The ways to make community a better place

EAST Lancashire has three Councils for Voluntary Service (CVS) which help and advise community groups within their area.

These community and voluntary groups are established to cover a wide variety of matters but Terry Hephrun, chief officer for Burnley Pendle and Rossendale CVS, says a good community group, whether voluntary or otherwise, fulfils a set criteria.

"A good community or voluntary group needs to have focus and know what it wants to do and achieve through that," he said.

"It ought then to go on to achieve the targets it sets and review it's work to see if it has achieved all of its ambitions."

Good community groups, he added, have to be active rather than being just a talking shop and should be inclusive to involve a range of people.

Other qualities include being democratic, and accountable to the community being served and positive by celebrating success.

Mr Hephrun said: "Finally a good community group should learn from its experience and from others.

"It will then gain respect as its work will be valued by others."

Setting up a community group properly needs a lot of organisation and members should possess skills in business, communication, finance and have good interpersonal skills.

Stephen Smith, development officer, said: "The first thing is to work out their terms of reference and a constitution as it is rare funders will provide finance to unconstituted groups.

"For a number of groups this issue of finding finance can be problematic but there are grants out there and we can help them to tap into those pots of money.

"We are here to help and advise and supply support to ensure that projects progress and succeed.

"The finance required varies dramatically from group to group as it depends on their aims and objectives but if they qualify there is funding available."

Pride of East Lancashire community groups section...