Voluntary Action Westminster

Read about the projects and services hosted at Voluntary Action Westminster.

Organisational development

As a council for voluntary service, organisational development is at the heart of what we do.

Our organisational development team works with voluntary and community groups of all sizes, to help them develop the knowledge, skills and organisational structures they need to achieve their aims.  We do this through organising training, giving one-to-one advice, and providing information.

Read more about our organisational development services 

Children's Centre outreach

Voluntary Action Westminster employs family outreach teams based at Children’s Centres in North East, North West and South Westminster.

Outreach teams work with Westminster families to help them understand the services and support that are available to them, and make sure they know where to find help if they need it.  Our outreach teams also involve families in planning children’s centre services and activities. 

Westminster Community Network

WCN is a network of voluntary organisations working in Westminster.  The aim of the WCN is to improve quality of life and wellbeing for local people by influencing decision-making and sharing information and experience.

To do this, the WCN:

• Brings voluntary and community organisations together, around issues where change is possible
• Organises participative workshops and meetings, where people can get their views heard
• Runs elections to appoint voluntary sector representatives on local decision-making partnerships
• Runs briefings and seminars on local issues affecting the voluntary sector and communities

Visit the Westminster Community Network website

Westminster Local Involvement Network (LINk)

LINks are made up of individuals and voluntary and community groups who work together. The job of a LINk is to find out what people like and dislike about local health and social care services and work with the people who plan and run them to help make them better.  This may involve talking directly to health care professionals about a service that is not being offered or suggesting ways that an existing service could be made better. LINks also have legal powers to help with the tasks and to make sure changes happen.

Visit the Westminster LINk website 

Westminster Equalities Partnership

Westminster Equalities Partnership (WEP) is a strategic partnership of the main statutory and voluntary bodies in Westminster, and an independent Chair.  The partnership is supported by a full-time Policy Manager, Oonagh Smyth, who is based at Voluntary Action Westminster.

The purpose of WEP is to develop a Westminster wide approach to equality and to act as a “Critical Friend” to the Westminster City Partnership to ensure that its priorities and decisions are informed by equality considerations and best practice.

Want to find out more about the WEP?  Contact Oonagh Smyth

CITY.COMM

CITY.COMM works to support active citizen and community groups in and around the City of London.  Established in 2006, CITY.COMM now employs three staff, all based at Voluntary Action Westminster.

CITY.COMM provides information, support and networking opportunities for voluntary and community groups in the City of London to:

• help them achieve their aims and objectives;
• share their ideas, skills and experience; and
• influence local policy-making and planning.

By supporting the voluntary and community sector CITY.COMM aims to combat isolation, poverty and discrimination; and to improve the quality of life for communities, groups and individuals.

Visit the CITY.COMM website