9th August 2011
VCS Assembly News Update 9 August (Issue 69)
In this issue:
1. News
2. Dates for Your Diary
3. Funding News
4. Consultations
5. Compact
6. Career Opportunities
7. Important Reminders
1. News
VCS Assembly launches new email
The VCS Assembly Coordinator has been receiving an increasingly high volume of emails. The vast number of emails received each day means it has been difficult to deal with all enquires quickly. Many apologies if you have been affected by this. Please telephone 01743 252740 if you need support with any issues or have any unresolved queries. In order to address this problem a new email address has been set up that may be monitored by others (support has been drawn in
from the Council's Partnership Team). The new email address is: VCSAssembly@shropshire.gov.uk
News from CInCH
In line with the Government changes to the Health & Social Care Bill, CInCH - The Shropshire LINk, has applied in partnership with Shropshire Council to become a HealthWatch Pathfinder for Shropshire. CInCH is pleased to announce this has been granted and as of the 1st August 2011 CInCH has become HealthWatch Pathfinder for Shropshire.
Shropshire's Community Directory
Is your organisation or group listed on Shropshire's Community Directory? If not, consider joining. The Shropshire Community Directory is a comprehensive database of up-to-date, county-wide information on community groups, clubs, societies and organisations. It is regularly being updated and improved on. It includes over 2,500 entries and:
Details of leisure activites, clubs and societies
- Advice on getting a grant or just finding the right benefits
- Guidance and support on a wide range of health and social care issues for you, a friend or a loved one
- Community news and local websites with what's happening in and around your local area
- Inspiration on finding a new hobby or just pointing you in the right direction to meet other people who share the same interests
- A start on a journey to researching the local history of your home, village or family
- A helping hand to a club or society struggling to get new members by giving your group a chance to have a voice or presence on the World Wide Web
Follow the link 'adding or amending an entry' if your group or organisation is not yet listed. To find out more visit:
http://www.shropshire.gov.uk/library.nsf/open/6CA9F33AA52819EB80257751004F07D1
Osyteers - Volunteering in Oswestry
A new organisation is being established in Oswestry to encourage community spirit and to get people helping each other. The 'Osyteers' organisation will be formally launched in September and needs more volunteers to join. The organisation is a volunteering body that aims to help vulnerable people with small but vital practical tasks like basic maintenance, retuning digital TVs for elderly people, light gardening as well as advice on challenging bills,
junk mail, or just sitting and talking to people. The organiser, Mike Lade, recognises that importance of social contact and building relationships within a community, he highlights the benefits for the volunteers as well as the people they help. Mike plans to develop the organisation to get involved in urban clean-up and conservation projects, as well as identifying other volunteering opportunities in the local area. In order to complement existing activity Osyteers is working with
Qube, Oswestry Commuity Action, Rotary and others. If you would like to get involved or would like to find out more contact Mike Lade on 01691 650854 or email osyteers@yahoo.co.uk.
Shropshire Disability Network (SDN) offers V Festival Tickets
Shropshire Disability Network (SDN) has been provided with tickets for the V Festival for someone with a disability, plus a companion. The Festival is at Weston Park the weekend of 20 August and SDN wants to give people the chance to enter the draw for the tickets. If you know someone who has a disability, particularly a younger person who may love the chance to go to the V Festival, please pass the details on to them. If they are not a member of
SDN, all they have to do is visit the Shropshire Disability Network website www.shropshire-disability.net, click on the link to the V Festival and follow the instructions to register. They will need to put in the invitation code detailed on the webpage (VFEST2011) into the registration form, and that will automatically enter them for the draw. Contact Val Lewis, Membership Secretary,
email membership@shropshire-disability.net with name, address, telephone number and confirmation of a disability and Val will entre names into the draw. If you don't have email, ring Val on 01948 840726 and leave the same information on her answer phone.
