BIG SOCIETY OR SMALL SOCIETY? Since the VYS conference a few weeks ago there has been much debate in the media about ‘The Big Society’, especially with regard to the chances of the idea developing further in the light of the public sector cutbacks. Of course, many people say, quite rightly, that ‘The Big Society’ is not a new idea in that voluntary work and the active involvement by local people in tackling issues that lead to an improved society has been going on for many years - and has been a rich and important part of British Culture for a long time.

The VYS conference was very well attended and the general feeling seemed to be very positive towards the idea of the voluntary sector being given more opportunities to play an even bigger part in the development of the big society idea (see the Conference Report on the VYS website). Conference recognised that to do this, the sector may well have to accept that public funding may be harder to come by and that we will have to be more entrepreneurial and innovative about where we access funds in the future. However, the message from conference was very clear: some form of public funding will still be needed and that this should be seen as an investment in the services that the sector provides.

CONTENTS

Devon/Regional News

Events

Training Courses

Publications and Resources

Grants / Awards / Competitions

National News & Information

The voluntary youth sector in Devon provides a huge return on the investment made on it: the return is that the sector engages with approximately 31,000 young people. This initial investment of public funds also enables many organisations to access huge amounts of additional resource, running into millions of pounds, and more importantly, the hard work and goodwill of approximately 5,000 volunteers.

It is also an investment to encourage more and more people (which is a fundamental theme of Mr. Cameron’s Big Society) to contribute to a sector that is underpinned by the values and characteristics of: selflessness; generosity; integrity; care and compassion and commitment and dedication - to name but a few.

THE NEWSLETTER FOR ALL THOSE INVOLVED IN YOUTH WORK IN DEVON AND PRODUCED BY VOLUNTARY YOUTH SERVICES

Issue 2 – FEBRUARY 2011

VYS, YFC Centre, Retail Park Close, Marsh Barton Road, Exeter EX2 8LG

Tel / Fax: 01392 250976 E-mail: admin@vysdevon.org.uk

Registered Charity No. 1054442

www.vysdevon.org.uk

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This is in stark contrast to other parts of our society (the banking sector, for example), which has been prominently displayed in the media as being founded upon values and characteristics such as greed, recklessness, duplicity and personal financial gain at all costs – it is also an industry that has had to be extensively supported (or ‘bailed out’ as some might put it) by public funding (which is considerably greater than the levels of public funding that is invested in the voluntary sector) over the past few years as a result of such greed and recklessness. It was clear at the VYS conference and in the debate in the media afterwards, that the Big Society idea will not materialize or develop if voluntary organisations have public investment withdrawn or reduced significantly. Already, there are reported cases of many organisations saying that they will have to reduce or withdraw (and not expand as the government hopes) services as a result of reduced or withdrawn funding. Therefore, if this continues, there is the very real danger that the Big Society will become the Small Society as the voluntary (and the public sector) contracts.

VYS UNDER THREAT OF 100% CUTBACK IN LOCAL AUTHORITY FUNDING At the time of writing this, I have learned that the Local Authority Youth Service is proposing to cut the full time manager post, which it has seconded to VYS for many years as part of its responsibility to support the voluntary youth sector, as part of the public sector budget reductions required by the Government. VYS have not been involved in any consultation regarding this proposal. Neither have we been informed of its justification or been given the opportunity to have any discussions with the Local Authority about the future implications with regard to our work supporting and expanding the voluntary sector - and our relationship with the Local Authority. Neither have we been given any clear information to date about the future of our Service Level Agreement with the Local Authority, and the funding that goes with it, despite repeated requests over the past few weeks. Therefore, VYS is potentially facing a 100% cut in its funding from the Local Authority, which if this turns out to be the case will be in stark contrast to the Council’s decision to halve its proposed initial cut of 23% to other voluntary sector organisations (outside of the youth sector) in Devon. In making this decision Councillor Andrew Leadbetter, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Workforce, Performance and Communications, said: “With reductions in national funding we face making savings of £54.6 million in the coming financial year, and no area of the Council’s expenditure can be immune from cuts. However, we recognise the importance of the valuable work the voluntary and community sector carries out across Devon, and have listened to their concerns about the impact of funding cuts on our communities, particularly during this challenging economic climate. In recognition of this we have agreed plans to increase the draft budget by £80,000 and will continue to work with our partners to develop a more sustainable approach to maintaining these services in the future. The sector will need to make efficiencies like everyone else, and we will work hard with these organisations over the coming year to help them achieve sustainable, workable and measured savings that will stand the test of time.” This approach seems to be fair and reasonable at a difficult time for all and it shows that the Council is prepared to work in a supportive, collaborative and consultative way with voluntary organisations not directly involved with working with young people. We very much hope that VYS, the young people of Devon and those who work with and for them voluntarily will be treated, at the very least, in a similar way to this. If not, and if a budget

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reduction of 100% goes ahead, VYS will face great difficulties in offering the support and the services it has provided the voluntary youth sector in Devon for many years. The VYS executive will consider the situation shortly when, hopefully, we will have received more up to date information from the Local Authority, which we have been asking for over past few weeks. I will keep you updated of the position in the next edition of Youth News.

