Welcome to the latest briefing from your Voluntary Sector Forum. The briefing is to update you on all the areas and issues the forum has been working through on your behalf. Members of Voluntary Sector Forum Steering Group (representatives of VCS groups from across the borough) continue to lead on work on your behalf – to ensure your interests are represented and fed into local structures and partnerships.
Once again, we have tried to keep this update short and snappy – but if you would like to know more detail about any area covered in the briefing; then please do click on the links for more information or please do get in touch!
mal@rcvda.org.uk or Telephone 01642 440571
The Steering Group
R&C Voluntary Sector Forum
Voluntary Sector Forum Employment Event – 7th March 2013
Whale Hill Community Centre
The Voluntary Sector Forum recently held a very vibrant and successful event around the theme of employment at the Whale Hill Community Centre.
Olwyn Peters, Chair of Whale Hill Community Association started the event with a warm welcome and some background to the challenges she and her fellow trustees have faced over the previous year. Olwyn talked about dealing with the difficulties of losing funding and the commitment and energy that has seen the centre grow and prosper.
This event brought together a broad range of local groups to discuss a number of inter-related issues around a central theme of employment, which included:
The role of the Voluntary and Community Sector in employment – Tony Gatehouse, Centre Manager of the Loftus Co-op Building. Tony talked about his role as the the Voluntary Sector representative on the Tees Valley Unlimited; Employment Learning and Skills Group and how the Voluntary Sector should be engaging within current employment initiatives and how structural funds coming through in future years may provide opportunities for local voluntary and community groups to collaborate more effectively.
Winning Contracts – Rosie Battye; Partnership Manager for Business Development at the Prince’s Trust. Rosie provided a very insightful presentation on the Social Value Act What you need to concentrate on in preparing your bids. Rosie highlighted examples of how local authorities were incorporating the principles and requirements of the Social Value Act in to their purchasing processes.
Hosting Apprenticeships – Graham Hubbard the Lead Employment Advisor Redcar and Cleveland Council talked about how to take on apprentices and highlighted a number of positive examples of how local voluntary organisations were already benefiting from having apprentices. Graham spoke about some of the positive stories of how apprenticeships impact of young people and how the local authority can support organisations to make the most of these opportunities.
Volunteers and Placements – Mal Fitzgerald CEO, of RCVDA talked about getting, supporting and making the most of local volunteers. Mal talked about the difficulties in placing volunteers due to the lack of suitable opportunities and the importance of effective, local, independent brokerage. Mal outlined some of the work the VDA was engaged with across the South Tees area and most importantly with local partners, particularly the local authority.
Using Access the Expert to get free consultancy services for your group
Doff Pollard of TVRCC outlined this unique opportunity for local organisations to benefit from top quality, specialist support.
Access the Expert has been set up to help frontline voluntary organisations in South Tees to secure specialist support to face development challenges in difficult times through help to:
consider medium and long-term opportunities, devise realistic business plans, identify potential new income streams, improve marketing and communications, produce winning tenders, develop collaborative partnerships or secure and run a community building.
Groups can search the directory of over 20 approved providers, recruited because of their track record in specialisms relevant to voluntary organisations seeking to change the way they work, think outside the box, develop in new directions.
Local organisations have the opportunity to apply for a bursary for up to four days consultancy from an approved provider to support your organisation in a significant area of development. The application process is simple and straight forward. Applications will not be accepted after the end of May 2103, so to make the most of this chance – log on to:
http://accesstheexpert.org.uk/
Social Enterprise – Cyclemaster Pedals 4 All CIC.
David Cook from Cyclemaster Pedals 4 All, CIC, talked about setting up a social enterprise and the ups and downs that inevitably come with setting up any kind of business or enterprise.. Cyclemaster works across all areas of Tees Valley and North Yorkshire to make a difference in the community, particularly the to the health and well being of all groups in our community. They provide cycle training, maintenance courses, scooter training, child and adult cyber bikes, KMX karts, Guided cycle rides, pedestrian training and road safety courses. David stressed how important the support of the local authority had been in setting up and how important it was to get the right support.
After the presentations, participants had the chance to join and contribute to table discussions on each of the subjects that had been covered earlier. This was a very lively section with discussions being very focused and positive. Thank you to all the members of the Voluntary Sector Forum and the speakers for making this such a thought provoking event.
Flexible Support Fund
Sticking with the theme of employment, Jobcentre Plus Durham Tees Valley District have launched the Flexible Support Grant Funding for Partnerships.
The Flexible Support Fund is administered by Jobcentre Plus, and gives District Managers the facility to grant awards to local partners/partnerships, as an additional means of support to customers in the pre-work programme stage of the Jobcentre Plus customer journey. Jobcentre Plus wishes to provide grant funds to support the delivery of partnership opportunities which overcome the barriers that customers between the ages of 18 to 24, claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), who have not entered the Work Programme, may face when trying to secure sustainable employment.
For more details on the Flexible Support Fund – click here