services

a guide to the services TCVS provide

What is the role of the CVS?

There are 260 councils for voluntary service, or CVSs as we are sometimes called, operating all over the country, and like Tendring Community Voluntary Services they all share the same purpose and values.

That is to support, promote and develop local voluntary and community action through the following five key functions;

1. Support Services

TCVS promote the effectiveness of local voluntary and community groups providing them with a range of services. The following services are provided for our members based in the Tendring District;

l Bi-monthly newsletter

l Publicity and Promotion

l Beach Hut Hire

l Meeting Room Hire

l Photo copying

l Secretarial Services (including leaflet design,

minutes produced)

l Books for Lending - FREE!

l Advice & Information - FREE!

l Training

l Fundraising Opportunities

l Social 'Thank You' Evenings for everyone's

volunteers!

l Community Exhibitions and Events

2. Liaison

We work with Tendring District Council, Essex County Council, Tendring Primary Care Trust, Learning Providers and the local Strategic Partnership in order to co-ordinate activity, eradicate overlaps in services, enable effective joint working, identify need and encourage the adoption and implementation of equal opportunities policies which underpin the whole of CVS work.
 

3. Representation

Through membership and consultation work we represent the views and concerns of local voluntary organisations to other agencies in combination with good organisation, accurate information exchange and effective presentation.
 

4. Development

Development of appropriate services to cater for unmet need usually in association with other agencies and funded from a variety of sources. Develop skills of committees and staff by training.
 

5. Strategic Partnership Work

TCVS encourage and enable effective involvement of the local voluntary and community sector in strategic partnership work, including developing, monitoring and evaluating a Local Compact (see below for details of the 'Compact'.) TCVS is a member of the Local Strategic Partnership and the Tendring Learning Partnership.
 

Some of the schemes managed by the TCVS include;

l Community Development Project and Funding

Advice Co-ordinator

l Imperial House - Community Resource Centre

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What is the Local Compact?

What is the Compact?

A Compact sets out the formal framework through which statutory, voluntary and community sectors work together.
 

The Tendring Compact is not a legally binding document nor is it static, instead it formalises and continuously develops working relationships.
 

The Tendring Compact is a seven page document which you can download HERE

In short, the compact includes the following guidelines for voluntary groups and statutory agencies who work together;-
 

What does the Voluntary Sector commit to?

There are 15 undertakings listed in the Compact for the voluntary sector. They cover the issues of funding and accountability, policy development and consultation and good practice.
 

Four of these undertakings are:

• To recognise that receipt of public funding carries a responsibility to the funding body and the public
• To operate with good management practice
• To respond fully and meaningfully to statutory sector consultation
• To endeavor to diversify its funding base and avoid reliance upon any single source of funding

What does the statutory sector do?

The statutory sector has 19 undertakings which address the themes of independence, better government, funding and resources and policy development and consultation.
 

Five of these undertakings are:

• To recognise the independence of voluntary sector
• To recognise the importance of providing an infrastructure to support the voluntary sector
• To consult the voluntary sector on issues that are likely to affect it
• To use plain language and avoid jargon
• To consider the value of long term funding where appropriate and endeavor to assist long term planning and stability

Contact

www.thecompact.org.uk

or contact one of the partners Tendring District Council on:

Tel: 01255 686354 If you would like to join the Tendring Local Compact.

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Become a TCVS Affiliated Member

By becoming affiliated to TCVS local voluntary and community groups can benefit from the following services:

l Newsletter packed with local and national news of voluntary sector gossip, events, government legislation, training opportunities, and fundraising information etc.

l Secretarial services including photocopying, use of computer facilities, poster and invitation designs, typing.

l Hire of Hall, meeting and counselling rooms, at a reduced rate.

l Hire of Beach Hut at a reduced rate.

l Advice and information service

l Funderfinder service - a computerised 'best match' service which identifies the grant making trust(s) most likely to fund your project.

l Opportunity to take part in the Annual Victorian Christmas Market, the Annual "Thank You" to Volunteers Bash, (over 200 attend this evening of dancing to live music with buffet and raffle,) Community Exhibitions and Events.

l Library Lending service - all the books a voluntary/community group is most likely to need, for example;-

i)   Organising an event

ii)  How to make successful grant applications 

iii) Public Speaking and presentations,

iv) How to organise an AGM

v)  Working with the media

vi) Recruiting and Supporting Volunteers

to name just a few.

l Training events - for example: Role of the Trustee, Customer Care, Making Successful Grant Applications, Data Protection, Forward Planning, Disability Awareness.

l Developing partnerships with statutory agencies - we can help groups to work with the District Council, Primary Care Trust, Social Services, Rural Development, Crime and Disorder. We are currently involved in developing a Compact for Tendring, a process of good practice for partnership working.
 

For information about becoming an affiliated member contact TCVS on:

Tel: 01255 425692 or contact us via our form on the contact page.

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