Centre Development

DirectSupport has developed a range of support materials, sometimes in partnership with other organisations, that centres can use for developing their funding activities, staff, and volunteers. These are particularly relevant to the voluntary and community sectors.

Whilst funding remains for the DirectSupport programme, experienced mentors are available (subject to your ufi Regional Manager’s approval) to facilitate workshops based on these and other materials. Participants can include your own centre staff, volunteers or representatives from a local or regional network.

The materials below and many others are available in full within DirectSupport Online.

Business planning templates and support materials

Cost apportionment spreadsheet

Staff development workshop [PDF, 436K]

Volunteer management workshop

Project design workshop [PDF, 75K]

Community Activities Planning Games

A range of sample policies and procedures

Funding Plan Templates

Up to date funding advice

To access these, log on to Experts Online and ask for the kind of help and document you need.

Sustainability game for online centres
Centres that are concerned about their long term sustainability can use scenario games as an aid to new project development and business planning. The games we use were originally developed by David Wilcox of Partnerships Online. The latest versions can be downloaded here in pdf format:

http://partnerships.typepad.com/usefulgames/2004/04/business_planni.html
http://partnerships.typepad.com/usefulgames/2003/12/sustainability_.html

Some UK online centres have already produced informative sites with ideas, case studies, examples, games and suggested training materials:

Try:
www.tvco.org.uk for a web-gallery of community art, and ideas.