Bristol, North Somerset and
South Gloucestershire VCSE Alliance

The Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Alliance is an exciting collaboration between the Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire regional health and care system and the VCSE sector.

Our mission is to enable VCSE organisations to engage with the health and care system at a strategic level, providing opportunities to share our knowledge of communities and influence the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care System to create positive change. The VCSE Alliance is also the host of the VCSE Brokerage Framework.

We host regular free events for all charities, community groups, and social enterprises, sharing opportunities to collaborate with our local health and care system.

The establishment of the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire VCSE Alliance is funded by NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board (ICB) during 2023/24 and 2024/25. It is currently hosted by local voluntary sector infrastructure organisation Voscur.

VCSE Alliance logo

Vision and aims
Principals and behaviours
The structure of the VCSE Alliance
VCSE Alliance Ambassadors
Working with the VCSE sector
Key Alliance contacts
How to get involved

The Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire VCSE Alliance has decided that the standard term for the sector is VCSE: Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise.  In addition, the VCSE Alliance uses this definition to describe the VCSE sector:

VCSE means a Voluntary, Community or Social Enterprise organisation that serves the community. VCSE organisations have common features as follows:

Beneficial and accountable to the community: They have social objectives to benefit the community and are accountable to the community.  Formal: They have a formal and recognisable structure described in a constitution or a formal set of rules. They are registered with the relevant register or regulator.
Non-profit making: They do not distribute profits to owners or directors but reinvest them in the sustainability of the organisation or use them for the benefit of the community.
Self-governing: They are truly independent in determining their own course, with at least three trustees or directors or management committee members (who are not related to each other and are not paid shareholders) and a bank account in their own name.
Independent: They are separate from the state and private sector.
Supported through volunteering and embracing community action: They involve a meaningful degree of voluntary participation through having, for example, a trustee board/committee and volunteers .
Non-party political.

VCSE organisations may have several structures or forms, one of which must be in place for an organisation to join the VCSE Brokerage Framework.

Charitable Incorporated Organisation
Community Benefit or Industrial Provident Society
Community business (company limited by shares*)
Community Interest Company limited by guarantee
Community Interest Company limited by shares (Schedule 2 with 100% asset lock only)
Company limited by guarantee
Registered charity
Unincorporated association

* It is recognised that a community business with a clear community purpose and benefits may be a company limited by shares.

This definition is based on the following sources: National Community Lottery Fund, Bristol Impact Fund, NCVO, Quartet Community Foundation, Power to Change and Co-operatives UK.

Vision and aims

We want to improve the wellbeing and health of people and communities by enabling the VCSE sector to influence and collaborate with the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care System.

We are committed to enhancing the role of the VCSE sector as a key strategic partner in the transformation and delivery of local health and wellbeing.

The three aims of the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire VCSE Alliance are to:

Encourage and enable the VCSE sector to work in a coordinated way to inform policy, strategy and decision-making.
Provide the NHS & health and social care colleagues with a simple route of contact, engagement, and links to community.
Better position the VCSE sector to contribute to the design and delivery of integrated care.

Principles and behaviours

The VCSE Alliance believes collaboration is the best way to provide high-quality, joined-up support to people and communities.

By working together, we play to our individual strengths and have the power to create positive change.

The VCSE Alliance is committed to the following behaviours and principles:

Equality and Equity

Striving to be equitable, inclusive and accessible. Ensuring everyone has a voice and considering additional needs.

Transparency, Honesty and Openness

Maintaining transparency in our practices, acknowledging when things don’t go smoothly, and learning from mistakes.

Trust and Respect

Cultivating trust, considering power dynamics, and maintaining mutual respect and agreed boundaries.

Focus, Commitment and Accountability

Ensuring clarity of purpose, a shared vision, solid processes, and strong decision-making frameworks, while remaining flexible and responsive to feedback.

Excellent Communication

Communicating in diverse, consistent, and accessible ways.

The structure of the VCSE Alliance

A visual representation of the VCSE Alliance Structure, as explained in the information below.

Download the terms of reference for the VCSE Alliance

We host regular events open to all VCSE organisations working with communities on wellbeing and health. Our focus extends beyond primary and secondary care to include all the wider determinants of health such as homelessness and housing, poverty and food, education, families and transport.

By joining the network, you can stay updated on our work, contribute to strategic initiatives, and learn about upcoming opportunities.

