A type of charity in England. CVSs are "the place at which local voluntary and community organisations speak to each other". They offer a wide variety of services and support for local organisations, for example training, or advice on funding.
CVSs are also involved in advocacy for the organisations they represent, and aid in communication between the local voluntary and community sector and the statutory sector. They will typically provide fora for organisations to meet, often a Community Empowerment Network, and will interact with, or have a seat on, the local strategic partnership. They may also advocate on behalf of the organisations they represent on a one to one basis.
A CVS may or may not incorporate the local Volunteer Centre.
CVS are bought together nationally by NAVCA, the National Association for Voluntary and Community Action (which before 14 June 2006 was known as NACVS, the National Association of Councils for voluntary service). Their site, http://www.navca.org.uk , has links to each local organisation.
Each county in Wales has a County Voluntary Council rather than a CVS.
Havco (Havering Association of Voluntary Community Organisations) is the CVS for the London Borough of Havering - www.havco.org.uk