Last December, a new and refreshed Compact was launched by the Sector and Government, promising more relevant, meaningful and effective partnership working between them.
Since its initial publication in 1998, the Compact has been used by organisations of all sizes across England. The principles it contains have encouraged better and more comprehensive consultations, more manageable funding arrangements, and enabled groups to have their voice heard.
The principles of the new Compact focus on three key areas; involvement in policy development, allocating resources and advancing equality.
Embedded throughout – and arguably key to the spirit of the Compact – is the importance of an independent sector. Little has changed in how this is described in the new Compact:
“The independence of the third sector is recognised and supported. This includes its right within the law to campaign, to comment on and to challenge government policy (whatever funding or other relationship may exist with government) and to determine and manage its own affairs.”
The Compact, 2009
Throughout the lengthy consultation which led to the development of the new Compact, this essential aspect of good Compact working was often emphasised by respondents; that an organisation – no matter what its size, the issues they represent, or how it is funded – has the right to challenge, to speak out, to campaign.
Some organisations may feel wary about challenging the policy decisions made by local or national bodies who also fund their work. The Compact is a vital tool to enable them to do so without fear. All Government departments are covered by the principles of the Compact, as are local public sector bodies.
The Compact facilitates involvement throughout many aspects of policy making; it embeds principles of good consultation at the earliest stage, encourages transparency and clarity about decisions which can affect organisations, and provides a key mechanism to enable campaigning. Compact Voice, who represent the Sector on Compact issues, use these principles in all of our working; put simply, the Compact makes it easier for us to represent you. Perhaps these principles can help make your voice more powerful too.
Tom Elkins is Compact Voice Manager
