The HUB Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions September 2009
A profile of
Making Space projects in the district Pullout inside: The Sector Counts A snapshot of the impact of Lancaster District’s Voluntary and Community Sector in 2009 1
www.lancastercvs.org.uk mail@lancastercvs.org.uk Trinity Community Centre Middle Street Lancaster LA1 1JZ 01524 555900
Lancaster District CVS exists to support local voluntary groups, to encourage them to work together, to provide a link between voluntary and statutory bodies and to find ways of meeting unmet needs by voluntary action. CVS Staff CVS Core Staff
Voluntary Sector Development Team
Jon Rigby Ext. 20 Chief Officer email: jonrigby@lancastercvs.org.uk
Jane Attfield Ext. 27 Voluntary Sector Development Worker email: janeattfield@lancastercvs.org.uk
Bill Livesey Ext. 28 Deputy Chief Officer email: billlivesey@lancastercvs.org.uk
Hannah Bland Ext. 26 Voluntary Sector Development Worker email: hannahbland@lancastercvs.org.uk
Jane Dutton Ext. 20 Office Manager email: janedutton@lancastercvs.org.uk
Kevin Goodall Ext. 24 Information & Publications Officer email: kevingoodall@lancastercvs.org.uk
June Ellis Ext. 25 Finance Officer email: juneellis@lancastercvs.org.uk
Community Learning Network
Funding Penny Darby Ext. 32 Funding Officer email: pennydarby@lancastercvs.org.uk
Debra Hughes Ext. 23 CLN Project/Admin Assistant email: debrahughes@lancastercvs.org.uk Friendship Centre Alys Jenkins Ext. 30 Friendship Centre Development Worker
email: alysjenkins@lancastercvs.org.uk Charity Registration (England & Wales) Number 1127626 Company Registration (England & Wales) Number 6743623 Registered office as above 2
Contents
Jon Rigby, Chief Officer
Contacts
2
Jon Rigby Contents
3
Promotion
4-5
Rain Tax
6
Lancaster University Volunteering Unit
7
Organisation Profile: Making Space
8-9
10 We are sorry to inform you that Jon Insuring small charities Rigby, our Chief Officer, was VCFS Funding & Forum 11 involved in a serious road traffic accident on Saturday 25th July and Training & Events 12-13 is currently in hospital with multiple injuries. Community Engagement Strategy 14 Although Jon is making good progress, he is not expected to Staff Profile 15 return to work for at least four months. Bill Livesey, our Deputy Deadline for articles to include in Chief Officer, will be assuming the next issue of the Hub: Jon’s role in the interim period. 13th November 2009 Funded by
Members of
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Promotion Promote your organisation and events throughout the district by one of the many methods available...
Locally Media The district is lucky to have a wide range of media including radio stations (The Bay, Diversity FM etc.) and newspapers (The Visitor, Lancaster Guardian etc.) that are willing to feature news about local charities.. It is worth letting them know about your promotional activity early to ensure it will feature when you want it to, and they may even offer to send a journalist and photographer to cover / broadcast from the event. Notice Boards It is unlikely that the council are going to reintroduce notice boards to the district, though plenty of charities and community groups still have them in their premises, and are more than willing to share information via them. The Family Notice Board is also available throughout the district with lots of information and details of forthcoming events. Shop Windows Many shops are more than willing to put up posters in their windows, though a few do charge a small fee (if in a very prominent location), and if the circus is in town you may struggle to find any vacant space as shops will have been offered free tickets to display them. Market Square Lancaster City Council allows registered charities the free use of a pitch in Market Square in Lancaster and New Town Square in Morecambe, to distribute information and sell goods. For more information, see www.lancaster.gov.uk/council-services/propertyservices/city-centre-bookings/. 4
Libraries All of the local libraries have large display stands that are kept up-to-date by library staff, and which can be used by all members of the community whether commercial or not-for-profit. Road Side Charities are exempt from seeking planning permission for temporary advertisements, as long as they adhere to requirements such as size. Mark Cassidy from Lancaster City Council’s Planning Services emphasises that charities “should obtain the written consent of the landowner of the land upon which the signs would be displayed”. In the case of lampposts etc., this is Lancashire County Council’s responsibility and Gary Walmsley, Principal Engineer warns that they do not usually give this permission and, in general, the signs attached to street furniture are erected without permission and are removed when discovered. Also, the Highways Act 1980, Section 132 implies that this can lead to fines being imposed.
