Newcastle CVS

Newcastle CVS works with frontline organisations to empower local communities.  Our support enables organisations and their users and members to influence funders, councils, government departments and policy makers to bring about change in local communities.

We do this by

• facilitating representation of the voluntary and community sector on partnerships and multi-agency structures
• promoting, advocating and lobbying for the shared and diverse interests of the sector
• initiating and supporting consultation processes which are meaningful and inclusive

Newcastle CVS aims to provide a valuable role in strengthening the voice of the sector and promoting strategic involvement.  We help public bodies engage with the sector effectively.  We can share our knowledge of reaching seldom heard groups and developing collective models of engagement.

Organisations can be unsure of how to navigate the web of decision-making structures and in somewhere as complex as Newcastle, it can be particularly confusing.  There are a number of spaces and places for voluntary and community sector representatives within local partnerships and the sector needs support to engage effectively.  Newcastle CVS provides this support.

Because Newcastle CVS is a membership organisation, and we are in touch on a regular basis with our members, we are able to reflect and represent their views.  This means we can respond to both local and national consultations with the sector's perspective.  We also encourage our members to respond to consultations accordingly.

As an infrastructure organisation, we are in regular contact with our sister organisations, and we will promote and campaign for the interests of the voluntary and community sector to help maintain a strong and independent sector.  In some instances we might undertake or commission research in order to provide evidence.

Newcastle CVS aims to talk with the sector's voice to our partners, funders, decision-makers and others who have an interest in our activities.  We act as a conduit and reflect the views of our diverse membership.

Newcastle CVS also has a role in directly promoting participation in voluntary and community action and civil society.  We process and disseminate a number of activities to make sure our members and their users and Newcastle citizens can benefit from these, which you can find on the Big Society pages on our website.