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About us

Find out about our services, the way we operate and how we champion voluntary action

Who we are

We’re the membership community for charities, voluntary organisations and community groups in England

Our services

Find out how we can support you, from support for small charities and training to consultancy and corporate relations

Training

We offer a range of training courses designed to help you do what you do best

eLearning: Roles and duties of trustees

This flexible, interactive course will help you understand your duties as a trustee and support you to run your charity effectively so you can make a bigger difference

Leading on purpose

A practical four-month programme for emerging charity leaders who are on their way to leading organisations

Our vision for charity leaders

Learn about the mindset, knowledge and connections that emerging leaders need to guide the sector into the 2030s

Support for small charities and voluntary organisations

We know small charities make a big impact with limited resource - that's why we're here to help

Volunteering during the covid-19 pandemic: What we know

  • Coronavirus
  • Involving volunteers

Governance round-up: July 2022

Read our latest round-up for trustees and governance professionals, with useful sector updates, training courses and written guidance.

  • Governance

Impact round-up: August 2022

In this edition, Sandy Chidley, senior consultant, spotlights opportunities in impact and evaluation and shares useful evaluation resources and training opportunities

  • Impact and evaluation

Time Well Spent: A national survey on the volunteer experience

Our survey of more than 10,000 people provides the most detailed analysis of volunteering for a decade

  • Involving volunteers
  • Digital and technology

Time Well Spent: Employer-supported volunteering

Building on existing work on corporate volunteering, this report looks at employer-supported volunteering through the eyes of the volunteer

  • Involving volunteers
  • Employing and managing staff

Government policy and funding round-up: August 2022

This round-up will help you to stay informed about our influencing work, and any government policy and funding announcements. For news related to what’s happening in parliament, see our regular inside track round-up.

  • Government and politics

Governance round-up: August 2022

Governance consultant Sally Stephens shares updates on the Charities Act and the Charity Governance Code, along with some exciting training opportunities for trustees

  • Governance

Turning abandoned shares into support for communities – and what you can do to help

We explain what dormant assets are, how they could support communities and how you can help make that happen.

  • Law and regulation

Supporting members through the cost of living crisis

  • Responding to crises
  • Government and politics

Government must provide immediate financial support to help communities

Voluntary sector partners joint statement on the cost of living crisis

  • Responding to crises
  • Government and politics

Safeguarding children

Find out about the key Acts and treaties designed to protect children

  • Safeguarding

Overview

Key areas of law to be aware of if you or your organisation is responsible for safeguarding children or young people

  • Safeguarding

General duties to safeguard children

Duties of various bodies to protect children and young people

  • Safeguarding

Key duties of public bodies

Key duties of public bodies for safeguarding children or young people

  • Safeguarding

Key duties of regulated bodies

Key duties of regulated bodies for safeguarding children or young people

  • Safeguarding

Key offences and liability

Key offences and liability relating to the protection of children and young people

  • Safeguarding

Safeguarding adults at risk

Key areas of law to be aware of if you or your organisation works with adults at risk of harm

  • Safeguarding

Overview

If you or your organisation works with adults at risk of harm there are key laws and frameworks to help you with safeguarding

  • Safeguarding

General duties of local authorities

Duties of local authorities to safeguard adults at risk

  • Safeguarding

Key duties of public bodies

Key duties of public bodies to safeguard adults at risk

  • Safeguarding

Safeguarding essentials in charities (1 day)

All voluntary organisations have a duty to keep the people they work with safe from harm. This course introduces the basics of safeguarding within a charity context in England and highlights effective safeguarding practice

Better impact reporting (0.5 day)

This practical session will build your awareness of different types of reporting and support you to tell a compelling story through your reporting

Advanced data protection (2 x 0.5 days)

This advanced course is specifically for data protection leads or officers in charitable organisations.

Developing partnership working (0.5 day)

Discover how partnership working can help your organisation grow its impact and make the most of limited resources. Gain practical tools, legal insights and guidance to build strong and successful collaborations.

Designated safeguarding leads in charities (1 day)

This one-day training course provides an overview of the roles and responsibilities of safeguarding leads in charities in England

Managing people in the charity sector (2 days)

This course will equip managers in the voluntary sector with the skills and techniques they need to effectively manage paid members of staff

Data protection essentials (2 x 0.5 days)

This course will take you through the essentials of lawful data processing for charities and help improve your compliance with the law

Safeguarding essentials for trustees (0.5 day)

This introductory course explains the key trustee responsibilities for safeguarding, following guidance from the Charity Commission

Advanced project management (1 day)

Are you confident in your general project management skills but looking to strengthen your expertise? This course moves beyond the basics of project management to better understand techniques, activities and principles within a charity context.

eLearning: Roles and duties of trustees

Trustees play an important role in making sure charities are well-managed and can achieve their aims. This accessible, interactive trustee eLearning course lets you study in your own time and at your own pace so you can fit around your schedule and priorities.