Bulletin Contents - 2 September 2009

Amber Trust: Support Worker Vacancy in High Peak Area

Company Charities' Audit Frequently Asked Questions

Time Off for Employee Representatives

Vetting and Barring Scheme Info Resources

Basic Legal Advice by Web and Email

Refashioning the Code of Good Governance

Proposals for a Social Investment Wholesale Bank

Impact of the Recession on Local Third Sector Organisations

Help with Community Energy Projects

Effective Community Action on the Loss of Rural Services

Engaging Young People in Your Community Organisation

Working Together to Deliver Public Services: Real Life Stories

New Online Sector Discussion Site

Knowledge Sharing Tools and Methods

Amber Trust: Support Worker Vacancy in High Peak Area

£17,237 rising to £18,043 pa (full-time 37½ hours per week) + generous contributory pension scheme

Amber Trust is a social care charity that aims to promote mental wellbeing by providing professional support services to adults with mental ill health, enabling them to live successfully in their local communities.

We have provided our services for over 30 years in Derbyshire, and we are seeking a dedicated individual to join our team in the High Peak area.

We are looking for a confident and capable person to join our operational services team.  You will provide housing related support to people recovering from mental health problems in their own homes.

You will have:

• a strong desire to make a positive difference to someone’s life;
• a real commitment to person centred recovery focused support;
• excellent communication skills;
• ability to promote independence and opportunities for the people we support;
• a flexible approach to work; and
• use of own transport.

You will have the ability to relate well to people, to understand the difficulties people with mental ill health may face and be able to support them in finding positive ways forward.  Previous work experience in the field of health and social care is desirable.

More detailed information about this post will be sent out with application packs.

To request an application pack, please visit www.ambertrust.co.uk

Alternatively, contact us on 01773 599599, email debsm@ambertrust.co.uk or write to Deborah Maddocks, Suite 4A, East Mill, Bridge Foot, Belper  DE56 2UA

Closing date: 9.30 am on Friday 11 September 2009.
Interview date: Wednesday 23 September 2009 in Buxton.

This post is subject to an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check.
No CVs, no agencies, no canvassers.
Registered charity no. 1070210

Company Charities' Audit Frequently Asked Questions

A Question and Answer pack on the issues most frequently raised with the Charity Commission on 'Audit and examination of company charities' has been produced.  This includes audit exemption under the Companies Act, the audit or independent examination of company charities and the audit of group accounts prepared by company charities.  www.charitycommission.gov.uk/supportingcharities/auditqanda.asp

Time Off for Employee Representatives

Acas, the employment relations body, has agreed two new guides providing further information on the subject of time off for employee representatives to complement its new Code of Practice on time off for trade union duties and activities.  They cover both trade union representation and non-union representation.  Available in pdf format (only at present) at www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=2391

Vetting and Barring Scheme Info Resources

If you are involved in communicating the upcoming changes on vetting employees and volunteers who work with children and vulnerable people, you may want to check the resources available at www.isa-gov.org.uk/toolkit/.  Produced by the Independent Safeguarding Authority, there are posters and email inserts (pdf/jpg formats but 'zipped' for download) for volunteers, groups not used to CRB checking/registering employees, and groups that are.  Note: Scotland has a separate, but similar, scheme.

Basic Legal Advice by Web and Email

A new web-based system has been created to provide brief legal information in response to straightforward legal queries, to assist not for profit organisations and individuals who cannot afford to pay for solicitors privately.  Initial Electronic Advice is run by LawWorks (the operating name for the Solicitors Pro Bono Group) in partnership with advice agencies and voluntary sector umbrella bodies.  www.lawworksiea.org.uk (Source: WCVA Trustee News)

Refashioning the Code of Good Governance

A consultation on "refashioned principles" for the voluntary and community sector Code of Good Governance, published in 2005, has opened.  The Code is intended to be a practical and easy-to-use guide to help charities develop good practice.  The steering group for the revision includes Charity Trustee Networks, NCVO, ACEVO, and ICSA, the original Code can be found at www.trusteenet.org.uk/resources/2047 or CTN news item.  

The consultation draft is on the Charity Commission site at www.charitycommission.gov.uk/enhancingcharities/goodgovernance.asp

and the online consultation is at
www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=WwPJWePWtKhvCOGFQ_2fjUwg_3d_3d  

Closing date 24 November.

Proposals for a Social Investment Wholesale Bank

The Office of the Third Sector is consulting on the Social Investment Wholesale Bank, proposed in the Government's Budget 2009.  The consultation document sets out the vision and economic case, and also the design and functions of a potential SIWB.  For information, including details of events to be posted shortly, see OTS consultation page.  Responses by 7 October.

Impact of the Recession on Local Third Sector Organisations

The umbrella body for local sector support organisations NAVCA has published a report on the impact of the recession on the frontline.  It finds that demand for services has increased, especially for financial advice, housing support, employment advice and support on issues relating to domestic violence.  There is also an increase in volunteers and those seeking placements, which is stretching resources to match them with appropriate opportunities.  However the impact varies widely between organisations.  News item with link to 'Crunch Time' report (pdf, a chunky 6.62MB) at www.navca.org.uk/news/crunchtime

Help with Community Energy Projects

The Energy Saving Trust Green Communities service is looking for community groups across the country to host their own Green Communities course, at no charge.  A bespoke course will enable the development of a community energy project and also improve your knowledge of energy issues (for example, conducting energy audits).  To enquire further about Green Communities Partnership Training courses, phone 0844 848 0077 or email greencommunities@est.org.uk or see www.est.org.uk/community

Effective Community Action on the Loss of Rural Services

A new guide describing how the Exchange at Crosthwaite was established and operates illustrates effective community action in the face of the loss of rural services.  It was compiled by the committee of the Exchange with the help of Voluntary Action Cumbria so that other communities can copy their example. 

At www.cumbriaaction.org.uk/what_we_do/page/the_exchange_approach  (Via ACRE news feed)

Engaging Young People in Your Community Organisation

The updated 'Youth Engagement Toolkit' from Community Matters sets out eight simple steps that will help young people take on a bigger role in local projects and groups.  Available for download by community organisations via a short form

Working Together to Deliver Public Services: Real Life Stories

A collection of case studies compiled by NCVO to highlight different approaches that voluntary and community organisations and other providers have used to deliver public services together, www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/index.asp?id=10020#Real_life

New Online Sector Discussion Site

Umbrella body NAVCA has set up a sector discussion forum called navcaboodle, www.navcaboodle.org.uk – "a place for third sector colleagues to network, discuss and share experiences".  It uses the Ning social network platform and requires registration and approval to access most features.  Mainly for those working in sector support given the other forums now acti

Knowledge Sharing Tools and Methods

Michael Gilbert of Nonprofit Online News praises the equal weight a Knowledge Sharing Toolkit wiki, www.kstoolkit.org – places on tools and methods, when there is a danger of being "sucked into one piece of software or a web-based application or one community after another, without context or strategy".  It already includes solid introductions to knowledge sharing methods such as Peer Assists, Storytelling and more familiar ones such as brainstorming.