Charity and Voluntary Sector
CO: A refreshed Compact has been launched by the Compact partnership consisting of the Office of the Third Sector, Compact Voice and the Commission for the Compact. It retains the key commitments of the original but takes into account recent developments in law, policy & practice. It is divided into 3 key areas covering involvement in policy development, allocating resources and advancing equality. It consists of 95 commitments: 62 for government and 33 for the third sector.
The new structure in the Compact is based on an overall set of undertakings and this will be backed up by a series of implementation guidance for specific audiences, sectors or types of relationship. It therefore sets the overall framework for partnership working between government and third sector while the implementation guidance will be more specific in terms of addressing how the Compact can be implemented effectively at a local or grassroots level.
DH: With many older people living alone and more than 180,000 saying they have gone for a whole week without speaking to friends, family or neighbours, Care Service Minister Phil Hope is asking the public to make a New Year’s resolution to visit older neighbours more often. Social interaction can protect older people’s mental health, helping to do their shopping will prevent falls & injury and keeping an eye on their health will stop them developing serious health problems and ending up in hospital.
