This is an attempt by us to provide a single glossary of our own of the voluntary sector abbreviations we encounter on a daily basis.
Introduction
This glossary is an attempt to provide a single glossary of our own abbreviations, as well as the abbreviations we encounter on a day-to-day basis in our work across the public and private sectors, which are frequently used without definition of explanation. If you have your own abbreviations, we’d welcome hearing them, but first we’ll start with own name Redcar and Cleveland Voluntary Development Agency, which is frequently abbreviated to RCVDA.
Abbreviations
Organisations
Locally
These are organisations that operate within Redcar and Cleveland:
- RCBC: Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council
- RCVDA: Redcar and Cleveland Voluntary Development Agency
Tees Valley
The Tees Valley consists of five unitary local authorities, they are:
- DBC: Darlington Borough Council
- HBC: Hartlepool Borough Council
- MBC: Middlesbrough Borough Council
- RCBC: Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council
- SBC: Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
Cleveland or Teesside or Tees: refers to these boroughs, minus Darlington Borough Council.
These are organisations that operate across the Tees Valley
- Sustrans: short for Sustainable Transport, Sustrans is the custodian of the National Cycle Network
- TEWV: Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust
- TVCA: Tees Valley Combined Authority
- TVRA: Tees Valley Rural Action
These are organisations that operate within the North East Region:
- VONNE: Voluntary Organisations Network North East
Nationally
These are organisations that offer support nationally:
- NAVCA: National Association for Voluntary and Community Action
Terms
VCSE
These are terms commonly used in the voluntary and community sector.
- CYP: Children and Young People
- ESG: Environmental, Social and Governance
- LIO: Local Infrastructure Organisation
- VCS: Voluntary and Community Sector
- VCSE: Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise
- CAT: Community Asset Transfer
- SMARTER: Specific, Meaningful, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound, Evaluate, Re-adjust
- THRIVE: Timely, Helpful, Respectful, Innovative, Values-based and Efficient
Local Authorities
These are terms commonly used by the Local Authority:
- DPH: Director of Public Health
- JSNA: Joint Strategic Needs Assessment
- RSL: Registered Social Landlord
- TATI: Team around the individual
- TCM: Town Centre Management – courtesy of Ainsley Mullen
Department of Work and Pensions
These are terms commonly used by the Department of Work and Pensions:
- IPS: The Individual Placement and Support (IPS) approach is a globally recognised, evidence-based model that helps people with mental health challenges find and sustain employment – courtesy of Vikki Wilkinson
- JCP District: Job Centre Plus District – Redcar and Cleveland is in the Tees Valley JCP
- LCWRA: Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity
- PIP: Personal Independence Payment
- SEQF: Supported Employment Quality Framework – courtesy of Vikki Wilkinson
- UC: Universal Credit
National Health Service & Public Health
These are terms commonly used by National Health Service and the Public Health Departments:
- CCG: Clinical Commissioning Group (this is now replaced by the ICP)
- CPN: Community Psychiatric Nurse – courtesy of Sharon Chappell
- CYP IAPT: The Children and Young Peoples’ Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Programme
- CAMHS: Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services
- DNA: Did Not Attend
- HiAP: Promoting Health in All Policies
- HWB: Health and Wellbeing Board
- HWBE: Health and Wellbeing Executive
- ICB: Integrated Care Board
- ICP: Integrated Care Partnership
- NEAS: North East Ambulance Service
- NHS: National Health Service
- NHSE: National Health Service England
- NIHR: National Institute for Health and Care Research
- CPA: Care Programme Approach
Safeguarding
These are terms commonly used in Safeguarding in the Tees Valley:
- CPS: Crown Prosecution Service
- CQC: Care Quality Commission
- CSP: Community Safety Partnership
- DTC: Duty to Co-operate
- IDVA :Independent Domestic Violence Advisor
- IMCAs: Independent Mental Capacity Advocates
- KCSIE: Keeping children safe in education
- LSCB: Local Safeguarding Children’s Board
- MAPPA: Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements
- MARAC: Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference
- MCA: Mental Capacity Act
- MHA: Mental Health Act
- MHA COP: Mental Health Act Code of Practice
- MSP: Making Safeguarding Personal
- QSG: Quality Surveillance Group
- SAB: Safeguarding Adults Board
- SAR: Safeguarding Adults Review
- TSAB: Teeswide Safeguarding Adults Board
Others
These terms are commonly used is Sport:
- NGB:National Governing Body
- LTA: Lawn Tennis Association
These are terms commonly used in Business Schools:
- PSBR: Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Bodies
And in national government:
- DoE: Department of Education
- DH: Department of Health
- DLUHC ‘D-lock’: Department of Levelling up, Housing and Communities
- DWP: Department of Work and Pensions
Other terms:
- CPN: Community Protection Notice – courtesy of Sharon Chappell
- TC: Therapeutic Communities – courtesy of the Reith Lectures 2024
