VolResource Newsletter 359

11. Gift Aid Toolkit on CD
-----------------------------
HM Revenue and Customs has published a CD toolkit on using Gift Aid to increase charity income. It includes basic guidance, templates, an interactive claim form and other materials. Request it by phoning HMRC Charities on 08453 020 203 or email: charities@hmrc.gov.uk

12. Displaying company information
-------------------------------------------
The various regulations which set out disclosures that companies (including voluntary organisations/charities with limited status) must make to show their legal identity have been brought together and updated from 1st October in the Companies (Trading Disclosures) Regulations 2008. See the official BERR (Business Department) 'Frequently Asked Questions' summary of what this covers. Disclosures for registered charities will be in addition to this, see for instance Sandy Adirondack's legal update on Scottish requirements at http://www.sandy-a.co.uk/managing.htm#disclosure-scotland.

Also we haven't previously included (probably!) this link to Charity Commission guidance on the impact of the Companies Act 2006 on charitable companies - http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/supportingcharities/compact.asp.
(Source: WCVA Trustee news)

13. Consulting employees on health and safety
---------------------------------------------------------
By law, employers must consult their employees on health and safety issues at work. The Health and Safety Executive has two new leaflets on this - one aimed mainly at employers in workplaces with fewer than 25 employees (pdf, 109KB) at http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/web35.pdf and a brief guide to the law (pdf, 136KB) at http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg232.pdf.

21. Surveying the power of the internet for charities
--------------------------------------------------------------
Time again for the annual benchmarking exercise that is Virtual Promise, a study of the ways in which voluntary organisations are using the internet. Results will be published online by nfpSynergy and all sizes of charities are encouraged to take 15 minutes to complete this. Closing date 14th November, http://www.nfpsynergy.net/virtualpromise08.

22. Safeguarding Adults Review
--------------------------------------
A consultation on the Review of the 'No Secrets' Guidance (on keeping adults safe, issued in 2000) has been launched by the Department of Health, the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice. The review has been prompted by changes in the government's vision, identified weaknesses and to examine the case for legislative change. There are questions for a wide range of stakeholders, from lawyers and social workers to the public and service users. Responses by 31st January 2009, http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Consultations/
Liveconsultations/DH_089098.

23. Reviewing the role of libraries in the modern world
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A modernisation review of England's public library service has been launched by Culture Secretary Andy Burnham. Led by Culture Minister Barbara Follett over the next six months, it will look at such things as innovations "to make them come alive for generations to come", before a report is published for wider consultation. http://www.culture.gov.uk/reference_library/media_
releases/5532.aspx.

31. Government to fund new sector skills body
---------------------------------------------------------
The government is to fund a new independent Third Sector skills body to the tune of £2.5 million over the next three years, with its board representing sector employers. Jointly financed by Office of the Third Sector and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, the organisation will pull together the work of other sector skills councils to open up learning opportunities for third sector paid and voluntary staff. The existing Skills for Justice will act as an incubator body to get it off the ground. OTS news item.

32. More on the financial crisis and the sector
-------------------------------------------------------
Further to last week's news item (please check back if you missed it):
Scottish umbrella body SCVO has issued a briefing on the Financial Crisis and the Economic Downturn for the Scottish voluntary sector, available via http://www.scvo.org.uk/economy. As well as laying out the issues, it calls on UK and Scottish Ministers to implement a four point plan to help voluntary organisations weather the storm of the turbulent financial climate.

33. Understanding what makes people volunteer (or not)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The Institute for Volunteering Research, NCVO and Involve are to work together on research into volunteering and civic action. The Big Lottery Fund is giving three year funding to a project 'Pathways through participation: what creates and sustains active citizenship' which seeks to plug the gap in understanding about what makes people volunteer. See Plaza Publishing news alert at http://www.charityfinance.co.uk/home/content.php?id=2312.

34. Assisting joint bidding for major public services
--------------------------------------------------------------
Futurebuilders England is shortly to launch a Consortia Fund to help voluntary organisations bid for large-scale public sector contracts through joint ventures or mergers, according to Third Sector magazine (http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/News/855444/, registration required).

35. Third round for Parenting Fund
-----------------------------------------
The third round of the government's Parenting Fund, which gives financial support to voluntary sector projects that help vulnerable families, has 16 million pounds available for projects running from April 2009 to March 2011. Managed by the Family and Parenting Institute, applications to the fund are needed by 12th December. CYP Now news item at http://www.cypnow.co.uk/bulletins/Daily-Bulletin/news/854870/ or go direct to http://www.familyandparenting.org/ParentingFundFunding.

36. Changes to funding community sport
--------------------------------------------------
Sport England is changing the way it distributes around £45 million of National Lottery funding every year, following public consultation. Details of the application processes and award eligibility for the new programmes, including themed funding rounds, small grants and an innovation fund for community sport, will appear in the new year. Sport England news item.

37. Small awards for community benefit
------------------------------------------------
It's Your Community awards, from 02, provides up to £1,000 to local groups and individuals for anything that can be shown to benefit their community. The awards are independently judged and administered by The Conservation Foundation. Find out more at http://www.itsyourcommunity.co.uk.

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. Gateway to community cohesion resources
----------------------------------------------------------
A new web site dedicated to giving expert help and guidance on creating strong, cohesive communities has been developed by the Institute of Community Cohesion (iCoCo). It brings together a range of practical advice, with good practice case studies from across the country. News release at http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/corporate/994988 or see http://www.cohesioninstitute.org.uk.

52. Social audit or social return?
--------------------------------------
An article on social reporting looks at two main systems, social accounting and audit (SAA) and social return on investment (SROI), and asks whether the latter has been chosen prematurely by government. From NS (New Sector) magazine, http://www.newsector.co.uk/articles/81_
socialReturnOnInvestment.html. (Source: Senscot bulletin)

53. Working in partnership
--------------------------------
'A Practical Guide to Working With Partnerships' has been written by N2 Consulting in conjunction with Nottingham Council for Voluntary Service to provide a step-by-step guide to planning, setting-up and launching a successful partnership. Download (pdf, 203KB) via http://n2-consulting.com/partnerships.html. (Source: Community NI)

'Believing in Local Action' is a report from Church Urban Fund looking at successful partnership working between the faith sector and local infrastructure organisations. It includes good practice points and seven case studies show how it should be done. Download summary or full report via http://www.cuf.org.uk/believing_in_local_action.aspx.

54. Service Level Agreements, and community radio
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A 'Guide to Service Level Agreements for UK Community Radio Stations' has been produced by Sandra Tang at the University of Sunderland and published by Community Media Association. They say that the guide will also be useful for any organisation thinking about approaching their local authority or other public body for funding, even if not in the community radio sector. In pdf (1.37MB) or Word format at Commedia site.

55. Online survey tools
--------------------------
This month's 'A few good tools' from the American software review site Idealware covers online surveys. One or two of the specific tools may not travel well outside the States, but the principles for selection do and popular ones (there and in the UK) are included too. http://www.idealware.org/articles/fgt_online_surveys.php.

-----------advert--------------
Alive and Kicking: creating successful strategies
11th December 10am to 4pm, London, SW1

If you're responsible for strategic decisions within your organisation, sign up for an inspiring, hands-on day, http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/aliveandkicking.
From the secrets of effective decision-making, to the big picture trends to watch out for, you'll discover a host of ideas to strengthen your organisation's strategy and make your organisation more risk-aware, innovative and sustainable.
----------ad ends-------------

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.