Thread by @karlwilding

Hello everyone. Some of you will have read this morning that we're proposing some changes at @NCVO as we take forward our new strategy. Like pretty much everyone, we're going through tough times. Let me explain. 1/

This year has been challenging for everyone - charities, businesses, government. People's lives disrupted, & worse, everywhere.
Charities & volunteers have mobilised, brilliantly. Adapted. Cared. We've helped those most affected by coronavirus and the consequences of lockdown.

And @NCVO mobilised quickly too - proving support and advice on what charities could do under the ever shifting rules, how and where they could access funding at the same time as pressing the government for much needed £ support.
Our membership model enabled this. Thank you.

Our amazing partners in the other umbrella bodies – too many to name all of them here – came together like never before.
Together we continue to make the case for why the work of charities is #NeverMoreNeeded. Why supporting people to volunteer & get involved is so important.

The incredible staff team @NCVO have worked tirelessly to move huge amounts of face to face training and events online. We've responded to more requests for help than ever. We've had hundreds of thousands of people ask us where they can volunteer to help in the crisis. 5/

But like many other charities, our income has been badly hit by the restrictions.

We now need to take some tough decisions to ensure we can support our members long into the future. Indeed, it was in the aftermath of another crisis - WWI - that we were established. 6/

It’s a decision that no CEO wants to face - rising demand for support that you know will make a difference. And the financial realities that mean a smaller staff team. I think we're all familiar with that one, if not the pace of change seen this year. 7/

The reductions in spending we will need to make are not as extensive as some other charities are having to make. I'm fully aware of how tough it is for our sector right now

I don't say this lightly - I'm really concerned about the Autumn/Winter as charities' reserves deplete.

So, we’ve begun consulting with staff this week on what a smaller NCVO might look like.

As ever, my @ncvo colleagues are brilliant and I want to put on record my huge respect for them. Their commitment to supporting charities and volunteering is unremitting. Thank you.

If implemented, we think our proposals will mean around 13 people leaving the organisation.

It’s devastating to lose such talented and dedicated people - who all feel passionate about the voluntary sector and the incredible things we can collectively achieve together.

We’ll update again once the consultation has concluded - there are more details here in the meantime: ncvo.org.uk/about-us/media…

Finally, since announcing our plans I've had countless emails and messages wishing us well at @ncvo. Thank you - I can't tell you how much this means to us.

I've never felt more part of such a wonderful community of compassionate, determined people than I do now.