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.

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.

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.

As part of our board you will support and shape our work and strategic direction, as well as help us achieve this purpose.

Your commitment will ensure we continue to provide and extend our range of much-needed support and services.

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 guide, support and strengthen the voluntary and community sector across South West Surrey, building capacity, sustainability and collaboration to improve outcomes for our communities,

Our Vision

We at Voluntary Action South West Surrey will champion a resilient, inclusive voluntary sector where communities thrive, wellbeing grows, and everyone belongs.

Our Values

Our organisation has committed to the following values:

• People and community focused 
  We care passionately about the people and the communities we serve and will do our very best to satisfy their needs.  We strive to nurture and empower our employees to the benefit of individuals, our organisation and our stakeholders. 

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• Respectful and embracing diversity 
  We recognise and respect all aspects of diversity in the communities we service, within VASWS and within organisations we work with. We embrace the principle of strength in diversity. 

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• Collaborative 
  We are outward looking and will work productively with all relevant organisations and individuals to deliver solutions.  
   

• Innovative and improving 
  We will learn from our experiences and those of others. Will constantly strive to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our operations to the benefit of all our stakeholders.

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.