AS Gordon Brown settles in at No 10, his inbox loaded with security concerns and the growing threat of global warming, he presides over a nation where people no longer see voting as a means of making a difference. Many express their social values by demanding a safe school crossing or calling for better community healthcare rather than through the ballot box. As voluntary and community organisations, trade unions, political parties and faith communities come together next week at the joint NCVO/Carnegie UK conference to discuss how we can safeguard and advance civil society in the next 20 years, we need to find new ways of harnessing that enthusiasm and commitment to ensure that people feel empowered to make a difference.
The list of challenges facing us is lengthy, if not endless: an ageing population, increasing migration, growing inequalities between rich and poor and growing pressures on global resources. These are problems that we as civil society organisations cannot solve on our own. Nor are they issues that can be dealt with by government, acting unilaterally.
Exhortation alone will not achieve change. Instead we must work together and involve citizens in identifying community needs and designing services to meet these. This may mean ensuring that the rights of older people are respected and their voices heard; working to find out why society has failed to bridge the social and economic gap; and being trusted with the resources to reach out to young people, making them feel safe, giving them the respect they crave – and showing them that it doesn’t come from a gun.
Where there are challenges, there are opportunities. Our relationships with and influence upon business is increasing. According to a 2006 MORI survey, 18 per cent of us boycotted consumer products for political, ethical or environmental reasons in the past two or three years. The demand from consumers for a more ethical approach to business is something that should be embraced by civil society, pushing at an open door to achieve the changes that we have been campaigning for for so long.
But our organisations cannot see themselves simply as saviours. We must also look at what we can do to make ourselves more ethical, relevant, collaborative and representative. Civil society does not have a “get-out card” because our intentions are benign. We must all examine our everyday operations to ensure that reducing our environmental impact is as integral to what we do as campaigning for change.
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There are many other things that we can do to ensure that civil society remains in touch with issues affecting individuals and communities over the next 20 years. We must embrace the changing world. ICT has created new possibilities for associational life – it is providing new ways to collaborate, promote discussion, organise campaigns and encourage volunteering.
So, as Mr Brown starts to introduce the changes that he has been waiting so long to make, we too are thinking about a postBlair Britain. The challenges and opportunities that face us are significant, but our goal remains the same – a good society, as well as a more civil and cohesive one. To achieve this, government must recognise our role in encouraging people to get involved in their communities and we must ensure that we are a relevant force in the years to come.
Stuart Etherington is chief executive of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations