Information from VAST
NCVO CEO visits Stoke‑on‑Trent to learn from local VCSE leadership
Kate Lee, CEO of The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) visited The Dudson Centre in Hanley on Thursday to meet with representatives from VAST, Stoke-on-Trent City Council and the Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector to discuss the Civil Society Covenant, what is already happening in the city and the challenges and experiences of VCSE organisations.
The Civil Society Covenant is a framework aiming to reset the relationship between civil society and government, while respecting independence and building on strong local partnerships already in place. In Stoke‑on‑Trent, this work is already well underway through the City Alliance Agreement, signed in December 2024, which sets out the behaviours and values under which the two sectors will work together, and the priorities that they will work towards.
During the visit, Kate Lee and her team met with VAST’s Chief Executive Lisa Healings; Shelley Brough Director of All Age Commissioning at Stoke-on-Trent City Council and a member of her team, alongside a number of senior representatives of local VCSE sector organisations, to discuss the progress made so far and how this can be supported at a National level.
Lisa Healings, Chief Executive at VAST said:
“Having already done the work to co-produce a City Alliance before the idea of a Covenant came into being, and, more importantly, having worked for over a year now to drive forward the priorities, live the values and behaviours, and develop the relationships that make meaningful change, Stoke-on-Trent already has strong foundations on which to develop a wider Covenant.
“By working together and having early, open and honest conversations, we can ensure that we get the best outcomes for the people in our city, and a local, meaningful Covenant is a great way to make that happen.”
Kate Lee, CEO of NCVO said:
“thank you for the most brilliant session – what you are achieving in Stoke is really incredible!
Thank for the much-needed inspiration!”
To find out more about VAST and its work within the local voluntary sector, please click here.
To find out more about the Civil Society Covenant, please click here.
