Dear Sir

For the last ten years I have worked within the charity sector, from volunteer to paid worker. I enjoy my work with clients and I know that I have helped change lives.

But during that time there has always been a dark cloud hanging over the work that myself and so many others do – it is FUNDING.

Year by year there has been less and less money going to charities and council run services. This has meant that services have gone under and the ones that are left have been put under more stress and have become overworked.

I understand the current financial circumstances are making things difficult for everyone, but I believe there is a deeper problem within the charity sector that has made things worse.

During every cycle when charities have to make bids for funding, executives and managers have to decide what their charity wishes to offer and how they can deliver the best value for money.

This “value for money” in my experience leads to a charity becoming overstretched and one that will struggle to provide the service promised to the funders.

I have spoken to many varying agencies and all I hear is how they struggle with work overload, stress and low morale. What I also hear is the frustration of workers who want to do everything they can for a client only to be told that there may be weeks to wait for a service to help or that the service required would mean a client may have to travel to get the help. Remember that a client may not be able to afford to travel so will not get the help they need.

This bidding for funding has been like this for many years. What we are left with is services that have been underfunded for all that time.

There will be managers reading this who will defend their actions by saying if we hadn’t done what we did there might not be a service at all.

I understand that and it is undoubtedly the system which has caused some of these problems, but due to the “value for money” promises, any statistics produced are incorrect leaving the system/government the ability to say we can continue with these cuts we are currently suffering as there is still room to squeeze a little more.

Unfortunately, more and more people are requiring help and these cases are getting increasingly complex.

I speak from the heart about these issues. If you feel the same, then please let your voice be heard.

D. Biggins