14 November 2002
DES BROWNE AFFIRMS HIS COMMITMENT TO THE VOLUNTARY AND COMMUNITY SECTOR
"The voluntary and community sector has an invaluable contribution to make to all aspects of life in Northern Ireland, and I am committed to ensuring that their work is given the support it deserves," Des Browne, MP, the Minister with responsibility for Social Development, said today.
The Minister was speaking during a visit to the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action’s (NICVA) headquarters where he met staff and held discussions with the Director of NICVA, Seamus McAleavey, and members of the Executive Committee.
The discussions covered a wide range of subjects including the Joint Government Voluntary and Community Sector Forum, Partners for Change, the Policy Manifesto for the Voluntary and Community Sector, the Task Force and future funding of the sector.
He said: "This is the first in a series of meetings with representatives from the voluntary and community sector, to hear at first hand about concerns and difficulties which they are currently facing and to discuss what action the Department might take to address these.
"I am pleased to have the opportunity to hear the views of the NICVA Executive Committee and look forward to meeting other representatives of the voluntary and community sector throughout Northern Ireland in the coming months."
NOTES TO EDITORS:
1. NICVA is a key umbrella organisation in the voluntary and community sector, with a membership of 1000 member organisations.
2. Its primary functions are to provide information, training and support for new, emerging and existing voluntary and community organisations; to identify unmet social needs and initiate action to meet them; to mediate between the voluntary and statutory sectors; to co-ordinate voluntary effort; and to help channel funds towards worthwhile voluntary and community projects.
3. The Department for Social Development is NICVA's main source of revenue funding. Funding towards the Council’s approved costs in 2001/02 amounted to £398,284 and it received project funding in 2001/02, which amounted to £53,525.
Click here to print this press release.
