GAVO

Registered Charity No. 216284
Page updated 3rd Aug 2009

The Gwent Association of Voluntary Organisations (GAVO) is an umbrella organisation providing support, advice and information to community and voluntary groups.

The main way to access our services is to become a member - this makes sure you receive up to date information on all our activities, including our quarterly newsletter - the Monmouthshire Network. Membership is FREE, to join simply give us a call or email us by clicking here.

GAVO can provide support to a wide range or organisations, from local playgroups to national charities operating within the county. This may be to assist with setting up a new group and writing a constitution, or advice for larger groups on employing staff. One of the main ways we support groups is by developing ideas and projects and helping groups to access resources and funding to implement these ideas.

Our Structure and Staff

Local Committee	Carers Project
Community Development	Parenting
Health and Social Care	Mental Health Projects
The admin team	Expert Patient Programme
Volunteering	Community Directory

Monmouthshire Local Committee

Our work in Monmouthshire is overseen by our Local Committee and this is made up from local groups, elected annually from our membership and representatives from statutory agencies. A number of the Local Committee, including the Chair of GAVO, Mr Mike Harbinson and Treasurer, Mr Graham Jones, are GAVO Trustees and represented on the GAVO Executive Committee

Monmouthshire Local Committee Members

Cllr Brian Burt Mrs Chris Edmondson Mrs Pam Ellis
Mr Mike Harbinson - Chair Mr David Hill Mr Henry Hodges Mr Graham Jones Mr Michael Layzell Mr Bill Thorne
Cllr Alan Wintle

Glenda Genner - Assistant Director for Monmouthshire

Glenda moved to manage the work of GAVO in Monmouthshire in August 2008 where she leads a team of 16 working in diverse projects, many unique to the county.

She originally worked as a teacher for over 20 years until she joined the voluntary sector as a Young Carers Worker in 1995. After receiving extensive help from GAVO officers she became a Community Development officer for GAVO in the Rhymney Valley in Caerphilly in 1997 and was later appointed to Senior Development Officer. Glenda has extensive experience of community development especially project development and planning, fundraising, charity law, play, volunteering, health and social care and she leads on child protection for GAVO.

Glenda has a wide range of interests and actively supports participation in planning processes, partnership working and project development by voluntary organisations and statutory agencies.

Citizen Engagement is an important area of her work and she represents the voluntary sector on the Local Service Board.

Pam Lloyd - Community Development Officer

Pam is part of the adventa’s ‘Supporting Community Enterprise’ project for Monmouthshire. The team offer help and assistance in a number of ways to groups who want to help set up or are an established community enterprise.

The Team consists of 3 project workers who cover different areas of the county with Pam covering the South - Mor Hafren area.

Pam also facilitates voluntary sector involvement in the Children and Young People’s Partnership, whose role it is to plan and monitor services for Children and Young People across Monmouthshire.

Louise George - Health and Social Care Facilitator

The facilitator role was brought about as a result of recommendations in the 2002 ‘Building Strong Bridges’ report to WAG. The report recognised the voluntary sector as a key partner in the delivery of health and social care services. Voluntary organisations provide a wide range of services often to the most needy in our community and are well placed to understand local needs.

The aim is to strengthen partnership working between the voluntary sector and other providers of health and social care services. This involves regular liaison with the local health board, social services and the NHS trust as well as local voluntary organisations. Louise facilitates a health and social care network that currently has 94 members with regular e-mailings.

To find out more about the network please contact Louise on 01291 672352.

Kim Boucher/Gill Morgan/Rhiannon Thomas - The Admin Team

The GAVO Admin Team’s main role is to keep the organisation and its work running smoothly and support the rest of the team here at the Llancayo office.

We are the first point of contact by telephone or when you visit the Llancayo office and give a friendly and professional welcome to everyone. We keep, hold and maintain all the information on groups and individuals using databases for GAVO Monmouthshire, Monmouthshire Carers Project and the Volunteer Centre. We produce labels, fliers and posters and photocopy, collate and frank mail-outs for the staff and partner organisations.

Gwyneira Cox/Lizzie Wilson - Volunteer Coordinators
Clare Jones - Youth Volunteer Coordinator

The team recruits and place volunteers in Monmouthshire. They can help volunteers to find the right opportunity to suit their age, interests, skills and the time they have available. Organisations are able to source volunteers, and their vacancies are presented through one to one interviews with potential volunteers, the volunteering in Wales web-site, promotional work, for example, by attending local events, and advertising in the local press.

Tracey Davies - Carers' Coordinator

Tracey works with a multi-agency team to develop the Carers Project and support Carers. Tracey’s main events include Carers Rights Day and Carers Week. Carers Rights Day involves the project team providing information and consulting Carers on the support they receive in the County. In Carers Week she arranges events and activities for Carers such as Heritage Tours. She produces regular newsletters and arranges training for Carers.

Miranda Thomason - Parent Involvement Officer
Alyx Savage - Parenting Coordinator

Alyx and Miranda ensure that parents are supported so they can become involved with the planning of services for children and young people. They also provide information on all aspects of parenting and the wide range of help and assistance available to parents.

Mental Health Projects in Monmouthshire

Advocacy Service

Officers provide a community and also in-patient advocacy service for Monmouthshire residents aged 16-64. Telephone: 01291 673952

Development

GAVO officers assist voluntary organisations, facilitating service user involvement, signposting and representing the sector on strategic planning groups. Telephone: 01291 673728

Mental Health Service User and Carer Involvement

Support is given to service users, their carers and families in their daily lives and the services that they use.

The project provides a Resource Room and Service User Forum for service users and carers. Telephone: 01291 673728

Other Services Provided by GAVO

Expert Patient Programme EPP

This is a 6 week programme for people with long term limiting illness, empowering people to take control of their illness and improve their health and well-being. The programme is provided free in local accessible venues.

For more information contact the co-ordinator on 01291 672352.

Monmouthshire Community Directory

The Directory provides information on activities and services available in Monmouthshire as well as details of all community and voluntary groups within the County. The Guide has been produced in partnership with Monmouthshire County Council, Monmouthshire Local Health Board and Supporting Community Enterprise (SCE). The latest updated edition will be available from September 2009.

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CONTACT US:

GAVO
HOLLY HOUSE
LLANCAYO COURT
LLANCAYO
USK NP15 1BH
Tel/Fax: 01291 672352

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