Policy and Communications

The Policy and Communications Team provides information and communication services to the third sector and public sector partners.

These services include:

• Third Sector Assembly Birmingham
  The Assembly was launched in July 2007 as a long-term network of voluntary and community organisations, to ensure the sector can actively participate in, influence and improve policy making, commissioning and service delivery in the city. The Assembly works closely with the city's strategic partnership Be Birmingham, ensuring that the third sector has an influence in the thematic partnership blocks.  To find out more about Be Birmingham please visit: http://www.bebirmingham.org.uk/

• Policy briefings
  As part of our policy and research work we will be providing third sector policy briefings on topics of relevance and interest to the sector. These cover national, regional and Birmingham based policy issues and developments with a particular focus on implications and actions for the voluntary and community sector. 

• Update magazine
  Update is BVSC's free monthly magazine with news, views and practical tips for Birmingham's voluntary sector.  You can download Update from this website or register to receive a regular copy by registering your organisation on the BVSC Third Sector Database.  If your organisation is already registered but you wish to make a change to your subscription please contact Helen Cobain helenc@bvsc.org.

• Weekly e-bulletin
  The weekly e-bulletin provides a round-up of the week’s latest news items, including events, jobs, training courses and important announcements.  It currently has a circulation of about 1600.  If you would like to subscribe to the e-bulletin go to the BVSC homepage and input your details.

  A fresh look for the e-bulletin was launched on 28th January 2011 and it now includes a number of enhanced features.   All other advertising rates remain the same and are detailed in our media card.  Please email your advertising enquires to Helen Cobain at helenc@bvsc.org.

• Website development
  We help voluntary organisations communicate using website and new media technologies.  As well as working within BVSC we also work with the wider voluntary and community sector in Birmingham.  

• Database
  The BVSC Third Sector Database holds information on organisations in Birmingham; where they are, what services they provide, who their client groups are and so on.  It also provides information on staff and volunteer levels, funding streams, quality standards, networks and partnerships.  Go to www.bvscthirdsectordatabase.org to search the database.  For more information about registering your organisation on the database download a copy of the Getting Started Guide.

• Meetings
  View meetings