Advice & Information
The DCA information bulletins are being revamped and will now be sent out on a monthly basis. This information and other non time sensitive information will be included on these webpages to form a general resource which will be regularly updated.
If you do not currently receive our bulletin and would like to, please contact Fred Wild, 01305 216407, email: fred.wild@dorsetcommunityaction.org.uk ;
or if you have any relevant items you wish included contact Susi Calder, email: susi.calder@dorsetcommunityaction.org.uk.
DCA E-Bulletin July 2010
News
HM Treasury Spending Challenge
The government want everyone’s help in getting more for less and are looking for ideas from the public to help them make public sector cuts and reduce waste.
http://spendingchallenge.hm-treasury.gov.uk/
Deadline for consultation on Dorset’s top priorities
The public consultation on the draft revised version of Shaping our future, the sustainable community strategy for Dorset 2010 - 2020, closes on Friday 6 August 2010.
The draft strategy and feedback form can be found at http://www.dorsetforyou.com/communitystrategyrevision
Music charges – temporary reprieve for small charities
New music charges have been delayed which is good news as the potential cost to small charities is up to £20 million per year
http://bit.ly/dq8kfY
Social Change Awards celebrates the passionate individuals and effective organisations committed to making a positive impact on society.
Nominations are now open and close in early September
http://bit.ly/bAJCFR
What you need to know
Cutswatch, a new website set up to provide guidance and support to voluntary sector organisations through public spending cuts. The site aims to provide up-to-date news, case studies, guides and information on how to positively deal with spending cuts, along with links to useful events and services.
http://www.cutswatch.org.uk
This website asks people to suggest and rate ways to restore civil liberties, what unnecessary laws should be repealed and where should regulations be cut.
http://yourfreedom.hmg.gov.uk/
From Community Matters:
“Community organisations should ensure that their financial planning takes into account all the recent budget announcements that might affect them. As well as the VAT increase to 20%, which comes in effect from 4th January 2011, look out this autumn for plans to replace the current rules governing substantial donors. In slightly more cheerful news, you might be able to benefit from reduced employer's NI contributions.
Royal Mail service is currently VAT exempt, but from 31st Jan 2011 the exemption will only apply to public postal services. All other services outside of the licence duty, such as Parcelforce will attract the standard rate of VAT –which will be 20%. Review your postal arrangements to minimise the impact where possible.
In the autumn HMRC will be consulting with the charity sector to determine a way to utilise VAT exemption in relation to shared services which currently attract VAT. “
National Survey of Charities and Social Enterprises
The Office for Civil Society (OCS) has announced that The National Survey of Charities and Social Enterprises (previously titled National Survey of Third Sector Organisations) will be conducted again this year.
http://bit.ly/debxOP
Resources
Involving local councillors in community campaigns
Local Action: The Handy Guide for communities working with councillors. Published by bassac and Urban Forum
http://bit.ly/9XTNOQ
NCVO have launched a toolkit to help groups make sure their legal form and structure is the right one for them
http://www.getlegal.org.uk/
The Health and Safety Executive have produced a clear, simple leaflet on assessing risk. Aimed at workplaces but is also suitable for anyone who needs to assess risks
http://bit.ly/NVcQm
Lasa has launched a new version of its rightsnet website, the UK's number one source of the most up to date, high quality welfare benefits and tax credits information online. In addition, rightsnet will now also offer breaking news about community care, debt, employment and housing law, sourced direct from government and leading charities specialising in these areas. Best of all, this new part of the site is free - you don’t need to subscribe.
www.rightsnet.org.uk
Training
Understanding and Using an Outcomes Focus
Getting Your ICT Hardware right
Village and Community Halls – Trusted & Valued
Skilling Up – Roles and Responsibilities of Representatives
Community Support for Patients with Anxiety and Depression
The sessions are aimed at all NHS, Social Care and Voluntary Sector staff involved with patients after strokes and other long term conditions. It is likely to be of interest to a wide range of staff so early booking is recommended
The Primary Mental Health Team have kindly agreed to facilitate training sessions to enable staff working with patients with long term physical conditions such as strokes, to learn more about services in their area
Attending one of these sessions will give you confidence in the following:
• Who the Primary Care Mental Health Teams are
• What they offer patients with anxiety, depression or adjustments reactions
• When and how to refer to the team
There will also be chance to ask questions and build links with staff in the team to improve joint working in the future.
