Regional Forum News

Environmental responsibility to be added to Commission guidance

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

* Civil Society 3rd February 2010 * The Charity Commission board has agreed to add the issue of environmental responsibility to its guidance documents the Hallmarks of an Effective Charity (CC10) and, when next updated, the Essential Trustee (CC3). The issue was raised at a board meeting last week, at the request of the ministerial third sector task force on climate change. A spokeswoman for the Commission confirmed that the board had been keen to reflect the existing good practice that many charities are adopting. However, the board decided that climate change should not be included the guidance, only charities' environmental responsibility and action to promote sustainability.

Grassroots sport finds new voice

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The drive to get a million people playing more sport is to be promoted by nine new champions - one for each region in England, the new 'Regional Champions for Community Sport' will act as advocates for grassroots sport and Sport England's plans to increase participation. They will help to develop and take forward local partnerships that improve sport provision and take-up and secure continued investment in grassroots initiatives. The Minister for Sport, Gerry Sutcliffe, announced on January 28th that the appointment of the champion for Yorkshire and Humber is Yuri Matischen of Montgomery Leisure Services. As part of his role he will work with the London 2012 Nations and Regions Group to maximise the sporting legacy of the Games;

New powers to help residents fix local problems

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Communities are being given a powerful new way to fix local problems under new proposals to strengthen the ability of councils to scrutinise all local public services, announced Communities Secretary John Denham yesterday. A new Private Members Bill published today, backed by the Government, will give every resident the right to hold local service providers to account through their elected representatives on all issues of local concern: like dug up roads, poor facilities at train stations, or threatened local bus routes. People often feel they don't have the power or knowledge to tackle service providers on their own. But instead of having to suffer in silence, they will be able to call on their councillor who will have new powers to fight their corner. The proposed new powers mean councils could legally compel organisations to attend public scrutiny hearings to justify their actions and respond in full to recommendations made by the councils to resolve the problem. Councils will also have strengthened powers to scrutinise all the activities of Job Centre Plus, on issues like worklessness in the area, or how they're helping people into jobs locally.

Evaluation reports on impact of early ChangeUp investment

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Findings from the independent evaluation of ChangeUp - covering the initial funding period for the programme from April 2004 to March 2008 - show how the programmes early focus on partnerships and greater collaboration contributed to a significant distance travelled in the way that third sector support services are organised. This led to greater stability and resilience and opened up greater funding opportunities and influence.. The report also highlights high levels of satisfaction amongst users of local support services. The evaluation, carried out by the Third Sector Research Centre, BMG Research, Guidestar Data Services and Sustain Consultancy, concludes that by the end of the first phase of ChangeUp investment, partnerships established at a local level in response to the ChangeUp programme had supported the development of better local relationships between third sector organisations and public agencies, leading to greater influence within local decision making. However, the evaluation also identifies the need, going forward, for the programme to address different rates of progress in local partnerships, and to ensure improvements in partnership working contribute effectively to the development of services for local frontline third sector groups. For more information visit: Evaluation Report Website

Community Links wins 2 Star status in Best Companies 2010

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

One of our members, Leeds based Community Links, has won a Best Companies accreditation for the third year running. This year they have improved their rating, moving from 1 star First Class employer to 2 star Outstanding Employer status. This places Community Links in the top 200 of all companies in the UK. The Best Companies awards are based on independently conducted staff surveys and on what the organisation offers as an employer. Jon Woolmore, Chief Executive, said We are proud to be recognised for the third year in a row as a Best Company to work, and delighted that we have moved up to 2 Star status. Community Links recognises that our staff are our greatest asset. Find out more about the work of Community Links.

Councils shouldn't cut out third sector in efficiency drive

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Councils should consider the unique skills and benefits the third sector has to offer when improving local public services, Communities Secretary John Denham said today. In a keynote speech to the New Local Government Network, Mr Denham said councils shouldnt ignore the social outcomes the third sector can provide such as jobs for the workless or better services, in the stampede the hunt down the cheapest deal. Mr Denham will shortly be meeting with representatives from local government and the third sector to discuss the issue and look at how to ensure the third sector has the opportunity to play its part in the big issue of public service reform locally. John Denham said: It does not make sense to exclude the many excellent voluntary and third sector providers. They may not offer the cheapest contract in terms of narrowly defined cost/benefit in the short-term. But they can deliver important additional social outcomes such as jobs for the workless and marginalised and better quality service which saves money in the long run. Third sector organisations as well as groups of local public service employees and new private sector providers must have the chance to show how they could deliver the outcomes local people want by new ways of working, and new ways of delivering services not just asked to compete to deliver the current services at the lowest possible cost. I have a real concern that the third sector is not getting the opportunity to play its part in the big issue of public service reform locally. I have invited in representatives from local government and the third sector to discuss the issues and look at how we can address this.

New programme to make health inequalities everybodys business

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A new programme in thirty areas of the country will support the health service and local public sector organisations to work together to reduce inequalities by tackling local challenges. Healthy Places, Healthy Lives will encourage local leadership on the health inequalities agenda and share learning, meaning that health inequalities becomes everybodys business, Public Health Minister Gillian Merron announced today. Volunteer fellows from across the public sector including for example GPs, firemen or finance directors - will build on current work and help deliver action on health inequalities, not just in the NHS, but across all public service agendas. The programme is a further call to arms to all public services to play their part in giving everyone an equal chance for good health and practical help in how to achieve this. The NHS is already working with local authorities and other public services on board to help tackle inequalities. This new programme will boost current and future work and will be informed by the emerging recommendations from the post 2010 strategic review of health inequalities (the Marmot Review) which is due to be published in February. North East Lincolnshire Care Trust Plus is involved from this region focusing on teenage pregnancy and obesity and NHS Kirklees focusing on teenage pregnancy as well.

Charity Awards 2010 are now open for entries

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The Charity Awards 2010 are now open for entries The Charity Awards recognise excellence in the leadership and management of charities. They provide a wonderful opportunity for you propel your charitys work into the spotlight, to influence policy makers and funders and to boost the morale of your staff and stakeholders. The closing date for entries is Friday 12th March 2010. For more information visit: http://www.charityawards.co.uk/home/index.php

Appointment of new faith advisors

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

To encourage a deeper and broader relationship between Government and faith communities, Communities Secretary John Denham today announced the appointment of 13 new faith advisers who will act as a sounding board to advise on effective engagement with faith communities, and the impact of Communities and Local Government policy on faith communities. The 13 advisers, all experts in their chosen field, are intended to enhance ministerial understanding of, and engagement, with faith communities nationally. The Government already engages with faith communities through the Faith Communities Consultative Council (FCCC) and their role will continue. However over recent months John Denham has said that he wants to see as many channels of communication open as possible and this includes hearing from a wide range of expert voices. The members of the panel are: * Canon Dr Alan Billings - Formerly Director of the Centre for Ethics and Religion at the University of Lancaster. * Dr Harriet Crabtree - Director of the Inter Faith Network for the UK. * Marcia Dixon - Editor of Keep the Faith, a publication distributed to black majority churches. * Dr Doreen Finneron - Founder and director of the Faith Based Regeneration Network. * Jenny Kartupelis - Director of the East of England Faiths Council and Fellow of the Faiths and Civil Society Unit at Goldsmiths College. * Wakkas Khan - Director of the Exploring Islam Foundation and a founding member of the Radical Middle Way. * Alveena Malik A Principle Associate at the Institute of Community Cohesion and a Trustee of the Muslim Institute. * Mehri Niknam - Founder and director of the Joseph Interfaith Foundation. * Rosalind Preston - President of the Jewish Volunteer Network and Chair of Nightingale House. * Dr Jasdev Singh Rai - General Secretary of the British Sikh Consultative Forum and Director of the Sikh Human Rights Group. * Bishop Tim Stevens - Anglican Bishop of Leicester and Founder and Chair of the Faith Leaders Forum of Leicester. * Arjan Vekaria - President of Shree Kutch Leva Patel Community (UK) and the Hindu Forum of Britain. * Prof Paul Weller - Head of Research and Commercial Development, Faculty of Education, Health and Sciences and Professor of Inter-Religious Relations, University of Derby.

Making public spending more accountable

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Billions of pounds of public money will be subject to increased scrutiny by citizens and councils, Communities Secretary John Denham announced today Local Spending Reports provide information about how public money is being spent in local areas including money going to police and fire services, transport and health. This is information enabling people to see how their taxes are being put to use. But at the moment if people want to see not only what is being spent but what that money is delivering they would need to trawl through an array of different data, reports and statistics. Changes are therefore being proposed to improve the way that local spending reports are produced and presented. At the moment they exist as a series of excel spreadsheets. From next summer they will be published online in a clear and user friendly format that will enable the data to be easily interrogated.

Community contracts to improve local services

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Communities Secretary John Denham today called on councils to sign community contracts with local residents as a way to drive up the standard of local services including providing redress when things go wrong - and announced support to help them to do it. Community contracts - or neighbourhood charters - are voluntary written agreements between residents and local services setting out clear standards of service and priorities for action as well as the role local people can play in helping the services achieve this. Local services and residents work together to identify their priorities for the neighbourhood. These can include issues that are important to them such as anti social behaviour, litter, graffiti or street lighting. The contracts could also cover methods of redress when standards are not met ranging from a commitment from the council to solve the problem to considering financial compensation. Evidence shows community contracts work. Eleven areas across the country have already piloted community contracts and an evaluation of the programme. New guidance will set out practical advice on how councils and other services can develop and maintain contracts.

Yorkshire residents are being failed by public services

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

** Yorkshire Post 9th December 2009 ** Residents in our region are being failed by public services unable to tackle ill health, infant mortality and long-term unemployment, a hard-hitting new report says. The review of local authorities in the region by the Audit Commission also highlights weaknesses in children's services at two councils as among the biggest concerns in Yorkshire. Its inspection reports into every council, primary care trust, police and fire authority in the country are published today on a new website. They reveal Doncaster and Craven councils have both been rated as poor by the public spending watchdog. Doncaster is criticised for its children's services while Craven's financial management was said to have been affected by weaknesses in its planning. The commission has also identified 10 major problems which public services are failing to deal with in Yorkshire. The Oneplace website uses a system of red and green flags to highlight success and failings. Most of the red flags are linked to poor health of residents in some of Yorkshire's most deprived areas, although there are also concerns over burglaries and the quality of housing in parts of the region. More information on oneplace can be found on the oneplace website at: http://http://oneplace.direct.gov.uk/pages/default.aspx?gclid=CNLsk9ne1Z4CFQQ9ZgodP1k04w

Government's Grassroots Grants top £33 million

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Over £33 million in grants have been given to over 13,000 charities and voluntary organsiations in the first full year of the Government's Grassroots Grants scheme. The £130 million Grassroots Grants programme, which will run until 2011, is divided into two parts: an £80 million small grants fund for community organisations; and a £50 million endowments programme to enable local funders to generate additional donations on a matched basis.

New Director General for the OTS

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Rolande Anderson has been appointed as the new Director General for the Office of the Third Sector (OTS). She joins the OTS from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) where she was Director General for Transformation and Corporate Services. Before joining ONS, Rolande was Regional Director of the Government Office for the South East, Englands largest region.

Communities hit by Government u-turn on funding

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Two organisations working with marginalised communities in Yorkshire are angry at the decision of the Office for the Third Sector to pull the plug on much needed funding which had already been agreed. GATE (Leeds Gypsy and Traveller Exchange) and GenderShift, based in Hull, had been successful in applying for much-needed funds from the Campaign Research Programme. Each organisation was awarded £15,000 just three weeks ago, to support their work in advocating for some of the most vulnerable groups in the region. They have now been told that the funding has been withdrawn. In letters sent to the organisations, Minister for the Third Sector, Angela Smith MP, cites the recession as the reason for the u-turn, with the money being transferred instead to the Governments Hardship Fund for the sector. On hearing the news Judy Robinson, Director of Yorkshire and the Humber Regional Forum said: Many organisations put in precious time and resources to bid for this money in good faith. Its withdrawal leaves them in a worse position than before, and sends out very negative messages about the inclusion of marginalised communities. It also flies in the face of the Governments Compact with the voluntary sector. I sincerely hope the Minister urgently reviews this decision. The Campaign Research Programme, from where the funds had been designated to enable the voice of vulnerable people to be heard through campaigning and advocacy, was to be administered by Capacitybuilders. GATE works to promote positive understanding and appreciation of Gypsy and Traveller culture, and provides information, advice and advocacy support. GenderShift is a social enterprise set up to help create a fairer world in which every persons gender, gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation are accepted and respected. Add your name to this petition http://www.louder.org.uk/OTScampaign asking the Government to reverse a decision which it admits has breached the Compact, the voluntary agreement that advises on how third sector and public bodies should treat each other.

The Queen's Speech

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

There are thirteen Bills outlined in today's Queen's Speech; three of these have direct relevance to the voluntary and community sector. They are; The Child Poverty Bill This puts into law the government's commitment to end child poverty by 2020. It places a duty on local authorities to deal with the problem, and requires the government to report progress to Parliament on an annual basis. The Equality Bill This places a duty on the whole public sector to "narrow the gap between rich and poor". It would ban age discrimination outside the workplace, and require businesses with more than 250 employees to report on gender differences on pay. The public sector should use money for public procurement deals to drive equality in the private sector. Personal Care at Home Bill This would guarantee free personal care for people suffering from acute diseases like dementia or Parkinson's. It will protect the savings of people who currently get free care, and promises to help those needing to enter care homes for the first time to maintain their independence. This applies to England only. The Child Poverty and Equality Bills are not new in substance, although there are some additions/changes in the details. The Regional Forum has been engaged with both of these Bills with responses and briefings. For more information on the policy work of the Regional Forum visit: UK Policy

Government cuts campaigning fund

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The Government has announced plans to pull the £750,000 funding for a Campaigning Research Programme to help small charities campaign and advocate for change even though some contracts had already been signed. Their efforts were to be monitored as part of research on how small organisations can campaign effectively and how best they can be supported.

Parliament passes new economic recovery powers for councils and RDAs

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Councils will have new powers to engineer economic recovery locally, following the Royal Assent of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill. The Act strengthens the democratic role of councils to support local people and businesses to rebuild the local economy, increase jobs and skills, tackle housing shortages and improve infrastructure. Councils will have a stronger economic role that requires them to work closely with local people and regional partners to deliver growth. The downturn has created different challenges for different areas, which is why councils, as local leaders, have been given the responsibility to find local solutions and to help to integrate these in a single, powerful regional strategy. The Act creates: The responsibility for developing a single regional strategy, which will provide a blueprint for housing, transport and economic development. This will create a coherent action plan for recovery in each region and will be developed jointly by the Regional Development Agencies in partnership with a new local authority Leaders Board. A new requirement for councils to undertake an economic assessment of their area to ensure that authorities can understand the challenges, make informed decisions and contribute to the development of the regional strategy. New powers to create Economic Prosperity Boards to give local authorities the ability to create an executive decision-making body at sub-regional level to promote economic development and regeneration across council borders, within the overall framework of the regional strategy. The creation of Multi Area Agreements (MAAs) with statutory duties these will provide a further option for local authorities to work together on economic development by allowing MAAs to be put on a similar statutory footing to Local Area Agreements.

Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 passes final hurdle

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act has received Royal Assent, bringing in a host of new measures to prepare for the countrys long-term economic and social needs and build on the huge rise in school standards over the last decade. The Act provides the first complete legislative overhaul of Apprenticeships legislation for nearly 200 years putting the new Apprenticeship Offer for suitably qualified young people on a statutory basis from 2013 and ensures a good quality apprenticeship for apprentices and employers alike. It is a key step towards meeting Ministers ambitions that one in five young people will undertake an apprenticeship by 2020. It introduces the landmark time to train initiative, which will give employees the legal right to request time to train throughout their working lives. The introduction of the right will be phased and will be made available to employees in large businesses from April 2010 before being extended to all employees from April 2011. The other key measure of the Act is that local authorities will take on responsibility for securing education and training for all 16 to 19 year olds, to create a single, joined up offer for all children and young people from 0 to 19, while the new Skills Funding Agency will oversee a new demand-led approach to education and training provision for adults, better tailored to the needs of businesses and learners themselves.

