The Ayrshire Community Trust (TACT) is a small charity based in Saltcoats offering services to the community and voluntary sector (also known as third sector) across North Ayrshire.
Our mission is: to deliver programmes and projects that make a difference to people’s lives by encouraging, supporting and promoting community action.
Established in 1999, we currently have 14 staff and 5 volunteers and continue to grow and develop offering new and exciting opportunities for residents in North Ayrshire.
One of our key roles is to engage with individuals who wish to volunteer and match them with an appropriate volunteering experience.
(See our Volunteering Opportunities section)
Volunteering activity is massive in North Ayrshire with more than 32,000 people who give of their time to help others.
People volunteer for all sorts of reasons, to try something new, to meet new people, to get out the house or feel they are contributing to their community. Staff respect and value all volunteers irrespective of why they do it.
We also engage with over 800 community and voluntary organisations, we try to help where we can, if its committee skills, funding, photocopying we will do our best to help.
TACT has evolved over the years and carries out a range of additional functions which we believe work towards making North Ayrshire a great place to stay:
• employability – we offer training to help people into work
• training – we offer training to local organisations and third sector businesses
• youth work – we work with others who work with young people to promote volunteering, in particular encouraging young people to gain a Saltire Award for their efforts.
• social enterprise development – we are keen to develop our own social enterprises in order to provide more work opportunities for local people.
As a company our values are based on:
Ownership – we ensure participation of our stakeholders through clarity in communication; encouragement of contribution and regular consultation.
Respect – we treat our staff, board members, customer and partners with mutual respect and sensitivity, recognising the importance of diversity.
Investment – we invest in our people and properties to create environments that are positive, motivating, challenging and rewarding
Innovation – we learn from our experiences to help develop new ideas using creative approaches to achieving our goals
Excellence – we provide a service which aspires to be the best quality and will celebrate success, recognise and reward the achievements of individuals and teams.
Sustainability – we endeavour to serve the needs of the people who live, work and play within our communities by successfully anticipating change.
The Community and Voluntary Sector, or Third Sector in North Ayrshire is a vibrant and innovative sector offering services to those who are often the most vulnerable in our communities. They are a vital part of the community and play a key role in working with other partners in making North Ayrshire the place to be.
TACT is a key partner in North Ayrshire’s Third Sector Interface (TSI’s).
TSI’s are a Scottish Government directive set up to achieve four outcomes:
• promote volunteering;
• support the community and voluntary sector;
• develop social enterprises and
• be the conduit for improved connection with Community Planning Partners.
TSI’s exist in every local authority across Scotland.