1. North Somerset Volunteer Centre Georgie Bigg & Jacqui Cuthbert
incorporating
North Somerset Volunteer Centre
Georgie – Strategic Development Worker Health and Wellbeing, Jacqui – Operations Manager
Speakers
Georgie Bigg & Jacqui Cuthbert

2. Voluntary Action North Somerset: A History
NAVCA Standards
1999 – Volunteer Bureau set up in Congresbury to provide volunteer brokerage services
2004 – Volunteer Bureau begins to develop towards being a Council for the voluntary sector
Standard 1; Development
Standard 2; Support
Standard 3; Collaboration
Standard 4; Influence
Problem:
There was no central place for the VCS to go to, be represented by, seek help and advice from, or for others to contact the VCS through.
Standard 1; Development - The organisation supports the identification of needs in the local community and facilitates innovation and improvements in service provision to meet those needs.
Standard 2; Support - The organisation supports local voluntary organisations and community groups to fulfil their missions more effectively
Standard 3; Collaboration - The organisation facilitates effective communication and collaboration amongst local voluntary organisations and community groups and between different sectors.
Standard 4; Influence - The organisation supports local voluntary organisations and community groups to influence policies, plans and practices that have an impact on their organisations and beneficiaries.

3. What do we have now?
One lynchpin organisation for the Voluntary Sector in the area of North Somerset
A generalist organisation that can represent the Voluntary Sector on a range of issues
A liaison body for the Voluntary and the public or private sectors
A Volunteer Centre accredited by Volunteering England

4. VANS in 2014
The ‘go to’ organisation for voluntary and public sector alike
Is a strategic advocate for the VCSE sector
Has adapted and changed to the needs of the sector and the wider environment
Lead on volunteering
Developed the VCSE sector to be more sustainable
Lead on the Transform North Somerset partnership bid and programme
Ongoing review of our long term sustainability and plan for the future

5. So what are we doing?
Winterstoke/Haywood Village Community Engagement.
Local Commissioning Network Support
Support Alliance Volunteer Buddying Scheme.
Avon Fire & Rescue Volunteer Scheme
Community Resilience
To lead on engaging the existing residents and the new incoming residents & to promote good relationships. To help create positive links between resident, NSC and the Developers. To provide welcome packs and signposting to local services and support groups as well as transport and amenities. To capacity build the communities knowledge on use of community facilities and understanding of Section 106 and CIL.
To help support the development and sustainability of the local commissioning networks, problem solve and lead where appropriate. Identify individual solutions and capacity build where needed.
AS support workers refer into us with identified people who need additional support in reaching their ultimate aims thru volunteering. Plus a buddying scheme where identified isolated individual (who receive support from AS) have a buddy who spend an hour or so a week wth them (in a community space) to help them get over any barriers they have – time limited scheme.
AFRS – we work with other organisations across West of England to find community volunteers to deliver in home fire safety advice to community groups and then lead onto getting AFRS to do home safety checks.
To help transform CR into a charity and capacity build their committee.

6. So what are we doing? Winter Action Network
Children’s Centres Volunteering Scheme
Volunteer Drop In
Voluntary Sector Forum
Health & Well Being Forum
South Ward Network
To bring together organisations who work with people who may be adversely affected by extremes in inter weather. Ie. Homelessness, alcohol & drug users, young parents, older people. To capacity build these and get them networking to identify gaps in services and where they can cost share.
To work within CC’s to promote volunteering, sign up volunteers and identify their needs and place them in CC’s.
Weekly drop in the town hall
Quarterly meeting of the sector with speed updates, consultations etc
Twice yearly meeting of organisaiton wotking within this area – similar to VSF but subject specific.
Working with providers and volunteer workers to support asset based approach in South Ward

7. Alternative funding options?
What funding do you have now?
How do you access it?
What are the funds for?
How successful are you?
What help do you need?

8. Integrating into the Community Sector
What’s the benefit of integration?
How does it work now?
How would you like it to change?
What do you need to do?
What help do you need?

9. The Volunteer Centre Is an integral part of VANS
Holds accreditation from the national volunteering organisation for the highest professional standard in all aspects of volunteering

10. The Volunteer Centre Provides:
Volunteering brokerage for organisations in the VCSE sector and also several public sector organisations
Marketing and promotion of volunteering
Support to organisations involving volunteers to ensure good practice
Strategic development of volunteering

11. The Volunteer Centre
Excellent connections with a large number of VCSE organisations
1300 volunteering opportunities on our books
(free service – no core funding)
Access opportunities through our website, the do-it website and weekly drop-in (face to face) at Town Hall.
Operates the Volunteer Pathway

12. The Volunteer Pathway A step on the journey to becoming a volunteer
VANS has been commissioned to deliver it by the Support Alliance Partnership

13. What is the Volunteer Pathway?
Accessible to people who would like to volunteer but who face barriers.
Offers focused, one-to-one support from a Volunteer Adviser.

14. How does it work?
Clients have up to six one-hour meetings with a volunteer adviser.
Clients are encouraged to identify their ultimate goals and mini goals.
Also clients are signposted to any courses and training which might help them to prepare for volunteering.

15. Who is it for?
It’s for anyone who is a client of the Support Alliance Partnership

16. What are the benefits for clients?
New skills
Improved community links
Better mental health
New opportunities

17. The Volunteer Centre - value
Annual VANS survey 2013 showed:
110 volunteer hours per week on average given to organisations in North Somerset
(total of 61,160 hours per week)
Using Cabinet Office organisation 2010 figures – value of volunteering in North Somerset amounts to £23,699,338 per year
VANS SURVEY 2013

18. VANS What difference do we make?
VCSE groups and organisations delivering front-line services are more resilient
Better access to volunteering; better volunteering experiences; better life chances
Strategic partners understand the VCSE sector’s potential and the challenges it faces
A better understanding of the problems facing people and communities – and how to solve them.
VCSE groups and organisations have a generalist organisation to turn to for representation; development; support; liaison
People wishing to volunteer get better access to volunteering opportunities and
Strategic partners understand the VCSE sector’s potential and the challenges it faces
The VCSE sector’s on-the-ground knowledge is directed into strategic needs assessement processes = we know about and can do something about the problems identified!

19. VANS What difference do we make?
2014 VOLUNTEER AWARDS

20. Why does the voluntary sector matter now?
The voluntary sector will be increasingly relied upon to deliver non-statutory services
“Volunteering is not free”
Risk of over burdening if not done properly
Fair, transparent and accessible commissioning required
VCSE sector needs to be enabled to reach its potential
Local VCSE sector is the ideal provider

21. North Somerset Volunteer Centre
incorporating
North Somerset Volunteer Centre
Georgie – Strategic Development Worker Health and Wellbeing, Jacqui – Operations Manager
Thank you