Voluntary Sector | Hope in the Community

Voluntary Sector Jargon & Acronym Buster

ABI Area Based Initiative

ACAS Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service

ACDF Active Communities Development Fund

ACE Arts Council of England

ACEVO Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations

ACF Association of Charitable Foundations

ACIE Association of Charity Independent Examiners

ACRE Action with Communities in Rural England

ACTAF Association of Community Trusts and Foundations

ACU Active Community Unit (Home Office)

ACVO Assessment Centre for Voluntary Organisations

Added Value The principle which ensures EU funds do not merely substitute for existing funds

ADHD Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

AfA Action for Accreditation

AGM Annual General Meeting

AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

ALI Adult Learning Inspectorate

ALM Action Learning for Managers

ALW Adult Learners' Week

AM Assembly Member (members of the Welsh Assembly)

ARVAC Association for Research in the Voluntary and Community Sector

BA Benefits Agency

bassac British Association of Settlements and Social Action Centres

BCD Black and Culturally Diverse

Best Value Government scheme to encourage local authorities to consult much more on the services they provide

BiTC Business in the Community

BME Black Minority Ethnic

BSL British Sign Language

BTCV British Trust for Conservation Volunteers

BTEG Black Training and Enterprise Group

BURA British Urban Regeneration Association

CAB Citizens Advice Bureau

CAF Charities Aid Foundation

Capacity Building Helping local organisations and individuals to develop their ability to deliver projects for target groups

CASE Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion

CBI Confederation of British Industry

CCETSW Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work

CCT Compulsory Competitive Tendering (see Best Value above)

CDF Community Development Foundation

CED Community Economic Development

CEDEC Community Education Development Centre

CEFET Central England Forum for European Training

CEFET Co-ordinating European Funding for the East Midlands Third Sector

CEMVO Council of Ethnic Minority Voluntary Organisations

CEO Chief Executive Officer

CFN Community Foundation Network

CHC Community Health Council

CHImp Commission for Health Improvement

CIO Confederation of Indian Organisations

CLS Community Legal Service

ComBuilding Community Building Network

Compact Agreement between Voluntary Sector and Government

COSHH Control of Substances Hazardous to Health

COVER Community and Voluntary Forum for the Eastern Region

CPRE Council for the Protection of Rural England

CRB Criminal Records Burau

CRE Commission for Racial Equality

CSA Child Support Agency

CSC Community Sector Coalition

CSF Community Support Network

CSV Community Service Volunteers

CVS Council for Voluntary Service

CYC City of York Council

DCMS Department of Culture, Media and Sport

DCS Disability Conciliation Service

DDA Disability Discrimination Act

DES Department for Education and Skills

DETR Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions

DfEE Department for Education and Employment

DFG Disabled Facilities Grant

DIG Disablement Income Group

DLA Disability Living Allowance

DPO District Partnership Officer

DRC Disability Rights Commission

DSC Directory of Social Change

DTA Development Trusts Association

DSS Department of Social Security

DTI Department for Trade and Industry

DTLR Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions

DWA Disability Working Allowance

EAPN European Anti Poverty Network

EAZ Education Action Zone

EC European Commission (Civil Service of the European Union)

EIA European Information Association

EMU Economic and Monetary Union

EO Employers Organisation (formerly part of the Local Government Management Board)

EOC Equal Opportunities Commission

EMVSF East Midlands Voluntary Sector Forum (now called Engage East Midlands)

ERDF European Regional Development Fund

ES Employment Service

ESF European Social Fund

ESFVON European Social Fund Voluntary Organisations Northern

ESOL English for Speakers of Other Langages

ESV Employer Supported Volunteering

ETF Environmental Task Force (New Deal)

EU European Union

FAWN Funding Advice Workers Network

FCAS Federation of Charity Advice Services

FCWTG Federation of Community Work Training Groups

FE Further Education

FEFC Further Education Funding Council

FIAC Federation of Independent Advice Centres

GLA Greater London Authority

GNVQ General National Vocational Qualifications

GOR(s) Government Office(s) for the Region(s)

GSCC General Social Care Council

HA Housing Association

HAD Health Development Agency

HAZ Health Action Zone

HAD Health Development Agency

HE Higher Education

HimP Health Improvement Programme

HLC Healthy Living Centre

HLF Heritage Lottery Fund

HO Home Office

HRD Human Resource Development

HSE Health and Safety Executive

ICFM Institute of Charity Fundraising Managers Trust

ICT Information Communication Technology

IdeA Improvement and Development Agency (emerged from Local Government Management Board)

IiP Investors in People

ILA Individual Learning Account (UfI)

