YESTERDAY I was pleased to

speak at the annual conference of Voluntary Action Stoke-on-Trent (VAST).

This organisation is one of a number that aim to support voluntary and community organisations.

Third sector organisations are thriving in North Staffordshire and this week's conference was a good chance to highlight the help they offer.

The growth of the voluntary sector in North Staffs is a sign of their increasingly important role.

Indeed the Government has established the Office of the Third Sector whose primary responsibility is to enable it to campaign for change and deliver public services.

The reason is clear: the third sector possesses unique local knowledge and is often more responsive to people's needs than the state is able to be.

The Government aims to tap into this knowledge. This is not without danger, however, as third sector organisations often do not have the capacity to deliver on the large scale required from public services.

The Government has set up two programmes to address the issue; the £231 million Change Up programme and the £215m Futurebuilders programme.

The Government also provides large amounts of funding through the Targeted Support Fund and the Modernisation Fund.

But

not enough organisations have the resources to

apply

.

This is where, as an MP, I try to help and it is this which I focused during my keynote speech to VAST.

For anyone interested in receiving funding a good place to start is www.communitybuilders fund.org.uk. Alternatively contact me at walleyj@parliament.uk