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Last updated: 13 August 2009
A key aspect of the Office of the Third Sector’s role is to drive cross-government action to improve partnership working and ensure better terms of engagement between Government and the third sector. All government departments are vital for the delivery of the third sector agenda and there are several ways in which this is addressed.
The Third Sector Champions were established following the 2002 cross cutting review The Role of the Voluntary and Community Sector in Public Service Delivery (HMT 2002). The Third Sector Champions are senior civil servants who lead the government’s third sector agenda both within their department and in the department’s relationships with their NDPBs, agencies and stakeholders.
The Third Sector Champions meet three times a year.
Each department also has a Third Sector Liaison Officer (TSLO), whose role is to:
The TSLOs also meet three times a year.
Many government departments have also published third sector strategies including:
Communities and Local Government (CLG): CLG published their draft 3rd sector strategy in 2007 and plan to publish a final strategy shortly:
Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS): The DCMS refreshed their third sector strategy in April 2009 and can be accessed below:
Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF): The DCSF published their Third Sector Strategy and Action Plan: Intentions into Action on 30th July 2009. The DCSF already works closely with a wide range of third sector organisations and the new publication outlines the Department’s principles, pledges and commitments for continuing and improving this work:
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA): Defra published its third sector strategy on 3 November 2008. Defra’s Third Sector Strategy signals the Department’s commitment to working with the third sector. The sector makes a vital contribution to Defra’s strategic objectives. The Strategy is a result of a participative process which involved third sector stakeholders, Defra staff and thier delivery bodies:
Department for Transport (DfT): The DfT published a strategy, 'Working in partnership with the voluntary sector' in 2003. They are planning to update this in 2009.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC): HMRC's 'Strategy for working with the Voluntary and Community Sector' sets out HMRC’s aim to improve the development and delivery of HMRC policy, services, processes and products, through effective engagement with the third sector. HMRC worked with its Key Strategic VCS Partners through the VCS Advisory Group to develop and agree all aspects of the Strategy. HMRC are refreshing their strategy:
Ministry of Justice (MoJ): MoJ published a third sector strategy in June 2008. The third sector strategy sets out how the Ministry of Justice will engage with the third sector to deliver better public services and improve policy through effective partnerships:
National Offender Manangement Service (NOMS): 'Working with the Third Sector to Reduce Re-offending 2008-11’ was published in September 2008 and is based on the feedback from two public consultations held earlier in the year: The paper supports the Ministry of Justice ‘Third Sector Strategy’ and sets out the principles and actions that will underpin future work and engagement with third sector organisations working to reduce re-offending:
Other departments may not have an overarching third sector strategy, but have clearly articulated approaches to engaging the third sector, for example through strategies in specific areas, such as the Department of Health's Third Sector Strategic Funding and Investment Review, and the Department for Work and Pensions’ Comissioning strategies. Alternatively, departments may have looked to embed their approach to the third sector in their strategic objectives business plans, such as the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
The Cabinet Office OTS and HM Treasury are working to the Third Sector Review jointly published in July 2007.