Association of Voluntary Agencies (AVA)

Association of Voluntary Agencies (AVA) is a consortium of 17 like minded NGOs working under consortium approach in Trichy composite District. It aims to provide a common platform and a district level forum for voluntary organizations working in Trichy district. The voluntary organization is "a formal, non-partisan body which comes into being as a result of personal initiative of an individual or a group of individuals to voluntarily undertake developmental work at the grassroots" and "aims at bettering the lives" of specific groups in the society.

All members of the Network are run by development professionals with 10 – 30 years of experience and rich exposure to a wide range of interventions in domains such as Health, Education, and Children oriented projects, Sanitation, Watershed Development and Women Empowerment. The network has a rich human resource base of experienced community coordinators and village volunteers in the district.The origin of voluntary work can be traced to the nature, social milieu, philanthropic activities, social service, social welfare and ethos of Indian people who believe in acts of the charity of various kinds. In fact, voluntary action and social welfare grew up simultaneously. Voluntary work existed in the form of charity, relief, welfare services, philanthropy, rehabilitation and socio-economic activities. The philanthropy was inherent in the individual as a kind of Dharma (duty) in the Indian philosophy and culture dating back to the ancient times.

During ancient and medieval period, voluntarism was manifest in diverse forms. Voluntarism was visible extensively in the fields of education, medicine, cultural promotion and even succour in crises like droughts, floods, epidemics and foreign invasions or depredations by robbers and criminals. During this period the community organized and established centres of learning and research where free food and accommodation were given. They also raised funds through their own organizations to distribute grants to hospitals, schools, colleges and orphanages. Different social organs came forward to help the poor and the destitute, the sick, the disabled, widows, orphans, old people and the jobless. Similarly, the traders and businessmen, the bankers and the professionals, the artisans and craftsmen and the agriculturists were helped by their colleagues in the occupation or professions. Thus, most of the problems were taken care of by way
of philanthropy and the state came to rescue only in conditions of extreme contingencies

The network -Association of Voluntary Agencies (AVA) has a proven track record in implementing Participatory Planning, Advocacy and Capacity building of the NGOs and CBOs at the grassroots level.AVA aims:

• To provide a forum for voluntary organizations
• To provide mutual support among voluntary agencies conducting various developmental activities
• To share experiences and strengthen collective action among members
• To organize trainings and workshops to enhance the skills of members
• Promoting Inter agencies and Government cooperation in Development Initiatives and appreciate the good work done by NGOs and authorities and to facilitate collective action on common issues of the area/district.

The voluntary organizations have become an irresistible global force today. They not only have a definitive place in modern state but they also perform vital functions for its members through the network of these institutions. The voluntary organizations have been providing social service to the poor, needy, neglected, the old-aged, the sick and the down-trodden. Their necessity is felt all the more strongly in emergency situations, like drought, floods, etc, requiring people's involvement and cooperation on a massive scale. Voluntarism, thus, becomes an approach as well as a technique. The voluntary organizations are independent, flexible, democratic, secular, non-profit people's organization which works for the welfare of the society. It renders noble, selfless community service on voluntary and non-profit basis by resourceful, enlightened, public-spirited, active citizens and social workers.

The voluntary organizations are flexible and possess the virtues of human service with dedication. They aim at creating a situation conducive to the development of potentialities in individuals, groups and communities to find solutions to their problems and ways and means to handling these to realize their ultimate goals. The basic commitment of the people engaged in voluntary organizations is for the development of economic and social life of concerned community. With the changing notion of state, the voluntary organizations role and importance has increased manifold. The reason behind this is that government structures are to gear for integrated development like

We are United-Association of Voluntary Agencies (AVA)

agriculture, energy, environment, water resources, equity and voluntary sector in achieving such goals. It is because it works at the grassroots level taking into account the local needs and requirements and is founded on the principles of equity and social justice.
Today their role in the development process has increased and has also become more complex. From the welfare and charity approach, the voluntary agencies have gradually changed and widened their outlook towards overall development of the society. In other words, their meaning and role has been extended to an area, which would be fruitful in improvement of qualitative political behaviour of the people and making weaker sections of our society sensitive to Development participation in a greater degree. - Kris