As we enter 2026, it would be easy to describe the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector using the language of pressure and constraint. Rising demand, shrinking resources, workforce fatigue, and communities living with the long-term effects of inequality and instability are daily realities for organisations like ours.
And yet, from where I sit as Chief Operating Officer of Community Together CIC, I believe something deeply important: hope is not naïve optimism — hope is a strategy.
A sector shaped by challenge — and defined by response
The communities we work alongside face layered, complex challenges. Cost-of-living pressures have become structural rather than temporary. Many people are no longer experiencing single issues, but a combination of financial hardship, social isolation, poor mental health, and limited access to services.
For community organisations, this has meant responding at pace — often stretching far beyond original service models. Across the VCSE sector, organisations have become default safety nets, trusted connectors, and first responders to social need.
At Community Together CIC, we see this every day. Our work is rooted in community-led support, connection, and empowerment. We operate close to the ground, listening to what people tell us they need, not what systems assume they need. That proximity gives us insight — but it also brings responsibility.
Why hope must be intentional
Hope, in this context, is not about ignoring reality. It is about choosing to invest energy, resources, and leadership attention into what can be built, not only what must be managed.
In 2026, hope looks like:
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Believing communities hold solutions, not just needs
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Designing services with people, not for them
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Building organisations that are resilient enough to last, not just survive
For Community Together CIC, this means staying focused on our purpose while strengthening the operational foundations that allow our work to grow sustainably. It means ensuring our systems, governance, and partnerships protect the mission and the people delivering it.
Community power is not a buzzword
One of the greatest opportunities for the VCSE sector lies in community power. Too often, community organisations are framed as gap-fillers — stepping in where public services cannot. While this is sometimes true, it undersells the value we bring.
Community organisations are innovators. We test ideas quickly, adapt fast, and work relationally. We build trust where formal systems struggle to reach. At Community Together CIC, our strength comes from relationships — with residents, volunteers, partners, and local networks.
In 2026, the sector has an opportunity to move from being seen as “supporting communities” to enabling communities to lead. That shift requires confidence, evidence, and advocacy — and it requires funders and policymakers to listen differently.
Investing in people is investing in impact
Hope as a strategy also means taking care of the people who do the work. Staff and volunteers across the VCSE sector have carried significant emotional and practical load over recent years. Burnout is real, and goodwill alone cannot sustain organisations.
At Community Together CIC, we are committed to creating a culture that values wellbeing, reflection, and learning. From an operational perspective, this means:
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Realistic workloads and clear roles
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Supportive supervision and peer learning
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Systems that reduce unnecessary bureaucracy
Strong operations are not separate from compassion — they enable it. When organisations are well-run, people can focus on what matters most: relationships and impact.
Collaboration is the future
Another reason for hope lies in collaboration. The challenges facing communities are too complex for any single organisation to solve alone. In 2026, the most effective VCSE organisations will be those that collaborate intentionally — sharing resources, learning, and voice.
Community Together CIC continues to work in partnership with other voluntary organisations, local groups, and stakeholders who share our values. Collaboration allows us to reduce duplication, strengthen impact, and advocate collectively for change.
This is also where the sector’s influence lies. When community organisations speak together, grounded in evidence and lived experience, we shape agendas — not just respond to them.
Measuring what matters
Hope must also be credible. In an increasingly data-driven environment, VCSE organisations are asked to demonstrate impact more clearly than ever. This can feel like a burden, but it is also an opportunity.
At Community Together CIC, we believe impact is more than numbers. It is confidence restored, isolation reduced, skills developed, and voices heard. Our challenge — and opportunity — is to tell these stories alongside meaningful data, in ways that honour the people behind them.
By measuring what truly matters, we strengthen our case for investment and influence.
Looking ahead
As we move into 2026, the VCSE sector stands at a crossroads. We can remain locked in survival mode, or we can choose to build differently — with intention, collaboration, and hope.
For Community Together CIC, hope is embedded in our daily practice: in how we plan, how we support our teams, how we listen to our communities, and how we partner with others. It is not passive. It is strategic.
Because when communities are trusted, resourced, and connected, change happens — not overnight, but sustainably. And that is why, despite the challenges ahead, I remain confident that the VCSE sector not only still matters in 2026 — it is essential.