Sector responds to the Compact Refresh

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Compact Voice has received a range of responses to the Compact refresh consultation from 79 organisations and 3 individuals. The responses have been collated, and some of the key themes and requirements to emerge are highlighted in a new report to the Sector. These views will all be taken into account in the final Compact document, which will be launched on 16 December 2009. To read the response visit: http://www.compactvoice.org.uk/response

Social enterprise man goes all the way 'to test state of the sector'

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

* By David Ainsworth, Third Sector * A social enterprise leader from Yorkshire has pledged to live on nothing but the products of social enterprises for the month of November. Alex Sobel, general manager of Social Enterprise Yorkshire and Humber, intends to document details of his purchases on his organisation's website, with a commentary on how he is getting on. "If I find it easy, that will tell us something about the state of social enterprise," he said. "If I find it impossible, that will tell us something else." He said the obvious difficulties were paying for gas, electricity and water, but that he would be able to buy petrol from a John Lewis or Waitrose service station. The idea came to him, he said, when reading a biography of 19th-century philanthropist Robert Owen, members of whose cooperative-style organisations tried to buy products only from other community enterprises. "I wanted to show that we shouldn't talk about community enterprise all day, then go to Tesco at 5pm when we walk out of the door," said Sobel.

Government research shows racial discrimination in recruitment

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0200

New research published today by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), shows that racial discrimination in recruitment still exists towards ethnic minority people. The study showed discrimination occurred for those applying for jobs with a name suggesting they were from an ethnic minority, rather than white British. For every nine applications sent by a white applicant, an equally good applicant with an ethnic minority name had to send sixteen to obtain a positive response. Three applications were sent to 987 advertised job vacancies giving a total of 2,961 applications. Applications were made to private, public and voluntary sector employers of varying sizes. The public sector vacancies included in this study which usually required standard application forms, did not discriminate at this initial stage of recruitment. This suggests that discrimination might be reduced by the use of standard application forms.

Institute for Philanthropy urges funding for core charity functions

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0200

** By Kaye Wiggins, Third Sector, 13 October 2009 ** The effectiveness of charities is being hindered by the reluctance of foundations and major donors to make grants to support their core functions, according to a new report from the Institute for Philanthropy. The report, Supportive To The Core, which is published this week, says the administration, fundraising and IT functions of charities are under- resourced because funders want to support specific projects rather than infrastructure development. It says the idea that low overhead costs are an indicator of an effective charity is a widespread misperception that can be "extremely counter- productive". The report urges donors and foundations to be less specific about how their money should be spent. "Core support grants allow organisations to concentrate on how to accomplish their goals in the best possible way, not on how to make their work attractive to funders," the report says. Jessica Sklair, director for research at the institute, said the report would be given to trusts, foundations and individual philanthropists to encourage them to consider funding charities' core costs. She said it would also be sent to charities so they could use it as a tool to communicate their needs to donors.

New Head of the Social Exclusion Task Force

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0200

Naomi Eisenstadt, the director for the Social Exclusion Task Force (SETF), retired at the end of September. Campbell Robb, who currently manages the Office of the Third Sector, has now become responsible for the Social Exclusion Task Force following Naomi Eisenstadts retirement, as Director-General of the Office of the Third Sector and Social Exclusion. Naomi had been director of SETF for nearly three years, having led early years and childcare work at DCSF the previous eight years.

Prime Minister announces expanded financial services role for Post Offices

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0200

The Prime Minister announced yesterday a much bigger role for Post Office in providing financial services, to increase the accessibility of reliable financial products for consumers and small businesses. The Post Office is one of the UKs fastest growing financial services providers, and the countrys number one foreign currency provider. Todays announcement, the Government believes, will be the next step towards turning the Post Office into a leading player in financial services, offering a full suite of products across its network of 11,500 branches. In order to achieve this, the Government will be consulting to help the development of new banking products and services from the Post Office which meet the needs of families. The announcement has been welcomed by the Commission for Rural Communities who said the move will help ensure the future sustainability of the Post Office network and has the potential to provide access to essential services such as bank accounts, savings and loans to financially excluded people in rural areas.

A third of Office of Third Sector grants are unspent

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0200

By John Plummer, Third Sector, 29 September 2009 Almost £14m of government grant funding available for allocation by the Office of the Third Sector last year was returned to the Treasury unspent. The 2008/09 accounts for the Cabinet Office, which contains the OTS, reveal that £13.8m of its £44.4m capital grants budget - almost a third - was not distributed. The shortfall was due almost entirely to underspending in two key OTS programmes: the endowment match challenge - which includes £50m of the £130m Grassroots Grants programme - and the investment fund Futurebuilders. The match challenge, in which the Government pledges to match every pound raised by local philanthropists, returned an underspend of £7.3m. The accounts attribute this to "economic conditions for local fundraising becoming increasingly difficult". Futurebuilders experienced a £6.6m underspend, which the accounts say was "due to delays in third sector investment recipients being able to meet important conditions before the fund can be disbursed". The total Cabinet Office underspend was £14.2m, but this was reduced by an overspend of £0.4m on funding for the non-departmental public body Capacitybuilders. The underspend means 31 per cent of the Cabinet Office budget for capital grants went back to the Treasury. A Cabinet Office spokesman said the underspends were not planned but it was better to have too much funding in place for the endowment challenge and Futurebuilders than to turn projects away.

New funding for rural community transport

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0200

The Community Transport Association (CTA) and the Plunkett Foundation have announced a new three year Social Enterprise Rural Community Transport Development Fund. The new fund will offer grant/loan packages to eight organisations around England to enable them to significantly grow their contract income. The funding package will be backed up by a range of training, development and networking support provided by the CTA and Plunkett over the life of the programme. The funding, totalling almost £1 million, will be input by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, the Department for Transport, the Commission for Rural Communities and Futurebuilders England. Further information on the programme will be announced in early November.

Response to the consultation on a new Charitable Incorporated Organisation

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0200

A joint response to the consultation on plans for a new type of incorporated charity structure was today published by The Office of the Third Sector in the Cabinet Office and the Charity Commission. The Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) will be the first incorporated legal structure designed specifically with the needs of charities in mind. It will be an entirely new type of charity structure that will provide charity trustees with protections and responsibilities similar to those given to directors of limited companies. To view the full response visit: Response

Exceptional pressures will alter the face of the voluntary sector

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0200

Exceptional pressures will alter the face of the voluntary sector, says Recession Watch Panel By Tristan Donovan, Third Sector, 15 September 2009 Changes to public spending and a struggle for small charities predicted by Third Sector's team of experts The voluntary sector will look significantly different after the recession because of changing patterns of public spending and commissioning and the rise of social enterprise, according to Third Sector's Recession Watch Panel. The panel of voluntary sector leaders, which met for the third time last week to discuss the economic downturn, agreed the sector was facing unprecedented pressures saying the Government's desire to commission large contracts could require even the largest charities to collaborate or merge to win public sector work. Two groups of charities were seen as particularly vulnerable to this and to falls in grant funding - those in the £10,000 to £150,000 income bracket taking on staff or premises for the first time; and organisations in the £1m to £20m range trying to turn themselves into national players. Federated charities could also be hit because they were often made up of organisations in these income brackets. Dame Mary Marsh, director of the Clore Social Leadership Programme, said social enterprise would become more important. "It's the only thing offering the potential for more income, because there are people who are interested in investing their money for social good rather than giving it away," she said. Foundations and trusts might move away from grant giving to social investment, she said: "Some private foundations are looking for more secure ways of getting a return for the money they put into the sector." It also warned that the Government's planned social investment bank would not make up for the drop in public funding.

Leeds Survivor Led Crisis Service is Charity Times 'Charity of the Year'

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0200

Congratulations to Leeds Survivor Led Crisis Service, which has just won overall Charity of the Year in the Charity Times awards. According to the judges it 'showed clear evidence of how a smaller charity can make a real difference and have substantial benefits on the ground'. The organisation - http://www.lslcs.org.uk/about.html - has also previously won the Guardian Public Service of the year award in 2006 and 2007

Citizens get 70 years of advice

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0200

Britain declared war on Germany on 3 September 1939. The very next day the first Citizens Advice Bureaux opened its doors. The network of 200 offices was planned before the war as an emergency service. The theory was that, in times of conflict, people would need clear, calm advice about all sorts of practical problems. During the blitz, the first CAB advisers were kept busy dealing with the damage caused by air raids. Help was also given evacuating children and tracing missing relatives. In late 1939, almost 28,000 people a month were going to CABs. By 1944 there had been a tenfold increase to 280,000 visits a month. The war ended, but the need for free, independent help kept growing - particularly as the welfare state began a period of rapid expansion. People wanted to know how to use the NHS and how to apply for things like Legal Aid and Housing Benefit. Today the Citizens Advice service is one of the largest charitable organisations in the UK and is in demand more than ever, the recession has led to a dramatic increase in issues like debt and unemployment. Over 20,000 volunteers swell its ranks. Even if the UK economy returns to growth this year, the social impact of the recession will be felt for a long time to come. That will mean even greater demands on the 3,200 CABs across the country.

ActionAid says Yorkshire is most generous county

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0200

** By Kaye Wiggins, Third Sector Online ** ActionAid is to carry out a regional fundraising campaign for the first time after discovering Yorkshire folk are the most generous in the country. People in Yorkshire responded in the greatest number to the international development charity's sponsor a child' scheme, which asked individuals to give £15 a month. ActionAid plans to build on that success by running a new campaign to thank donors in Yorkshire and ask them to continue giving. Jennie York, supporter recruitment manager for the charity, said the campaign was likely to include direct mail, events and advertising in the press and on local TV and radio stations. "Yorkshire is our most generous county in terms of child sponsors, so we decided that thanking local people for their generosity would be an effective means of encouraging more people to sponsor children," she said.

Lottery betters life prospects for recession-hit young

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0200

The BIG Lottery Fund has announced over £52 million in Lottery good cause funding to help young people in England bounce back from the impact of the recession. The 185 awards, totalling £52,118,001, are being made to local projects from across the country through BIGs Young Peoples Fund 2 scheme. Each and every project will be planned, developed and run by young people for the benefit of young people. The funding comes as official figures (ONS Labour market statistics August 2009) show that close to one-third of 16 and 17-year-olds who left school in the last year (31.7%) are now officially unemployed. The projects in our region are: * People Matters (Leeds) C.I.C * Chantry Young Men's Christian Association * Horbury Churches Together * SADACCA Limited * ST-ART * Prism Youth Project * Save The Children Fund - Our Shout * Young Peoples Local Delivery Group

Communitybuilders £70m investment fund to help build more cohesive, empowered and active communities.

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0200

The fund will provide a mix of loans, grants and mentoring support to a range of community anchor-type organisations across England. It is designed to help empower citizens and communities by strengthening the resilience of multi-purpose community-led organisations across England through a mixture of financial and advisory support. The Communitybuilders Fund will be organised into three investment packages: A development package consisting of bespoke business support based on an initial needs assessment and leadership grants of £2,000 for staff development and training. Each investee will be assigned a Supporter who will lead them through an honest exploration of the health of the organisation; help develop foundations around governance, financial systems, and leadership as well as core functions. A feasibility package consisting of further business support of up to 5 days and grants of up to £20,000 to use towards project development of a growth plan. Grants of up to £75,000 and 30 days of support will be available for larger projects. Investment packages tailored for investees who are ready to develop, grow and expand their role within the community. Investment will consist primarily of loans between £50,000 and £2,000,000 offered at 5% for an initial three year period of a ten year loan term. Organisations can find more information on the fund, including investment packages and full associated eligibility criteria, and register their interest at the website or by calling 0191 261 5200.

Cash boost for rape centres

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0200

Victims of rape and sexual assault in the Yorkshire and Humber region are to gain from cash to boost care and counselling at help centres. Centres in Bradford, Doncaster, Sheffield, Hull and Scarborough have benefited from a share of £1.6m given to 39 organisations nationally. The money has been given to support the future of rape crisis centres and survivors trust centres. Bradford Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Survivors Centre has been awarded just short of £51,000. Doncaster Rape and Sexual Abuse Counselling Service has been given £50,000 along with Hull Rape Crisis. Funding of £27,000 has also been given to Sheffield Rape and Sexual Abuse Counselling Service and £38,200 has been awarded to the HOPE centre in Scarborough.

Department for Children, Schools and Families publishes third sector strategy

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0200

The Department for Children, Schools and Families has published a strategy for how it will work with third sector organisations. The document, Third Sector Strategy and Action Plan: Intention into Action, was produced in partnership with the department's third sector group. The DCSF commits itself to improving awareness of the importance of the third sector among its partners and at a local level, improving the standard of third sector commissioning, involving the third sector in the design of services and communicating more effectively with third sector organisations. To view and download the plan visit: Third sector strategy

SUMA wins Grocer Award

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0200

Suma Foods, the worker co-operative based in West Yorkshire, has won the inaugural award for Specialist Wholesaler of the Year at the Grocer magazine's Gold Awards 2009. Sumas PR Manager Andrew Mackintosh says it is, of course, a great honour to be nominated and then to win was entirely unexpected. We like to think its a recognition of the fact that you can run a business along ethical lines and still be innovative and progressive in what is a difficult time for us all commercially. Receiving the award for Suma was its Brand Development Manager Jon Knight who said on the night other category winners included Tesco, Cadburys and Waitrose, so we were competing with the real giants of the grocery trade, it was with great pride that we accepted the award. Suma is a co-operative owned, managed and entirely controlled by its workers. Distributing food across the globe from its base in Elland, West Yorkshire, it is the largest independent wholefood wholesaler in the UK.

All Inclusive? Third sector involvement in regional and sub-regional policymaking

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0200

Regions and sub-regions play an important, if often unseen, role in policymaking. Influential decisions linked to regeneration, planning, housing, economic development and the allocation of European funding are all taken at these levels by a complex web of quangos and partnerships. This report considers the third sector's role as a key stakeholder in decision-making at the regional and sub-regional level, with a particular focus on economic development. To view and download the full report free of charge visit: http://www.ippr.org/publicationsandreports/publication.asp?id=684

Denham announces successful projects to support communities in promoting race equality

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0200

A £9million Tackling Race Inequality Fund (TRIF) to address discrimination and underachievement has been announced by Communities Secretary John Denham. After a wide-ranging consultation on improving opportunities for minority ethnic people the Government is announcing a new commitment to funding projects that will drive forward efforts to promote race equality. TRIF projects will give targeted help to disadvantaged groups and all reflect a sense of shared values and fairness. The projects are split between 21 national and six regional organisations and include organisations such as the Stephen Lawrence Trust, Age Concern, the Race Equality Foundation and Mind.

Government takes next step towards launching a Social Investment Wholesale Bank

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0200

The Government has launched a consultation into the design and functions of a Social Investment Wholesale Bank. The consultation was announced in the Chancellors 2009 budget and will last 12 weeks. If positive this consultation could result in a new breed of financial institution a bank with the primary purpose of investing in society, the environment and the economy. This unique bank would be a world first as it would invest against a triple bottom line of economic growth, social cohesion and sustainable development. Originally it was proposed that a Social Investment Wholesale Bank could be funded predominantly by unclaimed assets lying in dormant bank accounts. The Government is looking forward to seeing the banks make progress on releasing these resources for reinvestment over the coming months. However, todays consultation is not about identifying the financial resources but more about how the bank would work. The consultation will present a range of possible functions for the bank, such as attracting money from other investors, and helping raise funds for existing social investors. It could be designed to be independent of government, regularly reporting its social, financial and environmental impact, and working with other investors wherever possible. The consultation document is available via: http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/third_sector

Personalisation and Transforming Adult Social Care

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0200

** NAVCA Circulation 409 June/July 2009 ** The personalisation agenda is driving huge changes in public services. Its also about much more than changing or even transforming service systems and processes. At its heart its also about a fundamental change in the relationship between citizens, communities and the state. It therefore has important implications for the local third sector and local infrastructure organisations. Pauline Kimantas, NAVCAs Local Commissioning and Procurement Manager, alerts readers to significant changes in the delivery of public services. To read the full article, click on the link below.

