Voluntary sector relationships with government – Baromedr Cymru third wave now open
The 2026 Senedd election brings historic changes – an expanded Senedd, new electoral system and more new faces and parties than we have ever seen. The relationships between voluntary organisations and all levels of government play a significant role in service delivery.
The VCSE Observatory and WCVA are launching Wave 3 of Baromedr Cymru - the new bilingual, quarterly survey for the voluntary sector in Wales - and are keen to gather your views.
Holding government to account
This wave establishes a baseline to track over time whether voluntary organisations feel that different levels of government are behaving in ways that reflect the principles of the new Civil Society Covenant.
In Wales, its principles of recognition and value, partnership and collaboration, participation and inclusion, and transparency and data compliment the long-established Third Sector Scheme.
Taking part
Wave 3 of Baromedr Cymru is live between 29 April – 20 May and offers voluntary organisations the opportunity to turn lived experience into collective evidence.
✅ If you take part, you’ll receive:
· A short Insight Report to sense-check your experience against the wider sector
· Access to a full report with findings
· An invitation to a free webinar on results and practical implications
📝 Take part here: Wave 3 – it takes just 15 minutes.
📊 All participants will receive an Individual Insight Report. Check out the sample report!
What wave 3 will look at
Wave 3 explores:
• What is your experience with different levels of government?
• To what extent do your relationships reflect the Civil Society Covenant principles in practice?
• What are your priorities, expectations, and concerns for the new Senedd?
By sharing your experience, you help build a robust evidence base that can track change over time and inform policy, funding, and sector support.