Any VCSE organisation based in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire or a regional/national VCSE organisation that is actively delivering services in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire and/or support to Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire citizens can join the Alliance.

Find out more about joining the VCSE Alliance.

VCSE Alliance Ambassadors

VCSE Alliance Ambassadors are individuals from VCSE sector organisations who advocate for the VCSE Alliance across the Integrated Care System (ICS).

This role allows individuals to share their expertise with the ICS and contribute to improving community outcomes.

What do Ambassadors do?

There are various ways that Ambassadors can contribute to the work of the VCSE Alliance:

Being a VCSE Alliance Ambassador at a health and social care system board or network meeting
Joining a VCSE Alliance working group
Attending a one-off event on behalf of the VCSE Alliance

The VCSE Alliance team regularly share opportunities with our group of Ambassadors to utilise the knowledge and experience of our diverse range of VCSE organisations.

Currently, Ambassadors are working with ICS colleagues in the following areas:

Integrated Care System space	VCSE Alliance Ambassador organisations
Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICS People Committee	Voluntary Action North Somerset (VANS)
NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB Board	Fiona Mackintosh
Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Strategy Network	Recovery for All (ARA)
Community Collaborative Delivery Group	Age UK South Gloucestershire
Discharge2Assess Board	Age UK Bristol
Healthier Together 2040 steering group	Future Pages
Integrated Care @ Home Board	Age UK South Gloucestershire
Integrated Care Partnership (ICP) Board	Creative Youth Network
Locality Partnership Review core group	Knowle West Health Park, Missing Link, and WECIL
Strategic Health Inequalities, Prevention and Population Health (SHIPPH) Committee	For All Healthy Living Company, Wesport, and Wellspring Settlement
VCSE Alliance Equality, Diversity and Inclusion working group	Age UK South Gloucestershire, Black South West Network, Future Pages, Good Faith Partnership, Home Start BSG, Indian Heritage Centre, Learning Partnership West, Missing Link, One25, Stand Against Racism & Inequality (SARI), Southern Brooks, and WECIL
Sirona VCSE Framework Implementation Group	Age UK South Gloucestershire, Brisdoc, and South Gloucestershire Citizen’s Advice
Women's Health Hub	Missing Link and Womankind
Women's Health Steering Group	Voluntary Action North Somerset (VANS)
WorkWell Operational Group	Clean Slate Ltd
WorkWell Steering Group	Clean Slate Ltd

Ambassador impacts

VCSE Alliance Ambassadors can make a difference by working in collaboration with colleagues across the Integrated Care System.
The Ambassador programme, launched in July 2024, is already starting to see the impact of this collaborative working. This includes:

the creation of grants for VCSE sector organisations to support medical and non-medical interventions for women’s health
the prioritisation of prevention within the Integrated Care System and the role of the VCSE sector in achieving this
facilitated connections to communities to inform the shaping of key ICS strategies

Time commitment

We recognise that VCSE organisations have varying capacity to commit to additional work. VCSE Alliance Ambassadors can put themselves forward for roles on ICS steering groups or boards, and will share information about opportunities in advance, including the frequency and length of meetings.

Ambassadors can also contribute during VCSE Alliance events, which are held every two months for two hours. The last hour of our VCSE Alliance events is a space for Ambassadors to give their input on VCSE Alliance strategies and priorities.

We’re working on creating more ways for Ambassadors to contribute to collaborative working outside of these opportunities.

Participation fund

VCSE Alliance Ambassadors are reimbursed for their time in line with the VCSE Alliance participation fund.

The participation fund is a mechanism to remunerate organisations for participation in, and on behalf of, the VCSE Alliance. It exists to make our ‘distributed leadership model’ a reality, and to ensure we have diverse and inclusive participation from across the sector in the VCSE Alliance and our associated activities.

It supports the VCSE sector to participate in ICS-related activities for which they aren’t directly funded to do.

How to become an ambassador

If you’d like to join the VCSE Alliance and become an Ambassador, you can indicate your interest in becoming an Ambassador as part of the VCSE Alliance sign-up form.

If your organisation has already signed up to the VCSE Alliance, please email contact@bnssgvcsealliance.org to let us know if you’d like to become an Ambassador.

The induction process

Ambassadors attend an induction session with the VCSE Alliance team before taking on any roles within ICS strategic spaces. The induction sessions are a great opportunity to learn more about the role, hear from other Ambassadors about their experiences and get answers to any questions you might have about the role.

