25th June 2010
VCS Assembly News Update (Issue 46)
In this issue:
1. News
2. Dates for Your Diary
3. Funding News
4. Consultations
5. Compact
6. Important Reminders
1. News
Hive offers 'huddling' opportunity!
Office space available in town centre location
The Hive in Shrewsbury is offering the chance to 'huddle together' with like-minded organisations working in the arts or with young people. The town centre-based Music and Media Centre, situated on Belmont, has 2 desks available in a shared office for a suitable organisation and other spaces available for rent. This is an ideal opportunity for a small voluntary sector organisation working in the sector or with young people to reduce costs by sharing office
accommodation.
"Organisations like us are looking to ways of keeping overhead costs down and the Hive does have spaces available for smaller arts focussed organisations to share accommodation. As we face the tougher times it seems like a good idea to form a cluster and retain strength of presence within the sector" said Alyson Lanning, the Hive's director.
In addition to office space the Hive has a large performance space, ideal for meetings, performance and film showings, and seating up to 100 in raked theatre-style and able to accommodate up to 50 in traditional meeting settings. The 8m x 18m space is now sound proof and air conditioned with theatre lighting and blackout facility. For further information about rent and hire facilities at the Hive please contact Alyson Lanning, director on 01743 234970 or email alyson@hiveonline.org.uk
Shropshire Partnership News Bulletin
The Shropshire Partnership has issued a special news bulletin to update all partners on the changes being made to the Shropshire Partnership's structure. Changes were agreed at the Shropshire Partnership Leadership Board on the 11th June. A copy of the bulletin is attached.
Shropshire Partnership Special Bulletin (105.31KB)
Shropshire's Volunteering Team - Customer Satisfaction Survey
Shropshire's Volunteering Team is undertaking a customer satisfaction survey. A copy of the survey and accompanying letter are attached. If you have received support with volunteering from any of the team members please do your best to help by completing the survey! For more information contact:
North Shropshire - Kim Thomson - Lawrence
T: 01691 656 882
E: k.thomson-lawrence@qube-oca.org.uk
Central Shropshire - Lisa Darkin
T: 01743 237 872
M: 07791 260879
E: lisa.darkin@shropshire-rcc.org.uk
South Shropshire - Clive Leworthy
T: 01743 342 172
M: 07791 260888
E: clive.leworthy@shropshire-rcc.org.uk
Volunteering Questionnaire letter (66.64KB)
Volunteering Questionnaire (14.84KB)
Summary Care Records in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Update - June 2010
The Summary Care Records project is now well underway and covers patients registered with GPs in England only. There are now 1.6 million records in existence in England and 29.8 million patients have been contacted. The average clinical access to Summary Care Records is currently over 500 per week in out of hours settings. Since March, information about the project has been distributed by personal letters to patients;
newspaper, bus and radio advertisements; newspaper articles; information available in public places; distribution of information materials through various community organisations and information available as well as staff to answer questions at various public events and meetings across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin. Although a public information programme is being conducted between March and September 2010, people can still ask for more information or opt-out at a later date.
People can opt-out at any time by completing an opt-out form and returning it to their GP. If people opt-out now, they can opt-in at a later date. If people opt-in now, they can opt-out at a later date. The opt-out rate in Shropshire Telford and Wrekin is currently 1.09%. Opt-out forms and further information are available from:
Telford and Wrekin Tel: 01952 580478 E-mail: pals@telfordpct.nhs.uk
Shropshire Tel: 0800 032 1107 E-mail: pals@shropshirepct.nhs.uk
Big Society Briefing Issued
The Policy Team at umbrella body NCVO has produced a briefing on the government's Big Society concept, giving a short background, a summary of the key elements of the Big Society agenda and a short discussion of some of the emerging themes. For a copy visit:
http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/sites/default/files/Big_Society_Programme_briefing_final.pdf
Plan to support the building of the Big Society (from VolResource)
A new Structural Reform Plan for the Cabinet Office includes a section entitled 'Support the building of the Big Society', and summarised as "Encourage more Social Action and strengthen the voluntary sector through a programme to make it easier to run a voluntary sector organisation, get more resources into the sector and make it easier for the sector to work with the State". The plan includes announcing in September a "date for day to celebrate social
action" and also inviting Parliament to create a Select Committee for Civil Society in November. Also see funding programmes below. The Plan can be downloaded (pdf, 217KB) at http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/414879/srp-cabinet-office.pdf
All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Community and Voluntary Sector
Alun Michael MP, the first minister responsible for the voluntary sector in the last government and former First Minister for Wales, has been elected chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Community and Voluntary Sector. Information was issued on the website named Third Sector. See: http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/news/1011318/.