Paul Allan, Chair

DEVON NEWS

JOB VACANCIES - Visit the VYS website which is updated with new vacancies on a regular basis – see http://www.vysdevon.org.uk/page/jobs

DCC Funding for the Voluntary Sector - Devon County Council’s Cabinet has agreed to halve its proposed spending cuts to the Citizens Advice Bureau and other voluntary services. Original proposals for next year outlined an average 23% reduction in funding, which would have seen the budget reduced by approximately £160,000. Now councillors have agreed to increase the draft budget by £80,000. The Citizens Advice Bureau and the Council for Voluntary Services will each receive £40,000 of this additional funding. (See Paul Allan’s article above)

Heatree Activity Centre - A fantastic Dartmoor location for a youth residential or activity days. Heatree offers a wide variety of adventurous activities both on the 80 acre site and the surrounding area. These include kayaking, climbing, high ropes, archery and many more. All are run by skilled and experienced staff. The site also has a large playing field, indoor sports barn and camp fire sites. Accommodation is in modern, en-suite bedrooms and sleeps up to 150 people in three wings. Each wing can be separated and used independently providing for small groups from 20 people upwards. Facilities include indoor games such as pool, table tennis and table football. Catering can be provided by its resident chef or you can just use the well appointed kitchen facilities. All this from a safe and secure location on the edge of the Dartmoor National Park. Prices from £36 per head for 2 nights. Youth leaders go free. Activity day visits from £10 are also available for groups. For more information contact Jon Evans, Centre Manager, on 01647 221307 email j.evans@heatree.com or see www.heatree.com Mapping the Cuts - it is absolutely vital that the impact of public sector funding cuts is publicised and understood. If your statutory funding is going to be cut or reduced please add your organisation to the new website that is tracking cuts across the country. There is a very simple form to complete -you will be asked for your organisation name, the amount of the cut, what the impact of the cut will be, the source of the funding, your charity number (if applicable) and whether you would be willing to be contacted again. You stick a pin on the map to show where you are. Visit www.voluntarysectorcuts.org.uk now and tell your story. North Devon Voluntary Services (NDVS) is offering free support to Voluntary and Community groups in North Devon through the Facing the Future project, funded by Leader 4. No voluntary or community group is too large or small to benefit from this service. NDVS can go through an organisational checklist with you to highlight your areas of expertise and identify possible training opportunities. They can then help with funding

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to meet some of those training needs either by helping with the cost of a local training, a bursary or maybe bespoke training. For details contact Lyn Winter CVS Development and Volunteer Support Worker 01271 866300 or lyn@ndvs.org.uk Safeguarding article from Devon County Councillor Andrea Davis on the LGA website: http://www.lga.gov.uk/lga/core/page.do?pageId=16492513 Somewhere to Talk - Someone to Listen - Clubs for Young People and Young Devon have published this report which shows that youth clubs can help reduce young people's chances of developing mental problems. The literature review found that youth clubs are "well positioned to support young people's emotional wellbeing by offering a wide range of activities and facilities". http://www.clubsforyoungpeople.org.uk/core/core_picker/download.asp?id=55 The Ivy Project has been working in Exeter for 11 years, supporting young people, aged 12 to 25 years old, from disadvantaged backgrounds to develop the skills they need to take more control over their lives, find jobs and contribute to their communities through volunteering. Dan Smith, General Manager, says that “It is with great regret that we are announcing that The Ivy Project is now planning to close following a series of cuts to youth programmes and contracts that we deliver. Although the charity raised much of its income privately we depend on some income from central government and local councils to offer financial stability to our organisation. In practical terms this means we are no longer accepting referrals and are actively seeking other agencies that can offer services to young people with additional support needs. The young people we work with are active volunteers in a range of settings but many require additional support to be able to contribute to their communities. The Ivy Project believes that by offering a helping hand before a young person's life is in crisis the individual and our communities benefit in the long term. Many of the young people we support are from disadvantaged backgrounds and are facing real challenges in an already difficult time. Now that our services are being withdrawn from Exeter we believe that the net effect will be more young people remaining unemployed for long periods, more young people becoming dependant on mental health services, fewer young people remaining in school or taking up further education, more young people involved in anti-social behaviour and crime, more young people developing issues with drugs and alcohol. The saying 'prevention is better than cure' is particularly true of young people, who are our future. While staff and trustees are planning the closure of the charity, every effort is being made to secure a future for this important work”. Transition Fund - The first payments from the government’s £100m Transition Fund that will provide vital support to charities have been announced with a total of £1.7million being awarded to 18 organisations including in Devon Living Options (£89,454)and Headway (£50,000) in Devon. University of Exeter - Invitation to participate in a survey about a new MA Applied Childhood and Youth Studies Programme. People are being asked to complete a questionnaire about a new Masters programme that they are intending to develop at the University of Exeter. This programme would be an MA in Applied Childhood and Youth Studies. The course would be for professionals and practitioners who are currently employed, or work in areas related to, children's or young people's services with the distinct purpose of enhancing professional development and work-based research and reflection. They are seeking views on how they could best develop this programme to suit employer needs and demands. The questionnaire asks a series of fixed-response style

