Welcome to Your Essex Community

Free support for all voluntary and community sector organisations in Essex.

The voluntary and community sector (VCS) is at the heart of strong resilient communities in Essex. It supports residents, resolves issues and drives local change. However, to continue making an impact, these organisations need the right support.

Your Essex Community will help charities, community groups, and social enterprises thrive. It aims to create the conditions for a connected VCS that works together to:

  • minimise duplication
  • maximise available resources
  • ensure skills and assets are used to their best advantages
  • design and deliver solutions

Our partners

Your Essex Community is made up of the following partners, working together to support the voluntary and community sector in Essex:

  • Achieve Thrive Flourish
  • Active Essex
  • E-Portal-Essex
  • Essex County Council - Public Health
  • Maldon & District Community Voluntary Service
  • Pipe Media
  • The Active Wellbeing Society
  • Touchpoint Change Consulting
  • Uttlesford Community Action Network

Find information, training and resources

Our E-Portal is a digital hub aiming to support Essex’s voluntary and community sector groups and organisations. It contains information, advice and resources to help with:

  • decision-making
  • governance procedures
  • safeguarding
  • trustee recruitment

Explore our E-Portal

Our E-Portal is constantly growing, with more information and resources being added all the time. Some of the things we are currently working to add include:

  • communication and promotion advice
  • financial record keeping and reporting
  • HR and employment
  • policy templates
  • strategic development and resilience advice
  • volunteer management

Additional support

If you can't find what you need on our E-Portal, you can contact us to request additional support. Once we understand your needs, one of our partners will be in contact to connect you with the right support.

This may include signposting to: 

  • information
  • opportunities to collaborate with like-minded organisations
  • opportunities to engage with local communities
  • resources
  • sharing and learning events

Request additional support

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Other organisations that provide support

Funding opportunities and advice

Active Essex Foundation has a library of current funding opportunities relevant to the sport and physical activity sector and agenda.

Essex Community Foundation provide grants to charities and voluntary organisations in Essex. This is done by working with individuals, families, businesses, charitable trusts and public agencies. They help them to find and fund local groups that are tackling the issues they care about most. 

The National Council of Voluntary Organisations offers practical tips and step-by-step guides on how to find the money you need for your community group, organisation or charity.

The National Lottery is funding projects in the arts, sport, heritage, charity, voluntary, health, education and environmental sectors.

Essex specific support

Essex Association of Local Councils (EALC)  supports local Town and Parish councils within Essex to guide and support members to enhance their council to work to their full potential, serving their local communities. They work with various partnerships and committees within Essex to grow every aspect within the Local Council sector, attending regular meetings and conferences and campaign on behalf of members to raise awareness of their work and provide them with a range of services to support their needs.  

Rural Community Council of Essex (RCCE) is an independent charity working to help communities in rural Essex build a thriving and sustainable future. Their work focuses on issues that impact on the life chances of people who live and work in the villages and rural towns of Essex today. 

The Essex Council for Voluntary Youth Services are the independent voice of the voluntary youth sector in Essex. They aim to support, network and resource the voluntary youth sector whilst building links and possibilities with statutory services that wish to engage with the sector.

The Essex VCSE Alliance serves as a voice for the voluntary and community sector and to facilitate stronger representation with stakeholders in Essex. 

National support

The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) is the umbrella body for the voluntary and community sector in England. It is a registered charity. It works to support the voluntary and community sector and to create an environment in which an independent civil society can flourish. 

Royal Voluntary Service is one of Britain’s largest volunteering organisations. For over 80 years they have demonstrated the power of civic participation, inspiring and mobilising millions of citizens to deliver vital support and relief in communities and the NHS.