VCS and the Budget June 2010 (from VolResource)
Charities got a few mentions in the Emergency Budget, but there was nothing obviously connected with the Big Society policy.
- There is to be a formal consultation in the autumn on providing a VAT exemption for charities that share back-office functions (Budget Report paragraph 2.94).
- Law around substantial donors to prevent abuse will be reviewed, with the aim that donors, rather than charities, would be penalised for illegitimate transactions (para 2.104.).
- Ways to improve the Gift Aid system will continue to be explored (para 2.103).
The increase in the standard VAT rate from 4th January to 20% will clearly have an impact on voluntary organisation budgets, with a large proportion of it being unreclaimable.
The real impact of cuts to budgets of government departments won't be known until the presentation of the Spending Review on 20th October - the average twenty five per cent mentioned in the Budget is likely to vary at the department level, and even more so when it gets down to the frontline.
- HM Treasury Budget pages start at http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/2010_june_budget.htm
- NCVO's overview of the main Budget points for the sector at:
http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/news/funding/budget-2010-how-will-it-affect-you,
- ACEVO's take at http://www.acevo.org.uk/Page.aspx?pid=1073.
- Some press coverage: Third Sector http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/news/1011572/
- Civil Society Media http://www.civilsociety.co.uk/finance/news/content/6835/.
Latest News on VCS Funding
Chief executives body ACEVO has set up a new Cutswatch website, at http://www.cutswatch.org.uk, "to provide guidance and support to third sector organisations through public spending cuts". It will provide news, case studies and other information on how to cope with cuts, and is open to further suggestions on what to include.
NCVO has also got a Coping With Cuts web section, at http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/advice-support/coping-with-cuts, with links to various resources, news, analysis and also its 'Crowdsourcing the Cuts' feature, which asks for your information on central and local government funding cuts, for this financial year (also see http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/cuts).
2. Dates for Your Diary
Visual Art Network Open Day
The VAN open day is to be held on Monday 28th June 2010 at DASh, Unit 4, Hartley Business Centre Monkmoor Road, Shrewsbury SY2 5ST. For more information please see the attached poster or visit the website: www.dasharts.org - Disability Arts in Shropshire. The event is free and will run from 10.30am - 4.00pm.
Shropshire County PCT - Prioritisation Process - 2 July, Shrewsbury IMPORTANT
Shropshire PCT is keen to involve VCSA Assembly Members in a prioritisation meeting. The focus will be on service change in line with current financial pressures. An invitation letter is attached. I have more detailed information available so if you are able to attend please contact me, Sarah Dodds, and I will send on the supporting documents. sarah.dodds@shrosphire.gov.uk
PCT Prioritisation Invitation (43.55KB)
European Social Fund Technical Assistance Events - 12 July, Ludlow
The Marches Sub Regional Group has been granted European Social Fund (ESF) Technical Assistance to underpin and enhance partnership working amongst local authorities at a sub-regional level. In response to the proposed commissioning of work by the Skills Funding Agency, an event is to be held on 12th July for third sector organisations interested in being part of an ESF funded bid. Please see details attached.
Event date: 12th July 2010
10am - 12.30pm
Venue: The Ludlow Conference Centre (formerly The Bishop Mascall Centre), Lower Galdeford, Ludlow SY8 1RZ
Diane Jennings: officeadmin@wmeuronet.org T. 0121 683 8894
Eddie Currall: Eddie@wmeuronet.org T. 0121 683 8891
WMEN ESF event poster (416.54KB)
Free Funding Workshops - BOOK NOW!
To assist the capacity of the third sector to take-up ESF funding opportunities, a series of free workshops will be held across the sub-region. Three workshops will be held in Shropshire on 14th July, 23rd September and 5th October. For details and how to book please see the attached file.
FUNDING FITNESS poster (363.23KB)
WORKSHOP 1 - PRACTICAL PROJECTS
How to develop and deliver successful projects for ESF and other funding streams
WORKSHOP 2 - PRODUCTIVE PARTNERSHIPS
Understand how to work successfully in collaborative partnerships
WORKSHOP 3 - BETTER BID WRITING
Acquire the skills to write effective funding applications
Bringing Social Media Surgeries to Shropshire - 12 July, Shrewsbury
The Shrewsbury Social Media Surgery is a free advice session for the Voluntary/Community Sector in Shropshire. It's informal and relaxed. Bring your laptop and use the wifi supplied to hook up to the internet (with assistance if required). Don't have a laptop, don't worry there will be some to share. Learn from people who understand good ways to use the internet and who can show you useful free tools. Have a chat over a
cup of coffee/tea. The surgeons are people who have been there before and know enough to show someone else. Some may have spent years understanding the internet, some may have just learned how social media applications work and how they can benefit organisations. The first Shropshire Social Media Surgery will take place at the Cafi/bar of the Old Market Hall in the Square in Shrewsbury between 5:30 and 8 pm on Monday 12 July. If you think you may be able to help others by being a surgeon on the night, please email renee.wallace@shropshirevcs.org.uk. More information is attached.
