National Support

Capacitybuilders | National Hubs | Finance Hub | Governance Hub | ICT Hub | Performance Hub | Volunteering Hub | Workforce Hub | NAVCA | NCVO

Please use the links below to access national support organisations.

Capacitybuilders

Capacitybuilders is a non-departmental public body (NDPB) set up in 2006 to take over the management of the ChangeUp programme and to work with other funders to build capacity of the Third Sector. We exist to create a more effective third sector and we do this by improving support for third sector organisations.

This website is a portal to the free support, information and services the hubs can offer charities, to help them achieve more.

The Finance Hub is developing financial sustainability in the Third Sector within England. It is addressing finance matters in the Third Sector through the delivery of an integrated programme of research, development, training and information dissemination.

The governance hub's mission is to improve the quality of governance across the sector by:
Enhancing the knowledge and skills of trustees, board members, senior managers and others involved in governance.
Enhancing the governance capacity of organisations to deliver their mission, engaging and involving their key stakeholders.
Promoting good governance in the voluntary and community sector
Increasing the supply of trustees and board members, with the range of profiles, skills and experience needed by VCOs.

ICT Hub

The ICT Hub's mission is to create a sustainable environment within which Voluntary and Community Organisations (VCOs) can practically take steps to use and benefit from ICT, supported at a local level. Its aim is to improve voluntary and community sector ICT infrastructure so that VCOs are enabled to achieve their missions more efficiently and effectively through the better use of ICT.
The ICT Hub provides a range of free and low cost products and services which:
Raise awareness of the strategic benefits of ICT for Voluntary and Community Organisations
Improve the ICT funding and procurement environment within which VCOs operate
Build more relevant and appropriate models of ICT support accessible at a local level.

back to top

Performance Hub

The Performance Hub works to help third sector organisations (charities, voluntary organisations, community groups and social enterprises) to achieve more. It offers a free quarterly newsletter, freephone helpline, online information, sign-posts to specialist support, membership of a free performance improvement email network and events.

For infrastructure organisations, it offers a range of training, support and sign-posting information to those who support frontline organisations in performance improvement. It also works with funders and policy makers to encourage them to support voluntary and community organisations undertaking performance improvement activities.

The Volunteering Hub will work to achieve the ChangeUp high level objective that by 2014 there will be a leaner, effectively marketed and high quality volunteering infrastructure reaching, recruiting and placing a greater number and diversity of individuals coupled with improved volunteer management.

The UK Workforce Hub helps third sector organisations make the best of their paid staff, volunteers and trustees through workforce development.
Its work falls into four main areas: learning and skills, human resources and employment practice, leadership and working and volunteering in the voluntary sector.
It works with partners across the sector so that:
more people come to work in the sector;
people who already work in the sector, as paid staff or volunteers, can continuously develop their skills;
people can develop their management and leadership skills
organisations find it easy to be good employers and manage all their human resources to the best effect.

NAVCA's purpose is to promote local voluntary and community action nationally. It does this by providing its members with information, advice, networking and learning opportunities, support and development services. In turn, it draws on its members' experience to influence government and contribute to national policy. It also works closely with other national bodies to ensure a collaborative approach to policy development.

NCVO has several specialist teams who provide information, advice and support to others working in or with the voluntary sector. These teams produce publications, briefing papers and guidance notes; run conferences and seminars; and offer a range of practitioner forums.