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questions and will take no longer than ten minutes to complete. All of the information that you provide will be treated in the strictest of confidence. Access to this data will be restricted to the course development team and it will only be used for the purposes of developing this programme. If you have any questions contact the course development team: A.J.Allan@exeter.ac.uk (01392 722881). Deadline for completing the questionnaire is 28th February. http://elac.exeter.ac.uk/limesurvey/index.php?sid=87113&lang=en

EVENTS

3rd March HIV and Sexual Health – A free one-day course in Buckfastleigh from the Eddystone Trust introducing workers to sexual health issues, including examining the holistic model, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, preventing STI’s and legislation around working with sex and relationships issues. A good introduction or refresher for all workers. See http://www.eddystone.org.uk/pages/hiv/eddystonetraining2010.php 3rd and 17th March Understanding and Evidencing your Impact - The two workshops will be hosted in Exeter and cost £40 for the two with £20 being returned on attendance at both. The aim will be to ensure a clear understanding of the process and for each organisation to set up their own plan of action to begin to measure their impact. There will be work prior to the workshops and between sessions as well as optional follow up support. Contact Julia Dinsdale 01392 202055 email julia.dinsdale@exetercvs.org.uk or http://www.devonconsortium.net/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=65&cntnt01returnid=56 4th March Communities ...in the South West Event - A consultation and engagement event from South West Forum for South West voluntary and community organisations looking at the implications of the changes proposed in Healthy Lives, Healthy People, the Public Health White Paper. How will the Public Health White Paper affect your work? What opportunities does it present? It is in Bristol so if distance is a problem there is a small fund to help with eg cost of overnight accommodation. They are looking to attract a wide range of organisations so not just ‘health’ ones – public health is a very broad area and may provide a useful new funding opportunity if the proposals in the white paper go through. http://www.southwestforum.org.uk/healthy-communities-south-west-event-bristol 9th March Roles and Responsibilities of Trustees - No charity or voluntary organisation can operate without its Trustees. Learn how to develop clear relationships with your governing body at this workshop being held in Exeter. For details see http://www.dacvs.org.uk/trustees.html or ring 01392 202057 10th March Drugs, Alcohol and Sexual Health – A one-day course in Buckfastleigh from the Eddystone Trust to provide skills, knowledge and understanding of the link between drug and alcohol use and their impact on sexual health and relationships. Participants on this course need to have attended a basic Sexual Health course. For details contact training@eddystone.org.uk or www.eddystone.org.uk 10th March Health and Safety in the Workplace for those working in a youth work setting Level 2 training to be held at Bishops Hull House, Taunton. Places on this course, subsidised by Progress, are limited to ensure that the training day is an effective one. Cost is £20. For groups of ten or more staff, it can run as in-house training. The

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funding expires on 31 March 2011 so contact Jane soon to arrange your training. For more information and to book your place contact jane_shipton@learning-southwest.org.uk or see http://www.vysdevon.org.uk/uploads/documents/hs_training_march2011.pdf

10th March Governance & Creative Intelligence Masterclass from Cascade Training is for trustees and senior managers, who are responsible for creative business thinking at Board level. In the current economic climate, many organisations are re-assessing opportunities and threats and this workshop will help delegates to understand how important it is for survival to be flexible and creative. It will focus on how to harness and use ‘creative intelligence’ at board level and explore how to deal with change processes, including how to overcome the potential barriers to change. It is being held in Yeovil. See www.cascadetrainingplus.co.uk