Social Impact Measurement course (41.2KB)
Reducing Worklessness in an Age of Austerity - 13 July, Birmingham
Time: 10am - 4pm Venue: Maple House, Corporation Street, Birmingham, B4 6TB
This free conference is intended to set out the latest on national policy on poverty, worklessness and welfare dependency and the wider Big Society agenda. It will take stock of what has been learnt from Total Place and related work by local authorities and their partners to achieve 'more for less', and explore the implications of new policies and diminishing resources for action at sub-regional, local and neighbourhood levels. To find out more follow this link:
Working with the Whole Family: Developing the vision for young carers and their families - 19 July, Bristol and 17 September, Birmingham
The aim of these conferences is to ensure service managers, policy leads and senior practitioners involved in providing parental substance misuse and mental health services, are equipped with the latest guidance and are able to identify and respond to wider family issues where children and young people are in a caring role. These free events will offer delegates the opportunity to hear about the latest government policy from key senior officials and see a range of
good practice. Please see attached the conference flyer for more information and alternative booking methods.
Bristol, Mercure Holland House Hotel, 19th July 2010
Birmingham, Jurys Inn, 17th September 2010
For more information or to book online:
www.childrenssociety.org.uk/wholefamilyconference
3. Funding News
My Life My Choice - Stronger Communities Funding
My Life My Choice in Shropshire is delivering the Transformation of Adult Social Care. The Stronger Communities element of the programme is ensuring that work around community capacity building is integrally linked to the transformation work. The Stronger Communities Project is seeking to identify best practice in building sustainable and inclusive communities. It will promote awareness and understanding of the benefits of strong, inclusive communities that actively
support, involve and enhance the contribution of all local citizens, and specifically those individuals who are currently, or who are at risk of being, socially excluded.
Shropshire is part of the Department of Health (DoH) Building Community Capacity project. The DoH and Shropshire Council have made funding available (£20,000) to the Stronger Communities Project Group to support activity that demonstrates how we can strengthen communities and enhance current service users' capacity to take part in the things going on around them that they are interested in. Please see the attached document for details.
Funding Guidelines Stronger Communities (54.27KB)
New and reviewed funding programmes (from VolResource)
The Futurebuilders investment programme to help voluntary groups bid for public service contracts is to end, with the repayment of loans going instead towards a new Communities First fund, which will support the creation of neighbourhood groups. Third Sector news item on the closure news at http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/news/1009030/ and on the new fund at http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/news/1008987/ The Communities First fund should be in place by December 2010.
A Big Society Bank, "to provide new finance for social enterprises, charities, neighbourhood groups" with its money coming from dormant bank accounts, is due to make its first funds available from April 2011. This could provide working capital for voluntary organisations, presumably answering one issue around moving more to 'payment by results' while increasing the proportion of public services that are delivered by the third sector. See Regen Daily http://www.regen.net/bulletins/Regen-Daily-Bulletin/News/1009064/ for the speech by Cabinet Minister Francis Maude. 3SC, the consortium set up to help put joint contract bids together, has highlighted that charities providing public services will need to develop new methods of financing to avoid major cash-flow problems, http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/news/1009721/.
Film Making Opportunity for Small Charities
The sixth series of the Media Trust's Volunteer Film-making scheme is open for applications, up to 26th July. It matches professional film-makers with small charities (up to £2 million turnover) to create short promotional films at a fraction of the normal cost. See http://www.mediatrust.org/volunteerfilmmaking, or get an application form via 020 7217 3628 or volunteerfilmmaking@mediatrust.org. From Community Newswire item at http://www.communitynewswire.press.net/article.jsp?id=6845941.
With thanks to Gary Spence, External Funding Officer and Joe Bubb, Team Leader Funding & Programmes
4. Consultations
Improving sector access to capital and investment ( from VolResource)
The first of a series of papers for consultation from the Funding Commission (managed by NCVO), 'Capitalisation and Social Investment' sets out its findings and emerging recommendations on giving organisations better access to capital, to help them build capacity, develop services or cope with unexpected events. The four recommendations, in outline, cover developing financial literacy programmes for voluntary organisations, surveying current trust and foundation grant making
practices and how these could help, HM Treasury to establish a Task Force to assess the feasibility of attracting new private capital into investment and Government to help develop the market place. Comments are invited, see: http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/fundingcommission
5. Compact
Shropshire Compact Champions Events
Two training events are being organised for Shropshire's Compact Champions. The half day sessions will take place on the afternoon of the 9th and 20th July. If you would like to become a Compact Champion or book a place at one of the events please email me, Sarah Dodds, sarah.dodds@shropshire.gov.uk or telephone 01743 252740.
