On the 15th of January 2026 we hosted our VCSE Forum, bringing together all the participants from our voice & influence networks, as well as the wider VCSE sector and public sector partners. We were also joined by the Mayor of the West of England Combined Authority (WECA), Helen Godwin, alongside colleagues from WECA.
We were hosted at The Station – a community venue run by Creative Youth Network that not only provides a space for some of the amazing work with young people undertaken by their organisation but also hosts various other community organisations. One of the key aspects highlighted during the event was how the VCSE sector is working together to be bigger than the sum of our parts, often using innovative methods that cannot be delivered by anyone else, so The Station was the perfect venue to communicate this.
The event opened with a ‘VCSE Showcase’ to give a glimpse of the professional expertise and specialist service delivery that the sector provides. We heard from Caring in Bristol, Community Anchor Organisations, The Peer Partnership, Keynsham & District Dial-a-Ride, Network Counselling & BAND.
Following this we took the questions that were co-produced by the voice & influence networks directly to Mayor of WECA Helen Godwin. Below is a summary of this conversation, including all the questions asked.
Please note that these are summary notes and not direct quotes from Helen Godwin and WECA colleagues. For ease of reading we have summarised the conversation into bullet points, but it needs to be considered that this may cut out context and not provide a fully accurate account. However, we hope that this gives you an easily accessible outline of the conversation.
- Today we have showcased just a few of the thousands of VCSE organisations in WoE. We have built expert skills and community knowledge which deliver outcomes, which we can offer you. What can you offer us?
- A less transactional way of working together, and more of a partnership.
- Helen was in Bristol City Council during austerity and saw acutely how the VCSE sector was asked to step in and deliver – which is an unsustainable position without funding.
- In WECA they can be more strategic, they don’t deliver services like Local Authorities do. There is a 10-year growth plan, and they want to bring people with them.
- The Skills agenda is a good example of how WECA & VCSE sector can work together to improve the situation for young people. Helen knows that the best people to help these young people are VCSE sector, and wants to put the mechanisms in place so VCSE sector organisations feel valued as a partner and work with WECA to address this.
- How will you remove the barriers currently in your grant application and monitoring processes so that VCSE organisations can apply?
- WECA know that their current processes don’t work well for the VCSE sector. A big caveat is that WECA have certain limitations, restrictions and rules attached to public funding that they can distribute – however, they will make change where they can.
- WECA see VCSE sector as a key delivery partner.
- Delivery in skills space is not VCSE focused at the moment and WECA want to change this. They are in the early phase of this. WECA will co-design with VCSE as key delivery partner in this.
- They are also looking at social value seriously. The expectation is that social value is delivered through contracts and some of that social value (funding) can come back to the VCSE sector.
3. How can we talk to WECA and how can our organisations be involved in decision-making?
- Helen understands there isn’t an obvious place to go at the moment which is a gap.
- WECA are also reorganising internally, with New Heads of Service in Delivery Departments likely to have responsibility for VCSE sector relationships and give the sector a go-to person.
- Part of the 10-year growth plan WECA has identified 5 key growth structures. By focusing on sectors employing most of our people we can increase our relationships with organisations we haven’t before and work closer together
- WECA are changing as they go and committed to early dialogue. They are changing their approach to engagement with the sector.
4. How are community-led organisations able to influence decisions? What are your plans for proper accountability and transparency of decision-making?
- Some plans are covered in previous questions, but WECA will do outreach when designing programmes, policy & strategy.
- There are some good examples of what has worked well – Culture West and other programmes in the health and environmental space.
- Currently many decisions around programmes and funding have already been through all 3 councils in the WECA area before it comes to them.
- All public sector organisations need strong governance – WECA is now out of improvement notice within last 7 months but need to sustain strong governance structures.
5. As VCSE organisations, we see a disconnect between WECA, ICB and Local authority plans, strategies and approaches. This leads to a great deal of duplication and uses resources inefficiently. How can you improve this so VCSE can be enabled to do what it does best?
- This really resonates with Helen – WECA can do it at a regional level.
- Currently working on the Child Poverty Action Plan, 10-Year growth plan – which are key strategies. Also completing transport and skills strategy this year.