Online There are a number of useful online resources locally, notably www.virtual-lancaster.net which features a variety of news and events etc. though there are other options available which allow all organisations to have their own part of the web. Websites Setting up a website requires a bit more preparation with registering a domain, arranging hosting, designing and updating (as well as all of the associated costs), but the finished results can be well worth the effort e.g. CancerCare created www.crossbayrun.org.uk specifically for their annual Cross Bay Challenge, producing an informative, easy to use website. Blogs It is not necessary to have a website, a blog can be created free of charge (see www.wordpress.com and www.blogger.com) and will also be accessible by all. They can be regularly updated with ease, and are simple to add photos and videos. Social Networks Over the past few years, certain social networking websites have gained massive popularity, the most popular being Facebook, MySpace, Bebo and Twitter. All are free to join, and allow a user to create profiles for their organisation / event quickly and simply which can then be distributed widely to their friends / fans. A Facebook page can now also be linked directly to Twitter, so that everything published on one appears on the other, saving the time of adding the same information to both services (see www.facebook.com/twitter). 5
The Office of Water Services (Ofwat) recommended in 2003 that charging for surface water drainage in relation to site area was fairer than charging by the rateable value of a premises. The charges should only apply to areas which, directly or indirectly, drain into public sewers. Therefore, areas which drain naturally, such as sports fields or gravel car parks should not be included in the chargeable site area. United Utilities (UU) introduced the new method of surface water drainage charging (also known as 'Rain Tax') to the North West of England in 2008-09, but made mistakes including miscalculating the site area of some premises. As a result, UU have reverted to the old charging system for 2009-10 which will be automatic for places of worship and Scout and Guide Association premises, though community amateur sports clubs will have to apply to the company. The Lancaster Deanery has organised a meeting that they would like to invite all churches, charities and clubs that might be affected by the ‘Rain Tax’ to attend. Tuesday 29th September 2009, 7.30pm Christ Church, Wyresdale Road, Lancaster, LA1 3EA There will be a presentation from architects O'Neil and Petrie, and local MPs and representatives from United Utilities have been invited. For more information about ‘Rain Tax’ see the website www.dontdrainus.org. 6
Founded in 2002 and managed by the Students’ Union in partnership with the University, Lancaster University Volunteering Unit (LUVU) exists with one aim – to harness the skills, expertise and energy of its students to support and help communities create a brighter future. Safe Project The Safe project works in partnership with Lancashire Constabulary to help older vulnerable people feel safer in their homes and to reduce the occurrence and fear or doorstep crime. LUVU trains student volunteers in doorstep crime avoidance techniques and how to fit basic safety devices. They then conduct visits to older people in the community. They also hold Christmas and summer social events bringing the community together.
Voltage The project funded by national youth charity v, challenges young people aged 9-25 to think about problems in their community and then start a social enterprise to make a positive difference. Young people are supported by student volunteers and business leaders to make their ideas a reality. LUVU recently showcased the Voltage project at Parliament in an event sponsored by MPs Jack Straw and Ben Wallace.
Placements LUVU placements offer student volunteers the chance to work in local community organisations including the British Heart Foundation, Homeless Action and Furniture matters. They aim to promote opportunities that provide a valuable experience for their students and a skilled volunteer for the organisation. LUVU placements are presently working with 10 separate organisations and currently have 123 registered volunteers.
Schools Partnership The Schools Partnership provides students with the opportunity to get involved in local primary and high schools on a variety of projects. The unit has entered into partnerships with 53 schools across the region and in 2008/9 has benefitted 5500 young people.
