A Lottery-funded project to champion volunteering in Greater Manchester has been launched by GMCVO. The new project will aim to increase volunteering, especially amongst non-traditional groups and people with support needs, and to improve the quality, efficiency and sustainability of the volunteering infrastructure in the sub-region.
It will involve a partnership of volunteering service providers, including volunteer centres, local infrastructure organisations and diversity organisations.

Practical activities will include:
• dissemination of best practice and practical tools through training, mentoring, provision of information and signposting;
• assistance to develop local volunteering strategies;
• networking meetings and events to encourage strong relationships across district boundaries and between volunteering infrastructure and other relevant organisations (especially diversity groups);
• alignment of volunteer placement software and administrative systems. The project will employ a volunteering ‘champion’ and two part-time officers who will form a Greater Manchester ‘hub’ for volunteer services.

Funding for the three-year project was awarded under the Big Lottery Fund’s BASIS (Building and Sustaining Infrastructure Support) programme. In total, 119 organisations shared almost £50 million.
For further information about the project, contact Lynne Kent on 0161 277 1027 or lynne.kent@gmcvo.org.uk.

Further details of the BASIS awards can be seen via the link below.

BASIS awards