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The Compact on relations between government and the voluntary and community sector was first agreed between Government and the voluntary and community sector (VCS) in 1998. It has just been refreshed to reflect the changes and developments in policy and legislation over the past 10 years.
The Compact outlines some key rules of engagement or undertakings that Government should observe and uphold when dealing with the sector, and equally, undertakings that the sector has signed up to for a mutually beneficial partnership aimed at improving relations and ultimately the lives of people which communities serve.
Since the Compact was agreed back in 1998, the relationship between government and the third sector has been transformed. And with local compacts now covering most local areas, there is no doubt that this agreement on how to work together more effectively is helping to give value and shape to partnerships across the public and third sector and deliver better outcomes for people and communities.
The Compact is not just about financial relationships and programmes but offers a framework which gives value and substance to individual partnerships across the public and third sector. The Compact can also help shed light on the contribution the sector can make in helping to design better policies and feeding back views from the front line.