The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) is calling for members of voluntary and community organisations to contribute to its consultation on the future of the third sector.

Launched today, Your Future: a consultation aims to set out the key strategic challenges facing the sector over the next decade. As well as questioning its 3,700 members, the NCVO is to work in partnership with NACVS to run regional consultation events taking place between 4 March and 6 April. Various questions will be explored from what kind of relationships charities should have with government to difficulties in funding, to even if there is such thing as the voluntary sector at all.

Stuart Etherington, chief executive of NCVO, said: “We recognise that for most organisations it is hard to find the time to plan for the next few months, let alone the years ahead. But we all know that if we can find the time to step back and think about the longer term then our work will be the better for it.

“NCVO hopes that with NACVS we can find out exactly what the hopes and fears are right across the voluntary sector and use this knowledge to help shape its future direction.”

The consultation document is based on four strategy papers commissioned by NCVO in 2004, including Localism – New or Old by Professor Gerry Stoker; Civil Renewal and Civic Society by Professor Nick Deakin; Funding by David Carrington and Social Economy by Andrea Westell. The papers have been condensed into Voluntary Action – meeting the challenges of the 21st century, which is available as background reading prior to the consultation.

Your Future: a consultation can be downloaded or completed online at www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/volact or to book a place at one of the regional events contact lizzie.andrews@ncvo-vol.org.uk For more information call 020 7713 6161.