Manifesto2025Final

[Audio] OUR CHARITY SECTOR M A N I F E S T O 2 0 2 5.

[Audio] Charities provide essential services that save the Government and taxpayer money, foster community well-being, value our heritage and natural environment, and address pressing social issues with an army of volunteers and staff – and so much more. To ensure their continued success, the States of Guernsey (SoG) is invited to partner with the charitable sector, providing the support and resources necessary for long-term sustainability and better outcomes for all.. M A N I F E S T O 2 0 2 5.

[Audio] potential candidates to confirm that they will support steps to deliver this if elected. We invite The existing Social Compact, drawn up in February 2014 with the intention to shape partnership working between SoG and the charitable sector, has been ineffective and should be replaced with a "Bailiwick Community Strategy". This would naturally align the charitable sector and SoG with a commitment to achieving community benefit. M A N I F E S T O 2 0 2 5.

[Audio] The Charity Sector in Numbers The charity sector is made up of a diverse group of organisations that contribute to the social and economic well-being of our island. The sector employs 600-800 650+ staff but is largely volunteer-led and run Majority of funds raised are reinvested registered charities and NPOs in the 50% of registered charities have an income over £20,000 or assets locally. Bailiwick. Annual sector over £100,000 30 commissioning agreements with of over-16s volunteer annually, giving time the States of Guernsey, worth income over £100 million. equivalent to 670 full-time roles. £5.2 million. 30% The sector is facing challenges. Charities support and enhance all aspects of community life. 1/3 of charities face funding shortfalls. 41% of charities struggle with volunteer Community Support Services: 148 recruitment/retention. Health, Disability & Elderly: 154 1/5 of charities anticipate having to increase Sport: 94 services due to higher demand. Culture, Art & Heritage: 82 Education, Children & Young People: 59 Faith: 47 Nature & Environment: 11 Animal Welfare: 11 Other: 45 M A N I F E S T O 2 0 2 5.

[Audio] Ask 1 Effective Commissioning to become a strategic goal, establishing strong, collaborative partnerships Treat charities as equal partners in achieving shared community goals, valuing their expertise and capacity. Engage charities early in policy-making to ensure decisions reflect real community needs and lived experiences. Provide multi-year service level agreements with RPI-linked funding for financial stability and KPIs for accountability. Co-design and produce solutions with charities to align policies with real needs. As a charity working directly with the community, we see first-hand the challenges people face and have valuable insights that could help shape government policies and strategies. We'd love to see more collaboration between the government and charities like ours—by working together, we can make a real difference and create better outcomes for everyone. We would " love to see a commitment that no policy should be made "about us, without us". As with many charities providing services around health and disability, good communication and partnership with HSC is vital. Without it, miscommunication and lack of understanding simply hinders progress and affects positive outcomes. Where it is in place, where there is mutual trust and respect, it leads to seamless and efficient partnership working, with patient care paramount. This is our shared goal. " M A N I F E S T O 2 0 2 5.

[Audio] Ask 2 Recognise the charitable sector's economic and social value Regulation to be proportionate and tailored to the charitable sector. Acknowledge that charities often provide more efficient and cost-effective service than Government and are more nimble. SoG to lead by example in adopting an Employer Supported Volunteering programme similar to the UK's civil service. There is only so much responsibility volunteers can undertake and this can take the joy out of being involved in running a charity. We are a small social club for holding events with a community interest. The organising committee is retired and in general quite elderly people. The amount of bureaucracy and time spent on Data Protection Authority, Registry and the bank paperwork compared to time and effort spent actually trying to keep the group's activities going is disproportionate. " " M A N I F E S T O 2 0 2 5.

[Audio] Ask 3 Strengthen financial sustainability Ensure full GST exemption for charities or, as a minimum, protection from the negative impact it will have on service delivery. Unlock dormant assets, such as unclaimed bank deposits, Escheated assets etc. for charitable use. Expand tax relief and incentives to encourage greater public and corporate donations. Give greater consideration to the specific needs and priorities of the charitable sector from the outset in all key deliberations such as Revenue Services, the Guernsey Registry and regulatory frameworks. Obtaining sustainable funding is a constant concern, absorbing a huge amount of management and trustee time and threatening the continuation of the service we offer. Having a sustainable, multi-year funding agreement with the States of Guernsey for the work our charity does means we are able to plan longer term to ensure we can recruit and retain the necessary staff, develop multi-year programmes and strategies, capture data and establish more robust success measures and have the necessary flexibility and autonomy to respond quickly to changes and challenges as they arise. " " N N N H R gt S S e e t t e M A N I F E S T O 2 0 2 5.

[Audio] Ask 4 Enhance the value and impact of volunteering Improve public and policy understanding of volunteering as a vital community asset. Incentivise volunteering and charitable giving through tax benefits for businesses supporting employee engagement in charities. Strengthen recognition of action on volunteering and Corporate Social Responsibility as a key component in tendered and sub-contracting arrangements. The hours and expertise the Board donate in time is extensive. This would easily calculate to £200,000 a year in time and free services provided. We face ongoing problems with recruiting new volunteers for numerous roles in the charity, hampering our ability to develop our services. " " M A N I F E S T O 2 0 2 5.

[Audio] Call to action The charitable sector is crucial to the fabric of our community, and many existing services would collapse without its support. A strong partnership with the States of Guernsey, with each party respecting the role of the other, is essential for its continued success. For our part, Charities will continue to enhance their governance and effectiveness to be even stronger partners and we ask that Government fulfils its obligations for such a partnership to succeed. By committing to these key actions, we can create a supportive, sustainable, and resilient framework for charities to thrive and make a lasting impact on our islands. We urge all candidates in the 2025 election to adopt these asks and work with us to strengthen the charitable sector for the benefit of all in our communities. Get in touch with to Association of Guernsey Charities to learn more. We're keen to engage with candidates ahead of the upcoming elections. We can provide additional insight on the points outlined in our manifesto and can offer guidance on how you can best represent the needs of charities in your manifesto. To get in touch with the Association of Guernsey Charities, email development@charity.org.gg For more information about charities, visit withoutus.gg. M A N I F E S T O 2 0 2 5.