As the North Herts and Stevenage Centre for Voluntary Services (NH&SCVS), we’re here to make local charity and community work more accessible for everyone.

As the go-to resource in the local area for those with an idea to set up or run their own charity, faith, or community group; we are here to support you, whatever your needs.

To ensure we are helping in the best way possible, we have worked collaboratively with groups within our community from the very beginning.

Listening to what they need and easing the barriers preventing them for achieving their goals.

Through developing relationships with many local groups, we identified that a lack of awareness in funding and governance was a common roadblock for those in the early stages of establishing a community organisation.

This insight led us to create more helpful resources and tools in this area. At our annual community conference last March, members of our network told us they needed better support in correct safeguarding training.

To help, our new training program launching this April, includes a two-hour workshop dedicated to safeguarding, led by our very own expert in safeguarding Claire Bernardin.

Our hope is that organisations requiring safeguarding training will be more equipped to deal with issues should something arise.

Listening to the needs of our community and the challenges they come across is essential for us in being a vital support.

More recently, to help with our current project of improving the tools available on our website, we’re conducting 30-minute telephone or video call interviews with members of local community groups. Our aim is to understand exactly what we can better offer.

With the help and expertise of NH&SCVS supporter Enzian Baur, a digital user experience researcher, we will use the findings to steer the creation of a new wealth of tools available on our website.

These tools, such as how-to guides, templates, and more, will expand the support we already offer to those working on initiatives benefiting the community.

This will work in partnership with our training program and the one-to-one advice we already offer.

If you’re a community group or charity enhancing the community in North Herts and Stevenage and would like to take part in our latest research project, please email info@nhcvs.org.uk, or call us on 01462 6984000.

As the Community Volunteering Service for North Herts and Stevenage, we equip community groups, charities, and volunteers with the knowledge to thrive.

Learn more about how we help organisations reach their potential at www.nhcvs.org.uk.