Joe Irvin Chief Executive NAVCA speaks at UNISON Community Conference 2013

Guest Post by Ionela Flood UNISON London Region Community Service Group rep (and member of my branch) on Joe Irvin's speech to our conference in Manchester on Saturday. 

Joe is the Chief Executive of  NAVCA (National Association for Voluntary and  Community Action)

"The current climate in the voluntary sector is affecting the sector by public sector cuts and resulting poverty.

Contracts and grants from local authorities are decreasing by 20% in 2011-2012.

Working together with UNISON is beneficial in order to use public law to challenge cuts; to exchange information and campaign for voluntary community services.

Working together we can join forces to address the Social Value Act  and be a strong voice for children living in poverty, shelter for the homeless and practical help with pension regulation and accrediting to the Living Wage.

More joint work can be done by campaigning for the independence of the community sector and be able to advocate and be the voice of people living in the community, building the partnerships necessary to change society.

The services that protect children, environment and social care are the statutory duties of local government . Research by the NAVCA shows that the money available to other service are decreasing and will have a dramatic downward trend in the future. Now is the time to campaign together with UNISON and the voluntary sector to achieve positive social change.

We must learn to avoid constraints in the workplace, learn to exchange information and support both sectors in legal challenges and campaigning that can be used effectively and get the results we both want".