Since its formal incorporation as a Company Ltd by Guarantee (Oct-13) and registered Charity (Oct-14), VOLA Consortium now pursues funding opportunities in its own right as a standalone organisation and in its first year of operation secured 2 Local Authority funded contracts – one working with unemployed (‘NEET’) young people in Knowsley and the other delivering adult and community learning in Sefton.

However, prior to its legal incorporation, VOLA operated as an unincorporated consortium since summer 2007 – operating through a lead provider and managing agent model, securing contracts and grants through a small number of key, Accountable Bodies from within its membership.  During this time, we secured over £8 million in competitively tendered contracts delivering a wide range of learning/ skills and employment support to nearly 5,000 residents of Liverpool City Region.

Given the success of this approach, VOLA Consortium continues to pursue funding opportunities through a lead provider approach, in addition to those opportunities it pursues directly as the lead body.

For each individual tender or funding opportunity, the VOLA management unit (based in Sefton CVS) develop the most appropriate supply chain from within the broader membership – working with the relevant Accountable Body (lead provider), where appropriate.  When tenders/ contracts are won, individual agreements are put in place for each delivery partner, which are managed through the VOLA management unit.

From time to time VOLA may also bid for/ win contracts that are delivered purely through the management unit.  These are primarily for research, fund management or publicity purposes.

In this section you can find out more about our present contracts.  Should you wish to find out more about our past contracts/ projects, please get in touch with the management team.