Surrey Infrastructure Consortium
In June 2004 the Government published its Change Up report outlining how it expected the voluntary sector ‘s capacity to develop, and put unprecedented levels of funding into enabling this to happen.
A new Office of the Third Sector in the Cabinet office was also created - www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/thirdsector
In Surrey this led to the setting up of a Surrey Infrastructure Consortium Group (SIC) comprising the generalist and specialist infrastructure (or membership ) bodies in Surrey – like Surrey Community Action, the borough level Councils for Voluntary services(CVS) and specialist bodies like Age Concern and Surrey Youth Focus. SIC is chaired by Jean Roberts- Jones of Surrey Community Action, and Surrey Youth Focus are members as a specialist infrastructure body.
A workshop event on 10 March 2008 for the VCFS determined that the sector’s key priorities were: funding advice, volunteer recruitment and retention, and sorting out representation on official bodies like the various strategic partnerships. These, and other needs have been incorporated into a SIC Action Plan for 2008-09.
The issue of representation has been addressed through a (NAVCA) consultant’s report “Routes to Partnership “ (Sept 2008) suggesting the setting up of a VCFS Assembly in Surrey, or electoral college, from which to elect representatives to take up seats on various strategic partnerships. See Surrey Youth Focus Statements to review Surrey Youth Focus comments on this.
A National Indicator (NI7) “Environment for a Thriving Third sector” has also been adopted by the Surrey Strategic Partnership, and actions to assist in its achievement are being addressed by a sub – group of SIC.
More information about SIC is on the SCA website.
