The consultative arm of Argyll Voluntary Action

Organisational development, learning and direction - making it happen for you and unlocking your future.

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Argyll Voluntary Action offers a range of training provision encompassing that available through the Volunteer Centre and through its CVS strand.  AVA has a staff team with skills in a range of areas all of whom are qualified trainers – many of our courses are already accredited with more coming available toward the end of this current year. We are also registered Learndirect centres.

Topics below can be held as workshops or as bespoke training depending on demand.  Any requests should be made to your local Argyll Voluntary Action office or to our Oban office tel, 01631 564839 email  training.ava@btconnect.com  or a-v-a@btconnect.com.

Additional training will be advertised on these pages as it becomes available and notified by email to those registered on the Argyll Communities website.

Currently, we are able to offer core training free of charge to voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations registered with this website (see argyllcommunities.org  home page to register) whilst other training incurs a small charge – again, this is discounted for organisations registered with this site.


AVA Workshops and Courses

 For Individuals
  • Steps to Excellence – a short course helping you take a fresh look at life and gaining in confidence and motivation. PI certificated.
  • PX2 – with similar aims as above but designed for a younger age group – typically 12 – 18 years.

For Organisations involving, or wishing to involve, Volunteers

  • Planning strategically for Volunteer Involvement. To assist participants plan their volunteer programme at strategic level and establish appropriate frameworks. VDS certificated.
  • Effective Volunteer Recruitment. Helping you create motivating volunteer opportunities and attracting the right people to fill those voluntary roles. VDS certificated.
  • Matching Volunteers to Roles and Tasks. Exploring issues and practice in selecting and matching volunteers. VDS certificated.
  • Increasing Volunteer Effectiveness through Training and Development. Exploring ideas for the planning of effective training for volunteers and increasing your skills and knowledge in planning and implementing an ongoing training programme. VDS certificated.
  • Supporting and Supervising Skills. To help develop ideas, skills and strategies around the overall task of supporting and supervising volunteers.  VDS certificated.
  • Developing Diversity within a Volunteer Programme (advanced). Exploring issues realting to building diversity into a volunteer programme. VDS certificated.
  • Health and Safety and Risk Management in Volunteer Programmes. Aiding participants to acquire the knowledge to address health and safety issues which impact on volunteering in their setting and an overview of risj management.  VDS certificated.
  • Motivation, Retention and Development of Volunteers. Exploring the areas of motivation and development of volunteers within a general aim of identifying key ways of increasing volunteer retention within the organisation. VDS certificated.
  • Developing Volunteer Portfolios. To explore how a portfolio can be developed and structured to assist in the training and development of volunteers.  VDS certificated.
  • Creating Positive Volunteer-Staff Relations.  Focussing on issues surrounding relationships between paid staff and volunteers and how these can best be managed.  VDS certificated.

 For all community, voluntary and social enterprise organisations
  • Induction and Governance initial training for Trustees. Getting new Trustees off to the right start, with the essential they need to know.   
  • Skills and Roles for Management Committee Members. The roles and essential skills for committee members, who may or may not also be Trustees.
  • Getting Started; setting up a third sector organisation. The options and ‘how to’ around setting up a voluntary, community or social enterprise organisation and which models to use.
  • Developing a Constitution or memorandum and Articles. OSCR and the Charity Test, what should be in – and what should not.
  • Raise Your Profile. Initial advice around advertising and marketing, letting the world know you have arrived.
  • The Funding Maze. Workshops on funding advice and guidance; access to funding sources and guidance in compiling your funding bid.
  • The Equality Act 2010. The new legislation, what it is and how it affects your organisation.
  • Data Protection. A guide to the essentials you need to comply with Data Protection legislation.
  • Time Management. For staff and volunteers, as well as managers; making the best use of your time and working SMART within a busy day.
  • First Time Management and Supervision Skills.  For new Managers or those new to supervising, an introduction to the skills you need.
  • Telephone Skills.  Often the first impression for the public is the way you answer the telephone and how you deal with their query. A short workshop on avoiding the pitfalls and creating a good impression.
  • The Recruitment Process. What you should do, implications of employment law and good practice to help your recruitment success.
  • Dealing with Difficult People.  How to handle that problem. A works focussed course to overcome and find solutions to difficult relationships.
  • Business Communication. What this means and how best to use effective approaches to promote a professional image.
  • Charity and Company Law for Trustees and Directors.  A workshop taking a deeper look at the responsibilities and liabilities of Trustees and Directors.
  • Listening Skills. Essential at all levels and in all areas of work. A look at what they are and how to develop these.
 Other bespoke courses on a number of topics may be available from time to time, according to demand.  We are also adding to our portfolio of accredited learning and will update regularly.

Argyll Voluntary Action is a Learndirect Centre.

In addition to those listed above, we also have a range of Online Courses. These are a catalogue of  Learning Bytes, online learning materials where individuals can select courses mapped to the skills or competencies required by a job, or from identified training needs, and register to use the course.

We will also shortly be adding a range of ASDAN accredited courses to the current portfolio.