Sports/Recreation/Leisure
Also see Umbrella bodies/networks.
- English Outdoor Council for organisations operating in the field of outdoor education, training and recreation.
- Activity Alliance for disability inclusion sport (was English Federation of Disability Sport).
- Chartered Institute for Management of Sport and Physical Activity.
- Leisure Studies Association.
- Sport and Recreation Alliance (was Central Council of Physical Recreation).
- Thrive ‘supports a network of specialist projects that run programmes of horticultural activity for training and employment, therapy and health.’
- Youth Hostels Association.
Arts and Heritage
- Action for Children’s Arts.
- Architectural Heritage Fund ‘Helping charities restore historic buildings’. Also a good links page.
- National Alliance for Arts in Criminal Justice – national body for the promotion of arts in Criminal Justice.
- Arts Council England covers museums and libraries too.
- Association of Community Theatre.
- Association of Festival Organisers Supporting live music, dance, song, arts, crafts and theatre (community/folk flavour).
- Association of Independent Museums.
- British Arts Festivals Association.
- British Federation of Festivals.
- Cinema for All (British Federation of Film Societies).
- Community Arts Partnership – Northern Ireland.
- Community Diversity and Equality Group of CILIP, the association for librarians, promotes equal access for all communities.
- Council for British Archaeology.
- Disability Arts Online
- Federation of Worker Writers & Community Publishers. Umbrella organisation for writers’ groups and community publishers, who wish to share their skills and work with their communities.
- Heritage Alliance – umbrella group for the heritage sector.
- Heritage Trust Network – “drawing together and supporting the work of local heritage groups, whether constituted as building preservation trusts, community trusts or social enterprises”.
- Independent Theatre Council.
- Institute of Conservation Brings together various artistic and cultural conservation bodies.
- Making Music provides help to set up, run and develop music groups in communities.
- Museums Association Representing and supporting museum and gallery community.
- National Association of Youth Theatres Supporting the development of youth theatre.
- National Campaign for the Arts.
- National Federation of Artists’ Studio Providers for organisations providing affordable studios for artists in England.
- National Operatic and Dramatic Association The main representative body for amateur theatre in the UK, can provide help to set up a new group.
- National Rural Touring Forum for mainly rural touring schemes and rural arts development agencies in England and Wales.
- People Dancing (previously Foundation for Community Dance) UK development agency for access, participation and progression in dance for all.
- Sound Connections Consortium for London youth music training and development.
- Sound Sense Development agency for community music.
- Theatres Trust promotes the better protection of theatres. Good links page.
- TheatreNI aims to support and develop theatre and the performing arts for all in Northern Ireland, including drama, physical theatre, dance (incorporating Dance Resource Base), circus, street theatre, musical theatre and opera.
- UK Centre for Carnival Arts in Luton.
- Voluntary Arts Network UK development agency for the voluntary arts. Mission is to ‘promote participation in the arts’. With a links page for other arts support organisations. Has separate wings for England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland.
Education
including early years, playwork. Also see Children/Youth, and Umbrella/support bodies.
- Advisory Centre for Education offers information and support about education for 5-16 year olds.
- Education Otherwise Support and information for families whose children are being educated outside school.
- informal education homepage A source of info on informal education and lifelong learning.
- Early Years Alliance National educational charity and umbrella body, linking 14,000 community-based members.
- Early Years Scotland.
- Family and Childcare Trust “working since 1980 to promote high quality affordable childcare for all”.
- Learning Link Scotland is an intermediary body for voluntary organisations engaged in adult education.
- Mentoring and Befriending Foundation is the national strategic body for mentoring and befriending.
- National Association for Small Schools The voice for those who believe that small schools and village schools are too valuable to lose.
- National Day Nurseries Association Promotes quality childcare and education for all children in the early years.
- National Governance Association.
- National Literacy Trust “dedicated to giving disadvantaged children the literacy skills they need to succeed”.
- Play England.
- Parentkind (was PTA UK) (previously National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations).
- Pupil Inclusion Scotland (Scotland) is for practitioners and managers in the voluntary sector who work with young people who are excluded, disaffected or disengaged from school.
- School Councils UK has advice for pupils, teachers etc. on setting up, and the benefits of, a school council.
- Scottish Out of School Care Network supports school-aged play, care and learning.
- English Secondary Students’ Association.
