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E-Bulletin - 10/08/06
Welcome to the CVS North Wiltshire e-bulletin. To view this e-bulletin online click here.
New Job Opportunities Online
Click here to see job opportunities within the Voluntary Sector. Please let us have your opportunities to advertise on the site!
Do You Have Any Tables or Chairs To Spare
CVS is developing a meeting / training room which will be available for groups to hire at a small charge. We have put in a funding bid to kit out the room with tables, chairs and equipment but unfortunately we will not hear if our bid has been successful until next year. Therefore in the meantime, we are begging for donations to allow the room to be used by groups as soon as possible! Please email beth@cvsnw.org.uk with ideas!
Data Protection - Should I Register?
Stephanie Biden of Bates Wells & Braithwaite begins a two-part series on data protection issues for charities, part 1 asks the question: I've been asked to look after my charity's database. Do I need to register with the Information Commissioner? " Click here to view the response.
Are you a Chair Person? Could you Benefit from Joining the Chairs Network?
The Network enables local member Chairs to exchange ideas, to share information, to submit queries to their peers, and to work in partnership with other local groups. Mary Waters from the Charities Information Bureau will be coming to the next Chairs’ Network meeting on Tuesday 29th August at 7pm at the Jubilee Building, 32 Market Place, Chippenham. Mary will be talking about whether groups are ‘Fit for Funding’. Organisations need to have all the correct information in place before they consider applying for funding and Mary will be discussing what information is required and how to achieve it. As funding is such a hot topic, you cannot afford to miss this one! If you would like to come to the meeting or require more information please email vanessa@cvsnw.org.uk or telephone 01249 654089.
Interested in Helping Disabled People Access IT Provision?
AbilityNet are currently looking for partners in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and England who will work to help disabled people access IT provision in the voluntary sector. For the three year programme they have a package of funding and support worth £40K which they will make available to partners. They will be supporting partners to develop their expertise in adaptive technology and asking them to work with community and voluntary sector organisations in their region. They would like to speak to voluntary sector organisations who are interested in the project by September 2006. For more information email or visit www.abilitynet.org.uk.
National Family Learning Network Summer Newsletter
This summer the National Family Learning Network has produced two newsletters. Issue 5 is a Special Edition Newsletter themed for Campaign for Learning's Family Learning Week 2006. This edition is packed full of useful ideas, tips and information on resources you can use for family learning activities. Issue 6 is the Summer National Family Learning Network Newsletter. This edition is in the usual format with family learning news of national and local interest. You will also find useful information on family learning conferences, events and training opportunities. Also in the newsletter there is a section Publications, Resources and Reports which is worth checking out. Please click here to access the newsletters. The National Family Learning Network newsletters provide you with an excellent opportunity to promote your family learning for FREE. The next newsletter will be produced in the autumn, please e-mail me your news item to vmaris@cflearning.org.uk before 6 November 2006. As well as appearing in the newsletter your news item will also be included on the National Family Learning Network website.
The National Community Forum is a place
where the experience of local communities
speaks directly to Government. For the past
five years, 24 residents and workers from
some of our most deprived communities have
been telling Ministers and policy makers
what it feels like to be on the receiving
end of programmes that aim to narrow the gap
between deprived areas and the rest of the
country. They have brought a unique
perspective to policy development, covering
issues that include neighbourhood renewal,
Local Strategic Partnerships, community
participation and empowerment, poverty and
the benefits system, young people and
transient communities. Now the Department
for Communities and Local Government (DCLG)
is looking for up to 10 new members - people
who will bring fresh experience and ideas to
the Forum, who can speak confidently about
the issues that matter to local communities
and who can work with other members,
government officials and Ministers to find
solutions to these problems. Members
contribute around 12 days a year in return
for a daily rate and expenses. For an
information pack, including how to apply and
timetables for the appointment process,
please refer to the website of our
employment agency advisers Saxton Bampfylde
Hever Ltd at
www.saxbam.com/ARC quoting reference
RNFA, or email
rnfa@saxbam.com, or telephone 01483 409
713 (during office hours). Closing Date:
Noon Wednesday 16 August 2006.
The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service
Do you know a group of volunteers who make a difference in your community who devote their time to helping others? To celebrate her Golden Jubilee, The Queen announced a new annual UK National Honour to recognise the unsung heroes of volunteering who play an essential role in our daily lives. If you know a group of volunteers who devote their time to helping others in the community and improve the quality of life and opportunity for others, nominate them for an award. It’s easy to nominate! Please visit www.queensawardvoluntary.gov.uk where you can download a form. For more information on the awards email queensaward@volunteeringengland.org or call 0845 000 2002.
