Consultations

Skills strategy consultation
The government has pledged support to voluntary sector organisations in delivering the Big Society, particularly in providing more public services and building strong communities.

To rise to these challenges, charities, social enterprises and other voluntary sector organisations need people with the right skills in the right numbers to make a difference.

A National Skills Strategy represents the foresight needed to bring about the kind of workforce for a professional and thriving voluntary sector.

There  are several ways to take part in Skills - Third Sector’s public consultation with the sector to develop the National Skills Strategy

1. Fill in the online consultation

2. Join in the discussions on the discussion board

3. Tell us about the examples of good skills development for the voluntary sector that you know about by emailing us.

4. Join one of the regional roundtables. The dates for the regional roundtables are:

9 July, London

13 July, West Midlands – Birmingham

15 July, Yorkshire & Humber - Leeds

20 July, South East – Guildford

22 July, North East – Newcastle

1 September, East Midlands – Leicester

2 September, Eastern Region – Cambridge

7 September, South West – Taunton / Exeter

10 September, North West - Manchester

They are open by application only. If you would like to apply for a place please email  giving your name, organisation, role and contact details.

Ideas so far for the national skills strategy for the voluntary sector are published in the National Skills Strategy framework. This sets out the research they have based theirr ideas on, four priority skills areas this research suggests that are needed and ideas for the delivery principles that will help ensure the sector has access to good quality skills development.

For information about the recent policy announcements that affect skills in our sector read The voluntary sector skills landscape.

The consultation will be Compact compliant and run from now through to September of this year. The findings of the consultation and the National Skills Strategy for the Voluntary Sector will be published by the end of 2010.

Please encourage your colleagues and other people in your networks to get involved.

The more views we have the more the skills strategy will be able to represent the diverse interests and needs of our sector.