Training
Voluntary Action Sheffield is committed to developing and promoting training opportunities for the voluntary and community sector.
You can book places on VAS training courses through this website (subject to availability and confirmation).
VAS Training Programme 2008-09
We are now open for bookings for courses from October 2008 until July 2009. Please email training@vas.org.uk if you would like a copy of the training programme document. All courses can be booked online now.
VAS training includes:
- programmes of short and longer courses throughout the year including Management, Administration, Communicating, Finance, Mental Health, Personal Development, Information and Communciation Technology (ICT) and Governance
- accredited national qualifications
- 'tailor made' training for groups and management committees
- free or low cost places for volunteers and members of small groups
- opportunities for gaining qualifications and accreditation with many VAS courses
*Get the Credit*
Participants on courses with *Get the Credit* at the side of the course title can complete some additional work following the course (supported by the tutor) in order to gain an OCN certificate and Get the Credit. Get the Credit is supported through VAS Online at http://online.vas.org.uk
Information about relevant options, work required and costs for OCN certificates will be sent with the booking information, together with contact details for further discussion.
Costs: Accreditation following a one-day course, through distance learning, with email support, should cost £30. Accreditation for longer courses is priced accordingly to the additional support and registration fees required. Please contact the Training Support Officer on 0114 2536627 or c.healey@vas.org.uk for further details.
Downloadable Candidate Pack for ILM courses
VAS Training Programme
Training course booking form (word)
How to Book
You can either:
- Book online - Your place will be confirmed on receipt of your online booking or printed form, subject to availability. You will be sent an invoice if appropriate.
- Print out and complete the training course booking form and send it, along with any payment, to: The Training Team, Voluntary Action Sheffield, The Circle, 33 Rockingham Lane, Sheffield S1 4FW or fax to 0114 2536601.
(Please note: some longer courses have an additional application form and some courses may have a pre-course questionnaire.)
We cannot accept telephone bookings or reservations. We prefer to use email and we will send you an email to confirm that your place has been booked. Please let us know if you have not heard from us within a reaonable amount of time of submitting your form, as you can only attend a course once you have received written confirmation. We will sending joining instructions at least 14 days before each event which will include venue details. We cannot accept responsibility for non-arrival of this information. If you have not heard from us 7 days before the event you should contact us.
Email enquiries:training@vas.org.uk
We ask for a personal phone number so that we can reach you in an emergency with any last-minute changes.
Course costs
Please refer to the cost band quoted with the details of each course in the Training Programme. We regret that some courses are subject to additional costs associated with Awarding Body registration. Please contact us about these.
Type of group | A | B | C | D | E | F | G |
VAS members | 30 | 60 | 100 | 160 | 190 | 235 | 320 |
| Voluntary or Community Groups | 40 | 70 | 115 | 175 | 215 | 260 | 345 |
Statutory or other | 65 | 130 | 190 | 250 | 300 | 350 | 430 |
Free places on training courses
The VAS Training Bursary can provide free or low cost places for:
- volunteers and management committee members
- paid staff from groups with (organisational) incomes of up to £50,000 per year
- Members of unfunded community and self-help groups
If you are offered a free place, you will need to pay a deposit by cheque, which is the normal fee for the course. Your place will not be guaranteed unless this deposit is paid in advance. Upon attending the course the deposit cheque will be returned to you. To request a bursary form please contact training@vas.org.uk
Cancellations
Please let us know as soon as possible if you cannot attend. It is normally possible to accept someone else attending in your place at very short notice, if we are informed of this. We cannot accept telephone cancellations. To receive a refund please write (either by email, fax or letter), giving at least 14 days notice. Unfilled places will not be refunded. Bookings made and cancelled within our 14 day notice cancellation period will still be charged at the full course fee.
Venues
Most of our courses are held in Sheffield. All the venues we use are accessible to disabled people.
Please tell us in advance if you have any particular requirements.
Lunch
On full day courses VAS provides a FREE, BASIC lunch of vegetarian sandwiches and fruit. Tea, coffee, etc. are available throughout the day and on all other courses. Please ensure that you tell us of special dietary requirements when you book.Training contacts
For information about courses, tailored training for groups and other training issues, contact:
- John Farmer, Training Manager, 0114 2536628, j.farmer@vas.org.uk
- Carron Jones, Training Administrator and Marketing Officer, 2536623, c.jones@vas.org.uk
- Christine Healey, Training Support Officer (accredited courses), 2536627, c.healey@vas.org.uk
- Patrick Wood, Mental Health Training Officer, 2536626, p.wood@vas.org.uk
- Hannah Norris, Training Administration Worker, 2536624, h.norris@vas.org.uk
Booking information
Training Team, 0114 2536623 or training@vas.org.uk
Event Management
Comments & complaints
If you have other comments, feedback or complaints about VAS's training services, please contact:
Sue James, Director of Services, on 2536607, s.james@vas.org.uk
Other links
- Community Accountancy Service
- Legal and Human Resources Advisory Service
- Volunteer Centre
- Support for Groups
- Trainers' and Consultants' Network, is a VAS resource linking freelance workers with Voluntary and Community organisations that want their services.
- The Academy Governance, Leadership and Management Programme