Our development workers form a vital link with voluntary organisations. Seeking to nurture and support, their expertise means that they are a useful resource and are also able to signpost organisations to additional advice on grants and sources of funding.

Voluntary Norfolk has development workers offering support, either face-to-face (at training workshops and one-to-one meetings), on the phone and by email.

Development workers can offer advice on a range of issues including:  developing a constitution, diversifying income, business planning, funding and finance, starting up, governance and the roles of trustees, marketing, recruiting and managing volunteers.

If your organisation has a support need, please contact Voluntary Norfolk's Development Worker covering your area:

Great Yarmouth:

Simon O’Leary, 01493 845925 simon.oleary@voluntarynorfolk.org.uk

South Norfolk:

Jan Edye, 01603 883826 jan.edye@voluntarynorfolk.org.uk

North Norfolk:

Neil Godfrey, 01263 516018 neil.godfrey@voluntarynorfolk.org.uk

Norwich:

Jo Maddocks, 01603 883832 jo.maddocks@voluntarynorfolk.org.uk

Sustainable funding: www.voluntarynorfolk.org.uk/sustainable_funding

Steven Carriage, 01603 883844 steven.carriage@voluntarynorfolk.org.uk

Here we take a look at two Norfolk-based networks and forums supported by Voluntary Norfolk which bring together voluntary groups in their areas to work together and share experiences.

Great Yarmouth networks

Great Yarmouth has a range of vibrant voluntary sector networks that provide a voice for voluntary groups and their beneficiaries across a range of strategic partnerships.

The Great Yarmouth Voluntary Sector Partnership 2009 conference, co-hosted with Great Yarmouth Borough Council, was attended by 120 people from 70 organisations. It showcased the contribution made by grassroots groups to achieving strong and cohesive communities.

Another network, the Older People’s Network, has been working hard to gear up for the new Local Strategic Partnership arrangements in the Borough and has devised a template outlining how its performance cross-references to a number of key priorities, as per Great Yarmouth’s Sustainable Communities Strategy.

To find out more about the networks in Great Yarmouth visit the Great Yarmouth page

vcsTogether North Norfolk 

vcsTogether is the Forum for over 400 voluntary and community groups active in North Norfolk which enables the voice of voluntary groups to be formed and heard.  Local groups regularly come together to talk about issues of concern and lobby for improvements. 

Previous vcsTogether full Forum meetings have discussed the voluntary sector’s role in reducing social isolation, developing opportunities for young people, working with people with mental health issues and rural transport.

As a result of the partnership work and the strong relationships that have been built with local public sector organisations, North Norfolk has been selected by the Government agency IDeA (Improvement and Development Agency) as an example of a particularly effective model.

To find out more about vcsTogether go to the North Norfolk page

Voluntary Norfolk works hard to make sure that the voice of all voluntary and community organisations is heard, ensuring that the value and importance of the work of organisations is recognised and understood.

We provide a voice for the voluntary and community sector by being a member of the County Strategic Partnership (of which Voluntary Norfolk’s CEO Brian Horner is the Vice-Chair). We also sit on six of the seven local strategic partnerships and are a key participant in a number of vital partnership meetings. Helping to voice the opinions of the sector allows voluntary organisations to have an input at the beginning of a planning process when changes of emphasis are possible, rather than at the end when it is often too late to affect decisions.

Visit our "Voice for the Voluntary Sector" pages

Any charity, voluntary or community organisation based in, or delivering services in Norfolk, can become a member of Voluntary Norfolk. There is more information about membership here.

To join, simply download, print, fill in and return this Application Form, or call 01603 614474 and we'll put one in the post.