Friday 6th August 2010 10:00 - 12:00 - Day Hospital, Blandford Community Hospital, Milldown Road, Blandford
To register your interest for this training, please contact Sue Varley directly - sue.varley@bp.nhs.uk or 01202 541514
Events
An event which is a great opportunity to learn more about tendering for work from the public sector
15th September – Bovington Tank Museum
If you are a medium-sized voluntary/community group or a social enterprise working in Dorset and you’re interested in tendering for work from the Public Sector, then this could be a valuable use of your time. You could learn what you need to know about commissioning and meet key people making decisions about where funding goes.
Dorset County Council in liaison with Business Link are hosting a 'Meet the Buyer' event. The event will be at the Bovington Tank Museum on 15 September 2010.
As well as presentations on a number of relevant topics, there will be representatives in attendance from a number of local organisations including Dorset Community Action, DCC, the councils of Bournemouth and Poole and the PCT. Commissioning Managers from Adult & Community Services will also be available to discuss potential opportunities as a consequence of the 'Transforming Social Care' agenda.
Enjoy an informal free of charge networking lunch, meet support organisations and public sector agencies in the Partner Zone. To book please telephone 0845 0707 747 or email events@businesslinksw.co.uk
A meeting for carers/families or those who are living with a Learning Disability from the BME communties, as well as professionals.
9th November in Exeter
For further information - Follow this Link
FREE informal one-to-one advice clinics for social enterprises in Dorset
If you run a social enterprise or established community organisation and need good advice to develop your ideas further, here is an opportunity for a one-to-one chat with one of coactive’s qualified advisors.
8th September – Dorchester
The advisors are social enterprise specialists and will provide no-obligation, practical advice on how to grow your organisation to the next stage.
Appointments can be booked for one hour between 10am and 4pm.
For more information and to make your appointment contact Marie White:
E: marie.white@co-active.org.uk
T: 0845 519 5759
Access our Funding pages here. They are continually updated during the month.
See the reports, diary of meetings and events from our Voice Project and all the Forums on the weblink www.dorsetcommunityaction.org.uk/voice
How the Budget affects the Voluntary and Community Sector
The Emergency Budget was on 22nd June. This, undoubtedly, will have effects on the voluntary sector.
Find out what the Emergency Budget means for those working in or with the voluntary and community sector, NVCO have produced an “at-a-glance” summary. http://tinyurl.com/DCAbudget
DCA news now even easier to get
It’s now even easier to get DCA news.
Follow us on twitter
find us on facebook
or visit our blog
Statistics show that around half of women and over a third of men use the internet as a source of information on health, and with seventy percent of us having online access it is becoming more important than ever to ensure accurate information is available quickly.
To make certain local needs are being met, NHS Dorset is giving people the opportunity to complete a survey giving feedback on their current website.
Questions cover areas such as ease of use, how people find health information online and which other NHS websites are visited. All responses will help NHS Dorset better understand how local people use the web and influence future development of online activities.
The survey is available online if you have access to the internet via the following link http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HVN2ML5 or on request by calling 01305 368900. Copies will also be distributed via existing local health network groups.
Responses are welcomed up until Thursday 1st July 2010.
If you would like to talk to someone about the survey please contact Darren Girling from the Communications Team on 01305 368900
From Rt. Hon. Jeremy Hunt , Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport:
“I want to ensure that, in making the transition to the new Lottery shares, the levels of grant available to the voluntary and community sector are protected, so I propose to make the change in two stages:
On 1 April 2011, to increase the share apportionment for arts, heritage and sport to 18% each of the Lottery and reduce the Big Lottery Fund to 46%.
Then on 1 April 2012, to increase the shares for arts, heritage and sport to 20% each of the Lottery and to reduce the apportionment share for the Big Lottery Fund to 40%.”
http://tinyurl.com/DCAlotteryshare
From the HM Treasury website:
“On Tuesday 22nd June, the Budget announced an online event inviting public sector workers to submit their suggestions for reducing spending. Following this, members of the public will be asked to submit their ideas online. This is the Spending Challenge.
