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The CSV Action Network is the result of a groundbreaking partnership between CSV and the BBC.
With over 40 years' experience and expertise, our award winning Action Desks work in partnership with BBC English Regions to promote campaigns and appeals that inspire people and communities to take action.
Our focus lies on working closely with communities through events and other participation opportunities to inspire people to take action and become active citizens.
How and why they work
The 35 CSV Action Desks are run by a CSV Community Outreach Manager who organises volunteering events to enhance larger BBC campaigns and address local needs.
We use our community links to identify local needs - encouraging the audience to then become part of the solution, either through volunteering or by learning new skills.
Since 2001 we have worked with over 8,000 local partners and organisations across England. We have provided the means for small local organisations and branches to get their voices heard on BBC local radio.
Watch a short film about what we do here: Making a Difference - Celebrating 5 years of partnership with the BBC.
* Please note that this film will open up automatically in Microsoft Windows Media Player.
Don't have Media Player? Download it here for free.
Getting Young People Volunteering
The CSV Action Network also offers the opportunity to work as an Agent4Change in your local community.
Agents4Change is an innovative project set up to encourage young people between the ages of 16 and 25 to use their passions and their energy to make a difference in their local community.
The project is led by 21 young people - Agents4Change - who are volunteering full-time to set up exciting opportunities in their local areas for other young people to join in with.
Click here to visit the Agents4Change website and find out how you can get involved!
Award Winning Campaigns
CSV celebrated success after sharing gongs with the likes of Chris Evans, Classic FM and John Humphrys at the Sony’s, the equivalent of Oscars for radio.
CSV took top spot in the Community Awards category for The Plot with a separate contribution to BBC Radio Derby’s victory for medium sized station of the year.
Commenting on The Plot, an initiative which saw two derelict Slough allotments turned into thriving community spaces, the judges said:
"What set it apart was that they exploited the idea across the output, even managing a drama in the garden shed. It was fun radio which really engaged the community and left a lasting legacy."
The judges specifically commented on two other pieces produced by CSV for Derby’s Islam Awareness Week noting that:
"On several occasions the station has explored the challenges facing young Muslims and in doing so has given its audience a chance to listen at length to voices normally reduced to vox pops - or not heard at all.”
Other CSV projects nominated included Paul’s Place, which raised funds for a Bristol charity dedicated to enhancing the lives of physically disabled people and people with dementia, and Cornwall’s Sea Sense, which promoted river and beach safety.
Andy Griffee, BBC Controller of English Regions commented: “It was a very good night of Sony’s success for BBC Local Radio and particularly for our six-year-old partnership with CSV. Our Action Desks help thousands of people volunteer for all kinds of worthwhile causes each year and make a critical contribution to stronger and more effective local communities. But they also help us to deliver real tangible benefits from our broadcasting and it's great that the Sony judges have recognised this so powerfully this year."
Damian Radcliffe, CSV’s National Broadcasting Manager said: "The partnership between CSV and the BBC has a proven track record in motivating and inspiring communities, but it’s great to also have the quality and professionalism of our broadcasting acknowledged too. With lots of great campaigns in the pipeline, we hope to make even more of a splash at the Sony’s in 2008.”
Click this link to read the full press release:
Awards show that community broadcasting isn’t ‘losing The Plot’.
Access For All Broadcast activity is supported by outreach, where we go into the heart of local communities to engage with real people from all ages and backgrounds, enabling us to see issues and problems first hand.
We invest in relationships and build contacts that traditional journalists often do not have the time, or skills, to develop.
This enables us to access communities who are often sceptical of the media and we work with these communities so they can articulate their needs to a wider audience.
To see how we have worked with different local communities in the past click here to download Access For All-CSV Action Desks and collaborative work with Hard to Reach Groups (PDF file, 406kb).
CSV Action Network Achievements
Since 2001, we have:
Motivated 447,698 people to become learners or volunteers
Brokered and fostered links and relationships across all sectors, helping to build stronger communities
We celebrated 5 years of partnership with the BBC in 2006.
In this time we've inspired and connected over 366,546 people with volunteering and learning opportunities in their community.
Click here to read our brouchure and find out more about some of the highlights and campaigns in this time:
Transforming Communities: 5 years of achievement for CSV Action Desks.
Our Aims
Over the next years we will continue to organise great events, and aim to engage one million people with our services, encouraging them to get more actively involved in their local communities.
What we can do for you
CSV Action Desks can help you harness the power of the media to:
Recruit volunteers
Promote a local campaign or appeal
Offer a local perspective to a national issue
Raise awareness
Work for us
CSV Producer vacancies are advertised at: www.csv.org.uk/jobs.
Volunteer on an Action Desk
The CSV Action Desks also work with volunteers to help deliver the Action Desk service. Volunteers support the CSV Producer by answering the phones, researching campaigns and helping out with admin. You can also get involved in actively organising these exciting campaigns and events.
If you want to volunteer on your local CSV Action Desk, please contact your nearest station.
Contact us!
To find out more, email nschmiedefeld@csv.org.uk or contact your nearest CSV Action Desk.
For a full list of contacts, click here to download the CSV Action Desk Contact Details(MS Word document, 81.5Kb).
Want to know more about CSV's other media products and services?
Click here for more information.
If you'd like to know more about CSV's media products and services click here for more information.
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