15th March Making Sense: A Practical Discussion to Improve the Ways Government and the Voluntary Sector Work Together – a FREE event from Compact Voice being held in Bristol that will provide an opportunity to hear government ministers, representatives from the Local Government Ombudsman and voluntary and community sector leaders present their perspectives on key policies including: Commissioning; Procurement; Localism; and Big Society. You can also participate in discussions about issues directly relevant to you and engage with a panel of experts from across the sector. For details and booking go to http://compactvoicebristolevent.eventbrite.com 19th March Analogue to Digital Music Expo hosted by Sound Gallery Studios in Exeter. This event is the show where musicians, DJ’s and recording enthusiasts can try out the latest technology in music production and recording, talk to music industry experts, attend a music industry panel with John Leckie (producer: Radiohead, MUSE, The Coral, Stone Roses) and win software and hardware worth £5,000 in the legendary prize draw competition! With over 800 attendees and 20 major music technology companies, this event is dedicated to a whole day of workshops, hands-on demos, new product releases and live performances focusing on digital recording and production, guitar and bass technology, drums and soft synths, Q&A’s with 'Sound on Sound' and masterclasses. Entry: £6/£5 (students/adv). See www.analogue-to-digital.com or ring 01392 495 301.

25/27th March Dance Fever is a dance training weekend being run by SWYM (South West Youth Ministries) for groups of girls together with a leader. Call 01392 273560 or e-mail camps@swym.org.uk For details of other camps see http://swym.org.uk/swymcamps/ 28th March (5.30-9.30pm) Faith in the Future - Devon Faith and Belief Forum has been involved in an exciting project for the past year which has involved working with 21 young people from 8 faiths and beliefs. These young people have met together to do fun activities, to learn about each other and to practise giving presentations about their lives and beliefs. For the past few weeks they have been individually filmed and a DVD is now being produced that will be sent to every school in Devon. The launch of this DVD is taking place at this event hosted by Torbay Inter Faith Forum being held in Paignton that will showcase inspirational youth projects. There is a free supper so you need to book a place. For details contact Clare Mortimore on clarmort@hotmail.com or 01364 643209. 5th April Full Cost Recovery: from theory to practice – a training event from Cascade Training to be held in Exeter. This course is designed principally for non-accountants in the Voluntary & Community Sector with limited, if any, knowledge of FCR. It should enable participants to grasp the underlying theory of the FCR process and apply it to their

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organisations in a practical way, with particular reference to the preparation of funding bids. For details contact Lauren on 07854208369 or see www.cascadetrainingplus.co.uk 7th April Get Into Social Networking: An easy way to maximise your online PR for free! Is a training event from Cascade Training that is being held in Yeovil. The last couple of years have seen an explosion in social networking sites like Twitter and Linkedin. If you’re not sure how to use them or how they could benefit your organisation, this workshop is for you! It will be covering which sites are the best ones to use, how to get support for your cause from them, and how to update your profile and other information, without spending too much time doing it! This workshop is a beginner’s guide to social networking so if you’ve been putting off investigating this increasingly popular method of increasing your online presence, come along and find out more! . For details contact Lauren on 07854 208369 or see www.cascadetrainingplus.co.uk

TRAINING Accredited Youth Work Training from FMP as part of the Progress Project. Your organisation can apply for this FREE training for your employees and volunteers in the following areas:

♦ Level 2 award in youth work practice

♦ Level 2 award in mentoring for Young People

♦ Level 3 award in working with vulnerable young people (specialising in NEET or ASB) Delivery can take place at any point through 2011 with up to 15 volunteers or staff being eligible for each course, but this is a time-limited offer and all registrations and training induction must be completed by the end of March to receive this training at no cost. Flexibility is guaranteed and FMP can accommodate training over days, evenings or weekends. For more information contact FPM on 0116 2495000 email info@fpmonline.co.uk or see http://www.fpmonline.co.uk/SERVICES/Specialist-training-and-development/Progress.aspx

Benefits Update and 21st Century Welfare Reform - Devon Welfare Rights Unit are providing a half-day benefit update course followed by a half-day discussion forum on 21st Century Welfare Reform/ Universal Credit, designed to ensure you are aware of the already confirmed benefit changes and to give you the opportunity to consider the government white paper ‘Universal Credit’. For further information contact Judy Francis: 01392 223827 or see http://www.dwru.org/benefitsupdate.html Equality Act 2010 - Half Day seminars across the South West - In preparation for the introduction of the new Single Public Equality Duty this April, Equality South West is organising eight half-day seminars across the South West on implementing the 2010 Equality Act. Each seminar run from 10.00 to 13.00 when there will be a networking lunch. For dates and venues contact Moira Anderson on 01823 250834 or email Moira.anderson@equalitysouthwest.org.uk or

http://www.devonconsortium.net/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=66&cntnt01returnid=56 Facing the Future -TTVS, in partnership with North Devon Voluntary Services (NDVS), has secured a grant from Leader 4 to provide a programme of low cost training and support to local voluntary and community organisations. Funded until April 2012, the project aims to help the local sector manage issues emerging from a challenging strategic and economic climate and to develop the skills of local volunteers, trustees and charity employees. http://www.vysdevon.org.uk/uploads/documents/facing_the_future_feb11.doc