News from Compact Voice
Compact Voice wants to hear the details of any cuts you are experiencing or anticipating this financial year. This will help identify were Compact principles have been applied and things are working well, and were there are problems that need to be resolved. Please contact me, Sarah Dodds, if you have any concerns and support can be offered via the Compact Champions Network and Compact Implementation Group. For complex issues further advice and support may then be
accessed from Compact Voice.
Have you got a Compact story? Email sarah.dodds@shropshire.gov.uk and share it with others.
6. Important Reminders
News Items
VCS Assembly Coordinator
Elaine Griffiths has very recently taken on the role of part time VCS Assembly Coordinator. Contact elaine.griffiths@shropshire.gov.uk or telephone 01743 252269.
VCS Assembly Recession Survey
Please find attached a copy of a questionnaire from the Voluntary and Community Sector Assembly Board. The results of the survey should provide information that will help the Board identify any common issues that may need to be addressed and communicated at both the local and regional levels. Please return completed questionnaires to me using the contact details below.
Impact of the Recession VCS Questionnaire (276.5KB)
Mental Health First Aid Training Now Available
South Shropshire Furniture Scheme is now offering Mental Health First Aid Training. Telephone 01584 877751 or email gill@furniturescheme.co.uk.
Criminal Justice Network Opportunity
South Shropshire Furniture Scheme has been invited by West Mercia Probation Trust to investigate developing a network of voluntary sector organisations across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin that provide, or are interested in providing, services in the criminal justice field and in offender management. Email: mikejones@furniturescheme.co.uk
Lay members needed for the Shropshire Safeguarding Children Board
Shropshire Safeguarding Children's Board (SSCB) is seeking two lay members from local voluntary and community groups. If you are interested in taking on the role on behalf of the VCS Assembly and wider sector please register your interest with Elaine Griffiths, email elaine.griffiths@shropshire.gov.uk.
Volunteer Champions Wanted!
Shropshire Infrastructure Partnership and the Community Council of Shropshire are looking for local Volunteer Champions. Please contact Steve on 01743 237877 or email steve.jones@shropshire-rcc.org.uk
Funding
Lottery offers green grants to West Midlands
For information on BIG's Community Wildlife funding programme visit: http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/prog_community_wildlife
Shropshire Museums Development Project, Small Grants Scheme
To find out more email the Museums Development Officer at Shropshire Council. Email:judith.karena@shropshire.gov.uk
Grants available through Shropshire Community Recycling Network 2010-2011
Please contact Rosemary Collie, SCRL Co-ordinator. Telephone. 07792 687903. Email: rosemary@furniturescheme.co.uk.
Events
An Introduction to Social Impact Measurement - 16 July (am), Birmingham
Contact Iftikar Karim or Mike Swain 01902 556679.
Get involved in the new Advisory Board for Children's Centres!
If you are interested in getting involved please contact Elaine Griffiths by email: elaine.griffiths@shropshire.gov.uk or by phone on 01743 252275 (please leave a message with Donna Ball on 01743 252767 if Elaine is out of the office).
Consultations
Ideas sought on making government data more useful
The Stationery Office, has created the OpenUp challenge, looking for ideas of how to make government data more accessible, from school league tables to crime statistics or public transport availability. The best idea will get a £50,000 development fund. Ideas by 29th October. See: http://www.tso.co.uk/openup
Charity risk management survey 2010
Charity Finance Directors' Group and PKF Accountants have launched their ninth annual charity risk survey. This year 'Managing Risk: moving towards the vision' aims to explore the impact of charity managers' approaches to planning, the assumptions made and recent lessons learned. Start at http://www.pkf.co.uk/riskssurvey
Changes in allocation of national lottery funds (from VolResource)
The new government proposes to change to the share of money allocated from the National Lottery. Each of the arts, heritage and sport good causes would increase to 20 per cent, with the Big Lottery Fund receiving the remaining 40 per cent and focusing its support exclusively on the voluntary and community sectors. Deadline for comments 21st August. News item at: http://www.culture.gov.uk/news/media_releases/7064.aspx
or go direct to http://www.culture.gov.uk/consultations/7070.aspx.
Got a good news story, job advert or idea you want to share with others? Let me know!
With best wishes
Sarah
Sarah Dodds
VCS Assembly Coordinator and Compact Officer
sarah.dodds@shropshire.gov.uk
Telephone 01743 252740