Bulletin #18: 12 January 2010    

Contact details for all VSNW staff: http://www.vsnw.org.uk/about/staff The aim of this bulletin is to succinctly communicate: - VSNW’s work - all work to represent the voluntary & community sector (VCS) at a regional level - key regional issues for the VCS - key networking and learning opportunities for the VCS.   

CONTENTS 

 Included in this VSNW Bulletin:

Chief Executive’s Update

Regional Strategy (RS2010): Next phase of consultation now underway

Worklessness: Tackling Worklessness in the North West research published, Future Jobs Fund, Apprenticeships, Special Purpose Vehicle, VSNW work on volunteering, Skills – Third Sector update.

The Compact: Refreshed National Compact launched; update on the latest from the Regional Compact for the North West

Health and Social Care: PCT grants and the Third Sector, Seven commitments from NHS NW

News update: New VSNW Trustee, NWDA publish report on developing partnerships between third and public sectors, Comprehensive Area Assessment results for the North West, EHRC-commissioned questionnaire on Personalisation, NW Women and Work Taskforce launched. Further news available from: http://www.vsnw.org.uk/news

Details of events for the voluntary and community sector in the North West: http://www.vsnw.org.uk/events

To subscribe or contribute including next issue date

  

Chief Executive’s update 

Dear Colleagues Happy New Year! The next phase of consultation on the regional strategy is now underway. We are partnering five sub-regional events in the next few weeks, specifically for the third sector (details below). Please come along, find out about the implications for third sector groups, and have your say on behalf of the groups and people you work for. We are partnering two other events in the next few weeks which might be of interest: January 21, Manchester: Involving Unemployed Volunteers in Your Organisation, in

partnership with GMCVO. In partnership with bassac and Preston CVS, an event to help increase the influence and

campaigning skills of third sector groups: February 11, Preston: Voice – a taster session

Other significant areas of work highlighted in this bulletin include: Tackling Worklessness in the North West Latest developments in the Regional Compact NHS NW’s seven commitments to the VCS in the NW All the best Richard Caulfield Chief Executive, VSNW   

Regional Strategy 

The next phase of consultation on the regional strategy, RS2010, is now underway. VSNW are partnering five sub-regional third sector consultation events: Lancashire: 29 January Cheshire: 4 February Greater Manchester: 10 February Merseyside: 11 February Cumbria: 16 February (details tbc) Updated details for Cumbria will soon be available on our website A consultation event for environmental third sector groups and NGOs will take place in Chorley, on 26 January. The Consultation document is available from the Regional Strategy website: Draft Part 1 Consultation closing date: 26 February 2010

 

Worklessness 

 Tackling Worklessness in the North West research published ------------------------------- The third sector plays a significant role in projects that tackle worklessness. According to research from Manchester University’s Institute for Political and Economic Governance (IPEG), the third sector is involved in half of the good practice examples identified. However, there is a need for more strategic approaches at the local level with more co-ordinated, holistic ways of working. The report, commissioned by the North West Improvement and Efficiency Partnership (NWIEP) with VSNW involvement on the steering group, will be used to shape future support for local authorities in the North West. Further guidance on implications for the third sector: VSNW Briefing #29: The Third

Sector and Tackling Worklessness in the North West NWIEP’s report: Tackling Worklessness in the North West Future Jobs Fund ------------------------------- The initial phase of the Future Jobs Fund programme is underway across the North West with the first people starting work in October and November. Third sector organisations are getting heavily involved, mainly through their local and sub regional economic partnerships. Further information: FJF update VSNW guidance for potential employers: The Future Jobs Fund: A Good Start? Apprenticeships ------------------------------- The tender submitted in the summer to the National Apprenticeship Service for the establishment of a Third Sector Group Training Association has met with some success. The Association has been allocated £300,000 to be utilised by the end of March 2010 to develop the initiative. Further information: Delivery targets of the project by 31 March 2010 Briefing on the Group Training Association (Briefing #18) If you are interested in hosting an apprenticeship but would like to know more, please

contact Karen Rigg, VSNW’s Workforce and Skills Co-ordinator, to arrange a visit.

Special Purpose Vehicle ------------------------------- Karen Rigg, VSNW’s Workforce and Skills Co-ordinator, is facilitating the development of a special purpose vehicle (which could be described as a constituted consortia) in order to enable third sector groups in the North West bid for large, prime contracts, such as the Department for Work and Pensions’ contracts to support people back into employment. This will allow groups, if successful, to develop fair sub-contracting relationships for third sector groups. A membership prospectus for joining the special purpose vehicle should be available in the next few weeks. Skills – Third Sector ------------------------------- Skills - Third Sector has been charged with making it easier for people working in the voluntary and community sector to have the right skills, and is funded by the Office of the Third Sector, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, and the UK Commission for Employment and Skills. The organisation is soon launching a major piece of work on apprenticeships in the sector. Read more on the VSNW website. Tackling Worklessness and volunteering ------------------------------- Current VSNW activity: VSNW is working with Volunteering NW and the North West Improvement and Efficiency

Partnership (NWIEP) in order to explore the effective use of volunteering as a pathway to employment. Following a successful event in Cumbria, Lynn Kent, GMCVO, is facilitating a second sub-regional event which will be held at the St Thomas Centre in Manchester on 21 January 2010: Involving Unemployed Volunteers in Your Organisation

VSNW hope to meet with the region’s volunteer brokerage leads and Job Centre Plus in order to explore ways of supporting the delivery of the Government’s scheme in the North West.

