Bulletin Contents - 28 July 2008

Stockport CVS Vacancies

Promoting Public Health OU Course

EM Funders Forum – Funding Training Programme 2008

Positive Parents Courses – 2 to 8 year olds and 8 to 13 year olds

Boost Productivity with ICT

Dry Stone Walling Course

Savings in VAT When Renovating Charity Property

Consultation on Substantial Donor Rules

Creating a Level Playing Field

Skills for Quality in Delivery of Government Services

On CharityBlog

First NCVO/GMCVO Autumn Conference

Stockport CVS Vacancies

SCVS is an infrastructure organisation based in Stockport town centre, which provides a wide range of services and support to the voluntary and community sector in the borough.

They are looking to recruit the following individuals -

Outreach Team Manager (Ref OTM)
NJC  APT&C  S01 pt 29-31 £23,749-£25,320 (Pay award pending)
37 hours per week
This is a new post to coordinate, develop and support the work of a dedicated and enthusiastic outreach team, whilst ensuring that the strategic objectives of the organisation are delivered. You will have a sound knowledge of the sector, staff management experience and an understanding of multi agency working.

Finance Officer (FO1)
Salary scale 6/SO1 £21,412 -£25,320 (pay award pending)
37 hours per week
The Finance Officer will have responsibility for maintaining and monitoring the financial records for the whole organisation, producing reports for all SCVS’s funders . You will need to have considerable  experience of managing accounts, producing budgets and working to deadlines. An understanding of the  voluntary sector would be an advantage.

Volunteer Centre Assistant  (Ref:VCA)
37 hours per week
Salary Scale 3 pt 14 £15,153 (pay award pending)
This is varied and interesting role helping local people access volunteering opportunities both through the     national volunteering database www.do-it.org.uk  and in the Centre. You will need to have excellent communication and computer skills, be hard working and flexible.

For an  application form please contact Wendy on 01061 477 0246 or email wendy@stockportcvs.co.uk  Please quote the job reference number. 

Closing date for applications 11th August,
Interviews will be held between the 18th & 25th August 2008.

Promoting Public Health OU Course

Friday 17th October 2008 12.00 – 2.00pm
Robert Robinson Room, Scarsdale (PCT Headquarters), Chesterfield.
Lunch will be provided.

Applications are invited for the 2009 presentation of the Open University’s Promoting Public Health course.  This course, and its predecessor, have been run in Derbyshire for the last 10 years, with high student satisfaction, retention and pass rates.

The course is aimed at front line staff with a public health/health promotion role, for example, health visitors and other community nurses, community mental health staff, practice and school nurses and health promotion staff.  They are also keen to recruit students with a health related role from other agencies and sectors, including local authorities and the community and voluntary sectors.

The aim of this seminar is to improve the recruitment and selection process by enabling prospective students to:

1. Meet the course tutor, learn more about the course and have their questions answered
2. Have an opportunity to view the course materials
3. Observe a demonstration of the IT skills necessary to take the course
4. Hear from and ask questions of students who have just completed the course

Derbyshire County PCT has agreed to fund 20 places for this course in 2009, at a cost of £660 per student.  This course was delivered for the first time in 2007, replacing its very popular and successful predecessor, K301.  The drop-out rate for the K311 group in 2007 was 50%, representing an unacceptable waste of NHS time and money.  In an attempt to avoid this in subsequent years, attendance at this seminar is mandatory for K311 applicants.  If applicants cannot attend they will be asked to write 500 words on how they intend to use their learning from the course to improve public health, to be submitted with their application form.

Further details from: Julie Hirst, Health Improvement Specialist, Derbyshire County PCT, Newholme Hospital, Baslow Road, Bakewell, DE45 1AD. Tel. 01629-817931
Email julie.hirst@deryshirecountypct.nhs.co.uk 

EM Funders Forum – Funding Training Programme 2008

This series of workshops and training courses is aimed at the following groups and individuals;

• Funders who wish to improve their grant making practice
• Funding Advice Workers
• People who work for organisations who wish to improve their chances of receiving funding in terms of grants, loans, sponsorship, contracts, trading etc.

Drawing on the knowledge and experience of professionals in the field each workshop gives practical help and advice. Every workshop and training course allows time for discussion and questions with the opportunity to compare practice with other organisations and reflect on one's own.

Further details on the DCC website.

Positive Parents Courses – 2 to 8 year olds and 8 to 13 year olds

Positive Parents courses are now planned for September 2008 for parents of 2 to 8 year olds and 8 to 13 year olds.

Details of times and venues can be found on the DCC website.
Alternatively, parents/carers can apply by phoning Call Derbyshire on 08456 058 058.

