Empowering the Voluntary Sector – One day workshop
on 15th July 2009
A one day workshop exploring how to use the principles of public law to
challenge unjust and unfair decision making by public bodies. The workshop will be on 15th July
at the Professional Development Centre, Kilham’s Way, King’s
Lynn.
Many organisations find it difficult to balance the need to work with
public bodies and to challenge unfair practice, the Empowering the Voluntary
Sector workshops delivered by NAVCA provides clear information and guidance to
help you to make appropriate challenges.
So far the project has trained nearly 700 people from Third Sector
Organisations to use the principles of Public Law. Those who have attended found the day to be both
an enjoyable and interactive learning experience.
“Very good course,
the resource will be excellent as a reference source”
“I found the
training very effective and enjoyable and would recommend it to anyone,
colleagues and other organisations alike”
“Excellent value
for money”
The workshop costs
£40 per person and includes the resource pack, lunch and VAT. The day runs from
9.15am to 4.15pm, with the workshop starting at 9.30am prompt. If you wish to attend please contact Terry
Perkins, Public Law Training Officer at NAVCA via direct telephone line 0114
289 3972 or email terry.perkins@navca.org.uk. Alternatively you can download from the NAVCA
website, www.navca.org.uk/evs follow the page to ‘A national programme
of workshops’ and go to ‘please book using the Empowering the voluntary sector
workshop booking form’.
A New Forum for West Norfolk
Responses from our last survey indicated a wish to set up a forum which
would bring colleagues together. We have booked a room at the
Professional Development Centre in Kilham's Way, King's Lynn for the
morning on 21st September 2009 to hold the first meeting.
A This will be a
chance for discussion about many issues that may be impacting upon your
organisation or that you want to share with others. It will be an
opportunity to network with others in the sector, exchange views and
information. We would like to hear from you if you have any suggestions
of topics which could be of interest to colleagues and that you don’t feel are
covered at other meetings you attend.
If you would like
to attend this meeting please reserve a place by contacting Kate at WNVCA on
01553 760568 or email kate@westnorfolkvca.org.
Recession Toolkit for Trustee’s
The Charity Commission has
published a toolkit, in the form of a checklist, enabling trustee’s to examine
and review their practices, in light of the current economic climate according
to the Charity Commission this
checklist “reflects a good practice approach which charities should use to
regularly review the way they operate”. As the CC state, this is particularly
pertinent during a “downturn”. For further information and a detailed breakdown
of the list visit, www.charity-commission.gov.uk/tcc/ccnews29check.asp
Community Transport
Operations in or from West NorfolkCommunity Transport in West Norfolk
is provided though a combination of minibus (Dial-a-bus) and (Community) car
operations. Please find below a brief
outline – more details will be available from the WNVCA website at
www.westnorfolkvca.org.
West Norfolk Community
Transport Project (WNCTP) Services
Dial-a-bus: A pre-bookable door to door service for people
with mobility problems, including the disabled, frail and the elderly. It
operates weekly from villages throughout West Norfolk taking passengers into
the towns of Hunstanton, King’s Lynn, Ely, Downham Market, Bury St Edmunds, Brandon, Fakenham and
Thetford. The passengers are collected from their door or specified collection
point and taken into the towns, from whence they are collected for the return
journey. These journeys involve collection from the ‘home’ address to the
destination in the morning and a return journey in the afternoon.
WNCTP has vehicles available for hire by local groups who
must be members of WNCTP and may also use their own drivers providing they have
attained the relevant requirements.
WNCTP also operates a community car service throughout West
Norfolk called ‘Well Being’ which takes
people from anywhere to anywhere they need to go to, with some journeys going
as far as Cambridge and Skegness.
King’s Lynn has its own daily Dial-a-bus services which
operates between 9am and 4.30pm covering The Woottons, North & South Lynn, West Lynn, Gaywood and Fairstead. Again this is a door to
door service and journeys take people to/from the hospital, GP/dentist
surgeries and social.
If you would like to discuss in more detail than please
contact West Norfolk
Community Transport on 01553 776971 and Dial-a-bus service on 01553 770310.
New Appointment
The Prime Minister
has appointed Angela Smith as the Minister for the Office of the Third Sector.
This includes working with voluntary and community groups, social enterprises,
charities, cooperatives and mutuals. On her appointment, Angela said, "I am proud to take up the role as
Minister for the Third Sector. As a member and patron of several third sector
organisations I know the vital role that charities, voluntary groups and social
enterprises can play in rebuilding the economy.
Not only does the good work of the sector improve the lives of the most
disadvantaged and under-privileged people in our society, but it allows people
to give something back. Volunteering, giving, and working selflessly for others
has the power to connect lives and unite communities like nothing else. As a Government we need to ensure that the right advice, support and financing is available
to make this happen. I will drive forward the Government's support for a
thriving third sector, and champion the innovative and dedicated work of those
of you who serve in the sector."
Nominations for the vinspired National Awards are now open!
Lucky
winners will get to attend a glitzy awards ceremony at the Indigo 02 in London, in November, so
what are you waiting for, nominate someone today!
