 It was great to see so many of you at the NAVCA Annual Conference in Birmingham a few weeks ago. I connected with so many people, and it was lovely to build on existing relationships and start new ones. I came away feeling energised, and that I had learnt so much. If you missed it, see below for an opportunity for a free ticket next year by telling us a bit about your experiences of NAVCA membership. But that already feels like a little while ago, as the reality of local authority changes from the local elections are settling, so we are hosting two really important events for members. Firstly, Akiko Hart, Director of the human rights organisation Liberty, has done a lot of thinking about cultural shifts happening the country, and the implications of that for the political landscape. She is insightful and thoughtful, and brings a provocation about how we future proof the voluntary sector to reflect a changing world. Local infrastructure has a key role in that, so do come and be energised and provoked to think about what we might do as individuals, organisations, and a network. The other event is a more focused session on the impact of local political change in the recent elections. How can we best work with and influence new councillors and new political dynamics? By rooting the conversation in real examples, the session will help us be effective and build our influence. As we reach the middle of Volunteers Week, I am sure you have plenty of events, comms, and activity going on. Do share what you’re doing, it is great to see the range and breadth of how we are engaging, promoting and working with volunteers locally. Contents: Share your experiences of NAVCA membership - and win a free conference ticket What's on at NAVCA Shaping the Civil Society Covenant: member discussion with Maddy Responding to the changing political landscape with Akiko Hart, Director of Liberty Navigating changes in political control of local councils - event for NAVCA members New CEOs Support Network: new cohort open Training and workshops for NAVCA members Join the NAVCA Allyship Programme NAVCA resources Volunteers Week - celebrate, learn, grow Embedding EEDI in local infrastructure: a framework for reflection, learning and action Slides and notes from the NAVCA Annual Conference Policy EHRC Draft Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations and the Equality Act 2010 Latest resources to support you through local government reorganisation What does local government reorganisation mean for you?: webinar for the VCFSE sector Approved Mileage Rates - AMAP The latest news about neighbourhoods External events and resources IVAR Funding Experience 2026 survey findings Looking for new volunteers? - Big Help Out and Big Lunch Share your experiences of NAVCA membership - and win a free conference ticket At NAVCA, we want to make sure the support we offer reflects what our members need and value. That's why we are running a member engagement survey, to hear from you about your experience of being a NAVCA member. The short survey asks about how you personally engage with NAVCA and what’s working well, as well as where we could do things differently. We want to hear your views on networks, events, our influencing work, how we communicate, and more. Your feedback helps shape our future work and may be used anonymously in our annual reports or on our website. We want to hear from as many people as possible, so everyone in your organisation is welcome to complete the survey. We welcome all responses and, as a thank you, everyone who completes the survey has the opportunity to be entered into a prize draw to win a free ticket to the NAVCA Annual Conference 2027. What's on at NAVCA Shaping the Civil Society Covenant: member discussion with Maddy Ahead of the next Civil Society Covenant Council meeting at No 10, join Maddy Desforges, CEO at NAVCA, for an informal discussion about the issues, opportunities and concerns NAVCA members want to see raised. This is a chance to help shape NAVCA’s contribution to national conversations around the Covenant and its implementation, ensuring the experiences and priorities of local infrastructure organisations and the wider VCSE sector are reflected. The meeting will take place on Thursday 2nd July, 2pm - 3pm. Sign up here. Responding to the changing political landscape with Akiko Hart, Director of Liberty Join NAVCA members as we continue the conversation around responding to the changing political landscape and far-right rhetoric creating tensions in communities. This webinar led by Akiko Hart, Director of Liberty, will explore the challenges of the political shift, rhetoric on both sides of current community tensions, and how we adapt as a sector to respond to that and to support communities. How can we future proof our sector and organisations for future changes? How can we adapt our dialogue and messaging to speak to a wide audience? Join us for this important conversation on Wednesday 24th June, 3pm - 4:30pm. Sign up here. Navigating changes in political control of local councils - event for NAVCA members
The May 2026 local elections brought major changes for many councils, particularly a rise in councils with no overall control and the challenges that brings in terms of relationships and influence;,and in a higher number of Reform UK led councils where we need to engage with a different political agenda. This meeting is an opportunity to learn from members that have worked with Reform UK led councils and those with no overall control to reflect on their experiences. We will also hear from a NAVCA member CEO who has recently been a local councillor. This will be an interactive session, focusing on real life scenarios and working through problems LIOs are facing. The meeting will take place on Thursday 18th June, 1:30pm - 3pm. Sign up here. New CEOs Support Network: new cohort open Are you new to a CEO role, new to the sector, or new to the NAVCA network? Join our next New CEOs cohort, a supportive space for NAVCA members to connect with peers, share experiences and build relationships with others navigating the opportunities and challenges of local infrastructure leadership. Across three facilitated sessions over six months, the group will offer space for honest conversation, mutual support and shared learning in a trusted peer environment. NAVCA will support and convene the cohort initially, helping members build a network that can continue beyond the programme. The July 2026 cohort will meet on: • Thursday 2 July, 3.30pm–4.30pm • Wednesday 30 September, 1pm–2pm • Tuesday 8 December, 9.30am–10.30am Please remember to book onto each session separately and add the dates to your calendar. Sign up here. Training and workshops for NAVCA membersOur latest training programme offers practical, relevant and affordable support, designed specifically for local infrastructure organisations. • Stepping into charity leadership (18 June) – Explore what it takes to become a CEO, with practical tools and insight to help you assess your readiness and plan your next step. • Caring for the connectors (23 June) – Take time to reflect, recharge and build resilience in a session designed for those supporting others in challenging environments. • Dare to be different: Board diversification (22 & 24 June) – Gain practical tools to support organisations to build stronger, more diverse and resilient boards. • Volunteering and the law (30 June) – Strengthen your knowledge of legal essentials and best practice to support safe and effective volunteering. Find out more and book via the NAVCA Member Hub. Join the NAVCA Allyship Programme Over the past year, we’ve seen something meaningful take shape across the NAVCA network. In 2025, our first Allyship Programme brought together people from 14 member organisations, united by a shared commitment to building more inclusive and equitable communities through allyship. The programme combined training, facilitated networking and peer learning to support participants to build their confidence and understanding. Feedback from this first cohort shows that this approach worked well, with participants describing increased confidence to act as allies and a stronger sense of connection to others doing similar work. The Allyship Programme is now open for new participants, with the next cohort starting on 30th June. Download our brochure to find out more about reserving your space, or get in touch with [email protected] for a chat. NAVCA resources Volunteers Week - celebrate, learn, growVolunteering helps places thrive, but it doesn't happen by accident. The hard work and dedication of NAVCA members to nurturing positive volunteering environments means that people can volunteer in ways that suit them, supporting communities to improve their wellbeing, boost skills and employment, and build cohesion. This Volunteers Week, why not explore some of the many volunteering resources that NAVCA has available?
Embedding EEDI in local infrastructure: a framework for reflection, learning and action NAVCA’s EEDI Audit Framework is designed specifically for local infrastructure organisations, helping members reflect on current practice, identify strengths and plan meaningful action on equity, equality, diversity and inclusion. The framework recognises the unique role LIOs play in supporting communities, influencing local systems and modelling inclusive practice across the wider VCSE sector. Covering leadership and governance, workforce culture and operational delivery, it provides a practical and flexible tool to support learning and improvement. The framework is now available for just £250 plus VAT. To purchase your copy, contact [email protected], or find out more here. Comments are closed.
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