26 May 2013
all the Reading Voluntary sector in one place
 
Address details
 

Reading Voluntary Action (RVA)
8 Cross Street*
READING
RG1 1SN
Upcoming events

Lowering Language Barriers

6 June 2013

This one day training session offered by Chalmers & Byrne Training will help staff adapt their language for people whose first language is not English. It focuses on giving you the tools you need to adapt the way you talk (and write), to people who speak English as an additional language. The training is also relevant if you work with clients with low literacy, the elderly or people with learning difficulties.
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  • Reading Voluntary Action (RVA)

    Voluntary organisationlast updated: 22 May 2013

    Primary interest: Voluntary sector
    Activity: Support
    Primary beneficiaries: --
    Area of activity: Reading-wide

    Telephone: 0118 957 4123
    Email: info@rva.org.uk
    Web site: www.rva.org.uk

    Reading Voluntary Action promotes strength within Reading's voluntary and community sector (VCS) by providing information, access to resources, volunteer recruitment and training to people who work in or with charities, community groups and voluntary organisations. We support voluntary sector representation on cross sector partnership initiatives in Reading.

    Our specialist advice for VCS organisations is provided individually and in networks, face-to-face, by telephone and email, or via themed meetings, training and seminars. We publish a variety of useful online resources, plus news and information through a range of channels.

    Reading Voluntary Action is the host agency for the Healthwatch Reading which enables voluntary organisations and the local community to influence how health and social care services are provided.

    Download RVA's latest Accounts and Annual Report

    Link to YouTube to see a video summarising the year and introducing all the staff at RVA.

    Charity number: 1045782
    Company registration number: 2982252
    Legal name: --
    Reading Voluntary Action (RVA) needs 1 volunteers, can you help?
    Services

    Advice Service

    Telephone: 0118 957 4123
    Email: advice@rva.org.uk

    Address as above

    We offer free help with the legalities and technicalities of running or starting a charity or voluntary organisation in Reading. We have knowledgeable and experienced staff and a range of useful resources available.

    The main focus of the work is to help organisations meet their legal requirements, function effectively and strengthen their ability to achieve a sustainable funding base. The subject areas covered are diverse and include:

    * Governing documents and registration
    * Complying with charity and company law
    * Employment matters
    * Organisation policies and procedures
    * Governance
    * Property matters
    * Project planning and development
    * Securing resources.

    Advice is given individually or by way of training or facilitation. A community development approach is adopted to ensure services and support reach those groups struggling with significant or new community needs. RVA nurtures and supports the development of new projects and initiatives to meet those new needs.

    Groups wishing to request advice about securing resources should start by completing RVA's fundability healthcheck which will give us important information towards providing the appropriate form of support.


    Recent user feedback:

    "I would thoroughly recommend the RVA to anyone who is thinking of establishing a voluntary group in Reading. Our organisation has benefitted significantly from the information and advice we have received since starting our group in September."
    Children on the Autistic Spectrum Young People's Project (CATSYPP)


    Information and volunteering shop

    Telephone: 0118 9023 910
    Email: hello@rva.org.uk
    Web site: www.rgneeds.me

    Address as above

    Come on inAdvisers at work


    We provide a public facing volunteer recruitment and advice service through our website and town centre shop.

    The website provides full online searchability of all the best and latest volunteering opportunities in Reading, plus links to regional and national volunteering sites.

    Our team of advisers can help visitors to our shop with tips about finding opportunities which build on the volunteer's experience or interests, including how they might contribute to development of a fuller CV.

    They can also provide information about neighbourhood groups and charities and the services they offer, as well as providing a link to the expert advice and support available from Reading Voluntary Action for the voluntary and community sector.

    See who you might meet from RVA's volunteer adviser team here

    Opening times

    Monday 10:00am to 4:00pm
    Tuesday 10:00am to 4:00pm
    Wednesday 10:00am to 4:00pm
    Thursday 10:00am to 4:00pm

    RVA Directory

    Email: rva@rvadirectory.org.uk
    Web site: rvadirectory.org.uk

    Address as above

    A comprehensive online service that gives local voluntary and community sector groups the potential of their own micro-site, with details of their service, their news and events.

