Towards a ‘Covenant of Service’ between government and civil society
This paper details a Better Way’s response to the government consultation on a 'Civil Society Covenant Framework’ that seeks to reset the relationship between government and civil society and build a new partnership that can harness civil society’s full potential.
Our response has been informed by discussions and deliberations within the network in November and December 2024 (including an online meeting with network members and the Minister Stephanie Peacock, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, on 2nd December 2024) and also over many years about what works, drawn together into Time for a Change and Building a Bigger We, which set out how leaders can join forces and work together.
The paper splits our response into two sections:
Section 1 sets out a series of proposed changes to the draft Covenant Framework produced by DCMS to enhance its effectiveness.
Section 2 sets out an ambitious, alternative set of our ideas for a new ‘Covenant of Service’ between government and civil society based upon Better Way principles and behaviours, joining forces in a constructive and sustainable way and learning from illustrative examples from Better Way network members.