eNews

This post is part of the High Peak CVS Development Team which promotes and supports the development of the voluntary and community sector in the High Peak. Further details can be found on the SGP page, including a download of the latest and past newsletters.

The specific focus of this post is to develop and support small voluntary and community sector groups in the High Peak, and in particular those which are disadvantaged, marginalised or rurally isolated, in particular to advise on the organisation of small voluntary and community groups, for example, with respect to planning and financial skills, charity law and registration, constitutions, equal opportunities, running meetings, committee and group work skills and other relevant issues.

Further details about the Small Group Project can be found on the SGP page of our website, including a download of the latest and past newsletters.

An information pack and application form can be downloaded at www.highpeakcvs.org.uk/jobs. If you require the application pack in any other format please let us know. Please note that CV’s will not be accepted.

The closing date for all applications is 9am Wednesday 1st October 2008

EMDA Third Sector Advisor Vacancy

£31,040 to £36,148 per annum plus benefits

This is an opportunity to make a significant contribution as you'll lead on the continued development and delivery of our policy in relation to the third sector (voluntary and community sector and social enterprise) and community cohesion. You will lead on our relationships with relevant Government departments and key regional stakeholders from
the statutory and third sectors. You'll also use your skills to provide training, advice and information to other EMDA colleagues.

EMDA are looking for someone with experience of the voluntary and community or social enterprise sectors, including experience of a third sector infrastructure body. You'll need an understanding of relevant strategies, policies and programmes, infrastructure issues, the role of assets in supporting community-led economic development, community cohesion and community development issues. You'll have developed innovative approaches to partnership working too.

Nottingham based.

For an application pack, please see : www.emda.org.uk
or call 0115 9888 455 (24 hours)
Closing date: 5pm Thursday 18th September 2008

Central Area Forum - Your Council Tax

Thursday 18 September 2008 7-9pm (refreshments from 6.30pm)
at The Royal Hotel Hayfield

Come and have YOUR say on where the money goes.
Informal surgery with councillors from 6.30pm

Local people from the Central area of. Chapel-en-le-Frith, Chinley, Hayfield, New Mills, Furness Vale, and Whaley Bridge are encouraged to attend.

Areas for discussion at the meeting:
Deciding how your Council Tax is spent is important and is something that you can influence at the next Area Forum. Why not join us when we will be discussing spending on such things as streets and pavements, reduction in crime, leisure facilities and much more.....

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

£130m Grassroots Grants Scheme Open to Small Voluntary and Community Groups

The Government’s groundbreaking £130million Grassroots Grants scheme has declared itself open for business and is calling on small local voluntary and community groups to come forward and get their hands on essential funding.

The programme, funded by the Office of The Third Sector and administered by the Community Development Foundation, offers grants of between £250 and £5,000 to support activities that lie right at the heart of our local communities.

Within the programme, the Government has set aside a £50million pot from which it will match endowment investments from businesses. This offers businesses the chance to contribute directly to supporting and sustaining the communities in which they operate.

To keep the process as simple and easy as possible for applicants, the money is being distributed directly through local funders familiar with the needs and causes in each area - Derbyshire Community Foundation.

Details of the local funders can be found on the CDF website or by calling the Grassroots Grants helpline on 01223 400 331.

Prince's Trust Grants Up for Grabs for Youth Groups

Young people from across the UK are invited to apply for funding of up to £5,000 to carry out activities that benefit their local communities.

Sponsored by the Royal Bank of Scotland, the Prince’s Trust Community Cash Awards offers grants for people aged between 14 and 25 to carry out projects such as running a local magazine or holding sex education workshops in schools.

The scheme is specifically targeted at youngsters who are still in school but are struggling, or people who have left school and are either unemployed or working less than 16 hours a week.

Grants of up to £1,000 are available for people aged 14 to 16, whilst £5,000 is up for grabs for 16 to 25 year-olds.

Eligible projects must be run by the young people and bring a clear benefit to their local community. Formal groups and organisations are not allowed to apply, and funding cannot be used for expeditions, overseas travel or fundraising.

For more information about the Community Cash Awards and other grants available to the third sector then visit www.j4bcommunity.co.uk which is the UK's most comprehensive information source of community funding. Registering on the website is completely free, and you also receive a weekly third sector funding round up newsletter which will keep you up to date with all the latest changes in community funding and policy. To view full information on individual funds, then users can pay a small subscription free and get unlimited access.

Free Professional Advice Surgery

Tuesday 11 November 2008 12.30-17.00 (including lunch)

at Pegasus Business Park, off J24 M1

ProHelp is a group of professionals firms who have formed to provide free professional services to voluntary and community organisations in their local area.

ProHelp is offering the opportunity for community projects to book half hour consultation periods with selected professionals to discuss any concerns or queries they may have with regards to their organisations.

The expertise available on the day will include a range of solicitors, accountants, architects, surveyors, PR and Marketing Consultants.

If you don’t have the funds to pay for professional advice, please call Ann Hilton at Business in the Community on 0115 924 7408 for an event booking form or email ann.hilton@bitc.org.uk

Commissioning is Crushing the Voluntary Sector

An article by the Chief Executive of the Directory of Social Change suggests that there are big problems with a culture of commissioning services traditionally delivered by charities on a demand-led grant basis.