The closing
date for nominations date is 17th August 2009.
The Vetting & Barring Scheme
There have been many questions asked recently as to what the
Vetting & Barring Scheme is. Below are a few answers from the Home
Vetting & Safeguarding Policy Unit.
What is the Vetting & Barring Scheme?
New, improved checking and monitoring scheme aiming
to prevent unsuitable people from working or volunteering with children
and/or vulnerable adults.
The Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) is a new Non Department
Public Body
(NDPB) which will decide who is ‘barred’ from working with these groups.
Sponsored by the Home Office and support by DCSF and DH.
When it is coming into force?
The Vetting & Barring Scheme goes live on 12th October 2009.New entrants
to the workforce and those moving jobs will be the first to go through
the scheme.
Members of the existing workforce will be phased into the scheme over a
five year period.
Who does the scheme extend to?
Paid workers
Volunteers
Current workforce
Including workers from overseas
How much will it cost?
Individuals in paid employment will pay £64 when
applying for registration with the scheme.
There is no discount on this one-off application fee but in most cases a
CRB Enhanced
Disclosure will be included in the initial registration process.
Those involved only in unpaid voluntary activity will pay no application
fee.
Obviously these are just some of your questions answered – no doubt you
have many more as this is a very important scheme. WNVCA are looking to
host a question and answers workshop with a representative from the Home
Office – Vetting & Safeguarding Policy Unit.
If you are interested in attending this workshop please notify Kate
at WNVCA via email at
kate@westnorfolkvca.org or telephone 01553 760568.
Making Your Day - Opportunities
Funded By Adult Social Services for Older People and People with Physical or
Sensory Impairments
A workshop on future funding is being held on July 21st
2009 from 10am to 4pm at South Green Park Enterprise Centre, Matishall,
Dereham NR20 3JY
This workshop is for People who receive
services/Carers/Providers/ Commissioners to discuss How - and how much - should
Adult Social Services (ASSD) fund services such as lunch clubs for people with
low level needs who are not eligible for funding from ASSD.
What are the possible impacts of changes in funding for
services for people funded by ASSD due to personalisation (where people have
more choice) and what are the potential solutions? Refreshments and lunch are provided
Work Shop Format will consist of a morning session on
Preventative Services from 10am to 12.30pm - Low level needs which includes
people who do not meet ASSD eligibility criteria e.g. lunch clubs. Lunch will be served from 12.30pm to 1.30pm. The afternoon session will be on Personal
Budgets and Day Opportunities from 1.30pm to 4.00pm. Higher levels of needs, which includes people
who do meet ASSD eligibility criteria e.g. day centres. The aims of the workshop are to understand
what the issues are, what a new funding system might look like. Based on this, an action plan needs be
constructed.
Binvolved with
Vinvolved
The Norfolk Vinvolved
team have joined up with Natural England to offer young volunteers
(16-25yrs) the opportunity to undertake some maintenance tasks on the
Dersingham Nature Reserve. Volunteers
can assist with repairing walk ways, building terraces and replacing barge
boards to promote and protect the heath land.
Volunteers will be welcomed on site at 10am; transport to and from the
nature reserve will be arranged from central locations. They anticipate leaving the site at
3.30pm.
Trusts expect to give less this year, says
Association of Charitable Foundations
Survey finds more than half of charitable trusts expect to cut their
grant-making this year, according to a survey of its members carried out last
month by the Association of Charitable Foundations, 51% of those who answered
questions about future grant-making said they expected it to fall in their next
financial year. Only 10% said they expected it to increase, 36% said they
expected it to fall next year as well, compared with only 19% expecting an
increase. However, the long-term outlook
is more optimistic. For the period of three years and beyond, 21% said they
expected their grant-making to fall, but 45% said they intended to increase
it. The report also found that 75% of
organisations had seen a significant decrease in investment value over the past
12 months.
David
Emerson, chief executive of the ACF, said that foundations were
"cautiously optimistic" over the long term. "Trusts and foundations exercise very
prudent financial controls and plan for the long term, and it is clear that
this has enabled many of them to lessen the impact of the downturn," said Mr
Emerson. "For the most part, it is business as usual, and things are
looking brighter over the longer term.” In
total, 95 charities responded to the survey, a third of the ACF's membership.
Comic Relief defies recession with
record-breaking £80m
Despite the
recession there is still some good news.
Celebrities and retail tie-ins boosted the final fundraising total of
Comic Relief with the amount raised being a record £80m this year. The amount
is a sizeable increase on previous events which raised £67m in 2007 and £65m in
2005. The total included more than £11m through the sale of red noses at
supermarket chain Sainsbury's.
Queen Elizabeth Trust Seeks New Non
Executive Director
The appointments
commission is advertising for this position. They are particularly seeking
someone who has a comprehensive experience or understanding of financial
systems/reporting and governance such as strategic planning and performance
management. If you are interested,
contact the recruitment centre on 0870 240
3802 Ref E9772. Closing date is 29th July 2009.
