What is a Council for Voluntary Service?

Action Hampshire is Hampshire's county-wide Council for Voluntary Service (CVS). Founded in 1951, we later established district-level CVSes across Hampshire, which each went on to become an independent organisation. Today, there are seven district-level CVSes: Basingstoke Voluntary Action, Community First Wessex, Gosport Voluntary Action, Hart Community Action, One Community, Rushmoor Voluntary Services and Unity. We continue to support them and work together as part of the Hampshire CVS Network, available via this link. As the county-wide CVS, we provide support across Hampshire on everything from funding to governance. We have a particular focus on county-wide issues, data and impact. We also take the lead on rural issues and social enterprise. We work closely with the district CVS organisations who provide localised support to VCSE groups particularly around volunteering and community transport.

CVSes are a type of local infrastructure organisation, which were established across the country after the First World War. At the time, a shortage of housing, jobs and food, economic difficulties and a general mood of disillusionment led to an increase in charitable activity, and a call to improve cooperation between voluntary and statutory bodies. A National Council of Social Service was established in 1919 to promote coordination and promote the formation of local Councils of Social Service. The NCSS continues today, now known as NCVO - the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, available through this link. NAVCA  (the National Association for Voluntary and Community Action), formerly part of NCVO and now an independent charity, is the umbrella body for CVS infrastructure organisations. You can find NAVCA by clicking this link.

The role of a CVS is to ensure that local voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations are well supported. We provide the VCSE sector with a wide range of support including

• Identifying gaps in services and developing new initiatives to meet unmet need
• Raising standards by promoting learning and best practice
• Enabling communication and collaboration through information sharing and networking
• Providing a voice for the sector through consultations and policy development
• Promoting involvement of the sector at strategic partnership meetings
• Delivering direct services for VCSE organisations such as funding advice, accommodation, training, finance and volunteering

NAVCA’s research (follow this link to find out more) suggests that the work of local infrastructure organisations, and the impact we have, generally falls under 4 categories:

Leadership and advocacy
Leaders and advocates across diverse communities, bringing people together to have a stronger voice and influence,
mobilising and encouraging community ambition and aspiration as a connecter and ‘door opener’.

Partnerships and collaborations
Bringing together networks and connecting local voluntary and community organisations with each other and with
strategic and systems partners, to create, pursue and implement opportunities for joint working.

Community development and practical support
Strengthening spaces and opportunities for people to come together to develop their goals and drive aspirations for
their communities.

Encouraging and nurturing volunteering
Leading and generating an expectation and culture in which volunteering can thrive.