The monthly Ambassador induction sessions are taking place on the following dates:

Wednesday 22 January, 1-2pm, online
Wednesday 26 February, 1-2pm, online
Wednesday 26 March, 1-2pm, online
Wednesday 30 April, 1-2pm, online
Wednesday 28 May, 1-2pm, online
Wednesday 25 June, 1-2pm, online

The sessions take place online. To join one of the sessions, please email contact@bnssgvcsealliance.org, and we will share the link with you.

How to apply for an ambassador opportunity

Following induction, opportunities to take part in ICS strategic spaces will be regularly shared with you as an Ambassador. If you are interested in taking on an opportunity, you can submit a short Expression of Interest (EOI) to the VCSE Alliance team.

Please use this form to submit your EOI in a particular Ambassador role.

The EOI form will ask you to share why you are interested in the opportunity, and what skills and experience you and your organisation would bring to the role.

Your EOI will then be shared with the VCSE Alliance Coordination Group, who oversee the Ambassador programme to ensure a diverse range of Ambassadors working across the ICS.

If you would prefer to have a conversation about an opportunity, please email contact@bnssgvcsealliance.org to let us know.

Ambassador peer support sessions

The VCSE Alliance hosts monthly peer sharing and support sessions for Ambassadors. These online sessions will be a chance to share the insights you’ve gained as part of your Ambassador role, build relationships with other Ambassadors, and get support from other Ambassadors in similar positions.

We have a growing, diverse group of Ambassadors who can offer different perspectives and share their experiences. We recognise that engaging with the Integrated Care System as a VCSE Ambassador can be challenging, so these peer support sessions offer a place to find collective solutions.

Join the monthly online sessions to connect with others and get support with your role. Email contact@bnssgvcsealliance.org for more details.

Working with the VCSE sector

The VCSE Alliance is a collaboration between the VCSE sector and the Integrated Care System.The VCSE Alliance hosts an Ambassador programme. VCSE Alliance Ambassadors are individuals from VCSE sector organisations who advocate for the VCSE Alliance across the Integrated Care System (ICS). Read more about Ambassadors.

Working in collaboration with VCSE Alliance Ambassadors can bring diverse voices and experience to work across the Integrated Care System.

The VCSE Alliance Ambassadors come from organisations with close links to our communities and can share knowledge of the needs of local people, offering different perspectives to strengthen your work.

VCSE Alliance Ambassadors are also connected with the wider VCSE Alliance and will be able to share collective experiences and messages or requests with the broad network of VCSE organisations.

How to request a VCSE Alliance Ambassador to support your work

If you are working in the Integrated Care System and would benefit from VCSE involvement in your work, please complete this form to let us know. For example, this could be needing VCSE involvement on a steering group or board, or as part of a working group. We will respond and aim to recruit VCSE Alliance Ambassadors to support you.

Ambassadors receive support from the VCSE Alliance Programme team, including training and access to a ‘participation fund’ for their participation in VCSE Alliance activities.

You can read more about the Ambassador programme above, including the impacts that Ambassadors can have by working in collaboration with you.

The Steering Group

The VCSE Alliance is led by a steering group of strategic, system leaders across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. They steer the Alliance’s strategic work to maximise positive impact. See current interim Steering Group members.

The Coordination Group

A subset of the Steering Group, the Coordination Group handles day-to-day operations and supports the VCSE Alliance programme team members.

Key Alliance contacts

An interim Steering Group has been established to oversee the development of the VCSE Alliance. The members are:

VCSE Alliance Programme team members

The VCSE Alliance has a small team of staff working to meet the VCSE Alliance aims and objectives.

Ellie Oriel – Strategic Programme Manager
Spencer Blackwell – Partnerships Development Officer
Megan Stanley – Project Support Co-ordinator

If you’d like to get in touch to find out more about the VCSE Alliance, contact us at: contact@bnssgvcsealliance.org.

How to get involved

Are you an employee or volunteer for a charity, community group or social enterprise based in Bristol, North Somerset or South Gloucestershire?

Your organisation can join the VCSE Alliance to help shape our local healthcare systems and the wellbeing and health of our communities.

Please complete this online form to express your interest in joining the VCSE Alliance.

The VCSE Alliance has a monthly newsletter that contains the latest updates on the VCSE Alliance work, upcoming events, funding information and opportunities for you to get involved.

Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire VCSE Alliance

Contents

Definition of VCSE