SSE welcomes ‘Unleashing the Power of Civil Society’

The Law Family Commission on Civil Society today publishes their final report: ‘Unleashing the Power of Civil Society”. Chaired by Lord Gus O’Donnell, the report sets out the vital role Civil Society plays in reaching the most deprived and often marginalised communities, bringing communities together and campaigning to solve society’s biggest challenges. This stretches from local economic growth to improving the nation’s health. Yet, with the cost-of-living crisis bringing many people closer to the worst consequences of poverty and the Covid pandemic shining a spotlight on the vital role Civil Society plays – the report cites that the sector’s importance has not been recognised at national level. The Commission believes now is the time for change and lists its key recommendations:

Creating timely, accessible data and robust evidence about the sector
Improving the scale, distribution and impact of funding for the sector
Bringing business and civil society together
Strengthening relationships with policymakers
Unleashing potential at local and regional level

At School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE), we welcome the Commission’s calls for strategic investment, greater collaboration among the sector and beyond, local Philanthropy Champions and focus on data. We also thank and acknowledge the Commission for their support for Match Trading, laid out in the Community Enterprise Growth Plan. Match Trading created by SSE, is an incentivised grant that pound for pound matches an increase in traded income. A new form of grant making that is specifically targeted to support deprived communities, create local money circulation in hard-to-reach areas and increase agency for local leaders on the ground. Robin Chu, Director of Strategic Projects: “Civil Society can reach parts of the country private sector counterparts can’t, generating jobs, social impact and local growth. Over 33% of our social leaders are delivering impact in the UK’s most deprived areas. When given the right support and incentivised nudge in a Match Trading grant – the change they create is exponential. Social purpose organisations attending Match Trading programmes in 2020 doubled their full-time equivalent jobs, even during the height of the pandemic. We also welcome the call for local Philanthropy Champions who can be a key bridge from Whitehall to local towns and cities. Trusting in local experts and their networks – this will drive forward Levelling Up in the UK.”. To read the full report please see here. Follow #CSUnleashed to read more on twitter.