Piloting the way to better sports clubs

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0200

** NAVCA Circulation 409 June/July 2009 ** The NAVCA sport pilot project came to an end in March this year. Carrie McKenzie, Sport Partnership Adviser talks us through the findings and how LIOs can improve their work with sports clubs. NAVCAs sports partnership project aims to demonstrate the value that local infrastructure organisations (LIOs) can bring to sports clubs and to ensure that LIOs recognise community sports organisations as an integral part of the local third sector. As part of this work NAVCA set up a pilot project to put some of this into practice. York CVS and East Riding Voluntary Action Services (ERVAS) managed the pilots and received a grant of £2,000 to support their work with clubs. To read the full article click on the link below.

Adventure Capital Fund consortium will run Communitybuilders

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0200

By Andy Ricketts, Third Sector Online A consortium led by the Adventure Capital Fund has been chosen to manage the Government's £70m Communitybuilders fund. The ACF, which holds the contract to run the £215m Futurebuilders England fund and the Department of Health's £100m Social Enterprise Investment Fund, was selected to run the Communitybuilders fund, which will provide a combination of grants and loans to voluntary organisations for projects that promote involvement in local decision-making. The ACF will operate the fund in conjunction with Futurebuilders and the Community Alliance, which is a partnership between community network the Development Trusts Association, local umbrella bodies Bassac and Community Matters. Unity Trust Bank has also agreed to provide up to £40m of match funding for the programme, which is jointly administered by the Office of the Third Sector and the Communities and Local Government department.

Yorkshire and Humber new governance arrangements - Update

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0200

The Yorkshire and Humber Assembly has now been dissolved and new governance arrangements established, focused around a Joint Regional Board (JRB) and a series of thematic advisory boards.

The Joint Regional Board (JRB) - consisting of the 8 Members the Local Government Yorkshire & Humber (LGYH) Leaders' Board (2 Leaders from each of the four Functional Sub Regions/City regions), plus 8 Yorkshire Forward Board members - met for the third time on 24 April. This was an "extraordinary" meeting to discuss the region's immediate response to the economic downturn; as well as an outline process and timetable for the development of the region's single Integrated Regional Strategy (IRS) by 2011.

The JRB agreed that rather than continue with the ongoing review of the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS), as previously planned, work on the review should now be rolled into the development of the IRS. Discussions are now taking place with the Government Office to confirm this proposal.

Dates have also now been set for the first meetings of the Four Thematic Boards established by the JRB to steer and inform the development of the IRS. The Chairing arrangements for these Boards are as follows:

Thematic Board	Chair	Deputy
Spatial Planning	Cllr Peter Box (LGYH) Leader, Wakefield	Julie Kenny (YF) MD, Pyronix Ltd
Regeneration & Housing	Cllr Kris Hopkins (LGYH) Leader, Bradford	Mark Lovell (YF) Exec Chairman, A4e Ltd
Work & Skills Partnership Board	Mark Andrews (YF) CEX, NG Bailey Group	Cllr Kris Hopkins (LGYH) Leader, Bradford
Transport	Cllr Mark Kirk (YF) YF Board and Leader, North Lincolnshire	Cllr Andrew Carter (LGYH) Leader, Leeds

It is planned that all Thematic Boards will meet before the next full meeting of the JRB on 17 July. At its July meeting the JRB will consider the initial views of each Thematic Board on the priority areas on which the IRS must focus. In particular, the IRS will need to add value to the sustainable economic growth strategies now being developed at the City Region level. Each of the four City Regions in Yorkshire and the Humber Leeds, Sheffield, York & North Yorkshire and Hull and the Humber Ports - are developing tailored approaches to their sub-regional strategies; and the award of Pathfinder City Region status to the Leeds City Region offers particular opportunities in this regard.

The 17 July JRB meting will also be discussing arrangements to establish an Independent Sustainable Development Board. Research funded by the DEFRA Transition and Transformation Fund has now reported and the JRB will discuss its recommendations alongside alternative options for ensuring sustainability is hard-wired into the IRS process. LGYH will also be facilitating a forum of lead local authority Chief Executives and Leaders in early June to ensure that wider health, community protection, cohesion and cultural priorities can be delivered appropriately through the IRS.

A paper on the engagement of social, economic and environmental partners throughout the IRS timetable and process will also go to the July JRB meeting, reinforcing the fact that the commitment to build the IRS from local priorities will help ensure that the Strategy reflects the priorities of such organisations at the different spatial levels.

A Regional Executive Group (REG) has been established to provide the regional managerial partnership to ensure the successful implementation of the new regional arrangements and IRS. The REG is to be made up of 8 local authority Chief Executives (two per City Region), one of whom will be Chair, the Chief Executives of LGYH and Yorkshire Forward the Regional Director of GOYH.

Following the dissolution of the Yorkshire and Humber Assembly on 1 April 2009, confirmation has now been received from Government that LGYH is now the designated regional chamber body for Yorkshire and the Humber. The JRB is now the designated regional planning body until new legislation comes into force, with transitional arrangements in place ensuring that the National Parks Authorities are co-opted onto the JRB for the regional planning purposes.

Big Lottery Fund unveils new funding strategy

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0200

** Kaye Wiggins, Third Sector Online, 25 June 2009 ** The voluntary and community sector will receive at least 80 per cent of funds and an extra £45m for the recession The Big Lottery Fund is providing an extra £45m to help charities through the recession and has pledged to give at least 80 per cent of its funds to voluntary and community groups rather than the current 60 to 70 per cent. The news came in its announcement today of its funding strategy for the for the next six years. The strategy follows its Big Thinking consultation, which asked stakeholders and the public how its budget for new funding programmes should be spent. The extra £45m, which will be distributed in the current financial year, includes an extra £20m for the Reaching Communities scheme in England, £7m for its Basis programme, which works to increase capacity in the sector, £5m for its Awards for All, which gives grants of between £300 and £10,000 to grassroots groups, and between £1m and £3m each for programmes in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Voluntary groups get £500K

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0200

Recession-hit voluntary groups in North Yorkshire have been awarded almost £500,000 in lottery funds. The Big Lottery Fund has given £487,795 to Ryedale Voluntary Action to work in partnership with 14 organisations to support the area's rural communities. A Big Lottery Fund spokesman said: "The funding will help the sector cope with the strains of the economic downturn." Ryedale Voluntary Action welcomed the boost, saying other sources of funding were "drying up" during the recession. The groups benefiting from the funding include the Yorkshire Rural Community Council, York Racial Equality Network, Richmondshire Council for Voluntary Service and South Craven Community Action.

Social Enterprise Yorkshire and the Humber Awards nominations

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0200

Social Enterprise Yorkshire & the Humber and Business Link Yorkshire are launching the annual search to find the regions most dynamic and innovative social enterprises. Entries for the Social Enterprise Awards open on 15 June. Judges are looking for outstanding examples of businesses that are delivering real social impact and competing effectively in a commercial market. Antony Radley, head of social enterprise for Business Link, who organise and sponsor the awards, said: We are looking for examples of best practice that would be groundbreaking in more traditional commercial businesses. Social enterprises are operating in the same economic climate as other businesses so we are looking for those that are bucking the trend. Often social enterprises dont realise just how good they are. These awards are a great way of benchmarking your performance and achievements against others There are five categories in the Social Enterprise Awards: Start up of the Year, Social Enterprise in Education, Innovation in Enterprise, Social Entrepreneur of the Year and Social Enterprise of the Year. The closing date for entries is July 17. To enter go to: SEYH Awards

Railway to reconnect rural residents?

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0200

* Written by Ruralcity Media * Campaigners have hailed plans to reconnect rural areas to the rail network. The report says new rail routes are vital, researchers have identified opportunities to open 14 new lines and up to 40 new stations. The Connecting Communities study was undertaken by the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC). It calls for routes to be safeguarded and talks with Network Rail and local authorities to prioritise investment. As well as suburban park and ride stations, proposed rail links would benefit rural communities. They would be built over five to ten years. Together, the new lines and stations would serve 40 towns and 750,000 people currently not connected to the network. A further 250,000 people in nearby towns and villages would also benefit from better rail access, says the report. One of the proposals is to open a station in Ossett on the Wakefield/Huddersfield line and work at Guisborough between Northallerton and Middlesbrough.

Yorkshire Forward looks for new Board Members

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0200

Regional Development Agency Yorkshire Forward is looking for new members to join its Board. Tasked with driving economic development in Yorkshire and Humber and in the current economic climate, supporting regional businesses through the recession Yorkshire Forward invests around £300 million of public money every year in initiatives to support business growth, regenerate the regions towns and cities and develop the skills of its workforce. Members of the Board are responsible for driving the organisations investment decisions, which are accountable to Government via the newly created Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. The closing date for applications is Friday, 3rd July and more information is available at http://www.rdaboardappointments.com or from Kelly Walton on 0113 2056095.

Angela Smith named new third sector minister

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0200

Angela Smith, the Prime Ministers parliamentary private secretary and MP for Basildon, has been named as the new minister for the third sector. Ms Smith has also previously held positions as under secretary of state at the Department for Communities and Local Government and under secretary of state for Northern Ireland, while between 1997 and 1999 she was an officer for the All Party Parliamentary Group for Charities and the Voluntary Sector. In her most recent role as parliamentary private secretary, she described herself as the eyes and ears of the Prime Minister at Westminster. Her predecessor, Kevin Brennan, moves to an as yet unspecified role at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, having spent just eight months at the OTS. The role of minister for the third sector has also been raised from parliamentary under secretary to minister of state.

Surviving NOT Thriving - recession impact in the North East

Thu, 21 May 2009 00:00:00 +0200

Voluntary organisations' network north east (VONNE) has published the findings of it's impact study on the recession. The results of the survey highlight the difficulties faced by the sector in the North East including evidence that people in real need are being turned away from mental health charities, advice services and hostels as demand outstrips supply as well as, increased levels of stress amongst staff and concerns about the creation of the tow new unitary authorities in the region. The report also contains a number of recommendations for the future in particular about the Governments £42.5 million Real Help for Communities, the value of volunteers and the role of the Compact. The full report and all the findings can be found at:http://www.vonne.org.uk/survey/

Minister calls for local statutory bodies to work more closely with third sector organisations

Thu, 07 May 2009 00:00:00 +0200

Today, Kevin Brennan, Minister for the Third Sector will publish the full results of the National Survey of Third Sector Organisations. Nearly 50,000 charities, social enterprises and voluntary organisations took part - making this the largest survey of its kind. In January, the Government set each local authority a key performance target (National Indicator seven - NI7) to improve the way they work with the third sector in their area. The full analysis, published today on the National Survey website, shows what needs to be done to help meet those targets. The survey investigated whether third sector organisations felt that local statutory bodies helped them to succeed - i.e. the basis of their NI7 score. The results are striking, showing that: When third sector organisations are satisfied with their ability to influence local decisions, and have some current contact with local statutory bodies , they give an NI 7 score of 75% (compared to the overall national score of 16%). When there is dissatisfaction with the ability to influence local decisions and little or no current contact with local statutory bodies , third sector organisations give an NI 7 score of just 3%. Kevin Brennan, Minister for the Third Sector, said: The survey clearly shows what councils, primary care trusts and other statutory bodies need to do to help their NI 7 score. Now that the survey has provided a baseline score - we will judge local statutory bodies on their progress at developing their relationship with local third sector organisations. http://www.nstso.com/

Lottery backs grassroots Dirty Weekend

Wed, 06 May 2009 00:00:00 +0200

People of all ages will be going wild for wildlife, creating bee habitats, going on guided nature walks and sowing seeds at hundreds of community nature events this summer funded by Big Lottery Fund (BIG). Close to £1 million has today been awarded to 251 environmental projects across the UK to enable them to showcase their work to engage more local people with nature and attract more volunteers. Many of the events funded will take place over the BBC Springwatch Dirty Weekend coming soon on the 6 and 7 June, which will see people up and down the country joining in to do their bit for nature. Twenty seven groups in our region will benefit from a share of just over £109,000.

Yorkshire Gold

Fri, 01 May 2009 00:00:00 +0200

'Yorkshire Gold' is the region's strategy to make the most of the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. London 2012 presents the Yorkshire region with a fantastic opportunity to grow, and ultimately prosper from the legacies that will be left by the Olympic Games. Whether its sporting facilities being enjoyed by diverse and inclusive Yorkshire communities, increased volunteering or making our region more active Yorkshire Gold is there to make this happen. There are five 'Golden Opportunities' to help reach this goal not just running up to and during London 2012, but also for years to come. These are:

Sport and physical activity
Communities
Culture
Tourism
Business

To find out more about Yorkshire Gold and to download the strategy, visit its website: http://www.yorkshire-gold.com/ The Regional Forum has a place (along with Volunteer Centres) on the 'Active and Engaged Communities steering group, and we will keep you informed about developments on the 'Community' opportunity of Yorkshire Gold. Navca have also developed some useful infromation about the oppportunities for the VCS arising from the 2012 Olympics; these can be downloaded from: http://www.navca.org.uk/localvs/sport/olympics/

Health of the 'VCS' survey 2009/10

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0200

The Regional Forum has completed its initial analysis of the results gathered from the 2009 Health of the Sector survey. As well as giving a breakdown of the type of work organisations do the survey also asked if the organisations had experienced any changes in the demand for their services and in terms of size and finance. The results show that a significant number of the respondents had experienced a growth in the demand for services but that rate of growth was not matched in rises in staff or volunteers. Many organisations expected to grow in the next financial year although at the time of the survey around 15% of those who took part were still unsure about what was going to happen to their organisation. The survey results can be viewed by clicking on the link below. Surevy Results

The Budget: verdict from the sector

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0200

** Third Sector Online, 23 April 2009 ** A welcome for £20m hardship fund, but disappointment at lack of progress on setting up a social investment bank and Gift Aid reform. Voluntary sector leaders greeted Alistair Darling's 2009 Budget with a mixture of enthusiasm and frustration. The biggest hit was a new £20m grant fund for charities hit by the recession, which came as a welcome supplement to the £42.5m action plan announced in February. They also welcomed an additional £18.75m to help credit unions make more affordable loans to people on low incomes, and a match funding scheme to help create 150,000 new jobs for young unemployed people, which they said would draw young people into the sector. John Low, chief exective of the Charities Aid Foundation, said the Chancellor had brought some welcome good news: "Coming in an extraordinary budget when nobody expected much help, this demonstrates recognition right at the heart of government that charities are the front line support for many people during these difficult times." The frustration came over Darling's failure to announce promised measures to streamline Gift Aid and reform the problematic substantial donor legislation, and the Government's slow progress on the commitment to set up a new social investment bank. Hopes of measures to ease charities' problems with VAT and prolong the staff hire concession, which helps charities that use agency staff, were also disappointed. The Charity Tax Group issued a statement saying the sector was "invisible" in the Budget. Helen Donoghue, director of the group, said: "It is surprising that a number of measures that could have been introduced to ensure the sector played its part in delivering services to alleviate the social problems caused by rising unemployment were overlooked." Shadow charities minister Nick Hurd said the decision to hold a consultation on a social investment bank, rather than making a firm commitment to fund it, was a "missed opportunity". Opinion was divided on whether the new 50 per cent tax rate from next year on incomes above £150,000 would harm or boost donations to charity. Some felt high earners would give less; others that they would be attracted by being able to claim back a higher percentage of a donation for themselves.

Blears announces funding for successful projects that will give people a 'real say'

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0200

Communities Secretary Hazel Blears has announced the successful third sector organisations - charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprises - which are to share multi million funding for projects helping to give people a real say in their communities. Twenty-one projects will receive a £9.25million Empowerment Fund to deliver on the key themes of the Communities in Control White paper which include being active in your community; access to information; standing for office and ownership and control. The successful organisations are: * Action for Market Towns * Bassac * Carnegie * Centre for Sustainable Energy * Community Matters * Environmental Law Foundation * Housing Associations Charitable Trust * Media Trust * Novas Scarman * Operation Black Vote * Oxfam * Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation * Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce * School for Social Entrepreneurs * Sheila McKechnie Foundation * Social Firms UK * The Young Foundation * Tenants Participation Advisory Service * Urban Forum * Workers Education Association * YWCA

Regional revamp requires reps rethink!