LUVU are always looking for organisations to work with. If you are interested please call James Perrin, Projects and Placements Co-ordinator on 01524 592266 or email j.perrin@lancaster.ac.uk. For more information about LUVU projects visit the website www.luvu.org.uk. 7
Making Space Making Space, a national charity offering support to people who have experienced mental health problems, has several projects running in the district, including Growing Matters and Workspace Lancaster. The benefits of these are to provide social contact and support, a means of structuring and occupying time and a sense of personal achievement. In addition, service users are offered support to access education and learning, volunteering opportunities, placements and work experience. An example of the work created at Workspace Lancaster
Workspace Lancaster Workspace Lancaster offers a multitude of activities for its service users including picture framing, pottery, art and crafts and joinery (producing bespoke bird tables and garden benches etc.) for sale to the public at competitive prices. The Adult College in Lancaster provides a variety of courses including ICT and confidence building skills, as well as offering recognised qualifications for the activities the service users are involved with.
The facilities at Workspace Lancaster
If you would like to enquire about the services Workspace Lancaster offers, call (01524) 847937 or visit the onsite shop at Unit 8 Eastgate on White Lund Industrial Estate in Morecambe. 8
The display which won a Gold Award at the Southport Flower Show
Growing Matters Growing Matters, a garden centre based at Lancaster & Morecambe College, offers its service users the opportunity to discover and benefit from the therapeutic aspects of horticulture. Led by Angela Nagorski, Service Manager and qualified horticulturalist, the centre gives each service user an The ‘Secret Garden’ has individually tailored programme of work on this therapeutic features designed to programme, some of whom go on to study Horticulture at help with problems such NVQ level. as tinnitus
The centre has been a hive of activity for several months whilst preparing for the Holker Garden Festival and the Southport Flower Show. Growing Matters were at Southport as part of a consortium of horticultural projects called GreenNet (that includes Piccadilly Garden of Lancaster), where they won a Gold Award for a display in the Grand Floral Marquee on the theme of recycling with therapeutic planting. Growing Matters value the support of the public, which can be as simple as visiting and buying plants and vegetables, floristry, home made jams and hand made cards etc. which are for sale at the onsite shop. For more information, see the website www.growingmatters.co.uk or visit the centre at Lancaster & Morecambe College. 9
Insuring small charities A lot of small charities ask insurers to provide them with public liability but not employer’s liability cover, as they say they don’t have any employees. If you use volunteers to provide services in a variety of ways, a volunteer that acts under instruction is deemed an employee for the purposes of employers liability, so it is important that you include employers liability in your package. Should a volunteer make a claim from a charity with no employer’s liability cover in place, their lawyer could then pursue the trustees of the organisation, who may have unlimited liability – an informal organisation may not even have named trustees, and in this case the law will treat the organiser and / or the management committee of the scheme as the trustees. The Charity Commission has a useful publication available on its website covering the forms of insurance available to charity trustees, some of which are mandatory. It also highlights the importance of risk assessment when trustees are considering what insurance is necessary or desirable for their charity. www.charity-commission.gov.uk/publications/cc49.asp Source: CaSE (Charity and Social Enterprise) Insurance – a social enterprise part-owned by two major charities (NCVO and CAF). While Lancaster District CVS cannot recommend a particular firm, we do have a list of insurers specialising in charities. Please contact us for more information. 10
Lancaster Prevention Fund – Small Grants (2009 – 2011) Lancaster Local Children's Trust Partnership is offering 8 grants of up to £7,625 to the VCF Sector and will consider the following principles when allocating funding: Future activity should: be based upon firm and up to date evidence of needs in relation to the five Every Child Matters • (ECM) outcomes within a preventative context, with particular reference to the three priorities highlighted by DCSF:
• •
• • •
Improving school attendance raising children’s and young people’s self-esteem preventing young people at risk from becoming involved in criminal activity
be based upon effective practice with clear evidence of a positive impact on service users, identifiable through evaluation findings prioritise work with children and young people aged 5-13
The deadline is Friday 25th September. For more information and an application form, see the funding page of www.lancastercvs.org.uk.