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Free accredited training under the "Progress" workforce development programme for the voluntary and community sector. Peninsula Training intend to offer a package of units related to the youth sector and linked to a workshop programme to ensure learners gain the maximum benefit from the provision. Learners can either select one unit, two units or more or the whole package of units, the more units learners take the more units they will be able to use against national qualifications in youth support work and supporting children and young people. The units are:

♦ Contribute to the development of Children and Young People

♦ Understand partnership working in services for Children and Young People

♦ Contribute to Children and Young People’s Health and Safety

♦ Support the provision of Information, Advice and Guidance

♦ Development of positive relationships with Children and Young People and others involved in their care

♦ Provide information and advice to Young People

♦ Portfolio Building Learners will be supported to achieve the unit/units through attendance at 1/2 day workshops related to the unit/units and have access to an experienced qualified assessor to help them achieve their selected units. There will be induction sessions on 23rd March in Exeter, Torbay and Plymouth for any interested learners to come along and find out more and provide an opportunity to sign up for the programme. The workshops will be delivered in Torbay and Exeter or Plymouth depending on the location of the majority of learners and will take place from the end of March through April and May. Assessment support will take place in the learners workplace setting. The deadline for initial enquiries is the 4th March so if you are interested contact John Walker on 01803 522174 / 07966 423490 or email peninsulatdc@aol.com How can your organisation improve its skills? The Progress project is helping to change that … Progress is a project delivered by NCVYS to help enhance the skills of those working with young people in the voluntary and community sector. The project, funded by the CWDC and run through a network of regional and national partners, offers accredited training at a subsidised rate until 30th March. Volunteers and paid staff in the voluntary and community sector can choose from a range of units at Level 2 and Level 3 which have been accredited by the QCF. Volunteers and paid staff can get started by using the self assessment tool to identify areas of their learning which need to be developed. They can then consult the training directory to find full details of trainers in their local area as well as information provided by a network of training delivery agents. http://www.ncvys.org.uk/blogs.php?act=view_topic&id=205 Sharing Open University Resources to develop young people’s skills - The Open University in the South West is collaborating with the regional voluntary sector network to develop vocational Open Educational Resources (OERs) for the voluntary sector. The project particularly wants to support people to develop skill for leading and managing in the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector, for which they use the shorthand Trustee development. One of the sectors they want to work with is organisations working with young people. Volunteer co-ordinators, participation workers, trainers and advisers are key to engaging, motivating and supporting young people to become the trustees of tomorrow. They are especially welcome to use the free OpenLearn web-based materials for their own development and to complement the training resources they already use with young people. See http://www.open.ac.uk/openlearn/ and for more information see http://www.vysdevon.org.uk/page/training_overview

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Subsidised Fairbridge Training – they are delivering three accredited training programmes to enhance and develop the skills of practitioners at a subsidised rate of £10 +VAT per participant (for groups of over 15), they are:

♦ Difficult behaviour: understanding and developing young people’s behaviour

♦ Facilitation, participation and group dynamics

♦ Relationship building with young people This programme is part of the Progress project in partnership with NCVYS. For further details contact: Pippa Adamson on 0117 9657603 pippaadamson@red‐kite.net or see http://www.fairbridgetraining.co.uk/

PUBLICATIONS AND RESOURCES

Acronyms - Are you unsure what a certain acronym or term means? If so have a look at this glossary relevant to the voluntary sector www.ladder4learning.org.uk/glossary/ BT Community Web Kit – BT has relaunched this scheme for charities and not-for-profit community groups. It provides free website hosting, a free address, a choice of layouts and designs and a step-by-step guide. See http://www.btck.co.uk/

Equality Act Starter Kit is an online resource that has been created by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, with nine "bite-size" learning modules that set out the essential points of the legislation. Each downloadable module should take less than 10 minutes to complete. http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/advice-and-guidance/new-equality-act-guidance/equality-act-starter-kit/

Getting on Brilliantly: Recipes for Successful Meetings – this guide can be downloaded free http://www.gettingonbrilliantly.co.uk/Publication.html IT4Communities is a registered charity that offers FREE IT consultants and IT help to charities, community groups and social enterprises. They will help define your IT needs and put your projects onto their website for volunteers to apply for. On average organisations get £3,000 worth of support from volunteers. Volunteers can help with databases, websites, networking computers, strategic advice, training and maintaining computers. See www.it4communities.org.uk

Next steps: Monitoring and evaluation on a shoestring is a new guide from Charities Evaluation Services "for third sector organisations that need to be able to show the difference they make, and improve their performance". This practical guide is for organisations who want to develop their monitoring and evaluation without breaking the budget. Offering a simple but systematic approach, the guide is designed to be used by charities with limited budgets who want to improve their effectiveness and demonstrate the difference they make to people’s lives. http://www.ces-vol.org.uk/index.cfm?pg=763.

