One of the things I’ve said many times over the years is the need to think about volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity as a way of coping with a rapidly changing world. I’m not going to tell you to stop doing that. With a new Government with such a large majority we now know that after years, things will start moving fast…or at least it will look and feel as if they are. That big majority means acceleration. We’re just still waiting to see what direction it will take. Who knows what version of ‘One Nation Conservatism’ we will actually see? Will there be any steps taken to heal the divisions of the last few years, will there be real change?

Somehow I doubt it because all the evidence so far is that the real divisions – class and race for example – don’t mean very much to this Prime Minister. He could go a long way, at zero cost to the public purse, to withdraw and apologise for some of the things he has said and written over the years. If he genuinely wants to bring people together, this has to be his starting point.

To most of us in Manchester’s voluntary groups, community organisations, charities and social enterprises, this might seem to be a distraction: stuff that happens miles away in London – likewise the fights which are already building between PM and the Scots Nationalists since they have both seen significant increases in support and we’re literally going to be in the middle of all that. The reason it matters is because all of this will be at the heart of the stories in the media for the coming years. It boils down to a simple question: who do we want to be?

January marks 10 years since we established Manchester Community Central. In the midst of the worst snow we’d seen in years, a bunch of us made our way into the office and pressed the button which launched our new website, opened our new phone line and made a start. 10 years later it has helped to bring in millions of pounds to hundreds of Manchester organisations, supported local people to build new community groups, helped strengthen what they do and helped bring new talent and energy into our organisations. When we launched I promised it would keep evolving and it has. We have made plenty of mistakes along the way but we will keep listening and learning. We’re going to carry that on this year. We’re building our Opening Up Leadership programme to support leaders of all kinds in communities and organisations, we’re going to do more work to find common cause with people in local businesses who have a sense of social purpose. We’re going to work on how Macc helps great things happen in Manchester and how we can make what we do more inclusive, more mutually supportive and easier to get what you need from us. Macc alone doesn’t make all this happen. It’s all of us.

Poverty and inequality are rising. Social anger and hostility towards each other seems to be increasing. We’re burning through our limited natural resources. All this despite the most widespread and visible campaigns and social action movements I think we’ve ever seen. You might be tempted to wonder whether it all makes a difference. Believe me, it does. The power of people standing with each other, building hope, making their voices heard, it’s a multi-generation effort to create change. It’s people saying “this is who we want to be”. I am sceptical of anyone who claims to have All The Answers: but there is a truth that all of us is more capable, more creative and more intelligent than one of us. And even in the tiniest most informal community group, that spirit is what makes it work. Collaboration is the way out of the darkness. Hope and help are to be found when we work together.

We’re now entering the 2020s. The last version of the Twenties was known as The Roaring 20s. Let’s make this one roar in a different way.

Best wishes for a new year and a new decade.

With love from all of us.

x

Mike Wild, Chief Executive

Gazing in to my P&I crystal ball, I can see that 2020 is already shaping up to be an interesting and exciting year. The focus of the team will continue to be working to influence decision making in the city to benefit the VCSE sector and the people we work with. Whilst Macc staff do act as representatives for the sector, we want to do more to support and promote opportunities for other organisations who do this work. 

The devolution of health and social care to Greater Manchester has created new opportunities for the P&I team’s work to make sure VCSE organisations are involved, consulted and represented in the city, especially in relation to grants, commissioning and other resources for the sector. Examples include working with the sector to progress a Memorandum of Understanding which has been agreed between the Local Care Organisation and the sector, and the new Health and Wellbeing Leaders’ group. We will also continue to work with the new structures and teams in Manchester’s 12 neighbourhoods, and we’re planning the next Community Explorers meeting across the city.

Behind the scenes, we’re working to update our website and make it easier for people to find the information they need to get involved. We’ll continue to run Macc’s quarterly Voluntary Sector Assemblies, and regular events and training on topics such as social value, community development and leadership. Members of the team also work on Macc-wide issues such as staff health and wellbeing and equalities. We’ll also be working with members of the trustee board to help Macc review how we work with our membership.

For more information, contact us directly, visit the P&I pages on the Manchester Community Central website, and sign up to P&I shorts, our weekly round up of policy news.

> Information, factsheets and resources

> Online Directory of VCSE groups

> To hire one of our meeting rooms

> To sign up to become a member and much more

The aim of the Greater Manchester Older People's Network is to inform and influence Greater Manchester strategies that affect older people. Membership is open to all older people living in Greater Manchester.

Skill Givers is an employer supported volunteering project working with organisations across Manchester and Salford. The project links employers with local voluntary and community groups, charities and social enterprises, who support their community to get active.

Volunteer Centre Manchester provides information, support and training to Manchester residents who want to volunteer and to organisations who work with or involve volunteers.

The Capacity Building Team provides group development support to build the capacity and sustainability of Manchester's voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations. This is available through bespoke, one-to-one support and our training and we co-ordinate a training calendar of other relevant training opportunities from across the city.

Click here for resources on starting a group, governance, funding factsheets, managing / taking on a building, policy templates, a directory of VCSE organisations and much more.

Weekly Drop-in Tuesday afternoons 2pm-4pm

Community groups: brand new / starting out, never accessed support from Macc, not sure of or how we can help, come along for a chat with our friendly team at offices: Macc, 3^rd Floor, Swan Buildings, 20 Swan Street, Manchester, M4 5JW. We’ll be there to listen to your ideas and questions, tell you about what we offer and show you how you can access our support.

The Policy and Influence Team promotes positive change in Manchester through bringing the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector together, enabling opportunities for constructive dialogue with the statutory and private sectors, encouraging creative solutions and informing the sector about policy and strategic developments.

To get in touch

Telephone information service: 0333 321 3021

• Support line open Monday to Friday 10am - 4pm
• Calls are charged at the same rate as a local call, whether made from a landline or mobile phone

Email: [email protected]

Web: www.manchestercommunitycentral.org