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High Peak Volunteering feel that sometimes volunteers’ contributions are overlooked. They want to highlight the massive contribution that volunteers’ make to ensuring we all live in happier, safer and healthier communities.

As part of Volunteers Week they are producing a photo-board of as many High Peak Volunteers as possible. Photograph displays will be shown across the High Peak during 1-7 June.

Please drop your photograph and completed form into your volunteer centre or email them to highpeakvol@gvb.org.uk or call 07973 338 717 for more assistance. Digital photos can be emailed to the same address.

If you do not have a photograph, or would like a group photograph taking please contact us to arrange for the Youth Action Team (our volunteer photographers) to visit you.

Deadline for forms and photographs - Wed 26 May 2010

If you are sending in photos please ensure the volunteer/volunteers agree to their photograph being displayed on a board that is to be shown across the High Peak. Original Photographs will not be returned to the sender. We would like to keep the photos for future displays but they will not be given to a third party.

>> Hidden Gem Form

Vacancy at High Peak Citizens Advice Bureau

Administrator/Support Worker for Advice Derbyshire

Location: High Peak Citizens Advice Bureau, Buxton
Salary LA scale 4.18 £17,161 per annum pro rata (actual salary £8,518) plus 5% pension after successfully completing a six months probationary period
Hours: 18 hours per week, flexible Monday to Friday, 9.00 am to 5.00 pm
Post: this is initially a two-year funded post

We are seeking a part-time office administrator to support and work alongside key project staff. You will have a proven track record of providing office administration and support in a busy environment and you will be familiar with Word/Excel/Outlook and similar office applications. Other desired skills are minute taking, meeting write-ups, liaising with external organisations on behalf of managers and general office duties

CVs are not accepted. Application form only. For an application form and full job description please contact Maxine Maybury by email maxinem@advicederbyshire.org by telephone 01298 210351 or by mobile 07810 516571 or visit www.advicederbyshire.org for further details.

Closing date: 5.00 pm on 21 May 2010. Interviews: w/c 31 May 2010.

Job Vacancies at North Derbyshire Women's Aid

Children's Outreach Support Worker – Chesterfield, North East & Bolsover

The post holder will be responsible for managing a small caseload using a structured process of planned support in line with the Early Years Outcomes that will address domestic abuse, promote healthy relationships, raise awareness and advocate for the child or young person, supporting the family wherever appropriate and signpost to relevant services.

Finance/Admin Worker

The post holder will be responsible for the day to day running of accounts and banking systems for all NDWA services

See Jobs Page on NDWA website for more details.

DCC Local Transport Plan Consultation

Derbyshire County Council has a statutory duty to produce a Local Transport Plan which sets out strategies for the development of local, integrated transport, supported by a programme of transport initiatives. Initial work for the plan to 2026 has been summarised in a short background paper, ‘Local Transport Futures: Challenges and Options Consultation’ which can be found at: www.derbyshire.gov.uk/transportconsultation.

On this link you will find access to two questionnaires, a shorter public version and a more detailed one. DCC would like you to complete the more detailed version either online or you can request a paper version which can be returned in a pre-paid envelope.

The closing date for this consultation is Thur 17 June 2010.

Derbyshire Aggregates Levy Grant Scheme (DALGS)

To qualify applicants must be able to show that extraction of aggregates subject to the tax has had an adverse impact on their area. They also need to show that their project will benefit the local community.

The maximum level of grant is £50,000. Grants to community organisations (including local councils) can cover up to 85 percent of costs.

The closing date for applicants is Friday 14 May 2010.

www.derbyshire.gov.uk/community/lottery_funding/aggregates_levy/

First Steps in Social Enterprise Workshops

If you are considering starting up a social enterprise and are looking for a clear understanding of why it is the business model of choice for socially and environmentally minded people, then the ‘First Steps in Social Enterprise’ workshop is for you. It will help you explore the practicalities of starting a social enterprise, providing you with an awareness of the different legal structures available and the management, governance and funding aspects of setting up your business.

The workshops are free to attend and will run from 10am until 4pm. They are being held all over the East Midlands so there will be one near you. Lunch and refreshments are provided.

23 June – Derby Conference Centre, Derby
14 October – Chesterfield Football Club, Chesterfield

www.oneeastmidlands.org.uk/infusions/one_events_panel/event_list.php?idx=744

Updated Information on Paternity Rights

There are additional paternity leave and pay entitlements for babies due on or after 3 April 2011.

