spending over half a million pounds and looking to recruit 5,000
As part of a new contract with the council the Wandsworth Voluntary Sector Development Agency (WVSDA) will aim to recruit more than 5,000 residents to support the work of local groups and charities.
The agency will provide information services to 850 voluntary groups in the borough and provide practical advice to help them grow.
Deputy council leader Maurice Heaster said, "The agency's main task will be get more people into volunteering. There are so many ways in which local groups could benefit from extra support. Just two hours a week can make all the difference.There is also a lot of work to do guiding organisations on income-generating activities. By sharing expertise and increasing access to different sources of funding we can help the voluntary sector in Wandsworth to expand and prosper."
The funding will include a £40,000 performance-related grant from the Government Office for London which will be paid if WVSDA can increase the number of volunteers placed from 1,500 a year to 1,850.
WVSDA chief executive Stefan Kuchar said, "We are both excited and challenged by the task of finding more volunteers to meet the ever-increasing needs of local charities and voluntary groups in the Borough. Voluntary work represents an excellent opportunity for local residents to give something back to the community, particularly if they have professional skills or if they want to develop their skills further as a pathway to employment.
"Moreover, for many volunteers, voluntary work helps bring structure to their week, as well as the reward of making new friends and seeing people benefit from their activities."
For more information and guidance of how to volunteer in Wandsworth visit www.wvsda.org.uk.
The three-year contract is worth £142,000 a year rising to £182,000 if the agency meets its targets. The council is currently the biggest local funder of voluntary sector activity with an annual programme worth almost £24 million.
December 23, 2006
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