About Us

SAVAGE (Southern Association of Voluntary Action Groups for Europe) is an infrastructure organisation covering the south of England; an area incorporating fifteen counties and thirteen million people. It is funded largely through the European Union and the Department of Communities and Local Government.

SAVAGE was established to ensure that voluntary and community sector (VCS) groups had access and were able to exploit European Social Fund grants, with a focus on assisting these organisations in tackling disadvantage for the benefit of their end users.

SAVAGE is a registered charity led by a Board of Trustees and employs eight full-time and eight part-time staff. The Regional Development Officer (RDO) team gives support to VCS organisations across the south of England, and is assisted by a Head Office team providing vital management, administrative, ICT and financial back-up for the organisation as a whole.

SAVAGE offers a range of services:

Awareness raising - SAVAGE's RDO team demystifies and translates jargon relating to funding into clear, helpful information, enabling organisations to make informed choices. Information is disseminated through a variety of ways ie monthly newsletter, e-mail communiqués and at an annual conference.

Information, Advice and Guidance - This is delivered by the RDO team and Head Office staff through project visits, 1-2-1s, seminars, training courses, conferences and a telephone help line. All assistance is focussed on specific needs and how organisations can be helped to fund and deliver services to their beneficiaries. SAVAGE also facilitates a number of networks to give practitioners the opportunity to meet, share information and disseminate best practice.

Advocating for the Voluntary Sector - The organisation acts as the voice of the sector on a range of national bodies. Speaking up for practitioners, SAVAGE ensures that the concerns of the VCS are registered locally, in Whitehall and in Brussels.

SAVAGE intends to expand the range of services it offers to provide VCS groups across the south with access to a fully rounded support structure, whatever their individual needs. SAVAGE also intends to work with the public sector, not only to assist them in their ambitions where possible, but also to ensure that the sectors understand and value the contributions that each bring in the fight against social exclusion.