Tuesday 30 August 2011

Speak up while you can

South West Forum’s timely report mixing useful case studies with grim tidings on how cuts are already muffling the voices that influence decision makers (see previous blog post and here) was welcomed at a meeting at Bath Spa University last week of funders and others who support voluntary sector organisations in the region.

A number of funders have been doing their own surveys into how the cuts are beginning to bite, and sounded gloomy – the representative of one national funder said that the cutbacks in funding advisers and support were really beginning to show.

Wednesday 24 August 2011

Who's Listening to the Big Society?

We have recently published a report about the voice and influence of voluntary and community organisations across the South West. It looks at voluntary sector forums and assemblies, and how far they include marginalised groups such as asylum seekers and refugees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered communities. You can access the report, case studies and recommendations at www.southwestforum.org.uk/whoslistening.