News on Third Sector activities

Details of events and activities of possible interest to individals and organisations within the BME Third Sector.

 

Training and research

Volunteering England has published a systematic review of published research to find out more precisely what impact volunteering can have on health, The report from the University of Wales, Lampeter, is available from www.volunteering.org.uk/hsc

Empowering the Voluntary Sector is a joint project between NAVCA and the Public Law Project (PLP) to support the third sector to understand and use the principles of public law, the set of rules that govern how public bodies such as local authorities and PCT’s must behave. EVS runs a programme of low cost workshops, provides a free legal advice line, and distributes a quarterly newsletter. if you would like to attend a workshop or can organise one then please contact Terry Perkins on 0114-289 3972 or terry.perkins@navca.org.uk

 

Events and requests

The Social Enterprise Coalition’s annual conference Voice 09 will take place 10-11th February in Birmingham. The event will look at how the ever increasing interest in just how social enterprise is helping revolutionise the way in which businesses operate and how the movement can best respond to the uncertain economic climate and ultimately, create opportunities for themselves and their communities. Speakers will include senior politicians, and national & international experts on social enterprise. To book your place now and for more information, please visit www.voice09.org

The Child Accident Prevention Trust is looking for comments from community organisations about what should go into a community toolkit on road safety. To take part go to www.capt.org.uk or email gillian.colver@capt.org.uk. Participants can enter the free draw to win £100 of vouchers for their project. 

Adfam is embarking on a new project which will enable us to take forward work supporting families where grandparents are bringing up their grandchildren because of the birth parents’ serious substance misuse. In particular they aim to talk to grandparents from black and minority communities who for many reasons are not seeking any support. Research indicates that this often because of the stigma associated with a drug using family member and in these circumstances, the family is very isolated with high levels of stress and little or no access to specialised help. By talking to these families, we will be able to highlight the difficulties and day to day problems (particularly due to financial hardship) to commissioners to campaign for and demand more help for grandparents. Any London based group which feels they can help Adfam to contact families and talk through what would help and what more can be done, or would like to talk through project plans, please contact Jan Fry on j.fry@adfam.org.uk or tel 020 7226 6706.

The Learning and Skills Council are interested in hearing from any third sector organisations and individuals who have experience of Train to Gain so far - either good or bad! - and anyone who would be interested in developing the necessary policies to ensure that Train to Gain works well for the sector. Please contact Cheryl Turner on cheryl.turner@lsc.gov.uk with your thoughts.

 

Funding and services

A new £3m scheme, funded by the Department for International Development (DFID) in partnership with VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas), has been launched to encourage more people from ethnic and religious communities around Britain to become involved in volunteering. The 'DFID Diaspora Volunteer Scheme' will lead to over 600 new volunteering placements in Asia and Africa in the next three years and will increase the capacity of smaller organisations to become involved in volunteering projects. Further details from http://vso.org.uk/about/diaspora_volunteering/index.asp

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, such as legal fees.  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 were bidding for. Further information visit www.futurebuilders-england.org.uk

In Kind Direct is a charity that re-distributes new goods donated by some of Britain’s best-known manufacturers and retailers to hundreds of voluntary organisations working at home and abroad. See their website for further details.

Details of the DCSF Youth Sector Development Fund (YSDF) can be found at http://www.dfes.gov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgi?pn_id=2008_0153 Anybody interested should in the first instance email ysd.fund@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk or raised directly with Joanne Wheeler on 0114 25921023 or Sarah Clarke on 0114 259461.

Details of the Department of Health’s Third Sector Investment Programme are available from www.dh.gov.uk/thirdsectorinvestment