GUEST COLUMN:
Dr Lindsay Cordery-Bruce
CEO
WCVA
The people of Wales have had their say. There’s a clear message in this election: people want things to change. They want to see action on the pressures they’re feeling day to day. And they want politics to feel closer to real life again.
Who forms the next Welsh Government matters, of course. But what matters just as much is what happens next, and how we work together over the next four years.
Because across Wales, long before any election result, communities have been getting on with the hard work of supporting each other.
Voluntary organisations, community groups and volunteers are quietly holding things together. They’re supporting people with their mental health, helping older people stay connected, backing young people to find opportunities, and being there for those who don’t always have anywhere else to turn.
In many places, they’re an essential part of how support reaches people at all. Not as an add-on, but as part of the fabric of how Wales works.
But this isn’t easy.
Behind all of this are people who are stretched. The cost of living is still biting. Demand for support is rising. And many voluntary organisations are under real strain themselves, dealing with rising costs, short-term funding and the challenge of planning beyond the next few months.
For some, it’s no longer about doing more with less. It’s about whether they can keep going at all.
And yet, what stands out - and what should give all of us some hope – is that people are still stepping up. They still care about their communities. They still want to make things better.
That feels important in this moment. Because alongside the challenges, there is a genuine opportunity too.
Real change doesn’t come from government acting on its own. It comes when public services, voluntary organisations and communities work side by side, bringing together leadership, local knowledge, trust and practical action.
That’s how progress happens in the real world.
The voluntary sector is ready to play its part in that, as it always has.
In the run-up to the election, we set out what that partnership could look like: a stronger, more sustainable voluntary sector, communities that are supported and empowered, and a way of working that makes collaboration the norm rather than the exception.
The idea behind it is straightforward. If we want to improve lives and strengthen communities, we need to back the people and organisations who are already making a difference every day.
That means looking beyond short-term fixes. It means giving organisations the stability and trust they need to plan ahead, to innovate, and to respond to what communities are telling them. And it means working with communities as partners, not just asking them to pick up the pieces.
People don’t expect government to have all the answers. But they do expect leadership that understands how tough things are right now and is willing to work with others to make change happen.
The voluntary sector will continue to step up. The real question is whether we can create the conditions that allow it to do that in a way that lasts.
WCVA is ready to work with the next Welsh Government, and with Members of the Senedd from all parties. As partners for progress, our shared goal is simple: to support volunteers and voluntary organisations to deliver the change people across Wales are asking for, and to help communities not just get by, but thrive.
If you want to hear more about WCVA’s asks of the next Welsh Government, check out our Voluntary Sector Manifesto and be sure to join us for gofod3, a place to learn, connect and strengthen our shared voluntary sector voice on policy and influencing.
