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Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action is the national infrastructure body for the voluntary and community sector in
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ; ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been #Descriptions, variously described as a country, province or region. Northern Ireland shares Repub ...
. NICVA also hosts and manages several websites for Northern Ireland's voluntary and community sector online.


History

NICVA began its life in 1938 as the Northern Ireland Council for Social Services in response to high levels of unemployment in Northern Ireland. It championed a programme of social action through welfare clubs, youth hostel tours,
YMCA YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organisation based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It has nearly 90,000 staff, some 920,000 volunteers and 12,000 branches w ...
summer camps and a committee for women. In 1949, NICSS opened a home for the elderly on the Belmont Road in
Belfast Belfast (, , , ; from ) is the capital city and principal port of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan and connected to the open sea through Belfast Lough and the North Channel (Great Britain and Ireland), North Channel ...
. Pine Lodge marked the Council's growing responsibility for projects tackling community social deprivation. In 1986, NICSS changed its name to NICVA, the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action, in recognition of the expansion of the voluntary and community sector in
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ; ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been #Descriptions, variously described as a country, province or region. Northern Ireland shares Repub ...
.


Current work

NICVA is a membership organisation which seeks to represent voluntary and community organisations throughout Northern Ireland. NICVA works for justice, equality and dignity throughout society by promoting opportunities for community participation in the essential decisions that affect the lives of people in Northern Ireland. In 2010-2011 NICVA is engaged in a 'Smart Solutions in Tough Times' campaign to ensure that voluntary and community organisations are not seen as an easy target for budget cuts that government departments may have to make.


Family of Websites

Sites hosted and maintained by NICVA for the voluntary and community sector in
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ; ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been #Descriptions, variously described as a country, province or region. Northern Ireland shares Repub ...
include: CommunityNI, A community site which allows the instant addition of news, jobs, opinions, events, or products and services, by registered users. GrantTracker: fundraising and funding news, including notice of applications open and closing deadlines, with search by criteria Sector Matters: a social enterprise providing business services to the voluntary and community sector and to small businesses.


Projects

NICVA runs a number of specific projects: Vital Links: Launched in March 2010, to increase interaction and understanding between the key government and public institutions, the voluntary and community sector and foster and promote positive engagement. Centre for Economic Empowerment: Launched in April 2011, to provide a platform for discussion, analysis and best practice approaches to economic and societal challenges. CollaborationNI: Launched in January 2011, in partnership with C03 and Stellar Leadership, to deliver a partnerships, collaboration and mergers support programme to the Northern Ireland voluntary and community sector on behalf of the Building Change Trust, supported by the Department for Social Development Community Leadership Programme: The International Fund for Ireland’s (IFI) Community Leadership Programme, delivered by NICVA, is a training and learning programme which aims to strengthen the leadership capacities of groups. Through increased leadership skills, the Programme aims to assist groups in the development of sustainable, social, economic and community relations regeneration in disadvantaged areas.


Social media

NICVA engages in the use of social media to promote its own work and that of the wider voluntary and community sector and has an established presence on sites such as
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,
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and
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.


NICVA President

Kenneth Branagh Sir Kenneth Charles Branagh ( ; born 10 December 1960) is a British actor and filmmaker. Born in Belfast and raised primarily in Reading, Berkshire, Branagh trained at RADA in London and served as its president from 2015 to 2024. List of award ...
became honorary president of NICVA in 2001, cementing a relationship of fifteen years. Supporting NICVA helps it to support more than 5,000 other voluntary and community organisations in
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ; ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been #Descriptions, variously described as a country, province or region. Northern Ireland shares Repub ...
through essential advice, training, information and policy work. The Belfast born, Oscar nominated actor, writer and director has demonstrated his support for NICVA many times in the past; offering his new films for charity premieres, making personal visits to boost fundraising, and promoting the work of the voluntary and community sector in Northern Ireland.


Sister Councils

The equivalent infrastructure and representative body for voluntary sector organisations in
Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...
is WCVA, in
Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
is the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, SCVO and in
England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
is NCVO or National Council for Voluntary Organisations.


External links


Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary ActionCommunityNIGrantTrackerSector MattersScottish Council for Voluntary OrganisationsWCVA websiteVital LinksCentre for Economic EmpowermentCollaborationNI
{{DEFAULTSORT:Northern Ireland Council For Voluntary Action Philanthropic organisations based in Northern Ireland Volunteer organisations in the United Kingdom