Castle Point, Rayleigh and Rochford Partners

Castle Point Association of Voluntary Services (CAVS) is a not for profit charity and Council for Voluntary Service (CVS) with a strong community presence in Essex.

Formed in 1994, we are an established organisation, responding to the needs for sector partners to have access to good quality infrastructure services, help and guidance for individuals and volunteer recruitment, training and support.

CAVS provides information, advice and guidance to voluntary and community organisations, to develop solutions for local issues. We help match organisations and potential volunteers, aimed at improving their communities. We work with existing voluntary sector providers to extend their schemes as well as local statutory bodies to identify and develop new services. We have a strong and vibrant membership.

Our numerous projects and schemes are delivered across Essex. CAVS existing portfolio embraces many benefits to the local population, addressing specific local need, including working with vulnerable young people, children and families, social isolation, health and well-being.

We’re here to help!

Our service is free, confidential and open to everyone in the community.  We can help with many issues, including:

• Benefits
• Debt problems
• Employment
• Housing
• Family and relationship issues
• Neighbourhood disputes
• Education and healthcare
• Consumer rights

We will give you the facts and possible outcomes.  That way you can make the decision that’s right for you.  If needed, we can also offer practical support such as help with form filling, writing letters or negotiating with third parties. Sometimes we might direct you to a different organisation that is better placed to help.

We're here for everyone.

Providing free, confidential and impartial advice that people need for the problems they face and to improve their lives.  We have experience in providing non-medical advice to people who suffer from mental health issues including benefits, debt, employment, housing, relationship advice.

We provide clients and their carers with support at home and in the community. Encouraging clients to develop life skills, engage in social activities and build their self esteem and confidence, allowing carers time to pursue their own interests or simply time to relax.

Our support is person centered, setting achievable goals with the person we support, working in partnership with local agencies to achieve the best outcomes.

We support clients with the following needs: mental health (depression & anxiety), dementia, social isolation, neurodiversity, brain injury and stroke survivors.

Essex Respite & Care Association (ERCA) provides support covering the following activities: 

• Prompt with self-care tasks.
• Support to achieve personal goals.
• Support to have your voice heard.
• Company and conversations.
• Stimulation of memory.
• Sitting service.
• Support with housework and laundry.
• Meal planning and preparation.
• Shopping.
• Attending appointments.
• Prescription collection.
• Visits to restaurants and cafes.
• Attending plays, cinema, concerts, social activities.
• Walking, yoga, swimming and cycling.

We provide Essex residents (excluding Southend-On-Sea and Thurrock) with access to health checks; stop smoking services; weight management courses; and emotional health and wellbeing support. All of our services are free.

Futures in Mind is an inclusive service to reduce isolation for individuals in recovery with substance/alcohol misuse and/or mental health.

An opportunity to access a range of groups/activities or have a befriender, reduce your isolation, build up peer support, make new friends, build up your confidence and self-esteem, make positive changes to your life.

Home-Start Essex aims to give families with at least one child aged under 5 the best possible start in life by supporting parents and caregivers to feel less isolated, to build their confidence in themselves and their parenting and to find ways to manage the challenges they face. We build trusting, helpful relationships with families and deliver a range of flexible support to meet their individual needs, including volunteer-led home visiting, family groups, wellbeing services, school-readiness, and behaviour support programmes.

Kooth.com is commissioned to provide an online wellbeing platform which along with text based counselling also includes helpful articles, forums, activity centre, daily journal and messaging. We provide British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy accredited services and Kooth is available to young people aged 11-18 in Essex. 

The service provides a free and non-judgemental place for children and young people to connect with others and know they are not alone. They have instant access to self-help materials, fully moderated discussion forums and tools such as online journals and goal trackers. They can also contribute written pieces of work reflecting their own experiences, as well as accessing drop-in or booked text-based counselling sessions with professional counsellors.

These are online services that offer anonymised support via online counsellors, available 365 days a year, 12pm -10pm on weekdays and 6pm-10pm on weekends. 

A support service for vulnerable adults. Offering assistance with accessing housing needs, maximising income, managing debt/ budgeting advice, social isolation, court and eviction notices.

The Megacentre Rayleigh is a Christian charity who welcomes everyone – of any faith or no faith.  We exist to bring Joy, Hope and Life to our community.  We do this through our charity team which includes family, youth and community workers offering a range of free, confidential services for families, children, young people and the wider community. 

We offer support around all sorts of topics, including Special Educational Needs, mental health worries in adults, children and young people, family life in general and, through our Community Resilience Hub, information, support and advice from us and our community partners.

Please do get in touch with any worries or concerns.  We want to strengthen our community, build resilience, reduce isolation and support each other.