Shropshire organisations encouraged to complete voluntary sector survey

Organisations that work with volunteers and deliver services to the public are being encouraged to complete the Shropshire VCSA Volunteering and Social Action Survey 2016.

The Voluntary Community Sector Assembly (VCSA) carries out a biennial study of the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector (VCSE) in Shropshire to try to understand the impact that the economic environment has on organisations.

This year’s survey will include detailed questions on volunteering, infrastructure, partnerships, social action and impact.

Gwilym Butler, Shropshire Council’s deputy Cabinet member with responsibility for the community and voluntary sector, said:

“Recent changes and pressures at a national level have meant bigger challenges for all in Shropshire, and pressure for the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) groups and organisations to support vulnerable people and deliver preventative and other services with less funding.
“It’s important that we are able to demonstrate the effect and impact that the changes are having on Shropshire’s VCSE so I encourage all organisations that work with volunteers and deliver services to the public to complete this year’s survey.”

The impact of these national changes has had an effect on Shropshire and its communities, including cuts to public sector grants/funding both nationally and locally; more demand for VCSE representation, services and skills including volunteer management and training; pressure for local communities to be more resilient and more people to take on voluntary roles; and the need for communities or organisations to take over the running of community assets and local services.

A separate State of the Sector survey that included questions on staffing, grants, funding, and predictions for the future closed at the end of June 2016 and a report will be available in September 2016.

The information gained from both surveys will be used to produce a report for all VCSA members, and to pull together information to share with public sector partners and give them ‘real time evidence’ of how the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Sector (VCSE) is coping with changes. It will also be used to compare findings with previous years, and to shape future conversations between the VCSA Board and public sector partners.

The survey will close at 5pm on Friday 30 September 2016. The survey can be accessed online via SurveyMonkey.

Paper versions are available on request by calling 01743 258521 or sending an email to commissioning.support@shropshire.gov.uk.