vcsTogether – North Norfolk

vcsTogether is the Forum for voluntary and community organisations active in North Norfolk. There is no charge to join. The next Forum meeting is about Influence - getting it and using it at Northrepps Village Hall on Friday 26 June. More details.

The Forum enables:

•   a voice for the sector to be formed and heard
•   local groups to share ideas, information and issues
•   groups to lobby for improvements.

There are two full meetings of the Forum a year. The next one will be in Northrepps on Friday 26 June. Details will be published here soon. There is also a Training and Development Support programme for groups in the area delivered by two specialist development workers.

The 'About' button at the top of the page takes you to information about the support available for groups, more detailed reports of the Forum's meetings and the vcsTogether Transport Forum.

You can find out here about the forum's aims and priorities and some other aspects of support:

• Support for organisations
• Resources
• Funding
• Help with fundraising
• Volunteering
• Governance
• A few facts and stats about the sector
• North Norfolk Community Newspapers

Aims:

• Enable the sector to influence decisions concerning the way communities develop and public services are provided in North Norfolk
• Ensure the sector is appropriately represented in all discussions where its organisations have a legitimate interest
• Raise awareness of the sector and the contribution it makes in North Norfolk
• Identify local priorities for sector development
• Identify how those priorities can be met
• Stimulate collaboration among voluntary and community organisations by sharing information of best practice, training, funding and volunteer recruitment opportunities.

Priorities:

• Establish one representative voice for the sector that is pro-active
• Deliver sustainability by enabling information sharing, training, and trust to be developed within the sector
• Support the recruitment and ongoing training for volunteers/trustees/non-executive directors
• Communicate effectively using correct language and the full range of media

The forum is managed by a co-ordinator funded by North Norfolk Community Partnership and employed by Voluntary Norfolk.

Andrew Campbell, Sector Development Co-ordinator North Norfolk
Tel: 01263 516319 or 07887 506295.
Email: andrewcampbell@voluntarynorfolk.org.uk
Address: c/o Voluntary Norfolk, Council Offices, Holt Road, Cromer, NR27 9EN

The forum operates an email network where views, information and advice can be shared among members. For details of this and other support that is available contact Andrew Campbell.

Support for organisations

One of the functions of the forum is to improve access to information and to make it easier for groups to share their experineces with one another.

A great deal of basic information is available through the web and NVS has an extensive resource base on this site. The links page has pointers to a range of other organisations.

Resources

• Grantfinder: A searchable database of potential funders available to use by appointment
• Arts Funding - information from North Norfolk District Council
• Information Sheets: Basic information on a range of topics
• Organisation health checks: A chance for a free review of your organisation's management procedures with help to plan for the future
• Loan Library: A growing library of books and training materials on all aspects of starting and managing a voluntary or community organisation
• Equipment hire: Low cost hire of equipment for more professional presentations and training sessions
• Photocopying, laminating, comb binding at reasonable rates

Funding

A lot of general information about sustaniable funding for organisations is available on line:

http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/sfp/ - a general overview of funding sources and issues

Help with fundraising

• Funding - Institute of Fundraising's online directory of consultants
  www.institute-of-fundraising.org.uk
• FunderFinder Online Advice Pack
  www.funderfinder.org.uk/advice_pack.php
• Third Sector publishes an annual suppliers guide, which includes fundraising consultants
  www.thirdsector.co.uk
• The UK Fundraising website also has links to consultants
  www.fundraising.co.uk
• Finance - www.cafonline.org/policy - guidance on procurement, fundraising and social enterprise for VCS organisations

Volunteering

• Volunteer Management - http://www.volresource.org.uk/briefs/volunteer.htm
• Volunteering England - Volunteering - www.volunteering.org.uk - a range of resources for anyone who works with or manages volunteers as well as to those who want to volunteer.

Governance

• ChangeUp Norfolk - http://www.nvs.org.uk/strategy_group.php
• ChangeUP Governance hub - www.governancehub.org.uk
• ICT - www.ictconsortium.org.uk - a co-ordinated framework of ICT guidance, good practice, advice and support for voluntary and community organisations, accessible at a local level
• Performance Improvement - www.performance-improvement.org.uk - guidance for local, sub-regional, regional and national infrastructure organisations to help improve the quality and quantity of support they can offer to VCOs
• Workforce Development - www.voluntarysectorskills.org - information and news on skills development and good employment practice for VCS organisations