The Spending Challenge is designed to get the best ideas from people who work on the frontline of public services on how we can deliver more for less. The website is open until July 8th, after which the process will be opened up to the wider public.
Ministers are asking all public sector workers to share their most innovative yet practical ideas for delivering services to citizens while saving money in the process.
If you are a public sector worker and would like to be involved, visit the Spending Challenge website to submit your ideas. “
The Government have released the timetable for the whole Spending Review:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/spending_review_framework_080610.pdf
Vetting and barring scheme on hold
Despite what you may have read or heard in the media, the vetting and barring (VBS) scheme has not been scrapped – some aspects of it have been put on hold while it is reviewed.
The VBS was set up to help prevent unsuitable people from working with children and vulnerable adults.
The new Government has decided to “review the criminal records and vetting and barring regime and scale it back to common sense levels”. Compulsory registration with the Independent Safeguarding Authority is not, at least for the moment, going ahead in November. All registrations – both voluntary from 26 July and compulsory from November – are on hold.
The Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) newsletter of 15 June 2010, available by registering for newsletters on the ISA's website at www.isa.homeoffice.gov.uk, explains how to apply for CRB checks during the review period. Up to date information about CRB checks is available from the CRB at www.crb.homeoffice.gov.uk. The VBS contact centre is at 0300 123 1111 and the CRB customer services centre at 0870 9090 811.
Much of the vetting and barring scheme is still in place including:
• CRB checks. All CRB checks for work with children or vulnerable adults are enhanced. Standard CRB checks are no longer available for work with children or vulnerable adults, but remain available where checks are required for other types of work or licences;
• Where a criminal record check is required for certain types of work with children or vulnerable adults, for example under the Care Standards Act 2000, it continues to be required;
• It is an offence for a barred individual to seek or undertake a regulated activity, whether paid or unpaid, with children or vulnerable adults, or for an employer or organisation knowingly to allow a barred person to engage in a regulated activity, or to engage in a controlled activity without adequate supervision.
More information is on the ISA website and a summary of the guidance from the ISA can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/DCAISAguidance
Updated official financial guidance for charities
Four sets of financial guidance for charities in England and Wales, and their advisers, have been updated by the Charity Commission. The guides are
• Charities and Risk Management (CC26), updated to include current thinking in models for assessing risk.
• Financial Difficulties and Insolvency (CC12), updated but no new policy.
• Charities and reserves (CC19), new format with additional guidance for trustees.
• Internal Financial Controls (CC8), complete revision including new developments such as electronic banking arrangements.
All can be found online via the news item at http://tinyurl.com/DCACCfinancialguidance with pdf versions also available.
Update to “Tax exemptions for charities”
There has been an update to HM Revenue and Customs 'Tax exemptions for charities' guidance, with revised statutory references for the tax exemptions relating to charitable trusts and charitable companies.
http://tinyurl.com/DCAHMRCtax
Reporting trustee’s expenses in annual accounts
The Charity Commission have produced some guidance on reporting trustee’s expenses in annual accounts.
Trust and confidence in charities depends on their good governance and accountability. Sound internal controls underpin good governance and accountability is demonstrated through transparent financial reporting.
http://tinyurl.com/DCACCtrustee
Volunteer lawyers with LawWorks for Community Groups have written a range of legal information fact sheets, covering:
• Employment Law
• Corporate Structure and Charity Law
• Intellectual Property
• Data Protection.
www.lawworks.org.uk/?id=Usefulinformation
Looking at the skills of staff, management committee and volunteers is an important part of organisational development. It is also something that many organisations in the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector feel they need support with.
Ladder4learning have prepared a useful briefing sheet which is available here: http://tinyurl.com/33eofrz
A new article from the American nonprofit software review site Idealware is 'A Few Good Tools for Online Data Backup'. US based examples, but which generally can be used internationally, and the issues are common: http://www.idealware.org/online_data_backup
New website on planning advice for communities
Planning Aid England, the charity which provides independent and professional planning advice to communities and individuals, has a new website at http://www.rtpi.org.uk/planningaid/ It gives information on what help is available, a guide to the planning system and a variety of resources.
