Compact Week is an annual event held to promote the Compact, the longstanding agreement that sets out shared commitments and guidelines for partnership working between government and the voluntary and community sector. It encourages and engages government departments, regional bodies, local authorities and other public sector partners who have Local Compacts

This year, Compact Week has its own new website where people associated with Local Compacts can find out more about Compact Week, register and promote their local events and activities, and order merchandise and resources. The website address is: http://www.compactweek.org.uk/

Activities are taking place all over England and keynote events and activities include the announcement of the results of this year’s Compact Awards on Tuesday 3 November 2009 at an awards dinner at The Dali Universe in London. Categories include Compact Champion of the Year, Local Compact of the Year, the Compact Award for Innovation, the Compact Award for Excellence at a National Level, and the Commissioner’s Award.

In addition, during Compact Week the Commission for the Compact will launch the new Compact Knowledge Bank, a useful online resource that contains a range a research papers and documents associated with the Compact. The Commission will also announce the early findings of its annual base line survey to measure the level of awareness, knowledge, use and understanding of the Compact within central government departments and non-departmental public bodies.

Angela Smith, Minister for the Third Sector, said:

“The Government is absolutely committed to supporting the third sector. The Compact is a key tool is developing this important relationship between government and the third sector. Compact Week provides a great opportunity to communicate more widely about how Compact working can really make a difference both to communities and to individuals across the country.

“This is a really exciting time for the Compact. The consultation into the ‘refreshed’ Compact is underway and Sir Bert has worked hard to ensure that it is as relevant and important as ever. I understand there are lots of activities and events planned for Compact Week and I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate all those involved for their hard work.”

Simon Blake, Chair of Compact Voice and Chief Executive of Brook, said:

“Compact Week offers a great opportunity for local areas to promote their Compact, and to raise awareness of the benefits of partnership working through local events and other activities. As the Compact enters its second decade, and the guiding document is renewed after wide-ranging consultation, demonstrating the difference the Compact can make, sharing best practice and celebrating those achievements in Compact is more relevant than ever."

Sir Bert Massie CBE, Commissioner for the Compact, said:

“This year’s Compact Week is very important as we will be giving a progress update on the revised and ‘refreshed’ national Compact. There has been an extensive period of debate and consultation about this over the last year and I am grateful for all the feedback from the recent consultation. The Compact is an essential part of partnership working between government and the voluntary and community sector and I am looking forward to visiting and talking to those involved at implementing the Compact at a local level during this year’s Compact Week.”

For more information about Compact Week, please visit:
http://www.compactweek.org.uk/

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Notes for editors

• The Compact was established in England in November 1998 and was inspired by the Deakin Commission report on the Future of the Voluntary Sector. It is an agreement that provides an overall framework for promoting effective partnership working between the Government and the voluntary and community sector. It aims to address areas of poor performance and sets out a statement of intent to work in partnership. The Compact and the Commission for the Compact are funded by the Government as part of the Government’s commitment to partnership working between government and the third sector.

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Useful Links

http://www.compactweek.org.uk/
http://www.compactawards.org.uk/

Useful Downloads

Press Release: Compact Week 2009

For media enquiries, please contact:

Catherine Byerley, Communications Officer
Commission for the Compact
Tel: 0121 237 5905
Email: catherine.byerley@thecompact.org.uk