Local Charities Bring In Millions
Contact: Katy McGrory, (01273) 234003 or Sally Hiscock, (01273) 234044
Local Charities Bring In Millions Despite Credit Crunch
In times of economic hardship, the local third sector plays a major role in bringing millions of pounds into the city and maintaining free, high quality services for its residents. Charities and voluntary groups contribute a staggering £96 million a year to the Brighton and Hove economy, according to a new report, Taking Account, launched today.
The report shows:
• That there are approximately 1,600 third sector organisations in Brighton and Hove, who contribute £96 million to the Brighton and Hove economy each year
• That the sector is a significant employer in the city, employing about 8,000 people
• That only 43% of its income comes from grants, of which the majority (62%) comes from outside the city.
The report also shows that Brighton and Hove's citizens are strongly committed to improving the city's wellbeing for all, and do so by spending generous amounts of their time volunteering.
Value of volunteering:
• There are 19,200 volunteer positions in Brighton and Hove, giving 57,600 hours per week
• If volunteers were paid the same rate as workers in the third sector their annual salary bill would be worth £24 million - a huge donation of time and effort.
Case study: Brighton Unemployed Centre Families Project
"... I felt totally alienated..."
"I first came to the Centre because I felt totally alienated and didn't know what to do. I saw a flyer about the Centre at the DSS office and on my first visit I was immediately grabbed as an Art Group volunteer. It seems as though the needs of the centre and my own personal needs were combined to complement each other perfectly. Volunteers are respected for what they are and the workers speak a language which I understand. I have now been approached to do an arts project outside of the centre; the vision came from the Centre and could not have had the opportunity without BUCFP".
Paul Bramwell, Chair of the Dialogue 50/50 Group said: "The economic contribution the third sector makes to the city is of enormous value, not least because it attracts vast amounts in. Factor in the value of volunteering and the city's charities and voluntary groups are worth £120 million a year; a staggering sum and indicative of a workforce which is highly committed, educated and professional".
The report also found that while the financial benefits to the city were great, the sector also brings great social wealth, which, to the thousands of people it benefits, is priceless.
Case study: Brighton Women's Centre
"...given me a sense of self-confidence that was lost to me during my period of abuse..."
BWC offers counselling to women more speedily than NHS provision and at a cost lower than NHS or private counselling services. Nine counsellors work for the centre, each seeing around three or four clients per week. Every client receives about 12 sessions each costing a minimum of £5 and maximum of £25 - scaled according to the individual's financial situation.
The waiting time for counselling at BWC is approximately three months, around half the time on NHS waiting lists. The women that access the centre for counselling often have varied and very serious issues and, according to the feedback of their counsellors, their level of distress is often higher than in a general GP surgery.
Mr Bramwell continued: "In many ways, putting a monetary value on the third sector hides the real story, which is about bringing and keeping communities together. It provides so much more than the services which are familiar to many of us, because for the individuals who are helped, the difference it makes to their lives can be immeasurable, sometimes, quite literally, the difference between life and death".
Ends
Notes to editors
1. Taking Account is a highly successful partnership project produced by The Dialogue 50/50 Group (members include representatives from The Community and Voluntary Sector Forum, Brighton University Community University Partnership Programme, Brighton and Hove City Council, Brighton and Hove City Teaching Primary Care Trust and others).
2. Taking Account is available to download at www.cvsectorforum.org.uk/takingaccount in both full report and summary versions
3. A number of third sector organisations who are featured in the report are available as written case studies. Please contact Katy McGrory on (01273) 234003 for more information.