Charity Builder “Getting your HR right”
Village and Community Halls – Counting the Cost
Skilling Up – Local Democracy and Partnerships
Public consultation on Dorset’s top priorities
From Dorset County Council:
“As you know we are in the public consultation phase of our revision to Shaping our future, the Dorset sustainable community strategy. Open house events are being held so that local residents can have their say on priorities in Dorset over the next 10 years:
• Wednesday 30 June, Corn Exchange, Dorchester, 1pm to 5pm
• Friday 2 July, Allendale Community Centre, Wimborne, 9am to 1pm.
We are still confirming suitable locations and dates in Wareham, Christchurch and Weymouth if they are required.”
If you are a medium-sized voluntary/community group or a social enterprise working in Dorset and you’re interested in tendering for work from the Public Sector, then this could be a valuable use of your time. You could learn what you need to know about commissioning and meet key people making decisions about where funding goes.
Dorset County Council in liaison with Business Link are hosting two 'Meet the Buyer' events over the coming months. The first event is being held at The Exchange in Sturminster Newton on Wednesday 7 July 2010, details of which, including how to register, is contained in the linked flyer. The second event will be at the Bovington Tank Museum on 15 September 2010.
As well as presentations on a number of relevant topics, there will be representatives in attendance from a number of local organisations including Dorset Community Action, DCC, the councils of Bournemouth and Poole and the PCT. Commissioning Managers from Adult & Community Services will also be available to discuss potential opportunities as a consequence of the 'Transforming Social Care' agenda.
A must-see Gurkha exhibition is coming to a town near you http://bit.ly/cyHUlx
9th July
A meeting for carers/families or those who are living with a Learning Disability from the BME communties, as well as professionals.
9th November in Exeter. Link to Flyer
Funding
Access our Funding pages here. They are continually updated during the month.
Representation
See the reports, diary of meetings and events from our Voice Project and all the Forums on the weblink www.dorsetcommunityaction.org.uk/voice
Extra DCA E-bulletin No. 2 June 2010
This e-bulletin contains a single item about an important upcoming event.
Meet the buyer – Competing successfully for public sector contracts
If you are a medium-sized voluntary/community group or a social enterprise working in Dorset and you’re interested in tendering for work from the Public Sector, then this could be a valuable use of your time. You could learn what you need to know about commissioning and meet key people making decisions about where funding goes.
Dorset County Council in liaison with Business Link are hosting two 'Meet the Buyer' events over the coming months. The first event is being held at The Exchange in Sturminster Newton on Wednesday 7 July 2010, details of which, including how to register, is contained in the attached flyer. Follow this link. The second event will be at the Bovington Tank Museum on 15 September 2010.
As well as presentations on a number of relevant topics, there will be representatives in attendance from a number of local organisations including Dorset Community Action, DCC, the councils of Bournemouth and Poole and the PCT. Commissioning Managers from Adult & Community Services will also be available to discuss potential opportunities as a consequence of the 'Transforming Social Care' agenda.
Extra DCA E-bulletin June 2010
This e-bulletin contains a single press release from The Charity Commission which we are passing on urgently as requested. Follow this link : Commission warns of bogus telephone calls
In this issue:
News
What you need to know
Resources
Training
Events
News
Eric Pickles MP has been appointed Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government as part of the UK’s new Conservative / Liberal Democrat coalition Government.
Conservative MP Nick Hurd has been given the charities and the voluntary sector portfolio in the new administration as Minister for Civil Society.
Jeremy Hunt MP has been appointed Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, The Conservative MP was previously the Tory Shadow Secretary for Culture.
Funding opportunity – Grassroots Grants
Does your community group need some extra cash to keep it going?
Are you involved with a voluntary group which wants to help people locally, but can’t find the funding?
Grassroots Grants is a grants scheme for voluntary and community groups which are tackling need and disadvantage in the community. Groups can apply for between £250—£5,000 to continue their work or set up a project.
To be eligible a group must have:—
• Income of less than £30,000 per year
• A constitution or set of rules
• A set of accounts for at least one year
There are a number of other rules, which are set out within the guidelines on their website www.cfbdp.org or if you are not sure if your group might be eligible, please speak to your DCA funding advisor—Chris Carman 01305 216413.
