'Waveney Community Forum cvs - here to help'

Waveney Community Forum cvs exists to help the hundreds of voluntary and community groups across the area. It covers young to older people, those who like amateur dramatics to those who care for others, from Park Friends groups to Rotary Clubs - all with a wide range of causes and purposes. Members receive information and support, from start up to development and funding advice, from our four Community Development Officers (CDOs) across Waveney.

• Claire Taylor-Crisp is our North Lowestoft Fairshare Trust CDO
• Doeke Dobma is based in Beccles,
• Chris Reeve supports the Bungay and Halesworth areas and
• Beth Derks is based in Southwold

If you would like to talk through your ideas about a new or existing community project contact the Forum. Membership of the Forum is free. Groups and organisations can sign up now to receive a quarterly newsletter, regular email bulletins, access to funding information, one to one support, networking and training information, access to the Forum's resource centre meeting/training room, presentation equipment including overhead and multimedia projectors, television, DVD and VCR players.

We have linked up with other organisations who support the voluntary sector in Suffolk to create a shared online events calendar. This means that the events calendar on this website features events and activities all over Suffolk, a comprehensive calendar of voluntary sector activities and events for Suffolk. If your organisation has an event you want to include on the calendar, please click on "events calendar" and then click on "add event." Then simply fill in the details and your event will be featured on the websites of six Suffolk voluntary sector support organisations.

Council for Voluntary Service
Along with the 360+ members of the NAVCA (National Association for Voluntary and Community Action) http://www.navca.org.uk/about/ we engage in:

• Development - of voluntary services in response to needs.
• Liaison – between voluntary organisations for mutual support and co-ordination and between voluntary organisations and authorities for the exchange of information and the building of partnership.
• Representation – of voluntary sector concerns and promotion of their interests.
• Provision of services – practical support and training.
• Being a strategic partner with statutory agencies – review of Compact, Best Value, Strategic Partnership etc.

Until 14 June 2006, NAVCA was called NACVS (the National Association of Councils for Voluntary Service).

NAVCA's 360 members work with 140,000 local community groups and voluntary organisations which provide services, regenerate neighbourhoods, increase volunteering and tackle discrimination, in partnership with local public bodies. In supporting the voluntary and community sector we help to combat poverty, disadvantage and discrimination, and improve the quality of life for communities, groups and individuals.