North Devon Voluntary Services

& Volunteer Centre

About us

Our Mission:

North Devon Voluntary Services supports and promotes voluntary activity and the voluntary sector as a whole and encourages the sector to co-operate with the public and private sectors to help develop a more just and caring society.

NDVS - How we came into being

North Devon Voluntary Services (NDVS) was formed in March of 2006 by an amalgamation of North Devon Volunteering Development Agency (NDVDA) and North Devon Voluntary Action Forum (NDVAF). NDVDA started in Ilfracombe in 1984 as the Ilfracombe and District Volunteer Bureau and extended our services into North Devon District as a whole in 2003. Our primary functions are to recruit volunteers and place them in volunteering opportunities in organisations who are registered with us and who have approved volunteer policies. In addition to this NDVDA provides training for volunteers and to voluntary organisations in matters pertaining to volunteering, it promotes new volunteering opportunities, and campaigns on behalf of volunteers and volunteering. It also represents the voluntary sector in local, regional and national forums.

NDVAF was formed in 2001 after the closure of the CVS in Barnstaple to support voluntary and community organisations, to provide training for them in a wide variety of skills, and to represent the voluntary sector at district and county levels. It provides a voice for the voluntary sector and ensures that the concerns of the sector are heard.

Other services provided by North Devon Voluntary Services

Ilfracombe Direct Services: Wheel-chair loan scheme,

Children's safety equipment loan scheme, Befriending, dog walking, wheel-chair escorting, Reception volunteering. Ilfracombe and District Community Transport Partnership. This operates from our Ilfracombe Centre and is managed by NDVS. It consists of a Volunteer Driver Scheme plus Ring and Ride and Minibus Hire. Contact Tim Lamerton at 01271 855951 for details and for all your Community Transport needs

Resource Centres in Ilfracombe and Barnstaple

Both our Centres are fully equipped to assist volunteers and voluntary organisations with: photocopying, internet access, and other administrative needs. Our Centres in Ilfracombe and Barnstaple are open as follows: Mon, Tue, Thurs and Fri. 10.00am to 1.00pm and 2.00pm to 4.00pm.