case study
Our East Devon VCSE (voluntary, community and social enterprise) Support Service supports VCSE organisations in East Devon to achieve their purpose, through training, mentoring, networking, resources and more. One recent group we've supported is Newton Poppleford Parents, Teachers, Friends Association (PTFA).
Newton Poppleford PTFA's main principal role is to support the school and its children, particularly through fundraising activities, allowing the funding of school trips, classroom resources, and educational experiences. Activities include school discos, Freezy Fridays (selling ice poles), sport's day, and Sri Lankan Curry Night. All these events raise much-needed funds for the school to assist in the education of its pupils.
This is an example of remote community development at its best. We came across the group on Facebook as part of the East Devon VCSE Support Service project's social media campaign. As we are a small team, social media is a great way to initially locate and reach out to the community, often following up with face-to-face support. We have been supporting the PTFA via Facebook by sharing their content, becoming a 'top fan' as a result and broadening their local reach. Our online interactions have also provided us with insights on how best to assist the PTFA reach their goals.
As fundraising is a major focus, we've signposted them to funding opportunities that we are confident that are suitable for their needs. They have recently confirmed they are applying for the Groundworks/Tesco funding, which they had not previously been aware of. They are also considering the Wild About Devon community wildlife fund, which is managed by Devon Communities Together.
Through effective use of social media we have begun building a supportive relationship with a volunteer-led grass roots community organisation that has a big impact on its small rural community.
“Thanks to the East Devon Support Service connecting with us through social media, we’ve benefited from practical support that really fits around our busy schedules — from sharing our posts to boost visibility, to signposting us towards targeted funding like the Groundworks/Tesco grant and Wild About Devon fund. The team’s guidance has helped us increase our reach in the community and access funding we might otherwise have missed — all of which helps us better support the children at our school."
