Vol Resource Newsletter 353
NEWSLETTER 11-9-08
Contents
11. Guide on Gift Aid
12. Redundancy: a simplified guide
Advert: Join NCVO
21. Bringing in the Charitable Incorporated Organisation legal form
22. Governance Research in Scotland
23. Reviewing social work in Northern Ireland
31. Learning from Charity Commission's regulatory work
32. Putting English charities in control of reporting to funders
33. Scottish regulator calls for legislative improvements
34. Bringing together Scottish third sector, national and local government
35. Joining up for stronger voice for health and social care users
36. Greater focus on political matters
37. Grassroots grants scheme open
51. Online advice for older people and their carers
52. Housing rights for new migrants
53. How Your Council Works
54. Energy tool for arts organisations
55. Volunteer Value Calculator from Canada
56. Sector training database expands to north west
57. Assistive technology videos
58. IT magazine for smaller voluntary organisations
59. Cost effective ICT services through social enterprise
Adverts: Membership Schemes Conference; Empowerment Conference - Sharing Policy and Practice
10. ADMINISTRATIVE
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Charity Finance Directors Group and accountancy specialists Sayer Vincent have produced 'Gift Aid made simple', a downloadable leaflet aimed at charity finance professionals. In pdf format, 69KB, http://www.sayervincent.co.uk/Asp/uploadedFiles/File/Gift%20aid%20made%20simple.pdf. (Via UKFundraising)
12. Redundancy: a simplified guide
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'Redundancy: a simplified guide' from the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform "provides an overview of procedures, rights and entitlements in redundancy proceedings". Your editor is slightly confused by this being dated August 2008, but having a production time stamp of November 2007. Download (pdf, 195 KB) at http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file47510.pdf.
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Over 6,000 organisations are members of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations. Are you one of them?
For almost 100 years we have been helping people just like you. Whether it is advice on campaigning or funding or practical support to develop your leadership skills, NCVO membership will help you and your colleagues become more effective.
Join the growing NCVO community or sign up to our monthly email update today at http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/volresource.
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20. CONSULT
21. Bringing in the Charitable Incorporated Organisation legal form
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A long-awaited consultation on the new corporate form for charities created under the Charities Act 2006, the Charitable Incorporated Organisation, is now under way. Run jointly by the Office of the Third Sector and the Charity Commission, it covers details of what the new form might look like and the rules a CIO will have to follow, contained within draft secondary legislation. Views needed by 10th December. Charity Commission introduction at http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/enhancingcharities/cio.asp, OTS news item, or consultation details.
22. Governance Research in Scotland
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The Association of Chief Officers of Scottish Voluntary Organisations and Cranfield University are carrying out research which aims to provide insights into governance and leadership within the third sector in Scotland. It will attempt to assess any relationships between the characteristics of the board and the effectiveness of the organisation. The research is supported by the Scottish Government, OSCR and Supporting Voluntary Action/SCVO. An online survey is open to 28th September - OSCR has links and contact details.
23. Reviewing social work in Northern Ireland
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The Northern Ireland Social Care Council is carrying out a review of the roles and tasks of social work in the unique context of Northern Ireland. The consultation pack (and link to NISCC) is available on the CommunityNI site. Responses by 17th October.
30. NEWS
More News items are added during the week at http://www.voluntarynews.org.uk
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The Charity Commission has a new annual report bringing together or the first time the themes and wider issues arising from its regulatory work, which seeks to ensure that charities comply with their legal obligations and investigates reports of serious abuse or mismanagement. Trends identified include lack of procedures to protect vulnerable beneficiaries, poor basic accounting and reporting causing long-term problems, and overlooking the basics of good governance. The report includes illustrative cases and key lessons for charity trustees. Download 'Charities Back on Track: themes and lessons from the Charity Commission's compliance work' (pdf, 407KB) from http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/Library/investigations/pdfs/track.pdf.
32. Putting English charities in control of reporting to funders
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A report just published by New Philanthropy Capital calls for charities to work with their funders to streamline reporting requirements. While good reporting can benefit both parties, it can be overly burdensome and excessive. The report itself was funded by the Office of the Third Sector, following a similar one on improving the reporting process for Scottish charities, and will "inform and drive forward (the government's) ongoing burdens reduction work with departments across Whitehall".
Plaza Publishing news alert item at http://www.professionalfundraising.co.uk/home/content.php?id=1455, and OTS news item has download link (pdf, 1.3MB) for 'Turning the Tables England: Putting English charities in control of reporting' at the end.
33. Scottish regulator calls for legislative improvements
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Scottish charity regulator OSCR has used its first two years' experience to make recommendations in its latest annual report for possible legislative changes to improve regulation and public confidence, and reduce the regulatory burden on charities. Third Force eNews highlights a call to get tough on bogus doorstep collectors, with everyone obliged to state whether they are collecting for a registered charity. OSCR also wants powers to appoint additional trustees to the boards of older charities which are unable to operate with an insufficient number of trustees. OSCR news item at http://www.oscr.org.uk/NewsItem.aspx?ID=f50d928e-ac1b-4442-9d8d-43b2e5966cb8, or download the annual report and accounts (pdf 464KB).
34. Bringing together Scottish third sector, national and local government
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Improving coordination of the work of Scotland's third sector organisations, 32 local authorities and the Scottish Government is the aim of a new Task Group. Chairing is shared between Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations and the local authority umbrella body CoSLA. SCVO news item at http://www.scvo.org.uk/scvo/TFNPR/ViewTFNPR.aspx?pr=7830&from=Home&al=t.
35. Joining up for stronger voice for health and social care users
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National Voices is a new umbrella organisation bringing together national voluntary organisations representing users of health and social care "to give them a stronger voice in policy-making". Officially launched on 1st September, it aims to ensure the service user is heard at the beginning of the policy-making process. See Plaza Publishing news alert at http://www.charityfinance.co.uk/home/content.php?id=2201, or the new web site at http://www.nationalvoices.org.uk.
36. Greater focus on political matters
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With the next general election possibly creeping into sight, England's umbrella body NCVO is considering what the voluntary and community sector wants to ask for from the next government. It has already produced an initial response to the Conservative's Green Paper, 'A stronger society, voluntary action into the 21st century' at http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/policy/index.asp?id=9554. The interest appears to be reflected in greater attendance at the party conferences coming up this month - see Third Sector news item at http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/News/844807/ (registration required).
37. Grassroots grants scheme open
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The government's Grassroots Grants scheme is now "open for business". Funded by the Office of The Third Sector and administered by the Community Development Foundation, the scheme offers grants of between £250 and £5,000 to support activities that lie right at the heart of local communities. The money is being distributed through local funders - download the list (pdf, 102KB). There is also an endowments programme to enable local funders to generate additional donations on a matched basis and create a long-term funding stream or frontline community organisations.
50. E-RESOURCE
51. Online advice for older people and their carers
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A service that provides a single source of information on care, housing and funding for older people has been created by a coalition of Help the Aged, Counsel and Care and the Elderly Accommodation Counsel. It is provided through the FirstStop web site at http://www.firststopcareadvice.org.uk and also the telephone Advice Line, currently being piloted in London and South East England.
52. Housing rights for new migrants
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The Chartered Institute of Housing and the Housing Associations' Charitable Trust have launched a web site aimed at answering housing rights queries for new migrants. There are separate sections for frontline housing advisers and new arrivals themselves. http://www.housing-rights.info.
53. How Your Council Works
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Urban Forum and a number of partners have published 'How Your Council Works: a Handy Guide for Community Groups', covering England (and to an extent Wales). It give the lowdown on the structures and workings of your council and which part deals with its myriad of responsibilities, and which council to contact if you live in a two-tier area. Available for purchase in print, or download from http://www.urbanforum.org.uk/pubs/index.html (pdf, 982KB).
54. Energy tool for arts organisations
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Arts Council England has developed a self-assessment toolkit for arts organisations to help them implement an effective energy management programme, which can reduce energy usage, carbon emissions, and costs. http://www.artsenergy.org.uk (Source: Voluntary Arts England newsletter)
55. Volunteer Value Calculator from Canada
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A Canadian sector support and research organisation has created the Volunteer Value Calculator, designed to produce various information on the economic value of volunteers. We haven't checked out how well this travels, so feedback from any readers who give it a go would be good. http://volunteercalculator.imaginecanada.ca/eng/ (Source: Charity Village)
56. Sector training database expands to north west
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voluntaryskills.com, the web site providing information on third sector skills and training in North East England, has expanded its area to include the North West, http://www.voluntaryskills.com.
57. Assistive technology videos
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A selection of videos illustrating how to use accessibility tools including screen readers and magnifiers has been brought together by dotjay's lab at http://lab.dotjay.co.uk/notes/assistive-technology/videos/. These give some real users' perspectives and so a much better insight into the issues than most. (Source: NCVO's ICT development e-newsletter)
58. IT magazine for smaller voluntary organisations
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Lasa's magazine Computanews, which provides straightforward, clear information on the use of IT for staff in small to medium-sized voluntary organisations, is now only available electronically, but this means it is downloadable by anyone. Download issue 149 (pdf, 562KB) and future editions from http://www.lasa.org.uk/computanews/index.shtml.
59. Cost effective ICT services through social enterprise
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A report commissioned by the ICT Hub to look at social enterprise as a model for delivering ICT support within the voluntary and community sector is available (pdf, 336 KB) at http://www.icthub.org.uk/research/#deliveringsupport.
60. DIARY DATES
See Events Listings at http://www.voluntarynews.org.uk.
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Are you involved in running a membership or supporter scheme?
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8th October, London. Supported by Associa
Join us at the Membership Schemes Conference to find out about the foundations needed for a successful membership scheme including data management, e-communications, researching your membership and branding. The interactive and practical workshops will equip you with top tips to apply to your own membership scheme to help you recruit, engage with and retain members.
For more and to book visit http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/membershipoct08.
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Find out what the Empowerment White Paper has in store for you at Community Development Foundation's conference on 21st October, Birmingham.
Hazel Blears MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, will deliver the keynote speech at this dynamic and interactive day. Workshops and debates on key issues, including:
- Funding for community empowerment
- Active citizenship and participation
- Implications of the duty to involve
- Tackling exclusion and inequalities
- Local action on environmental issues
For details or to book your place visit http://www.cdf.org.uk/products/conferences/introduction.asp.
* Limited bursary places are available for community groups - email: north@cdf.org.uk for details *
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70. SELECTED VACANCIES
We accept limited 'paid for' job ads: a guaranteed web site spot and trailing, plus basic details here. See http://www.volresource.org.uk/jobs/1.htm for opportunities/details.
** Newly listed: The Back-Up Trust, Programme Manager; Denny & Dunipace and Grangemouth & Bo'ness Bureaux, Financial Inclusion Workers.--------------------------------------
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