SND - August Newsletter Published
Shropshire Disability Network has published its newsletter for August. See:
http://shropshire-disability.net/9501/yourvoice-newsletter-august-2011/
HES Open Eco Homes
On 9 & 10 July twenty eight householders opened their doors for an Open Eco Homes weekend organised by Bishop's Castle's Household Energy Service. The houses covered a wide area from Gravels Bank area north of Bishops Castle down to Presteigne by way of Montgomery, Clun, Leintwardine and Knighton, and visitors used the leaflet and interactive website to target their visits and find out about specific technologies and simple practical solutions from
the people who have found out what works for themselves. Over 320 visitors made a total of nearly 740 visits to the various properties, and feedback indicates that they found the event "Inspiring, fun and much to learn" and "A great opportunity to see working evidence of eco housing". Visitors and householders both enjoyed the weekend and learnt a great deal from each other! Information about the houses and the energy saving measures they have taken are
available on the HES website. Visit www.h-e-s.org and follow the link to the Open Eco Homes pages, where you will also find facts and figures about some of these measures, supplied by the householders themselves.
Beechtree Community Centre - latest newsletter
The Beechtree Community Centre has published its newsletter and a copy is attached.
For more information about the work of the Beechtree Community Centre contact Penny Beddoes, Project Assistant, Tel: 01948 666612. Fore more information visit the website:
http://www.beechtreecentre.org/
newsletter Jul '11 (553.86KB)
Rockspring Summer Scheme
A copy of the Rockspring Community Centre's Summer Scheme Poster is attached. For more information contact Maria Darcy. Email: maria@furniturescheme.co.uk.
rockspring summer scheme flyer- (592.23KB)
DCLG Publishes Community Right to Challenge Response
The Department for Communities and Local Government published consultation Proposals to introduce a Community Right to Challenge on 4 February. The consultation closed on 3 May and received 206 responses. Shropshire submitted a joint response from Shropshire Council and Shropshire VCS Assembly. A national summary of consultation responses was published on 2 August. A copy can be found on the DCLG website at:http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/localgovernment/righttochallengeresponses
National Report on Spending Cuts
A recent national report suggests that charities in the UK are set to lose £2.8bn over the spending review period from 2011-2015. For more information see:
http://www.publicsectorexecutive.com/dataview/News/News_Article.aspx?location=home&KeyValue=2361&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Public+Sector+Executive&utm_campaign=PSE+E-Newsletter+Aug+11+Wk2&utm_content=Charities-face-3-billion-cuts&dm_i=IJU,HXJ2,2LK82W,1GHQD,1
More information is available at:
http://falseeconomy.org.uk/blog/exclusive-more-than-2000-charities-and-community-groups-face-cuts
Charity Commission finds advantages in consortium working (from VolResource)
The Charity Commission has published a new research report 'Consortia for the delivery of public services: the issues for small and medium-sized charities'. This is based on studies of five diverse consortia, and finds that working this way helps charities increase their access to funding and build capacity through peer support and sharing resources and experience. News item at:
http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/RSS/News/pr_consortia.aspx
http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/Publications/rs26_consort.aspx.
Legal, governance and finance resources
Co-operatives UK, in partnership with Making Food Local, has created a suite of resources to provide community enterprises financial, legal and governance support. The three publications have Flash and pdf versions and there are two tools which require registration first: an online select-a-structure tool and an online governance audit. See: http://www.uk.coop/simplyseries
2. Dates for Your Diary
SIP Launches Summer/Autumn 2001 Training Programme
Shropshire Infrastructure Partnership has launched its training programme for the Summer and Autumn. A copy is attached. For more information about SIP visit the website:
http://www.shropshirevcs.org.uk/
1597 Training Programme (2729.75KB)
Understanding Impact one day training
Tue, 27/09/2011 - 10:00
Venue: NCVO, London N1
Booking deadline: Thursday 8 September 2011
Your organisation exists to make a lasting difference. But how can you demonstrate this difference convincingly? In an increasingly difficult operating environment, communicating your impact is more important than ever. For details and how to book visit:
http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/impacttrainingsep2011
Introduction to sustainable funding
Tue, 20/09/2011 - 14:00
A half day workshop for those new to the ideas and concepts of sustainable funding
Venue: NCVO, London
For details and how to book visit:
http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/training-events/funding-finance/introduction-sustainable-funding
3. Funding News
West Midlands Low Carbon Economy Programme
MEA has recently won a significant amount of funding to deliver the Community Strand of the West Midlands Low Carbon Economy Programme, and is partnering with Localise West Midlands. The funding runs until December 2011 and will help third sector and community groups from across the region develop sustainable energy projects and install renewable technologies. There is £30k to allocate between up to 12 community / third sector organisations
(providing around 5-10 days of tailored support per project). 3 documents are attached:
1. A flyer containing an overview of the Low Carbon Economy Programme - there are several strands running at the same time, mostly with a local authority focus. We have the lead on the community renewables strand.
