CAVOS
Supporting Voluntary and Community Action
Our Services & Support
CAVOS provides a range of services and support to community and voluntary organisations within the former 'Sedgefield Borough' area to help them manage and develop their activities.
The services and support provided by CAVOS are identified by community and voluntary organisations and will change to meet the needs identified at the time
The services we provide are delivered by a team of skilled, experienced and dedicated staff. (See ‘The CAVOS Team’ page). Many of the services are delivered by the CAVOS Development Team as part of the 'CAVOS Voluntary Sector Support & Development Programme’
About the CAVOS Development Team
Until March 2012 the Development Team will be working to deliver a wide range of support services in a way that is empowering to our users and that will help community groups and organisations to be sustainable in the long term.
This means that we will help groups and organisations to increase their skills and build their confidence so that they are more able to run effectively.
We aim to provide support in a holistic way which improves ongoing sustainability, knowledge, skills and confidence.
If you have any support needs or would like to know more about the 'CAVOS Voluntary Sector Support & Development Programme’ then contact our office
CAVOS provides a wide range of services under 5 key themes:
1) Development support
2) Funding & planning support
3) Advice, information & resources
4) Training, seminars & coaching
5) Volunteer Centre
1) Development support
Development support is varied and can be anything from setting up a new group to supporting existing groups to run effective meetings or register as a charity. Basically, through our development support services, we will help groups to increase their skills and build their confidence so that they are more able to run effectively. This includes:
- Regular information bulletins & newsletters
- Support to develop and adopt policies
- Support to be well organised and promote your group effectively
- Support groups with charity registration
- Support groups in consultation exercises
- Provide access to networks to ensure groups with similar aims can learn from and support each other
- Organisational health-checks
- A wide range of Governance support & advice
- Management Committee support and training
- Signposting
2) Funding & planning support
Planning is a key aspect of running an effective group or organisation and is essential when considering your future direction. The Development Team can provide a wide range of planning support dependent in line with your needs. From helping you to develop and action plan to Business Planning Coaching, whatever your planning needs, we can support you.
CAVOS provides extensive funding support which covers every aspect of your funding needs from basic advice to support to complete a funding application. This includes:
- How to access funding
- How to develop an idea into a project
- Monitoring & evaluation
- Reporting to funders
- DIY fundraising
- Guidance on alternative funding sources
- Training on a range of funding topics
- CAVOS4community – online funding search
3) Advice, information & resources
Advice and information is a key service that enables voluntary and community sector organisations achieve their goals and improve the quality of their services. We can provide advice on the majority of voluntary and community sector themes and issues and where we can’t, we’ll find someone who can.
CAVOS has a range of resources available for use by community and voluntary organisations. This includes a library of reference material on funding and good practice as well as display and presentation material.
CAVOS has a wide range of information booklets called ‘How to Guides’ that are produced in house and cover a wide range of topics. We also produce regular newsletters, e-bulletins and useful information that are mailed out to all members.
4) Training, seminars & coaching
CAVOS offers a range of training to help build the capacity of community and voluntary sector organisations. Some of our courses are accredited and all of our training is delivered in local accessible venues.
We also run a range of seminars and forums to increase knowledge and skills
Go to the CAVOS ‘Events and Training’ page for details of our current training programme and upcoming seminars. Contact us to find out more about our forums
5) Volunteer Centre
The Volunteer Centre is part of CAVOS and aims to promote and support volunteering. We believe that voluntary work provides a way for people to take an active role in their community and benefit themselves at the same time.
The Volunteer Centre provides a wide range of information for organisations seeking volunteers, individuals looking to volunteer as well as information on the wide range of opportunities available. We can also provide training to volunteers and the organisations who involve volunteers
Go to the ‘Volunteer Centre’ page for more information
Other Services
CAVOS Organisational File – better than ever!
Word is spreading about the CAVOS 'Organisational File’! It is now massively popular and loads of you are telling us that you couldn’t cope without it!
The File is a collection of information on your group including your mission statement, policies, history of your group and why you were set up to mention but a few.
It’s simple to develop your own file and it can be completed at a time and pace that suits you.
Basically, it will contain everything that you need to know about your group. It will make completing funding applications much easier as you will have most of the required resources in one place. We’ve had excellent feedback on the ‘Organisational File’ and we don’t want you to miss the opportunity to have one of your own.
CAVOS ‘Group Health-Check’
Considering what training to do can be difficult. You have time constraints and have to choose between what you want to do and what you should do. There is so much that has to be done just to run a small organisation that it can be a bit of a minefield and it is hard to know where to start. We have a solution that may help you to decide what you need to know. After all, you don’t know what you don’t know!
The CAVOS ‘Group Health-Check’ is an easy guide to finding out what you should have, what you do have and what support you need to help you get to where you want to be. This simple step-by-step approach couldn’t be easier! This is a great way of prioritising the support and information you need, so make a start with the health-check and help us to help you.
The ’Group Health-Check’ can be downloaded from the 'Online Resources' page of this website or give us a ring on 01388 811115 and we’ll send you one. We suggest that more than one person completes the form to give you a clearer picture of what your group has in place and what you need.
Community Accounting Project
Treasurers ForumWe know how difficult a treasurer’s job can be sometimes! This is why we have set up a Treasurers Forum so that treasurers from across the area can link together, support one another, share their experiences and learn from each other. We know how busy you are so the forum will be email based instead of meetings.
Being part of this forum is very beneficial.... whether it’s asking other treasurer’s who checks their accounts for the cheapest price, or offering to do one another’s independent examination (it is best practice to do this even if your organisation doesn’t legally require independent examination)
REMEMBER - Most of you will find that within the next 6 months your annual accounts will be due. Don’t wait till the last minute to think about it! Why not join this forum now and maybe one of the other treasurers who is trained as an independent examiner could check your accounts at a reduced rate.
If you think that this is a good idea and you would like to be involved please contact Donna at CAVOS on 01388 811115 or for more information or to register your interest
Access to Services
Our main office opening times are:
Monday – Friday 9.00am – 4.30pm
Appointments can be offered out of office hours to suit you or your groups needs. Go to the 'Contact Us' page to find out how to get in touch with us