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0200

The VCS Leaders Advisory Group Its all change in the regions! The Regional Assembly will cease to operate and the new regional arrangements start in April 2009. These new arrangements involve a Regional Board made up of local authority leaders and 8 members of the Board of Yorkshire Forward. Under this will be functional boards on things like skills and regeneration / housing. In addition the city regions are developing their work. So what does it all mean for the voluntary sector? Unlike the Assembly, where the non local authority sector had a number of representatives, the new bodies are working out their relationship to other sectors. But the issues these bodies will be tackling will have a profound impact on people and communities - and thats where the voluntary and community sector comes in. The sector works in all these areas so its involvement can make important links between local need and strategy, and between on the ground intelligence about what works and policy making. The Regional Forum with colleagues from the sector in the sub regions wants to make sure that the sectors contribution to the region can continue in positive ways. This is why the Forum is pleased to be setting up the VCS Leaders Advisory Group. Gil Chimon, Chair of The Regional Forum, in welcomed the Group: The Leaders Group will help to make sure the sector has a positive working relationship with the new structures in the region The Advisory Group will bring together sector leaders who have an understanding of strategic issues, a wide range of experience and who can offer their expertise and knowledge of communities to support decision making at the regional and other levels. We hoped the Group will make links across geography and theme and be able to help the sector have a coordinated message. We want members of the Group to come from all parts of the region, be operating at different levels (not just regional) and bring an active commitment to the positive contribution of the sector to Yorkshire and the Humber. The new Group will be recruited through application and interview. It will be accountable to the vcs through the Regional Forums democratic membership structures. There will be a strong requirement will to report to the sector. If you are interested in joining the Leaders Advisory Group please look at the advert and download the information pack and application on http://www.regionalforum.org.uk/job_tender_opportunities.php?id=64

Government sets out plans to safeguard future of rural communities

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The Government today set out its proposals for helping rural communities to thrive in the 21st Century by providing more affordable housing and greater freedom to develop strong local economies. Responding to Matthew Taylor MP's 2008 Review into issues facing rural communities, Housing Minister Margaret Beckett and Rural Affairs Minister Huw Irranca-Davies set out their proposals to help create strong and diverse rural communities which are able to tackle their own unique challenges at a local level. The Review has identified both the specific challenges facing different rural areas and the similar issues facing both rural and urban economies. The Government will therefore give Local Authorities more flexibility to tackle the issues their communities face and the new measures announced today will help: * Small villages to provide the homes they need for local families priced out of the housing market by encouraging local authorities and developers to identify "exception" sites that can provide more affordable homes; * Rural businesses to get planning permission for sites that are suitable given their rural setting through a refreshed approach to planning policy that recognises their distinct needs. * Medium-sized rural towns to develop sustainable new neighbourhoods rather than building soulless housing estates on the edge of town, including through a new £1m competition to encourage best practice; To help underline the important role rural areas can play in delivering economic prosperity, a new single policy statement will be published combining existing planning guidance aimed at delivering sustainable economic development in urban and rural areas and town centres. This new single Planning Policy Statement will be published for consultation soon.

Increasing concern over sector impact of downturn

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The Charity Commission's latest Economic Survey of Charities, following up one conducted in September, has found that 52% of charities surveyed said that they had been hit by the credit crunch, compared with 38% previously, but only 3% of charities had considered collaborating with another charity and 3% had considered merging. Read the main results in the news item at http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/news/downturn.asp

Working Together - Public Services On Your Side

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The Government will today set out its vision for the future shape of public services. Working Together - Public Services On Your Side details the steps the Government is taking to give people, communities and frontline staff the information and power they need to personalise public services. The wide ranging proposals include: * Around 1 million people are expected to receive a free health check-up under new NHS Services by April 2010 * 15 million people with long-term conditions will be offered a personal care plan by December 2010 * Funding is being provided to ensure 140,000 pupils will receive one-to-one catch-up tuition in each of English and Maths in the next school year * Give people more power to influence the way health services are delivered * Continue to see that payment to hospitals for services is linked to patient-reported experiences and outcomes * Provide a dedicated website in 2010 for parents to compare and share information about childcare settings * Build new online performance maps of local services * Provide an online national crime map by the end of the year * Create a new 'Prime Minister's Commission on the Future of Nursing and Midwifery' * Work with partners to develop a new fast-track route for talented career switchers and graduates moving into teaching * Launch a Masters degree 'Teaching and Learning' * Introduce a new Accelerate to Headship scheme in September 2010 * Reduce red-tape in policing * Cut police targets to one - public confidence in policing. * Giving high-performing hospitals more autonomy through the expansion of NHS Foundation Trusts * Giving Jobcentre Plus advisers greater discretion to personalise support * Freeing up local leaders to join up and tailor services and economic strategies across local areas * A further six Multi Area Agreements over the next 12 months * Government delivering £35bn of value for money savings

Tory lottery plan 'would mean less cash for good causes'

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0100

By Paul Jump, Third Sector Online, 6 March 2009 Proposal to replace Big Lottery Fund would result in losses for the sector, claims NCVO Conservative proposals to replace the Big Lottery Fund could see less lottery money going to the sector, the NCVO has warned. The warning comes in the umbrella body's response to the Conservative green paper on the voluntary sector, Voluntary Action in the 21st Century, which the party released last June. The green paper criticised the Government's raids on the Big Lottery Fund to help finance the 2012 Olympics, and pledged to "restore the integrity of the National Lottery" by replacing the Big Lottery Fund with a Voluntary Action Lottery Fund, with no diversion of funds to public sector projects. The NCVO response says that although all the funds distributed by the Tories' proposed fund would go to the sector, it would receive only 40 per cent of total lottery funding. The Big Lottery Fund currently receives 50 per cent of all funding proceeds from the lottery. The NCVO has previously proposed that the proportion of BLF funding going to the sector should rise from its current level of about 80 per cent to 100 per cent. "In our view it is entirely possible to work with the BLF to strengthen its commitment to providing funding that is independent and additional and that provides support for local, lightly specified, demand-led funding," the NCVO response says. The umbrella body also expresses concerns about the Tory proposals to make all contracts outcome-based. "Such contracts will only encourage innovation if there is a fair apportionment of risk, and the contract does not seek to transfer all of the risk (and associated costs) to the service provider," its response says. However, the NCVO also welcomes many of the measures in the green paper, such as the proposal for the Office of the Third Sector to be replaced by a Department for Civil Society with its own secretary of state and select committee.

Department of Health announces £5.5m funding recipients

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 00:00:00 +0100

* Third Sector Online, 23 February 2009 * Eleven partner organisations will help plan health and social care spending The Department of Health has announced the 11 voluntary organisations it will pay £5.5m over the next three years to help plan health and social care spending and provide feedback from the sector. The organisations have been appointed strategic partners' as part of the department's new Third Sector Investment Programme. The investment programme replaces the old Section 64 grants scheme, which was dogged by threats of legal action when grant payments were delayed in 2006. It is hoped the strategic partners, many of which are umbrella bodies, will create a smoother relationship and lead to an improvement in care. The strategic partners are: * Navca * National Heart Forum * Mens Health Forum * LifeLine * Radar/The National Centre for Independent Living and the Shaping Our Lives National Network User (working together as one strategic partner) * Age Concern England and Help the Aged * National Children's Bureau * Race Equality Foundation *Voluntary Organisations Disability Group and the National Care Forum (working together as one strategic partner) * Regional Voluntary Sector Networks Forum * National Council for Palliative Care

Charities can bind society, says NCVO chief

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:00:00 +0100

By Mathew Little, Third Sector Online, 18 February 2009 Umbrella body launches new programme of work to 'diffuse tensions' caused by the recession The voluntary sector will help bridge gulfs across communities as social tensions rise during the recession, NCVO chief executive Stuart Etherington told delegates at his organisation's annual conference yesterday. Launching the new Civil Society Framework for Action, a programme of work to tackle society's ills developed with a range of bodies including the TUC, the Local Government Association and the National Housing Federation, Etherington said communities could face fragmentation, rising tensions and even public disorder as the recession deepened. But voluntary organisations, particularly those that brought different people together, such as community groups, could help to halt these processes, he said. "We want to encourage organisations that provide bridging social capital between communities so that ultimately we can diffuse tensions that could develop," he said. The CSFA includes work on community cohesion, individual and community wellbeing, financial security and climate change. "The recession demonstrates that the conventional solutions do not always work," said Etherington. "Look to the market or the state and you will see their limitations: the market limited by greed; the state by patronage. This is why we need to develop a new approach, one that is driven by the values and methods of our sector and which recognises the need for people to be part of something greater and to feel that what they do matters."

Consultation on dormant bank accounts launched

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The Government today launched a consultation document on secondary legislation to establish a UK dormant accounts scheme. Subject to responses, the Government will introduce the secondary legislation in Parliament later this year. Many people forget about, or lose track of, small deposits of money in bank and building society accounts. Despite the efforts of banks and building societies to reunite these funds with their owners, they build up as unclaimed assets in the banking system. The consultation document sets out draft secondary legislation to extend the scope of the Financial Services Authoritys regulation to include dormant accounts reclaim funds. It also places a requirement on building societies participating in the scheme for smaller institutions to publicly disclose information in line with the requirements placed on smaller banks by the Act.

Government launches real help for volunteers, charities and social enterprises

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The Government today pledged £42.5 million to help volunteers, charities and social enterprises deliver extra real help to those that need it most, during the global economic downturn. The action plan for the third sector, published by Minister for the Cabinet Office Liam Byrne, sets out a targeted package of support that includes measures to help hundreds of voluntary organisations, charities, and social enterprises step up advice, support and volunteering in the areas that need it most across the country. The plan, which has been designed together with third sector leaders over the last three months, builds on the wide range of measures the Government has put in place to support people through the economic downturn, and on the Governments long term commitment to voluntary organisations and social enterprises. For more information visit: http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/third_sector/real_help_for_communities.aspx

Nearly 50,000 charities, voluntary groups and social enterprises have their say on public sector support

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 00:00:00 +0100

nitial results from one of the biggest surveys of its kind ever conducted, are published today. Nearly 50,000 charity, social enterprise and voluntary organisations took part in the National Survey of Third Sector Organisation and first findings show that when local public sector bodies work with them, it can have a really positive effect on their success. First results show that 58% of those who had direct dealings with local government bodies said that they had a positive or very positive effect on their success. However, over half of all respondents (51%) said they felt public sector bodies had no overall influence on their success, meaning public sector bodies have more to do to improve their contact and support to their local third sector. Initial results from one of the biggest surveys of its kind ever conducted, are published today. Nearly 50,000 charity, social enterprise and voluntary organisations took part in the National Survey of Third Sector Organisation and first findings show that when local public sector bodies work with them, it can have a really positive effect on their success. First results show that 58% of those who had direct dealings with local government bodies said that they had a positive or very positive effect on their success. However, over half of all respondents (51%) said they felt public sector bodies had no overall influence on their success, meaning public sector bodies have more to do to improve their contact and support to their local third sector. For more information visit: http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/third_sector/news/news_stories/090128_nstso.aspx

Blears - supporting communities to support individuals

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Communities Secretary Hazel Blears has today unveiled measures that will see young people from some of the nation's most deprived areas getting involved in activities that will introduce them to a world beyond their immediate neighbourhoods, involve local communities in efforts to raise their aspirations and aim to break the cycle of deprivation that blights some of our communities. Over the last eleven years, Government investment and reform has meant that many of this country's most deprived neighbourhoods have changed and, in turn, so have people's opportunities and prospects. But there are still streets and estates with high levels of unemployment. This Government is determined to ensure that nobody's chance in life should be determined and nobody's opportunities should be limited by the place in which they live. Targeted programmes within schools are turning around low achievement. But, it's no surprise that if you grow up on a street where no-one works, where people tell you that you won't go far, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. However there is nothing inevitable about the link between growing up in a deprived neighbourhood and what you can go on to achieve. Young people with the support of parents, peers and communities grow up to excel and it is within that wider community that some of the solutions to the problems of low aspiration lie. As part of wider measures published today in the New Opportunities White Paper the government is setting out plans specifically targeted at turning around the life chances of some of our poorest kids. It will provide £10 million over the next two years to support the creation of a network of fifteen 'Inspiring Communities' where parents, schools, business, third sector organisations and local agencies believe that their young people can succeed and will work together to make it happen.

Interim appointments for Third Sector Skills Body

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0100

An interim Chair and a Project Director have been appointed to lead the setting up of a new Third Sector Skills Body charged with leading the drive to improve the skills of volunteers and staff. Dame Mary Marsh is to be the Interim Chair and Janet Fleming the Interim Project Director. Both will take up their roles in early January 2009 for a period of around six months until the new body is operational. The new, independent, body will identify and address the skills needs of the sector, working closely with the Sector Skills Councils. And it will promote skills opportunities to the sector. Third Sector organisations play a vital role at the heart of communities and they need people with the right skills to deliver for their beneficiaries and maximise their impact. It is also vital that those who work in the third sector have the opportunity to gain the skills they need to develop successful and rewarding careers. The formation of the new Third Sector Skills Body will be a big step forward in helping to invest in and improve the skills base of the Third Sector workforce including both employed staff and volunteers.

Regional GVA tops £87bn

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Gross Value Added (GVA) for Yorkshire and The Humber totalled £87.4bn in 2007, compared to £82.9bn in 2006, an annual increase of £4.5bn or 5.5 per cent. GVA per head rose from £16,114 in 2006 to £16,880 in 2007, an increase of 4.8 per cent. These figures come from the regional and sub-regional GVA estimates, published by ONS on 12th December. The data showed that the increase in Yorkshire and The Humber was smaller than in the UK as a whole, where headline GVA grew by 6.0 per cent and the per head figure increased by 5.3 per cent. GVA for industries within each region have been restored to the release, after their absence from the December 2007 publication. The proportion of GVA in Yorkshire and The Humber that comes from Real Estate, Renting and Business Activities increased from 13 per cent in 1991 to 19 per cent in 2006. However, this proportion is still smaller than all other English regions except the North East.

Increasing adult participation in sport through a thriving third sector

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0100

The Sport Partnership Pilot Project NAVCA is running a national pilot project to develop greater partnership working between sport and local infrastructure organisations. Funded by Sport England, the pilot will explore the relationships between sport and the wider third sector, in particular focusing on local area agreements. We hope to demonstrate the links between National Indicators (NIs) 6 (increase in volunteering), 7 (an environment for a thriving third sector) and 8 (increase in adult participation in sport). The pilots began in September 2008 and will run for six months. For more information visit the NAVCA website at: http://www.navca.org.uk

Monitoring poverty and social exclusion (MPSE) 2008

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0100

This is the tenth anniversary of MPSE annual reports, which provide an independent assessment of the progress being made in eliminating poverty and social exclusion in Britain. This report uses official government data from a wide range of sources, and is built around a set of 50 indicators. The analysis covers the full range of issues, including material on low income, work, qualifications, health, housing, and exclusion from services. A major theme of this years report is comparing progress over the first five years of this government with the most recent five. One thing that stands out from this analysis is where earlier momentum has not been sustained, not just on child poverty but across matters such as: * the number of people in households below a fixed income threshold; * the number of working-age adults lacking but wanting paid work; and * levels of worry about being a victim of burglary or violent crime. At the same time, however, there are important exceptions to this pattern, including some showing steady improvement (for example, the number of 11-year-olds failing to reach a minimum level of educational attainment), others where things have continued to worsen (especially in the field of social security) and a large group where, contrary to expectations, there has been no real change at all. For more information and to download the free report visit: http://www.jrf.org.uk/bookshop/details.asp?pubID=1041

New legislation to help build stronger communities

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0100

The Government has published wide-ranging legislation that will give local people new rights to shape local services and give greater responsibility to local authorities to promote economic development helping communities respond to local challenges. Strong communities will help the country come through the economic challenges we face. And, Communities Secretary Hazel Blears is clear that we need to unlock the potential of local people and involve them in shaping their services and communities. Re-invigorating and strengthening local democracy is key. She believes that the new Bill will offer people and communities those opportunities - underpinning the Government's commitment to doing all it can to help people, businesses and communities through the current economic hardships and to prepare effectively for economic recovery. At the heart of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill is: * a new duty on local councils to promote democracy - putting local authorities at the forefront of the drive to reconnect people with public and political decision-making. The duty will ensure all sections of their community understands how the council works, who makes the decisions on their behalf in their neighbourhood, and how they can get involved if they wish to * new rights for the citizen to have more information and influence over the local decisions * new powers to hold politicians and officials to account * a new duty on local councils to respond to petitions As well as strengthening local democracy the Bill addresses economic development. To make sure that all areas are making plans for recovery from the economic slowdown and taking action to support businesses and boost jobs and skills: * there will be new regional strategies in each of the English Regions to bring together economic and spatial planning * a new duty on local authorities to assess the economic conditions of their area * further powers for councils to work together to promote economic development and regeneration The Bill also improves current legislation on commercial contracts to provide a fairer system for construction companies and improve cash flow - especially important for small and medium construction companies.

British 2012 medal hopes protected - sports sign up to new fund-raising drive in return for extra public funding

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0100

A new funding deal to guarantee 2012 Olympic and Paralympic medal success has been set out by Culture Secretary Andy Burnham. A total of £550 million of public funds - £50 million more than previously announced - has been allocated to UK Sport to fund its elite programme. In return, UK Sport has agreed to lead a new, wide-ranging private fundraising initiative to secure a further £50 million, keeping the overall funding ambition of £600 million in place. UK Sport will work with other sports partners and draw on the advice and expertise of the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG). Governing bodies of Olympic and Paralympic sports will be expected to play a full part in this national campaign. The funding announced today puts in place an unprecedented package of support for elite sport as it prepares for the unique opportunity of a home Olympic Games. It builds on the £265 million invested in elite sport for Beijing, where British athletes finished fourth in the Olympic medal table and second in the Paralympic medal table. It will ensure that over £300 million of funding will support elite athletes in the run-up to 2012, with intensive investment guaranteed for our most likely medal successes.

Gross weekly pay in Yorkshire and The Humber

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Median gross weekly pay in Yorkshire and The Humber stood at £360.0 in 2008 compared with a UK average of £388.4. The regions year-on-year increase was also lower than the national average at 2.9 per cent compared with 3.3 per cent. These figures come from Novembers release of the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2008 (ASHE), formerly the New Earnings Survey. ASHE provides detailed information on earnings by a range of variables including geography, industry, full/part time and occupation. Earnings are a good example of statistics which vary within regions more than between them. In Yorkshire and the Humber, median gross weekly earnings ranged from £288.1 in Ryedale to £403.9 in East Riding of Yorkshire. When using earnings data ONS often recommends using median rather than mean earnings, as a small number of people on very high earnings can skew the mean figure.

Councils are key to tackling worklessness

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Councils should be given greater responsibility for coordinating efforts to tackle rising unemployment in their local areas, an independent review has proposed. In its interim report published today for consultation the review team, chaired by Cllr Stephen Houghton of Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, recommends that upper tier councils be responsible for conducting analyses of the causes of worklessness in their local communities, as part of the Government's proposals for local authorities to undertake economic assessments. Building on the priority given to worklessness in Local and Multi Area Agreements, councils and partnerships who want to go further on worklessness would be able to agree Work and Skills Plans with Government, outlining how worklessness would be addressed, and gaining additional freedoms and resources in return. These councils would benefit from a dedicated, long-term Work and Skills Budget, which would be allocated for up to six years to help councils meet targets, agreed with ministers, to improve the local economy. This could include existing funding allocated to worklessness, such as Working Neighbourhoods Fund and other local resources, as well as additional money from mainstream employment programmes. The report also proposes that the Government should require public sector employers in deprived areas to do more to support their local communities. This includes offering apprenticeship places, advertising all vacancies with JobCentre Plus offices and encouraging all bidders for contracts and local suppliers to provide job opportunities to local people.

Delivering a Sustainable Transport System: Consultation on planning for 2014 and beyond

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0100

The Department of Transport has launched a consultation to seek views on a range of proposals relating to long-term transport strategy in England. For more information and to take part visit: http://www.info4local.gov.uk/documents/consultations/1073349

Investment in Regional Voice

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0100

The Government is announcing £1.5 million to support third sector regional networks in delivering many of the Government's policies and programmes at the regional level. The Office of the Third Sector will provide £1million over two years, whilst Capacitybuilders has identified a further £500,000 for 2009-10. Regional networks help ensure that the voice of local third sector organisations shapes regional policy and strategy, and provide a channel of communication between regional bodies and frontline community groups. The Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) networks have a particular role in ensuring their communities' voices are heard, tackling discrimination and building strong relationships between communities.

Healey confirms 'fair and affordable' local Government funding increase

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Local Government Minister John Healey has confirmed a 4.2 per cent funding increase for English councils next year - describing this £2.96bn rise as a fair and affordable settlement for councils to continue to support their communities in these tough economic times. Mr Healey said that this year saw the second lowest increase in average council tax ever, at 3.9 per cent, and he expects this trend to continue with the average council tax rise substantially below 5 per cent. He added that Government will not hesitate to take capping action against excessive increases if that proves necessary. Local authorities will receive £73.1bn in 2009-10 and £76.4bn in 2010-11 - increases of 4.2 per cent and 4.4 per cent. This means that following a decade of above inflation grant increases local government is now receiving an extra £8.9bn through this current three year settlement.

New voice for bus passengers as Royal Assent expected for Local Transport Bill

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Bus passengers will have a new champion fighting their corner thanks to the Local Transport Act, Transport Minister Paul Clark is expected to confirm today. Royal Assent for the Bill will pave the way for Passenger Focus to represent bus users in England, who make over 4 billion journeys a year. From April the watchdog, which currently represents rail users, will begin to take on its new role as "bus passenger champion". One of its first tasks will be to conduct a review into how bus passengers' complaints are handled.

New guidance for consulting with the third sector

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Kevin Brennan, Minister for the Third Sector, published a practical handbook to help public servants open up the consultation process, to reach third sector workers on the ground and to use their experience to influence policy outcomes. The handbook accompanies new research by Involve on effective and innovative ways of consulting with the third sector. The report was itself the product of a partnership between government and the sector, and was funded and commissioned by the Office of the Third Sector and Children England, an umbrella organisation for third sector organisations working with children, young people and their families. Today's research illustrates how third sector organisations can influence the debate about local needs and can provide unique perspectives and insights as to how those needs are addressed. It also encourages an environment in which the third sector can work in partnership with government, and can campaign for change, whilst retaining its independent voice.

Government response to Prosperous Places: Taking forward the Review of Sub-National Economic Development and Regeneration

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0100

The Government has finally published a response to Prosperous Places: Taking forward the Review of Sub-National Economic Development and Regeneration. To view the response click on the link below. http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/citiesandregions/govresponseprosperousplaces

Sector wins fewer contracts for higher value

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0100

By Paul Jump, Third Sector Online, 19 November 2008 Third sector organisations have won fewer public service delivery contracts during the last quarter, but the value of those contracts has increased, according to Futurebuilders England. The figures show that sector organisations funded by Futurebuilders won 35 public service contracts worth more than £8.2m between 1 July and 30 September, compared with 44 public service contracts worth in excess of £7.7m between 1 April and 30 June. The total of 80 contracts won in the past six months exceeds the Government's target of 65 for the whole of 2008. Gill Nunn, market development director at Futurebuilders, admitted she could not be 100 per cent sure that the success of Futurebuilders investees was reflected in the sector generally. "However, our investees represent a good cross-section of the third sector, so we do think it is a fairly safe conclusion to draw," she said. The loan fund's second quarterly review since the contract to run it was taken over by the Adventure Capital Fund earlier this year also showed Futurebuilders had exceeded the Government's targets for releasing funds in a timely manner. Nearly 86 per cent of offers made between 1 April and 30 September 2006 have already been given out. The Government's target was for 70 per cent of funds to be disbursed within two years of an offer being accepted. Jonathan Lewis, chief executive of Futurebuilders England, said: "Despite all the doom and gloom about the current economic situation, it is clear that many organisations in the third sector are coping well and, in some instances, thriving. Now more than ever is the time for third sector organisations to consider alternative financing options, such as Futurebuilders." Kevin Brennan, Minister for the Third Sector, said Futurebuilders' success was "a real validation" of its funding model, which combines grants with loans.

Pre-Budget report

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0100

At 16.00 GMT The main points from the Pre-Budget report given by the Chancellor Alistair Darling: * UK GDP growth this year as a whole is expected to be 0.75% * Government borrowing will rise to £78bn this year and £118bn next year * The government will find a further £5bn in efficiency savings in 2010/11 * VAT will be cut from 17.5% to 15% until the end of next year, coming into effect next Monday * The chancellor says he would like retailers to pass on the VAT cut as quickly as possible * £3bn of capital spending will be brought forward from 2010/11 * The temporary £120 allowance for people who lost out as a result of ending the 10% income tax rate will be made permanent, with the amount rising to £145

Government appoints adviser on sector innovation

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0100

By Patricio Chile, Third Sector Online, 14 November 2008 The Cabinet Office has appointed Anne McGuire MP to the new role of adviser on third sector innovation. Third sector minister Kevin Brennan announced McGuire's appointment at a conference in London last week. McGuire is Labour MP for Stirling and a former disability minister. She has also worked as deputy director of the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations. Her role will be to examine how third sector organisations can work with the general public to help design and deliver more personalised public services. She will focus initially on health and social care. Her work will build on the Government's Innovation Exchange programme, which promotes innovation in the third sector.

Whats the contribution of faith communities to our regions economy?

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Yorkshire and Humber Faiths Forum are currently undertaking an Economic Impact Assessment. This will provide evidence of the substantial contribution that faith makes to our regions communities and to regenerating local economies. To make this really effective, we need as much participation as possible - by MONDAY 15 DECEMBER 2008. Survey packs are being distributed to around 4,000 faith communities across the region. Follow the URL for more information about the research, why YHFF are doing it and what they want to achieve with the assessment, once completed you can also download a PDF of the questionnaire. http://www.yorkshireandhumberfaiths.org.uk/activites/Economic_Impact_Assessment_of_Faith_Communities Or mail anthonygray@heresearch.co.uk or telephone 07879 495901.

Capacitybuilders awards £2.5m for modernisation

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0100

* By Patricio Chile, Third Sector Online, 5 November 2008 * Capacitybuilders has awarded 20 grants totalling £2.5m to modernise third sector support services in local areas. The non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Office of the Third Sector, has awarded the funds to projects across England based on seven main themes, including developing leadership to strengthening community group outreach and finding more sustainable methods of delivering services. The projects that will receive funding include the Rutland Third Sector Infrastructure Consortium, which will be handed more than £250,000 to run leadership and mentoring projects, particularly among small organisations, and the London Regional Consortium , which will get £140,000 to develop a guide to securing and developing premises. The awards are part of a three-year, £11.5m investment by Capacitybuilders in modernisation and improvement of third sector infrastructure. The first series of grants under the modernisation programme were announced in June at the organisation's annual conference in Birmingham.

New LSC Qualified Provider Framework Begins

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Qualified Provider Framework What is the Qualified Provider Framework? As of 31st October 2008, the LSC has opened a Qualified Provider Framework (QPF) for providers of education and training services. The Qualified Provider Framework is a maintained list of all providers from which the LSC will secure education and training services. This list will incorporate those providers with whom the LSC will negotiate and/or invite to tender. The Qualified Provider Framework will streamline the way the LSC commissions and contracts for provision and will remove barriers for new providers wishing to work with the LSC. Providers that wish to be eligible to receive invitations to tender can apply to be pre-qualified at any time during the year. This always open approach will allow providers to apply at a time convenient to them and which suits their business need. When the LSC identifies a need to tender for provision, it will temporarily freeze the list to new applicants in order for the tendering process to begin. The dates that the list will be frozen will be published well in advance; ensuring providers have sufficient opportunity to apply to pre-qualify. How do providers ensure they are on the Qualified Provider Framework? The details of all existing LSC providers are on the Qualified Provider Framework. Providers only need to take action if they wish ro receive inviations to tender from the LSC. Any provider that wishes to be included in the LSCs tendering round in January 2009 needs to ensure that they apply to pre-qualify by 10th December 2008. Providers who do not apply to pre-qualify by this date will not be eligible to receive invitations to tender in January 2009. This will not impact on a providers ability to continue to negotiate with the LSC. Existing providers who have no interest in receiving invitations to tender for new programmes do not need to take action. The LSC will continue to negotiate existing contracted programmes with these providers. General information on the Qualified Provider Framework - this is available on the LSC website LSC.gov.uk Information on the Qualified Provider Framework is outlined in the following documents on the lSC website: At-a-glance view of how to apply to pre-qualify The press advertisement on the Qualified Provider Framework Specification document for the Qualified Provider Framework If you would like to apply to pre-qualify: Access the LSCs e-tendering solution Frequently asked questions about e-tendering (2008/09 tendering round) Every week the LSC will look through all the questions they have received about the e-tendering process and publish answers to those that are asked frequently or that they think you may find useful.

The end of Incapacity Benefit for new claimants and the start of employment support

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Last week marked the end of Incapacity Benefit for new claimants. The new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) is for disabled people and people with ill-health and is part of the Governments radical welfare reforms, which aim to get 1 million people off incapacity benefits by 2015. From now on new claimants who cannot work due to ill-health or disability will be able to claim Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). Within weeks of making a claim, customers will have their capability assessed by an expert health professional through the new Work Capability Assessment. The new assessment has been 'designed' to look at what people can do rather than what they cant and will ensure that those who can work are given the help and support they need to get back to work and will make sure that no-one is written off and consigned to a life on benefits. People who are assessed as having the severest disabilities or health conditions will go into the support group and get more money the poorest of receiving a minimum of £102.10 per week. Everyone else will go into the work group.

Blears invites applications to new Empowerment Fund

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Communities Secretary Hazel Blears has invited third sector organisations working toward empowerment across the country to apply for support through the £7.5m Empowerment Fund. Speaking at the ACEVO conference, Blears underlined the vital and unique role that charities, community and voluntary groups and social enterprises can play in responding to people's needs, driving change in communities and getting more local people more involved. In the current financial situation the role of the third sector is even more indispensable. Organisations across the country are already helping people to find help with mortgage payments and with fuel costs. She said that "getting through the tough times ahead and coming through the other side in good shape calls for action from more than government alone". The purpose of the Empowerment Fund is to give financial assistance to 20-25 eligible third sector organisations and make the most of their potential in supporting empowered communities. The Empowerment Fund will provide three year grants for community empowerment organisations operating across England. The security of a three year fund will help these organisations plan ahead with confidence and we will be looking for them to show how they will make effective use of financial assistance from the Fund to do yet more.

New funding to give under represented groups a better say on local planning

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Up to £5 million will be committed to promoting new ways to encourage community participation in planning Communities Secretary Hazel Blears confirmed today. The new grants are part of a major Government drive to put communities in control, strengthen active citizenship and give people more say over local services. Planning is already one of the most democratic processes with the majority of decisions taken by elected local councillors. But too often decisions become contentious because of the perceived lack of public involvement in decisions that leave under represented groups frustrated and disenchanted. The planning empowerment grants announced today will help tackle this sense of injustice by encouraging councils to secure greater legitimacy for decisions by placing some power in the hands of local communities generating a vibrant, engaged and healthier local democracy. Eligible councils could receive up to £70,000 additional funding from the Housing and Planning Delivery Grant to strengthen the legitimacy of their consultation and local decision making process. Also funding from the new £7.5m Empowerment Fund will go to third sector groups who promote community engagement in the planning system.

Blears strengthens two-tier code in local government

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Communities Secretary Hazel Blears has published streamlined guidance that will help ensure new recruits to local authority contracts continue to be offered fair and reasonable terms and conditions. The Two Tier Code, agreed in 2003, requires that where a service provider recruits new staff on a local authority contract alongside staff transferred from the authority, it will offer employment on fair and reasonable terms and conditions which are, overall, no less favourable than those of transferred employees. The statutory guidance, Best Value and Procurement: Workforce Matters in Best Value Authority Contracting, published for consultation strengthens the existing guidance in a number of ways. Key changes for consultation include: * streamlined arrangements with a single and simpler suite of guidance for all authorities * extending the guidance and arrangements to Joint Waste Disposal Authorities and any future Joint Waste Authorities * tighter rules on which contracts the Code applies to - specifically in relation to re-tendering of contracts first entered into before the original Code was published The guidance also sets out clear monitoring and audit arrangements through the Comprehensive Area Assessment.

Commission clears think tank of Tory bias

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0100

By Paul Jump, Third Sector Online, 27 October 2008 Civitas has been cleared by the Charity Commission of carrying out party political activities on behalf of the Conservative Party. An MP, who has not been named, complained to the commission in February 2007 that Civitas, whose objects are "to advance the study and understanding of religion and ethics in society and other charitable purposes", was too closely affiliated to the Conservatives. The regulator cleared Civitas of bias but advised it to amend its website to more accurately reflect its activities. The charity was also told to remove its Guiding Philosophy and Research Agenda document because, according to the commission's regulatory case report, it contained "a number of statements on controversial issues that could be perceived as directing the work of the charity". The commission accepted Civitas trustees' assertion that the document had never "dictated or restricted" the charity's research programme or the outcome of any of its findings. Earlier this year, the commission cleared two think tanks, Policy Exchange and the Reform Research Trust, of being affiliated to the Conservative Party, but warned them to work harder to avoid perceptions of political bias. It also criticised trustees of the Smith Institute for not doing enough to protect it from the perception that it was too close to the Labour Party.

Third Sector Research Centre Launches

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0100

The Third Sector Research Centre (TSRC) has officially opened its doors, at the University of Birmingham. The TSRC will be led by Professor Pete Alcock of the University of Birmingham, in a joint venture with the University of Southampton where Professor John Mohan will be Deputy Director. The funding of £10.25 million over the next five years will come from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), Office of the Third Sector (OTS) and The Barrow Cadbury Trust.

At last, at long, long last! Government announces a new Third Sector Skills Council

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0200

This new skills body will identify and address skills gaps and shortages for charities, voluntary groups, social enterprises and other Third Sector organisations. It will pull together the work of the sector skills councils to open up learning opportunities for Third Sector paid and voluntary staff. It will ensure the sector's needs are properly considered in the design and development of National Occupational Standards, Apprenticeship Frameworks and Sector Qualification Strategies. The Office of the Third Sector (OTS) and the Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) will jointly fund the new skills body with £2.5 million over the next 3 years. It will be independent and directed by a board representing the sector's employers. To support this Skills for Justice will act as "incubator" and Janet Fleming of the Workforce Hub will project manage. The Minister for the Third Sector, Kevin Brennan, said: "This will put the Third Sector's skills needs on the same level as other sectors. Charities, voluntary groups and social enterprises deal with some of the most challenging social and environmental issues. Whether they are multi-million pound global operations or small community groups, having employees and volunteers with the right skills to get the job done is essential." Lord Young, Minister for Skills and Apprenticeships said: "The Third Sector Skills body will be a real step change to how charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups get the skills they need. As well as developing programmes to plug the immediate skills gaps, it will link the Third Sector into the complete national skills framework and influence the development of skills support services for the benefit of the sector." And with a regional view, John Harris at the Regional Forum, said: "This is progress on a front we have worked on for 6 years - ever since the government rejected the case for a generic Sector Skills Council after the National Training Organisations were abolished. We have lobbied regionally and nationally for this new body, the Workforce Hub have tenaciously held on and worked for this at national level and congratulations are due all round."

Council of Regional Ministers meets for first time

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0200

A council of Ministers representing the nine English regions met on 16 October. Even though regional ministers were appointed over a year ago, this was their first formal meeting. Although outcomes of the meetings will not be made public, the agenda was dominated by measures to respond to current economic woes. Chaired by Cabinet Office Minister, Liam Byrne, the Council of Regional Ministers' formal role is to: * Co-ordinate the work of regional public sector bodies * Disseminate key messages for regional ministers * Work as a conduit with national and regional economic councils.

East Yorks play scheme keeps youngsters in snug shape

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0200

An innovative mobile play project, which enables youngsters to choose, design and build their own play receives close to £244,000 last week from the Big Lottery Fund. The money comes from BIGs Playful Ideas programme, which funds new projects that provide free access to good quality play. Promising a feast of new and creative play opportunities Withernsea and Holderness Play Action (WHPA) - Portable Play for All will certainly be rising to the challenge to create a vital resource for the youngsters of the Holderness area The project will provide a range of Snug mobile play equipment which uses modular play elements that can be manipulated and used in any number of combinations. The mobile equipment will go on tour around the area to offer plenty of fun opportunities for healthy, creative activities, allowing youngsters to choose and control their play environment, using their own ideas. The project will also open up easy access to new and stimulating play experiences for youngsters who are disabled or have special needs.

Information for organisations effected by the current banking issues

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0200

The Charity Commission has published information for charities, who may be concerned that their savings and reserves may be impacted on by the 'credit crunch' and the associated banking issues. The information below has been copied directly from the Charity Commission's web-pages for ease of reference and can be found on their website at: http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/news/fincomp.asp Advice and information for charities who may have money invested in Icelandic banks can also can also be found on the Charity Commission website by clicking the following link. http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/news/ice.asp We have been informed by the Charity Commission that they will publishing new information and advice as and when they receive it, therefore we recommend you check their website regularly.

Potentially Good Capital News for LSC funded learning providers

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0200

LSC Capital Funding Potential for the VCS Work is underway to extend access to LSC capital funding to the Third sector. There are two proposed funds: the Skills Capital Projects Fund is for large projects (minimum £500,000) and to be administered nationally. The second would be the Regional Skills Capital Development Fund and the current proposal is for a £100,000 minimum and this fund would be administered regionally. The key criterion proposed is that organisations would have to already receive 50% of their funding from the LSC concern has been expressed over this as it would exclude most Third Sector organisations. The LSC Capital team are looking at the possibility of adding a clause which would state that any strong educational proposal should be looked at separately regardless of the 50% requirement. It is hoped that this new access to capital funding will take shape in the Spring of 2009 - we will keep you posted.

Government's Rural Advocate launches inquiry into future for England's upland communities

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0200

Dr Stuart Burgess the Government's Rural Advocate and Chairman of the Commission for Rural Communities (CRC) is launching a wide-ranging inquiry into the future for England's upland communities. England's uplands correspond to 'less favoured areas' and can be found in the north and south west and in areas along the Welsh border. The English uplands occupy 18 per cent of the country's land area and have special significance, not just for their contribution to rural economies, but also their key role nationally in landscape conservation, recreational activities, biodiversity, heritage and water management. Speaking at the North West Rural Affairs Forum's annual conference in Cumbria Dr Burgess said: "I am delighted to be here today to launch this important inquiry into the future for England's upland communities. By their very nature, upland communities face tough conditions. I am continually impressed by the energy, industry and determination of the people living and working there and also by their current and potential contribution to wider environmental and other ambitions. But it was the concerns being expressed in these upland areas that led to me stating my intention to the Prime Minister to establish an inquiry examining how England's upland communities can best equip themselves to thrive in the twenty-first century.

New proposals to tackle rural housing shortages

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0200

New powers to help keep homes affordable for communities in rural areas were set out today as Housing Minister Iain Wright launched two consultations. Under the proposed new powers, rural communities with severe housing shortages could be designated as protected areas ensuring affordable housing is retained for local families. The new proposals would also enable all affordable housing providers in these protected areas to retain a share in new shared ownership homes, or have the first option to buy back such properties, ensuring they remain available for future families in the local community. In a further step announced today, first-time buyers in rural areas could own a home for as little as £60,000 through a consultation to expand Community Land Trusts. Iain Wright said he wants to see more people being able to cut the cost of getting on the housing ladder through CLTs. Through CLTs, buyers only pay for the building, not the land, of a property. For example, Holdsworthy Community Property Trust in Devon is already offering local people flats that cost £115,000 for prices as low as £59,500.

Ed Miliband joins cabinet in latest reshuffle

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0200

Doncaster North MP Ed Miliband has joined his brother David amongst the senior ranks of Gordon Browns government after a weekend of changes forced by the departure of Des Browne MP, Baroness Ashton and Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly. Ed has long been a member of Gordon Brown's inner circle of special advisers. He was previously the parliamentary secretary at the Cabinet Office and now takes charge of a newly created department, taking over energy policy from DBERR and climate change from Defra. He also had the job writing Labour's next election manifesto. They are the first brothers to sit in cabinet for more than 80 years. Another Doncaster MP, Caroline Flint will now be Minister of State (Europe) at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. A full list of the new Cabinet is available from the link below.

Formation of a new Regional Citizenship Learning Alliance

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0200

The Regional Empowerment Partnership is supporting the development of a new network - the Active Citizenship Learning Alliance. It will be of interest to all those who are involved in designing and delivering formal and informal learning programmes which focus on activism, practical politics, getting involved and capacity building. The aim of the network will be to support organisations in these areas of work and find ways of supporting learners who have been involved in citizenship programmes. For more information or to get involved contact: Ted Hartley

Brennan appointed as voluntary sector minister

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0200

Kevin Brennan, MP for Cardiff West, has been appointed the new Minister for the Third Sector. Mr Brennan was formerly a parliamentary under-secretary at the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). He replaces Phil Hope MP, who has been promoted to minister of state at the Department of Health. Brennan's responsibilities at the DCSF included the third sector, child protection, children in care, asylum-seeking children, school food and youth sport.

Annual Population Survey: New Household Datasets and Analyses

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0200

The Office of National Statistics (ONS) has published the Annual Population Survey (APS) household datasets. It can be extremely useful to analyse labour market data at a household rather than individual level, as the employment status of individuals can impact on the other members of their household. Households that include at least one working-age person but with no one in employment are described as being 'workless'. The number of workless households in an area can indicate concentrations of poverty. Conversely, some households have all working-age persons in employment, and these are described as 'work-rich'. Together workless and work-rich households account for nearly three-quarters of all working-age households. These datasets are available for January-December 2004, 2005, 2006 & 2007. They have a larger sample size than the Labour Force Survey (LFS) household dataset and therefore can be used for sub-national estimates on family and household labour statistics. On this webpage is an article giving examples of the analysis that can be done. There is also a map and data for percentages of workless households by local authority in Great Britain for 2007. http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=15150

Updated advice on volunteering while on benefits

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0200

Jobcentre Plus has published renewed guidance on volunteering whilst on benefits, following a government commitment to the Commission on the Future of Volunteering earlier this year. To view the new guidelines visit: Volunteering whilst on benefits

Everyclick and Clear Channel Outdoor launch the UKs largest competition for charities

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0200

Everyclick and Clear Channel Outdoor have launched the 2009 Everyclick Charities Challenge, a competition that encourages charities to boost their fundraising efforts whilst competing to win the largest charity competition prize in the UK - a high-profile advertising campaign across 1,500 Clear Channel Outdoor sites, providing estimated opportunities to view 192 million times. Charities of all sizes can register to compete at http://www.everyclick.com/awards. The competition starts on 15th October 2008. This is an outstanding opportunity for charities to win invaluable advertising and exposure for their campaign. Last years winners, Diabetes UK saw a three-fold increase in take-up of the Diabetes Type 2 risk assessment test as a result of their poster campaign.

'Communities in the driving seat' - Blears unveils new round of pilots

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0200

New steps have been announced as part of a nationwide drive to put more power into the hands of local people. This comes ahead of legislation later this year to 'put communities in control'. Communities Secretary, Hazel Blears announced: Twelve 'participatory budgeting' or 'community kitties' pilot areas, actively engaging with local people in how public money is spent. These pilot areas will now work with the help and guidance of the Participatory Budgeting unit, letting their communities choose from 'dragon's den' style pitches for council cash: Different local groups can make proposals for a portion of public budgets, and local people can consider which ones they feel will best meet the area's priorities and needs - such as recycling projects, health projects, local environmental issues or children's services. A new 'asset transfer unit' will be led by the Development Trusts Association. The unit will offer an independent hub of advice for local people and authorities to help community groups take control of disused public buildings if they can prove they can put them to better use. Its advice will be available to people from all over England, and will draw on the experience of twenty buildings whose transfer has already been completed, or will be signed off within the next twelve months, with government support.

Lottery support for Leeds and Sheffield

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0200

Essential support for over 7,000 vulnerable people in Leeds will expand over the next three years following a significant grant of £395,421 from the Big Lottery Fund for the St Vincent Support Centre. Also women in Sheffield who have suffered from chronic trauma and abuse are to be helped to overcome its impact on their lives through a substantial grant of £458,611. The St Vincent Support Centre focuses on vulnerable people in the city with a complex range of issues including low income, poor self-esteem, social isolation, mental health problems and family troubles. The new funding for Stepping Stones will enable the St Vincent Support Centre to expand the range of people it is able to support including housing association tenants experiencing financial difficulties plus helping ex-offenders and their families resettle in the community. Sheffield Womens Counselling and Therapy Service will open a critical new service that will provide a free and accessible range of support including one-to-one and group therapy. Key beneficiaries will be vulnerable women from a variety of backgrounds who have previously not had the opportunity to talk about childhood or domestic abuse. The funding that will help them move their lives forward comes from the Big Lottery Funds Reaching Communities programme, which support projects that improve the lives of people and communities across England.

Government watchdog calls for urgent new solutions for rural transport

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0200

The Commission for Rural Communities (CRC) has published five studies putting the spotlight on transport challenges facing rural areas, ranging from accessibility to key services, the effects of technological change and implications of road pricing. Rural people travel around 10,000 miles each year compared with around 7,000 for all residents, and use of cars is significantly higher in rural areas. The series of studies or 'think-pieces' comprises: * 'The contribution of transport to sustainable rural communities' - in collaboration with Transport Research Laboratory * 'Sustainable rural accessibility' - is it really possible? - in collaboration with Integrated Transport Planning. * Rural life without carbon' - in collaboration with MVA Consultancy. * The implications of technological change for rural transport' - in collaboration with University of West of England. * The potential impacts of road pricing on rural areas' - in collaboration with Universities of Plymouth and Aberdeen.

