This month’s policy roundup gives you an insight into what ACEVO’s policy and influencing team has been up to over the last month.
By Shareen Patel, policy and influencing officer at ACEVO.
A narrated version of this blog is available at the bottom of the page
Joint manifesto work for upcoming general election
The next general election is predicted to take place in Autumn 2024. In collaboration with NCVO, we are producing a joint manifesto for charities to ensure that our sector forms a key part of the vision for a future society. Our manifesto seeks to address the big questions that impact our sector and our society:
- How can we ensure people can raise their voice and be heard by decision makers?
- What solutions are needed to ensure everyone can benefit from prosperity and opportunity?
- How can we make it possible for everyone to take action to help others and the causes they care about?
- What change is needed to make sure we can all live a fulfilling life where our wellbeing is supported?
- How can we make lasting change to protect our climate?
We are running in-person and online events to gather feedback about what we should include in the manifesto. We plan to draft it over summer and consult on it later this year.
Details of the free-to-attend events are below.
- Sheffield (in-person). Thursday 22 June 13:00 – 16:15. The Circle, 33 Rockingham Lane, Sheffield S1 4FW. Book now.
- Leicester (in-person). Monday 3 July 13:00 – 16:15. Voluntary Action Leicestershire, 9 Newarke Street, Leicester LE1 5SN. Book now.
- Online (Zoom). Wednesday 12 July 11:00 – 13:00. Book now.
- London (in-person). Thursday 13 July 11:00 – 13:45. NCVO, Society Building, 8 All Saints Street, London N1 9RL. Book now.
Campaigning during an election help
We, alongside other sector bodies, plan to put together a brief resource offering practical support and guidance to charities on campaigning rules ahead of the election. We want to help you be best equipped to represent your communities and causes and campaign with confidence. More details will be coming soon.
Tackling the climate crisis
The team has refreshed our Climate Crisis page on the ACEVO Community in efforts to stimulate discussion, debate and encourage sharing of resources, ideas and support in taking action. We will be posting new content at least on a monthly basis and encourage you to also use this channel to share your thoughts and ask any questions you may have in tackling the climate crisis.
If you need some help getting started, please take a look at our Climate Leadership Principles here. ACEVO members tell us that using these principles have been helpful to start a conversation with their Board and you can also read case studies from members who are using the principles to take action. If you have already signed up, please let us know how you are getting on with implementing change by dropping us an email. We’d love to hear from you.
In other news, New Philanthropy Capital (NPC) has launched its first briefing paper as part of its Everyone’s Environment Programme, which looks at how environmental change and policies are affecting young people, older people, disabled people, and people from ethnic minority communities that they serve.
The first briefing paper is from the youth strand. It found there to be an abundance of evidence for how environmental crises will harm young people’s physical and mental health and their education, development, and income. It also found that young people on low incomes in the UK are more likely to be affected by the changing environment than their more affluent peers. Young people from ethnic minority communities and disabled young people are disproportionately represented in low-income households and will therefore be more affected.
DCMS funding for charities
We are continuing to liaise with DCMS officials on the details for the distribution of the £100m funding for charities and community organisations in England announced in the Spring Budget. We recognise the extremely hard times organisations are facing with rising prices, rising demand and falling income and are urging that the funds are distributed as quickly as possible. We will share more details as soon as we are able to.
Update on Public Order Bill
The Public Order Bill received Royal Assent at the beginning of May and its powers were seen during the King’s Coronation. We recognise the fundamental right to protest and how it can strengthen civil society in holding those in power to account. ACEVO strongly defends the right and lawful ability of charity leaders to campaign with freedom and confidence to further their charitable goals. You can read our latest blog on this here.
Home Office consultation on mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse
For interested members, we are signposting to a consultation opened by the Home Office on the mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse. This call for evidence seeks views on how implementing a duty to report child sexual abuse is likely to impact children, organisations, and affected workforces and volunteers: and how different aspects could be implemented.
The consultation is particularly aimed at those working with children and young people in regulated activity or positions of trust (including in the charity, voluntary and community sectors), those involved in law enforcement and, more generally, individuals and groups working with children and supporting those affected by child sexual abuse. The consultation closes at 11:59 pm on Monday 14 August.
The policy and influencing team is here to help! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me on shareen.patel@acevo.org.uk.