Boost Productivity with ICT

Wed 24 Sep 8.30am –1.45pm or 1-5pm including dinner.
at Palace Hotel, Buxton

Internet and mobile technology can help improve the performance of your business. Contact KC Jones on 0845 058 6644, or visit www.kc-jones.co.uk/ddep

This showcase event will help local businesses share experiences and learn about the latest and emerging developments and best practices. Industry leaders, local suppliers, business support organisations and leading technology and eBusiness experts will offer a combination of exhibitions, demonstrations, advice and showcase seminars.

The events will be fully interactive, allowing you the opportunity to understand how the Internet can benefit your business, try out technology and talk to experts to find out what ICT strategy is right for you. Whether you are an eBusiness novice or an expert, these events will give you the opportunity to explore what Internet applications and new technologies and practices will help your business get ahead and stay ahead of its competition.

The showcase events will give you the chance to find out more about Derbyshire - WellConnected programme, register interest in grant funding and will help you answer questions such as: • How can my business profit from the use of broadband technologies? • What should a website design brief include? • How do I set up an online business? • How do I improve my website’s search engine rankings? • Will my business benefit from mobile technologies? • Is my business ready to trade online?

Dry Stone Walling Course

College of the Peak has just a few places left on its ground breaking Level One dry stone walling course – starting on Monday 4 August at the National Stone Centre, Wirksworth
The course is aimed at anyone who wants to take up dry stone walling as a profession – and some previous walling experience is helpful.  This is an extra course, put on to due to high public demand and there are only a few places remaining.

The course costs just £250 (concessions available) and training takes place at a variety of venues in the Peak District. The trainers are all qualified master craftsmen and training instructors with many years experience of working on both gritstone and limestone in Derbyshire and further afield. 

Vanessa Swetman, Training Co-ordinator at College of the Peak, said: “The course will require a high level of time and commitment from students – but the results are extremely rewarding. So far this year we had a 100% pass rate – with 18 people passing their Level One test.  Many former students are now working professionally as dry stone wallers.”

For further information and an application form contact: Vanessa Swetman, College of the Peak, Manor Barn, Over Haddon, Bakewell, Derbyshire DE45 1JE, or telephone 01629 815749 or visit the website at: www.collegeofthepeak.org.uk. 

Savings in VAT When Renovating Charity Property

A decision by a London tax tribunal means that a VAT saving scheme is available to charities when renovating property.  From CFDG's briefing (at www.cfdg.org.uk/cfdg/influencing_taxandvat.asp)  "Broadly, the mechanism allows a charity incurring VAT on an asset which is used for both business and non business purposes to recover all of the VAT up front and to make payments back to HMRC over a ten year period based on the element of non business use.”  Or read news item at www.cafonline.org/Default.aspx?page=15899

Consultation on Substantial Donor Rules

A consultation by HM Revenue and Customs on ‘the substantial donor regime’ aims to deter inappropriate use of tax reliefs available to charities whilst minimising the administration burden for charities.  Third Sector news item at www.thirdsector.co.uk/News/831827/ (registration required), or download the consultation document (pdf, 171KB).  Runs to 7th October.

Creating a Level Playing Field

Two new official reports focus on the need to develop "a level playing field between public, private and third sector providers".  The Office for National Statistics has published a progress report on the Quality Measurement Framework Project to design better quality and outcomes measures for public services, a need identified in the Public Service Industry Review published last week.  Third Sector magazine highlights the finding that councils chose the same suppliers for adult social care contracts because it was too difficult to be fair to different bidders – www.thirdsector.co.uk/News/832013/ or The ONS Interim report.

'Understanding the Public Services Industry: How Big, How Good, Where Next?' written by economist DeAnne Julius for the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, is downloadable here.

Skills for Quality in Delivery of Government Services

An agreement between the Government, trade unions, business and the third sector aims to improve the quality of services delivered under Government contracts by raising the skills of the workers involved.  The Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations and National Council for Voluntary Organisations signed it along with CBI, Business Services Association and TUC.  Cabinet Office news release with link to the 'Joint statement on access to skills, trade unions and advice in government contracting' at www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/newsroom/news_releases/2008/080715_psf.aspx

On CharityBlog

The Links page (www.charityblog.org.uk/wordpress/links/) now has a section for 'Platforms' – online video (and maybe audio) channels, set up on a non-profit basis, focusing on specific issues.  For example The Hub, Global platform for human rights media and action, hub.witness.org

The latest (and last, in its current format) VS magazine gives CharityBlog a plug. Yes, it does welcome other people's contributions, on anything vaguely sector related, www.charityblog.org.uk

First NCVO/GMCVO Autumn Conference

On 7th November there is the first NCVO/GMCVO national autumn conference in Manchester to explore the key theme of independence. 

High profile keynote speakers, lively and interactive workshops and fantastic networking opportunities make this an event not to be missed. 

For more details visit www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/autumnconference2008 or call 020 7520 3160.