Services

We support all types and sizes of voluntary and community organisations (VCOs), charities and social enterprises in five different ways.

Support Services

• Helping voluntary and community organisations to set up and build their organisation’s capacity.
• By providing funding advice and support.
• Facilitating access to training, workshops and other learning opportunities.
• Providing information and guidance, newsletters and electronic news bulletins.
• Administering a small grants programme.
• By enabling local VCS organisations access discount services such as NAVCA essentials.

Development Work

• Identifying local needs.
• Working with others to develop appropriate actions.

Representing and Influencing

• Representing the views of the VCS to statutory partners through consultation, networking and acting as a link between the VCS, the public sector and the private sector.
• Promoting and campaigning for the interests of the VCS to help maintain a strong and independent sector.
• Promoting participation in voluntary and community action.

Strategic Partnership Work

• Working with the Basildon Renaissance Partnership (BRP) and its associated Boards to create a better Basildon.
• Helping to develop a viable Voluntary Sector Compact.
• Working with other statutory bodies including Essex County Council and the Basildon and Brentwood Clinical Commissioning Group to help shape service provision.
• Acting as a trusted and independent funding panel member to awarding bodies such as the Essex Community Foundations Thriving Third Sector panel, Essex’s Adult Community Learning and SW Essex PCT grants panel.

Liaison (Networking and involving)

• Creating and supporting forums, networks and working groups to help VCOs to work together to share information and best practice.
• Supporting the voluntary and community sector to be involved and engaged with various statutory bodies, groups and partnerships to influence local plans and decision making

BBWCVS hosts the Basildon Volunteer Centre which provides a volunteer recruitment, placement and support service to residents and voluntary and community organisations.

Our services are open to all voluntary and community organisations, charities and social enterprises but you are encouraged to be a member of the CVS and to participate in our decision-making processes.

Membership is open to all groups and organisations based in or providing services in the Borough for a small annual fee according to their funding. Members receive amongst other things, up-to-date information on funding and developments, regular mail-outs, newsletters and invitations to community functions where they can meet representatives from other groups and network locally.