Our Work
Below you can find information on our work, click the buttons below to visit each specific section:
Our activity
East Sussex VCSE Alliance Report, Executive Summary Report April to June 2026
The East Sussex VCSE Alliance plays a central role in shaping local service design, influencing policy, and strengthening the voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) sector. This summary captures high-level activities and outcomes during April to June 2026.
East Sussex VCSE Alliance Report, Executive Summary Report January to March 2026
The East Sussex VCSE Alliance plays a central role in shaping local service design, influencing policy, and strengthening the voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) sector. This summary captures high-level activities and outcomes during January to March 2026.
East Sussex VCSE Alliance Report, Executive Summary Report October – December 2025
The East Sussex VCSE Alliance plays a central role in shaping local service design, influencing policy, and strengthening the voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) sector. This summary captures high-level activities and outcomes during October to December 2025.
East Sussex VCSE Alliance Report, Executive Summary Report July – September 2025
The East Sussex VCSE Alliance plays a central role in shaping local service design, influencing policy, and strengthening the voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) sector. This summary captures high-level activities and outcomes during July to September 2025.
East Sussex VCSE Alliance State of the Sector Research Reports
The East Sussex VCSE Alliance is delighted to launch the findings of research it commissioned on the state of the VCSE sector in East Sussex. The co-funded project was led by the Alliance on behalf of voluntary sector organisations, East Sussex County Council and Sussex Community Foundation.
Research was undertaken by Colligo Labs, in partnership with Ideas Alliance. The focus was to provide an up-to-date picture of the VCSE sector’s social and economic resilience, value and impact in East Sussex.
East Sussex VCSE Alliance Report, Executive Summary Report April – June 2025
The East Sussex VCSE Alliance plays a central role in shaping local service design, influencing policy, and strengthening the voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) sector. This summary captures high-level activities and outcomes during April to June of this year.
State of the Sector Research: resilience, value and impact of the VCSE sector in East Sussex
The East Sussex VCSE Alliance is delighted to announce it has commissioned Colligo Labs, in partnership with Ideas Alliance, to research and provide an up-to-date picture of the VCSE sector’s resilience, value and impact in East Sussex.
Aims of the research are to:
- Provide an up-to-date snapshot of the scale and reach of the voluntary sector
- Assess the value of the contribution made by the voluntary sector in East Sussex
- Determine the effects of the current operating environment on the impact and resilience of the VCSE sector and their services
Findings will be used to inform commissioning, policy and system development.
Autumn budget 2024: Impact, implications and solutions for Alliance organisations
The East Sussex VCSE Alliance has provided an Alliance-wide response to changes to National Insurance and National Minimum Wage elements of the budget announced in the autumn of 2024.
Alliance response to the consultation on Adult Social Care and Health savings proposals
The East Sussex VCSE Alliance has provided a joint response to the consultations carried out by East Sussex County Council (ESCC) on the funding gap the council is facing.
Alliance ‘Our Journey – 12 months on’ Report
We are pleased to share ‘Our Journey – 12 months on’, a reflection on the work that has taken place in the last year.
Alliance ‘Our Journey So Far’ Report
Published in November 2023, In line with our annual conference, the East Sussex VCSE Alliance are pleased to share ‘Our Journey So Far’; a reflection on the work that has taken place since we formed in 2021.
Alliance ‘Our Journey So Far’ Roadmap
The Alliance has been busy since being awarded three years funding by East Sussex County Council in 2021. Click the link below to see a few highlights from our journey so far.
VCSE Alliance Development Plan 2021 – 24
Members of the Alliance have collaborated to co-design a Development Plan to guide their activity over the next three years.
Position Papers
Please click the links below for copies of Position Papers developed by the East Sussex VCSE Alliance:
- VCSE Alliance Position Paper – Community Hubs – July 2020
- VCSE Alliance Position Paper – Commissioning Principles – August 2021
- VCSE Alliance Position Paper – Anchor Institutes – October 2021
- VCSE Alliance Position Paper – Perspective on Locality and Neighbourhood Working – January 2022
- VCSE Alliance Position Paper – Commissioning Principles – Update July 2022
- VCSE Alliance Position Paper – Cost of Living Crisis and Financial Exclusion – November 2022
- VCSE Alliance Position Paper – VCSE Perspectives on Social Prescribing – January 2023
- VCSE Alliance Position Paper – Understanding Need Beyond the Data – October 2026
Events and Workshop Reports
East Sussex VCSE Alliance Annual Conference 2023
On Wednesday the 8th November, the East Sussex VCSE Alliance held their 2023 Annual Conference at The View Hotel in Eastbourne.
The conference built on the Alliance’s principle of generous leadership; exploring how we can reach out to smaller grassroot organisations and work together across the sector.
East Sussex Commissioning Workshop Report December 2022
The second commissioning workshop was held with VCSE Alliance members and statutory commissioners in November 2022.
It focused on Service Monitoring – how to achieve a more proportionate and co-productive approach.
East Sussex VCSE Alliance Conference 2022
Voluntary and community groups, as well as statutory partners from across East Sussex came together for the East Sussex VCSE Alliance annual conference – ‘Maps and Dreams, Preparing for Tomorrow’ in April 2022.
The event looked at how we can build a more resilient voluntary, community and social enterprise sector in East Sussex.
East Sussex Commissioning Workshop report July 2022
East Sussex VCSE Alliance members and statutory commissioners met to discuss how commissioning can work more effectively and collaboratively with the VCSE, using the example of tackling health inequality.
This followed publication of the VCSE Alliance ‘position paper’ on the Future of VCSE Commissioning.
