eNews

Do you know how to get extra support and advice to cope during difficult times? Visit information stands from a range of High Peak organisations including: Citizens Advice Bureau - Housing - Benefits Team - Jobcentre Plus - Energy advice

Also Local event organisers are invited to discuss event arrangements including: Regulations - Insurance – Licensing Road Closures - Advertising

Residents, community groups and businesses - this is YOUR opportunity to have a say in local matters!

If you would like to submit a question, require transport, or have any other special requirements please contact 0845 129 77 77 or 01298 28400 email Policy@highpeak.gov.uk or visit www.highpeak.gov.uk

Volunteering Co-ordinator Vacancy at Buxton VC

(18.5 hours per week) Salary £19,621 pro rata

To co-ordinate, promote and develop volunteering in Buxton and the surrounding areas. Working with both individuals and groups Buxton VC are looking for a person to join their dedicated team. If you have the drive and enthusiasm to shape and develop volunteering then they would like to hear from you.

For details, or an application pack telephone 01298 23970.
Or download from www.buxtonvc.org.uk

Closing date 12 noon 16 November.

Live & Work Rural Senior Officer Vacancy

From £27,052 to £29,236 per year + car allowance (Contract to 30 March 2012)

This is a unique opportunity to help to transform the environmental economy of the Peak District National Park. The Senior Officer will work with individuals, local businesses, community groups and networks to help them develop new products and services, ideally based on the creative use of the high quality environment as a business asset.

You should have a degree or equivalent which you can show is directly relevant to the duties of the post (e.g. Environmental Studies, Business Studies etc) and a sound understanding of sustainable development principles. A minimum of 3 years in each of the following areas is preferred:

relevant experience in a co-ordination and delivery role,
practical experience of negotiation with small businesses to help inspire confidence,
identification of new environmental solutions, working with small businesses and using the natural and cultural environment of an area as a business asset
budget and programme output management.

Conditions of employment include flexible working hours and childcare voucher schemes and an option to join the Local Government (final salary) Pension Scheme.

Information pack online at www.peakdistrict.gov.uk,
or email customer.service@peakdistrict.gov.uk with your postal address
or call 01629 816361.

Closing date: 12 Nov at 4 pm.
Interviews: 19 Nov

Stockport Cerebral Palsy Society Vacancies

In Partnership with Derbyshire County Council

Inte’Great’ Organiser – 10 to 15hrs per week
NJC POINT 20 – 22 £18,270 to £19,427 pro rata
Ref: IG2

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an organiser to develop and deliver a new residential short breaks service for disabled young people. The role will involve arranging and delivering residential short breaks, recruiting volunteers, managing a small staff and volunteer team and forging partnerships within the local authority, private and voluntary sector.

You must possess a full driving licence and be prepared to work flexible hours to include evenings and weekends

Sessional Community Support Workers
NJC POINT 11 – 14 £14,587 TO £15,570 pro rata
Ref: L51

The role would entail supporting children, young people and adults with a range of disabilities in any of the following settings;

1 to 1 support to access provision in the community
Group support alongside peers to undertake leisure interests
Residential short breaks in Derbyshire area
Support in individuals own homes
Any other areas as requested by individuals

You must be prepared to work flexible hours to include evenings and weekends in order to meet individual’s requests.

For an informal discussion regarding any of the posts please contact Geraint Hughes on 0161 494 5771.

Application packs can be obtained from Head Office at Granville House, Heaton Moor. Tel: 0161 432 5252 (24hr answer phone) or email admin@stockportcp.co.uk
Please quote reference number for post you are interested in, as stated above.

Closing date: 12am 23 Nov
Interviews to take place: 9 Dec

LAA VCS Bulletin

The fifth issue of the LAA Bulletin produced specifically for the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) in Derbyshire has been produced by Claire Thornber, 3D Voice for the VCS Project Officer.

The voluntary sector is a partner in the Derbyshire Partnership Forum – the strategic partnership which oversees the delivery of the LAA and is also represented at the thematic partnerships which help it to operate. The Voice project aims to help people understand what is happening there and to give a route to influence it.

This latest LAA Bulletin looks at how the LAA is measured and how organisations contribute to it. Contents: Community Cohesion event; How do we know if the LAA Is working?; Contact your rep; What have National Indicators got to do with me?; How does the LAA money work?; The LAA headlines; How do we all get recognised?

3dsupport.org.uk/Voice_Project

Connexions Derbyshire Teenage Mothers Proposals

Connexions Derbyshire Limited has funds available to enhance and complement the work of organisations which support teenage mothers and invites proposals for activities which help with the achievement of the November 2010 target for 60% of this client group to be in education, employment or training.

The programme can be available on a one to one basis or for a group and can provide accreditation tailored to individual teenage mothers or groups of teenage mothers’ needs.

Priority will be given to organisations who are already delivering services to teenage mothers and you must be able to demonstrate an existing track record of successful engagement and involvement with the target group.

Proposals can be submitted any time before 5pm on 16 December 2009.

If you have any queries contact Carolyn Salt on 01773 570939 or email Carolyn.salt@connexions-derbyshire.org

Volunteer Centre Funding

Justin Davis Smith, the chief executive of Volunteering England , has written to Third Sector Minister Angela Smith expressing his continued disappointment "that the Government has not been able to recognise the vital importance of the recommendation from the Commission on the Future of Volunteering for a fund to support the modernisation and development of local volunteer centres".

www.navca.org.uk/news/volcentrefunding.htm

Regional Equality and Diversity Partnership

After recognising that the East Midlands is the only region without a regional equality partnership, funding has been secured to form the East Midlands Regional Equality and Diversity Partnership (REDP). Carolyn Pascoe will be leading on research across the region.