ILAF Independent Local Advisory Forum

ILP Independent Living Project

IPPR Institute for Public Policy Research

IS Industrial Society

ISBN International Standard Book Number

ISG Information Services Group

ISP Internet Service Provider

ITNet IT Workers Network

IYV International Year of Volunteers

JIP Joint Investment Plan

JRCT Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust

JRF Joseph Rowntree Foundation

LA Local Authority

LAP Local Action Plan

LDA Local Development Agency

LEA Local Education Authority

LEI Local Employment Initiative

LETS Local Exchange Trading Scheme

LGA Local Government Association

LGB Lesbian Gay Bisexual

LRD Labour Research Department

LRN London Regeneration Network

LSC Learning and Skills Council

LSP Local Strategic Partnership

LVSTC London Voluntary Sector Training Consortium

Match funding Public, voluntary or voluntary sector finance put forward as a contribution to eligible costs

MEP Member of European Parliament

MP Member of Parliament

MSF Manufacturing, Science and Finance Union

MSP Member of Scottish Parliament

MV Millennium Volunteers

NACAB National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux

NACRO National Association for Care and Resettlement of Offenders

NACVS National Association of Councils for Voluntary Service

NAVB National Association of Volunteer Bureaux

NAVHO National Association of Voluntary Help Organisations

NAVO Networking Action with Voluntary Organisations

NCBV National Coalition for Black Volunteering

NCCA National Community Care Alliance

NCV National Centre for Volunteering

NCVCCO National Council of Voluntary Child Care Organisations

NCVO National Council for Voluntary Organisations

NDC New Deal for Communities

NDC National Disability Council

NDPB Non Departmental Public Bodies (Quangos)

NESTA National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts

New Deal - Government initiative which aims to help people who have been unemployed for six months

NFP Not for Profit

NGO Non Governmental Organisation

NHS National Health Service

NHSE National Health Service Executive

NIACE National Institute of Adult and Continuing Education

NICE National Institute for Clinical Effectiveness

NICEC National Institute for Carers and Educational Counselling

NICVA Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action

NISW National Institute for Social Work

NJC National Joint Council (local authority pay scales)

NLC National Lottery Commission (National Lottery regulator)

NLCB National Lottery Charities Board (Now the Community Fund)

NMEC New Millennium Experience Company

NNLP North Nottinghamshire Learning Partnership

NOCN National Open College Network

NOF New Opportunities Fund

NRC National Regionalisation Consortium

NRF Neighbourhood Renewal Fund

NSF National Service Framework

NTO National Training Organisation

NVQ National Vocational Qualifications

NYA National Youth Agency

OCN Open College Network

OWW One World Week

PALS Patient Advocacy and Liaison Service

PAS Personal Assistance Scheme

PAT Policy Action Team

PC Patients' Council

PCG Primary Care Group (Health)

PCIP Primary Care Investment Plans

PCT Primary Care Trust

PF Patients' Forum

PFI Private Finance Initiative (public/private sector partnership)

PPP Public Private Partnership (similar to PFI above)

PSC Priory Street Centre

PQASSO Practical Quality Assurance System for Small Organisations

RAISE Regional Action and Involvement South East (RVSN)

RAWM Regional Action West Midlands (RVSN)

RCC Rural Community Council

RCO Refugee Community Organisations

RDA Regional Development Agency

RDA Rural Development Area

RDC Rural Development Commission

REC Racial Equality Council

RNIB Royal National Institute for the Blind

RNID Royal National Institute for the Deaf

ROTA Race on the Agenda

ROW Rights of Women

RSA Royal Society of Arts

RSI Repetitive Strain Injury

RVSN Regional Voluntary Sector Network

SAVAGE Southern Association of Voluntary Action Groups for Europe

SAFF Service and Financial Framework

SCCD Standing Conference on Community Development

SCF Save the Children Fund

SCP Short Course Programme

SCP Sharing Credit Programme

SCVO Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations

SCVS CVS Scotland

SDA Sex Discrimination Act

SEU Social Exclusion Unit

SING Sexuality Issues Network Group

SLA Service Level Agreement

SMART Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time related

SME Small and Medium Enterprise

SMP Statutory Maternity Pay

SORP Statement of Recommended Practice (relates to accountancy practice for charities)

SRB Single Regeneration Budget

SSD Social Services Department

SSP Statutory Sick Pay

SWF South West Forum

SWOT Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats

TPAS Tenants Participation Advisory Service

TSO The Stationery Office (formerly HMSO)

TUC Trades Union Congress

UDC Urban Development Corporation

UfI University for Industry

UNISON The public service union

URL Uniform Resource Locator (for access to the internet)

VA Voluntary Action

VB/VBx Volunteer Bureau(x)

VDE Volunteer Development England

VOCOSE Voluntary, Community and Social Economy

VONEF Voluntary Organisations Network for European Funding

VOSCUR Voluntary Organisations Standing Conference on Urban Regeneration

VSNTO Voluntary Sector National Training Organisation

VSNW Voluntary Sector North West

VSO Voluntary Sector Option (New Deal)

VSO Voluntary Service Overseas

VYCAS Vale of York Community Accounting Service

WCVA Wales Council for Voluntary Action

WEA Workers Educational Association

WEETU Women’s Employment Enterprise and Training Unit

WEN Women's Environment Network

WRC Women's Resource Centre

WRVS Women’s Royal Voluntary Service

YHRF Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Forum

YCVS York Council for Voluntary Service