Supporting the voluntary and community sector (VCS)

The Communities Team

Many communities within Nottinghamshire have vibrant groups and active volunteers, who work innovatively and collectively to add to the richness of local life and to help more people who need additional help and support; for example, many Nottinghamshire residents already play an active part in their communities by volunteering, joining 'Friends of' groups, coaching sports, serving as school governors, and serving on parish councils. 

The Communities Team is part of the Trading Standards and Communities Service and has a strong track record of working effectively with the voluntary and community sector to deliver a diverse range of quality projects and services to Nottinghamshire communities. The Communities Team aims to:

  • Build on our strong history of working with communities to support positive change by developing new approaches to making communities stronger, vibrant and more resilient, for example, by encouraging even more people to become active citizens so that they take responsibility for their own neighbourhoods and communities, support each other and help to make Nottinghamshire the welcoming, friendly place it is to live. 
  • Support people and communities to help themselves and promote the ambitions of communities to do even more through training and workshops.
  • Contribute to supporting communities to be strong and resilient, helping to make Nottinghamshire a great place to live, work and relax. For example, through the Local Communities Fund which is one key programme where the authority is clearly supporting communities to provide the range of services and activities that are important and relied upon. 
  • Use our influence to help protect communities from crime and anti-social behaviour so people can be more confident about their safety.
  • Seek out opportunities to contribute to securing the best service for our residents. 

Support for the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS)

The Council encourages and supports voluntary and community action – consequently, the Communities team has developed a range of measures to support the VCS including:

  • A Community Empowerment and Resilient Programme
  • A joint compact between the voluntary sector and local statutory organisations which describes how we will work together to improve our communities
  • Financial support including:
    • Local Communities Fund
    • Councillors' Division Fund
    • The Nottinghamshire Community Commemoration Fund 2014-18, set up to mark the 100 year centenary of The Great War. More than 110 organisations each received up to £300 in funding to support events organised by local communities to help reflect on what the war meant for their local area and how the lives of people were changed forever. 
  • Regular liaison with, and practical support for, the voluntary sector. For example, if you are considering setting up a community group, the Communities Team can help with advice on writing a constitution, writing policies, chairing, meetings, preparing accounts and budgeting. The Communities team can also provide information about local contacts and networks.

Other sources of support, advice and networking opportunities

Find support, advice and networking opportunities for voluntary and community groups, including the Notts Help Yourself directory, which contains lots of information on local groups, clubs and services across Nottinghamshire:

The Nottinghamshire Voluntary and Community Sector Study Report

In partnership with the local voluntary and community sector we commissioned an important piece of independent research into the state of the sector in the county:

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