VCSE Alliance Gateshead and Newcastle

In September 2021, national guidance on the engagement of the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector in Integrated Care Systems was released. It included an expectation that Integrated Care Boards should develop a formal agreement for engaging and embedding the VCSE sector in "system-level governance and decision-making arrangements, ideally by working through a VCSE Alliance to reflect the diversity of the sector" enterprise.

The Alliance started in 2024 with Gateshead organisations and has a specific emphasis on supporting small, grassroots organisations, including those that are volunteer and/or peer-led. From 2025, the Alliance has expanded to include VCSE organisations based in Newcastle. 

We hold a holistic perspective on health that includes social determinants, mental wellbeing, and community empowerment. We want to forge a path with our statutory partners towards a future where health is not just a medical outcome, but a collective journey towards a thriving society.
 

VCSE Alliance aims and objectives

The overarching aim of this partnership is to support the development of the VCSE sector, and to make commissioning more accessible for smaller, grassroots organisations.

The VCSE values cooperation and partnership, and we will:

• Work to empower people and communities to have control of their own lives. We value approaches that are 'bottom-up', user-led, and seek to draw on the strength of local communities.
• Tackle inequality and injustice, and ensure equality of access to our services for members of all communities.
• Strengthen capacity across VCSE organisations by building resilience to thrive and withstand change.
• Maintain a fair and transparent process for agreeing and sharing collaborative funding opportunities.
• Develop shared funding opportunities between Alliance members and other partners.

We will do this by:

• Creating formal and informal learning opportunities to grow skills and knowledge to help our sector and communities thrive.
• Linking up resources within the community to improve opportunities for local people.
• Supporting and not duplicating the work of existing VCSE networks.
• Collaborating on funding partnerships.

It should be noted that Alliance partners remain independent of each other, and their collaboration and use of the term 'partner' does not constitute the creation of a legal entity, nor authorise the entry into a commitment for or on behalf of each other.

For more information, and to join the Alliance, please contact our VCSE Alliance Coordinator Julia Perry at julia.perry@connectedvoice.org.uk, or by calling 0191 235 7021. A form with which to confirm your membership can be found here.