    The search functions on the site mean that members of the community, potential service users, supporters and stakeholders can use their individual criteria to find out what the voluntary sector has to offer them, when and where.

    The directory is also regularly updated by the Reading Voluntary Action team with news of our own work, the services we offer and with other news of relevance to the local voluntary sector.

    News and events are automatically included in our instant Twitter stream when they are added to the site.

    Services for Volunteer Involving Organisations

    Telephone: 0118 9023 921
    Email: vioservices@rva.org.uk

    Address as above

    www.rgneeds.me volunteertask matching

    RVA's service for volunteer involving organisations (VIOs) encourages and supports volunteering in the Reading area by:

    * Providing a specialist online matching service featuring comprehensive details of volunteering opportunities and the organisations who are offering them.
    * Sharing expertise on developing volunteering roles, managing and working with volunteers.
    * Organising or signposting relevant training opportunities for VIOs and their existing volunteers.
    * Promoting volunteering to employers and their staff as part of corporate social responsibility and personal development.

    VIOs who use our recruitment service gain access to thousands of volunteers through our volunteering website at www.rgneeds.me and at our town centre shop manned by trained host advisers.

    Volunteers can also be informed of your needs via our weekly newsletter and our instant Twitter stream.



    Town Centre meeting room hire

    Telephone: 0118 902 3910
    Email: info@rva.org.uk

    Address as above

    photo of RVA meeting room

    We are now able to hire our compact but comfortable meeting room, suitable for 2-10 people depending on the formality of the event.

    Services available are:

    * self-serve refreshments
    * catered refreshments by arrangement
    * laptop and projector use
    * wifi
    * conference call facilities

    Rates start at £20 for a 2 hour session.

    Please phone or email us to enquire about availability and for a quotation based upon your requirements.

    Recent user feedback:

    "As a small community group, we do not have access to an office so being able to hold meetings at the RVA has been invaluable to our organisation. The room is excellent value for money and the staff are always welcoming and helpful." Children on the Autistic Spectrum Young People's Project (CATSYPP)

    Opening times

    Monday 9:30am to 5:00pm
    Tuesday 9:30am to 5:00pm
    Wednesday 9:30am to 5:00pm
    Thursday 9:30am to 5:00pm
    Friday 9:30am to 5:00pm

    People

    Mr Richard Corbett - Director
    richard.corbett@rva.org.uk
    Richard's role is to provide vision and leadership so that RVA can build the capacity of the local VCS and strengthen its voice; to promote the role and value of the sector to the public and to key agencies and partnerships which influence the life of the local community; to support the Board of Trustees in carrying out its governance responsibilities and ensure the organisation has the resources necessary to carry out these functions.

    Astrid - Volunteering & Information Adviser
    Astrid joined the volunteer team in October 2012, after being made redundant in the summer. She relishes the idea of helping people find the volunteering opportunity that is right for them.

    Niall - Volunteering & Information Adviser
    Having joined the volunteer team in November 2012, Niall has taken on a number of data processing and analysis projects whilst providing a friendly welcome to those visiting our information shop.

    Ian Crabb - Information Hub Assistant
    ian.crabb@rva.org.uk
    Ian joined our volunteer adviser team in February 2012 and has now joined the staff on a temporary basis. He will provide day-to-day support for the volunteer team and help maintain the provision of news and information through RVA's websites, while we prepare for a move into larger shared premises later in 2013.

    Tayo Awe - Trustee
    Tayo is a Prince2 registered Project Manager, experienced in project management, change management and business process management, both in IT and business environments. She is passionate about volunteering and serving the community and hopes to bring to bear on her work with RVA her interest in evolving technologies.

    Merlyn Barrett - LINk Development Worker
    merlyn.barrett@rva.org.uk
    Merlyn works with local people and groups to capture their views and experiences of health and social care services, and works with statutory service providers to help shape their services to meet local need. She leads on LINk's Mental Health projects.