Local Economic Assessments – consultation ------------------------------- The Government is now consulting on draft statutory guidance about the new local authority economic assessment duty due to come into force on 1 April 2010. The purpose of consultation is to get stakeholders’ views on how local economic assessments should be taken forward, the key issues they should address and how they should inform local and regional strategy and delivery. Consultation document: Local Economic Assessments Consultation closing date: 15 March 2010   

 

The Compact 

 Refreshed National Compact launched ------------------------------- The refreshed National Compact has just been released, setting out commitments from government and the voluntary and community sector around how they work together for the benefit of people and communities. Read more here. Regional Compact for the North West ------------------------------- As mentioned in the previous VSNW Bulletin, the Regional Compact for the North West has been agreed and signed off. Since then: The Compact Working Group met last week to identify future implementation actions and

partners will submit draft organisational action plans by 31 January 2010. A sub-group to drive forward implementation of the Funding, Commissioning and

Procurement Code will be established and will include representatives from Social Enterprise North West, North West Development Agency, North West Network and Voluntary Sector North West.

In order to support VSNW’s work in developing the regional Funding, Commissioning and Procurement Code, VSNW would like to establish an email network of third sector individuals with expertise and experience in issues relating to Funding, Commissioning and Procurement. To register your interest, please email warren.escadale@vsnw.org.uk

For fuller details of the Regional Compact for the North West: http://www.vsnw.org.uk/activities/compact   

Health 

Seven Commitments ------------------------------- At VSNW’s AGM, The Chief Executive of NHS NW made Seven Commitments to the third sector in the North West over the next 12 months. PCT Grants and the Third Sector ------------------------------- The Department of Health has produced a paper highlighting the role grants can play in developing and supporting low level community activity. It says the use of grants is particularly pertinent to commissioning self care support for people with long term conditions and that Third Sector organisations will have an increasingly important role to play in meeting some of the expected increase in demand for self care support. Read more at http://www.vsnw.org.uk/activities/health   

News 

Further news items are available through VSNW’s News listing: http://www.vsnw.org.uk/news VSNW is pleased to welcome Simon Thorrington, North Regional Director of Charity

Bank, to our Trustee Board. NWDA report: developing the partnership between third sector organisations and

regional bodies. Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA) results are now available Job opportunity: Project Officer at CEMVO Please respond to this EHRC-commissioned questionnaire on Personalisation for people

in the LGB&T communities. Call for arts project bid proposals that tackle inequality North West Women and Work Taskforce launched Inquiry into harassment of people with disabilities Awareness of public benefit high but still work to do, according to a Charity Commission

report Political parties should be open about the diversity of their candidate selection process,

according to the Speakers’ Conference.   

Events 

VSNW-listed events are available through VSNW’s Events and Training listing: http://www.vsnw.org.uk/events January 19, London: Health Issues, Policy and Solutions: A focus on health equality January 20, Manchester: Hear by Right, your questions answered January 21, Manchester: Involving Unemployed Volunteers in Your Organisation January 22, Preston: Communities of Interest: Community Empowerment January 26, Chorley: RS2010: Environmental NGO/Third Sector consultation event January 29, Chorley: Regional Safeguarding Event February 9, Kendal: Communities in Control: What does Appreciative Inquiry have to

offer? February 11, Preston: Voice – a taster session February 22, Halton: Regional Safeguarding Event March 3, Manchester: Stand and Deliver – BASSAC’s annual conference   

TO SUBSCRIBE OR CONTRIBUTE 

To subscribe to VSNW’s Bulletin please email policy@vsnw.org.uk with the subject line: “Subscribe to VSNW Bulletin”.

The next Bulletin will be circulated on Wednesday 3 February 2010. Items submitted for inclusion should be received by Friday 29 January. To contribute to the VSNW Bulletin, please contact:

Hannah Horton, Information Officer Email: hannah.horton@vsnw.org.uk or Tel: 0161 276 9300

To contribute to the policy work of VSNW, please contact: Warren Escadale, Policy & Communications Officer Email: warren.escadale@vsnw.org.uk or Tel: 0161 276 9307

Back to Contents   Voluntary Sector North West (VSNW) St Thomas Centre, Ardwick Green North, Manchester, M12 6FZ Tel: 0161 276 9300 | Email: info@vsnw.org.uk | Web: www.vsnw.org.uk  Registered Charity No 1081654 | Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England No. 3988903  

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