Sefton CVS assists and promotes voluntary and community sector activity in the borough of Sefton, Merseyside.

The work of Sefton CVS is best described under the following headings, which form the core activities of a Council for Voluntary Service:

- Providing services and support for voluntary, community and faith organisations.

- The provision of opportunities for closer working together within the voluntary, community and faith sectors and with statutory authorities; and to encourage multi-agency cooperation.

- Creating and promoting forums and networks through which other organisations may make representations.

- The development of new ideas, strategies and organisations.

- Enabling the effective involvement of the local voluntary, community and faith sector in strategic partnerships.

- Supporting and developing volunteering opportunities (through Volunteer Centre Sefton).

Mission

Sefton CVS seeks to improve the quality of life for all Sefton residents, particularly those who are marginalised or experiencing disadvantage.

This is achieved by supporting and enabling VCF groups to identify and serve unmet needs through the provision of professional, high quality services offered in accessible and culturally sensitive ways that reflect the needs of our diverse communities and also the sector's values of equity and equality.

We will seek to promote the needs of citizens and the sector by working in partnership with public sector agencies such as Sefton MBC, Sefton Primary Care Trust, Merseyside Police, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service and the private sector.

Strategic Objectives

The organisation has determined its strategic objectives for the next three years (these objectives form part of a three-year service level agreement with Sefton MBC). The objectives are reviewed annually and are prepared in line with our core principles and purpose and with our partners' priorities and plans in mind. These include the Local Area Agreement, Sefton MBC's Corporate Plan, Sefton PCT's Plan and the Community Strategy.

Strategic Objectives are:

1) To be actively engaged in the formation of strategic cross-sectoral partnerships.

2) To meet the increasing demands of legislative, social and structural changes and underpin the voluntary, community and faith sector infrastructure to respond to and manage change.

3) To act as a conduit between the local authority, the Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) other partnership bodies and Sefton's communities in the development of local strategic Initiatives.

4) To be an active partner in the planning, development and delivery of initiatives responding to central Government policy, such as activities to tackle social exclusion, health inequality and long term unemployment, through initiatives such as the Local Area Agreement, Choosing Health and Every Child Matters.

5) To be the lead VCF sector development agency in the pursuance of economic and social regeneration partnership initiatives such as Housing Market Renewal and Neighbourhood Renewal.

6) To encourage inward investment and to be in a position to maximise leverage to the sector through external funds from (for example) the Big Lottery Fund, charitable trusts, corporate sponsors, central government initiatives and Europe.

7) To underpin the voluntary, community and faith sector infrastructure in Sefton through a programme of community development actions in order for organisations to have sufficient capacity to respond to change.

8) To support the VCF sector in achieving enterprising and collaborative solutions in the development of non-grant based income, including the delivery of public sector contracts.

9) To increase voluntary and community engagement amopngst the citizens of Sefton.

Commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Sefton CVS operates under an all-encompassing equality and diversity policy, seeks to work with under-supported and under-represented groups and has a strong commitment to anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice.

Click here to read our Equal Opportunities Statement in full.