The Government is committed to building cohesive, active communities that
empower individuals to make a difference to their own lives, their
community and the wider environment. Third Sector organisations are at the
heart of this aim bringing different groups of people together. The term
Third Sector is used with public and private sector to refer to a very wide
range of organisations that may describe themselves as voluntary and
community organisations, charities, social enterprises, mutuals or
cooperatives.
Individuals who get involved increase their own skills, experience and
contribute to community life. A high level of community involvement is in
turn associated with low levels of crime and disorder, higher educational
achievement, better health and a greater involvement in the democratic
process. An active Third Sector is important in stimulating community
involvement, as is easy access to those who want to get involved.
GOWM supports the Third Sector in the following ways;
• Work with local authorities and their partners, including the
Third Sector, to provide an environment for a thriving Third Sector within
each local authority area in the region See Regional Action West Midlands
• Promote involvement of the Third Sector in National policy
development and delivery of public services at regional and local level See
West Midlands Third Sector Strategic Forum
• Work with regional Partners to strengthen the infrastructure
supporting the Third Sector See Capacity Builders and Big Lottery
• Support of the Compact approach to developing relationships
between Government and the Third Sector See Compact
• Support the development of volunteering across the region. See
England Volunteering Development Council
• Support regional Partners promoting racial equality, cultural
diversity and a regional voice for minority ethnic groups. See
Equality Human Rights Council and brap
• Support community cohesion work in the region. See Local Government Association (LGA)
• Support community engagement work in the region. See
Every Voice Counts
• Support Social Enterprise (businesses with a social or
environmental mission). See Social Enterprise West Midlands
Some Facts
Did you know that, in the West Midlands:
• There is an extensive, diverse and vibrant Third Sector - over
18,000 Third Sector Organisations (TSOs) registered
• 12,366 general charities (2005/06, NCVO Almanac 2008) included
above
• Estimated 51,000 people employed in the third sector (Labour
Force Survey 2007) - 2% of regional workforce
• Total sector turnover in excess of £3.3 billion pa
• 64% of the sector staff are full time
• Represents 8% of total UK voluntary sector workforce
• 26% of people in the West Midlands volunteered formally at
least once a month in 2008/09 and 40% volunteered formally at least once a
year in the same period. (CLG)
• There are also over 5500 Social Enterprises located in the
region in a diverse range of sectors, with a combined turnover of
£5bn and supporting over 156,000 jobs