Lancaster Children’s Trust VCF Sector Forum Thursday 15th October 2009, 9.30-11.30am Trinity Community Centre, Middle Street, Lancaster LA1 1JZ Following the July launch of the Children’s Trust VCFS Forum, the group has secured four seats on the Children’s Trust Partnership in order to contribute to discussions to ensure appropriate involvement of the VCFS in the planning, resourcing and provision of services to children, young people and families and to develop partners’ understanding of the needs, strengths and limited resources of VCFS organisations. Groups working with children, young people and families are invited. Agenda items: Update on the Children’s Trust Handbook Selection of representatives Selection of Chairperson. If you would like to be considered the position of Chairperson please contact Hannah by Tuesday 13th October with a supporting statement and named proposer and seconder.
The aims of the forum are to: To provide diverse VCFS representation on the Lancaster District Children’s Trust to ensure the • sector’s views and interests are heard
•
To provide a mechanism for accountability to VCS groups providing services to children, young people and families.
For further details and booking please email hannahbland@lancastercvs.org.uk or call (01524) 555900 ext. 26. 11
Training and Events Band A: Lancaster District CVS Members Band B: VCFS organisations Band C: All other organisations
Emergency Life Support: All Ages Thursday 17th September 2009, 9.30am-1.00pm Trinity Community Centre, Middle Street, Lancaster LA1 1JZ This course is for people who want to know what action they should take in any emergency. What you will learn: • Emergency life support procedures for adults, children and infants • Communication and casualty care • Managing an incident • Looking after yourself and a casualty • Adult, child and infant resuscitation • Treatment of severe bleeding, chest pain and an unconscious casualty • Treatment of choking in adults, children and infants Prices:
Band A: £15.00 / Band B: £20.00 / Band C: £25.00
The New Vetting and Barring Scheme An update with Graham Whalley from Young Lancashire Thursday 24th September 2009, 11.00am-1.00pm The Storey, Meeting House Lane, Lancaster LA1 1TH Does your Group work with Children or Vulnerable Adults? If your group works with children or vulnerable adults then this Forum will be relevant to you. Graham will also provide an overview of support the Association can offer to groups including assistance with policies and training. Volunteer organisations who deal with children and vulnerable adults always need to check a person’s ISA status before employing them. You cannot take their word for it and neither can you have them in post – even supervised – before you know the outcome of the check. From 12 October additional “regulated activities” will be brought into force under the Vetting and Barring Scheme. This will significantly extend the scope of activities and workplaces covered by barring. It will be an offence for any barred person to work in regulated activities, and for any employer to employ someone he knows to be barred, either paid or voluntary. Price:
Free (including lunch) 12
Lancaster District Funding Fair Thursday 22nd October 2009, 10.00am-3.00pm Hornby Village Institute, Main Street, Hornby, Lancaster LA2 8JR This free event will help you to find out about some of the funding opportunities currently available. Presentations will include Awards for All, Lancashire Environmental Fund and Lloyds TSB Local and national funders will be present so you can talk directly to them and gather information about their funding programmes and priorities including Grassroots, Community Grants, The Galbraith Trust, Lancashire Community Grants, Arts Council, Grant finder and LCC Gateway Grants. Price:
Free
Managing Volunteers Session 1: Thursday 29th October 2009, 9.00am-1.30pm Session 2: Thursday 26th November 2009, 9.00am-1.30pm Session 3: Thursday 14th January 2010, 9.00am-1.30pm The Cartmel Centre, Euston Road, Morecambe LA4 5NR The overall aim of the programme is to provide those who manage volunteers with information and resources and to support them to develop strategies to enable them to effectively recruit, support and supervise volunteer teams. The programme is an opportunity to refresh, and update your knowledge and share experiences with others. All delegates will receive session handouts to support their learning. Session 1: Recruiting Volunteers Session 2: Selecting and Supporting Volunteers Session 3: Managing and Supporting Volunteers Prices:
