NEW THIRD SECTOR PARTNERSHIP
FOR FIFE

Representatives from CVS Fife, VONEF, Volunteer Centre Fife, Fife Partnership, Fife Social Enterprise Network, Fife Social Economy Partnership and Fife Council.

Fife’s voluntary sector support organisations have joined forces to create a new partnership body - Fife Third Sector Support – to oversee the delivery of support to voluntary organisations and volunteers in Fife.

The new partnership body was launched at a signing ceremony in Glenrothes yesterday (19 th May), attended by representatives from the Council for Voluntary Services (CVS) Fife, Voluntary Organisations North East Fife (VONEF), Volunteer Centre Fife, and Fife Social Enterprise Network.

Representatives of the Fife Social Economy Partnership also attended, along with representatives of the Fife Partnership, whose members include Fife Council, NHS Fife, Fife Constabulary, Scottish Enterprise and Fife’s Third Sector.

The establishment of Fife Third Sector Support will enable the three existing organisations to work together much more closely to meet the needs of Fife’s Third Sector. The partnership will look at new and different ways of improving levels of support to voluntary organisations and volunteers in Fife through shared services and the sharing of resources and premises.

From April 2011 onwards, the partnership body will act as Fife’s ‘Third Sector Interface’ – managing funding for Third Sector support from the Scottish Government and representing the interests of the Third Sector on the Fife Partnership, Fife’s community planning partnership.

Frances McAulay, interim Chair of Third Sector Support Fife, said: “The launch of Third Sector Support Fife is an exciting event for the whole of the voluntary sector in Fife. It shows that we are willing to work together to look at innovative ways of supporting the vital work of voluntary organisations and volunteers in Fife. The establishment of the new partnership has only been made possible by the hard work and commitment of staff across all three organisations, who have continued to provide an excellent service to voluntary organisations in Fife. It is likely that we will face considerable challenges over the next few years due to a combination of budgetary pressures and a continued growth in demand for our services. However, by working together in partnership we believe that we will be much better placed to meet these challenges.”

Councillor Peter Grant, Chair of Fife Partnership, added: “I am delighted that Fife’s voluntary sector support organisations have risen to the challenge posed by future changes in Scottish Government funding arrangements. Any partnership involves a degree of compromise from all its partners. I commend the work that has been done by all the organisations represented here, who have worked towards today’s agreement. By creating this new partnership, the organisations will help to ensure that Fife’s Third Sector continues to receive high quality support in the face of ongoing funding pressures. The new partnership will also ensure that Fife’s voluntary sector continues to play a valuable role in helping to shape Fife’s future through the work of the Fife Partnership.”