VolResource Newsletter 355

11. An employer's guide to mediation
--------------------------------------------
'Mediation: An Employer's Guide' is a new publication from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and Acas which champions mediation as an effective way of organisations avoiding ending up at employment tribunals. It draws on a comprehensive survey of CIPD members and case studies (which included Salisbury Cathedral as a small/medium-sized charity). Acas news item at http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=2103 or download (pdf, 486KB) from http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1364.

12. Sponsoring workers from outside EU
-------------------------------------------------
From Sandy Adirondack's Legal update: Deadline 1st October for applying to become a sponsor if you want to hire someone from outside the European Economic Area for a Tier 2 job (skilled workers) or Tier 5 (youth schemes, or musicians, sports people, actors etc coming for a specific event) during or soon after November, or if you currently hire someone from outside the EEA whose work permit will need renewing then. Even if you are not immediately affected, the new immigration rules will impact all employers who hire anyone from outside the EEA. Introductory info at http://www.sandy-a.co.uk/employment.htm#righttowork, detailed official information at
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/employers.

13. Change to conflicts of interest under company law
------------------------------------------------------------------
Also from Sandy Adirondack's Legal update: Under provisions of the Companies Act 2006 coming into effect on 1st October, there are statutory duties to avoid conflict of interest, not accept benefits from third parties and declare an interest in transactions with the company. Certain potential conflicts of interest would need to be approved by company members or the board of directors, which could include for instance a local authority councillor on the board of a local organisation. For companies in particular also subject to charity law, the implications are still a little unclear, but for preliminary information see http://www.sandy-a.co.uk/managing.htm#codir-conflict.

-----------advert--------------
NCVO job shop, http://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 http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/recruitment.
----------ad ends-------------

31. Changes in online information on charities
--------------------------------------------------------
With the threshold for submitting annual accounts to the Charity Commission changing shortly to £25,000, the online database GuideStar UK has announced that it will continue to capture and display information from all Trustee Annual Reports and Financial Statements it receives, regardless of size. A simple method will be provided to voluntarily submit accounts electronically. Plaza Publishing news alert item http://www.charityfinance.co.uk/home/content.php?id=2221.

Plaza Publishing also reports that the new format official online register of charities expected this autumn will have colour-coded highlighting of charities that file their accounts late. http://www.charityfinance.co.uk/home/content.php?id=2220.

32. Social enterprise seen as worthy but inefficient
--------------------------------------------------------------
Research into current levels of understanding and awareness of social enterprise, carried out for the Office of the Third Sector, has revealed a high level of confusion. In those surveyed, when asked to pick out social businesses from a list of candidates the largest number chose Comic Relief or Childline, rather than the likes of Eden Project or Big Issue. And the sector is seen as vague, woolly, worthy, small and inefficient. See Social Enterprise magazine news item, http://www.socialenterpriselive.com, or the OTS short summary which has a link to a presentation (PowerPoint style) of the findings.

33. Improvements to Scottish Parliament Freedom of Information
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Scottish Parliament has a new version of its Freedom of Information disclosure log, at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/apps2/corporate/FOI/, with direct links to online information and documents which have been released in response to a request. "This development, which gives everyone instant access to information released under FoI, highlights the Scottish Parliament's ongoing commitment to openness and transparency." Kable news item.

PDF note: to be able to read pdf files, download Adobe Reader from http://www.adobe.co.uk/products/acrobat/readstep2.html, for accessibility matters see http://access.adobe.com. Or for an alternative, try Foxit Reader.

51. Community investment for social benefit
------------------------------------------------------
A publication for Co-operatives UK written by consultant Jim Brown 'Community Investment - using Industrial and Provident Society legislation' gives an overview and practical guide for activists, advisors and professionals on the use of community share issues. As the first paragraph says, communities investing capital in business ventures serving a social or community purpose is not a new phenomenon, but the Fairtrade movement saw the start of the modern use of IPS legislation. See http://www.cooperatives-uk.coop/live/welcome.asp?id=2397, or download the publication (pdf, 2. 65MB) direct.

52. NCVO's Strategy and Impact site
--------------------------------------------
A new web site from NCVO aims to give a friendly introduction to strategic thinking and planning, and how to know where you are going and how well you are doing. Fairly basic but some useful stuff tucked away (although one or two missing links and it's slightly messy when browsing using our standard font size). http://www.strategy-impact.org.uk.

53. A guide to the UK PR and lobbying industry
---------------------------------------------------------
A new booklet provides a snapshot of the PR and lobbying industry in the UK, documenting the tactics used by leading firms on such issues as nuclear power, science, food and local government. A section looks at the dangers of companies trying to co-opt voluntary groups - see Third Sector news item at http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/Article/846348/ (registration required). Published by Spinwatch, which monitors such activity, more information at http://www.spinwatch.org, or download 'Spinning the Wheel' (pdf, 470KB) from http://www.spinwatch.org/images/spinning%20the%20wheels.pdf.

54. Cracking the sector code
-----------------------------------
Voluntary Arts Network has a new Briefings sheet on 'Voluntary and community sector jargon', explaining some of the most common terms and acronyms used. Pdf, 171KB, http://www.voluntaryarts.org/uploaded/map7823.pdf.

55. Worker Coops Blog
---------------------------
A blog aimed at those in Worker Co-operatives has been started by John Atherton, worker co-op development officer for Co-operatives UK, http://www.workerco-operatives.blogspot.com.

56. New and updated on VolResource
----------------------------------------------
-- Charity Awards: Social Change Awards from Directory of Social Change. Individuals and organisations other than charities can also enter - Everyday Impact Award, the Influencer Award, Investing in Social Change Award and the Public Body Award. Nominations by 17th October, http://www.socialchangeawards.org.uk.
-- Magazines: NCVO's bi-monthly members magazine VS is now Engage, with more pages and related web content. http://www.beengaged.org.
-- Design and Print: Russell Press, started by the Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation in the 1960s, specialising in printing services for the not-for-profit sector. http://www.russellpress.com.

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.