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Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services

About Us

www.lcvs.org.uk

Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services (LCVS) is incorporated under the Companies Act as a Company Limited by Guarantee without share capital, registered in England 181759. LCSS is a registered charity, number 223485.

LCVS is a Charitable Trust Corporation: an agency for charitable giving, administering funds and trusts and also provides advice and support services for charities and other voluntary organisations in Liverpool and its vicinity.

Our Mission

Our purpose is to promote, support and develop charitable giving and effective voluntary action in Liverpool and its vicinity.

Our Vision

We strive to achieve:

• A vibrant and thriving voluntary and community sector with high ethical and quality standards.
• Dynamic participation of people in voluntary action in Liverpool and its vicinity as volunteers and donors.
• The active involvement of voluntary and community organisations in partnerships with statutory and private sector bodies, in order to maximize public benefit.

Our Goals and Objectives

• Developing and supporting an infrastructure in order to give the voluntary sector stability, support, visibility and status.
• Providing efficient, independent and friendly trust corporation services for donors wishing to support local charitable causes.
• Making grants to organisations and individuals for charitable purposes.
• Co-ordinating voluntary action in Liverpool by encouraging communication and co-operation among voluntary organisations, and between them and public and private bodies.
• Providing services to support the local voluntary and community sector to promote the development of good practice and high ethical standards in Liverpool's voluntary and community organisations.
• Acting as a strategic partner for the sector and advocate for, and enable representation by, the sector.
• Promoting the establishment of new organisations to fill gaps in local services and meet new needs.

Our Business Philosophy

We believe that individual and group voluntary action, independent of the state and motivated for the public benefit rather than profit, is the basis for a strong and healthy society.

Our organisation and its work is based on the following values:

Independence
We are committed to the independence of voluntary and community organisations to challenge accepted policies and practice and to champion people in need. We believe that diversity of funding sources supports the continued independence of the voluntary and community sector.

Active Challenging of Discrimination
We support the voluntary and community sector to enable those with least participation, the most silent of voices, to be involved and have access to what they need to live their lives without fear of discrimination. Our role is to actively challenge discrimination where this is seen to occur.

Equality of Opportunity & Valuing Diversity
We are committed to equality of opportunity. Appropriate sensitivity and the empowerment of people depends on the informed recognition of issues associated with age, gender, sexual orientation, race, language, culture, religion, economic status and disability. The population of England and the communities within it are diverse in composition. This diversity of people's culture, racial and faith community, and beliefs means that there is a wealth of experience and community tradition to call on in developing the voluntary and community sector.

Integrity
We are committed to high ethical standards, financial probity, openness, objectivity and accountability. We maintain an impartial non-political stance in all our work.

Empowerment
People should have the opportunity to participate in decisions affecting their lives and their environment. We seek to engage, enable and empower those most disadvantaged individuals and groups.

Personal Service
We encourage individuals to give their time and their money in support of voluntary action through philanthropy and volunteering.

Quality & Innovation
We are committed to continual improvement, and the development of quality-assured services and the dissemination of 'Best Practice'. We are committed to innovation and flexibility to meet changing patterns of need.

Partnership
We promote partnership and co-operation within the voluntary and community sector and between it and public and private sector bodies at local, regional and national level.

Our Record

LCVS is a charity, encouraging philanthropy, voluntary action and charities, primarily in Liverpool but also in the surrounding area, since 1909. Liverpool was the first city in the country to establish its Voluntary Aid Council. It marked the beginning of the movement in Britain, as well as providing a focal point for voluntary organisations locally.

Initially Liverpool Charities' Council, it became Liverpool Council of Voluntary Aid on 5th November 1909. The name Liverpool Council of Social Service (Inc.) was adopted in 1933. Liverpool Council for Voluntary Service was added as a name in 1974, in uniformity with the national CVS movement. It was used in operational work with voluntary and community organisations and with public bodies. In July 2005 the present name 'Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services' was adopted to reflect both the work of promoting philanthropy and co-ordinating and supporting the development of the voluntary and community sector.

Key Achievements

In 1911 LCVS sponsored its first new charity; in 1912 it launched a periodical and in 1913 a social workers' handbook.

In 1918 a gift of £50,000 enabled LCVS to set up a fund to grant-aid affiliated charities while encouraging best practice among them.

In 1921 LCVS pioneered the Discretionary Deed Of Covenant, which has been called "the Council's greatest single service, in terms of money, to the charities of the city and the kingdom".

In 1927 LCVS became a Charitable Trust Corporation, administering charitable trusts and funds, with the authorisation to hold, manage and invest charitable property. Much later, in the 1960s, it developed the concept of a Personal Charitable Trust as a means of long-term charitable giving. It now distributes over £2 million a year on behalf of the donors.

Our Services Today

LCVS provides organisational support and development, enabling voluntary organisations to become self-sufficient and sustainable. We work with trustees, staff and volunteers by providing services, training and mentoring through organisational milestones.

• Best value analysis
• Board development
• Bookkeeping
• Budgeting and financial management
• Business planning and reporting
• Community Network support & development
• Community participation & representation
• Constitution & governance
• Corporate Trusteeship
• Database directories
• Election of community representatives
• Full cost recovery
• Funding applications
• Fundraising strategy
• Grant making
• Human resource policy development
• IT system specification & implementation
• Job evaluation
• Outcome management
• Payroll
• Personal Charitable Trusts & Gift Aid
• Pricing
• Quality assurance
• Risk management
• Staff supervision and training
• Strategic planning
• Technical financial advice and training
• Trustee skills audit