    Brian - Volunteering & Information Adviser
    An established member of our adviser team since summer 2010, Brian is particularly interested in volunteering as a route to employment and personal development.

    Peter Brierley - Trustee
    Peter is part of the Neighbourhoods and Communities team for a national Housing Association, specialising in Community Development. A firm believer in the core notion of community development, he is also passionate about volunteering and hopes his enthusiasm will be an asset to RVA and its aims to support Reading's voluntary sector.

    Hazel Broad - Deputy Director
    hazel.broad@rva.org.uk
    Hazel leads RVA's IT and communications work, including the development of our volunteering portal RGneeds.me as well as our other online channels. She oversees the workplan of our Information Hub and has a strategic role in the promotion and development of volunteering. Hazel is a deputy to the Local Strategic Partnership, a VCS representative on the Think Family Group and the Older People's Partnership, focusing particularly on promoting the sector's wide-ranging service delivery expertise.

    Carol - Volunteering & Information Adviser
    Part of our adviser team since 2008, Carol is an experienced volunteering adviser and has a strong knowledge of local voluntary organisations and the services they provide.

    Kate Forster - Trustee
    Kate brings to RVA's Board of Trustees a broad variety of HR experience in a range of organisational settings and sizes in both the public and private sector.

    Robert Foster - Trustee
    Robert has worked as a solicitor in the charity field for many years and has worked with a number of local organisations in the charity and wider social enterprise field. Robert has also been personally involved in charities as a charity trustee, through his church and in mentoring for Arts & Business.

    Frank - Volunteering & Information Adviser
    After joining the team in 2011, Frank has been amazed to discover the range of activities undertaken by groups in our local community and is keen to share this knowledge with those it could benefit.

    Mrs Annette Haworth - Chair
    chair@rva.org.uk
    Annette Chairs RVA Board meetings and manages the Director on behalf of the Board. Taking overall responsibility for RVA's strategy and monitoring of delivery. Previously Annette managed the Information Services Directorate at Reading University. She has been chair, trustee and board member of several education, health and IT-related organisations and is currently a trustee-volunteer for AACT, a charity supporting people with communications disabilities.

    Steve Hendry - Information Hub Coordinator
    steve.hendry@rva.org.uk
    Steve's key focus is the way we engage with the public at our offices in central Reading and via our growing range of online services. His work involves supporting RVA's team of volunteers to expand our service to the public and to voluntary sector organisations who use RVA's channels and facilities to promote their work and inform community members and stakeholders about it.

    Gloria Jack - Trustee
    Gloria is a Registered General Nurse and has worked at The Royal Berkshire Hospital NHS Foundation Trust for over 35 years. Over many years she has served the community in various capacities (eg OSCAR, RCRE, COHSE) and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to bring to the board of RVA.

    James - Volunteering & Information Adviser
    Having joined our expanded team of advisers in 2011, James is particularly interested in encouraging participation in volunteering by young people.

    Lillian King - Trustee
    Lillian joined the Board of Trustees in 2012 and as one of our Volunteer Adviser Team has a wealth of knowledge of the local voluntary and community sector.

    Michele Le Sueur - Development Coordinator - Volunteer Management
    michele.lesueur@rva.org.uk
    Michele is responsible for providing best practice support to local non-profit organisations who involve volunteers in their work. She is available to talk with organisations about their volunteering requirements and provides expertise on working with volunteers.

    Lillian - Volunteering & Information Adviser
    Lillian joined us in 2010 and has a wealth of knowledge of the local voluntary and community sector built up through her involvement with RVA and prior to that with various other local community projects.

    Katherine Markova - Treasurer
    Katherine is a qualified chartered accountant. By profession she is a corporate tax advisor working for a global professional services firm. Her interests outside of work include cycling, theatre, music and reading.

    Sheena Masoero - LINk Development Worker
    sheena.masoero@rva.org.uk
    Sheena works with local people and groups to capture their views and experiences of health and social care services, and works with statutory service providers to help shape these services to meet local need. She leads on LINks projects with health providers and social care services.