2. A flyer with particulars of the community renewables/ sustainable energy strand. There are also opportunities for mentor training to spread this work more widely, and the pot of £30k for practical tailored support for the 12 groups.
3. An application form to apply for a slice of the £30k. We are running this as a competition.
If this of interest get in touch with Simon Ross on 01743 277106 - simon@mea.org.uk
Programme_flyer_110624 (987.69KB)
Community_strand_flyer_ (982.84KB)
Community_Strand_Application_for_Support (823.5KB)
Homelessness Transition Fund Launched
The Department for Communities and Local Government has launched a £20 million fund to tackle homelessness in England. Grants of up to grants of £250,000 are available to protect and enhance essential services for single homeless people. Grants will also be awarded to support the introduction of the Government's rough sleeping strategy 'Vision to end rough sleeping: No Second Night Out nationwide'. The fund will be administered by Homeless
Link, the umbrella body for homelessness charities, and will award £20 million over the next three years.The fund is open to voluntary sector organisations including the following:
Registered charities.
Community interest companies.
Social enterprises.
Industrial and provident societies.
The deadline for applications is 30 September 2011. See:
http://www.homeless.org.uk/fund
Latest Funding News Published
Gary Spence has published the latest Funding Bulletin. It is attached and includes information on:
- Astley Church Bell Project (HLF funded)
- Connecting Shropshire (campaign update)
- Sky Arts Ignition: Futures Fund (bridging the gap between full time education and becoming a career artist)
- Education Endowment Fund (for projects that aim to raise attainment in schools that fall below the Government's floor targets)
- LandAid - Capital (funding for facilities used by young people in disadvantaged areas)
- LandAid - Revene (funding for activities around education and training for disadvantage young people)
- Be the Boss (business grants for ex servicemen and women - now without restrictions on when they left the forces)
Third sector organisations invited to sub-contract with Sarina Russo
Sarina Russo Job Access will be submitting tenders for the DWP ESF programme in the West Midlands. They are looking for third sector subcontractors who are already working in the region, have some premises and/or staff capacity, and have existing links with both the communities in which the programme will operate and with the local authorities.
Full details of the services Sarina Russo is looking to subcontract, and the process to register your interest is available at: http://www.tsen.org.uk/
New initiative launched - CommunityForce
CommunityForce aims to support local charities and groups in the great work they do. It is a Natwest led initiative that will be providing three community projects in each area with awards of £6,000. The community itself will be invited to choose which projects most deserve to benefit. This initiative offers more than just financial support; it is about connecting people to good causes. NatWest will be volunteering staff time and expertise to the groups you feel
most deserve it and supporting others to volunteer their time to help. If you know a local charity or group that really deserves to benefit from £6,000, or some willing volunteers, simply forward on this email or ask them to register (by 4th September 2011) at: http://www.natwest.com/communityforce
Future help for sector in England to prepare for enterprise
The UK government has announced a ten million pounds 'Investment and Contract Readiness Fund' to help charities and social enterprises develop the skills and infrastructure to win more capital investment and public service contracts, over 3 years from April 2012. Cabinet Office news item:
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/news/%C2%A310million-kick-start-big-society-public-services
Funding news provided by Gary Spence, External Funding Officer at Shropshire Council and the West Midlands European Network.
4. Consultations
Current Shropshire Council Consultations
All Shropshire Council led consultations taking place are listed on the Shropshire Council website.
- Live life: your way - adult social care consultation
- Education for Shropshire - consultation next steps
- Review of Polling Districts, Places and Stations - ends 5/8/11
- Review of Oswestry parish boundaries - consultation ends 15/9/11
- Homelessness Strategy - consultation ends 30/09/11
- Traffic Regulation Orders - ongoing
- Joint Housing Strategy consultation - ends 30/09/11
For details of Shropshire Council consultations visit:
www.shropshire.gov.uk/consultations
For PCT consultations visit:
http://www.shropshire.nhs.uk/Get-Involved/Current-consultations/
Time to scrap the patient records database?
