Annual conference 2009
LVSC's AGM and conference and the London Compact Awards 2009, held on 24 November at Sadler's Wells Theatre
The conference discussed a range of crucial themes: poverty and the recession, health and wellbeing, employment and skills, climate change and sustainability.
LVSC launched its new vision and strategy and presented its annual review of 2008-9.
Seven partnerships were recognised by the London Compact Awards for successful working between the third and public sectors.
The day began with speakers on campaigning and climate change.
Climate change: we can make a difference
Stephen Hale, Director of Green Alliance, said that despite an upward trend in political engagement, it’s the voluntary and community sector (VCS) that can make a real difference.
All in the VCS need to ask: what does climate change mean for our missions and service users? We need to see the connections and communicate the issues to our communities.
Sign up to the Third Sector Declaration on Climate Change
Stronger Together: influencing for change
The Sheila McKechnie Foundation is entirely dedicated to helping campaigners create social change. Linda Butcher, Chief Executive, said she was first moved to work in campaigning by her dad’s one-man 10-year campaign against sewer taxes in the USA.
He hadn’t known how to get people to join his campaign and eventually lost: there’s always someone else you need to work with to bring about change.
No resources for campaigning?
Amidst concerns about the recent diversion of government funding for campaigning to a new Hardship Fund (read Third Sector article ), Linda pointed out that many VCS groups already have some resources at their disposal, eg our telephones, computers, staff and volunteers.
Linda Butcher's presentation 
LVSC’s review of 2008-2009
Our services continued to serve the VCS and its people, increasing the impact of the sector across London: over 1,000 individuals upskilled through training, 1,800 people receiving regular policy updates and over 500 organisations strengthened through expert HR advice.
The next five years: a new vision
Peter Lewis, LVSC Chief Executive, began his presentation by reminding delegates that LVSC had been set up almost 100 years ago in 1910 to “work for the benefit of the community in London” and the “advancement of education, furtherance of health and relief of poverty”.
The recession, impending public spending cuts and a general election around the corner had brought into sharp relief the need for LVSC to properly reconnect with these objectives.
We consulted on a new vision and strategy to ensure we best meet the sector’s needs.
Strategy consultation feedback
London Compact Awards 2009: working better together
LVSC was delighted to host the awards, introduced by Chris Hayes, Director of Government Office for London and Pat Samuel, Deputy Director of the Public Sector Partnerships Team at the Office of the Third Sector.
Sir Bert Massie, Commissioner for the Compact, presented the awards to winning partnerships and individual champion, Neil Collins (left).
More power for the Compact Commission?
Sir Bert endorsed NCVO’s call for the Compact Commission to be given statutory powers.
He said the Commission could not do anything about the diverting of money from the Campaign Research Programme, even though OTS had acknowledged a Compact breach.
Some delegates questioned whether the decision had been influenced by the type of organisations that would have received funding rather than by the recession.
Workshop reports
Workshop A: The Big Squeeze: poverty and the recession (coming soon)
Workshop B: Health and well-being
Workshop C: Employment and skills
Workshop D: Climate change and sustainability
Sponsors and supporters
LVSC thanks Unity Trust Bank for generous sponsorship of the event and reception, and Capacitybuilders and the Commission for the Compact for their generous contributions towards the conference costs.
