VCAS Factsheets

Voluntary and Community Action Sunderland

Getting Started

	VCAS Guide to Starting a Group If you are interested in setting up a new voluntary or community organisation there is a number of things to consider.
	VCAS Guide to Preparing an Agenda An agenda is simply a list of the things you want to discuss in your meeting. Use this simple guide to help you decide the types of things to include and how to include it.
	VCAS Guide to Setting up a Bank Account Once you have a group set up you will need a means of managing your group's finances. For this reason it is important that you open up a bank account.
	VCAS Guide to taking minutes It is useful to have a written record of what you've decided to do and who is going to do it. Minutes keep members of the group who weren't able to attend a meeting informed too.

Essentials

	VCAS Guide to Management Committee Roles and Responsibilities Management Committee members carry out a vital role within the community and voluntary sector. The Committee plays an important role in the organisation as both leaders and decision-makers.
	VCAS Guide to Writing a Constitution A constitution is a governing document, a set of agreements made by the group or organisation regarding how it is run.
	VCAS Guide to Planning an Event Planning an event can be a daunting task. Here are some simple guidelines to help you get started to ensure that the big day goes according to plan.
	VCAS Annual General Meeting (AGM) Checklist Hosting a successful AGM requires planning and preparation. Use the VCAS Checklist to guide you through your preparations and help you consider a range of things that might not have otherwise considered.
	VCAS Guide to Planning and Holding Effective Meetings Different types of meetings should be managed in different ways, a well run meeting can improve the outcome and ensure that people speak appropriately.

Human Resources

	VCAS Employment Law Signposting Sheet Taking on a new employee is a big responsibility and can be a daunting task. Use the VCAS Signposting Sheet to help you to find the right source of information to give you the answers that you need.
	VCAS Guide to Lone Working Working from home can bring a wide range of benefits for both businesses and employees, but it needs to be properly managed to be successful
	VCAS Guide to the Health and Safety of Lone Working Working from home can create extra health and safety risks that need to be managed effectively.

Managing ICT

	VCAS Guide to Managing ICT Well structured ICT is the backbone that will enable your organisation to deliver services effectively and efficiently, helping you reach more people and ultimately do more with your money.
	VCAS ICT Signposting Sheet There are many ways in which technology can be used to benefit a voluntary organisation. Download the ICT signposting sheet to help find your way to the information, help or advice you are looking for.

Organisation Structure & Strategy

	VCAS Guide to Writing a Business Plan Your business plan is a very important document. Used correctly, it will be the road map of your enterprise - showing you how to get to where you want to go.
	VCAS Guide to Closing your Organisation In these tough times, lots of projects and organisations are finding themselves facing a prospect of closing down their organisation. This guide is designed to give you some tips for a smooth wind-down.
	VCAS Guide to Monitoring & Evaluation Monitoring progress and evaluating your outputs and processes is key to constantly improving the performance of your organisation.

Getting Heard

	VCAS Guide to Getting Your Group's Stories in the Media News outlets are always on the look-out for stories to fill their pages, airways or screens. All you have to do is learn how to feed them your particular story in the right way.
	VCAS Guide to Effective Campaigning Campaigning, on the other hand, is the process of making and using organised, planned actions on specific issues with the aim of changing the policies of behaviours of groups and/or institutions.