Bulletin Contents - 4 December 2007

Improving High Peak Priorities for Action HPBC Consultation

Youth Volunteering Programme Launched

Data Protection Exemption Guidance

Charities Act - Mergers, Dates

Code of Good Governance

Identifying Skills Needs for Volunteers

Checks Needed by Charities Working with Vulnerable Groups

Project Manangement Software for the Third Sector

Microsoft Accounting Download

Personal Screenreader Software

Making Online Surveys Meaningful

Minimum Wage Rules for Volunteers Maintained

Improving High Peak Priorities for Action HPBC Consultation

High Peak Borough wants to hear from you!

High Peak Borough Council has put together a draft report on its plans for the next 5 years and it is now out for consultation until the end of December 2007.

They are actively seeking comments and responses from local people and community groups, particularly those groups that they do not often have contact with.
The plan is grouped under 4 headings:

• Supporting People
• Creating Jobs and Prosperity
• Protecting the Environment
• Improving the Council

You can find the full plan on their website www.highpeak.gov.uk and also log your comments online.

High Peak CVS wants to encourage all local voluntary and community groups to make a response and make use of this opportunity to influence the direction of the work of the High Peak Borough Council and get your voice heard.

There are important sections that have a special relevance to the voluntary and community sector, particularly the sections on providing opportunities for young people, how HPBC responds to local needs and encourages local people to play an active part in the community, affordable housing, as well as good environmental practice.

You can comment directly to High Peak Borough Council via their website or if you want to discuss any points before making a response please contact Nigel Caldwell at the CVS direct telephone number 01663 736423 or email nigel@highpeakcvs.org.uk.

Also please note that CVS will extend the agenda of its Development Work Forum on 18 December at the CVS 1pm – 3pm to include discussion and comment on the plan as it affects the voluntary and community sector.

Youth Volunteering Programme Launched

Schemes to be funded under the new national youth volunteering programme (in England), now named vinvolved, have been announced. They are split into two: vinvolved teams of youth experts who will encourage more community organisations to open their doors to young volunteers, and vinvolved projects providing a diverse range of volunteering opportunities. Where there are still gaps in coverage around the country, a second round of applications will be announced before the end of December. See wearev for more details and a download of the funded schemes.

The scheme that offers grants of up to £2500 for young people aged 16 to 25 in England to set up their own community volunteering projects, vcashpoint, opens for applications on 5th December.

Data Protection Exemption Guidance

Voluntary organisations are exempt from registering with the Information Commissioner under the Data Protection Act in certain circumstances.

Quoting a new Good Practice Note covering some frequently asked questions: "The exemption applies to processing which is only for the purposes of: establishing or maintaining membership; supporting a not-for-profit body or association; or providing or administering activities for either the members or those who have regular contact with it."

Download the note in pdf, 35kb. From Sandy Adirondack's Legal Update, www.sandy-a.co.uk/managing.htm#datapro-nfp

Charities Act - Mergers, Dates

From 28 November, charity mergers, where one (or more) registered charity transfers all its property to another charity and then ceases to exist, will be recorded by the Charity Commission. An online register is in place, and has dummy information pending the first such activity to be logged.

The process for transferring property has been simplified, and new provisions ensure that gifts such as legacies which fall due after a charity has merged and ceased to exist will be treated as if they had been made to the existing charity.

The register is at www.charitycommission.gov.uk/enhancingcharities/rom.asp, and details about the process at www.charitycommission.gov.uk/enhancingcharities/charmergers.asp

Code of Good Governance

The Governance Hub has commissioned an evaluation of the awareness, usage and influence of the Code of Good Governance.  Partner nfpSynergy is after feedback from anyone involved in the voluntary sector, whether they use the Code or not. See information on the code and how to respond (by 18th January) at www.governancehub.org.uk/code_consultation_opens.html, or direct to the online survey at www.nfpsynergy.net/codeofgoodgovernancesurvey.

Identifying Skills Needs for Volunteers

The Train to Gain scheme run by the Learning and Skills Council is being extended to volunteers working in the third sector. The service provides access to a Skills Broker to enable organisations to identify their skills needs. See Office of Third Sector news item.

Checks Needed by Charities Working with Vulnerable Groups

Third Sector reports that the Charity Commission has warned trustees of charities that deal with vulnerable groups that they could face charges of misconduct if they do not carry out "appropriate checks" on new trustees and staff. News item at www.thirdsector.co.uk/News/769039/ (registration required).

Project Manangement Software for the Third Sector

Idealware, the American reviewer of software for nonprofits, takes a look at project management software. The article identifies six different types of project management functions in use by project managers, and examines a few tools which cover these. www.idealware.org/articles/fgt_project_management.php.

Microsoft Accounting Download

Microsoft has launched a UK version of its Office Accounting software, with an Express version which can be downloaded without any charge. It does carry a little advertising, currently for upgrades to the Professional version and various add-ons (for example the BACS payment facility covering up to 100 transactions at £9-95 per month is from a well-regarded British supplier).

Available for Windows XP or Vista, the XP download is 287MB, looks remarkably like QuickBooks once installed and comes with non-profit options. office.microsoft.com/en-gb/accountingexpress/HA102477371033.aspx.

Personal Screenreader Software

Thunder is award-winning screenreader talking software for blind and visually impaired people, currently only available for machines using Windows. Supplied by Screenreader.net CIC for personal use at no cost, with multi-user licences available for colleges etc, it has featured in various sector blogs recently (VolResource featured it long ago in a previous form). Download via www.screenreader.net.

Making Online Surveys Meaningful

A primer on Creating Online Surveys, from Third Sector New England, is recommended by Nonprofit Online News for its tips on how to design questions that will give meaningful results.

This is particularly useful now that online surveys are an efficient way to gather data from members, donors and "even their peers", but with a real danger of collecting virtually meaningless data.|
www.tsne.org/site/c.ghLUK3PCLoF/b.3524717/k.767D/Articles__Online_Surveys.htm.

Minimum Wage Rules for Volunteers Maintained

The Government has decided not to change the application of minimum wage rules to voluntary workers, despite complaints from charities that the law could prevent them offering incentives to volunteers.

Under current law, volunteers who receive benefits – such as allowances or training that does not relate directly to their voluntary work – could argue that they are entitled to the minimum wage.

After analysing the consultation results, the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform has decided that the current law is sufficiently clear and extra sections would “risk making it more, not less, problematic to resolve any disputes that might arise about employment status”.

Its response reads: “Training provision beyond the needs of the volunteering opportunity, or reimbursement of childcare expenses, represent a significant benefit in kind and as such would change the nature of the relationship between voluntary worker and qualifying organisation.”