News items
This page contains a selection of news items relevant to social enterprise at national, regional and local level. Details of funding opportunities and grant-making bodies can be found in the Support section. We endeavour to keep this page up-to-date but if you know of a piece of news that would be useful to share, please email info@wssen.org.uk
22/03/10 Joint manifesto for the third sector launched
'The Time is Now' manifesto, which was launched on 16th March, outlines the case for an expanded role for the third sector and calls on government to get four things right in order to support a thriving civil society:
Smart investment in an age of austerity; use funding streams best suited to the desired outcome and continue to develop social invesment; Improved public service markets and the democratisation of commissioning; ensure a level playing field and transparency in public procurement; A supportive architecture; sustain a department and minister with sole responsibility for the third sector, streamline regulation and invest in building the sector's capacity; and An environmentally sustainable relationship that delivers on the recommendations of the third sector ministerial taskforce, embedding green outcomes in public procurement and placing the third sector at the heart of a green economy.
The manifesto was launched at an open event where Angela Smith MP, Minister for the Third Sector, Shadow Minister, Nick Hurd MP, and Liberal Democrats spokeswoman, Jenny Willott MP addressed questions and ideas from the floor. Read the full manifesto at http://www.socialenterprise.org.uk/pages/whats-new.html