Basis 2 - Total Support

The Devon Consortium has been awarded 3 year funding from the BIG Lottery under their BASIS2 funding stream to deliver our Total Support Project across Devon. BASIS2 funding is available to voluntary sector infrastructure organisations to support the voluntary and community sector (VCS). The success of this application further confirms Devon Consortium’s successful role in ensuring the delivery of high quality, co-ordinated and sustainable support for Devon’s voluntary sector.

The Total Support Project was developed in response to identified need. It will do what it says – aim to meet the Total Support needs of frontline organisations in the VCS across Devon.

The project has two strands, both targeting rural areas:

Frontline Support – aims to ensure that capacity building support effectively reaches frontline VCS organisations. The intention is to create an environment where VCS organisations can deliver key services creatively and cost-effectively, using appropriate technology, sharing resources and benefiting from good practice models. We will focus on self-help potential and mutual support to create sustainable outcomes. The impact will be that frontline organisations are well positioned to participate in the delivery of valuable local services and can access commissioning and procurement opportunities. 

Rural Volunteering – aims to provide opportunities for individuals to actively engage in community life, to build stronger communities and reduce social exclusion. The key focus will be the deep rural parishes. Developing community capacity and volunteering is disproportionately important in rural areas due to key factors including social exclusion, isolation, poor transport links, rural poverty and racism.  Traditional models of support currently available to individuals considering volunteering need to evolve and adapt in rural areas. This strand seeks to ensure that individuals know their options for becoming involved in community life. We want to use the dynamism and energy of individuals within the community and the strength of community-led planning in Devon to support this strand. 

It has been agreed that DACVS (with Teignbridge CVS) as the lead agency will deliver both strands of the project. This is still subject to formal confirmation of the BIG Lottery.

If you would like further information please contact developmentworker@devonconsortium.net / 01392 202055