessible and unappealing, and we appreciate that individual activism and lobbying have a place. However, this is a collective problem that cannot be achieved by individual action alone – when organisations all make change together, we can make collective change.
Macc stands firmly in support of climate action, recognising the immense challenges posed by human-caused climate change and the need for collective efforts to limit and adapt to its impacts. We strive to foster a sense of urgency and inspire individuals, communities, and policymakers to take decisive steps and keep their promises. Together, we can make a difference and create a more sustainable and resilient future.
Download our Climate Statement here
At Macc, we believe that every individual, regardless of their background, nationality or circumstances, has the right to live in safety and with dignity. We stand firmly for the principle that refugees and asylum seekers in Greater Manchester should be provided with a safe and stable place to call home.
We recognise that those seeking sanctuary in our country are fleeing war, destruction and danger, in search of a better life and safety for themselves and their loved ones. Behind the labels and terms, there are individual human beings who all matter and deserve a secure future.
Greater Manchester is known for its compassion for and support of individuals in their most dire situations. The remarkable efforts of Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations in the region showcase this compassion, exemplified by groups within the GM Sanctuary Seekers group, a collaborative space convened by Macc. We are also proud to host the GM Migrant Destitution Fund, which provides critical financial assistance to individuals who are forced into destitution due to their immigration status. This vital support enables them to meet their basic needs, restore dignity and rebuild their lives.
We acknowledge the immense role of the VCSE sector, which has stepped in to fill the gaps where governments have repeatedly failed. Recent years have seen challenges and barriers made worse by unworkable policies and dehumanising language used for political point-scoring, as clearly seen in the Illegal Migration Act. Despite this, VCSE organisations have been working relentlessly continue to provide essential services under increasingly unmanageable pressure – and to make their voices heard in calling for change.
We recognise that progress has been made in Greater Manchester towards cross-sector collaboration, however, there are still gaps where improvement is needed. Therefore, we:
- urge the UK government to develop a fair, humane and sustainable plan for refugees, prioritising dignity, adequate accommodation and integration into a safe and secure community;
- call on local leaders to advocate for changes to central government policy on behalf of individuals experiencing and VCSE organisations working in the asylum and migration system;
- advocate for a collaborative, coordinated and cross-sector approach to making Greater Manchester a place of sanctuary for all.
We believe that integration and contribution are essential components of a successful refugee and asylum seeker experience. By ensuring access to education, employment and social services, we can help people develop new skills, make meaningful connections with their communities and contribute their unique perspectives and talents to society.
We reject divisive narratives and instead promote unity. Every person has the right to a safe and secure home. By standing together in solidarity, we can work towards a better system for everyone.
If you’d like to find out more about the work of the VCSE sector on this agenda in Greater Manchester, please contact Emily McKinnell from Macc’s Policy and Influence Team at [email protected].
Download our Sanctuary Seekers Statement here
Business Partnerships Statement
Macc’s vision is of a common purpose of improving our city through trusting, creative and ambitious relationships within the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector, with public bodies and local businesses.
Manchester has grown into a major business hub, with many types of enterprises, from small businesses to large corporations. Over the past 20 years, the city’s economy has grown rapidly, making it one of the top regional economies, outperforming cities like Liverpool, Sheffield and Leeds. Manchester's business sector generated profits of around £87 billion in 2021.
Given the city’s visible economic success, there remains untapped potential for strategic partnerships between businesses and the VCSE sector to improve the quality of life in Manchester. While there are great local examples of fundraising and philanthropic relationships, we believe there is a greater opportunity. Partnerships and collaboration across different sectors are key to creating positive change, reducing inequalities and improving the lives of people in our communities.
We want to build a local movement to bring together businesses and our diverse range of local charities, social enterprises, not-for-profit and community organisations. We have shared interests: the need for a thriving business sector is well understood as a component of a local economy, but the value created by a thriving VCSE sector is a contributing factor to business success - not only in meeting needs and addressing social issues, but creating spaces of culture, faith and participation.
A vibrant VCSE sector and active communities are part of what makes places attractive to the investors, employers and the workforce which businesses need. The increasing focus on social value, on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles and socially responsible business practices, as seen in initiatives like B-Corp and the GM Good Employment Charter show there is ambition to progress towards an inclusive and sustainable economic model.
Macc is dedicated to learning from successful examples and encouraging collaborations that combine resources, skills and expertise to create a more inclusive economy in Manchester. To do this, we need to move beyond short-term transactions towards deeper, long-term relationships between businesses and our VCSE sector. We are investing in this through our Business Partnerships initiative, creating a framework to help VCSE organisations and businesses work together for mutual benefit.
You can read more about our Business Partnerships initiative here: Working With Businesses
We invite all stakeholders to help shape our vision and future projects to lead the way in creating a sustainable and inclusive economy which benefits the diverse communities who call Manchester home.
For more information or to get involved, please contact Richard Phillips, our Business Partnerships Lead, at [email protected].
Download our Business Partnerships Statement here
Find out more on our website: GMVCSE Accord, Macc State of the Sector, explore our impact stories, explore our directory
Or take action: Support the Spirit of Manchester Fund and volunteer via Volunteer Centre Manchester