This week’s leadership message comes from Jo Baker, Programme Lead for the Partnership’s Harnessing the Power of Communities Programme

Hello, my name is Jo.

As we celebrated International Day of Charity on 5 September, it seems fitting to think about all the inspiring work of charities and community organisations across West Yorkshire and Harrogate.

The International Day of Charity was established with the objective of mobilising people and organisations all around the world to help others through volunteering and philanthropic activities. We all know that charitable work and volunteering build social connections and the sense of belonging in communities and contribute to the creation of inclusive and more resilient societies.

Charity can alleviate the worst effects of humanitarian crises, supplement public services in health care, education, housing, and child protection. It assists the advancement of culture, science, sports, and the protection of cultural and natural heritage. It also promotes the rights of the marginalised and underprivileged and spreads the message of humanity in conflict situations.

Here in West Yorkshire and Harrogate we are home to a diverse and dynamic voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) sector making a difference every day to those experiencing inequalities, those communities least likely to be accessing mainstream services and support and those who are isolated and have long term health conditions.

Indeed, the NHS itself was founded on the nationalisation of 1,143 charity hospitals in 1948!

So, to mark International Charity Day, and in recognition of all the great work of the VCSE, we were excited to launch new research which seeks to understand better the economic and social value of the sector in our region.

Commissioned by the Harnessing the Power of Communities Programme (West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership) alongside our partners Humber, Coast and Vale Health and Care Partnership, West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Yorkshire Sport Foundation, and Community First Yorkshire, the research led by Professor Tony Chapman, St Chads College, Durham University, considers the structure, dynamics, and impact of the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector.

The commissioners of the report were of the view that the economic and social value and scale of the sector has been hiding in plain sight and wanted to bring this much more clearly into view.  The particular interest of the commissioning HCPs has been to align the work of the sector more systematically with the energies of the public and private sectors, and in recognising its inherent and unique shape, dynamics, and value, invest in the sector to enhance health and well-being outcomes for communities and individuals in the region. The report also aids understanding of the investment and support required by the VCSE to strengthen its ability to respond as part of the system as a whole.

The research highlights the contributions made to the economy and the health and well-being of people who live in West Yorkshire and Harrogate, which are bigger and more varied than might have been imagined.

It is a sector made up of around 14,900 registered and unregistered groups and with a workforce of around 43,100 full time equivalent posts, and an estimated 147,000 regular volunteers.

The sector is larger than the finance and insurance industries, and larger than the arts, entertainment, and recreation sector.

But what is really striking is the significant contribution made by the VCSE sector to people’s health and community health and well-being.

The sector not only contributes to financial savings for the NHS and other public services but produces immediate benefits for many thousands of people accessing their help and support.

The estimated direct and indirect economic and financial value of the sector (including robust valuations of sector expenditure, volunteer time and in-kind support) in WYH is £4.6 billion a year.

On top of this, when you consider the benefits to people’s health and wellbeing and the wider social impact, the total value of the VCSE sector is around £6.2 billion a year in West Yorkshire and Harrogate.

This research challenges historical perceptions that the VCSE is not as professional as other sectors and isn’t a resilient sector. Its size has stayed much the same for at least two decades. It has survived austerity, financial crashes and most recently the covid 19 pandemic. It is here to stay. And indeed, the sector is a critical player in meeting the health and care needs of our population.

It is flexible and adaptable to changing population needs as we have seen through the covid pandemic. Which of us has not actively witnessed the sector at work in supporting vaccination delivery, food banks, helplines, mutual aid groups, or supporting people at home as they struggled to cope with lock downs and losing their usual routine and support networks?

As we celebrate International day of Charity, let’s all think about how we value, respect, and invest in our local voluntary and community organisations which do so much for the people who live in West Yorkshire and Harrogate.

Let us also not forget the role of charities and civil society in driving change and campaigning against injustice through the years. Looking at many of the major social advances it's been relentless and effective charity action that have delivered, from clean beaches and protected woodland, on mandatory seat belts and no smoking in public buildings, access to abortion, gay rights, disability reform ...on a plethora of issues, charity lobbying has driven public sentiment and government reaction.

From the local sports club to famine relief. Saving lives to life saving medical research. Campaigning for disability rights to manning the lifeboat station. Making tea in the local community hall to running a rehabilitation centre. And being there at the end of life or its beginning.

Let us value what we have and ask – where would we be without the VCSE?

Have a good weekend everyone,
Jo