The new minister for civil society Rob Wilson outlined his four priorities for the voluntary sector, including ensuring the government supports small charities as much as large ones, in a speech yesterday.

Speaking at the annual conference of the Foundation for Social Improvement, which provides strategic support to small charities, Wilson said his other priorities were encouraging volunteering and giving, supporting charities and social enterprises to help tackle social problems, and bringing about more sustainable funding.

"I think the role played by voluntary and charitable organisations in British society is going to become even more important in the years to come," he said.

"My message to you is that this government – and this minister – is listening to small charities and social enterprises and I want to ensure you benefit from our policies and the exciting new opportunities that exist in this sector too.

"I hope I can do more in the months to come for small charities."

Wilson said that was pressure on the government to deliver better public services, and that it needed charities' help with this.

“The truth is that government doesn’t have all the answers," he said. "It’s been a mistake over the past 30 to 40 years for governments pretend they do.

"We simply can’t do this alone, so we must make it easier for charities, voluntary groups and social enterprises to do what they’re best at, which is helping people."

Wilson called for charities to work with the private and public sectors to find “new ways to tackle some of the UK’s most entrenched social problems”.

And he highlighted the creation of social impact bonds and the launch of Big Society Capital.

"The UK has the potential to be the global hub for social investment, attracting social investment in to the UK but also exporting our home-grown social investment services and products overseas,” he said.