A message from our Deputy CEO and Head of Development Jules Sebelin
A new campaign has been launched to help the public understand the vital role charities are playing in responding to the pandemic. The #NeverMoreNeeded campaign has been set up to make sure charities’ voices are heard and raise awareness of the essential work they are doing to help the country come through the crisis and recover. NCVS is supporting NAVCA (National Association for Voluntary and Community Action) by drawing attention to the campaign.
The campaign is phase two of the #EveryDayCounts campaign, which called on the government to provide an emergency financial support package for charities after NCVO (the National Council for Voluntary Organisations) estimated that the sector would lose out on more than £4 billion as a result of coronavirus.
As we settle into new ways of working, now is a good time to pause and reflect on how our amazing Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector and its army of volunteers have stepped up to support Nottingham’s most vulnerable people at this unprecedented time. In just a few weeks, over 570 people have registered with us to become a Coronavirus Response Volunteer and over 100 of them are now volunteering directly with Nottingham City Council to support their community response to the pandemic.
Evidence is building every day to prove how vital our sector is in supporting public services while still delivering person centred support to those who have difficulty accessing mainstream services in the usual ways. Almost overnight, we have seen organisations adapt what they do to meet the ever changing needs of the people they support. Services have moved online, hundreds of phone calls have replaced coffee mornings, people have knocked on doors of the most isolated to carry out regular welfare checks and some have continued to deliver face to face services, even in cases where social distancing is nearly impossible.
These changes bring new challenges as well as unaccounted for expenses. Travel reimbursement for volunteer shoppers at a much higher rate than normal, providing PPE and investing in new technology are just a few of the financial impacts which Nottingham's charities and community groups are making us aware of.
While most funding bodies have been generous in their response, allowing organisations to carry on and do whatever they can to keep providing some level of service, their financial support may not be enough. We are very aware that many groups are having to subsidise increased expenses with what are usually very small reserves that won’t last forever. Now is the time to address the financial sustainability and resilience of the sector by making the case to demonstrate why it is #NeverMoreNeeded.
Support the campaign
You can show your support for the campaign by showcasing the way your organisation has responded to the crisis on social media using the hashtag #NeverMoreNeeded.
NAVCA wants you to tell your story of why your organisation is #NeverMoreNeeded. What has your organisation's response to the crisis been, how have you adapted, what new services are you providing and how you are supporting people and improving lives during the pandemic?
What do I need to do?
- Tell your story of why your organisation and charities are #NeverMoreNeeded
- Please use pictures if you have them
- Change your social media banner (png file) and logo (jpg file or png file) to the #NeverMoreNeeded graphics
- Or use #NeverMoreNeeded in your existing social communications
These points are guides. You don't have to use all channels – but the more you can, the more we can increase the reach of the campaign.