Mapping of sports clubs & community clubs with BME membership
Sporting Equals is working to establish the number and distribution of clubs with mainly black and minority ethnic (BME) membership via a questionnaire and supplementary consultation. In addition, they are attempting to identify the specific BME makeup of each of these clubs.
Sporting Equals has suggested that a BME club consists of 50% BME members, and/or 50% BME volunteers/coaches/management.
If you are involved in a club with a mainly black and minority ethnic membership please contact Helen Jones (helen.jones@kkp.co.uk ) or Shaheen Bi at Sporting Equals (shbi@sportingequals.org.uk) and they will send you a questionnaire.
The information collated will only be used for the purposes of the assessment and will be not be used for any commercial purpose.
The results of the research will be used to produce BME State of the Sector report outlining the regional demographics and detailing the findings for each region set against community sports clubs. The report will involve a comprehensive mapping exercise identifying the geographic distribution of BME clubs delivering sport and physical activity across England. It will help inform the sector and assist Sporting Equals and partners with future planning.
Funding Advice Service Evaluation
This is a reminder to those of you who have used DCA’s Funding Advice Service in the last year that we are carrying out an evaluation of the service. You should have received a survey form which needs to be returned to DCA by 4th June 2010.
For more information on the Funding Advice Service please see our Funding pages or contact Chris Carman 01305 216413
Volunteers’ Week is an annual event which celebrates the fantastic contribution that millions of volunteers make across the UK. The Week plays a huge part in raising the profile of the millions of volunteers who regularly contribute to society, while inspiring others to get involved too.
To highlight this contribution, there is a burst of activity during 1-7 June when a host of organisations from the public, private and charity sectors will hold parties and award ceremonies to thank their volunteers and highlight their contribution to local groups and the wider community, while individuals are encouraged to use the Week to find out more about volunteering.
Everyone is invited to join this national celebration of volunteering, it's up to you to decide exactly how you join in.
If you are inspired by volunteering and would like to get involved in this national celebration there are lots of resources on the volunteer week website, to help you do just that!
http://www.volunteersweek.org.uk/Celebrating+volunteering
What you need to know
“Fit and proper” test for tax relief for charities
New procedures and forms to apply for recognition as a charity for tax purposes have been published on HM Revenue and Customs website, http://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 http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/charities/guidance-notes/chapter2/fp-persons-test.htm
This new measure is designed to ensure that tax relief is not given to bogus charities and the power to carry out the test is available every time a charity hires a new trustee or senior manager. Since the new rules provide no definition of ‘fit and proper’, charities cannot be absolutely sure if they will qualify for tax relief.
HMRC are promising to strike a balance between protecting against fraud and not creating undue administration for charities. A spokesperson for HMRC has said that existing charities need do nothing unless they appoint a new person to submit tax returns or to claim repayments of tax on behalf of the charity.
The Equality Act 2010 was passed in April. The main provisions are expected to become law in October. It will replace all existing equality legislation.
The Act prohibits discrimination in the workplace and in the provision of goods, liabilities and services, replacing separate laws on discrimination around disability, gender, race etc. Regulations to be brought in later include a ban on age discrimination in the provision of goods, facilities, services and public functions (for 2012) and private and voluntary sector gender pay transparency regulations, in 2013 if required.
Does your group restrict who can benefit from its work? You might be affected.
From Sandy Adirondack: Legal Update:
“Charities will continue to be able to restrict benefits to people who share a protected characteristic, if this is in line with their charitable instrument. But under a new provision, they will be able to do this only if it is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim (in other words, it can be objectively justified) or is intended to prevent or compensate for a disadvantage. "Charitable instrument" is generally interpreted as the governing document (constitution) or the terms of a restricted donation.
Current equality legislation allows charity governing documents to limit their beneficiaries to particular groups, except when defined by colour, without having to justify this restriction. The Charity Law Association is concerned about the potential implications of the new Equality Act provision, as it could put charities at risk of a claim if they cannot justify restricting services to people with a particular protected characteristic.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission's guidance, expected in June, is expected to look at this issue, and the Charity Commission has said it will issue supplementary guidance.”
More information is available at: http://www.sandy-a.co.uk/employment.htm#equality-act
From 1st October 2010, the adult minimum wage rate starts at age 21 rather than 22 and there is a new minimum wage for apprentices. The adult rate will be £5.93 per hour, with £4.92 per hour for 18 to 20 year olds and
£3.64 per hour for 16 to 17 year olds.
From Sandy Adirondack: Legal Update
“The Additional Paternity Leave Regulations 2010 give a new right to additional paternity leave (birth) in relation to babies expected on or after 3 April 2011. To be eligible the person must be the child's father or the husband/civil partner of the mother, must have or expect to have the main responsibility (apart from any responsibility of the mother) for bringing up the child, and must have been entitled to ordinary paternity leave from the employer (see below). The term 'fathers' as used below therefore refers to anyone eligible for the new leave and pay, regardless of their gender or whether they are actually the father.
Where a couple who are married or civil partners are adopting and one of them is entitled to statutory adoption leave, the other will be entitled to additional paternity leave (adoption) if they were entitled to ordinary paternity leave.”
More information at: http://www.sandy-a.co.uk/employment.htm#matpatpay
Small enough to be accessible, but full of useful info. Each booklet in the Future Focus series takes a complex issue and breaks it down into easily accessible chunks of information. It also has tips and suggestions that organisations can build into their planning. The series aims to help organisations to be more sustainable and more effective.
1. What will our funding be like in five years' time?
2. What will our volunteers be like in five years' time?
3. How will we use new technologies in five years' time?
4. How is local democracy changing?
5. How are social attitudes changing?
6. What will the UK population be like in 5 years' time?
7. What will campaigning be like in five years' time?
8. What will membership be like in five years' time?
The publications are available to download for free from http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/products-services/publications/future-focus-series
A series of podcasts that explore how non profit and charity chairs are helping their organisations and fellow board members deal with times of crisis and change. Unique insights for chairs as well as non profit and charity trustees. http://www.knowhownonprofit.org/leadership/governance/in-the-chair
10 Tactics for Turning Information Into Action
10 tactics provides original and artful ways for rights advocates to capture attention and communicate a cause.
http://www.informationactivism.org/
Dealing with difficult people in the workplace
Difficult people come in every variety and no workplace is without them.
Ladder4learning have prepared a useful briefing sheet which is available here: http://tinyurl.com/y48zvv2
Training
Managing risk, strategic planning, what Trustees need to know as their charity grows
Looking at levels of engagement, identifying expectations and planning for improved participation in partnership working
For Further Training Opportunities
Events
Improving Partnership Work in the Criminal Justice System
An Open Space Event with the support of
Clinks, Bournemouth CVS, Poole CVS, Dorset Community Action
and Dorset Probation Trust
Tuesday 8th June 2010
The Hub, Verwood
Registration at 09.30 for 10.00 start; finish at 3.00; lunch provided
This is an opportunity for partners to get together and start talking about joint working to improve outcomes for offenders, their families, and the wider community in Dorset.
This free event will be run using the Open Space process. Open Space is a way of organising a meeting so that there is maximum participation, energy and focus. Participants will be invited to create the agenda for the day by proposing topics that matter to them. Discussion groups will then form around each topic with participants free to move from group to group as their interest dictates. After the meeting the recommendations that have emerged will be circulated so that partners can immediately start to move ideas forward into action. We think that this event will be both enjoyable and productive and is not to be missed!
The event will be relevant to you if you are working in Dorset, Bournemouth and Poole within the following:
• A VCS organisation that works with offenders and their families or with victims;
• A local infrastructure organisation that supports the VCS, or a Volunteer Centre;
• A statutory agency that works with offenders and their families such as Dorset Probation Trust, HM Prisons, Youth Offending Team, Integrated Offender Management, Dorset Police, Courts Service, PCT, Children’s Services etc;
• A Community Safety Partnership or Criminal Justice Board.
The day will be led by Annette Zera, a very experienced Open Space facilitator. Please note that we are asking everyone who books a place to commit to staying for the whole day. Final confirmation and additional material for the day will be sent to participants a week before the event.
Places are limited, so please contact Laura Thompson, Clinks South West VCS Development Officer:
laura.thompson@clinks.org
‘Meet the Buyer’ events that will give voluntary and community sector organisations a chance to meet the people who commission services from the county council, find out about the commissioning process and the kinds of contracts that will be coming up in the future.
7th July – The Exchange, Sturminster Newton
15th September – Tank Museum, Bovington
More information will be coming your way soon
Equality Act explained - 24th June (Portland)
Equality South West course: What do employers need to do to prepare for the Equality Act 2010?
How does the Act affect organisations in the public, private and community sector?
What are the priorities in your area?
http://www.equalitysouthwest.org.uk/events/june-2010.html
Migrant Workers in the South West: Regional Action Plan Launch Event – 29th June (Taunton)
To launch the Regional Migrant Workers Action Plan and explore how best to implement the long-term objectives and to disseminate the findings of the Equality South West Migrant Workers Project. This event is for Public and Voluntary Agencies that work with or for migrant workers, or may do so in the future. The draft programme for the event can be found here: MW Programme
This event will be held at Somerset College of Arts and Technology, to book a place, complete and return the booking form; Booking Form
South West Regional Forum on Ageing Launch Conference – 15th June (Taunton)
This launch conference is for older people-led organisations and regional and local agencies who plan and deliver services. This is your opportunity to engage with and influence the work of the Forum by sharing your priorities and speaking to and hearing from key regional agencies.
For more information see the following documents :
Access our Funding pages here. They are continually updated during the month.
See the reports, diary of meetings and events from our Voice Project and all the Forums on the weblink www.dorsetcommunityaction.org.uk/voice
In this issue:
News
What you need to know
Training
Events
News
We can all use this as an opportunity to think about what else our organisations could or should be doing to protect employees, volunteers, service users, and members of the public our organisations come into contact with.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Nl1/Newsroom/DG_184594
From the NVCO website:
“Plans to remove the charity exemption from music licensing fees have been put on hold because there isn't enough time to change the law before the general election.
The change, which NCVO has been fighting, would allow licensing authority Phonographic Performance Limited to charge charities and community groups to play recorded music and radio stations in charity shops and at events.
It could cost the sector an estimated £20 million, politicians have warned.”
http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/news/ncvo/music-licensing-fee-change-put-hold
From the Wessex Charity Awards website:
The Wessex Charity Awards have been created by PAS Charity Recruitment to celebrate the outstanding work carried out by the staff and volunteers of charities in the Wessex Region.
The Wessex Charity Awards is a new initiative to honour the work undertaken by the charity sector in the Wessex region. We are inviting people to nominate the charity or individual, who they believe deserve recognition for outstanding work over the last 12 months.
Nominations are invited from charities based in the Wessex Region. A total of five Awards will be presented during the evening:
• Charity of the Year
• Chief Executive of the Year
• Fundraising Team of the Year
• Volunteer of the Year
• Trustee Board of the Year
Individuals working within a charity, and also the general public, may make nominations
http://www.wessexcharityawards.co.uk/
A new online calendar aims to boost the fundraising potential of events by avoiding clashes with other high profile occasions. Due to launch on 12 May, Calendar Check will be devoted to national and local charity events, and allows visitors to search for competing events and upload their own for free.
Events can be searched by date range, charity and type both nationally and by region, and the site will also include an online directory of services and product suppliers which will be regionalised to tie in with particular events.
www.calendarcheck.co.uk
What You Need To Know
The Charity Commission has issued revised guidance for charities to ensure they are able to retain the essential quality of independence and use their voice effectively at election times. This guidance is for between the announcement of an election and the election itself.
http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/Charity_requirements_guidance/Your_charitys_activities/Campaigning/elect.aspx
Gift aid – claiming time limits
The time limits for claiming gift aid have changed from 1st April 2010.
The rules are different for charitable trusts and all other charities as well as Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs).
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/charities/gift_aid/reclaim.htm#7
Protecting Children and Vulnerable Adults – the Vetting and Barring Scheme
Excerpts from the ISA website:
On 12 October 2009, increased safeguards called the Vetting and Barring Scheme (VBS) were introduced to help protect children and vulnerable adults from harm by preventing those deemed to be ‘unsuitable’ from working with them.
To help implement the VBS a new public body called the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) has been created. The ISA is responsible for making decisions over who should be barred from working with vulnerable people and for maintaining two new barred lists (covering England, Wales and Northern Ireland) for the children and vulnerable adults’ sectors.
How employees and employers are affected
Obtaining ISA-registration is the employee’s responsibility. It is not a difficult or time consuming process and there is a one-off cost of £64 in England and Wales. In England and Wales, ISA-registration for unpaid volunteers is free.
There is a single registration form to complete, covering working with children and with vulnerable adults. Once successfully ISA-registered, an individual is registered for life in most cases and does not need to reapply.
Has the VBS started yet?
Yes, from October 2009 you must not knowingly employ in regulated activity, or use as a volunteer, a barred person.
What happens next?
From July 2010 all new employees and volunteers, and those moving jobs who want to work with children or vulnerable adults frequently or intensively can register with the ISA.
In general, from November 2010, all new employees and volunteers who want to work with children and vulnerable adults frequently or intensively in a wide variety of settings must be ISA-registered before they can start work. From then it will be illegal to employ people who are not ISA-registered.
From April 2011 people who are already working in regulated activity may apply for ISA registration.
This will happen in phases up to July 2015 and employers will tell people when they should join.
Working with the CRB
The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) is responsible for processing applications for ISA-registration in England and Wales and for maintaining a list of those people from England, Wales and Northern Ireland who are registered with the Scheme. ISA registration will not replace the CRB disclosure process, but represents an extra level of safeguarding.
For more information on registering and how this will affect you and your organisation:
http://www.isa-gov.org.uk/
LawWorks Community Groups project
Initial Electronic Advice is a free, automatic web-based system which provides brief legal information in response to straightforward legal queries. It is designed to assist not for profit organisations and individuals who cannot afford to pay for solicitors privately.
LawWorks is an independent charity and is the working name of the Solicitor’s Pro Bono Group. The charity exists to encourage and support solicitors to carry out pro bono work (for free), and runs several projects to encourage solicitors to do this, and to provide free legal support to individuals, communities and small voluntary organisations who are unable to afford or access legal advice.
The main areas they cover are: advertising, banking, building and construction, charity, clinical negligence, commercial, company, competition, construction, consumer, consumer credit, contract, corporate, crime, debt, education, employment, energy, environment, EU, family, health and safety, housing, immigration, insolvency, insurance, intellectual property, IT, landlord and tenant, mental health, mortgages, data protection, finance, insurance, pensions, personal injury, planning, property, public law, small claims, tax, telecoms, trust, welfare, wills and probate.
You can see more information on the charity itself on its website – www.lawworks.org.uk
Training
Basic Finance for Charities and Voluntary Organisations
Events
From the Fossil festival website: 'Dead... and Alive!' will celebrate the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity. Lyme Regis is one of the best places along the Jurassic Coast to explore modern biodiversity and the conservation of rare habitats, the history of life on our planet and the links between biodiversity and geodiversity. They must necessarily all be woven together if we are to fully understand our natural heritage.
The Fossil Festival is a fascinating fusion of science and art. We think fossils are the bee’s knees (although fossilised bee’s knees would be very wee indeed), but if you have yet to get the bug, you won’t leave the Festival without it.
http://www.fossilfestival.com/home
This conference is for you if:
• You work in the Health, Social Care or Arts sector and would like to learn more about partnership projects and network.
• You are committed to providing Dorset resident’s with the best care possible.
• You have no prior knowledge of ‘Arts, Health and Wellbeing’ practice but would like the opportunity to learn more OR You have been involved in ‘Arts, Health and Wellbeing’ projects and would like to help generate more in Dorset.
For more information click here
Dorset Strategic Partnership Annual Conference
Official notice is still to be given but the Dorset Strategic Partnership Annual Conference will take place on:
Monday 18th October 2010 - from approximately 9:30am – 1:30pm. More information as we hear it!
Funding
Access our Funding pages here. They are continually updated during the month.
Representation
See the reports, diary of meetings and events from our Voice Project and all the Forums on the weblink www.dorsetcommunityaction.org.uk/voice
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