About our organisation
CVS Rochdale was established in 1975 as the borough’s local infrastructure organisation. We are also an accredited member of the National Association of Voluntary and Community Action (NAVCA), the national local infrastructure movement
NAVCA defines a local infrastructure organisation as a local organisation which “works with the local third sector to provide service, regenerate neighbourhoods, increase volunteering and tackle discrimination by working in partnership with local public bodies and other third sector organisations”. CVS Rochdale also carries out the following core functions of a local infrastructure organisation:-
Development Work (identifying and filling the gaps)
By monitoring services provided by the third sector within the borough, CVS Rochdale is able to easily identify where the gaps are. We then work with residents and local groups to develop new and innovative services to meet the changing needs of local communities.
Services & Support (Capacity building & raising standards)
As a local infrastructure organisation CVS Rochdale is the key to a fully functioning, high quality third sector within the borough. We develop the effectiveness of local third sector organisations by providing a range of services. These include advice, information and support around funding, business planning, employment, volunteering, legal, governance, financial management, monitoring & evaluation and quality assurance. This is achieved through face to face meetings, online resources, workshops and training programmes.
Enabling Communication & collaboration
CVS Rochdale encourages third sector organisations within the borough to share resources and work collaboratively as this helps to build a stronger local third sector. CVS Rochdale supports networking between individuals and groups, and between local groups and the public sector.
Providing a Voice and Promoting Strategic Involvement
The third sector has a vital role to play in local policy making and planning. CVS Rochdale makes sure that the sector is involved in local strategic partnerships, local area agreements and other influential planning groups. CVS Rochdale also acts as a conduit and represents the diverse views of its 300+ members, promoting two way communications, so that the third sector within the borough is consulted on policy development and is able to contribute to local decision making.
