Shaping the Future of the Voluntary Sector in Wiltshire

Last Monday (21st September), we were delighted to welcome colleagues from across Wiltshire's voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector to Devizes for our Shaping the Future of the Voluntary Sector event.

The morning brought together charities, community groups and public sector partners to reflect on the current state of the sector, explore future opportunities, and discuss the challenges we need to tackle together.

The event began with Natasha sharing findings from our latest State of the Sector Survey, providing a valuable snapshot of the strengths and challenges facing Wiltshire's VCSE organisations.

While demand for services continues to rise, organisations are navigating an increasingly challenging landscape. Funding remains a significant concern, particularly securing core and unrestricted funding, while rising costs continue to place pressure on already stretched resources. Volunteer recruitment is another ongoing challenge, especially attracting younger volunteers and future trustees.

Despite these pressures, the survey highlighted the many strengths that make our sector so valuable. Volunteers remain at the heart of community action across Wiltshire, supported by passionate staff, strong community connections, specialist expertise, and an ability to respond quickly to local needs. It was encouraging to see these strengths recognised, reflecting the incredible work taking place in communities across the county every day.

The full survey report will be published in the coming weeks.

We also heard an update on the Wiltshire Council and VCSE Partnership Framework. Developed collaboratively over the past three years, the framework sets out a shared commitment to strengthening the relationship between the sector and local authority. Key priorities include improving commissioning opportunities, increasing access to funding, strengthening communication, and supporting volunteering through better recognition, recruitment and retention. Importantly, the framework includes practical actions designed to turn these ambitions into reality.

A key part of the morning was our table discussions, where participants explored three important themes: volunteering, funding, and communications and marketing.

Across all three discussions, there was a strong sense of optimism and a recognition of the incredible work happening throughout Wiltshire. Participants spoke about the strength of local communities, the dedication of volunteers and staff, successful partnership working, and the creativity organisations demonstrate in responding to local needs.

Several common challenges also emerged. In the funding discussion, participants highlighted concerns around short-term funding, increasing competition for grants, and the need for greater investment in core organisational costs and community infrastructure. There was also a strong call for the sector to be involved earlier in commissioning conversations and for commissioners to better recognise the true cost of delivering services.

The volunteering discussion focused on attracting and engaging new generations of volunteers, as well as exploring how organisations can make better use of employee volunteering opportunities offered by local businesses and employers. There was also strong support for promoting volunteering as a pathway to developing skills, building confidence and improving employment prospects.

In the communications and marketing discussion, organisations recognised the growing importance of effective communication while acknowledging challenges such as limited capacity, changing social media platforms, and the need for specialist skills. Participants highlighted the value of sharing expertise, learning from one another, and exploring opportunities for businesses to offer pro bono support.

We hope attendees found it valuable to hear the key findings from the State of the Sector Survey and learn more about the Wiltshire Council and VCSE Partnership Framework. Most importantly, we hope the event provided an opportunity to connect with peers, share experiences and contribute to shaping the future of our sector.

What Happens Next?

The discussions generated a wealth of ideas that will help shape Wessex Community Action's future work. Participants highlighted opportunities for us to continue championing the sector, strengthen connections between organisations and partners, support access to funding and commissioning opportunities, facilitate training and skills development, and explore new ways to connect people with volunteering opportunities.

We're now using the insights gathered through both the State of the Sector Survey and the table discussions to shape the support Wessex Community Action provides in the months ahead. The priorities identified around funding, volunteering, communications and long-term sustainability will help inform our future events, training, networking opportunities and advocacy work.

A huge thank you to everyone who attended and contributed their thoughts, ideas and expertise. The conversations highlighted both the challenges facing the sector and the enormous passion, resilience and commitment that exists across Wiltshire's communities. Your contributions will help ensure our work continues to reflect the needs of the voluntary sector and the people it serves.

A special thank you to Steve for photographing the event and helping us capture the day.

We look forward to continuing these conversations and working together to build a strong, sustainable and thriving voluntary sector across Wiltshire.