A Council initiative to strengthen the voluntary sector in Trafford has been a big success, a report reveals. The Trafford VCFSE strategy was published as a five-year strategy to strengthen and create a foundation for a sustainable Voluntary, Community, Faith, and Social Enterprise sector in Trafford.
A report to the Council’s Executive, which meets on March 18, reveals how the strategy is going from strength to strength and has helped the VCFSE become a major sector in the borough.
It is estimated there are over 1,622 voluntary and community organisations in Trafford which contribute an estimated £139 million to the economy. There are an estimated 34,062 volunteers supporting our VCFSE sector.
The successful VCFSE groups in Trafford include:
Trafford Community Hubs
The Hubs are providing valuable support for residents in their communities. A total of 9,330 Trafford residents were directly supported by the Community Hubs in 2023 and 2,301 residents received emergency support. During the pandemic, funding was available to support the operational costs of the Community Hubs and to develop an enhanced volunteering service including the employment of Volunteer Coordinators within the Hubs.
Coordinated Volunteering Support
In 2023, an average of 327 active volunteers each month assisted the Community Hubs in engaging with communities; many of these volunteers have received support from the Hubs themselves in the past.
Thrive Trafford
Thrive Trafford provides opportunities for the sector to collaborate, signposts to funding and training resources, and supports residents looking for volunteering opportunities. Thrive also represents Trafford’s VCFSE sector at a Greater Manchester level; attending several networks to collaborate with other boroughs and access wider opportunities.
Trafford Community Collective
The Collective is a membership-based organisation representing the VCFSE sector across the borough of Trafford. Representatives sit on several boards as a strategic partner to ensure representation of the VCFSE Sector. The Collective has been instrumental in the development of the new Integrated Care System for Greater Manchester, with representation on the Trafford Locality Board and Trafford Provider Collaborative Board.
Cllr Rose Thompson, Trafford Council’s Executive Member for Communities and Safety, said: “I am delighted that the Trafford VCFSE strategy is proving to be such a success. Trafford has a strong, committed and resourceful Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) sector which has been built over many years.
“It is incredible that we have 1,622 voluntary and community organisations in the borough contributing around £139 million to the economy. That goes to show how important our VCFSE sector is to the borough, supporting communities and some of our most vulnerable residents.”
Posted on Wednesday 13th March 2024