Stockport’s VCFSE Strategy

A strategy for a thriving Voluntary, Community, Faith-based
and Social Enterprise Sector in Stockport

Stockport’s VCFSE strategy sets out a collective commitment to our vibrant, local Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise Sector organisations, over the next 5 years.

Created by Sector3 and Stockport Council (with guidance from the sector), the strategy is owned by the sector but with explicit commitment from key organisations and partners across health, social care, community safety, housing and the private sector.

Through this strategy, we will work together, to support the growth, sustainability and resilience of local VCFSE organisations, so that they, in turn, can continue to support stronger, healthier and more resilient communities.

 

Why do we need a VCFSE Strategy?

The importance of the VCFSE sector is reflected in the One Stockport Borough Plan. (The Stockport Borough Plan - One Stockport).

The VCFSE sector play a key role across each of the borough plan priorities and in particular the strong and supportive priority, which seeks to facilitate confident and empowered communities working together to make a difference.

As stated in the borough plan ‘confident and empowered communities do not happen in isolation, it requires the nurturing of relationships, investment in community innovation, opportunities for connecting across communities and redesigning how public services work to build much stronger neighbourhood connections’ (Page 30, Stockport Borough Plan).

This strategy outlines the collective commitment between the VCFSE sector, Stockport Council plus health and private sector colleagues to continue to empower the sector to deliver their amazing work, to maximise investment in the sector and to create partnerships which ultimately improve the life chances and quality of life for Stockport’s diverse communities. Furthermore, this strategy outlines our collective plans to maximise and build on these strengths to create an even more vibrant and sustainable VCFSE sector, which stands as an equal strategic and delivery partner to our local public and private sectors

So what are the strategic priorities?

  • Investment

    The local VCFSE sector already deliver a range of services on behalf of statutory partners and through this strategy we make a collective commitment to transfer more existing funding to the sector, and to attract new sources of funding locally.

  • Capacity Building

    We will support the infrastructure of individual VCFSE organisations and the sector as whole, by focussing on the following priorities:

    • Workforce development and skills

    • Volunteering

    • Community Buildings and assets

    • Digital infrastructure

  • Community Power

    All of our One Stockport partners recognise the enormous value of the VCFSE sector, and we want to do even more to ensure that the sector is an equal and trusted partner and that in turn, they can empower people to have a say about the places in which they live and the services they use.

Want to get involved?