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.
The Government Office for the East of England aims to support the third sector through the following;
- work with local authorities and their partners, including the third sector, to provide an evidence base against which we can measure and support an environment for a thriving third sector within each local authority area
- promote involvement of the third sector in policy development and delivery of public services at regional and local level
- strengthen the infrastructure supporting the third sector
- promote the Compact approach to developing relationships between Government and the third sector
- promote volunteering across the region
- support greater third sector engagement in neighbourhood renewal
- promote racial equality, cultural diversity and a regional voice for minority ethnic groups
- support community cohesion work in the region
- support community empowerment work in the region.
To meet these aims, the Stronger Communities Team within Government Office for the East of England works closely with a number of organisations and networks, including:
- Regional statutory agencies including East of England Development Agency (EEDA) and East of England Regional Assembly (EERA)
- Local Authorities and their partners
- Community and Voluntary Forum in the Eastern Region (COVER)
- Minority Ethnic Network Eastern Region (MENTER)
- Council for Voluntary Services
- Racial Equality Councils
- Rural Action East (RAE)
