Our work
and
projects
As an infrastructure organisation we aim to strengthen the voluntary and community sector across
South West Surrey.
We run a number of different projects all aimed at helping members of the local community to access services to improve their health and wellbeing.
As well as giving advice, information and support to local groups we also run a Volunteer Centre recruiting volunteers for organisations working in South West Surrey, as well as being host of the Guildford and Waverley Social Prescribing Service. In 2024, we launched our Volunteer Connections project. In 2025, we launched our Alcohol Health Champions Project.
Volunteer
Centre
There are volunteering opportunities available across Guildford and Waverley with a wide array of organisations. VASWS works with the voluntary, community and public sectors, supporting over 300 local organisations to develop volunteering opportunities and their volunteering programmes, whilst enabling individuals to access hundreds of brilliant volunteering opportunities that will bolster our community.
Social
Prescribing
The Guildford and Waverley Social Prescribing Service was set up in 2019 to address the wider determinants of health in the local population. It was recognised that the social, emotional and practical needs of people were having a significant impact on their physical health and that the community and voluntary sector had a wide range of services that could support people with these needs. The Social Prescribing Service provides the link between health and community by finding out what matters most to the person and supporting them to access local and national services that can address their needs.
Volunteer
Connections
Through our Volunteer Connections project, we aim to increase the level of volunteering amongst small charities and voluntary organisations in South West Surrey to enable them to deliver their services more effectively. The Volunteer Connections project extends our Volunteer Centre capacity to support groups with service delivery and individuals wishing to volunteer. The project aims to upskill groups to be more proficient in managing their volunteer workforce, and we will work to encourage volunteering amongst underrepresented groups as well.
Alcohol Health Champions
VASWS, in partnership with Surrey County Council Public Health and AlcoholWise, is delivering a 12-month pilot project designed to empower communities to make healthier choices around alcohol.
The Alcohol Health Champions Project supports Surrey’s wider prevention and wellbeing priorities by equipping trusted community members with the knowledge, confidence, and practical skills to promote healthier conversations around alcohol, reduce stigma, and encourage early intervention within voluntary, community, and faith-based settings.