Recruiting Volunteers - Updated in 2006 and 2010, this guide is for anyone who has to find volunteers for their organisation. Drawing on their extensive experience of working and training in this area, the authors underline the importance of starting from a clear strategy and recruiting regularly. The book includes practical advice and creative ideas. See http://www.dsc.org.uk/Publications/

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Safe Network Standards: Core standards and guidance for the voluntary and community sector for keeping children and young people safe are a set of national core standards, designed to help non-statutory organisations put in place clear safeguarding arrangements for children and young people. They will cover four essential safeguarding areas:

• safer staff and volunteers – recruitment, induction and supervision • child protection • preventing and responding to bullying • avoiding accidents and running safe activities and events.

By registering on the Safe Network website, you will also be able to access an interactive self-assessment tool that will cover all the elements of each standard and help you determine where your organisation is strong and where it needs to improve its safeguarding practice. http://www.safenetwork.org.uk/resources/safe_network_standards/Pages/safe_network_standards.aspx Small Charities Coalition (SCC) exists to help small charities access the skills, experience and resources they need to achieve their aims. This is done by matching small charities to individuals and/or organisations that can meet those needs. A popular way they do this is through their skills sharing / mentoring scheme whereby small charities can get matched to a fellow small charity or individual from a larger organisation to help them around a certain need. The SCC is about helping small charities to help themselves, and enable them to have access to the considerable expertise of their larger counterparts in the charitable sector or those from other sectors. It's free to join if you are a charitable organisation with an income of less than £1m and you are prepared to share your charity's skills, experience and knowledge with other fellow small charities and engage with the Coalition on issues important to the small charity sector. See www.smallcharities.org.uk. Snippets – the February edition of NCVYS’s workforce development e-bulletin is available to download from http://www.ncvys.org.uk/Workforce.html Volunteering Impact Assessment Toolkit - A practical guide for assessing the difference that volunteering makes, it is designed for any size of volunteer involving organisation, in any sector, and will enable you to measure the impact of volunteering on your volunteers, your organisation, your direct beneficiaries and the wider community. See http://www.volunteering.org.uk/resources/VIAT/Volunteering+Impact+Assessment+Toolkit Writing a Health and Safety Policy - Did you know that it is a legal requirement to have and operate a Health and Safety Policy if you employ more than five people? Ladder4learning have put together a useful briefing sheet which includes links to useful policies to download to get you started. See: http://tinyurl.com/4gezpxj

GRANTS/AWARDS/COMPETITIONS

B&Q - Waste Donation Scheme – this scheme is operated through all UK stores. It donates unsaleable products and waste materials for re-use such as: slightly damaged tins of paint, off-cuts of timber, odd rolls of wallpaper, and end of range materials. Charities and community groups may apply for donated products that will benefit the local community and the environment. See http://www.diy.com/wastedonation

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BBC Children in Need are inviting not-for-profit organisations working with disadvantaged children and young people 18 years and under to apply for grants. It will only fund projects that focus on the differences made (outcomes) to the lives of disadvantaged children and young people. Grants can be used to cover both, capital and revenue costs and you can see examples of who has been funded in Devon recently on the website. The deadline for applications is the 15th April. http://www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey/grants/general_grants.shtml Devon Community Fund - A new £2.4 fund has been announced so that councillors can champion their local communities and provide start-up money for projects across the county. The fund will be controlled by individual councillors who will each have £25,000 for building projects and £15,000 to support revenue costs and councillors in neighbouring areas will be able to combine their money for larger-scale projects. The best advice to anyone interested is to approach their County Councillor directly with a case for their project including evidence of strategic and local need, outline costings, key benefits, and how it could meet objectives of community/voluntary provision of local services. Ernest Cook Trust (UK) - Registered charities, schools and not-for-profit wishing to encourage young people's interest either in the countryside and the environment, the arts or aiming to raise levels of literacy and numeracy can apply for funding to the Ernest Cook Trust (ECT). The Trust operates two grant making programmes:

♦ The small grants programme (under £4,000) supports small charities which would like to undertake projects which meet the Trust's objectives and require a small amount of pump-priming in order for such projects to take place.

♦ The large grants programme (over £4,000) is aimed at more comprehensive education programmes.

