DAVENTRY VOLUNTARY AND COMMUNITY SECTOR FORUM MEETING
Wednesday 27th January 2010
12.00 to 1.30pm in Room 2 at The Abbey , Market Square, Daventry NN11
Meet with other VCS colleagues for Information
Sharing/Funding ideas/Networking/County and
Regional meeting updates/Support etc.
Lunch provided. RSVP Carella on Tel: 01327 300614 for more information and/or to book a place/lunch.
What is a Local Compact?
It's an agreement between all independent voluntary and community groups and the local or county council and other public bodies.
In Northamptonshire we have developed a Compact with all public bodies, a joint effort that is unique and has been well received nationally. The Northamptonshire Compact sets down the ground rules for relationships between the voluntary and community sectors and public bodies:
It recognises the value and contribution of voluntary action
Sets standards for support to the sector
Promotes clarity from public bodies where decisions are made which affect the voluntary and community sector
Northamptonshire Connecting Communities Partnership (a voluntary sector led multi-agency partnership) has supported development of the central Compact document. The Northamptonshire Joint Agencies Voluntary and Community Sector Compact covers the relationship between the voluntary and community sector and public bodies and the Partnership continues supporting the Compact through the development of more detailed Codes of Practice. The Codes cover issues that are important to the sector and to public bodies. They currently cover:
Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Voluntary and Community Organisations
Consultation
Funding
Volunteering
Community Organisations
There are about 50 organisations who have already signed up to the Compact document within Daventry District (or organisations that provide localised services within the area) including:
Volunteer Centre Daventry
Daventry & District Citizens Advice Bureau
Daventry & South Northants PCT
Daventry Welfare Rights
Time 2 Talk
Age Concern Northampton and County
Adoption UK
BTCV Northamptonshire
CSV
Mayday Trust
Northamptonshire ACRE
Ability Northants
Northamptonshire Association of Youth Clubs
Northamptonshire Victim Support Scheme
Northamptonshire Children's Resource Centre
Northamptonshire Carers
Relate Northamptonshire
Peterborough Diocesan
Improving relationships locally is critical to the successful implementation of the Compact and associated Codes.
If your require more information or copies of the Compact, wish to sign up to the Compact or BME Code please contact Carella Davies by Email , or tel: 01327 300614
How many times do people think about doing some form of volunteering, but for some reason or other never actually take that first step towards doing it. Often what prevents people from following through, are misunderstandings about what volunteering really involves.
Here are a few of the most common reasons people five for not volunteering:
Firstly there is the time factor. Many people believe that volunteering will take up too much of their time and don't realise that in fact how much time they give is entirely up to them. If a potential volunteer can tell easily from your publicity material exactly how much time they will be expected to give, it will help them in deciding whether or not it is suitable for them. It is important to get across to people that even if they only have a couple of hours available a week for voluntary work, there are opportunities for them.
Sometimes people are concerned that they will be asked to do too much, or even to do things that they do not want to do. People should be given a task description detailing what's involved before they make the decision about whether to consider volunteering with the organisation or not. This way potential volunteers will know exactly what they will be expected to do as a volunteer, and feel happier about approaching an organisation to find out more.
Some people worry about going to help at a place that they are unfamiliar with. When a volunteer starts with an organisation it is very important that they receive an induction of some sort. This may be a training course attended over several weeks, or may just be a member of staff spending time with the new volunteer, explaining how the organisation is run, answering questions, and introducing them to existing volunteer know who to speak to in case of any problems.
Unemployed people or those on a low income may think they will not be able to afford to volunteer because of the cost of travel expenses. Most volunteers can be reassured that they will not be out of pocket as a result of volunteering.
Finally, and quite surprisingly, many people say they have never volunteered for anything because they have never been asked! It is important to review your publicity material regularly to check tat it is getting across the right message for you.
Changeup is the Capacity building and Infrastructure framework for the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS), published by the Governments Active Community Unit in June 2004.
Capacity building is about ensuring that organisations have the skills, knowledge, structures and resources to enable them to carry out their work to its full potential. This ties in with the Governments Cross Cutting Review in 2002, which recognised a mutual interest in strengthening the VCS to enable better service delivery.
Changeup's aim is that by 2014 the needs of frontline VCS organisations will be met by support which is available nationwide, structured for maximum efficiency, offering excellent provision, accessible to all, truly reflecting diversity, and sustainably funded.
Key support needs are identified in relation to:
Performance Improvement - through outreach work, mentoring, and the appointment of new 'performance improvement advisors'
Workforce Development and Leadership - including a wider range of professional opportunities and training, plus support and advice on Human Resource issues
ICT - appropriate user friendly support and advice
Governance - through information and development opportunities for trustees and agreed national standards
Recruiting and Developing Volunteers - with a focus on greater diversity of volunteers recruited, improved volunteer management, and national branding of volunteer centres
Funding of VCS Activity - so that VCS organisations can diversify their income sources, increase their skills in contract negotiation, and generally become more effective at fundraising.
The report identifies much of the direct support as being needed at local or county (sub-regional) level. This will mean therefore, that there needs to be a meshing together of local planning and national policy. Local Infrastructure Organisations (LIO's) have already started to develop work on many of these issues.
The Infrastructure Investment Plan (IIP) being prepared by the VCS Infrastructure Consortium will need to address the government's proposals in the light of existing initiatives and research.
