A PROJECT is aiming to create an "army of volunteers" to tackle poverty.
Transforming Notts Together will bring together people from churches, charities, voluntary and community organisations in Notts.
They will then offer to help local schemes such as homeless centres, debt counselling services and food banks.
A website has also been created – transformingnottstogether.org.uk – where volunteers can offer their time and organisations can look for people who can help them.
The project has been launched as a response to welfare reforms, which organisers say will affect thousands of people in Notts.
The new enterprise is a partnership between Christian charity the Church Urban Fund and the Church of England's diocese of Southwell and Nottingham.
Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham the Right Reverend Paul Butler said the project was about "creating a new army of volunteers".
He said: "There are some really good organisations dealing with debt, but a lot of people are still slightly fearful of going to get advice.
"But it is our hope to have neighbours, church members and ordinary citizens to be armed with the information to help others. It is about tackling poverty together and we can actually help people."
Former Nottingham City Council chief, Jane Todd, is to chair the new venture.
She said: "Our initial focus is increasing the capacity of money-management advice services through mobilising volunteers.
"We'll be working with people of all faiths and no faiths and our mission is to transform the lives of the poorest and most marginalised in Nottinghamshire."
Transforming Notts Together will be managed and run locally, with representatives from a variety of church traditions and experts from strategic partnerships and local government in the region.
Paul Hackwood, chair of the Church Urban Fund, said: "Togetherness and transformation are at the heart of what we do and I am delighted this important work will be happening in Notts."
The Church Urban Fund is a Christian charity to help people trapped in poverty.