Charities Evaluation Services report of largest ever research study into monitoring demands and

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0200

Charities Evaluation Services has published the report of the largest ever research study exploring monitoring and evaluation demands and practice in the third sector. This is the first study in this area on over 20 years. Among other things, the report calls for a better match between the accountability requirements placed on third sector organisations by funders and commissioners and the information the organisations themselves need in order to develop and improve their services and campaigns. The full final report and summary briefing are available on their website: CES Report

Help build a thriving BME Third Sector with Voice4Change England

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0200

Since its launch in 2007 Voice4Change England has quickly established itself as a powerful advocate for the interests of the BME Third Sector. It has excellent links with the office of the Third Sector, being one of its Strategic partners, and is prominent in representing the public policy concerns of the BME Third Sector to the media. It has responded to numerous Government consultations and has taken a lead on lobbying against CLGs draft Cohesion Guidance for Funders. In addition, it has participated in many conferences and seminars, and hosted four quarterly policy roadshows to engage with regional audiences throughout England. The issues covered include; CLG Cohesion Guidance, the review of the BME Compact Code, Local Area Agreements, the principles of representation, Compact Advocacy, the Public Law Project, the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill, and the Audit Commissions Comprehensive Area Assessment consultation. It also organised a policy symposium that brought together leading thinkers and practitioners on cohesion issues to inform the nation debate. Now it is looking for individuals and organisations interested in building a thriving BME Third Sector to join as Subscribers to broaden its base of support. The Subscribers scheme is open to individuals, institutions, networks, forums, alliances, partnerships, social enterprises, voluntary and community organisations, registered charities and statutory bodies to join as supporters and strengthen V4CEs role as a policy advocate for the BME Third Sector.. There are three Subscriber types: Full, Associate or Friend. The benefits to Subscribers include: participation in Voice4Change Englands policy responses to government consultations, discounts on services such as events and publications; plus regular news, updates and signposting to opportunities throughout the Third Sector. There is a free introductory offer and details with an online application form are available from: http://www.voice4change-england.co.uk

Regions population increases by 35 thousand

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0200

** ONS August Newsletter ** The population of Yorkshire and The Humber grew by nearly 35 thousand to 5,177.2 thousand. Among local authorities Leeds had the largest increase (around 1.5 per cent). North East Lincolnshire was the only local authority area to see a fall in population, albeit a small one. The largest component of the change in the regions population was net migration, which accounted for nearly 22 thousand of the increase, with natural change (births minus deaths) accounting for the remaining 13 thousand. The population of the United Kingdom as a whole increased between 2006 and 2007 by 388,000 (0.6 per cent) to almost 61 million. For the first time ever, there are more people of state pensionable age than under-16s. This reflects a decline in the number of under-16s, combined with rising numbers of women and men aged over 59/64 respectively. Under-16s, accounted for 18.9 per cent of the population compared with 19.0 for those aged over 59/64

Footsey 2008 DRAGONS DEN APPLICATIONS

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0200

Footsey 2008 will again include an exciting Dragons Den competition. It is a chance for organisations to win investment (which might be in the form of a grant, loan or other financial instrument) for a new enterprise idea. A seminar will take place on the afternoon of Footsey (16 October), where 4 shortlisted organisations will pitch their idea to a distinguished panel of judges, in front of an audience of conference delegates. The judges (the Dragons) will represent their organisations who are the potential investors. For more information and an application form click on the link below.

Upcoming Training for Infrastructure Organisations

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0200

National Performance Programme - Training discount for infrastructure members of the Regional Forum for Yorkshire and Humber The Regional Forum has negotiated training discounts for its infrastructure members from the National Performance Programme, led by Charities Evaluation Services (CES). National Performance Programme training courses are for people working in infrastructure organisations that support groups and organisations, for example as development workers. The courses provide a solid foundation in: strategic planning, quality assurance and monitoring and evaluation. There is also an introduction to performance management course for people who want a quick overview of the field, or who are new to the role of supporting groups on performance. Prices start from £45 but Regional Forum members can access a 25% discount on courses running in autumn 2008. There are also bursaries available to help with travel costs. Courses include: Introducing performance for support providers 9 October (York)or the 11 November in Cambridge or the 19 November in Birmingham Quality: supporting groups 13 October (York) or the 4 November in Birmingham Strategic planning: supporting groups 6 & 7 November (York)or the 25 and 26 November in Cambridge Monitoring and evaluation: supporting groups 22 October in Cambridge or the 14 November (York) or the 11 November in Cambridge or the 28 November in Birmingham The training has been designed for people who are new or fairly new to the topics the courses cover and therefore are not suitable for people with a lot of experience on the subject. For more detailed information on the courses, travel bursaries and booking information please go to http://www.performancemanagement.org.uk When you book please specify that you are a Regional Forum member to receive your 25% discount. Further information can be obtained from: CES: Peter Norgate Peter Norgate 020 7078 9394 Regional Forum: John Harris 0113 3942300

Government to reduce regulation burden on charities

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0200

** Third Sector Daily 01/09/08 ** The Government has announced new measures that it says will reduce the regulatory burden on thousands of charities. The Office of the Third Sector has published proposals to raise the minimum income thresholds above which charities face more onerous financial reporting requirements. However, NAVCA, the umbrella body for local infrastructure groups, reiterated its concern that the move could damage public trust by increasing the risk of fraud and financial mismanagement. Among the changes will be an increase in the threshold above which charities must prepare accruals accounts. The threshold will rise from £100,000 to £250,000, reducing the regulatory burden on about 11,700 charities. There will also be an increase in the threshold above which accounts must be externally audited, from £10,000 to £25,000. This will cut red tape for about 37,000 charities. Meanwhile, the threshold above which annual accounts - and the trustees annual report - must be submitted to the Charity Commission will be raised from £10,000 to £25,000. It is estimated that about 23,000 charities will benefit as a result of this change. The new thresholds will be implemented for the 2009/10 financial year.

Study promotes social enterprise to black women

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0200

** Third Sector Online, 22 August 2008 ** The Government Equalities Office has published new research to encourage black, asian and minority ethnic women to start their own social enterprises. The report, Social Enterprise: Making it Work for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Women, was prompted by fears that BAME women are under-represented in the UK's 55,000 social businesses. The document identifies barriers to BAME women's involvement in social enterprise and suggests incentives to promote greater social and economic independence among this group. The suggestions include signposting key sources of advice and funding, promoting case studies of existing BAME women social entrepreneurs and conducting further research into the needs of BAME women who want to set up social enterprises. "Social enterprise can be a route to fulfilling employment, better incomes and greater independence and has the power to transform our country for the better," said Barbara Follett, deputy minister for women and equality. "We want to develop practical measures for increasing the representation of BAME women in their communities and we recognise the multiple benefits from encouraging more of them to enter social enterprise." Third sector minister Phil Hope said: "Social enterprises draw on a diverse range of talent that delivers innovative approaches to some of the most challenging social problems. "BAME women can have a better understanding of the issues facing their communities than anyone else, so supporting them in particular has great potential to help improve those communities."

Ramadhan call to register Mosques and community groups as charities

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0200

Ramadhan is a time when many community organisations and Mosques benefit from the generosity of Muslim people. Many organisations dont realise that by registering with the Charity Commission the money they are given could go even further, helping them to make an even greater impact on their communities. This Ramadhan the Charity Commission, the independent regulator of Charities in England and Wales, is encouraging organisations that think they might have charitable status to contact them on 0845 300 0218 to find out how they can register. There are many benefits of registering as a charity. Charities registered with the Charity Commission: * Have the benefit of a charity registration number and the badge/brand of charity, increasing public trust and confidence in their organisation. * Can maximise the financial benefit of donations through Gift Aid arrangements. This means that currently for every £1.00 donated through Gift Aid charities can claim back up to 28p from the government. * Benefit from generous tax breaks they do not normally have to pay income/corporation tax, capital gains tax, or stamp duty, and gifts to charities are free of inheritance tax. Have access to free expert advice and tailored guidance from the Charity Commission. Registering as a charity is not a complicated process, visit the Commissions website: www.charitycommission.gsi.gov.uk or call 0845 300 0218 for further information.

£6 million boost for charities over three years

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0200

Voluntary and community sector organisations will receive £6 million in funding for the next three years from HM Revenue & Customs to help people get the right benefits and tax. Fifty-seven organisations have received awards for 2008/2009, 21 of which received a boost for multi-year funded projects. Head of HMRCs Third Sector Team, Derek Tilstone said: "This money will fund organisations that work with the vulnerable in society, helping them claim the right benefits, like tax credits that they are entitled to. "These organisations provide a safety net for people who do not normally come to HMRC for help and advice. Their work is vital because it makes customers aware of our products, provides extra help with tax issues and brings customers back into direct contact with HMRC." In 2008/9, HMRC extended its funding programme to include: third sector organisations, social enterprises, cooperatives and both large and small mutuals, in addition to voluntary and community organisations, and charities. HMRC will be announcing its new funding round in October 2008. HMRC announced its 2008-2009 funding programme on the internet in November 2007 and invited Third Sector organisations to apply for a GIA award. A list of the successful organisations, details of their projects and amount of award can be found at:http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/vcs/guidance0809.htm

Principles of Representation

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0200

Principles of Representation: A framework for effective third sector participation in Local Strategic Partnerships Communities and Local Government Department has published a document which provides advice to the third sector on how best to organise themselves to maximise their input on Local Strategic Partnership boards (LSPs). It is also designed to help LSPs decide how best to involve the sector; and assist all LSP partners agree an inclusive approach involving the sector more and, through them, empower their communities to exert more influence over local decision-making. To view the document and download free of charge visit: http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/communities/principleofrepresentation

Futurebuilders-funded charities win contracts worth £7.7m

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0200

** From Third Sector Daily 13/08/08 ** Voluntary organisations won contracts worth £7.7m from April to June this year because of investments from Futurebuilders England, the fund has claimed. An internal review by Futurebuilders showed that third sector organisations it funded had signed 44 public service delivery contracts in the three-month period. "We are encouraged by the fact that so many of our investees have been successful in winning contracts over the past few months," said Jonathan Lewis, chief executive of Futurebuilders. Futurebuilders, which mainly issues loans, will monitor the number of contracts won as a result of its investments every quarter. "We hope that by tracking the progress of our investees every three months we will be able to see a real increase in the number and value of contracts won," said Lewis. "This allows us to capture some really positive commissioning stories and help us to find out about ways we can support organisations to win contracts." Futurebuilders, a government-backed fund offering support and investment to third sector organisations delivering public services, has offered more than £140m of its £215m to more than 280 organisations since its inception in 2004.

Communities in control: Real people, real power: Improving local accountability - Consultation

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0200

Improving local accountability consultation is the first in a series of Communities in Control consultations flowing from the recent white paper (July 2008). The consultation also covers implementation of the overview and scrutiny provisions in the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007. Views are sought on proposals for developing and strengthening overview and scrutiny, new powers to hold local officers to account and facilitating the work of councillors. The consultation closes on 30 October 2008. To read the consultation document and to take part visit: http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/localgovernment/localaccountability

Regional Forum - Investors in People

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0200

After two years of planning and hard work the Regional Forum had it's final assessment for the Investors in People Standard and has passed. The Investors in People Standard, originally developed in 1990 and reviewed every 3 years to make it more relevant, is a 'people centred' flexible framework for business improvement that an organisation can adapt for its own requirements. It is based on three key principles: Plan, Do and Review. The Standard is more than just a logo, it is external recognition of the good work that the Forum does and provides us with the tools to have a clear vision of where we are going and plan for the future, identify Training and Development needs and have regular reviews of our work.

Supporting the regions - A joint response to changing economic circumstances

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0200

The Chief Secretary to the Treasury, the Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP, has launched a new programme of regional engagement, consulting on how various agencies can work together to provide a strong regional response to the changing economic circumstances, and provide support for regional business and households. The launch also provided the opportunity to seek advice from regional and local partners on the investment priorities for over £22bn of regional economic development to be spent across England over the coming years. Launched at the headquarters of the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Development Agency (Yorkshire Forward), the framework for this ongoing work was set out in a joint paper, The Yorkshire and Humber economy: a joint response to changing economic circumstances. This is the first in a series of papers to be published by Regional Development Agencies and other regional bodies, in conjunction with the Treasury and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, and also provided the opportunity for the announcement of new support for financial services and manufacturing business in Yorkshire, as well as expanded rapid response teams to ensure that anyone made redundant in the region can quickly re-enter the labour market. to view the full report visit: The Yorkshire and Humber Economy - a joint response to changing economic circumstances

Proposals for legislative change for Credit Unions and Industrial and Provident Societies

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0200

** From Plunkett Weekly News ** The Treasury this week published a consultation document on a Legislative Reform Order (LRO) to amend the legislation for Credit Unions and Industrial & Provident Societies (IPS) in Great Britain. The LRO is the Governments legislative response to the June 2007 consultation on the Review of GB cooperative and credit union legislation. Among the LROs proposals are: For Credit Unions: Replacing the common bond requirement for credit unions with a field of membership test; allowing credit unions to admit bodies corporate, unincorporated associations or partnerships to their membership and allowing credit unions to offer interest on deposits provided certain conditions are met. For Industrial & Provident Societies: Modifying the provision on minimum age for membership of an IPS and minimum age for becoming an officer of an IPS; modifying the rules on share capital and giving societies the flexibility to choose their own year-ends.

Launch of new community of practice on third sector indicators

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0200

The National Indicator Set is part of the new performance framework for monitoring and regulating local government set out in the Local Government & Public Involvement in Health Act 2007. There is a set of 198 National Indicators. These indicators cover all the national priority outcomes which local authorities will be responsible for delivering. Each LAA will have up to 35 of these targets agreed as priorities in their Local Area Agreements. The Office of the Third Sector owns two indicators: National Indicator 6 participation in regular volunteering National Indicator 7 environment for a thriving third sector The Office of the Third Sector (OTS), the Improvement & Development Agency (IDeA) and the Local Government Association (LGA) are working together to develop a Community of Practice which aims to support local authorities and their partners in improving performance against NIs 6 and 7. On-line Community of Practice A Community of Practice (CoP) is a network of individuals with common problems or interests who get together to explore ways of working, identify common solutions, and share good practice and ideas. An on-line Community of Practice is freely accessible via the internet and allows knowledge development and sharing ideas. For further details visit Community of Practice

Department of Health (DoH) announces replacement to Section 64 grants scheme

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0200

The Department of Health is changing its main grants scheme for the voluntary sector. The new system, known as the Third Sector Investment Programme, has opened for applications and will begin making awards next year. It replaces Section 64 grants for charities that deliver services on behalf of the DoH. The announcement comes after a consultation with more than 700 third sector organisations on how the DoH could improve its funding of the health and social care charity sector. Two years ago, charities threatened legal action against the DoH for delaying Section 64 grants. The new programme has two strands: a strategic partner programme and an innovation, excellence and service development fund. For the former, the DoH will recruit up to 10 strategic partners from the voluntary sector and pay them to ensure better communication between charities and the DoH. The innovation, excellence and service development fund will pay for national projects that contribute to the DoH objectives of improving health and wellbeing. **Reproduced from Thrid Sector Daily**

New study charts state of play on disability equality, including the value of work to disabled people

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0200

Major new research launched by Anne McGuire, Minister for Disabled People, provides a unique snapshot of the lives of nearly 2000 disabled people in Great Britain. Published in the run-up to the release of a Green Paper on Welfare Reform, the report showed that nine out of ten working disabled people believe their job has a positive impact on their life, keeping them active and giving them financial independence. It also confirmed that the number of disabled people in paid employment has increased. However, just over a quarter felt more could have been done to help them stay in work. Experiences and Expectations of Disabled People reports their views on a range of the issues, including employment, education, transport, health and discrimination. Commissioned by the Office for Disability Issues, the study actively involved disabled people throughout the research process. For more information and other key findings visit: http://www.wired-gov.net/wg/wg-news-1.nsf/lfi/163618

Social Enterprises employ more than a million

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0200

Almost 1.3 million people, or 3.4 per cent of the working population, are employed in social enterprise, according to a five-year survey of social entrepreneurship in the UK. The research, carried out by Delta Economics, also found that women and people from black, Asian and minority ethnic communities are more likely to be social entrepreneurs than men or people from the white community. "Under-represented groups in enterprise, such as women and BME communities, are more likely to be social entrepreneurs and be innovative in tackling the needs they see in front of them on a daily basis," said Rebecca Harding, managing director of Delta Economics, who led the survey.

Assembly Information Pack 2008/09

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0200

The Yorkshire and Humber Assembly has published its Assembly Information Pack 2008/09. The guide gives updates the Assembly members and structure along the representatives on various boards and contact telephone numbers of Assembly staff. To view the Assembly Essentials visit:

Hazel Blears launches search for role models to inspire Black boys

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0200

A major national search to recruit Black male role models gets underway today as Communities Secretary Hazel Blears calls for motivational Black and mixed heritage men to take a lead in inspiring the next generation of Black boys to achieve and succeed. The creation of the first ever Black Boys' National Role Model programme is part of a package of measures to help raise the aspirations and attainment of some of today's young Black men. Hazel Blears wants to encourage Black and mixed heritage men from all walks of life to come forward and play a part in lifting the sights of young Black boys. A national modelling programme was one of the recommendations made to Government by an independent panel made up of members who had an in depth understanding of the realities of the lives of Black Boys and the barriers they face to success. The Government has responded positively to their report and is committed to taking action on all the REACH recommendations. Too often role models can be celebrities and those who glamorise a world of crime, drugs, guns and gangs. The national role modelling programme will seek to challenge stereotypes, shine a light on positive images of Black male achievement - from businessmen to doctors, lawyers, artists and community workers. REACH is about getting these positive images onto the radar and ensuring that more young people know that every route is open to them.

