NAVCA Annual Conference 2026: Neighbourhoods and Communities

The NAVCA Annual Conference is an opportunity to think, learn and connect as a network of local infrastructure organisations. This year’s theme, Neighbourhoods and Communities, focuses on the vital role of local infrastructure in building connection, resilience and power in the places people call home. Across the day, we’ll explore how neighbourhood working can move beyond structures and systems to be genuinely rooted in community voice, relationships, and lived experience.

Through exploring and developing different topics, attendees will have the opportunity to share knowledge, learn from others, and leave feeling equipped and inspired to take action.

Olivia Fields, CEO of the Jo Cox Foundation, will open the day with From division to connection: the role of civil society. Olivia will reflect on the current state of social connection, the rise of division and extremism, and why finding common ground is more important than ever. She will explore the vital role of the VCSE sector – and local infrastructure in particular – in bringing communities together, countering hate, and building a more connected and civil society.

The closing session will bring attendees together to explore the theme Building community resilience: local infrastructure on the front line. In many neighbourhoods, growing disconnection and isolation are creating conditions in which extreme views can take hold. Local infrastructure organisations (LIOs) are increasingly seeing the impact of rising far-right activity - affecting staff, volunteers, local charities and community groups, and the people they support. As conveners and connectors, LIOs have a vital role in bringing people together and building common ground. In this panel conversation with NAVCA members, we will explore what’s happening on the ground, how we can support staff and volunteer wellbeing, how to strengthen community connection, and what we can do collectively as a network to counter the far right.

Conference attendees will also have the opportunity to attend two workshops throughout the day. Each workshop is led by experts, who will share their perspectives and experiences, and facilitate group discussion to help you develop your knowledge and ideas.

Throughout the day, we will be exploring the topics:

• Telling the story of local infrastructure with data and AI (with Plinth)
• Lessons from Medway’s Transformation Academy (sponsored by Access Insurance)
• Neighbourhood health: what it means for NAVCA members and local communities (sponsored by Deedmob)
• Finding tomorrow's trustees today: how to recruit, onboard & retain young people to charity boards the right way (sponsored by Roots HR CIC)
• All together now? The convening role of local infrastructure organisations (sponsored by AideCRM)
• What does a flourishing neighbourhood look like?
• AI readiness for small VCSE organisations

• Making volunteering count: demonstrating the value of infrastructure

• Hearing what matters: A city-wide approach to community insight
• Building common ground: place-based campaigns that challenge division
• From conversation to commitment: building trust across communities

Plus more workshops to be announced!

Registration, networking and refreshments opens from 9am, and the first session will begin at 10:30am. Refreshments, including a buffet lunch, will be available throughout the day. The conference will finish at 4pm, and all attendees are welcome to stay until 5pm for additional networking time. 

We will have a private room available for anyone who needs it, for example for prayer or a quiet break. If you will need exclusive use of the room at any time throughout the day, please inform us in advance when you book your ticket, or let a NAVCA member of staff know when you arrive at the conference. 

A locked cloakroom will be available. 

You can download the full programme here.

The venue

The NAVCA conference will be held at Austin Court, a venue in central Birmingham. The venue is easily accessible by public transport or on foot from Birmingham's train stations. 

You can find full transport information on the Austin Court website here: https://austincourt.theiet.org/about/how-to-find-us/

Networking Dinner, sponsored by plinth

We provide a social space for all conference attendees to meet other NAVCA members the evening before the conference. This year, we're hosting a Networking Dinner at St Paul's House at 7pm on Wednesday 13th May 2026. This will be an informal networking event, with a hot buffet and dessert included in your ticket price. We'd like to invite all NAVCA members to join us at this event, to meet the NAVCA staff team and socialise with other members.

You can find out more information about the Networking Dinner in the full conference programme.

Ticket types

Early Bird Ticket - Save £15 when you book early! This ticket is one general admission to the NAVCA conference, for staff working at a NAVCA member organisation. This includes lunch and refreshments. 

NAVCA Member Ticket - one general admission to the NAVCA conference, for staff working at a NAVCA member organisation. This includes lunch and refreshments.

Member Group Ticket: Save £10 per ticket when you book for three people from the same organisation to attend the conference. Please note, the three ticket holders must be employed by the same organisation for this ticket to be valid. We will issue refunds if tickets are purchased for people from multiple organisations. This offer is for NAVCA members only.

Stakeholder or Partner Ticket - one general admission to the NAVCA conference for non-members. 

Networking Dinner Ticket - one general admission to the NAVCA Networking Dinner, held at St Paul's House in Birmingham, on Wednesday 13th May 2026. This event is for NAVCA members only.

Sponsors:

Our conference is kindly sponsored by Access Insurance, AideCRM, Cadent, Deedmob, Good Finance, Local Trust, Plinth, Roots HR CIC, TeamKinetic, and Qlic IT. 

Cancellation policy:

A booking may be transferred to another person from your organisation at no additional cost. Please notify us of the change no later than 11am on Thursday 7 May 2026, including any accessibility or dietary requirements.

Cancellations requested up to 28 days in advance (no later than 10am on Thursday 16 April 2026) are eligible for a refund, minus a £10 administration charge. Cancellations requested after this date are not eligible for a refund. 

To cancel or change a booking please contact comms@navca.org.uk as soon as possible.