Real Help for Communities: Volunteers, Charities and Social Enterprises

The Government has pledged £42.5 million to help volunteers, charities and social enterprises deliver extra real help to those that need it most, during the global economic downturn. The action plan for the third sectorⁱ, sets out a targeted package of support that includes measures to help hundreds of voluntary organisations, charities, and social enterprises step up advice, support and volunteering in the areas that need it most across the country. The plan, which has been designed together with third sector leaders over the last three months, builds on the wide range of measures the Government has put in place to support people through the economic downturn, and on the Government’s long term commitment to voluntary organisations and social enterprises. Real help for communities: Volunteers, Charities and Social Enterprises delivers a range of initiatives:

• Up to £10 million investment in volunteer brokerage scheme for unemployed people with create over 40,000 opportunities for people to learn new skills and give back to communities through volunteering.
• A £15.5 million Community Resilience Fund will provide grant funding to small and medium providers in our most deprived communities. This is in addition to the £130 million already committed to the Grassroots Grants programme meaning more small grants to more community groups.  
• A £16.5 million modernisation fund to help with the cost of mergers, partnerships and moves to more efficient sharing of back office functions for at least 3000 third sector organisations.
• A £0.5 million investment in the School for Social Entrepreneurs to double the number of people it trains to become social entrepreneurs, particularly those working in deprived communities.
• A national campaign to raise awareness of the Government’s commitment to pay all invoices within 10 days, which will improve cash flow for small organisations

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