North Lanarkshire Community & Voluntary Sector: Tackling Poverty Survey

Introduction

In May 2022, VANL convened a very helpful meeting to discuss the community and voluntary sectors’ (CVS) contribution to tackling poverty in North Lanarkshire. Over 40 CVS organistions participated in a very rich discussion at which the following was noted.

1. Poverty has been a major challenge for individuals, families and communities across North Lanarkshire for decades, despite strong local commitment and positive action to reduce poverty. This is due to complex mix of local, national and international factors that require co-ordinated national and local action to address. The current cost of living crisis will push many more people in North Lanarkshire into poverty - causing greater hardship and distress, with longer term impacts on health and wellbeing.

2. The CVS contributes a great deal of material and practical support to residents in North Lanarkshire experiencing low income/poverty as set out below - as well as mental health support for people experiencing distress due to financial challenges.

employability support, including wellbeing assistance; training; work experience; volunteering and more
provision of money, welfare benefit and energy advice and support – through local Citizens Advice Bureaux and community advice centres, as well as national charities like Home Energy Scotland
provision of food aid through local food banks, community larders, community growing schemes and more
provision of affordable, social housing in North Lanarkshire through local, regional and national housing associations and co-ops
access to affordable credit through local, regional and national credit unions
digital inclusion support.

However,

the CVS would benefit from better sector-wide networking on this vital issue
the diverse and vital CVS contribution is not always sufficiently recognised – we need to better map, understand and share our sector’s contribution
the CVS could contribute more with relatively modest, additional resources – we need to collectively advocate for this

The North Lanarkshire Tackling Poverty Strategy, led by North Lanarkshire Council and supported by nine Local Outcome Improvement Plans, which include tackling poverty as a top priority are very positive. There is good CVS engagement in Tackling Poverty NL-wide implementation groups and the nine local Community Boards which support implementation of our shared tackling poverty ambitions. However, CVS engagement could be strengthened further, with a more co-ordinated and collective CVS voice and contribution.

Given above, VANL would support the following actions.

Convene a NL CVS Tackling Poverty Network to support ongoing information sharing; peer support; and joint working within the CVS in North Lanarkshire as well as more effective engagement in North Lanarkshire’s Tackling Poverty Strategy groups.
Re-issue its NL CVS Tackling Poverty survey. This was first issued in Sept. 2021, however, due to low response rate, findings could not be published.

The survey questions which follow here, will help us understand the CVS:

current contribution to tackling poverty in our local communities
what else the sector might be able to do to help tackle poverty
what support our sector needs to help it tackle poverty

Information gathered through the survey will be analysed to prepare a report with recommendations. The report will be shared with all respondents; the wider CVS; Community Boards; North Lanarkshire Council’s Tackling Poverty Strategy Board and Officers’ Group to increase understanding of our sector’s contribution and secure support for improvements.

Please help us collectively understand our sector’s CVS contribution to tackling poverty in North Lanarkshire and our sector’s support needs by completing this survey. Your response is important and valued and it will only take about 5 minutes!

The closing date is Friday 15th July 2022.