Consortium and Capacitybuilders

York & North Yorkshire Infrastructure Consortium

York & North Yorkshire Infrastructure Consortium is a partnership of local infrastructure organisations. These are the organisations, often called ‘Council for Voluntary Service’ or ‘Voluntary Action’, that provide services and support for frontline voluntary and community groups.

The consortium has been established to take forward the modernisation agenda, identified in the government’s ChangeUp programme, to enhance infrastructure support available to frontline voluntary and community groups in York and North Yorkshire.

The voluntary and community sector plays a crucial role in building strong, cohesive and self-determining communities, frontline organisations often work with those most at risk from social exclusion. They provide support and meet multiple needs in ways which not only give citizens and users a voice, but also the means to tackle themselves the underlying causes of their problems.

Our vision

Our vision is that third sector organisations are achieving their full potential in meeting the needs and aspirations of all the diverse communities they serve.

Our mission

The Consortium’s mission is to ensure that sustainable, effective and accessible infrastructure support is available to third sector organisations throughout York and North Yorkshire. 

Our aims

The members of the Consortium by working together and through individual Local Infrastructure Organisations aim to

• improve partnership and collaborative working at local, district, sub regional, regional and national levels
• ensure that a comprehensive range of high quality and flexible support services are available to assist the third sector to become more sustainable
• ensure a commitment to equalities, accessibility and inclusion in planning and delivering support services
• improve communication with the third sector and key stakeholders
• increase the voice of the third sector to influence public policy and service planning from local to national level

About the consortium

North Yorkshire Forum for Voluntary Organisations is the lead and accountable body for the consortium. This includes the responsibility for holding and managing grants on behalf of the consortium. The Forum’s staff also deliver a number of services on behalf of the consortium including employment advice and the funding advice network.

The consortium has a project team (six senior staff from consortium members) who lead on development, implementation and change management within the sub-region.

Consortium members are:
• Coast and Moors Voluntary Action
• Easingwold Community Care Association
• Harrogate & Area Council for Voluntary Service
• North Yorkshire Forum for Voluntary Organisations
• Northallerton & District Voluntary Service Association
• Richmondshire Council for Voluntary Service
• Ripon Council for Voluntary Service
• Ryedale Voluntary Action
• Selby District Association for Voluntary Service
• South Craven Community Action
• Stokesley & District Community Care Association
• Thirsk, Sowerby & District Community Care Association
• Craven Volunteer Centre
• York Council for Voluntary Service
• York Racial Equality Network
• Rural Action Yorkshire (previously Yorkshire Rural Community Council)

Collectively the consortium members provide support services to at least, 600 frontline voluntary and community organisations. They also support thousands of volunteers in York and North Yorkshire.

More information and contact details for local infrastructure organisations are available on this website.

Read more about the work of the Consortium in our Business Plan and Infrastructure Development Strategy

The Consortium is launching its own website later in the autumn and this will be available at www.voluntarysectoryny.org.uk

About Capacitybuilders and ChangeUp

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 the capacity of the Third Sector. They exist to create a more effective third sector and do this by improving support for third sector organisations.

ChangeUp is a programme of capacity building for the infrastructure of the voluntary and community sector, developed in partnership with the sector. The aim of ChangeUp investment is to catalyse the modernisation of infrastructure provision in order to improve its sustainability, quality and reach. ChangeUp’s aim is that by 2014 the needs of frontline voluntary and community organisations in England will be met by support which is:

• Available nationwide
• Structured for maximum efficiency
• Offering excellent provision
• Accessible to all
• Truly reflecting and promoting diversity
• Sustainably funded.

For more information on Capacitybuilders and the ChangeUp programme go to www.capacitybuilders.org.uk