Win £2,000 of Technology

TalkTalk Innovation is inviting charities and community groups to enter its Community Awards. 30 winners will receive cash grants of £2,000 for technology related projects as well as technology equipment. Entries close on 30 September. Visit www.talktalk.co.uk

Considering Job Evaluation

Employment relations service Acas has launched a guide to job evaluation, looking at the benefits and risks of using this process which determines the relative importance of different jobs whilst avoiding prejudice or discrimination. This can be complex, and the guide aims to help managers and employee reps decide whether introducing a job evaluation structure is feasible and appropriate.

News item at www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=2096 or download the advisory booklet 'Job evaluation: considerations and risks' (A5 pdf, 1.85MB) from www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=682

Working With Children and Vulnerable Adults

Sandy Adirondack continues to provide useful information on legal subjects of concern to those in the voluntary sector, doing her best to strike the difficult balance between detail and readability. Recently updated is information about the Independent Safeguarding Authority (vetting and barring) scheme in operation from October 2009, www.sandy-a.co.uk/employment.htm#safeguarding-scheme and the current arrangements on criminal record checks, www.sandy-a.co.uk/employment.htm#criminalrecordchecks Both are of most concern to organisations working with children and vulnerable adults.

Factsheets on VAT and Fundraising

The Charity VAT Team at accountants Saffery Champness has been publishing factsheets on VAT and fundraising activities with Professional Fundraising magazine. You need to give some contact details to gain access, www.professionalfundraising.co.uk/VAT

Excepted Charities Registration Timetable

The Charity Commission is preparing for the next commencement order of the Charities Act 2006 (the fifth) with a timetable for registering the four to five thousand ‘excepted charities’, which previously didn't have to register with them. The exception would have been given either by legislation or by a Charity Commission order – most are connected with churches, chapels or the armed forces. They will start to register excepted charities with an annual income of more than £100,000 from 1st October 2008, and most are expected to be able to use an online service.
See www.charitycommission.gov.uk/registration/regreq.asp

NCVO Job Shop

www.ncvo-jobshop.org.uk is the first point of call for anyone looking for a job in the voluntary or social enterprise sectors. It provides a cost-effective recruitment solution for voluntary organisations and NCVO members save 10% on advertising rates. To find out more visit www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/recruitment

Improving Monitoring and Evaluation Across the Third Sector

A new report 'Accountability and Learning: Developing Monitoring and Evaluation in the Third Sector' is, according to Charities Evaluation Services, the first comprehensive research on the subject since Mog Ball's overview 20 years ago highlighted how little was carried out in the voluntary sector. It has a total of 23 recommendations, across funders, voluntary organisations, support agencies and all stakeholders. These include the need for proportionality in requirements from funders, and third sector organisations working more closely with funders and commissioners to match information needs for internal learning and development with those required for compliance and accountability.

The report (pdf, 1.57MB) and a briefing summarising the learning points (1.08MB) can both be downloaded via www.ces-vol.org.uk/index.cfm?pg=424 or see Plaza Publishing news item at www.professionalfundraising.co.uk/home/content.php?id=1435

Volunteering Can Be Good For Your Health

A study for Volunteering England carried out by the University of Wales Lampeter finds qualified evidence that volunteering can deliver health benefits both to volunteers and to health service users, based on a systematic review of published research. Read the press release. 'Volunteering and Health: what impact does it really have?' has a one page summary at the front – download (pdf 559KB).

Financial Threshold for Registered Charities

Unfortunately, the Office of the Third Sector went and changed (slightly) the web page we quoted last week on the changes to the trigger levels requiring particular accounts to be produced by charities.

The news item is now here (or www.charitycommission.gov.uk/news/otsthreshold.asp).

The key threshold changes are:

for submission of annual accounts and Trustees Annual Report (TAR) to be raised from £10,000 to £25,000;
for requiring accounts to be externally examined to be raised from £10,000 to £25,000; and
for preparation of accruals accounts to be raised from £100,000 to £250,000.

The recommendations are to be introduced in secondary legislation by the end of the 2008/9 financial year.

Reporting on Government Progress on Three Year Funding

Government departments have until the end of October to report on progress towards the Government's commitment to three year funding for the third sector. They will have to report further over the next three years, with Government agencies and non-departmental public bodies also having to report next year, when information on contract funding will be included. More details of the reporting guidance from the Office of the Third Sector. Third Sector magazine news item at www.thirdsector.co.uk/News/842999/ (registration required).

Support for Community Interest Companies

Two founders of community interest companies (CICs) are in the first stages of setting up a CIC association, reports Social Enterprise magazine. It would provide support, resources, increase awareness and lobby on issues such as tax. News item at www.socialenterprisemag.co.uk/sem/news/detail/index.asp?id=601 also see Charity Finance news item at www.charityfinance.co.uk/home/content.php?id=2197

Inspiring Young People to be Involved in Community Projects

Readers may be interested in an online toolkit that supports teachers to encourage pupils to play an active role in community projects. Developed by the Academy for Sustainable Communities and CSV, the Play Your Part website aims to inspire young people to play a part in improving their communities and develop the skills, knowledge and understanding needed to devise and run successful citizen projects. citizenship.ascskills.org.uk

NCVO and Onboard Trustee Conference

6th October, London.

Are you looking to improve your board's effectiveness? The NCVO and OnBoard Trustee Conference will offer delegates practical advice, legal updates, tips and solutions to a wide range of governance issues. All delegates will also receive a copy of the new edition of the Good Trustee Guide.

For more information and to book your place visit: www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/trusteeconf08

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