Voluntary sector
The Welsh Assembly Government recognizes the huge contribution made by the Third Sector to life in Wales.
What do we mean when we refer to the “The Third Sector”? The description of the Third Sector is very broad, including community associations, self-help groups, voluntary organisations, charities, faith-based organisations, social enterprises, community businesses, housing associations, cooperatives and mutual organisations as well as many others.
These types of organisations have lots of different legal identities. They can be registered and unregistered charities, companies limited by guarantee (which may also be registered charities), Community Interest Companies, Industrial and Provident Societies and unincorporated associations.
They all have some important characteristics in common, being:
- independent, non-governmental bodies;
- established voluntarily by people who choose to organise;
- ‘value-driven’ and motivated by the desire to further social, cultural or environmental objectives, rather than simply to make a profit; and
- committed to reinvesting their surpluses to further their social, cultural or environmental objectives.
While the individual parts of “the Third Sector” may wish to continue calling themselves community or voluntary organisations, or social enterprises, there is a strong argument for viewing them as a distinctive sector that makes a massive contribution to the social, economic, cultural and environmental well being of Wales.
This is why we are committed to working with the Third Sector.
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