Band A: £20 per session, £45.00 if you book all 3 sessions Band B: £25 per session, £60.00 if you book all 3 sessions Band C: £30 per session, £75.00 if you book all 3 sessions
If you would like to attend a training event, please email hannahbland@lancastercvs.org.uk. If you would like to attend a forum event, please email janeattfield@lancastercvs.org.uk. 13
Community Engagement Strategy Lancaster District Local Strategic Partnership (LDLSP) has been working on a Community Engagement Strategy and “Toolkit” which is due to be launched at the end of September. “Following the launch of the Lancaster District Sustainable Community Strategy in 2008, we promised that we would look at engagement across the district and see how we can improve as a partnership to ensure that the way we engage and involve our communities is not a token gesture or a single activity, but an integral part of all our working practices. The Community Engagement Strategy is about how the partnership can support you in becoming more involved in decisions to help improve our local communities” Jacqui Thompson, Chair of the Lancaster District Local Strategic Partnership Types of Community Engagement There are many different words used to describe community engagement. In the Lancaster District Strategy, five different types of community engagement have been identified: Informing; Consulting; Involving; Collaborating & Empowering. Toolkit A broad spectrum of the Community in this District were consulted and, using this information, a Toolkit has been designed which is tailored to Lancaster District‘s needs. The Toolkit aims to provide guidance on how best to engage with our local Communities. It provides useful information and ideas for any voluntary organisation looking to engage with the communities in the District. More information can be found on the Council’s website: www.lancaster.gov.uk under the heading, “LDLSP Communications and Community Engagement Framework”. 14
Lancaster District CVS — Staff Profile Questions that we ask our members of staff—sometimes you get serious answers
Kevin Goodall What is your Job at Lancaster District CVS? Information & Publications Officer. Age? 28. How long have you been at Lancaster District CVS? I’m still the new boy – I have been here since April. Where do you live at present? In Morecambe, putting the finishing touches to my first house. Where are your original roots? There is a reason I’m a Pompey fan. Favourite part of the job? Working for an organisation that is ambitious for the future, with a great bunch of colleagues. Which aspect of Lancaster District CVS (individual, item or issue) would you most like to eliminate? The lack of natural daylight. Most embarrassing moment? Having been hospitalised on two different occasions by two different cats – and no-one believes my version of the story, so I won’t tell you it. Favourite book/film/album? Book: Anything by JG Ballard. Film: Though I can often be found at the Dukes indulging in a bit of arty cinema, it’s probably a tie between Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, Karate Kid and Top Gun. Album: I’m more of a singles kinda guy, but recently I can’t stop listening to Fever Ray by Fever Ray and Primary Colours by The Horrors. Favourite holiday destination? Somewhere not too hot and not too beachy (I have enough of that living in Morecambe!) – I loved visiting Berlin last summer. What do you do in your spare time? Ideally go to a live performance (comedy or music mostly) or an art gallery, and the occasional bit of DJing. Unfulfilled ambition? Having studied photography it is a dream to travel across America and document it, though I would struggle to better the efforts of Robert Frank. If I wasn’t lucky enough to be working at Lancaster District CVS I’d… Be having a lie-in. 15
In addition to all of the free services Lancaster District CVS has traditionally offered, we have now launched an expanded range of services, for which there will be a charge, including: • • • • • •
Bookkeeping Payroll Preparation and Independent Examination of Accounts Project Management and Project Hosting Employment / Mentoring Annual Accounts
These services are provided by our own in house staff, so we understand the needs of small and medium sized voluntary and community organisations Discounted rates are available for members, and prices are tiered depending on the size of your organisation and requirements Contact us for a tailored quote via telephone (01524) 555900 or email mail@lancastercvs.org.uk For more information see the full publication at www.lancastercvs.org.uk/services.pdf
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