Grants awarded range from supporting children’s literacy and numeracy to helping to keep the ancient craft of coppicing alive by supporting. Grants are normally awarded for one year only. http://www.ernestcooktrust.org.uk/grants/index.html Heritage Lottery Fund Young Roots - this grants programme designed to engage young people aged 13-25 with their heritage is currently undersubscribed. Young Roots projects stem directly from the interest and ideas of young people, who are supported by youth and heritage organisations to develop skills, build confidence, and connect with their local communities. Programme budget is £3000 to £25,000. To find out more see www.hlf.org.uk/HowToApply/programmes/Pages/youngroots.aspx Sportsmatch - Sport England’s Chair, Richard Lewis, is urging grassroots sports clubs to examine how they could benefit from the Sportsmatch programme, which has been re-launched for 2011-12. Sportsmatch brings additional funding to not-for-profit organisations that have secured sponsorship to deliver new projects to get people playing and enjoying sport. Grants from £1,000 up to £100,000 are available to match sponsorship from the commercial sector, private individuals or charitable trusts. http://www.sportengland.org/funding/sportsmatch.aspx West Devon Borough Council Sports Grants - The aim of these grants is to improve opportunities for participation in sport and physical activity for all communities across West Devon. Funding can go towards equipment, training etc. The application form is simple and the Sports Development Officer will help you complete it and offer assistance in accessing wider funding programmes that are available nationally. Contact Hannah Colston on 01822 813628 for details or see www.westdevon.gov.uk/sports

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NATIONAL NEWS AND VIEWS A way ahead for the Big Society Bank and young people - NCVYS has published this paper which has been written by the ‘Unclaimed Assets' group. It sets out how the Big Society Bank, and social investment, can benefit young people. http://ncvys.org.uk/UserFiles/A%20way%20ahead%20for%20the%20Big%20Society%20Bank%20and%20young%20people%20-%20February%202011.pdf Big Society - David Cameron has set out the Government's vision and commitment to the Big Society. He described the Government's deficit-reduction programme as his "duty" whereas the Big Society was his "absolute passion" and his mission in politics. He said Britain needed people to take more responsibility and that government action could only ever be part of the answer to solving society's problems - and he wanted to make it easier for people to volunteer. Cameron paid tribute to the important work of the UK Youth Parliament in engaging young people in their communities. http://www.number10.gov.uk/news/topstorynews/2011/02/pm-sets-out-commitment-to-big-society-60525 Big Society Deregulation Taskforce - The final report of the Big Society Deregulation Taskforce, chaired by Lord Hodgson, will be delayed because it has been inundated with examples of regulation that makes life difficult for charities. The report had originally been due to be published in April. Call for Evidence on Commercialisation and Sexualisation of Childhood - Reg Bailey, Chief Executive of the Mothers' Union, is carrying out an independent review to address parents' concerns about the pressures on children to grow up too quickly. He is keen to hear the views of parents, industry, and anyone who works with children and young people or has an interest in this area. Deadline for submissions is 18th March. http://www.education.gov.uk/consultations/ Childhood Abuse - Almost one-fifth of 11 to 17-year-olds across the UK have been severely abused or neglected in childhood, findings released by the NSPCC reveal. According to the NSPCC's chief executive, Andrew Flanagan, the survey raises concerns that the "vast majority" of abused children are not getting enough help from statutory services or community support networks. He said earlier intervention in child protection was needed and that social workers, teachers and other relevant professionals must work together to identify possible signs of abuse and neglect and help prevent long-term harm. http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2011/02/15/116275/nspcc-finds-one-in-five-11-to-17-year-olds-have-been-abused.htm Civic Commons: a model for social action is a study by the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) which has revealed that people are willing to contribute to their communities but need the right opportunities. It found that people were not given the chance to use their skills, knowledge and ideas to participate in social action, and that creating these opportunities could save public spending, encourage innovative approaches to social problems and promote participation in the Big Society. http://www.thersa.org/projects/citizen-power/civic-commons Commission for Rural Communities has published a State of the countryside update focusing on Market towns. http://www.wired-gov.net/wg/wg-news-1.nsf/lfi/DNWA-8DQKYZ

