It strives to be a platform
for: national level advocacy on issues and policies confronting
the development sector; coordination and action to support
and promote voluntary action in the country.
VANI has been working as a catalyst between central
and state governments and their machineries on the one hand
and Indian NGOs on the other. It represents NGOs' concerns
and issues through policy advocacy, networking and sensitizing the government and other stakeholders.
VANI is a member of CIVICUS
Affinity Group, an association of national NGOs. In October
2000, the United
Nation's Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) granted
VANI a special status on their Consultative Committee. 
As a platform, it promotes voluntarism and creates space
for voluntary action.
As a network, it attempts to bring about a convergence
of common sectoral issues and concerns for building a truly
national agenda of voluntary action in India. In addition,
it facilitates linkages of various efforts and initiatives
of the Indian voluntary sector, which succeed in strengthening
a united and sustainable movement of change.
As an association, VANI works towards fostering
value-based voluntary action and long-term sustainability
amongst its members.
 To
build a society in which the values of conscious voluntarism
are brought to the forefront.
To
act as a platform for national level advocacy, coordination
and action to support and promote voluntarism
and voluntary action.
VANI promotes the following values in voluntary action:
|
Decentralisation |
|
Democracy |
|
Freedom
from discrimination |
|
Access
to information, freedom of thought |
|
Gender
equality |
|
Secularism |
|
Simple
and sustainable lifestyle |
|
|
