Voluntary Action South West Surrey

Voluntary Action South West Surrey (VASWS) is an umbrella organisation for voluntary groups, community groups and charities working in Guildford and Waverley.  We help with support and development, provide information, training, funding & governance advice and with recruiting volunteers.

We are seeking a new Board members to join our vibrant team.

What skills do I need?

The Role: Trustee

We are inviting passionate individuals to join our Board as Trustees, contributing to our journey. Board meetings are your platform to influence, guide, and support VASWS’s strategic direction. Beyond governance, Trustees engage with the community, representing VASWS at local events and helping steer our mission forward.

Benefits Include:

• Making a lasting impact in the community.
• Expanding your network and forming new relationships.
• Developing skills in governance, leadership, and strategy.
• Broadening your personal and professional skill set.
• Reimbursement for reasonable expenses.

We are based in central Guildford and Board Meetings are held 4 times a year on a Tuesday at 4pm via Teams, plus an annual AGM and occasional sub group meetings.

If you are interested and would like to have a chat about the role and find out more about us please fill in the application form. 

We look forward to hearing from you!

Voluntary Action South West Surrey is a registered charity and limited company set up in 2008 to help support voluntary and community groups working in the boroughs of Guildford and Waverley. We are a Council for Voluntary Service and member of the National Association for Voluntary and Community Action (NAVCA).

As well as giving advice, information and support to local groups we also run a Volunteer Centre recruiting volunteers for organisations working in South West Surrey, as well as being host of the Guildford and Waverley Social Prescribing Service. In 2024, we launched our Volunteer Connections project.

Our Mission

As an infrastructure organisation we aim to strengthen the voluntary and community sector across South West Surrey. We support all members of the local community to access services to improve their health and wellbeing.

Our Vision

We at Voluntary Action South West Surrey will champion a resilient, inclusive voluntary sector to enable residents, volunteers and the community to flourish. We will address the wider determinants of health and wellbeing, enhancing accessibility and diversity.

Our USP

We are the infrastructure organisation for Guildford and Waverley Boroughs, providing bespoke information, advice and guidance to charities and voluntary groups, both existing and new.

We tailor bespoke solutions to address the evolving needs of our community, fostering resilience and inclusivity, advocating on behalf of the sector we represent and the communities we work within.

We offer a volunteer brokerage service, working one to one with both individuals who want to volunteer and voluntary organisations who need support with their volunteer offer.

We highlight the benefits of volunteering and the need for volunteers in our communities, recognising and working to reduce barriers to volunteering, especially amongst marginalised groups. In addition, we are a bridge between sectors, connecting the voluntary sector to partners in the health sector.

Through our Social Prescribing service we support adults referred to us for issues surrounding the wider determinants of health to access services and activities local to them, creating a greater cohesion between health professionals, patients and local communities and services.

We are also the voluntary sector arm of the Frailty Academy.