We were delighted to be able to grant Cheshire West Voluntary Action (CWVA) £4,900 towards their work building and expanding the voluntary sector.
CWVA has been supporting the local community since 1914 by working with charities, social enterprises, community groups, voluntary organisations and faith groups across West Cheshire. Their staff have extensive knowledge and skills to help local voluntary and community groups thrive by offering support in areas such as governance, good practice, volunteering, funding, training and networking.
This support puts into place the foundations required for a thriving, successful and fulfilling volunteering landscape and infrastructure. Without volunteers, the charity sector couldn’t exist, so this work is vital.
The grant supported three areas:
CWVA Volunteer Managers Network
The funding meant 7 Volunteer Managers Networks could be held. These are crucial opportunities for volunteer-involving organisations to connect, learn from one another and share sector information. 55 individuals attended these from 40 organisations, which one saying “The opportunity to share good practice and stay up to date with current trends has been invaluable”.
Volunteer Awards
A key element to successful volunteering is making sure the volunteers feel appreciated, and an awards ceremony is a great way to do that, which this funding supported.
100 people came together to attend the awards ceremony CWVA’s Volunteers Awards in Chester Town Hall to celebrate the amazing work of community volunteers. Nearly 200 nominations were received for the 11 awards, which shows how strong the local volunteering sector is.
Training
CWVA host many different free or low cost training sessions to help up-skill voluntary organisations and their staff. Research has shown that the voluntary and community sector does not have a sufficient training budget to access essential courses. CWVA session topics are decided by member feedback or gaps in required skills.
This funding paid for 6 training sessions on different topics including managing conflict, communication & listening skills and maintaining positive boundaries. 42 people benefitted from these sessions which will help strengthen their organisations and the good work they do.
