Our State of the Sector Survey in 2013 found that there were 3,093 voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations in Manchester, with an estimated income of £477 million. The sector employed the equivalent of 12,400 full time staff and 94,300 volunteers gave 370,000 hours, with an estimated value of £332 million. Decision makers took note of the survey results, we know it increased their understanding of the sector. Some of the key facts (3093 organisations, 94,300 volunteers) are now widely quoted by colleagues in the Council, the NHS and other bodies such as Big Lottery Fund. It has influenced the development of plans and policies such as the new Our Manchester strategy. All this means that Macc – and everyone in the sector – is able to state confidently what an important social and economic contribution we make in our city and use that to influence decisions about commissioning and funding.
However since then there have been significant changes both within the sector and the city so it’s now time to repeat the survey. We want to know how the government cuts and economic recession have affected our sector. We need to know how many groups have lost funding, how many have had to reduce services and how many have had to close or are facing closure. But also how we continue to work together providing valuable services and support to the people of Manchester.
The work we do as a sector directly affects the lives of people in Manchester, so it is very important that we know what is happening. We are working on the survey with The Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research (CRESR), at Sheffield Hallam University and partner organisations across Greater Manchester to enable us to create not just a Manchester picture of the sector but a Greater Manchester wide footprint to enable us to provide value evidence and insight into the Greater Manchester devolution agenda.
How the survey will be used – we will publish our findings in March 2017 and we will be using the evidence gathered to:
• Ensure the City Council, NHS and Clinical Commissioning Groups, the Police and local businesses are aware of the role of the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector in Manchester
• Influence policy and decision making
• Influence commissioning and funding plans
• Ensure that decision and policy makers locally and nationally are aware of the impact of recent cuts and public sector reform has had on local groups
• Help plan the services and activities Macc and our partners provide to assist local groups
We need you – We are asking a wide range of organisations to take part: large national organisations, small community groups, faith based organisations and tenants organisations. Please add your voice to this group and make sure you are included. We know how busy you are, so we really do appreciate you giving time to complete the survey. This research will only be useful if enough groups take part to make the response rate significant. This means it is important that as many groups as possible answer. Your answers will be treated in the strictest confidence and not published in a way that identifies your organisation.
FREE PRIZE DRAW
If your group has a turnover of less than £100k a year, you will automatically be entered into a free prize draw to win £250 cash or two runner up prizes of a free place on any of our training courses.
How to take part:
Click here to complete our survey by Friday 25 November 2016
For more information regarding the research contact Michelle Foster on 0161 834 9823, or email: [email protected]