FAQ

3ST is a charitable organisation, collaborating with groups of like-minded charities, across north west London. We aim to support the voluntary, community, social enterprise (VCSE) sector develop, expand, and provide links between them and health care so that they may support the wider community. Learn more about us.

3ST offers a range of services aimed at supporting the voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) sector in North West London. Here are some of the key services they provide:

1. Capacity Building: Helping VCSE organisations develop their skills, knowledge, and resources to operate more effectively.
2. Networking and Collaboration: Facilitating connections between different charities, community groups, and sectors to encourage collaboration and shared learning.
3. Funding Support: Assisting organisations in identifying funding opportunities and resources to support applying for it.
4. Training and Development: Offering resources to enhance the capabilities of VCSE staff and volunteers.
5. Advocacy and Representation: Representing the interests of the VCSE sector in discussions with local authorities and healthcare providers.
6. Health and Wellbeing Initiatives: Partnering with healthcare services to integrate community support with health and wellbeing programs.

These services aim to strengthen the VCSE sector and improve its ability to support the wider community effectively.

3ST has a supported membership structure that enables us to work at all levels of the ICS. Each borough has 4 locally elected roles that sit on the 3ST Strategic Group.  This always includes the local infrastructure body to help with wider borough engagement. From the Strategic Group we have a Executive Group, that furthers the aims and objectives of the organisation. Representative roles at ICS are secured through a clear and transparent process. 

In addition, we act as a contract vehicle to support partnership working across the wider 3ST membership to deliver services for the benefit of residents. 

3ST supports individuals who are representing their organisations / groups.

3ST does not support private / commercial endeavours, for individuals.

You can complete our enquiry form on the ‘Contact us’ page, and your enquiry will go to the most appropriate person to support you.

Someone from our team will aim to respond within 5 working days depending on the urgency of the enquiry. 

9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday

No, membership is completely free!

It is recommended that between 1 and 3 key people per organisation register, however, there is a limit of up to 10 people per organisation. This is because some organisations may vary in staff size, and we would like to keep an equilibrium between participation and contribution. 

There is no limit to how many organisations may register for membership. 

3ST reserves the right to accept or reject membership according to varying reasons. All sign-up forms are reviewed before gaining access to the portal site.

All members, to the best of their ability, must ensure they have the cooperation of their organisation to register as a member, and therefore, once they have left, inform us so we can restrict / terminate membership of the individual. 

The termination details are outlined in our ‘Terms & Conditions’ here – which you must accept before registering. 

• Membership Types: These are the different forms of memberships available within 3ST, each designed to cater to different needs and roles within the organisation.
• Membership Levels: These levels determine the access to specific areas and responsibilities within our 3ST membership portal.

1. Full / Exclusive – All access. Full members are expected to participate in Borough Executive Teams and the Strategic Group
2. Associate - Active borough level services within Leadership Teams.
3. Partner - Open to and smaller charities / grassroots organisations.
4. Affiliate - Open to large national and regional charities that work within NWL. 
5. ICS membership – ICB / health Colleagues

• Full access – Full / Exclusive members: Access to all areas within the portal site. 
• Medium access – Associate members: Access to most areas, apart from Executive Group documents. 
• Limited access – Affiliate, ICS memberships: Access limited which means some documents will not be editable, and view only. Will not be able to join executive, or strategic level board meetings. 

To engage in resource sharing, community development, and establish connections with key partners, sectors, and community organisations. This collaboration can provide your organisation with valuable resources, funding support, and opportunities for growth, ultimately benefiting the communities you serve. 

This can take up to 5 working days. If your wait exceeds this time, please contact us through our enquiry form.

Yes, memberships are set according to responsibility and involvement within 3ST’s wider strategic delivery. Once someone applies through the sign-up form, it will be reviewed before membership is granted. Please refer to ‘Membership’ in the FAQ section.

Yes, as a member, you will have the opportunity to build a network of partnerships and contacts. For confidentiality reasons, 3ST will initiate the first contact once requested, with the organisation of interest. Once accepted, you will gain access to internal chat functions and start building relationships between members. 

Using analytical tools provided by the website software and our web development team, we will collect data to better understand the journey of members with how they interact and use the membership portal. Data collected will then be used in regular reports and reviews internally so we can better support our members and their user experience.

• Organisation details (as specified on the registration form), 
• Documents and libraries accessed and shared by organisation,
• Membership portal access (how often you log on and for how long),
• Resources accessed, for example, training. 
• Contract reporting data. 
• Which level of access your organisation has.

Data we do NOT use: The individual’s first and last name and email address. No personal information is required for the use of our data collection. 

Yes, we actually encourage it! The idea of this portal is to find a user friendly and efficient way for VCSE organisations and groups to share resources and network with one another. 3ST will always encourage collaboration over siloed working and it is a key part of why the membership portal was developed. 

Please use the enquiry form on the ‘Contact Us’ page. We aim to respond within 24 hours, during the hours of 9am to 5pm – Monday to Friday.