Community Resource charity building a stronger community
Who are the voluntary and community support team?
The voluntary and community support team at Community Resource (a Shropshire-based charity) offers free community infrastructure support to local community groups, organisations and charities to identify their needs so they can start to provide, or continue to provide, their vital work supporting their communities.
With the support of Shropshire Council, the Shropshire Voluntary Community Sector Infrastructure Support project has received £371,585 from the Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and is currently supported until 31 March 2025.
This allows the employment of a team of infrastructure experts, be present in communities and provide free, quality training and advice to charities, social enterprises and other community and local groups. Funding for infrastructure support has decreased on a national level, making it ever more vital to provide tailored local support in Shropshire; without which, many community groups would cease to exist, or find it incredibly difficult to operate.
What is community infrastructure support?
Community infrastructure relates to the core work that keeps charities, community groups, social enterprises and other voluntary organisations functioning in a legal, efficient way and supports their sustainable growth. For example, this can include applying for grants, becoming legally constituted, and policy development.
In the past two years alone the voluntary and community support team:-
- Has supported 135 groups and charities with their infrastructure support needs
- Are supporting 154 volunteers in their individual volunteering roles
- Have provided 30 training courses to volunteers, charities, and community groups
- Has supported Shropshire’s Voluntary and Community Sector to obtain additional external grant funding of £314,425.
How can the voluntary and community support team help you?
- Volunteer brokerage: a bespoke countywide volunteer outreach service for Shropshire. Groups and individuals can apply with either their volunteering opportunities or a willingness to volunteer, and the team will place the right individuals with the right opportunities. They can also help with recruiting and managing of volunteers to ensure both parties have the best experience possible.
- Training: the team also offers free, accredited training to groups, organisations, and charities on all manner of helpful topics. Ranging from volunteer management and peer support, governance and legal structures, trustee training, effective bid writing, professional conduct & boundaries, safeguarding, mental health awareness and more. Check out their latest full list of courses https://sipshropshire.org.uk/events-courses/ . Keep checking this link as more will be added soon.
- Funding and grants: The team can help you search for and apply for grants and funding that suit your needs. They also help to administer several grants locally, including the Twemlows Fund (for environmental and community projects near Prees), Shropshire Grassroots Fund (£500 grants to small groups to build capacity), and Millichope Fund for Community Buildings. For more information visit this webpage.
- Advice and guidance: The friendly team are incredibly knowledgeable on all aspects of running a charity or community group. They can provide tailored support for any part of your journey, whether you’re just starting out or established and wanting to grow and expand. Please note they continue to face high demand for their services, so there may be a small delay before they can arrange to meet with you.
- Networking: The team also works with established networks and key local stakeholders and engages with local communities to gain further insight. They engage with a number of partners including the Voluntary and Community Sector Assembly, public sector and health partners, town councils, parish councils, grassroots and community groups, community organisers and co-ordinators.
Shropshire Light Infantry veterans group have been working with the infrastructure team at Community Resource for several months now. Duncan has been helping us set up a charity, guiding us through the process of writing a constitution and helping us to recruit our trustees. The guidance and advice given has been invaluable and we would not have been able to get to the point we are now at having submitted our application to the Charity Commission without the team’s help. Working with the team has also meant that they can signpost us to other opportunities that we would otherwise not have known about, this includes the new Crowdfund Shropshire scheme which we are actively looking into.
I would recommend using the services of the infrastructure team to any group looking to set as it can be a confusing and daunting task without help. – Shropshire Light Infantry veterans group
Before I started volunteering, I used to feel a bit lonely and unfulfilled. I felt like I had some extra energy which I was wasting sometimes. I spent too much time on social media, looking through the newsfeed. When I started volunteering, I felt an immediate change. I realised that I possess something people are in need of, and I wanted to share it with them. For me the biggest pleasure is to see people grow and develop their language skills. I constantly reassure them that every step matters. We set small goals regularly and achieve them. The sense of their achievement is the best reward for me. – ESOL Volunteer
How to get in touch:
Call: 01743 342170
Email: vcsteam@community-resource.org.uk
Address: Community Resource, 4 The Creative Quarter, Shrewsbury Business Park, Shrewsbury, SY2 6LG
