Community Voluntary Sector
About the Community and Voluntary Sector
The community and voluntary sector (CVS) in North Lanarkshire is large and diverse and makes a significant contribution to individual, family, community and societal wellbeing through its role in providing vital services and support and as an advocate for improvements in communities and public services.
The community and voluntary sector (CVS) in North Lanarkshire is large – with over 1000 organisations and diverse with different types of organisation, as set out below. The CVS makes a significant contribution to individual, family, community, societal and environmental wellbeing through its role in providing vital services and support and as an advocate for improvements in communities, public services and the environment.
(The CVS is also known as the third sector. The term community and voluntary sector is used here as it is more descriptive and does not imply a hierarchy between the CVS, statutory and business sectors.)
You can find more information about CVS organisations in North Lanarkshire through ALISS.
Extra Resources
The CVS Includes the Following:
Local community groups, many run entirely by volunteers, often with little funding and not always registered as a charity.
Small, medium and larger charities, some of which are local branches of national charities, usually employing staff, assisted by volunteers and relying on regular and adequate funding, some of which may come from trading.
Other types of non-profit organisation such as social enterprises and housing associations which provide socially useful products and services.
The CVS Plays a Key Role in Community Wealth Building Through:
CVS Services and Support
The CVS in North Lanarkshire provides preventative, ongoing and crisis public services – complementing those provided by statutory bodies such as the NHS and the council.
This includes support and services for all ages and equality groups on diverse needs and issues including:
- Affordable goods – for example through charity shops
- Social housing – through housing associations and cooperatives
- Employability and financial support – for example specialist employability charities and a Citizens Advice Bureau
- Environmental action – such as community environmental groups
- Spiritual support – through churches and faith-based charities
- Health and social care – including residential, home care, community support such as befriending, and community transport
- Education and learning – through for example further education colleges and universities which are charities and through community groups
You can find information about North Lanarkshire CVS organisations on the ‘A Local Information System for Scotland’ (ALISS) Website
The CVS in North Lanarkshire provides support and services to many thousands of local people every year – delivered by thousands of staff volunteers.
Most volunteer-involving organisations are in the CVS, which would struggle to function – or even exist – without volunteers. Many small community groups and charities have no paid staff and so everything they do relies on volunteers. And, whilst larger community groups, charities and social enterprises usually have paid staff, they generally also rely on volunteers to help them achieve their goals. This is a great strength of the CVS and why it is so cost-effective.
You can read more about how our North Lanarkshire CVS supports community wealth building and also helps to tackle poverty in these two briefings here: