Supporting voluntary and community action
Oct/Nov/Dec 2014
In this issue: Supporting young volunteers Age Friendly Streets Pro bono property advice Tips for collaboration Upcoming training and more...
Youth Ambassadors at Babbasa Youth Empowerment Project share their thoughts with other young people about how they can get involved in community action. Read more about supporting younger volunteers on p26-27.
“Great opportunity to celebrate the work and achievements of the voluntary sector. Excellent networking opportunity.”
Voscur’s Annual Conference and Social Impact Awards
Steve Woodcock, St Pauls Advice Centre, Voscur Annual Conference 2013
Wednesday 22 October 2014, 11am-4pm The Bristol Pavilion, Nevil Road, Bristol, BS7 9EJ This year, our focus is on equalities. Our guest speakers are Stephen Williams, Bristol MP and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, and Alison Comley, Strategic Director of Neighbourhoods at Bristol City Council.
Categories for this year’s ‘Voscurs’ include: • Volunteer Team of the Year • Young Volunteer of the Year • Trustee of the Year • Batook Pandya Award for Inclusion • Community Venue of the Year Award • The ‘Thanks for Supporting the Sector’ Award • Happy, Healthy Bristol Award Conference sponsored by:
To book your place, visit: www.voscur.org/content/voscuragm-and-annual-conference-2014 or call 0117 909 9949.
Contents Voscur
Voice and Influence
4 Editorial
24-25 Painting the town green
5
New members
6
Volunteering on the road to recovery
26-27 ‘Investing in our own futures’ - supporting young volunteers
7
Age Friendly Streets
8-9
Celebrating Bristol’s Golden Agers
28-29 No Health without Mental Health - a national strategy 30-31 Hot topics for our sector - a productive VCS Assembly
10-11 Equality Act 2010 – four years on, has the Public Sector Equality Duty worked? 12
Cities of Service
Support Hub 13 FundraiSING! 14-15
Measuring impact - theory of change
16-17
Upcoming Support Hub training
18
Pro bono property advice
20-21 Come together...right now 22-23 Keep calm and TUPE on
Keep up to date with Voscur online:
www.facebook.com/voscur
twitter.com/voscur
www.linkedin.com/company/voscur
www.youtube.com/voscur
Thrive! is also available online as a pdf at www.voscur.org/magazine. If you require it in another format, please get in touch on 0117 909 9949. Disclaimer: some of the views expressed in this publication are those of individual contributors and do not necessarily represent the views of Voscur. Publications, events and services mentioned in Thrive! are not necessarily endorsed by Voscur.
Issue 26 October / November / December 2014
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3
Dear members and friends the Golden Agers, a group run
Trustees are, of course, volunteers
by volunteers that provides
and our Trustees Network meeting
social support to older people
in December will focus on an
from Black and minority
important aspect of their role:
ethnic communities. Sing Out
serious incident reporting and
Bristol writes about how the
safeguarding.
organisation’s volunteers have put together a fundraising programme to ensure that no one was excluded from the choir’s activities.
Our information survey this year told us that you are interested in hearing about and learning from local projects, but that you also
Collaboration is another hot topic for local organisations as resources shrink and we look towards working more effectively with partners. Voscur
Bristol’s voluntary and community
has produced a great set of
sector organisations have long
resources for collaboration, and
recognised and celebrated our
our Support Hub team can offer a
volunteers, without whom the
comprehensive service to those of
sector couldn’t function.
you thinking about collaboration. See p20-21.
want policy and good practice
Those of us running charities
information. With a wide range of
and social enterprises know
Looking forward to seeing you
articles covering topics as diverse
it’s not enough to get a
at our Annual Conference where
as supporting young volunteers,
project up and running; it’s
we will be awarding this year’s
measuring your impact using
about enthusing, inspiring and
‘Voscurs’ - Bristol’s voluntary
theory of change and the sector’s
involving local people. We are
and community sector awards.
role in Green Capital, I believe
regularly being asked to prove
We would like to thank Unison
we’ve met that challenge in this
our value and demonstrate our
South West, our main conference
month’s Thrive!
impact to funders, investors
sponsor this year.
Several articles highlight volunteering projects in the city – all of which have been set up to get people involved and connected. One project aims to support people into volunteering as part of a recovery pathway; another encourages people to become active citizens, carrying out acts of neighbourliness to help to reduce social isolation. Black History Month and the Celebrating Age Festival give us the opportunity to highlight
4 www.voscur.org
and stakeholders. Getting our governance and good practice
Best wishes,
right is an important first step for
Wendy Stephenson
any organisations that want to be
Chief Executive
sustainable and resilient. Without it, we cannot be confident of providing first-class services to both end users and volunteers that support them. We discuss this on p14-15. Our autumn training programme on p16-17 includes a number of courses that will help organisations to measure their impact and market their services.
Key to symbols Training Information & Resources Event
October / November / December 2014 Issue 26
New members Avon Wildlife Trust Working to protect wildlife in the West of England.
Meadow Vale Community Association Working together to benefit the inhabitants of Speedwell, and the wider neighbourhood. 0117 960 5350
www.avonwildlifetrust.org.uk
Mosaic Advocacy Centre CIC
0117 980 0393
A range of advocacy and support services for older
Bristol Academy Community League Trying to break down social barriers through American football teams run all over the city and beyond. 0117 919 2601
Bristol Independent Mental Health Service User Network Membership-based mental health network to monitor, audit and evaluate inpatient and community MH services commissioned by Bristol CCG. 0117 976 6600
people, those with mental health issues, learning disabilities and those in contact with the criminal justice system. http://mosaicadvocacy.com
PAPER Artistic Development CIC Supporting and empowering long-term unemployed young people (18-30 years old) to value their creativity and succeed in the creative sector. 07712 293 108
The Restore Trust
Bristol Reconnect
Supporting ex-offenders and the unemployed into
Working with people with histories of homelessness,
work. www.therestoretrust.org
addictions, mental health issues and/or offending. www.bristolreconnect.org.uk
Theatre Bristol
Free Range Creativity
theatre can be made and experienced in Bristol.
Outdoor learning, arts and play expertise, delivering projects, research and consultancy. 07970 748 042
Growing Creatives Developing community arts projects with people who identify themselves as isolated and unable to access mainstream arts opportunities. 07950 221 800
KTS Training (2002) Ltd Training and supporting young people to enable them to progress into a job, apprenticeship or further education. 0117 960 5184
Love Windmill Hill
Creating the conditions in which the most inspiring http://theatrebristol.net/
Tiny Trowels Creative projects for people who identify as isolated. 07950 221 800
Voluntary Arts Promoting and increasing active participation in cultural activities across the UK and Republic of Ireland. www.voluntaryarts.org
Windmill Hill Community Orchard Improving the planting and bio-diversity and turning this orchard into a community asset for all to use. www.facebook.com/WindmillHillCommunityOrchard 0117 953 2455
Engaging those living and/or working in the Windmill Hill area in activities to
For more information on becoming a
improve and enrich the community.
member of Voscur, visit: www.voscur.org/
07861 399 644
about/joiningonline or call 0117 909 9949.
Issue 26 October / November / December 2014
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r o e ad h t n to o r g e n i c r o e ver e t n y u ... l o V Volunteer Bristol’s newest
support and guidance readily
these and unlock their potential.
project builds upon its strong
available to people completing
As volunteer recruitment
track record in delivering
substance-misuse recovery
procedures increasingly replicate
supported volunteering
programmes. In addition,
those for accessing paid work,
programmes. The Sustain
Volunteer Bristol continues
support and advice through this
project works in partnership
to promote best practice in
process teaches skills that can
with Bristol Drugs Project (BDP),
volunteer management and is
eventually help individuals to
as part of the wider Recovery
available to advise local volunteer-
secure paid employment.
Orientated Alcohol & Drugs
involving organisations on ways
Service (ROADS), to promote
of developing and improving
and enable volunteering
their practice in working with
opportunities for people with
volunteers from socially excluded
a history of drug or alcohol
groups, so that we can all truly
problems.
benefit from a broad and diverse
Research shows that taking part in volunteering has tangible benefits for people of all backgrounds, as well as their wider communities. Additionally, as part of a recovery pathway we believe that
volunteer base. We’re keen to hear from volunteer-involving organisations that would like to work with us to increase
confidence, improve skills, find
our Volunteer Centre during
new passions, gain valuable work
our general drop-in hours, we
experience, and therefore help to
can offer Sustain clients a more
sustain all of the positive changes
personalised one-to-one service.
that they have already made.
As there can be specific fears
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bite-size employability workshops. These will offer key skills and information that can help people to access both voluntary and paid roles.
for accessing one-to-one
all members of the public to
services, with information,
are also developing a series of
available for people in recovery.
create new routines, increase
as an integral part of treatment
treatment and employment, we
Information and referral forms
While we continue to welcome
that volunteering is embedded
can act as a bridge between
the volunteering opportunities
volunteering can help people to
This partnership with BDP ensures
As we recognise that volunteering
appointments with an adviser, or for booking on to employability workshops, can be found on our website: www.volunteerbristol. org.uk/volunteers/sustain
or barriers to volunteering for
To find out more
people with a history of drug or
contact Yaz Brien:
alcohol problems, face-to-face
yaz@volunteerbristol.org.uk or call 0117 989 7734.
appointments with our advisers can really help people to unpick
October / November / December 2014  Issue 26
Photo provided by Age Friendly Streets
Age Friendly Streets is a new campaign to encourage small acts of neighbourliness between residents of different ages. Chris Gittins of Streets Alive tells us about the project and invites us to get involved. Run by Streets Alive, Bristol’s neighbours and street-party charity, Age Friendly Streets is a response to the growing problem of isolation, especially of older people within our communities. We are inviting any groups and residents to join in and help us encourage a new culture of neighbourliness on our streets. Neighbours are not a cliché, or something on the TV. Our years of working with residents promoting street parties in Bristol and the UK have shown us that knowing your neighbours even a little makes us all feel more at home and less isolated. There are many stories about how isolation of older people is becoming a major issue. Combined
with more mobile and diverse lifestyles, and more fragmented families, our ageing society is resulting in loneliness across all generations. To combat this we have to be proactive and can’t rely on bumping into people like ‘in the old days’. Streets Alive is a partner of Bristol Ageing Better, a major lotteryfunded plan for age-related solutions in our communities. But our new Age Friendly Streets campaign takes a multigenerational approach. Research by the Prince’s Trust suggests that “more than a third of young people in the UK aged 16 to 24 also do not feel part of their local community”. We have a generation gap in the UK where suspicion and avoidance of other ages is common. Chris Gittins, director of Streets Alive, says: “Neighbours are a critical piece of the jigsaw of where we live. ‘Communities’ can be difficult things to join in with, but our neighbours are right next door – so no matter what their age or
Issue 26 October / November / December 2014
background, we might as well make the most of them.” Over the next year Age Friendly Streets will be trialled in Bristol. As the street-party capital of the UK, Bristol is rich with neighbourly stories and a great city for this type of campaign. Our campaign toolkit includes ideas and resources for neighbours to keep in touch and organise informal activities between generations. It usually starts with hello and a chat. You can download the toolkit for free to make your street Age Friendly, and also find out about the campaign at: agefriendlystreets.org. Do take a look and join in!
To find out more, contact Chris on: 0117 922 5708 or visit: www.agefriendlystreets.org
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Celebrating Bristol’s Golden Agers With Black History Month and the Celebrating Age Festival taking place during October, Voscur contacted one of our city’s fantastic BME elders’ organisations to find out more about what they do and speak to some of their members, inviting them to share with us their own histories.
October heralds in Black
Gloria Morris, who, along with
History Month, a time which
other volunteers, helps to run the
offers opportunities for
group, feels it is a lifeline for some
additional knowledge related to
and she checks up on members
perspectives on Black history,
who are absent, delivering meals
culture and topical observations
to some who cannot attend.
for predominantly African and
The group serves as a kind of
Caribbean communities. October
‘lookout’ in terms of members’
(27 September – 12 October) also
mental health, especially in terms
welcomes Bristol’s Celebrating Age
of issues such as dementia, and
Festival, so we felt it appropriate
supporting each other with
to give a focus to a few members
finding help on a more practical
from Bristol’s BME elders’
day-to-day basis.
organisations.
Golden Agers is also part of a
For this, we contacted Bristol’s
Bristol consortium including
Golden Agers Club. Golden Agers,
Malcolm X Elders, Dhek Bhal and
which is based in Easton, provides
Somali Men’s Group who work
social support for older people
towards similar goals in Bristol’s
from Black/African Caribbean and
BME elder communities.
minority ethnic groups, who travel from all over Bristol to attend. The group meets weekly Tuesdays and Thursdays 10am – 4pm for socialising, advice and information, care, support and training. Social activities include reggae exercise
the UK in the 1960s from his birthplace in the Caribbean, and on arrival first lived with a cousin. His expectation of Britain was of
We spoke to two members of the
a cold country, but with the plus
group, Euleck Clarke and Marge
side of good prospects for work.
Douglas, about why they got
One of his earliest careers in the
involved with the organisation,
UK was as a cobbler. Over the years
what they get from it and their
Euleck has seen huge changes
own personal histories.
in Bristol. He feels that there is
classes, sewing projects (their
Euleck has been part of the group
work has been displayed at the M
for three years and sees it as
Shed), dominoes, day trips and a
hugely important for combating
hot lunch at every session.
the social isolation that many
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elders can feel. He moved to
a greater sense of unity within communities now: people socialise more and Bristol is generally a friendlier city. For him, though, the club is vitally important. He
October / November / December 2014 Issue 26
Some attendees enjoying activities at Bristol’s Golden Agers Club
has noticed that as families move
to Jamaica; she never did. She
hospitals. Marge recalls how things
away and people pass retirement
worked as a psychiatric and
were in 60s and 70s Bristol - the
age, without the socialisation
general nurse for most of her life
working factories in Easton and
of regular work or friends and
and stayed because opportunities
the surrounding area, the care
family close by, many elders are
for learning and work allowed her
British people took over their
vulnerable to becoming isolated
to support her family back home.
gardens (which she feels has gone
and lonely. The group creates a
Marge observes that when she
downhill sharply!), the grandeur
welcoming space for individuals to
first arrived in the UK there was a
of Stapleton Road and the fact
interact, create, and eat together,
lot of ignorance regarding black
that everyone left their doors
and for carers the group provides
people. She would be stopped in
open with no fear of intruders.
some respite and a chance for
the street, people would touch
But now, unlike Euleck, she feels
relaxation.
her skin and were shocked to
Bristol has changed for the worse.
find that her palms and eyes
The demise in factory work has
were white. She didn’t see this
put an end to the 24-hour way
as malicious but purely based in
of life where individuals could
ignorance. Many people at the
feel comfortable walking in the
time had no knowledge of the
city at any time among factory
Caribbean and would often ask,
workers finishing shifts at all times
‘Where are you from in Africa?’
of the day and night. She feels
When she permanently moved to Bristol in 1967 the Jamaican community was so small “they would fit into one room” and were very tightknit and supportive of each other. She feels British attitudes then were less Marge has been part of the group for 10 years now. She left her home in Jamaica in 1959 at the age of 21 and 2 months! Her intention was to stay in the UK for five years and then return
aggravated towards immigrants
there has been a growing lack of respect amongst individuals and communities that has led to people being wary and afraid of each other. The group counteracts this for her; why does she enjoy it? “Because all of the interesting people are here!”
– there was no concept of ‘them taking our jobs’ as jobs were
To find out more
readily available. When she was
about Black History
working in nursing she often
Month, visit: www.
had friends who would move
blackhistorymonth.org.uk
from Jamaica to work in the local
Issue 26 October / November / December 2014
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Equality Act 2010 – four years on, has the Public Sector Equality Duty worked? The Equality Act 2010 was
2) A person who is not a public
that would otherwise be
introduced to cover all protected
authority but who exercises public
prohibited. For example, it would
characteristics (formerly known
functions must, in the exercise of
allow a bus company to offer
as equalities strands) and to
those functions, have due regard
women-only training to encourage
rationalise different pieces
to the matters mentioned in
women to apply for bus driver
of equalities legislation. What
subsection (1).
posts.
It also states:
Commissioning public services: the
remained in the Act from previous legislation was a public sector equality duty (PSED). Where applicable, the PSED requirements are cascaded on to VCS groups that are contracted to deliver public sector services. Section 149 of the Act defines the PSED as follows: 1) A public authority must, in the exercise of its functions, have due
3) Having due regard to the need to advance equality of opportunity... involves, in particular
local authority remains responsible for meeting the duty but the contractor must also meet the duty for those aspects of the contract which relate to public
a) remove or minimise disadvantages suffered by persons who share a relevant protected characteristic that are connected to that characteristic;
functions. Demonstrating compliance: the local authority should publish information (at least annually) including about its employees
b) take steps to meet the needs
(if there are more than 150)
of persons who share a relevant
who share a relevant protected
a) eliminate discrimination,
protected characteristic that
characteristic and for other
harassment, victimisation and
are different from the needs of
persons affected by its policies
other conduct prohibited by or
persons who do not share it;
and practices, for example service
regard to the need to:
under this Act;
c) encourage persons who share a
users.
b) advance equality of opportunity
relevant protected characteristic
Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA)
between persons who share a
to participate in public life or
is a tool to ensure that proposals
relevant protected characteristic
in any other activity in which
do not disproportionately
and persons who do not share it;
participation by such persons is
affect those with protected
and
disproportionately low.
characteristics. Although these are
c) foster good relations between
Positive action: the Act justifies
persons who share a relevant
positive action which may involve
protected characteristic and
‘treating some persons more
persons who do not share it.
favourably than others’ but does not permit differential treatment
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not mandatory, they are seen as good practice. In discrimination cases, the courts acknowledge that a timely and carefully conducted EqIA is one way to give
October / November / December 2014 Issue 26
Photo by Big Dubya CC BY 2.0
proportionate consideration to relevant equality matters. Powers of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC): the EHRC is the regulatory body for the Act; it can serve a notice and ultimately apply to the courts for an order requiring compliance if it thinks a public body has failed to comply with the Duty. Yet between October 2007 and October 2013 it had only issued a total of six compliance notices (three under the gender equality duty and three under the race equality duty) and had conducted three formal assessments. Cases and breaches: from July 2005 to mid-October 2013 the High Court for England and Wales
do the right thing to meet the
review in 2016? It is too soon to
heard 95 applications alleging
equalities duty rather than wasting
know what steps will be taken or
breach of the equality duties.
their own time and taxpayers’
what value the next government
Of these 27 were successful or
money.”
will give to the achievement of the
partially successful, and six further cases succeeded on appeal.
A year later an Independent
equality goals of the PSED.
Steering Group concluded that it
For the voluntary sector: any
Review of the PSED: this was
was too early to evaluate whether
changes may impact on the
undertaken in May 2012 to assess
the duty is ‘working as intended’
communities we support. There
its effectiveness. In November
and recommended that this
could be less onus on local
2012, the Prime Minister
should take place in 2016. Lacking
authorities to ensure equality
remarked:
sufficient data, it had been unable
principles are prioritised in
“Take the Equality Act. It’s not a
to do a cost/benefit analysis of
their decision making and more
bad piece of legislation. But in
the PSED and the evidence it
complex processes for challenging
government we have taken the
received was either contradictory
unfair policies and practices.
letter of this law and gone way
or inadequate.
beyond it, with Equality Impact
What does the future hold for
Assessments for every decision
the PSED? Any major change is
we make... We don’t need all this
unlikely before the next election.
extra tick-box stuff. So... today we
What may already be changing,
are calling time on Equality Impact
however, is the weight public
Assessments. You no longer have
authorities feel obliged to give to
to do them... policy makers are
complying with the PSED.
free to use their judgement and
This article has been adapted from the European antidiscrimination law review: goo.gl/oA7Olz
Will there be the comprehensive
Issue 26 October / November / December 2014
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Cities of Service On 10 September, Bristol officially became a ‘City of Service’. Dominic Murphy, Chief Service Officer, Bristol Cities of Service, tells us more about the movement, and what being a City of Service will mean for Bristol. Photo by Mosman Library CC BY 2.0
The concept was devised by Mayor Bloomberg in New York City in 2009 and since then has grown to involve 170 cities across the US. What cities of service share is a commitment to look at how far volunteering and social action can be used to meet citywide priorities. The approach lays a very heavy emphasis on the impact that is being achieved through volunteering – not a moment of a volunteer’s time should be wasted, and it should be possible
concept, the idea of Cities of
residents (in particular those who
Service draws on many of the
have been bereaved).
principles of active citizenship that
We will be starting small, making
to measure the impact they are
we are keen to promote in Bristol.
achieving.
Bristol has a long tradition of
right, and then plan to scale the
Over the past three years this
volunteering and social action
programme up to reach as far
and has been actively exploring
across the whole city as possible.
approach has been moved across the Atlantic with the emergence of Team London, which has built on the undoubted success of the (Olympic) Games Makers in 2012,
how far citizens can play a role in running their neighbourhoods. Across the city, local residents are taking action and meeting local
and ‘Count on Me’ in Madrid.
needs. What attracted me to my
On 10 September, the new
is the idea that we can take the
Minister for Civil Society, Rt. Hon. Brooks Newmark M.P., and George Ferguson, Mayor of Bristol, formally launched the service plans of the seven newly participating UK cities - Bristol, Kirklees, Plymouth, Portsmouth,
current role with Cities of Service commitment and enthusiasm of the people of Bristol and apply it to the issues that affect the city as a whole.
sure we’ve got the process
For me, volunteering is just a part of what we are seeking to achieve with Cities of Service, enabling people to take action in all sorts of ways to benefit their communities and the city as a whole. I hope that over the coming two years we can build the concept of an ‘active city’, where all our citizens are encouraged and able to play their part in the life of their city,
To start with we are going to
on their terms.
focus on two priorities: the needs of our children (in particular those
For more information,
Wrekin.
who have fallen behind with their
contact Dominic Murphy: dominic.
Though essentially an American
reading skills) and preventing social isolation amongst our older
murphy@bristol.gov.uk
Barnsley, Swindon and Telford &
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October / November / December Issue 26
Support Hub
FundraiSING! Sing Out Bristol has been making beautiful music whilst tackling isolation and promoting inclusion in Bristol since 2007. Nick Stephenson, Performance Lead at Sing Out Bristol, tells us more about the group and shares some of the successful tactics that they use to raise vital funds...
We are a choir based in the
us worked through a fundraising
annual diversity survey so had this
lesbian, gay, bisexual and
programme which included
information to hand. This has also
transgender (LGB&T) communities
applying for grants, asking for
led to the choir being very clear
of the region with objectives to
donations and developing our own
about how it wants to change and
remove isolation and promote
fundraising events.
develop in the future.
Our objective was to ensure
Being really certain about these
that no one was excluded from
three things and having done
attending the festival for reasons
this groundwork meant that it
of finance, and to our surprise we
was relatively simple for us to
were successful in achieving this!
complete application forms and
inclusion. Worthy aims, I’m sure, but there’s something hugely satisfying and enjoyable too: we’ve grown from six people meeting in front rooms to the largest LGB&T community organisation in the South West; and we’ve always valued the ‘community’ nature of the choir – we don’t audition, we try to be accessible, we have a social life outside of rehearsal, and our charitable/fundraising aims are about bringing people together.
What worked for us?
build good feedback – linking the
really clear about what the choir
responses we had from the choir
was about, what inclusion and
to our development objectives.
participation meant to us. We reviewed the choir objectives: what do we come together for? What outcomes do we want to
to Dublin to take part in an
achieve in our communities?
choirs called Various Voices. Eighty choirs performed over four days; the social and learning opportunities were huge and Sing Out Bristol took best possible advantage of both. We attended a similar event in London in 2009 and learnt so much that we
sponsorship. It also helped us to
1. In the first instance we were
In June the choir travelled international festival of LGB&T
write to organisations asking for
Now all we have to do is make sure we build on the amazing opportunity that taking the choir to Dublin gave us and give back to Bristol...
2. We worked really hard at understanding what the benefits of attending Various Voices
Sing Out Bristol
would be – what learning and
rehearse every
development opportunities were
Tuesday evening in
available (including social ones),
central Bristol and are always
and how they would help meet
interested to meet new
the choir’s objectives.
singers or others who wish to
wanted to get as many people to
3. We also looked at how the
Dublin as we possibly could. So,
choir has changed over the
over two years, a small group of
years; we undertake a thorough
Issue 26 October / November / December 2014
support the work of the choir. For more information, visit: www.singoutbristol.com
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13
Measuring impact - theory of change Your organisation aims to
Most organisations have thought
capture key aspects of what you
make an impact on people and
about the long-term goals of
do.
communities, perhaps even to
their work and the outcomes they
change the world. You believe
are aiming to achieve. A theory
in your work and can see that it
of change takes this thinking
makes a difference, but can you
further and sets out a roadmap
clearly demonstrate the impact
of how the long-term goals will
that you make? More and
be achieved, including all of the
more organisations are using
building blocks that contribute to
a ‘theory of change’ approach
this.
to explain how they make an impact and more funders value this information.
A theory of change is usually summarised by drawing a onepage diagram such as the example
When spending money
opposite, which is quick to read
on a project, funders and
and understand. This creates a
commissioners want to know what
clear view of your work, breaking
outcomes will be achieved with
it down into simple steps that
the money that they are spending. However, on top of asking what will be achieved, funders are increasingly interested in the detail about how an organisation will make that impact. This is where a ‘theory of change’ can be useful.
Step 1 The approach starts by thinking about what you want to achieve, not what you are already doing, so you begin with the problem you’re trying to solve (including the underlying causes) and your long-term goals (which should be realistic and clearly defined).
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Step 2 Working backwards, you then identify the steps needed to achieve these goals, including outcomes (the changes that need to take place along the way) and activities (the things that need to happen to achieve these changes). You then put things in order, looking at causes and effects to enable you to establish the links between your outcomes. You should question whether one outcome really does lead to the next and what your reasons are for believing that. You also link activities to show what effect your work has.
Used well, it should give you a clear and testable understanding of how change will occur, a framework for monitoring and evaluation, and provide the basis for both accountability and learning.
Step 3 The other key things to consider and include in a theory of change are: 1. Underlying assumptions or evidence – for example, you may assume that a service user will be supported by their family, or that regularly attending a day-centre session will enable a person to make new friends. 2. What else is needed? Does the success of your work depend on other stakeholders or resources being involved? 3. Indicators and targets – What specifically will you measure? A good theory of change can reveal whether your organisation’s current activities make sense, given your goals; which activities and outcomes you can achieve alone and which you cannot; plus how to measure your impact.
October / November / December 2014 Issue 26
An example theory of change in practice: 150 lonely people receive six social confidence building sessions
Social confidence building sessions delivered
Lonely individuals have increased self-esteem
Individual’s peers/friends/ family members provide encouragement
GP identifies individual is lonely
Individual is partnered with an activity buddy
Sector evaluations indicate that this will improve social confidence by 80%
Factors that increase loneliness are identified
Factors that increase loneliness are addressed
Lonely individual’s social skills are improved
Individual spends less time alone
Individual gains social confidence
Individual’s personal motivation to socialise increases
Key:
Problem:
that your beneficiaries face
Activities: the services you deliver
Outputs: what the service provides
Outcomes: changes you want to achieve
Evidence: why you think one outcome will lead to another and cases where it will not
Ultimate goal: what the organisation is trying to achieve
A theory of change can help your organisation, because: • It can be a great basis for a strategic plan, because it works methodically from the need you are trying to address to the change you want to achieve. • It provides a theoretical framework for measuring a charity’s impact. • It can also be used to think more broadly about how different organisations within a sector are working together, and how they could achieve greater impact through collaboration. Need more help and support? Voscur can help! For information on a training course in October, visit: goo.gl/1D8T23. For further resources, visit: goo.gl/GdtQqV. Our development workers can also provide support and advice. Call us on 0117 909 9949.
Issue 26 October / November / December 2014
www.voscur.org
15
Upcoming Support Hub training Writing Small Fundraising Bids Wednesday 1 October 2014, 9:30am - 3:30pm Make it easy for funders to say “yes” to your bids. Whether you want £200 for a community event or £2,000 for new equipment for your services, you need a strong, clear proposal. This one-day course will take you through the essentials for writing a strong bid that’s appealing to funders, and how to avoid the most common pitfalls.
Preventing Injury to Children and Young People Wednesday 8 October 2014, 1pm - 3:30pm With around 13,500 preventable childhood injuries being treated by emergency departments in Bristol every year, this is a big issue for families and those who work with them. Get the most up-to-date knowledge about serious childhood injury and how to prevent it in the course of your work. This free session includes an experiential tour of the Lifeskills centre.
Commissioning: Building and Maintaining Relationships when Working Collaboratively Tuesday 14 October 2014, 9:30am - 1pm
Supervision Skills for Volunteer Managers Wednesday 5 November 2014, 9:30am - 3:30pm Supervision is a formal way of supporting volunteers on a one-to-one basis or in groups. This course is for people with some existing experience in managing volunteers and who would like to know more about how to offer supervision effectively.
Making Your Message Mighty - the Power of Words Thursday 6 November 2014, 9:30am - 12:30pm Your communication processes are powerful tools of your organisation. Find the right words and identify powerful stories to interest the media, support a funding bid, recruit the right people, engage through social media or enliven your website content.
Hot Shots – the Power of Images Thursday 6 November 2014, 1pm - 3:30pm What do your images say about your service? This course will show you how to take great photographs and showcase your organisation’s activities. Some basic camera, photography and computer skills will be beneficial but not essential.
There are many advantages to working collaboratively, but there are pitfalls too. This training will explore the common issues which can arise when working together and will identify strategies for avoiding breakdowns in working relationships. You will learn about a simple tool which helps to identify and analyse the risks. This session will give you opportunities to make links with other voluntary and community sector organisations who are interested in collaborating.
An A-Z of HR
Crowdfunding
management and appraisals.
Thursday 16 October 2014, 9:30am - 12:30pm Fundsurfer makes crowdfunding simple. Develop a fully formed project or idea and learn how to create, market, manage and promote your crowdfunding campaign to achieve success.
16 www.voscur.org
Tuesday 11 - Wednesday 12 November 2014, 9:30am - 3:30pm This two-day masterclass, delivered by Cornhill HR, covers the essentials of employing staff; it will guide you through best practice in recruitment, employment law, redundancy, sickness and absence, storing staff records, employee relations, performance
Finance Forum: Pensions Thursday 13 November 2014, 10:30am - 12:30pm A chance to meet others with financial responsibilities and find out what is happening in the world of finance.
October / November / December 2014 Issue 26
Being an Even Better Trustee Thursday 13 November 2014, 6pm - 9pm Focused on governance, managing risk, effective meetings and how to make the most of the skills in your trustee team. This course is designed to support your development beyond the basics of being on a board. A natural follow-on for people who have previously attended ‘Being a Good Trustee’ or have some trustee experience.
Good Customer Services for Office Based Staff Wednesday 19 November 2014, 9:30am - 3:30pm The course offers the opportunity to reflect on the service you provide to internal and external customers. You will be given tips and techniques to develop your expertise to delight your customers and deal with customer complaints and challenging behaviour. This course is practical and delivered in an imaginative and engaging way at your pace.
Mind the Gap: How Decisions are Made in the City Thursday 20 November 2014, 12pm - 2pm What goes on in the corridors of power? Bristol has a number of locally based institutions both formal and informal that make decisions that have an impact on our communities. As community and voluntary sector activists it is important that we understand what these organisations are and how they make decisions.
Basic Book-keeping
Theory of Change: Taking Your First Steps Thursday 27 November 2014, 9:30am - 3:30pm This course will guide you through the key steps to develop systems that can determine your organisation’s impact and the changes which result from it. This session will be extremely beneficial to your project planning, funding applications and project evaluation.
Mind the Gap: How You Can Influence Decisions that are Made in the City Tuesday 2 December 2014, 12pm - 2pm This practical lunchtime workshop will give you the tools to influence decisions that are made in the city. This session will focus on how you can identify your key issues and what you want to achieve, find out who has the power/resources to address these issues and build allies and partnerships. Utilise campaigning or lobbying techniques and plan what you’re going to do and do it!
Trustee Network: Reporting Serious Incidents and Whistleblowing Tuesday 9 December 2014, 6pm - 8pm What should trustees do when they are aware of serious problems in their charity? This network meeting will look at a case study and will give you the opportunity to discuss the pros and cons. Join trustees from charities operating in the Bristol area and share your experiences.
Tuesday 25 November 2014, 9:30am - 3:30pm This course will give an overview of prime entry books (cash basis), typical income/expenditure streams and transactions for small VCS groups. It will include practical completion of a set of books, bank reconciliations, a case-study-based facilitator-led group exercise to demonstrate a basic key financial control for any organisation and review of Charity Commission receipts and payments entries for the annual return.
Issue 26 October / November / December 2014
Early-bird rates available! To book, or for further training beyond December, please go to: www.supporthub.org.uk/training-hub or call us on 0117 909 9949.
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17
Pro bono property advice Photo by DAXKO CC BY 2.0, goo.gloL8Sdq
With over 40% of charities seeing their building as their greatest risk*, the availability of high-quality property advice is essential to maintaining much-needed voluntary and community sector (VCS) services across the city. The risk is increased if your organisation is not incorporated, as then it is the individual trustees or management board that will own the freehold, leasehold or tenancy for your building. Property can present a host of potential challenges for VCS
For more information visit: goo.
LawWorks for community groups
gl/e2Hht1.
offers free legal advice in four
organisations and knowing exactly
Ethical Property Foundation
where to turn can save your
gives independent, ethical advice
organisation’s resources. Here are
by taking a holistic approach,
some of the pro bono options
offering wide-ranging support
available:
that is initially free of charge. For
The Royal Institute of Chartered
full details visit: goo.gl/74Ua86.
Surveyors (RICS) aims to provide
The Community Asset Transfer
high-quality property advice on a
(CAT) process is one way to secure
wide range of topics to the VCS.
a property to deliver much-
The service offers a minimum
needed services and support to
one-hour consultation with a RICS-
your local community. Recognising
regulated firm free of charge,
that CAT can seem daunting
visit: goo.gl/xEVM3v.
the Support Hub at Voscur has
CAN Mezzanine offers free advice to charities and social enterprises that includes reviewing existing
developed an advice sheet to
factsheets; clinics; mediation. For information on how LawWorks could support your community group, go to: www.lawworks.org. uk/community-groups. If the process of buying, renting, leasing or managing a building falls outside of the expertise of your management board, the free support available can help provide the best protection for your organisation. * source: Third Sector
guide you through the process, visit: goo.gl/KA8Bqb.
accommodation; buying and
Property and more… Some
selling property and lease-related
organisations may need more
issues; and landlord-and-tenant-
than property advice or even
related disputes.
something completely different.
18 www.voscur.org
ways: free legal assistance;
For more information, contact Voscur’s Support Hub team on: 0117 909 9949.
October / November / December 2014 Issue 26
Photo by peteself CC BY-SA 2.0
Have a happy, healthy team Human Resources & Employment Law Support Service In response to requests from the organisations we support, Voscur’s service – delivered in partnership with Cornhill HR – provides tailored support to local voluntary and community sector groups about day-to-day human resource management. Areas include:
• TUPE (employee transfers) • Redundancy • Dismissals • Disciplinary and grievances • Pension auto-enrolment
“Cornhill HR really put us on the right track – the adviser was very clear, really made sure we understood the details, very supportive, and made lots of calls.”
For further details, call: 0117 909 9949 or visit: www.voscur.org/content/HR-support
HR Service user, 2014
Come together...right now Voscur has been working on a range of collaboration projects in recent months. We want to share the learning from this work with other local groups, to encourage them to come together, share their expertise and resources and deliver stronger, interconnected services in the city. Over the last year, Voscur has been
These materials are designed to
to inform planning and
participating in Building Health
support VCS organisations in three
decision-making about
Partnerships – a joint project with
types of collaboration:
collaborations.
NHS England, NAVCA (Voscur’s umbrella body), the Bristol Clinical Commissioning Group and Bristol Public Health. Bristol was successful in a competitive process to win project funds and became one of just 12 projects across the UK. The purpose of the project was to build new partnerships and demonstrate the value of the voluntary and community sector (VCS) in health delivery. Voscur worked on three different approaches: preventing falls among older people, to maintain
• Peer partnerships: those
• Providing practical activities
involving a number of broadly
and template documents as
similar organisations in
starting points for the various
terms of size, resources and
stages of putting together a
influence.
real collaboration.
• Public partnerships: those
• Giving organisations more
where a funder requires one
confidence and determination
or more collaborative bids per
to enter into discussions
geographic/local authority
about collaboration, rather
area, each led by one
than reject collaboration
organisation, and leaves it to
as an option without due
the stakeholders in that area
consideration.
to organise the relationships between themselves. • Prime partnerships: those
The materials are presented in an order that loosely matches stages in a commissioning cycle, from
their independence; using social
with a prime contractor, or
strategic planning to contract
assets to improve diabetes
lead agency, that holds a
negotiation. We have done this
prevention and treatment in Asian
main service contract with
so that organisations can dip
and Somali communities; and
the public commissioner,
in, according to their level of
building the provider market by
and is typically larger than
development of collaboration, and
supporting the collaboration of
its partners, and has more
so that collaboration is considered
smaller, specialist organisations.
resources and more influence.
in a logical sequence. The diagram
For the third approach, Voscur’s
Including briefings, workshop
Support Hub has produced a
plans, document templates and
suite of materials to support
references to real examples, the
organisations to work together so
resources are intended to be as
that they can deliver health and
practical as possible in:
other public services.
20 www.voscur.org
on the next page indicates steps towards partnership and some of the resources available. You can access the full toolkit at: www.voscur.org/ collaborationresources
• Providing practical information
October / November / December 2014 Issue 26
Steps towards collaboration
Important thoughts and questions
Resources in our toolkit • Is a partnership what we
Internal evaluation
A partnership might be best. Are we ready? What are our options?
need? • What does working in partnership mean?
Assess structures
We’re ready to collaborate. How do we choose a structure?
• Choosing a partnership structure • What can small organisations contribute to partnerships?
Find partners
Who can we best work with?
• Selecting a lead agency • Meeting potential partners
We want to work together. What Provisional commitment
key principles and requirements should we agree first?
• Memorandum of Understanding • Preparing for
Partner evaluation
We’re ready. What about our partners?
collaboration • Partner information • Due diligence • Lead and partners agreement
Formalise the
We’re all ready. How do we make it
collaboration
formal?
• Joint working agreement • Consortium collaboration agreement • Introduction to contract
Bid / tender
We won the contract. Should we sign it?
law • Example public body contract and grant
Voscur’s Support Hub offers a range of services to help Bristol VCS organisations improve their capacity, sustainability and quality. Support offered includes one-to-one support with a development worker, intensive support over a period of time, facilitation of discussions, and strategic/business planning. Our support can be provided to organisations that are collaborating with others – please contact us on 0117 909 9949.
Issue 26 October / November / December 2014
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21
a service delivery contract) or new employer (that has won a contract to deliver services). In this case, it is possible that employees of the former contract holder could transfer to the new organisation. Those employees would retain their terms and conditions.
KEEP CALM AND TUPE ON
Why is it important to know about? There have been several recent commissioning processes where the transfer of employees has been difficult and presented problems for VCS organisations. Examples include: • No workforce information available for bidders – the lack of information about employees’ terms (salary, payscale) has made it difficult for bidders to draw up detailed budgets and proposals. • Lack of consistency amongst commissioners – in some cases,
The transfer of employees between service providers (TUPE) arises in commissioning processes and is relatively new to many VCS organisations. There is confusion and it deters some from bidding to deliver public service contracts. Mark Hubbard, Compact Liaison Officer, describes some recent changes that should make TUPE easier for VCS organisations. What is it? Essentially, TUPE (short for ‘Transfer
22 www.voscur.org
of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations’) is the process that protects employees’ continuing employment and terms. It applies in two situations: (1)
commissioners have given views on the application of TUPE; in others, providers have been advised to form their own views. • Lack of familiarity of TUPE
when a business or undertaking is
amongst VCS organisations
transferred to a new employer (for
– many VCS organisations,
example, merger or acquisition)
particularly smaller, local,
and (2) upon a service provision
specialist organisations, have
change, that is, when a service that
not previously been involved
was provided by one organisation
with TUPE. Lack of familiarity
changes to being provided by
effectively means that energy
another.
and resources are diverted
VCS organisations involved in commissioning processes are likely
to this process, away from developing innovative services.
to come across the latter – either
Another important thing to note
as the current employer (that held
is that, as of January 2014, TUPE
October / November / December 2014 Issue 26
has changed significantly. The
employer will be bound by
UK government has amended
the collective agreement in
specialist advice on HR matters
TUPE with the new Collective
place on the date of transfer.
including TUPE.
Redundancies and Transfer of
If, for example, local authority
Undertakings (Protection of
employees transferred into a
Employment) (Amendment)
VCS organisation, their terms
Regulations 2014. This was part of
on the transfer date would
the government’s employment law
apply; any subsequent changes
review, which aims to ensure that
to local authority workforce
employment laws offer maximum
terms, such as payscales, would
flexibility for employers and
not apply to the previously
employees.
transferred employees.
What has changed? There are many things to note and those most relevant to VCS organisations are briefly described here. • Service provision changes – the new regulations state that, for TUPE to apply, the new services should be “fundamentally the same” as the previous services. This means that there will still be debate about whether or not TUPE applies. • Changes to terms and conditions – a disputed change
• Redundancy consultation –
changes to terms previously negotiated through collective agreements one year after the transfer (as long as the change
standardises commissioners’ approach to TUPE, including a TUPE questionnaire and a requirement to facilitate the collation of workforce
experience.
employers to hold pre-transfer redundancy consultation about the transfer and redundancies at the same time.
There is still work to be done. VCS organisations need to become more familiar with things like TUPE to engage with commissioning
• Employee liability information –
and win public service contracts.
former employers must provide
Commissioned contracts need to
information (including identity,
include ‘early disclosure’ clauses so
age, employment details) to
that employee liability information
the new employer 28 days
must be shared at a meaningful
before the transfer (rather than
time in the commissioning cycle:
the previous 14 days).
28 days before contract start date is better than 14 but still woefully inadequate; disclosure prior to bidding would be most helpful. We are working on these things.
continue to work to improve commissioning so that VCS organisations can win contracts to deliver public services. The following activities address some of the issues with TUPE. • TUPE support for decommissioned services –
employees involved).
we provided support for six
are now static – the new
Commissioners. This guidance
It is now possible for both
is no less favourable to the
• Links to collective agreements
Council’s TUPE Guidance for
market without TUPE
Voscur and Bristol Compact
will be able to negotiate
Compact co-wrote Bristol City
required to consult separately.
this has been removed.
agreements – new employers
commissioners – Bristol
information from a provider
automatically unfair previously;
• Changes to collective
• TUPE guidance for
previously, each employer was
What has Voscur done about tackling TUPE-related issues?
in work location was deemed
• Voscur’s HR service – provides
organisations whose drug and alcohol services were being
Useful links TUPE Changes, January 2014: goo.gl/eBVUh1 TUPE Guidance for commissioners: goo.gl/IcfZEh Voscur’s HR service: goo.gl/90YFDo
decommissioned last year.
Issue 26 October / November / December 2014
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23
Painting the town green Activists filled St Werburghs community centre for an intensive day of debate and action planning when 100 small voluntary and community sector groups working in sustainability across the city’s most excluded communities came together to Paint the Town Green. Assistant Mayor Gus Hoyt, Bristol Green Capital (BGC) co-chair Liz Zeidler and Bristol 2015 Company Chief Executive, Kris Donaldson, addressed the audience on their vision for Bristol as European Green Capital 2015. The event, supported by Bristol 2015 Company, comprised panel discussions and questionand-answer sessions with key members of Bristol Green Capital partnership and Bristol 2015 Company. Discussions on food poverty and food production; reduce, reuse, recycle; fuel poverty and community energy solutions; and reclaiming green spaces were the key workshop themes. Participants got to grips with Bristol Green Capital objectives and the role of the local voluntary
24 www.voscur.org
and community sector in working with partners to achieve them.
To read about some of
Sustaining the legacy of this
the ideas proposed at
initiative was a high priority.
the event and our next
The purpose of the event was
steps, visit: goo.gl/Qrw7lN
twofold: groups not already
Are you doing ‘green’
linked in to BGC activities had
work in the city? Do
the opportunity to raise issues
you need help with
they felt Green Capital partners
funding this work?
should act on and at the same time enhance their organisations’ profile and promote their activities.
Voscur and the Big Lottery Fund are holding two half-day events in Bristol to increase local awareness of the Big
Voscur was pleased to be able
Lottery’s Awards for All (A4A)
to involve many groups not
programme. The sessions are
previously connected with the
aimed at community groups
BGC agenda, working at grassroots
across Bristol who are already
levels with local communities to
delivering or are in the process
increase sustainable living.
of developing local green
Delegates from local groups
projects, to support them to
included those working with refugees and asylum seekers
take part in and celebrate the Bristol Green Capital Status
and in disadvantaged wards.
throughout 2015.
During the panel debate some
Details of the events:
expressed concern that Bristol 2015 Company would sidestep their local knowledge and contacts
15 October 2014 21 October 2014
and opt to engage with more
10am - 3:30pm, Southville
high-profile, public sector activity.
Centre, Beauley Road,
Bristol 2015 Company assured
Southville, Bristol, BS3 1QG
delegates this would not be the case.
To book, visit: goo.gl/ynpnIs
Voscur is meeting with BGC and Bristol 2015 Company and other
Photos overleaf by Louise Wender,
stakeholders to plan the next
www.louisewender.com
steps.
October / November / December 2014 Issue 26
“Good, thought provoking, community focused. Great networking opportunities.” Julie Evans Community Learning West
“Well planned. Has enabled me to have a plan to change things.” Ella Davidson, Places for People.
“Very good mix of groups and individuals. Glad to see both ‘green’ and community/grassroots participants - all willing to talk and listen.” Martin Fodor, Make your home eco
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25
‘Investing in our own futures’
- supporting young volunteers
Young volunteers have a vast
25-year-olds logged on to browse
sector can offer flexible roles that
amount to give to voluntary
opportunities. Of these, 15,678
are of interest to young people,
and community organisations,
young people were accepted on to
and be creative in how they reward
yet a lot of charities are missing
volunteering opportunities. Local
and incentivise volunteering, then it
out on this opportunity.
data for Bristol, obtained from
could well be a win-win situation.
“If charities don’t support young volunteers, then we are not safeguarding our own futures by supporting the next generation of volunteers and, more importantly, we’re missing out on all the benefits that young volunteers can bring to our organisations,” said
Volunteer Bristol (now merged with Voscur), shows that in 2013, 583 local young people between the ages of 15 and 18 years and 1,993 young people between the ages of 19 and 25 years either applied or made enquiries about volunteering
We approached two local organisations, Babbasa Youth Empowerment Project (BYEP) and The Prince’s Trust, and asked them to tell us how and why they involve young volunteers. Poku Pipim Osei, Programme
positions.
Lead, BYEP, writes:
Rebecca Brookman, Volunteering,
The incentives around volunteering
Citizenship and Social Action
are clear for young people, but
“BYEP is a Bristol-based social
Manager at the Jewish Lads’ & Girls’
what is in it for organisations?
enterprise empowering young
Brigade, in a recent Guardian article
Along with the increase in capacity
people (16-25), from mostly inner-
on youth volunteering.
that all volunteering provides,
city communities, to pursue their
involving young volunteers
professional ambitions.
The benefits of volunteering for young people can include making new friends, improved health and wellbeing, influencing strategy and services, gaining new skills and experience and utilising volunteering as a route to education and employment.
in particular can have its own benefits. Involving young people in decisions and planning (either on management committees or specific task groups) allows organisations to gain a different perspective which can be especially useful for those which aim to
“Young people are at the heart of what we do, and part of how we engage them is through volunteering on our projects. We typically involve our young volunteers in all phases of BYEP projects - from design to delivery. We call these young volunteers
National data from vInspired.com
involve or benefit young people.
(a UK website which helps young
Young people could also bring a
people find volunteering roles, and
strong set of skills, for example in
“Our Youth Ambassadors are
helps charities find new recruits)
areas of new technology, software
invaluable. They provide us with
shows that between March 2013
and social media. If the voluntary
intelligence around key youth
and April 2014, 25,570 14- to
26 www.voscur.org
BYEP ‘Youth Ambassadors’.
issues and trends, as well as views
October / November / December 2014 Issue 26
Photos provided by BYEP
on activities that would appeal to
while helping to develop leadership
boost because I’ve been able to
their peers. They also contribute at
and communication skills.
share my personal story with large
a strategic level through the youth leader on our board.
“Young Ambassadors undertake roles including speaking to a
“Besides making new friends,
range of audiences, supporting
acquiring work experience
outreach and programme delivery,
and learning about workplace
and contributing their views to
values, we have now introduced
influence government and help
an accredited certificate to
shape services for young people.
acknowledge the contribution of our youth ambassadors. To further make it a win-win relationship, BYEP also offer all Youth Ambassadors additional support to access further training or employment.
“Working with young people can help them to develop transferable skills that may help them gain future volunteering or employment opportunities.
audiences at a range of events – something that I never would’ve considered before. But, I’m happy to do it because The Trust has supported me so much; it’s great to give something back and inspire other young people to find out how it can help them.” Volunteering is just one way in which we can value the voices and skills of young people in Bristol. Other local examples include the Bristol Safeguarding Board, the
We are also normally happy to act
“The benefits to The Prince’s Trust
Youth Select Committee, Youth
as their referee. All young people
of using volunteers are huge - we
Mayors, and the BME Youth Forum,
interested in volunteering are
simply would not be able to do
facilitated by Bristol City Council,
encouraged to get in touch.”
what we do without volunteer
Bristol Youth Links team and
support. We do not have the
Listening Partnerships, which is part
capacity for staff to support young
of the West of England Centre for
people post programme and this
Inclusive Living.
Hayley Court, Volunteering and Secondment Manager at The Prince’s Trust, says:
is a key stage in young people’s
“The Prince’s Trust is the UK’s
personal development when it
largest youth charity. We use
is important that they keep up
volunteers to support young
their motivation to gain a positive
people into work, education,
outcome.”
training or volunteering themselves. Our Young Ambassadors empower young people to actively participate in the work of The Prince’s Trust, engage with public decision making and inspire other young people,
Tiff Ridd, 25, has been volunteering for The Prince’s Trust as a Young Ambassador since November 2013.
BYEP’s Website: www.byep.org.uk The Prince’s Trust’s website: www.princes-trust.org.uk For information on our Children and Young People’s
She says: “Volunteering for The
Network, contact Asma
Trust has given me a big confidence
Ahmad on 0117 909 9949.
Issue 26 October / November / December 2014
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27
No Health without Mental Health – a national strategy In 2012 the national strategy ‘No Health without Mental Health’ was launched which, in summary, stated that if we are to improve people’s mental health and wellbeing, everyone needs to play their part. There are many surprising facts
for change in communities. Local
about mental health, which were
leaders can tackle the causes
identified in a 2012 report by the
of mental and ill health, and act
London School of Economics,
quickly and effectively to improve
‘How mental health loses out in
services.
the NHS.’ • Among people under 65,
have good physical health. • More people in Bristol to have positive care and support. • Fewer people in Bristol to
At the heart of the strategy is a recognition that if we are to
suffer avoidable harm. • Fewer people in Bristol
nearly half of all ill health is
improve the mental health of
to experience stigma and
mental illness.
the nation we need not only to
discrimination.
• Mental illness is more debilitating than most chronic physical conditions. • Only a quarter of those with mental illness are in treatment, compared with the vast majority of those with a physical condition. • The cost of psychological
provide good services but to change society’s attitudes towards mental health, and that everyone has a part to play in shifting
• More people in Bristol to have good mental health. A large meeting was hosted in
attitudes.
June 2014 by The Care Forum,
Bristol activity includes initiatives
Bristol Public Health on the
like ‘The Little Book of WOW (5 Ways of Wellbeing)’, ‘The Wellbeing Workplace Charter’ and the promotion of national initiatives
therapy is low and recovery
such as ‘Time to talk, time to
rates are high.
change’.
who have been working with initiative. The aim of the meeting was to encourage organisations to set up their own pledges and to discuss current activities, local gaps and needs. A further meeting is planned for the autumn. Notes
Local stakeholders were also asked
and presentations of the meeting
for 25% of the country’s
to create their own mental health
can be found on The Care Forum’s
combined ‘burden of disease’
charters and a set of pledges,
website: www.thecareforum.org/
(taking into account economic
based on the following objectives:
pagebristol-adults-events-archive.
• Mental health accounts
impact), yet receives only 13% of NHS expenditure. The national strategy focuses on action at a local level. The reasoning is that working at a local level will act as a catalyst
28 www.voscur.org
• More people in Bristol with
html
Mental Health problems to
Caroline McAleese of The Care
recover.
Forum said of the meeting
• More people in Bristol with mental health problems to
and the mental health charter initiative: “The vibrancy of the mental health voluntary sector
October / November / December 2014 Issue 26
Photo by Earl - What I Saw 2.0, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
and the breadth of local expertise
Following on from the national
within mental health services was
strategy another important
clear at the No Health Without
national document was published
Mental Health event in June.
by the Department of Health in
Workshops showcased many of
January 2014 - ‘Closing the Gap’.
the high-quality local voluntary
(www.gov.uk/government/
services that support people with
publications/mental-health-
mental ill health and highlighted a
priorities-for-change).
general shift towards prevention, recovery, reducing stigma and working towards the No Health Without Mental Health objectives.
This document highlights the gaps in services for those with mental ill health, and the document sets out 25 priorities for change. At a local
bullet). • No health without mental health initiative, for more information contact Blanka Robinson at Bristol Public Health: Blanka.Robertson@ bristol.gov.uk • Bristol City Council Workplace Wellbeing Charter: www.bristol.gov.uk/ wellbeingcharter
“We hope a further mental health
level Avon and Wiltshire Mental
• Time to talk, time to change
event - ‘Spectrum’, being led by
Health Partnership, NHS Trust,
– a national campaign to
Bristol Public Health in October,
launched ‘Bristol Active Life’ which
encourage everyone to start
of which The Care Forum, Voscur,
supports people in community-
talking about mental health
Safer Bristol and Mental Health
based activities, with a focus on
problems. Visit: www.time-
Bristol are partners - will build on
physical activities. The programme
to-change.org.uk
some of the work around mapping
has supported over 600 people
of services that was discussed
locally, and has run sessions for
at the No Health Without Mental
sports workers on mental health
Health event in June.”
issues.
Other local activities include a
There are many local and national
on mental wellbeing:
new ‘mental health concordat’:
resources available; a selection
www.facebook.com/
a pact between hospitals, police,
includes:
mentalhealthfoundation)
ambulance services and the local authority to ensure those in mental health crisis are supported appropriately.
• The Little Book of Wow (5
• www.mentalhealth.org.uk (sign up to their Facebook page to receive useful updates and information
• The national strategy: www.
Ways of Wellbeing – 5 Great
gov.uk/government/
Tips for Improving Personal
publications/the-mental-
Wellbeing). For copies contact
health-strategy-for-england
Blanka Robinson (see next
Issue 26 October / November / December 2014
www.voscur.org
29
Hot topics for our sector - a productive VCS Assembly
• Commissioning practice
Over 100 voluntary, community
transparent discussion and to
and social enterprise activists
getting to a place where grant
is inconsistent across the
gathered at the Trinity
funding gives the best impact for
Council.
Community Centre in Lawrence
our communities and is visible for
Hill in July of this year to take
communities to see in one place
part in Voscur’s assembly event
where spend is going. We are
organised on behalf of the
committed to retaining a grants
city’s voluntary and community
‘pot’ but want to ensure spend is
sector (VCS).
efficiently managed and supports
• There is a perceived bias against small, local, niche organisations. • There are conflicting messages about collaboration.
the council priorities.”
Recommendations from this
three policy discussions, followed
A full discussion followed. The
session included training for
by three training opportunities.
City Council will, of course, carry
commissioners, standardisation of
out a formal consultation on any
(good) practice and a clear, easy-
proposed changes.
to-find policy on services that will
The agenda for the day combined
The first group discussed possible changes to the City
be commissioned.
Council’s voluntary sector grants
The second workshop focused
programme.
on “How can we improve
Voscur was asked to help small
commissioning?”
VCS groups to work with larger
Voscur’s CEO, Wendy Stephenson, and Board member Joanna Holmes
Mark Hubbard, Compact
led this discussion. Di Robinson,
Liaison Officer, talked about
Service Director, Neighbourhoods
improvements to commissioning
and Communities, gave the City
practice to date, and highlighted
Council’s perspective. She said:
some of the problems that the
“The Council is committed to
sector still faces:
groups and facilitate more public involvement with the process. Voscur is now working directly with the City Council at strategic director level to ensure that these issues are addressed.
ensuring there is an open and
30 www.voscur.org
October / November / December 2014 Issue 26
“
I find learning and networking with colleagues in the voluntary sector very valuable to my work.
”
Attendee, VCS Assembly, July 2014
Photos by Louise Wender, www.louisewender.com
Paul Hassan introduced the third workshop, which posed the question “How can the sector engage with the new opportunities afforded by the Local Enterprise Partnership?”
exclusion. The audience asked questions around how the funds would be allocated and eligibility criteria. Paul Hassan talked about an event
Finally Max Boon from Spirit PR introduced delegates to a range of techniques and approaches to get the best out of the local media.
scheduled for 2 October 2014
Despite difficult acoustics at
The LEP has allocated £6m against
which would begin the process of
times, the attendees found
the specific activity of: ‘Removing
answering these questions.
the topics relevant and useful.
barriers to employment’. This includes £3m ‘opt in’ Big Lottery Funding. The VCS is in the best
After a short break, the Assembly split into three training workshops.
The Assembly concluded with a networking lunch provided by FareShare South West.
position to ensure those facing
Paula Cannings from Voscur
multiple barriers to economic
delivered an entertaining
activity are brought into the
workshop to allow delegates to
For information and
mainstream.
explore key issues in negotiation
resources from the
processes.
day, along with minutes
Voscur, Voluntary Action North
from the workshops, visit:
Somerset, South Gloucestershire
Jonathan Crutchlow and Ruth
CVS, Social Enterprise Works,
Summersbell from Lloyds Banking
Quartet, the Care Forum, the
Group ran a session on working
For more information
West of England Rural Network
with the private sector, and
on the VCS Assembly
and WESPORT have set up a
took delegates on a tour of the
and how to get involved,
partnership to ensure social
different ways we can engage
contact Paul Hassan on
inclusion funds are allocated to
with the private sector, from
0117 909 9949 or email:
the VCS sector to tackle economic
funding to volunteer support.
paul@voscur.org
Issue 26 October / November / December 2014
goo.gl/V6oq1m
www.voscur.org
31
Voscur Ltd. Royal Oak House Royal Oak Avenue Bristol BS1 4GB
Tel: 0117 909 9949 Fax: 0117 933 0501 Email: info@voscur.org Web: www.voscur.org
Voscur training and events October 2014 Date
Time
Event/training
Location
1st
9:30am - 3:30pm
Writing Small Fundraising Bids
Phoenix Social Enterprise
2nd
9:30am - 1pm
The Voluntary and Community Sector and the Local Enterprise Partnership: Next Steps
The Station
8th
1pm - 3:30pm
Preventing Injury to Children and Young People
The CREATE Centre
14th
9:30am - 1pm
Commissioning: Building and Maintaining Relationships when Working Collaboratively
Easton Community Centre
15th
10am - 12pm
Children and Young People’s Network meeting - Children and Young People’s Community Health Services’ draft commissioning plan - what are your views?
Barton Hill Settlement
16th
9:30am - 12:30pm
Crowdfunding
The Greenhouse
22nd
11am - 4pm
Voscur Annual Conference and Awards
The Bristol Pavilion
November 2014 Date
Time
Event/training
Location
5th
9:30am - 3:30pm
Supervision Skills for Volunteer Managers
St Werburghs Centre
6th
9:30am - 12:30pm
Making Your Message Mighty - the Power of Words
The Gatehouse Centre
6th
1pm - 3:30pm
Hot Shots - the Power of Images
The Gatehouse Centre
11th - 12th
9:30am - 3:30pm
An A-Z of HR
St Werburghs Centre
13th
10:30am - 12:30pm
Finance Forum
Royal Oak House
13th
6pm - 9pm
Being an Even Better Trustee
Barton Hill Settlement
19th
9:30am - 3:30pm
Good Customer Services for Office Based Staff
The Gatehouse Centre
20th
12pm - 2pm
Mind the Gap: How Decisions are Made in the City
Royal Oak House
25th
9:30am – 3:30pm
Basic Book-keeping
St Werburghs Centre
27th
9:30am – 3:30pm
Theory of Change: Taking Your First Steps
Easton Community Centre
December 2014 Date
Time
Event/training
Location
2nd
12pm - 2pm
Mind the Gap: How You Can Influence Decisions that are Made in the City
Royal Oak House
9th
6pm - 8pm
Trustee Network: Reporting Serious Incidents and Whistleblowing
TBC
For details of all the above training and events, and those taking place beyond December, visit: www.voscur.org/training-and-events
Voscur is a registered charity and a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee. Company no. 3918210. Charity no. 1148403. Printed on 100% recycled paper using vegetable-based inks