For WCVA members, our Policy & Insights Manager, Natalie Zhivkova summarises the themes and goals of our influencing work ahead of the Senedd elections.
SENEDD REFORM
Most manifesto seasons come with similar challenges and opportunities for stakeholders to pitch their policy ideas. The Senedd reform has introduced an unprecedented amount of changes, making the 2026 election remarkably different.
These changes have informed both our manifesto asks and the campaigning approach we will be taking to ensure voluntary organisations’ voices are heard.
Our key considerations include:
- The Senedd expansion (from 60 to 96 members)
- The shortening of Senedd terms (from five to four years)
- The move from the Additional Member System to Proportional Representation
These changes mean more opportunities to influence, many new people to establish relationships with, and a more diverse pool of politicians. Conversely, shorter Senedd terms come with a higher risk of short-term thinking and more frequent changes in strategic direction.
Smaller parties have much better chances at getting seats in the Senedd, a coalition government is more than likely, and we expect to see unusual alliances in opposition. There will be a vastly different atmosphere in the Senedd and a brand new influencing environment for voluntary organisations to navigate.
WCVA MANIFESTO GOALS
The purpose of WCVA’s manifesto is to help create a better environment for voluntary organisations to operate in Wales. Considering the big changes ahead, we set out three main goals for WCVA’s 2026 Senedd manifesto:
- (Re)introduce the voluntary sector, its impact, and expertise
- Lay out clear voluntary sector priorities and boundaries
- Ensure continuity and improvement of existing policies and mechanisms that benefit the sector, communities and causes we support
The manifesto will ensure new and returning Senedd members understand voluntary organisations’ vital role as providers of:
- connection with communities
- innovation
- social value
- unmatched expertise
- specialist services, and
- wrap-around support for the public sector
OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS
We will make our boundaries clear – voluntary sector services often come free of charge for beneficiaries, but they cannot be ran for free. We are dealing with a record-high service demand, whilst struggling to recruit and retain staff and volunteers. Public contracts must cover the true cost of delivery. The voluntary sector must be invited to contribute at the earliest stages of policy-making and consulted continuously.
We will be asking all parties to make a commitment to long-term thinking and preventative spending. We want to see a Welsh Government focused on the implementation of new and existing strategies and action plans. The manifesto will call for increased government transparency, and core, multi-year funding for voluntary organisations as vital deliverers in our communities. These asks are designed to ensure true partnership working.
OFFERING A HELPING HAND
Our manifesto will bring attention to common priorities we can help the next Welsh Government work towards. We will emphasise the essential role the voluntary sector plays in strengthening human rights, reducing inequalities, addressing the climate emergency, and achieving Well-being of Future Generation Act Goals.
We will be making several concrete asks in relation to existing workstreams. We will call for the full implementation of the New Approach to Volunteering and the revised Code of Practice for Funding the Third Sector. We will ask all political parties to commit to working with the voluntary sector to develop a Communities Policy. The Third Sector Scheme needs to be overhauled to be fit for purpose following the expansion of the Senedd.
MEMBERS ROADSHOW
The first draft of our manifesto asks was based on the policy issues and priorities we have heard from voluntary organisations over the past few years. In January, we organised a series of consultation events to test out these ideas with our membership.
I was pleased to hear members felt our manifesto will help further their goals and strengthen their asks of the next Senedd. We were grateful to receive constructive feedback and suggestions on how to make our asks clearer to avoid misunderstanding.
We learned that many organisations feel they do not know enough about the Senedd reform, and the prospect of building connections with many new Senedd members, committees and staff was daunting. The events informed not only our manifesto work, but pointed to training and support needs WCVA could help address.
NEXT STEPS
We continue to consult with a wide variety of voluntary sector networks as we build the next draft of WCVA’s manifesto. If you would like to learn more or give us feedback on what’s outlined here, please get in touch at policy@wcva.cymru.