The project is also appointing four part time equality officers to be based in the different organisations that make up the core partnership, namely LCIL, The Race Equality Centre, Leicester Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Centre and the Council of Faiths.

REDP aims to support Regional Equality organisation around the key equality strands age, disability, gender, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation and transgender status and Human Rights. They are keen to ensure that groups who are usually excluded from discussion on involvement are actively engaged in this process.

Organisations will be able to be involved in this process in a variety of ways including forming part of the wider membership, being involved and consulted on key issues or as recipients of information about key developments within the region. Membership of the core groups will be decided through the involvement of frontline organisations.

It is envisaged that a core group will involve a membership of 25 individuals/organisations. A wider reference group will also form part of this development. Organisations can also choose to be recipients of information provided by the partnership.

www.redp.org.uk

Phase 2 Grants: Real Help for Communities Modernisation Fund

Capacitybuilders has announced the first 32 grant awards – totalling nearly £320,000 - to help organisations who received support under Phase One of the Real Help for Communities: Modernisation Fund, progress their plans for collaboration or merger.

The awards are the first to be made under the second phase of the programme which, to date has offered over 900 £1,000 bursaries to frontline third sector organisations, helping them to explore the benefits of collaboration and merger as a means of becoming more resilient in the face of the economic downturn.

Stephen Dunmore has been appointed as the interim Chair at Capacitybuilders, following Chris Pond's announcement that he would be stepping down from the role.

Importance of Tailor-Made Third Sector Support

Recent research published by Capacitybuilders highlights the importance of identifying the support needs of third sector organisations through effective diagnosis, and avoiding a one-size fits-all approach to support provision. The report also highlights the extent to which smaller or newer groups can benefit from more intensive, regular one-to-one support as they develop and grow.

The research report from Shared Intelligence focuses on exploring whether different types of capacity building support tended to be more effective for particular purposes or groups. It identifies a range of critical factors which contribute to the successful development and growth of smaller third sector organisations.

You can read more by visiting www.improvingsupport.org.uk.

Louder.org.uk

Louder.org.uk is the new home for e-campaigning for people who want to change the world. The free and easy to use site draws together a range of online activist tools enabling you to create and run your own campaigns and connect with others.

For the first time campaigners of all levels, from international NGOs to individual grassroots activists, will be able to access in one place a range of online activist tools and practical guides and resources to devise and run your own campaigns.

Through Louder.org.uk you can create a microsite for your campaign with the most used online activist tools the web has to offer. You can also connect to, update and mange your profiles on other social media sites such as youtube, facebook, twitter and word press, helping you better coordinate supporter action.

To help make your campaign Louder you can connect up and collaborate with other campaigns and those running them, based on themes and location.

www.louder.org.uk

Community Bank Holiday from 2012 ?

The campaign for an extra bank holiday in October to celebrate volunteering and encourage people to take part in community events says that it “should be introduced in 2012 to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, the London Olympics and Paralympics and seal a triumphant year for volunteers across the UK”.

The coalition for the Community Day includes the TUC along with a number of sector umbrella organisations. See TUC news release at www.tuc.org.uk/work_life/tuc-17149-f0.cfm.

New Constitution for Small Charities

A new, simplified constitution for very small charities has been launched by the Charity Commission in partnership with umbrella bodies, including NCVO. The new constitution is designed to provide a clear, concise, practical framework for charities with an income of under £5000. It uses clear, direct language that is easy to understand, is only 700 words long and covers all the requirements for a very small charity which does not own land or staff.

www.charitycommission.gov.uk/registration/smallcharity.asp

Official Guidance on Vetting and Barring Scheme

The Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) has released official guidance on the new vetting and barring scheme, which was launched last month to protect young and vulnerable people. The scheme will have a major impact on the recruitment and monitoring practices of people working or volunteering with children.

The official guidance includes information for both employees and employers, including:

For employers:

You must not knowingly employ in regulated activity, or use as a volunteer, a barred person.
If you dismiss or cease using a person in regulated activity (or in controlled activity) because you think they harmed or pose a risk of harm to children or vulnerable adults, you must refer the case to the ISA (see ISA referrals guidance, below);

For employees:

If you are barred from regulated activity, you must not work or seek to work in regulated activity from which you are barred.

Guidance documents about the new duty (which is in place from from 12 October) for employers and others on how to make referrals to the ISA, and about the ISA Decision Making Process, are available on the ISA website.

www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/news/people-hr-employment/official-guidance-vetting-barring-scheme

Community Groups Gift Aid via CVS

NAVCA is encouraging its members to use neglected Government guidance that could help community groups claim an estimated £6m in Gift Aid on donations.

The Office of the Third Sector (OTS) published guidelines in March 2008 that said small community groups without charitable status could funnel donations through local umbrella bodies such as CVS, which could claim Gift Aid on their behalf and pass on the money. (See Gift Aid: Umbrella Charities factsheet on the OTS website).

'Umbrella charities' may take an agreed small percentage of the donation that they process as an admin fee, rather than having a separate billing element.

The organisation having the Gift Aid claimed for them would need to take this into account when drawing up their accounts/financial reports. They would need to put the total donation in their report (the full value of donation including Gift Aid) and then in the expenses column, they should put the amounts taken by the umbrella charity as an admin charge.

eNews Bulletin from High Peak CVS

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