Reviewing the financial support to Councils of Voluntary Service

Voluntary organisations and community groups make a huge difference to peoples lives and places throughout Hampshire. This may be in terms of helping vulnerable people, bringing people in communities together, enriching the lives of individuals and improving local environments.

Some groups and organisations can thrive without any help, others require occasional support to become established or to develop and operate effectively. Organisations and groups are sometimes able to access support or training from their own contacts and associations, others may be advised by council staff or organisations which are funded by the local public sector.

The County Council and District and Borough Councils recognise the value of offering this support which helps to develop and retain voluntary and community organisations. This is provided in various forms, including financial support to the Councils for Voluntary Services (CVS) to enable them to deliver services to help the local voluntary and community sector.

The councils in Hampshire are working together to better understand what  voluntary and community organisations need, so that we can ensure future public funding is directed to providing appropriate and effective assistance.

Thank you to all the voluntary and community organisations who completed our on-line survey, we had over 700 responses. Here are the results of the survey. 

In September you contributed your views at three workshop sessions held in the County as part of the review. The review report  555 kB is the independent summary of what you said during those sessions, written by the facilitators from Winchester University. As a result of the review the County Council will be developing its proposals for future support and sharing these with co-funders.

Information Pack

An information pack has been prepared which includes information on the following:

• Existing Councils of Voluntary Service (CVS) core funding and purpose of  funding
• Financial Profile of CVS
• Existing offer of the CVS
• Distinction of roles in the CVS Structure
• How the CVS’ operate independently and collaboratively
• VCS support needs, results of the survey
• Other support services provided to the sector
• CVS statement of network efficiencies
• Existing impact and added value of CVS's in delivering support services

Download:

Introduction to CVS services 
Hampshire CVS income summary 
The Roles of Community Action Hampshire and District Councils for Voluntary Services 

Further information

Further information about the work, financial governance and impact of the individual Councils of Voluntary Service:

Annual Reports and Accounts	Annual Impact Reviews
Basingstoke Voluntary Services Trustees Report	Basingstoke Voluntary Services State of Sector Report
Community Action Hampshire accounts	Community Action Hampshire Impact Review
East Hants, Community First Annual Report and Accounts	East Hampshire, Community First Annual Impact Report
Eastleigh, One Community Annual Report and Accounts	Eastleigh, One Community Annual Review 2010/11  Eastleigh, One Community Annual Review 2011/12
Fareham, Community Action Accounts	Fareham Annual Report
Gosport Voluntary Action Accounts	Gosport Voluntary Action Annual Report
Hart Voluntary Action Accounts	Hart Voluntary Action Annual Report
Havant Council of Community Service Annual Report
New Forest, Community First Accounts	New Forest, Community First achievement summary
Rushmoor Voluntary Services Annual Accounts	Rushmoor Voluntary Services Annual Review
Test Valley Community Services Annual Accounts	Test Valley Community Services Impact Report
Winchester Area Community Action Accounts	Winchester Area Community Action Impact Review