Freecycle - Changing the World One Gift at a Time
The Freecycle Network (www.freecycle.org) is made up of many individual groups across the globe. It's a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. Each local group is moderated by a local volunteer. Membership is free. Just signup to your local group (Both the Swindon and Bristol groups cover this area). Signing up will generate an automatic e-mail which, when sent, will sign you up for the local group and send you a response with instructions on how it works. The Freecycle Network was started in May 2003 to promote waste reduction in Tucson's downtown and help save desert landscape from being taken over by landfills. The Network provides individuals and non-profits an electronic forum to "recycle" unwanted items. One person's trash can truly be another's treasure! Tip: as soon as you are signed up, look at changing the preferred email settings, you can choose to receive an email every time someone posts an entry, or a daily roundup of all posts.
Consultation on Smoke-Free Regulations Launched
The Department of Health has launched a consultation exercise on the finer details of how to implement and enforce the smoke-free legislation due to come into force next summer. Running until 9 October, the consultation seeks views on draft regulations published by health minister Caroline Flint. A recent survey by the Office for National Statistics found that the vast majority of people support restrictions on smoking. See www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/smoking0706.pdf
For more on the consultation see www.dh.gov.uk/consultations/liveconsultations or e-mail smokefreeregulations@dh.gsi.gov.uk.
Third Sector Seminar: Our Health, Our Care, OurSay - Implementation of the White Paper
If you are interested in finding out about the implications of the White Paper for your charity or community group, the Care Services Improvement Partnership would like to invite you to attend a Third Sector Seminar. Lynn Dean, Regional Change Agent, will be giving a presentation on the implementation of the paper, the role of the Third Sector in the paper and there will be time for questions and answers. Click here for the event brochure.
Disability Rights Commission Partnerships and Transfer of Expertise Briefing Sheet
Click here to view the latest DRC briefing sheet, articles include; DRC launch Formal Investigation into Fitness Standards in Teaching, Nursing and Social Work (p3), DRC is making DDA accessible (p5) and Disclosure of a disability at time of application for a job (p8).
Important Update to 'Borrowing (and sharing) Vehicles and Drivers -The Legalities'
Following some recent research undertaken for a group about V.A.T., an important finding was made relating to borrowing vehicles and drivers. As such, I have amended part of the guide (click here) surrounding this issue by adding some further sentences. Liam Tatton-Bennett, Community First, ltatton-bennett@communityfirst.org.uk.
SAVAGE e-Communique - 31 July 2006 - July Newsletter
The SAVAGE July Newsletter is now available. This month topics covered include: SOUTH EAST - Surrey LSC, Interreg IIIA, Free Life Coaching, GOSE, SOUTH-WEST - South West LSC - important deadline reminder, Bournemouth, Poole and Dorset LSC - important deadline reminder, Devon and Cornwall LSC, Bi-Regional - Big Lottery, e-Learning Foundation, Equal-Works, Low Carbon Buildings Grants, Structural Funds and Events. Click here to view the normal version - www.savage-europe.org.uk/newsletters/july06.htm.
New Course for Volunteers & Care Workers Supported By Help the Aged
With the support of Help the Aged, Kingdom Fitness (a non profit making training provider) will be piloting a new training course which has been specifically designed for volunteers and carers who work in the community with older and less able people. The course will equip those who attend to teach a range of safe, simple yet effective exercises that will help maintain health, strength and independence, preventing falls & injuries and other risks to health to those with whom they are in regular contact. It will be run in Wimborne starting at the end of September. We will be training just 20 voluntary / care workers this year, we have a few places remaining on the course and would like to offer them to caring people in your area. Accreditation with the Oxford, Cambridge and RSA examining board is pending in order to ensure that all who successfully complete the course will get a recognised Level 2 qualification. This makes the course ideal for a continuing professional development programme. Click here to download further information or visit the web site www.kingdomfitness.org.
New Primary Care Trust Chairs Appointed
The Chairs of the new Primary Care Trust in the South West to be introduced on 1 October 2006 have been appointed. As part of the ongoing reconfiguration of NHS organisations, the existing 32 Primary Care Trusts will be replaced by a total of 14 across the NHS South West area which comprises Avon, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Dorset, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. The NHS Appointments Commission has announced the appointment of Chairs for 13 of the 14 new Primary Care Trusts. As yet, there has been no substantive appointment made to Wiltshire Primary Care Trust and Anthea Millett CBE has been appointed on an interim basis until such an appointment can be made. Click here for the press release.
Discount Parking Scheme?
Lower paid workers and volunteers in Corsham could be in for a car parking discount. Corsham Chamber of Commerce carried out a survey of 507 people, which revealed that 62% of the workers were paid £6 per hour or less and of those 26% needed long-term parking. The Chamber is now in discussion with North Wiltshire District Council to see if an appropriate parking rate can be made available.
Call For New Towns To Join The Market and Coastal Towns Initiative
The Market and Coastal Towns Association is pleased to announce a call for new towns to join the Market and Coastal Towns Initiative. The Initiative is an innovative community planning programme which supports local people to design the future of their town and surrounding area. Towns selected to join the Initiative will receive up to £20,000 in grant, dedicated support from a Community Facilitator, professional assistance from consultants and templates and toolkits to aid their progress. In return a local community invests their energy, commitment and enthusiasm. Click here for the press release providing further information or click here to visit the website.
Volunteering England ‘Right to Reasonable Expenses’ - Lunch Expenses Campaign
Volunteering England are urging volunteers and volunteer involving organisations to join us in Volunteering England’s Lunch Expenses Protest Week. The Department for Work and Pensions has issued new guidance stating that lunch expenses are not a legitimate volunteering expense, and will be treated as "earnings" for volunteers on jobseeker's allowance, income support and incapacity benefit. Volunteers on these benefits are allowed an "earnings disregard" of £5 or £20 per week, so lunch reimbursements up to that amount should not affect benefits, but anything over would result in benefit being docked pound for pound. But the point is that legitimate meals reimbursements for volunteers who work over a meal period should not be treated as earnings, and should not be counted against the earnings disregard. We want you to post your lunch receipt to the Secretary of State The Rt. Hon. John Hutton MP at the Department for Work and Pensions to illustrate the true cost of buying lunch outside the home. Volunteering England Protest Week will run from Monday 14th August to Monday 21st August 2006. We must convince the DWP to withdraw their guidance ‘A guide to volunteering while on Benefits’. We have until Monday 21st August to make a real difference to 2 millions volunteers who could be affected by the guidance. Click here for more information and to download a template letter with the VE logo attached.
Faith Communities Capacity Building Fund - Open to Applications
CDF (Community Development Foundation) has again been commissioned by the Race, Cohesion and Faiths Directorate, part of the Department for Communities and Local Government, to run the second round of the Faith Communities Capacity Building Fund. Organisations are invited to apply for small grants (up to £5,000) or large grants between (£5,000 and £30,000) which are available between April 2007 and March 2008. The fund will support faith and inter faith organisations to strengthen their capacity (capacity building) in order to play a fuller part in civil society/community cohesion. It will also support inter faith activities which bring together people from different faith groups to talk, network and learn from one another. Who can apply? Faith based organisations, Inter faith organisations, Voluntary and Community organisations carrying out inter faith activities or working with faith communities and Partnerships between several faith or inter faith organisations in an area. Closing date for applications is 1st November 2006. Click here to download further information.
IAVM Regional Workshop Series 2006: September / October
IAVM (Institute for Advanced
Volunteer Management) is running
a series of workshops in London,
including
Introduction to Volunteer
Management, Volunteers in
Museums, Libraries and Archives:
Policies and Procedures, and
Strategic Planning for Volunteer
Managers.
Click here for further
information.
Free Website for the Community
A new website advertising the best Chippenham has to offer has been launched.
http://www.thebestofchippenham.co.uk/ aims to support the local community by providing free legal adverts for charities and promoting up and coming events.
Co-operative Community Interest Company Seminars
A seminar for Business Advisors and Development professionals. Following the successful 2005 launch of the Community Interest Company Co-operatives has been working with the CIC Regulator to create a variant of the CIC that embeds co-operative values and principles alongside the unique features inherent in the CIC model. At this seminar you will learn the essentials of the Community Interest Company in general, and the Co-operative CIC in particular. Click here to download the event brochure.
Temps are Less Tempting after CRB Policy Change
The use of temporary staff by employers in the public and voluntary sectors could be dramatically reduced after the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) changed its policy on background checks for temps. Organisations using temps that require CRB checks – generally those dealing with vulnerable people or children – have been able to rely on "portability requests", which re-use a disclosure obtained by a recruiter or another employer. But the CRB has now stopped processing portability requests and will not endorse the use of transferred disclosures. Recruitment experts warned that the move could "drastically impact" employers taking on temps, as new requests typically take about six weeks to obtain. The NHS, local authorities and the voluntary sector could be particularly hard hit by the policy change. "When assignments may last only a few days, it can prove unrealistic to obtain a new check for every temp, especially if they are required at short notice," said Phil Dixon, divisional manager at recruitment firm Morgan Hunt, a firm registered with the CRB. Click here for the full story.
Leaders Come in all Styles - Supporting Disabled People to Develop as Leaders
The National Centre for Independent Living is running a FREE Leadership conferences in London, Edinburgh and York for disabled people and people with long term health conditions who want to further their potential. At the leadership conference you will; explore your leadership skills in master classes; network with other future leaders; find out more about overcoming barriers to leadership and identify leadership opportunities and plan your next steps. For more information visit www.drc-gb.org/leadership.
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