Who are we?

We are the National Federation of Voluntary Service Providers Supporting People with Intellectual Disability - the national umbrella organisation of voluntary/non-statutory agencies who provide direct services to people with intellectual disability and autism in Ireland on the basis of service arrangements with the HSE.  Our Member Organisations account for at least two-thirds of this country’s direct service provision to people with an intellectual disability, and support 30,000 people and their families. 

The services & supports provided to people with an intellectual disability are founded on the values as set out in the O’Brien (1987) Principles of Inclusion, Choice, Dignity, Respect, Participation and Contribution. They are rooted in the rights based perspective that people with intellectual disability have the right to live full and active lives, and be active participating members of their own community.

Charitable Status: CHY14080 

Registered Charity No: 20045500 

Follow us on Twitter: @NatFedVolBodies  

Our Mission

“To provide the leadership and support that will enable voluntary organisations to adapt to a radically changing operating environment, with the ultimate aim of ensuring that people with intellectual disability live a life of their choosing.”

Guiding Principles

People with an intellectual disability have the right:

• To be supported to live a life of their choosing;
• To be included in all decisions that affect their lives;
• To have meaningful, freely chosen relationships;
• To be included as a contributing member of their own communities;
• To choose their own supports and have access to the resources to do this;
• To have the same rights, responsibilities and opportunities as every other citizen.

Core Values

The values that guide the way we behave as a Federation are:

• Integrity – We are loyal and committed to the mission and guiding principle of the National Federation of Voluntary Service Providers.
• Professional Conduct – Ensure that we adopt only the best business practices and disciplines.
• Openness – Ensure that our communication is open and effective and our Governance and decision making processes transparent.
• Accountability – Ensure that we are fully accountable to our members, to
  the people who we support and their families, funders and communities in
  respect of the decisions and actions we take.
• Person Centred – Ensuring that we listen to, and are responsive to, the
  people we support.
• Quality Focussed – Ensure that we always seek to improve and maintain
  commitment to innovation and development.
• Commitment to Staff – Ensure that we facilitate and recognise staff
  contributions and efforts, and support individual development.
• Voluntary Ethos – We are committed to the preservation of a
  voluntary ethos in the provision of supports to people with intellectual
  disability.

We support the following internationally agreed statements:

• The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
• The United Nations Declaration on Human Rights and on the Rights of Intellectually Disabled Persons
• The United Nations Standard Rules for the Equalisation of Opportunities for People with Disabilities
• The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

Our Goals and Objectives

While we and our member organisations are constantly open to new challenges and opportunities our goals are:

• The sharing of information relating to the provision, maintenance and development of services
• The development of strategies in areas of common interest
• The provision of information and support to individual members and local groups of members, when required, and supporting member organisations in their advocacy on behalf of individual persons
• Making representations to the Departments of State, other public authorities and national and international bodies on issues agreed by the members
• Entering into negotiations on behalf of National Federation members as required
• Promoting and undertaking public education and information actions, and by issuing public statements on behalf of the members, on matters already agreed
• Appointing or nominating, as appropriate, representatives on deputation’s and as members of other relevant bodies, committees, commissions, working parties and boards
• Undertaking the co-ordination of activities agreed by the members and which are appropriate to the role and functions of the National Federation
• Drawing up codes of good practice or guidelines for the provision of intellectual disability services by its members
• Stimulating the growth of the voluntary sector in areas of need and promoting the interlinking of voluntary agencies to promote the interests of persons with an intellectual disability

Compliance: 

The Charities SORP is a Statement of Recommended Practice which sets out how charities should prepare their annual accounts and report on their finances. We prepare our Annual Financial Statements in compliance with SORP requirements.