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VAL Database Guidelines for Completion

The VAL Database collects a large amount of information on voluntary and community organisations. We do this not simply for mailing purposes but to:

  • Analyse the ‘State of the Sector'
  • Be more proactive in our support
  • Highlight the strengths of local community and voluntary activity to key policy makers

Each section of the questionnaire is vital to enabling VAL to effectively support your organisation.

Contact Details

This section gives us the essential information we need to communicate with your group.

  • Address details give us the ability to geographically analyse our service delivery.
  • The Key Interest field allows us to target our work to specific areas of your work.
  • The VAL Directory Entry provides a brief description of your organisation for our Directory of Community and Voluntary Groups. It will help people to find your group and publicise what you do.

VAL Data

This section gathers information about VAL Membership including:

  • Delegate information
  • Whether your organization employs volunteers and what they do
  • Legal information

This information will enable us to assess the impact and contribution of volunteering locally. We also ask about paid staff in your organisation, this helps us target information on employment issues and improves our understanding of the local sector.

Interests

The initial Contact Section asked you for your Key Interests. This section gives the option to register your organizations other interests. Please select carefully from the list, as VAL will use your selections to inform you of specific issues related to your interests.

Scope

This section helps VAL to build a clearer picture of the local voluntary sector including:

  • Where it operates
  • Which age groups it works with
  • Which languages it can use

Profile Type

This section asks about how you see yourselves as an organisation. As in previous sections, your answer will both help to build a picture of the local sector, and enable VAL to involve/inform you of issues related to your needs.

Networks/Mailings

VAL runs a range of networks to involve local groups in policy work. You do not have to be involved in any networks, but if you wish to be then tick the box and fill in the relevant person's contact details.

This enables VAL to invite you to take part, inform you, and to ensure the correct person is involved (If you wish to have an alternative to the main contact).

Please indicate if you wish to appear in our Directory. This will enable people to find out about your group and its activities through our directory and website.

You can opt in or out of receiving our newsletter and/or mailing from VAL. If you tick no then VAL will not mail to you.

Finance

VAL asks finance questions for two reasons. Firstly, it enables us to target information about specific funders and secondly it is crucial information to build and evidence our picture of the ‘State of the Sector'.

If you have any difficulty in completing this form and would like some further guidance please contact VAL on 0116 2580666 where our staff will be happy to assist you.

We look forward to receiving your group/organisations' completed form.