Professional help
Brokering services
Brokers help organisations by matching them with a professional or skilled worker that is offering their time voluntarily.
The skills on offer can range from IT and finance to legal advice and graphic design.
The Cranfield Trust
There are 620 skilled volunteers on their books offering support specifically to organisations working with socially excluded groups or the disability community. The way it works is that a group fills out a detailed brief, then a project worker at the Trust matches them to a volunteer, who will in turn spend 5-10 days over a 2-3 month period working with the group. The service covers all areas of organisation management, with the exception of fundraising.
Tel: 01794 830338
Learn more about the Cranfield Trust.
Pilotlight
Pilotlight works to help small groups grow and fulfil their potential by recruiting members from business and industry who want to donate their skills.
Tel: 020 7396 7414
ProHelpProHelp is a national network of over 1,000 professional firms who give their time and expertise for free to local community groups and voluntary organisations.
It is the largest national provider of pro bono support and a leading programme of Business in the Community.
Tel: 0870 600 2482
Specialist brokers, volunteer networks and pro bono
it4communities
This is a national IT volunteering programme. They introduce skilled, professional volunteers to organisations looking for help with IT projects.
Learn more about it4communities.
Donate A PC
A great macthmaking service for individuals and organisations to donate hardware. Learn more about Donate A PC.
Circuit riders
Although not a brokering service, circuit riders are IT workers dedicated to supporting organisations on a range of IT solutions, whether it's databases or setting up PC networks.
Learn more about Circuit Riders.
LawWorks
LawWorks for Community Groups provides free legal advice to small charities, voluntary and community organisations and social enterprises in England and Wales via a network of volunteer lawyers.
Tel: 0207 929 5601
Interchange Legal Advisory Service
Provides advice and assistance on legal structures, company formation, constitutions and charitable status.
Tel: 020 7692 5860
Fee charging legal advice
Russell-Cooke Solicitors
They have a dedicated charity team that operates within Russell-Cooke, which is led by James Sinclair Taylor.
Tel: 020 8394 6480
Learn more about Russell-Cooke.
Bates, Wells and Braithwaite Solicitors
The firm works extensively with the charity sector and has had a role in developing the new Community Interest Company for social enterprise.
Tel: 020 7551 7777
Learn more about Bates, Wells and Braithwaite.
Any questions?
Please contact us if you have any questions about this section. Alternatively, if you know of a great resource we should include, or if anything is missing then please do let us know.
Page last reviewed: 22 September 2006