Commissioning, when itworks well can be aproductive experienceinvolving voluntary andstatutory sector colleaguesworking together tounderstand need, work outways to address that needand identifying the gaps inexisting service provision.

In 2008 the voluntary andcommunity sector experiencedthe introduction of commissioningin Family and Children Services. Itprovided both the statutory andvoluntary sector with a valuablelesson on what works well andwhat could be improved.

One of key lessons we havelearnt over the years is that thedialogue between voluntaryorganisations and statutoryauthorities must be timely andmeaningful. The commissioningprocess must also be clear andequally accessible to all to ensurea level playing field.

It is important that voluntaryorganisations feel they arelistened to and their views aretaken into account during theearly planning stages of thecommissioning process.

The Social Council understand

SUMMER 2014

COMMISSIONINGA Learning Experience

The Voluntary and Community Sector provide vital play services across the borough

the complexities of the challengesfaced by local authorities instriving to deliver good qualityservices on reduced budgets.This has led to a search for newand innovative ways to deliverservices. But we worry that this inturn threatens some of theexcellent voluntary sector serviceswhich already exist.

On pages 6 -7 we look at thevoluntary sector’s role indelivering play services. An areain which free or low cost provisionhas maintained equality of accessto the great benefit of theborough’s children. At a timewhen the play service is underreview and services go out totender we strongly believe that thevoluntary sector should remain a

key partner in children’s playservice provision.

Sexual health and youthservices too, will be going out totender and so Commissioners willsoon be entering into dialoguewith the voluntary sector. At theSocial Council we are committedto supporting organisationsengage with the process andmaking the most of potentialopportunities.

We will continue to reviewcommissioning processes acrosssectors. We will share our learningwith statutory colleagues toensure we all learn from ourexperience, strengthen ourworking relationships and ensurecommissioning services evolve tothe benefit of all.

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E D I T O R I A L

KENSINGTON & CHELSEASOCIAL COUNCILLondon Lighthouse111-117 Lancaster RoadLondon W11 1QT

020 7243 9800info@kcsc.org.ukwww.kcsc.org.ukCharity no 1087457Limited company no. 4146375

C O N TA C T U S

Angela Spence 020 7243 9803Chief Executive Officerangela@kcsc.org.uk

Barbara Shelton 020 7243 9800Wellbeing Development Officerbarbara@kcsc.org.uk

Brenda Nambooze 020 7243 9807Development Officerbrenda@kcsc.org.uk

Kuldip Bajwa 020 7243 9805Information & Communications Officerkuldip@kcsc.org.uk

Mohammed Miah 020 7243 9808Development Officer –Partnership and Forumsmohammed@kcsc.org.uk

Siobhan Sollis 020 7243 9802Head of Organisational Developmentsiobhan@kcsc.org.uk

Sylvia Nissim 020 7243 9800Office and Events Administratorsylvia@kcsc.org.uk

The views expressed in Link are notnecessarily those of KCSC.

Kensington & ChelseaSocial Council (KCSC)works to support locally focusedvoluntary and communityorganisations serving local residents.

Welcome to the latest edition of LINK.I would like to take the opportunity tointroduce myself. My name is AngelaSpence and I am the new Chief Executiveof Kensington and Chelsea SocialCouncil. I have worked at the SocialCouncil for five years previously as PolicyManager and then as Deputy ChiefExecutive. I was appointed as ChiefExecutive in March 2014.

Having worked at the Social Councilfor a number of years under the leadershipof the previous Chief Executive Mary

Gardiner, I have a fundamental understanding of both thechallenges which the voluntary and community sector face andthe opportunities which exist or are on the horizon.

Some of the challenges we face at the Social Council are alsoissues faced by other local organisations. Our staff team hasreduced in size and we have a smaller budget. Yet the work to bedone is increasing because there is a need, now more than ever,to provide support to organisations and to communities.

We hear that the economy is improving but this does notmean that everyone is feeling the benefits. That is why it isimportant that we maintain those vital services that continue tomeet the needs of local communities. For this to happen weneed a strong, active and vibrant voluntary sector, working inpartnership and delivering outcomes that seek to improve thelives of residents.

This is why the Social Council exists. I have a strong anddedicated team that are readily supporting me to carry onwhere Mary Gardiner left off.

We will continue to produce our Link Newsletter but we becutting down to three editions a year.

We will provide the information and features that we believeare important for the voluntary sector and we hope youcontinue to find it interesting and insightful. We value yourfeedback on each edition so please let us know what you think.

I look forward to working with you.

Angela Spence

Baraka Community AssociationThe organisation formally known as Baraka Youth Association hasrebranded. Based in North Kensington and primarily supporting youngSomalians, the charity’s core work will remainthe much needed educational programmes,mentoring and youth engagement. HoweverBaraka also works across tri-borough offeringa parenting programme, an intergenerationalproject, crime prevention and health andwellbeing initiatives.

More info: www.barakayouth.org

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Local organisation Midaye SomaliDevelopment Network has beenfeatured in a new report ‘A Portrait ofModern Britain’ published by the PolicyExchange.

The report is an in-depth study ofBME communities in Britain today whichdraws upon extensive data from thecensus, academic studies and pollingdata. It illustrates the size and spread ofBritain’s BME population and the relativeposition of different immigrantcommunities.

The pen-portrait of Midaye entitled‘From minority to mainstream services’highlight’s how the charity has adaptedand grown to meet the needs of thecommunity since being founded in 2002.

FGM Community ForumAmongst Midaye’s recent initiativeswas the launch of a new FGMCommunity Forum for the benefit ofall those affected by Female GenitalMutilation (FGM) and for theprotection of all the girls at risk.The Forum will bring together peopleaffected by FGM and provide a grass-roots voice against the practice.

To find out more about the FGMCommunity Forum contact Midayedirectly.

A link to‘A Portrait of Modern Britain’

is available on the Midaye website.

More info: contact@midaye.org.uk www.midaye.org.uk 020 8969 7456

More info: vanessa@chelseatheatre.org.uk www.facebook.com/welrbiglocal

Big Local is an exciting opportunity for those livingin the World’s End and Lots Road area to decidethe allocation of £1m of Big Lottery funding toimprove the area over the next ten years.

Local residents are currently being surveyed fortheir views and will be urged to get involved indrawing up an area plan at a launch this July.Budding artists will also have the chance to enter a

Family Fun with Big Localcompetition to design the new logo for Big LocalWorld’s End and Lots Road.

Big Local Family Fun DaySunday 13 July, 1pm – 7pmWorld’s End, Kings Road SW10 0DRDance, singing, DJs, BBQ, art, children’s activities,prize raffle and more

S E C T O R N EW S

Idil Hasan with the report at itslaunch in Westminster

Golborne Stories of Struggles and ResistanceA new film produced with the help of pupils of Bevington School was launched in May.

Wild West 10: Golborne Stories of Struggle and Resistance tells the history of the Golborne Road area andits ever changing people from early industrialisation to the arrival of immigrant communities and protestsagainst slum landlords and the building of the Westway.

The film features interviews with a number of local residents and is available to view online.

More info: www.golbornestories.org.uk

From minority to mainstreamMidaye Somali Development Network

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Making the best use of InformationTechnology (IT) can boost productivityand improve performance, making ahuge difference to any organisation.By having suitable IT systems in place to support yourorganisation’s work, your staff and volunteers can focus onservice delivery and the job at hand.

Adapting new technology can also introduce new, moreefficient ways of working and even open doors to newopportunities.

Technology has advanced considerably over recent yearsand innovation such as social media and cloud computinghas a lot to offer voluntary and community organisations, bothlarge and small. However, knowing how to reap the benefitsfrom the latest technology without being diverted from othertasks is a challenge for most organisations.

Thankfully, there are many organisations that specialise inproviding support and advice to voluntary and communitysector organisations but even then it can be hard to workout exactly what you need.

On these pages we highlight some key areas whereadapting the right IT and gettingsuitable support can make abig difference and some ofthe things you need toconsider.

Office Systems

Whether you work from home, just renta desk or have an office with multiplecomputers it is important to know thatthe systems on which you work arereliable and safe.

Things to consider

• Do you know if your computers areregularly updated with the latestsystem updates? Have you gotadequate security software toprotect against threats such asmalware and viruses?

• What will you do if your computersor networks fail? Is your data backedup? How easily can it be restored?

• Is your information safe? If youhold sensitive data is it passwordprotected? Do you have systemsin place to prevent unauthorisedaccess to your computers? Whatprotection do you have against usersaccidentally making potentiallyharmful changes?

Unless you have in house IT supportor are very confident you can answerall of these questions it may be worthgetting support from a suitable ITsupport company. A monthly contractcan be cheaper in the long run thanpaying to resolve problems as andwhen they arise. If your systems areunprotected or not backed up you risklosing everything so take action nowto protect yourself.

B U Z Z W O

Often abbreviated to just “I.T.” “Information Technology” commonly refers to anything re

Howcan InformationTec

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Websites and Digital Media

An online presence is now essentialfor most voluntary and communityorganisations. This could mean yourown website or it can include socialmedia such as a Facebook page or aTwitter account.

A digital presence provides aplatform to keep in touch with serviceusers and donors and increases yourvisibility to potential new supporters.It can also showcase your work todecision makers and funders so it’sworth investing time to get it right.

Things to consider

• A Content Management System(CMS) allows people withoutprogramming skills to easily postinformation on a website. ManyCMS platforms allow you to setup a simple website for little orno cost.

• Shared web hosting can be verycheap but if you have a websitethat seems slow or is frequentlyunavailable it may be worthupgrading. Ensure your host orweb developer maintains yoursoftware and applies anynecessary security updates.

• If working with a web developmentagency clarify who owns thecopyright of your site. Make sureit is regularly backed up and thatyou are able to easily transferhosting elsewhere if you need to.

• There is no magic formula tomake your site appear at the topof search listings but voluntaryorganisations can apply for freeadvertising space via GoogleAd Grants.

• A social media account is free toset up. Consider where youraudience is and focus on the bestplatforms to engage them. If youuse several social media platformsand have a website think abouthow you can integrate them toboost your impact.

How to save money on softwareLots of software packages exist tohelp organisations with variousaspects of their work. The onespeople are often most familiar withlike Microsoft Office or Photoshop areexpensive if licenses are boughtcommercially.Cheaper and even free to use

alternatives do exist which can get thejob done just as well. What’s more asa charitable organisation you mayqualify for reduced price licenses ordonated software through thett-exchange scheme.

Things to consider

•When software is referred to as‘Open Source’ it means there areno license fees to pay for using it.Open source does not have tomean second rate and there aresome excellent equivalents to themost popular commercial softwaresuch as ‘Libre Office’ (MicrosoftOffice) and ‘Gimp’ (Photoshop). Inareas such as CRM (databases)software such as the open sourceCiviCRM are leading options for thevoluntary sector.

• Google Docs is free to use andMicrosoft now offer Office Online,a stripped down version of the fullpackage for no cost. Mostorganisations will find that theseoptions present all of the featuresthey will ever need.

• Some suppliers provide softwarelicenses for vastly reduced ratesfor non-profit organisations so itis worth investigating if you areeligible before buying commercialsoftware.

• The tt-exchange managed by theTechnology Trust is a programmethrough which some of the biggestsoftware suppliers like Microsoft,Adobe and Symantec provide freedonated versions of their latestsoftware to registered charities.All you pay is a small admin fee.

Resources and further supportGet Safe OnlineA government backed advicewebsite with details of how to staysafe online.www.getsafeonline.org

PC Mag:The Beginner's Guide to PC Backuphttp://bit.ly/1kmGg66

LASA KnowledgebaseA whole host of articles aimed atnon-profit organisations to help youmake decision on IT.www.ictknowledgebase.org.uk

LASA Suppliers DirectoryA directory of vetted third sectorsuppliers of technology products andservices.www.suppliersdirectory.org.uk

Technology Trust: tt-exchangeThe software donation programmefor charities.www.tt-exchange.org

Google Ad GrantsUse Google Adwords to promote yoursite on Google search result pages.www.google.co.uk/intl/en/grants

Gizmo’s FreewareLists of free software reviewed andrated by site users.www.techsupportalert.com

iT4CommunitiesIntroducing Volunteer IT Professionalsto Charities Needing IT Help.www.it4communities.org.uk

Grow Your Charity OnlineA website backed by Google offeringfree tools to try and resources.www.growyourcharityonline.com

W O R D S

g related to computing technology, such as networking, hardware, software, the internet.

5

echnology support you?

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Play services in Kensington and Chelsout to tender in the Autumn. At the Socsector should remain a key partner in cHere we take an in-depth look at the t

The importance of play servicesPlay is not only fun but is important in helping childrenlearn and develop as individuals and as members ofthe community.

Through play children learn about the world aroundthem, and develop the social skills that they need forlife. It is also important for children’s health as manyplay activities provided a form of physical exercise.

The everyday environment provides limitedopportunities for children to engage in safe andcreative play so it is important that services exist thatcounter this by providing play friendly spaces.

With many children living in overcrowded housing inthe areas of deprivation in our borough, lack of open

spaces in some areas and fear of children playingoutside, play services are all the more important.

The voluntary sector and playThe voluntary sector has a long tradition of deliveringplay services to local communities. From nurseries toinformal education activities and fun day events thesector delivers a range of creative and innovativeservices to meet the needs of families. Voluntary andcommunity organisations bring a number of benefitsas providers of play services including being low cost,close to communities and responsive to local need.

The local pictureIn Kensington and Chelsea there is a strong history of

Spotlight on Venture Centre

What play activities do you have at Venture?We have a multi-surface sports pitch where we haveactivities such as tennis, badminton, basketball, dodgeball and games like shark attack. We also have artsand crafts activities around themes like spring andEaster. We have a large adventure playground withswings and slides which uniquely has an under 8sarea within it. We also support kids with special needsto integrate them into mainstream play.

How did the Adventure Playground develop?Like many adventure playgrounds it grew up on anold bomb site at the end of the second world war.They were originally called junk yard playgrounds.Ours used to be a church and started in 1959. The

Community Centre and steel pan yard later grew uparound it.

What makes your activities attractive to children?I think the fact they are feely chosen, there is openaccess for children and they can come and go as theyplease. Also we respond to demand from the children,offering activities that they express interest in.

How do you ensure children learn and developthrough your play activities?I think it is good to incorporate life skills learning intoactivities. For example we run a cooking club onThursday where we teach kids to cook healthy food.We make it special by dressing up a dinner table andthen they get to eat what they have cooked.

The voluntary sector’sINF LU E N C I N G

The Venture Centre is a local community centre based in the GolborneWard providing a range of services for adults and children. We askedTerry Moloney, Children’s Services Manager to tell us a bit about playprovision at their community centre.

Aklam Adventure Playground – 1990

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elsea are currently under review and will be goingocial Council we strongly believe that the local voluntaryn children’s play service provision.e topic.

both voluntary and community sector play services.Many started up in the Ladbroke Grove area in the 60sand 70s in response to the lack of play space. Thisincluded some space developed under the Westwaymotorway along with other community facilities thanksto a long campaign by local activists. Children alsostarted to build their own play structures in the rubblefrom the demolition of houses to make way for themotorway being built.

There is also a strong history of the voluntary sectorworking with collaboratively with statutory sector playservices. Years of successful partnership work isevident in events like annual Play Day and Dance Offat the end of the summer.

Many of the play staff in Kensington and Chelseaare a local workforce, often having started as childrenin receipt of the services, and then growing to becomeproviders in their adult lives.

At the Social Council we believe this is somethingspecial. Play workers act as positive mentors tochildren and seeing them working within thecommunity reinforces children’s worth and the worth ofa locally grown excellent set of services.

Furthermore the way services join up at certainpoints mixes up children and communities in a waythat teaches us all how to live well together.

s role in delivering playNG CH A N G E

The new Tri-borough Children's Network will hold its first meetingon Thursday 19th June at Kensington Town Hall.

The aim as a single board is to provide more scope and potential for a joinedup and co-ordinated approach to delivering children and family services.

The voluntary sector will be represented on the boardacross the Tri-Borough.

(Details about voluntary sector representatives will be made availableto the sector shortly)

We incorporate healthy eating into thedinner table discussion.

What challenges do you face indelivering play activities?Currently, for us it is that funding is beingsqueezed which creates uncertainty.We have a redevelopment going onaround us which is disruptive and it is achallenge to communicate to localresidents that we are still open. We havealso noticed a rise in numbers attendingour activities which makes it morechallenging for the play workers.

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More info: Siobhan Sollis siobhan@kcsc.org.uk 020 7243 9807

Whole systems – what’s it all about?

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the needs of older people. We want to ensure thatthis work is recognised and through our involvementwe hope to ensure that the sector is seen a keypartner in the design and delivery of care and supportfor the over 75s age group.

We will keep you up to date on this developmentvia our website.

What does this mean?‘Whole systems’ refers to a collaborative approachbetween health, social care, voluntary sectororganisations and patients. It builds upon the idea ofintegrated care which points to a holistic, personcentred approach to healthcare.

There is a lot of good work that already take placeacross the voluntary and community sector to support

Voluntary Sector Stop Smoking Project LaunchesThe first cohort of voluntary organisations to deliverstop smoking advice services to local residents in thetri-borough area are launching this summer. They arepart of a new project co-ordinated by the SocialCouncil in partnership with the Kick-it stop smokingservice. The organisations and their advisers are:

Women’s Association for African Networking andDevelopment (WAND)Naomi Muiguan 07813 485 607

Abbey CentreMohammed Mansour 020 7227 0644Mohammed.Mansour@theabbeycentre.org.uk

Marylebone Bangladesh SocietyShahper Hasan 020 7724 9746 or 07796 214 924

Chinese Information and Advice CentreMs Chau/Ms Campanella 020 7437 0112info@ciac.co.uk

If any of your users would like to receive stopsmoking advice please refer them to one of theadvisers listed above.

If your organisation is interestedin providing a stop smokingservice itself please contact usat the Social Council.

All organisations areprovided with accreditedtraining from the Kick-it stopsmoking service and a smallgrant towards the costs ofdelivering the advice.

The Social Council is involved in the development of the ‘Whole SystemsIntegrated Care for the Over 75s Early Adopter’.

This spring the Social Council participated in a familyfun day to promote community health and wellbeingservices available at the St Charles Centre for Healthand Wellbeing.

Over 400 people attended on Saturday 8 Marchand took part in activities included dancing, exerciseclasses, gardening lessons, arts and crafts, andhealthy eating advice for parents and children.

Dr Fiona Butler, Chair of West London ClinicalCommissioning Group, said,

“Many people were surprised to find that as wellas the health services that are provided at thecentre, there are also many voluntary servicesand activities that encourage general health andwellbeing including community gardens andallotments, an activity centre for older adults aswell as a gym and a restaurant.”

Following the events success, the St Charles Centreis replicating one of the most popular activities ofthe day – healthy eating sessions run in partnershipwith local community centres with a six-weeklySaturday Kitchen.

A follow up stakeholder eventattracted some 60 staff membersdrawn from services within the centreand current/potential partnerorganisations. They discussed howto turn St Charles into a catalyst forhealth and wellbeing amongst thelocal community.

H E A LT H

Family fun at St Charles’ Centre for Health and Wellbeing

Voluntary Sector Stop Smoking Project Launches

Mayor Councillor Williams and Doctor Butler pedling to make smoothies

More info: Angela Spence angela@kcsc.org.uk 020 7243 9803

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S P O T L I G H T

Notting Hill Carnival

People can always join Ebony Steel Band by contacting them on 07860 914 825or visit their website www.ebony.org.uk

Can you tell us a bit about the history of theEbony Steel Band and how long have youbeen going?Ebony steel band was started in 1965 by a fewfriends from Trinidad who wanted to carry on playingthe steel pan after leaving Trinidad and one of theguys Cape James got some pans and it all startedin his garden shed in Acton. There were just five ofthem when it started.

I joined a year later and others followed. We thenmoved to the Grenada centre in Acton because ofthe complaints of the neighbours and the fact thatthe band was growing and could no longer fit into agarden shed.

When did you first take part in the Carnival?In 1969 the band became known as Ebony steelband named after the black magazine Ebony andpartly because the name of my band back inTrinidad was Ebonite’s. That was the first year wetook part in the Notting Hill carnival. We played withmy friends Lawrence Noel’s Mas Band, the TrinbagoCarnival Club from East London.

What changes have you witnessed since then?Carnival back then was the good old days, bandscould go anywhere in Ladbroke Grove, any streetlike All Saints Road, Westbourne Park Road,Portobello, Golborne etc. We played pan on thestreets until midnight, there was no route andrestrictions like we have today.

Now everything about carnival has changed.There is a set circular route, ten times the amount ofpolice than we had back then and too manyrestrictions under the banner of health and safety.

Why is carnival such a popular, significant event?Carnival is a significant event for us, the people fromTrinidad and Brazil. It is the celebration of freedomof expression and enjoyment after years of slaveryand our parents and grandparents working for thewhite man on the plantations in the Caribbean.

Even today we still re-enact that tradition at thestart of carnival in Trinidad with what we call Jouvert,that is why carnival all over the world is such a large

event and more and more countries are havingcarnival. Freedom of expression in music, colourcostumes and dance and it is our heritage.

When do Ebony’s preparations forcarnival begin?From around April we have to learn a lot of newmusic from the new calypsos [soca music] thatcomes from Trinidad every year. In June we thenstart to prepare our tune for the National Panoramacompetition and that can take us up to threemonths.

Our costumes are prepared by people whobelong to the band but are not steel pan players,mainly the parents and friends of the band membersalthough in the past few years Ebony have notbrought out any costumes. We use designed Tshirts because we find it difficult to concentrate onthe music and control a mass band at the sametime, especially in the current economic climate.

What do Ebony do for the rest of the year?Ebony is a performing band. We perform all over theworld – Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, India etc.We have just recently travelled to Zimbabwe for theirCarnival and I have just returned from BerlinCarnival. We also perform at parades like the LordMayors Show and Pride. We play at funerals,weddings and parties etc. to raise funds to assist uswith all of our activities.

We run classes for different age groups at ourbuilding The Yaa Asantewa Centre. For adultbeginners, children, juniors and youth. We also havetutors in several schools around London and we runworkshops in schools and some colleges anduniversities.

After all these years do you still get excitedabout Carnival?Despite all the changes and restrictions over theyears I still love it and will travel all over the world tovisit and enjoy carnival. Trinidad, New York, Miami,Grenada, Berlin, Zimbabwe and Nigeria. But most ofall I love the sweet sound of the steel pan.

The Notting Hill Carnival is famous around the world. It is Europe’slargest street carnival and attracts participants from across the UK.Although Carnival can trace its origins to 1959, the year in which Claudia Jones organised thefirst event in St Pancras Town Hall, the first carnival on the streets of Notting Hill took place in 1964.50 years ago. We spoke to Pepe Francis, from the Ebony Steel Band about what Carnival means topeople locally and about how his organisation prepare to take part in the great procession each year.

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R B K C

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Council ward boundary changes

Abingdon Borwick• Gardner• Husband•Brompton and Hans Town Coleridge• Paget-Brown• Weale•Campden Ahern• Faulks• Freeman•Chelsea Riverside Berrill-Cox• Condon-Simmonds• Hargreaves•Colville Littler• Lomas• Press•Courtfield Coates• Marshall• Rutherford•Dalgarno Healy• Thompson•Earl’s Court Aouane• Spalding• Wade•Golborne Dent Coad• Mason• Powell•Holland Collinson• Feilding-Mellen• Lightfoot•Norland Lindsay• Mills•

Notting Dale Atkinson• Blakeman• Lasharie•Pembridge Campbell B• Campion•Queen’s Gate Mackover• Moylan• Palmer•Redcliffe Rossi• Nicholls• Williams•Royal Hospital Campbell E• Rinker• Will•St Helen’s Allison• Bakhtiar•Stanley Cockell• Pascall• Warrick•

The new map has 14 three-member wards and four two-member wards. The total number of electedlocal councillors has been cut from 54 to 50.

The new council is made up of 37 Conservatives, 12 Labour Party and 1 Liberal Democrat.

Council ward boundary changes came into effect in Kensington and Chelsea following the localelections in May. The borough map was redrawn to ensure an equal representation for eachconstituent and to take into consideration the continuity of distinct geographical areas.

Six people were recognised fortheir exceptional contribution tothe life of the Royal Borough atthe Mayor’s Awards. They werepresented with certificates at aspecial ceremony hosted by Mayor,Cllr Charles Williams on 4 June.

The award winners are(from left to right):

Jennifer Ware for her work in theinterests of the Earl’s Courtcommunity over many decades.Janice Watts for her work withthe Rugby Portobello Trust’sFootball Team.Stephen Duckworth for his work with the voluntarysector in North Kensington.Moya Denman for her work with the elderly throughEast Chelsea Community Contact, Sixty Plus, Age

Mayor’s Awards

Concern, New Horizons and Age UK K&C.Ian Henderson for his work for the residents of theSutton Estate.Abdallahi Nur for his work with the BarakaCommunity Association.

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What made you want to become a trustee?I had previously been involved with another charitybut it had undergone a change of direction and I nolonger felt as much a part of it. I am taking a careerbreak for my two young children and I felt that Icould get back into the charitable world. Inparticular, I wanted to find a way in which I couldalso maintain some of my skills from myprofessional life.

How has the Get On Board Project helped you?I really love my role as a trustee of the NorthKensington Law Centre, but I would not have found itwithout the Get on Board project. I saw an advert ina local magazine for a speed recruitment evening,which was very efficient and actually a rather fun wayof meeting a lot of charities that, importantly to me,were local.

What have been your proudest momentsso far as a trustee?Probably the feeling that we are indeed turning thetide for the Law Centre in this tough economicclimate. All Law Centres have faced a fight for survival,following cuts to Legal Aid. We have been working atdiversifying our income streams to replace the lostfunding and not be dependent on one funding pot.At the same time it is vital that we keep to our originalvalues and continue to give those in need accessto justice.

What advice would you give someone who isthinking of becoming a trustee?The most important thing is to make sure that yourskills and favourite issues match those of the charity.Then figure out what they will want from you as wellas what the role of a trustee actually means.

The three year governance project ‘Get on Board’ is coming toan end this October. So far this project jointly hosted by theSocial Council and Volunteer Centre Kensington and Chelsea hasrecruited and trained over 80 new trustees for local voluntary andcommunity organisations. We recently caught up with one of thosetrustees, Emma Watson, who joined the North Kensington LawCentre just over a year ago, to find out how she is getting along.

Get on board whilst you can!

Poverty Watch work to continue

R O U N D U P

We are pleased to announce our success insecuring funding to continue Poverty Watch, thelocal observatory which brings together voluntaryand community organisations to share evidence ofpoverty and its impact with statutory bodies.