- There are some difficult challenges in region re coterminous areas – North Somerset is not part of WECA currently. The police footprint is different and ICB footprint is different – making it difficult there to share data and show impact. Talking to Cabinet Office about how to rectify this.
- Internally WECA haven’t been as good as they could be at using data to measure impact. West of England Data Lab – using JSNAs, etc. is being considered.
- Story telling is also really important to Helen and need to keep eye on data and demonstrate impact / ROI, but what really matters are the individual opportunities which happen.
6. Why do you pay VCSE service providers in arrears? Who do you think should carry this risk?
- Sometimes WECA has to and it’s a requirement of how they receive the funding.
- Once WECA receive the integrated settlement, hopefully around September this year (subject to central government decisions) – moving away from smaller pots of money, with conditions attached, to a larger pot of money that has less strings attached.
- WECA will then have more autonomy in how the funding can be used.
- As an organisation WECA haven’t embraced the VCSE sector and how it works, what the challenges are – this needs to be understood throughout WECA not just a few people.
- With Community Transport where they are trying to deliver a service – WECA have taken those organisations over a threshold which restricts them accessing other funding. They need to work around things but currently can only work within current regulations.
- A lot of our funding is for large transport and infrastructure projects – applied to smaller grant processes too but then don’t work. We are hopeful with integrated settlement there will be more flexibility.
7. What does working successfully with VCSE sector look like to WECA? How can we measure this?
- Outcomes – WECA want to keep focused on what change is happening.
- Showing value as a collective – in a region we are patchwork and everyone has something to bring.
- VCSE sector is one of key players. Need VCSE sector to feel that way too – need to address current barriers.
- When new directorate structure is in place it will feel different for the sector.
8. As VCSE Organisations working with marginalised groups, we have noted there is little mention of specific groups on your website. What is your proposed approach to ensuring marginalised groups are part of the prosperity in the region, and what part will we play?
- Helen agrees that it is a fair point regarding the website. They are looking to refresh it and demonstrate the current and future vision, as well as being more representative of region.
- We will engage more through strategy development with diverse groups.
- The previous organisational focus has been transactional, Helen’s focus is on the impact on different people and different areas.
- WECA are open to working with different groups and how they can better represent the region. Skills and Transport are key areas to work together on here.
9. The government has announced an intention for migrants to earn citizenship that would require them to show contribution to life in the UK such as volunteering. Some concerns from the VCSE sector in the South West include:
Volunteering should always be a free and positive choice. If volunteering becomes a requirement for immigration outcomes, it stops being voluntary, and runs the risk of becoming exploitative labour.
We believe volunteering should never be a requirement for immigration status.
As WECA Mayor, can you leverage your power to lobby central government and ask them to withdraw this proposal and instead work with the voluntary sector on approaches that remove barriers to volunteering?
- Helen admitted that she did not have full awareness of this so was thankful that it was raised to her, and said it didn’t feel right based on what she has heard.
- In agreement on the issues and is happy to support campaigning locally or have further conversations.
- Helen wants it to be positive but can have conversations behind the scenes – explain what doesn’t feel right. Wants to continue to discuss this outside of meeting.
10. One major asset in the VCSE sector is our incredible people, who have great skills and who build trust with highly vulnerable or minoritised communities. How can your approach help us to prevent the turnover of staff in our sector caused by poor wages, limited terms and conditions as well as short-term funding?
- Helen knows this a real challenge particularly in a city like ours which is expensive, and is really keen to work with VCSE sector on this.
- Currently looking at the Skills Strategy and how through this we can think about VCSE in particular, i.e. pathways, retention, training.
- Also the Every Day Economy – There are opportunities through integrated settlement too.
- VCSE is always good at coming together, sharing resources and learning and keen to support this too going forward.
The event ended with a thank you from Helen Godwin to the VCSE sector – she expressed that she is of this place, her family are all from here and this is home. Helen acknowledged that it is an extraordinary place and that is in no small part due to the VCSE sector – she wants to maximise opportunities and ensure that the sector thrives.
At Voscur we would like to give a special thanks to all of the people who came to the event, the amazing VCSE sector presentors, all of those asking questions, those who helped design the questions, to The Station & Creative Youth Network for hosting us, and finally to Helen Godwin and the WECA team for continuing to build the relationship between the VCSE sector and Combined Authority.
