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Last updated: 30 November 2008
Ed Miliband was appointed Minister for the Third Sector in May 2006. The move to create a ministerial position to champion the sector has been widely welcomed and has put the work of third sector organisations high on the Government's agenda.
Over the past seven months, Ed Miliband, together with the Office of the Third Sector, has made significant progress in supporting the growth of the sector by understanding and strengthening the basics that underpin its success: legislation, finance, commissioning and campaigning.
"Getting the basics right is essential, and this view is widely shared. It's been a consistent theme at the consultation events we've been holding as part of the Review of the Future Role of the Third Sector in Economic and Social Regeneration", he says.
There have been a number of successful deliverables since May, including: the Charities Act 2006; the publication of the Social Enterprise Action Plan and the Third Sector Public Service Delivery Action Plan; the completion of the first phase of the review of the of the third sector; the appointment of the Compact Commissioner; the commitment by Government to move to three year funding as the norm; the delivery of Volunteering for All grants; and the change in rules for volunteers on benefits.
Delivering on these areas reflects the ethos that Mr Miliband has been championing since his first day in office. "I am determined that Government plays its role in helping, not hindering the sector. This means committing to three year funding. It means being a good partner for service delivery. And it also means listening to the sector's campaigns and changing the way we work, for example changing the benefit rules for volunteers' lunch expenses."
Successful partnership between Government and the sector is crucial to the enabling role Government can play, and the development of an effective partnership model is at the very top of his agenda.
"I think that together, we can tackle the big social challenges of the next decade. Together we can change minds, change lives and change society."