Creating Strong, Safe and Prosperous Communities: Statutory Guidance

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0200

Communities and Local Government Department has published a statutory guidance document on "Creating Strong, Safe and Prosperous Communities". The document covers the duty to involve and duties around Local Area Agreements in the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007. It also replaces previous guidance on Local Strategic Partnerships ad Sustainable Community Strategies. Taken together, this document is a comprehensive guide to local authorities and their partners on how to engage their citizens, lead their communities, and find new and more effective ways to deliver high quality services. To read the document in full visit: http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/localgovernment/strongsafeprosperous

UK CO-OPERATIVES WORTH £27.4BN

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0200

Co-operatives in the United Kingdom have, for the second year, reported on their combined performance. Unveiled at Co-operatives 2008 in Blackpool, the sector has a combined turnover of 27.4 billion pounds with profit before tax of 539 million pounds. There are over 4,735 jointly owned, democratically controlled co-operative businesses in the UK, owned by 10.8 million people and sustaining more than 237,000 jobs. These numbers include not only the consumer owned High Street 'Co-op' shops but also employee owned co-operatives, co-operative consortia, agricultural co-operatives, housing co-operatives, fishing co-operatives, community owned co-operatives and credit unions. The figures were presented by Ben Reid, Chair of Co-operativesUK, the organisation that represents co-operative enterprise in the United Kingdom, during a keynote address to over 400 people from across the co-operative sector in the UK. 'For the first time last year we were able to draw together comprehensive data on the size of the co-operative sector as a whole. It is rewarding this year to be able to publish the first comparative results, which not only show the scale of the sector but also its diversity. 'Whether it is on the high street, in agriculture, in collective buying for bakers and plumbers merchants, in the provision of health care or housing, in ethical finance, in maintaining village shops and post offices, or in supporting football in the community - co-operatives are making a difference.' © Co-operativesUK

Third Sector Research centre contracts sealed

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0200

Birmingham University and Southampton University have been jointly awarded a five-year contract to run the new £10.25m Third Sector Research Centre. The two universities will work with voluntary sector representative organisations including umbrella body the NCVO, chief executives body ACEVO and the Social Enterprise Coalition. "We want to have all the major sector-wide agencies involved because we are committed to research that is valuable to the sector and can be disseminated across it," said Pete Alcock, who has been appointed director of the centre. He will relinquish his role as head of the school of social sciences at Birmingham University to take up the new position on 1 September. John Mohan, professor of social policy at Southampton University, has been appointed his deputy. The Economic and Social Research Council and the Office of the Third Sector will each contribute £5m towards the centre, with the Barrow Cadbury Trust adding £250,000. The centre will publish an annual 'state of the sector' report showing what research is being undertaken each year.

White Paper delivers power shift to local people

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0200

Communities Secretary Hazel Blears has published a White Paper setting out proposals to deliver a fundamental shift in power, influence and responsibility into the hands of communities and citizens. Communities in control: real people, real power sets out how the Government plans to give citizens and communities more rights and more power through: * more information and greater influence over the local decisions that affect them; * new means of holding politicians and councils to account; and, * where they choose, more opportunity to get directly involved in managing and shaping how local services are delivered. The complete document can view downloaded from: http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/communities/communitiesincontrol

Compact powers to be reviewed

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0200

Phil Hope, Minister for the Third Sector, has asked the Compact Commissioner Sir Bert Massie to lead a debate on whether the Compact should be supported by statutory powers. In a letter to Sir Bert, the Minister asks the Commission for the Compact to conduct a wide and thorough debate across the third sector on whether the Commissioner should have legal powers to punish bodies that breach the Compact. This will form part of an ongoing root and branch review of the Compact and all its Codes of Practice. Established in 1998, the Compact is an agreement between Government and the third sector in England. It recognises shared values, principles and commitments and sets out guidelines for working together. The Minister's call comes after Sir Bert warned that the Compact cannot survive in its current form. Third sector organisations have complained that the Compact and the Commission 'lack teeth', leaving them unprotected in disputes with local authorities.

Funding for Community sport

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0200

Sport England is consulting on possible changes to the way it distributes National Lottery money for community sport. Views are welcomed on ways to improve application and award processes as well as any particularly valued features of the current Community Investment Fund. Responses are required by Friday 12th September 2008. For more information and respond visit: http://www.sportengland.org/index/get_funding/homepage-lottery_consultation.htm

Third sector advisory body members appointed

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0200

Phil Hope, Minister for the Third Sector, has today appointed the panel of the new Third Sector Advisory Body (TSAB). The new panel members bring experience from the third sector and beyond. TSAB has been set up to provide ministers with clear and authoritative advice on policy regarding the third sector, including charities, voluntary groups and social enterprises. The TSAB panel is: Lynne Berry OBE, Chief Executive, WRVS Stan Crawford OBE, Managing Director, Sherwood Energy Village Stephen Dunmore, Consultant & former CEO, Big Lottery Fund Clare Gilhooly, Chief Executive, Cambridge House Michael Kelly, Europe Head Corporate Social Responsibility, KPMG John Knight, Head of External Policy, Leonard Cheshire Bhupendra Mistry, Board Member Carnegie UK Trust, Harvest Housing Group & BBC World Service Penny Newman OBE, Non Executive Director Social Finance Ltd, former CEO Cafe Direct Plc and Social Enterprise Ambassador Cliff Prior CBE, Chief Executive, UnLtd Abbie Rumbold, Partner, Bates Wells & Braithwaite Danielle Walker Palmour, Director, Friends Provident Foundation Sir Nick Young, Chief Executive, British Red Cross The Third Sector Advisory Body was a commitment of the Third Sector Review published in 2007. The appointments will be until March 2011.

Minister confirms new deal for communities funding

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0200

Communities Minister Baroness Andrews has today confirmed nearly £500m for neighbourhood partnerships in deprived communities across the country, to continue helping their work to cut crime levels, improve educational achievements and boost job opportunities. Over £250m will be made available over the next two years, and is in addition to the £230m announced in April for this year. This funding means that the 39 New Deal for Communities partnerships will have received £2bn over the 10-year programme.

English councils make charities a priority

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0200

** Taken from Third Sector Daily 01/07/08 ** Phil Hope, the third sector minister, hailed news that almost two-thirds of English councils are prioritising the voluntary sector in their Local Area Agreements as a "defining moment" for the Government's efforts to support charities. Under the new system of agreements, top-tier councils are required to prioritise 35 out of 198 new national performance indicators, in accordance with their areas particular needs for the next three years. Of Englands 150 councils, 61 have chosen national indicator 7, which requires them to create an environment in which voluntary sector organisations can thrive. Forty-three have chosen national indicator 6, which commits them to promoting high levels of regular volunteering. Eleven have chosen both 6 and 7. Councils will be given annually allocated reward money by CLG if they meet their targets. Their performance will also be assessed in a national survey of sector perceptions by the Office of the Third Sector. The survey will be carried out every two years, with the first one to launch in the autumn. Hope said: "Neither of the third sector national indicators are easy options, but investment in them will be paid back many times over. "A strong third sector will be a powerful partner in tackling other local priorities, from reducing social exclusion to promoting sport." A spokesman for the Office of the Third Sector added that the support of local authorities was crucial if central Governments efforts to promote the sector were to be successful. He said: "This is a turning point: it is giving the sector the role the Government said it wants for it." Stephen Bubb, chief executive of chief executives body Acevo, described the number of councils prioritising voluntary organisations as remarkable. He added: "This has to be a good thing, because local government is the source of so much of the sector's funding." Kevin Curley, chief executive of local umbrella body Navca, said it was great news. He said: "Without a thriving third sector, it will be impossible for councils to meet many of the other targets."

Local Area Agreements - Local Priorities Website

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0200

Local priorities are about creating the sort of place you want to live in. They have been negotiated between your local council, those providing your local public services (such as the police, NHS, JobCentre Plus, charities and community organisations) and Government. The priorities they will focus on, in your area, have been captured in the local area agreement (LAA). This sets out what will be tackled on an area-by-area basis across England over the next three years. Agreeing local priorities means that individual areas can focus on what is important to local residents and improve their quality of life. The Local Priorities Website gives you a break down of the priorities as chosen for your Local Area Agreement and be viewed at: http://www.localpriorities.communities.gov.uk/

New Tender Fund Launched by Futurebuilders

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0200

Futurebuilders England has opened a £1m loan fund to help voluntary organisations prepare bids for contracts to deliver public services. Third sector organisations can apply for three-year interest-free loans of between £3,000 and £50,000 to help pay for costs associated with bidding. To be eligible for loans, organisations must show that they could not secure funds from a commercial lender and would have a realistic chance of winning the contract they are bidding for. To find out more about the Tender Fund, or to apply for a Tender Fund loan, call 0191 261 5200 or email info@futurebuilders-england.org.uk There is no closing date for applications, and the Fund will be available on a first come, first served basis until the £1m runs out. For further details, visit Tender Fund

Vulnerable people to benefit as majority of local councils make third sector a top priority

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0200

The most vulnerable people in local communities stand to benefit more than ever from the support of charities, voluntary groups and social enterprises, now that a majority of England's local councils have made it a top priority to have an active and thriving third sector. In a sign of unprecedented support for local third sector organisations, and in recognition of the invaluable work they do to strengthen communities and help the disadvantaged, almost two thirds of Local Authorities (LAs) have decided that having a vibrant and effective local third sector will be a priority for them over the next three years. Under a new system in place this year, all top tier local authority areas will be measured on their performance against 198 new National Indicators (NIs), two of which focus on the third sector. In addition, each area has had the opportunity to prioritise 35 NIs that will particularly meet local needs, and will be the targets that sit at the heart of each council's Local Area Agreement. Under this new system, 93 of England's top tier 150 LAs - 62 percent of them - have chosen to prioritise one of the two third sector indicators: NI6 - participation in regular volunteering; and NI7 - creating an environment for a thriving third sector. These indicators have been included by LAs in every region of the country - in urban, inner city and rural areas, covering over 65 percent of the population. Part of this success is due to the way that Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs) are involving third sector organisations in important decisions about local priorities.

Capacitybuilders announces new £6 million Social Enterprise Programme, and Improving Reach grant awards

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0200

Phil Hope, Minister for the Third Sector, has announced grant awards totalling £17 million through the Improving Reach Programme. The grants are to help organisations working with excluded communities to flourish through the provision of information, advice and facilities. He also announced the launch of a Capacitybuilders Social Enterprise Programme, with £6 million being invested over the next three years. Capacitybuilders is a non-departmental public body, funded by the Office of the Third Sector. Capacitybuilders aims to help create a more effective third sector by improving support for third sector organisations. Support includes a wide range of services, for example information, advice and training on a host of topics. Improving Reach Speaking at the annual Capacitybuilders conference held in Birmingham, the Minister announced details of over 70 grants from the Improving Reach programme. This investment will increase the capacity and sustainability of smaller third sector organisations specialising in providing advice and facilities to frontline groups working with excluded communities. Highlighting the work of one of these new recipients - the Tutu Foundation the Minister outlined how £448,000 investment will enable the Foundation to reach some of Englands most deprived communities, making it possible for 200 frontline organisations to help underprivileged young people. Social Enterprise Fund The Minister also announced a £6 million new investment to improve business support services for social enterprises. The money will fund improvements like new mentoring schemes, more accredited advisers and work to develop emerging markets. The funding, from the Office of the Third Sector, will be distributed over the next three years by Capacitybuilders. Capacitybuilders will work with social enterprise networks in each region and other local partners including Regional Development Agencies to identify the best ways to meet local needs. The programme will help increase collaboration and sharing of best practice between social enterprise support and the rest of the third sector, through consultation on priorities and the potential for collaborative projects. It builds on the commitments of the Third Sector Review to ensure social enterprise is fully integrated in to Capacitybuilders programmes

Millions of workers set to benefit from right to request time to train

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0200

Denham launches consultation on how new entitlement will work, challenging employers who offer no staff training The details of how up to 22 million workers in England will be able to use a new legal right to request time have been outlined by John Denham, Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills. Publishing a consultation into how the new right will work, Mr Denham said he expected around 300,000 people a year to receive skills training who otherwise would not as a result of legislation which could be in place by 2010, subject to its passage through Parliament. One third of employers do not train their staff and eight million employees receive no kind of training at all every year. Ministers believe a legal right to request time to train will help ensure that training is taken seriously by all employers. The Time to Train consultation is open to all employers and employees in England and closes on 10th September 2008. Further details from Time to Train Consultation

Sport England publishes new strategy to get more people playing sport

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0200

Sport England Strategy 2008-2011 Sport England has published a radical new strategy to get more people playing and enjoying sport and to help those with talent get to the very top. The new approach is designed to capitalise on the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity presented by the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and to use its power to inspire more people to take part in and succeed in sport. You can download the Strategy by clicking on the links below. Sport England Strategy 2008-2011 Sport England Strategy 2008-2011: Executive Summary Press Release

National Equality taskforce set up

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0200

Harriet Harman, Minister for Women and Equality, has launched an equality taskforce that will subject the root causes of inequality to unparalleled scrutiny. The National Equality Taskforce will consist of leading academics with cutting-edge research backgrounds. They will investigate the relationship between gender, race, disability, and other aspects of inequality, such as income and social class. The Taskforce chair and members will be announced in the summer. They will produce an independent report on their findings late in 2009. For further details and the views of Trever Phillips, Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, visit National Equality Taskforce

Petition for a Social Enterprise Mark

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0200

** Reproduced from the GuideStar UK e-bulletin June 2008 ** A Social Enterprise Mark has been developed by RISE, the voice for social enterprises in South West England. Kent social enterprise, The Sunlight Trust, has developed an online petition to lobby for the national roll out of the Social Enterprise Mark and are encouraging others to sign up. The Social Enterprise Mark is a label that tells customers that a product or service comes from a social enterprise. It is the only label of its kind that is open to all types of social enterprises trading in South West England, that successfully meet the qualification criteria and includes for example all companies limited by guarantee with charitable status. To sign the petition go to www.rise-sw.co.uk or www.socialenterprisemark.co.uk

Ministry of Justice builds relationship with third sector organisations

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0200

A new Ministry of Justice strategy looks to build upon third sector relationships to deliver better public services. The Ministry of Justice already works with a number of third sector organisations and spends more than £100 million annually with the sector through the Legal Services Commission and the National Offender Management Service. The Ministry of Justice provides many different public services, from the courts and tribunals, prison and probation services, to legal aid advice. This strategy underpins the department's commitment to engage with third sector groups, and recognises the important role the sector plays in developing social partnerships. The Third Sector Strategy focuses on four common goals:

Enabling voice and campaigning The third sector understands local communities and their needs, and that knowledge can be used to help shape services.

Strengthening communities The sector can help tap into social capital that is available through mentoring and volunteering.

Transforming public services Collaborative relationships between commissioners and the sector will improve the shape and delivery of public services.

Encouraging social enterprise Supporting the right social enterprises, and the conditions for them to thrive, will encourage long term sustainability.

For further details, visit Third Sector Strategy

Conservatives set out their polices for the voluntary sector

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0200

David Cameron has launched "Voluntary Action in the 21st Century", a Green Paper which highlights the importance of the voluntary sector and sets out ways to encourage it as a force for social progress. The document outlines a broad policy agenda to expand the role and influence of voluntary organisations, including measures to: - Increase volunteering - Encourage more charitable giving - Allow the voluntary sector to compete on an equal footing with the private sector - Make government contracting of the voluntary sector less burdensome - Create a network of Social Enterprise Zones At the launch, it was stressed the Green Paper was founded on the Conservative principle of "bottom-up social responsibility." "It looks at how we can nourish the voluntarism, altruism, locality, independence and diversity of Britain's civil society, not only as an end in itself, but because it is the voluntary sector that will provide many of the solutions to tomorrow's problems." Voluntary Action in the 21st Century © Conservatives

The Housing Challenge - Yorkshire and Humber Plan 2009 Update