Sustainable, Inclusive and Empowered Communities: a five-Year Strategy to Support the Community & Voluntary Sectors in Ireland, launched by Government in 2019, set a general direction of travel for government policy in relation to community development, local development and the community and voluntary sectors and copper-fastened the renewed relationship and partnership between government and these sectors which had developed during its preparation.
One of the key actions in the strategy was the agreement of a set of clearly defined, shared values and principles, building on those that guided the strategy development, to guide and inform consistency in a Government-wide approach to collaboration and partnership working with the community and voluntary sector.
My Department has worked with the sector and cross-Government colleagues through the Cross-Sectoral Group on Local and Community Development, to create a document setting out the Values and Principles for Collaboration and Partnership Working with the Community and Voluntary Sector at a Local and National Level. This document, and the Values and Principles therein, was approved by Government at its meeting on 24th May 2022 and I acknowledge the support of my Cabinet colleagues and their warm reception of this work.
My Department will promulgate the Values and Principles across departments and beyond and I hope they will be adopted and embedded as best practice by all Government bodies and agencies. I intend to formally launch and publish the document shortly.
The approval of the Values and Principles by Government is timely in its significance as we emerge from a period of crisis where collaboration was essential to face the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic; and we now work to contend with the Ukrainian crisis. Continued collaboration and partnership working with the sector is a fundamental enabler to achieving the best possible outcomes for all.
I am committed to continued open and transparent engagement with the sector in the pursuit of the most positive outcomes and intend to continue this work through the establishment of a National Civic Forum for dialogue with the sector later this year. The Forum will be developed in collaboration with community and voluntary stakeholders and its work will be underpinned by the Values and Principles.
