NICVA Summit 2026: The Partnership Agreement - More than a Memo

The summit

The event attracted representatives from across government and the voluntary and community sector, providing an opportunity to reflect on achievements to date and discuss how the agreement can be further embedded in practice. With strong attendance from both sectors, the summit demonstrated the continued commitment to strengthening collaboration, trust and shared working across Northern Ireland.

Anne Armstrong, Deputy Director of Voluntary and Community Division said: 

“Central to our discussions was the question of how the Partnership Agreement can move beyond a shared commitment on paper to become a lived reality across organisations and departments. Participants engaged in constructive conversations about the practical steps needed to ensure the agreement is consistently implemented, creating stronger mechanisms for engagement, collaboration and co-design between government and the voluntary and community sector. 

"The event provided a valuable space for honest reflection on achievements to date, alongside a forward-looking focus on sustaining momentum over the coming year.”

Attendees heard valuable insights from Ross Davies, from NICVA's Welsh counterpart organisation, WCVA, on the arrangements and frameworks that underpin the relationship between government and the voluntary sector in Wales. The discussion highlighted lessons that could help inform the continued development of partnership working in Northern Ireland, offering examples of how structured engagement, mutual accountability and shared priorities can strengthen outcomes for communities. 

We also heard from David Gibson, Department for the Economy about their recently launched Regional Co-operative Support Programme. This programme provides an excellent example of the practical application of the values and fair funding principles outlined in the Partnership Agreement, demonstrating how they can be effectively embedded in programme design and delivery.

Karen Smith, Disability Action, Joint Chair of the Joint Forum, said:

"The NICVA Summit at ICC Belfast on 10 June was attended by over 300 voluntary sector leaders and senior government representatives, with all who attended roundly condemning the violent scenes that were happening in our local communities. The tone of the conference overall was set in the joint address of Junior Minister Aisling Reilly MLA and Junior Minister Joanne Bunting MLA, focusing on shared leadership in a period of significant challenge and reflecting on collaboration and resilience across the community and voluntary sector. 

"I was heartened to hear about the importance of the Partnership Agreement and Fair Funding Principles in the many contributions throughout the day. None more so than in our own engagement hub when attendees heard about how Joint Forum Members have been promoting the Partnership Agreement and Fair Funding Principles through shared communications and an excellent practical application example from David Gibson from the Department for Economy’s Social Economy Branch. Lively debate and discussion was facilitated by our excellent critical friend host Ross Thomas from the Wales Council for Voluntary Action. 

"Attendees were asked ‘If we wanted people in our communities to genuinely feel the difference of this partnership agreement, what would need to change in how we work together – starting tomorrow?’ I heard a variety of views that reinforced the importance of developing in depth understanding of the delivery environments for community and voluntary sector organisations of all sizes in our local communities. These are great reflections for the Joint Forum to take forward over the coming months."

The Joint Forum Communications Working Group

The summit also showcased the work of the Joint Forum Communications Working Group, which continues to play a key role in raising awareness of the Partnership Agreement and ensuring stakeholders across both sectors remain informed and engaged. Their contribution reinforced the importance of ongoing communication across government and VCS networks in supporting implementation and encouraging wider ownership of the agreement's principles.

Avery Bowser, Action For Children, Co-Chair of the Joint Forum Communications Working Group, said:

“Despite the considerable challenges of the day there were still many great conversations.  This was an excellent opportunity to showcase the work we have achieved together already and encourage people to keep spreading the word about the Partnership Agreement and the Fair Funding Principles. This second NICVA Summit demonstrated again why it is so important to get people in the room together and create vibrant town square spaces where there is connection across the voluntary and community sector and engagement with partners in central government, local government, the public sector and business." 

The event closed with a renewed commitment from participants to work together to ensure the Partnership Agreement continues to deliver meaningful change. One year on from its launch, the anniversary summit highlighted both the progress achieved and the shared responsibility across government and the voluntary and community sector to turn the agreement's ambitions into everyday practice.

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