See personnel professionals' body CIPD updated factsheet on maternity, paternity and adoption leave and pay at www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/emplaw/maternity/matpat.htm or start at Sandy Adirondack's legal update, www.sandy-a.co.uk/employment.htm#matpatpay

Changed Procedures for Recognising Charities for Tax Purposes

New procedures and forms to apply for recognition as a charity for tax purposes are on HM Revenue and Customs website, www.hmrc.gov.uk/charities/tax/recognition.htm These are needed for an organisation to take advantage of tax reliefs and make tax repayment claims (if not already registered with HMRC). The guidance on the new 'fit and proper persons' test for those acting on behalf of the charity are not directly linked from that page, but are at www.hmrc.gov.uk/charities/guidance-notes/chapter2/fp-persons-test.htm

Developing a Communications Strategy in a Changing World

Conference 24 June, London

Join us and learn how to develop strong communications strategies in times of change. Hear from the experts on:

New Parliament, people, and agendas;
the nuts and bolts of developing a strategy;
the latest social trends affecting charity communications;
challenging communications budgets;
communications in a crisis;
getting internal buy-in for your strategy; and
investing in new technologies.

Plus great networking opportunities.
Find out more: bit.ly/Communications_Strategy_Volresource

Citizenship Survey: Volunteering, Giving and Empowering Communities

Analysis has been published on levels of Volunteering and Charitable Giving from the government's Citizenship Survey 2008-09 (the survey covered England and Wales, but this report from Department for Communities and Local Government is for England only). Volunteering England welcomes an increase in the number of hours put in by regular volunteers.

Sector media has focused elsewhere, on a slight downward trend in overall levels of giving and volunteering – Third Sector www.thirdsector.co.uk/news/1000237/ and Society Guardian (which also mentions the connected Empowered Communities Topic Report) www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/apr/29/donations-charity-volunteering-decline Find downloads for either report (which start with executive summaries) on DCLG site.

Using Social Return on Investment to Value Impact

Sector think tank New Philanthropy Capital has published a 'Social Return on Investment Position Paper'. It believes that SROI has the potential to be an incredibly useful tool for understanding and valuing impact, and not just creating a social 'bottom line'. The paper sets out its position on how and when SROI is most useful. Third Sector news item at www.thirdsector.co.uk/news/1000663/ leads with "charity sector could lose credibility with funders because of the poor quality of its impact measurement", or see NPC for download (pdf 170KB, registration required).

Understanding Self-Directed Volunteering

The 'volunteer leaders' website Energize Inc has an article discussing the concept of The Self-Directed Volunteer, where an agency initiating a project publicises the need, provides clear and useful resources, and loosely monitors the impact (but doesn't manage the volunteer directly). Many of the needs that can be tackled this way could be seen as a modern take on neighbourliness. There are of course downsides to this American idea, read more at www.energizeinc.com/hot/2010/10may.html

The Business Case for Volunteering in Education

The City of London has produced 'Volunteering - The Business Case: The benefits of corporate volunteering programmes in education', looking at the learning and development of employees from City firms in schools and colleges across the UK. Pdf, 655KB.

Careers Guide for Voluntary Sector Youth Work

The National Council for Voluntary Youth Services has produced the second edition of its 'Careers guide: An introduction to working and volunteering in the voluntary and community youth sector'. Download in pdf, a large 7.23MB. (Source: Voluntary Arts England newsletter)

The Benefits of Youth Work

Lifelong Learning UK, along with trade union Unite, has published 'The Benefits of Youth Work' which sets out why and how such work is important, cost effective and makes a real difference to young people's lives. Researched by the National Youth Agency. Available in pdf, 2.4MB, from www.lluk.org/documents/the-benefits-of-youth-work.pdf

Briefings on Using the Compact

Compact Voice has two new briefings in its resources section, www.compactvoice.org.uk/category/resources:

'Make procurement work for you, by using your Compact', pdf 206KB.

'Righting Public Law Wrongs: Challenge Unfairness', pdf 236KB.

How Charity Chairs Can Help at Times of Crisis and Change

KnowHow NonProfit, the learning and sharing website for nonprofit people, has a new 'In the Chair' feature with podcasts exploring how charity chairs are helping their organisations and fellow board members deal with times of crisis and change. www.knowhownonprofit.org/leadership/governance/in-the-chair

Turning Information into Action

Ten Tactics for Turning Information into Action is a website from the Tactical Technology Collective which provides "original and artful ways for rights advocates to capture attention and communicate a cause". There are video examples and a set of cards with tips and advice. Highlighted by Nonprofit Online News, it is at www.informationactivism.org

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