In our first Team Blog, our Head of Operations, Jill Parker, explores what the VCSE sector is and its critical role as a partner in the delivery of public services.
The Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector is a force for good, supporting wellbeing and creativity in our communities, enabling the arts and culture to thrive, offering education and opportunities to children and adults alike, preserving our history and restoring and enhancing the natural environment.
At the core of many VCSE organisations is a commitment to building communities through creating the circumstances in which people can live a fulfilled life, form relationships and a sense of belonging, make decisions about and contribute to creating what works for them in their community. It is a commitment to ‘prevention’, that wrap-around support that addresses inequalities by ensuring that everyone is welcome and benefits from shared resources and opportunities to build local, long-term, trusted relationships.
This makes the VCSE sector a critical partner in delivering public services. Its organisations can be very flexible in responding to changing needs and can reach and support people who may not be able to access mainstream services.
In 2022/23 the VCSE sector delivered £347M worth of public services in Gloucestershire.
The types of public service delivered by the VCSE sector include:
- homelessness support and temporary accommodation,
- domestic violence and sexual abuse services,
- social care services,
- services for disabled people,
- education and training,
- support for people with experience of the criminal justice system,
- youth services,
- mental health support, including counselling and suicide prevention,
- advice, including support with debt and benefits,
- health services, including hospices and rehabilitation services.
The VCSE sector in Gloucestershire is an ever-changing landscape, made up of over 3,000 registered charities, around 300 Community Interest Companies and numerous small community and interest groups. The following examples illustrate the breadth of what they offer and the value of their support to individuals and communities:
- The Music Works supports young people to develop confidence, self-belief and motivation through music
- Family Space offers support to children and parents in Cheltenham
- Longfield Community Hospice provides free care to adults with a life-limiting illness and support for their loved ones and carers
- Mindsong reaches people with dementia through music
You can find out more about the VCSE sector in Gloucestershire, its successes and the pressures it faces, in our State of the Sector Report.
Interested in writing a guest blog?
We're currently building a new website and are looking for guest bloggers. If you're interested in writing a guest blog, please This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. We would like to prioritise VCSE sector groups, organisations and partners at the moment. However, please do get in contact if you do not fit within these categories (we will be diversifying this offer so please do get in contact!).
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We share regular news updates and information for the VCSE Sector in Gloucestershire - including job vacancies - in our News Bulletin. If you're not on the mailing list yet, please sign up using our webform.
Support for the VCSE sector in Gloucestershire
We provide a range of support for VCSE sector groups & organisations of all shapes and sizes in Gloucestershire, including fully funded training & events, a range of thematic mailings, regular news updates, free membership and help recruiting volunteers.
We are the independent voice of the VCSE sector in Gloucestershire and are passionate about promoting equal partnerships at every level. You can find out more about how we work in partnership and represent the sector on our About Us page.