The £7bn national database of NHS patients' care records is not fit for purpose and the government should consider scrapping it, the Public Accounts Committee has said. A consultation poll has been launched to obtain public opinion. See: http://www.publicservice.co.uk/default.asp
Views sought on state of sector independence (from VolResource)
The Panel on the Independence of the Voluntary Sector, set up by the Baring Foundation, published its first consultation report. It invites views and evidence to feed into a report on the state of independence to be published later this year as the first of five annual reports. A key proposal is the creation of a "barometer" of independence. See news release for more background at: http://www.independencepanel.org.uk/pressrelease14july2011
Responses by 21st September: http://www.independencepanel.org.uk
5. Compact
Compact Voice Reports on Cuts
Compact Voice has published information on the cuts made to voluntary and community organisations across England. Compact Voice obtained information using Freedom of Information requests issued to all local authorities. To see the results of their research follow the link below:
http://www.compactvoice.org.uk/cutsdata
What future for the Compact and volunteering research?
The latest bulletin from ARVAC, the 'community action through research' organisation, has a number of interesting articles. Colin Rochester and Meta Zimmeck write under the title 'The Compact: We've lost it!', and other pieces include 'Exploring the future of volunteering research' and 'Learning from the Big Society conversation: a return to community action?' http://files.arvac.org.uk/bulletin/arvacbulletin115.pdf.
Government Red Tape Challenge
The government's Red Tape Challenge, launched to encourage the public to help cut 'unnecessary regulations' was recently focussed on the Equality Act. The Government Equalities Office launched an engagement exercise allowing the public to comment on whether they believed any provisions in the Equality Act were too bureaucratic or burdensome. Compact Voice wrote to the Government Equality Office (GEO) after a meeting of the Equality and Diversity Forum,
passing on concerns expressed by forum members. In particular, assurance was sought that any proposed changes resulting from this exercise would be subject to a full and comprehensive consultation. Compact Voice stated that current engagement activities must not be undertaken in place of, or at the expense of, such consultation. Compact Voice also sought assurance that the GEO would continue to follow the principles of the Compact when consulting, and included a copy of our the
guidance on meaningful engagement. Compact Voice has now received a response. It states that the Red Tape Challenge is not a formal consultation, but aims to be a crowdsourcing exercise to generate ideas about how to tackle excessive red tape. It emphasises that their questions do not indicate an intention to remove legislation or regulatory measures, however the letter also states that there will be further opportunities for consultation on any de-regulatory measures the
government proposes to enact. For more information, including a copy of the respose, see:
http://www.compactvoice.org.uk/redtape
Shropshire VCS Assembly Updates available
Compact working is still going well in Shropshire and the partnership groups established to tackle priority issues are meeting bi-monthly. To encourage influence from all VCS Assembly members, all meeting papers are published on the internet. See the latest update:
http://shrop.net/2shropnet/AToZOfMini-sites/V/VoluntaryCommunitySectorAssembly/PartnershipWork2011
If you would like to become a Compact Champion please email me, Sarah Dodds, sarah.dodds@shropshire.gov.uk or telephone 01743 252740.
Have you got a Compact story? Email sarah.dodds@shropshire.gov.uk and share it with others.
6. Career Opportunities
Not this time.
More career opportunities are advertised on the Shropshire Infrastructure Partnership website. Visit: www.ShropshireVCS.org.uk
7. Important Reminders
News Items
VCS Assembly Recession Survey - REMINDER
Since 2009 the VCS Assembly Board has led work to monitor the impact of the recession and undertaken an annual survey. It is really important to communicate current issues and pressures and I would be very grateful for your input. Please complete on-line:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/impactoftherecession
Public Services Whitepaper Published
The Open Public Services White Paper was published on the 11 July.
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/open-public-services-white-paper
The National Survey of Charities and Social Enterprises
The Cabinet Office has published the results from the survey carried out last Autumn and Winter.
http://www.nscsesurvey.com/
£10m Investment and Contract Readiness Programme Announced
In an open letter on the Cabinet Office website, civil society minister Nick Hurd has announced a new £10m Investment and Contract-Readiness Fund designed to help civil society organisations become ready for new forms of social investment and new levels of public service contracting.
