There is no doubt that 2012 will be a challenging year for the voluntary sector. There continues to be significant reductions in public spending, along with proposals for public service reform and a de-centralisation of power from a central to a local level. The scale and speed of spending cuts is having a significant impact on the sector and the communities it serves and supports.
Listen Value Invest is a North West campaign which aims to highlight the real and current issues being faced by the voluntary sector and the wider communities it serves. In these difficult times when the sector is facing unprecedented changes, it is more important than ever that our story is heard.
Whilst the principles of Listen, Value, Invest are more relevant than ever, the original case studies were gathered at a different time, before the General Election. Now it is time to reflect the current position of the sector in the North West. Therefore, local groups and local or regional infrastructure organisations from across the North West are invited to submit ideas for Listen Value Invest 2012 case studies about your work and how you are adjusting to the new environment. It will be particularly interesting to show how your organisation is managing currently and if you are working in new ways or with new partners to deliver your services.
To encourage a range of case studies, four prizes are availble for the most engaging stories:
- Two prizes of up to a day of filming and editing by People’s Voice Media for your organisation and story. They will make a short video which you can then show and publicise. The film will also be added to the Listen Value Invest website
- Two prizes of a Flip video camera for two organisations with the understanding that you will film at least one video each with them. These will then be edited and added to the Listen Value Invest website with your information and background to the story
To enter this competition, send a maximum 100-word submission from your organisation outlining what the case study would be about. This submission should be sent to Helen Walker, Information Officer at VSNW at helen.walker@vsnw.org.uk or by post to St Thomas Centre, Ardwick Green North, Manchester, M12 6FZ. The deadline for submissions is Friday 10 February. Submissions will then be judged and the winners announced.
For further information, contact Helen on 0161 276 9303 or Martin Preston on 0161 276 9305. If you would like your story to be captured but don’t want to enter the competition, please contact Helen.