Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action

Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action is the national infrastructure body for the voluntary and community sector in Northern Ireland. NICVA also hosts and manages several websites for Northern Ireland's voluntary and community sector online.

NICVA began its life in 1938 as the Northern Ireland Council for Social Services in response to high levels of unemployment in Northern Ireland. It championed a programme of social action through welfare clubs, youth hostel tours, YMCA summer camps and a committee for women.

In 1949, NICSS opened a home for the elderly on the Belmont Road in Belfast. Pine Lodge marked the Council's growing responsibility for projects tackling community social deprivation.

In 1986, NICSS changed its name to NICVA, the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action, in recognition of the expansion of the voluntary and community sector in Northern Ireland.

NICVA is a membership organisation which seeks to represent voluntary and community organisations throughout Northern Ireland.

NICVA works for justice, equality and dignity throughout society by promoting opportunities for community participation in the essential decisions that affect the lives of people in Northern Ireland.

In 2010-2011 NICVA is engaged in a 'Smart Solutions in Tough Times' campaign to ensure that voluntary and community organisations are not seen as an easy target for budget cuts that government departments may have to make.

Sites hosted and maintained by NICVA for the voluntary and community sector in Northern Ireland include: CommunityNI, A community site which allows the instant addition of news, jobs, opinions, events, or products and services, by registered users. GrantTracker: fundraising and funding news, including notice of applications open and closing deadlines, with search by criteria Sector Matters: a social enterprise providing business services to the voluntary and community sector and to small businesses.

NICVA runs a number of specific projects:

Vital Links: Launched in March 2010, to increase interaction and understanding between the key government and public institutions, the voluntary and community sector and foster and promote positive engagement.

Centre for Economic Empowerment: Launched in April 2011, to provide a platform for discussion, analysis and best practice approaches to economic and societal challenges.

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