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/
New report indicates that forming consortia improves charities' prospects
Research by the Charity Commission indicates that charities can benefit in a variety of ways from working as consortia.
http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/Publications/rs26_consort.aspx#1
Cheques to continue until 2018 (from VolResource)
The Payments Council has announced that cheques will continue for as long as customers need them and the target for possible closure of the cheque clearing in 2018 has been cancelled.
http://www.paymentscouncil.org.uk/media_centre/press_releases/-/page/1575/
Funding
Transforming Infrastructure Support
BIG Fund (the non-Lottery arm of the BIG Lottery) has a programme that could allow applications for funding of up to £400,000 per upper tier local authority area over a maximum of eighteen months. Only one application per upper tier local authority area will be allowed and it is hoped that a cross sector application can be made in Shropshire. Fore more information see:
http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/prog_transforming_local_infrastructure
CAF launches new social investment fund
The Charities Aid Foundation has launched a new social investment fund, the CAF Social Impact Fund, where people can invest their "charitable capital" to provide loans for charities. https://www.cafonline.org/my.../social.../caf-social-impact-fund.aspx
IMPACT Awards 2011
The IMPACT Awards have been running since 1997 and are designed to recognise and reward charities that are doing excellent work to improve people's health.
http://www.kingsfund.org.uk/current_projects/gsk_impact_awards/
Events
Transformation of Adult Social Care - Live Life: Your Way
The way adult social care services are developed and delivered is changing and Shropshire Council is asking for your help to make change locally. A series of events are being held across Shropshire, throughout the summer, giving you the opportunity to share your views and experiences, helping to develop the best range of services for the people of our county. They will be held on the following dates:
- Bridgnorth Leisure Centre 18 August - 1:30-4:00
- Whitchurch Leisure Centre 22 August 1:30-4:00
- Ludlow Food Centre 24 August - 1:30-4:00
- Feedback Event, Council Chamber, Shirehall, Shrewsbury 23 September- 9:30-12:00
Email: livelifeyourway@shropshire.gov.uk
Phone: 0345 678 9005
Facebook: Go to www.facebook.com and search for: Shropshire:livelfeyourway
Twitter: Go to www.twitter.com and search for: @livelifeyourway
Post: Live Life - Your Way, Shropshire Council, Assessment & Eligibility, Ptarmigan, Sitka Drive, Shrewsbury Business Park, Shrewsbury, SY2 6LG.
WMEN Training Programme, Summer 2011
For information on all courses see:
http://www.wmeuronet.co.uk/training/training-programme-2011/
Demonstrating impact - what it's all about
One day 10am - 4pm
Tuesday 11 October at Reviive, Unit 4, Knight's Park, Battlefield Enterprise Park, Shrewsbury SY1 3AB
Contact rosemary@furniturescheme.co.uk or rosemarycollie@yahoo.com
NCVO Trustee Conference - 31 October 2011
Booking for the VCVO conference has now opened.
Visit: www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/trusteeconference2011 or contact Sue Beckett on 020 7520 3153, susan.beckett@ncvo-vol.org.uk
NCVO/VSSN Researching the Voluntary Sector Conference 2011
7 and 8 September 2011
See the following web page for details and how to book. http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/researchconf11#what
Trustees' Week 2011
This year's event will run from 31st October to 6th November. See Charity Commission news item at: http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/RSS/News/pr_trustees_2011.aspx.
Consultations
Current Shropshire Council Consultations
All Shropshire Council led consultations taking place are listed on the Shropshire Council website. Consultations included in the last newsletter were:
- Live life: your way - adult social care consultation (as mentioned above)
- Education for Shropshire - consultation next steps
- Local Transport Plan - consultation ends 29/07/11
- Review of Polling Districts, Places and Stations - ends 5/8/11
- Review of Oswestry parish boundaries - consultation ends 15/9/11
- Homelessness Strategy - consultation ends 30/09/11
- Traffic Regulation Orders - ongoing
For details of all the consultations visit: www.shropshire.gov.uk/consultations
Government plans on opening public services (see News item above)
The government published its White Paper on reforming public services, titled 'Open Public Services', on Monday (11th July). It contains a number of "questions for consultation", and there is also a consultation website at: http://www.openpublicservices.cabinetoffice.gov.uk. The deadline appears to be "the middle of September".
Compact
Shropshire used as National Case Study
Compact working in Shropshire has been highlighted as a national good practice case study.
http://www.compactvoice.org.uk/resources/compact-work/elected-members-take-lead-shropshire
As usual please send details of any events, news items and other opportunities you would like to share with others.
Best wishes
Sarah Dodds
VCS Assembly Coordinator
Telephone 01743 252740 Email: VCSAssembly@shropshire.gov.uk
Website: www.2shrop.net/shropvcsassembly