What Difference Will the Forum Make?
We have high hopes and aspirations for the new Third Sector Forum. We believe it will offer a space for the voice and ideas of the third sector to be heard in order to better shape planning and decision-making in the city. By harnessing the views of both third sector intermediaries involved with the Third Sector Executive Committee (TSEC) and the wider sector through the Forum, we will be able to create a central connecting point for dialogue, discussion and influence.
With the sector represented at city level in Community Planning and on One Glasgow, we want to ensure that the Forum is involved in strategic discussions from the outset with public sector partners and we want to be actively involved in shaping agendas - where we know the third sector has much to offer - rather than reacting to them.
Membership
Membership of the Third Sector Forum is open to any independent third sector organisation in Glasgow. We made a commitment in our Interface Business Plan (pdf, 0.7Mb) to hold at least two large scale Forum Meetings per year. However, in 2012, we have already held a series of four Forum Meetings across the city - one city-wide event and one in each of the three CPP areas (i.e. North East, North West and South) - which attracted over 160 representatives from third sector organisations.
Development of the Third Sector Manifesto
The series of Forum meetings mentioned above focused particularly on the content of a Third Sector manifesto for Glasgow which we produced in advance of the forthcoming local authority elections in May 2012. The manifesto was launched at a special session at the SECC on 29 February as part of this year's Gathering event. Download 'Changing Glasgow - the Third Sector Manifesto' (pdf, 0.1Mb) and read about the launch event.
Six weeks later, on 16 April, Glasgow’s Third Sector came out in force to a hustings at the Albany Learning & Conference Centre, where candidates from three of the main political parties responded to the manifesto before being grilled by an audience of around 70 representatives from across the sector on their party’s intentions for the next four years should they be successful at the polls in May. Read about the Third Sector Forum Hustings.
How can you get involved?
There are a number of ways you can get involved with the work of the Forum:
Make sure your contact details are on our mailing list as we will be consulting with you throughout the year. E-mail your details to Joy.
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