SVSN - Glossary of Terms
- A Question
- BME
Black and Minority Ethnic
- Capacity Building
empowering activity that strengthens the ability of voluntary and community organisations to build their structures, systems, people and skills so that they are able to -
- Define and achieve their objectives
- Engage in consultation and planning
- Manage projects
- Take part in partnerships, social enterprise and service delivery
- Community Sector
The web of personal relationships, networks, groups, traditions and patterns of behaviour that exist amongst those who share physical neighbourhoods, socio-economic conditions or common understandings and interests. It is the community itself taking action to get things done. The community sector ranges from small informal community groups to large multi-purpose community organisations.
- Compact
(Published 1998) A framework for partnership between Government and the voluntary and community sector, for mutual advantage. An important principle of Compact is the independence of the sector and its right to campaign. The Compact is supported by five Codes of Good Practice in which Government and the sector commit to particular actions. There are also Local Compact Guidelines to inform partnership working between voluntary and community sector organisations and local bodies such as local authorities, primary care trusts and local learning and skills councils.
- ESF
European Social Fund
- Frontline organisations
Voluntary and community organisations that work directly with individuals and communities to provide services, offer support and campaign for change.
- Full cost recovery
the full cost of how much activities and services cost to run. Ensuring relevant elements of overheads in funding applications giving their cost estimates for providing a given service under service agreement or contract.
- Generic Infrastructure
Infrastructure organisations that provide support to all frontline organisations within a particular geographic area.
- GOSW
Government Office for the South West www.gos.gov.uk/gosw
- Infrastructure
The physical facilities, structures, systems, relationships and people. Knowledge and skills that exist to support and develop, co-ordinate, represent and promote frontline organisations thus enabling them to deliver their missions more effectively.
- ISP
Internet service provider - the people who supply your internet connection
- LSC
Learning and Skills Council www.lsc.gov.uk/somerset
- LSP
Local Strategic Partnership
A single non-statutory, multi-agency body, which matches local authority boundaries, and aims to bring together at a local level the different parts of the public, private, community and voluntary sectors. Local partners working through a LSP will be expected to take many of the major decisions about priorities and funding for their local area.- Partnership Working
The suppression of mutual loathing in pursuit of financial gain.
- Social Enterprises
Businesses whose main objectives are social and whose surpluses are principally reinvested for that purpose in the business or in the community, rather than being driven by the need to maximise profit for shareholders and owners.
- Social Exclusion
The potential outcome of a combination of linked problems such as unemployment, poor skills, low incomes, unfair discrimination, poor housing, high crime environments, bad health and family breakdown, leading to people or places being excluded from the outcomes and opportunities enjoyed by mainstream society.
- VCS
Voluntary and Community Sector
- ViSTA
The Voluntary Sector Training Alliance www.vistaproject.org.uk
- Voluntary and Community Sector Infrastructure
Voluntary and community organisations whose primary purpose is the provision of infrastructure functions (support and development, co-ordination, representation and promotion) to frontline voluntary and community organisations. They are sometimes called umbrella, second tier or intermediary organisations.
- Voluntary Sector
Groups whose activities are carried out other than for profit but which are not public or local authorities. These organisations would normally be formally constituted and employ paid professional and administrative staff. They may or may not use volunteer help.