    Rachel Miller - Development Coordinator: Capable Communities
    rachel.miller@rva.org.uk
    Rachel's work looks at ways to increase the number of people who are active in communities around Reading by improving communication and ensuring people know how and where they can get involved in social groups, community events, sports, volunteering and democracy. She supports organisations to work together to increase participation in a range of activities. This post is funded by the Transforming Local Infrastructure project.

    Sarah Morland - Business Ready Coordinator
    sarah.morland@rva.org.uk
    As part of the Transforming Local Infrastructure (TLI) programme, Sarah will undertake an assessment with groups who want to access support with improving their 'business readiness' for bidding to new sources of funding.

    Karen Morton - Trustee
    Karen is an experienced leader, manager, chair, facilitator, consultant and trainer, with a background in charity management and development.

    Jim Murdoch - Office Manager
    jim.murdoch@rva.org.uk
    Jim manages the administration of Reading Voluntary Action. In this role he ensures that RVA's financial reporting systems, payments and accounts are maintained. He also ensures all governance aspects of the organisation are kept up to date as Company Secretary.

    Rosita - Volunteering & Information Adviser
    As a member of our adviser team since 2010, Rosita is always ready to welcome those interested in volunteering into our shop and to assist them in their search for the right opportunity for them.

    Saeeka - Volunteering & Information Adviser
    Having joined the adviser team in 2011, Saeeka provides a warm welcome to all of our visitors and provides helpful guidance for them to find the information they need.

    Sandra - Volunteering & Information Adviser
    Sandra has worked with us since February 2000 and is our most experienced adviser in the field of volunteering. In addition she is always keeping her eyes open for the latest news and events from our local community and voluntary organisations.

    Nick Silk - Trustee
    Nick brings a wealth of experience from the world of business having specialised in marketing, communications and branding. He also has a broad range of interests ranging from rugby to gardening.

    Mandeep Sira - Involvement Manager
    mandeep.sira@rva.org.uk
    Mandeep is responsible for managing the LINk project and leading the transition to HealthWatch which takes place in April 2013. Her broader role is to promote the involvement of the people of Reading in how their services are delivered.

    Rachel Spencer - Advice Manager
    rachel.spencer@rva.org.uk
    Rachel advises voluntary and community groups on legal and technical issues e.g. employment law, health and safety, data protection, charity law, etc. She also organises affordable local training on these issues.

    Relationships

    Reading Voluntary Action (RVA) in partnership with Connect Reading
    Reading Voluntary Action (RVA) in partnership with Healthwatch Reading
    Reading Voluntary Action (RVA) in partnership with Reading Children's & Voluntary Youth Services (RCVYS)
    Reading Voluntary Action (RVA) in partnership with Reading Faith Forum
    Reading Voluntary Action (RVA) in partnership with Reading Borough Council - Funding Advice Team
    Reading Voluntary Action (RVA) in partnership with Sakoma
    Reading Voluntary Action (RVA) supports Get Involved Reading
    Reading Voluntary Action (RVA) supports The Forum (Reading Voluntary Sector Forum)
    Reading Voluntary Action (RVA) supports Think Big Reading
    Reading Voluntary Action (RVA) is funded by Earley Charity
    Reading Voluntary Action (RVA) is a member of Reading Compact
    Reading Voluntary Action (RVA) is a representative on Forum Voices
    Reading Voluntary Action (RVA) is a representative on Reading 2020 Partnership (LSP)

    more news
    News from this organisation

    Good news for Advice Services in Reading

    22 May 2013 - Reading Voluntary Action (RVA)

    Reading Citizens Advice Bureau led a bid to the Advice Service Transition Fund (Big Lottery) and heard last week that £350,000 has been awarded to Reading over the next two years.
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    Reading Voluntary Action 8 Cross Street, Reading RG1 1SN
    telephone 0118 957 4123 fax 0118 958 6131
    info@rva.org.uk

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