Voluntary and community sector

Voluntary Community Sector in Durham transcript (PDF, 94 KB)

We recognise the valuable contribution the VCS make to local communities and are committed to supporting the voluntary and community sector in County Durham.

You can also find further information about the support and funding available to community groups in your area through your local Area Action Partnership (AAP).

If you are looking for funding for your community group - including sports clubs, local charities, school fundraising groups and credit unions - sign up to our free, easy to use, community funding website Durham 4 Community.

You can also search online for information on adult social care services, health groups and other community information on a countywide, regional and national basis through Locate - care and support in County Durham.  

Volunteering opportunities

We have a number of opportunities to volunteer with us that you can get involved in and which will help us enhance the wide range of services we provide to communities.

For more information about volunteering for all ages in County Durham contact Durham Community Action who provide a one stop shop for volunteering. You can search for volunteering opportunities or organisations, learn more about volunteering, or find out about events and meetings in County Durham for volunteers at County Durham Volunteering.

Commissioning and Procurement of Services

We welcome bids for the provision of services from all sections of the community, including third sector organisations, and from organisations bidding in consortia.

We have developed the County Durham Market Position Statement (MPS) (see The local market for children's, adults, public health and housing services) which brings together key information about our priorities and upcoming opportunities for the market.

You can find out further information about Working with the council and how to do business with us.

We are committed to being open and transparent about how we work, how our decisions are made and what services we provide. As part of this commitment, we publish information about how we spend our money and buy our services including Grants to voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE).