Councils for Voluntary Service: the end of a long road?

In one form or another,the local voluntary organisations we call Councils for Voluntary Service (CVSs) have been a feature of the landscape of local voluntary action since the early years of the 20th century. During their long history their fortunes have waxed and waned but in the recent past they have increasingly been seen as key building blocks of the local voluntary sector. Since the arrival of the coalition government in 2010, however, the future for CVSs has become unclear and their continued existence cannot be guaranteed.This article sets out the current situation in which CVSs find themselves and their future prospects in the context of their history. It looks in turn at their aspirations and expectations of their roles and functions; the level of resources available to them; and the challenges and issues they have faced. It concludes by outlining the way in which CVSs might respond to their- and the sector's - current situation.