Poverty Watch uses the evidence it collects toargue for and support pragmatic action on tacklingpoverty and inequality in the borough.

The new funding from the Trust for London willsupport a Poverty Watch Research and CampaignsOfficer for two years. This will allow us to conductfurther research to understand the impact of benefitchanges and the challenging economic climate on

local residents. This will include two in depthresearch projects (one per year) to be decided bymembers.

Poverty Watch will also act as a vehicle tocoordinate local action amongst its memberorganisations and we are also committed to workingour CVS partners in Hammersmith and Fulham andWestminster to extend the project across the tri-borough.

The next Poverty Watch Meeting will be onWednesday 25 June where we will discuss in moredetail the potential for Poverty Watch through thenewly acquired funding.

Supporting local engagement on policing and community safetyThe Social Council is supporting a new body thatwill act as the primary borough level mechanism forlocal engagement on policing and communitysafety.

Introduced by the Mayor of London’s Office for

Policing and Crime (MOPAC), the RBKC SaferNeighbourhood Board (SNB) has a number offunctions which includes establishing local policingand crime priorities as well as monitoring policeperformance and confidence.

More info: www.kcsc.org.uk/getonboard

More info: www.kcsc.org.uk/povertywatch

For more information on the Board, past papers, upcoming meetings,and latest developments, please visit: www.kcsc.org.uk/network-forum/snb

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UPCOMING EVENTS

DAT E S F O R YOUR D I A RY

COMING SOON ...

Breakfast briefing on Social ValueThe Social Value Act which came into force inJanuary 2013 requires public authorities such as thecouncil to consider the added social value asupplier offers when awarding a new public servicecontract.

In theory this new legislation should advantagevoluntary and community organisations whose workis invariably aimed at delivering social outcomes.

This breakfast session will be a chance forvoluntary and statutory sector colleagues andcouncillors to come together to:

• Define what Social Value is and how it could bemeasured

•Understand how Social Value is beingincorporated into contracts issued by the RoyalBorough of Kensington and Chelsea

Details will be advertised shortly on the Social Council website.

Trustee Recruitment Garden PartyWant to Get on Board and volunteeras a charity board member?Find out what being a trusteeinvolves and meet with charitieslooking to recruit you!Thursday 17 Julybetween 6pm - 8.30pm, drop inat any time – Ladbroke Grove

Why become a trustee?Local charities are looking for peoplejust like you to bring your expertise totheir board and help guide their organisationsinto the future. By providing your support, skillsand knowledge at one board meeting everysix weeks you could make a huge difference.

If you would like to attend the event please contactBrenda on 020 7243 9807 or brenda@kcsc.org.uk

Look out for further details on the Social Council website www.kcsc.org.uk/events 020 7243 9800

Health & Wellbeing Thursday 11 July 10am - 12:30pm Kensington Town Hall

Main VOF Thursday 11 September 10am - 12:30pm Kensington Town Hall

VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS FORUMS – dates for Summer 2014

BE PART OF THE NEW SOCIAL COUNCIL DIRECTORYOF VOLUNTARY AND COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONSAhead of the launch of our new Directory of Voluntary and Community Organisations thissummer we are undertaking a major overhaul of the data we hold on the KCSC database.

We are sending each organisation a secure web link where you can check theinformation we hold. We are asking you to verify these details and fill in any gaps.You must confirm if you want to be included in the new online directory.

If you haven’t received your email link yet please contact Kuldip Bajwa, Kuldip@kcsc.org.uk

COMING SOON ... Voluntary Sector Tourand Garden PartySeptember will see the returnof our popular voluntarysector tours and garden party.

A Social Council voluntarysector tour give you a chanceto witness, at first hand, thework and diverse servicesoffered by local organisationsin the community.

The tours are particularlyuseful for people who are

new to the sector. Staff volunteers, councillors,commissioners and statutory officers areall welcome.

The September tour will be followed by our endof summer garden party. A chance to relax andunwind and get to know colleagues from the localvoluntary sector in an informal setting.

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