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Consultation on anti-social behaviour responses - A public consultation proposes a number of new measures to better protect communities from the serious harm caused by criminal and antisocial behaviour. Deadline is 3rd May. http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/media-centre/press-releases/asb-approach Consultation on the Heritage Lottery Fund - a consultation has been launched on how it should spend its money between 2013 and 2019 after it was given an increase in funding, its share of lottery funding will rise to 18% from 16.66% from April this year and rising to 20% in 2012. A statement from the HLF said it wanted people to use the consultation to consider what its priorities should be, what it should continue doing and what it should do differently. The consultation runs until 26th April. http://www.hlf.org.uk/aboutus/whatwedo/Pages/Consultationonourstrategicframeworkfor20132019.aspx Consultation on the Localism Bill - The Department for Communities and Local Government has launched consultations for two areas of the Localism Bill that will be very relevant to the community and voluntary sector: the Community Right to Buy and the Community Right to Challenge. Deadline for both consultations is 3rd May. See http://www.communities.gov.uk/newsstories/localgovernment/1836551 Drivers of Change - In partnership with NCVO Third Sector Foresight, NCVYS has been conducting research into the drivers (trends and forces) that could impact on the voluntary and community youth sector over the next 5-10 years. Drivers on marginalised young people, the relationship between youth organisations and government, the role of young people in society, young people's health and well-being and youth unemployment have been published. See http://www.3s4.org.uk/drivers/categories/youth-organisations Fairbridge and The Prince’s Trust are to merge from 1st April. The combined organisation will be called The Prince’s Trust and the two charities say that the merger will cut costs and help provide more funding to support disadvantaged and unemployed young people. Inquiry in Big Society - The Public Administration Select Committee will carry out an inquiry into the big society to find out what it means and asses its potential effects on society and the voluntary sector. The inquiry was announced by its chair, Bernard Jenkin MP. He said that "Everyone seems to agree that empowering communities, opening up public services and encouraging social action are good things, but what does this mean government and local government should be doing? This is a huge challenge against the background of sharp reductions in state spending and state support for the voluntary sector." A spokesman for the PASC said it was hoping to receive evidence from charities and people who felt they would be affected by the big society. He said the committee wanted to hear evidence on a definition of the big society; governance and accountability issues arising from the voluntary sector delivering more public services; and the role of local authorities in the transfer of power from Whitehall to communities. Responses to the inquiry have to be submitted by 18th March. http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/public-administration-select-committee/news/big-society-iq/ Inquiry into Services for Young People -The second evidence session of the Education Select Committee inquiry into Services for Young People took place on 9th February

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when the committee heard oral evidence from Susanne Rauprich, Chief Executive of NCVYS, Fiona Blacke, Chief Executive of the National Youth Agency, Charlotte Hill, Chief Executive of UK Youth and Liam Preston, Young Chair of the British Youth Council. http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmselect/cmeduc/uc744-i/uc74401.htm The Committee has published the written evidence submitted to the inquiry. This includes evidence from Devon Youth Service and Simon Gillard, an area youth worker with DYS. www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmselect/cmeduc/writev/744/contents.htm Intervening to improve outcomes for vulnerable young people: a review of the evidence is a review document from the Department for Education. The review sought to identify the common barriers to the effective implementation of new initiatives and elements of effective practice in the delivery of multi-agency services for vulnerable young people and their families. It also looked at the costs associated with integrated service delivery, the outcomes that can be achieved and whether fewer and more targeted initiatives might offer better value for money. http://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/DFE-RR078.pdf Munro Review of Child Protection: Interim report - The child's journey This report refers to the child’s journey from needing to receiving effective protection from abuse and neglect. Professor Munro signals a new approach in this report on child protection which focuses on helping children, rather than on the regulations, inspections and procedures that have thrown the system out of balance. The report highlights the importance of having multi-agency services based in the community to help keep children safe and support their wellbeing, identify the children and families most in need and give them help as early as possible. http://www.education.gov.uk/inthenews/pressnotices/a0074007/professor-munro-child-protection-must-focus-on-the-child-not-on-rules-and-targets No Health Without Mental Health Strategy – this new government strategy includes an investment of £400m to expand access to evidence-based psychological therapies. There will be a new emphasis on early intervention and prevention which will help tackle the underlying causes of mental ill-health, statistics that show half of those with mental health problems first experience symptoms before the age of 14. http://www.cypnow.co.uk/bulletins/Daily-Bulletin/news/1052782/?DCMP=EMC-DailyBulletin

Prince’s Trust to work in partnership with Jobcentre Plus to signpost jobseekers to volunteering as part of a new government partnership. This will see the charity and other local voluntary organisations signpost jobseekers to volunteering and training opportunities in their area. Prince's Trust advisers and local volunteering centres will start to appear in Jobcentres in the next few weeks, with a national rollout from April where possible. The new initiative will particularly benefit young people as they will be able to get more support to help them into jobs, education and training. http://www.dwp.gov.uk/newsroom/press-releases/2011/feb-2011/dwp016-11.shtml Red Tape - Lord Hodgson, the chair of a government taskforce set up to cut red tape in the voluntary sector, believes the charity tribunal should operate a ‘reasonableness test’ that would make charity volunteers less likely to be held liable for accidents or damage they cause while volunteering. He said that he thought the fear of legal action for mistakes was a significant barrier that prevented people from getting involved with charities and

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community groups and that "Volunteers should be able to use their common sense without fear of getting into trouble.” Reduce youth crime through early intervention - Justice minister Crispin Blunt has advocated a firm shift in focus in dealing with youth offending towards spotting and acting on warning signs in a child's early years. He hopes that by making local authorities responsible for the cost of youth custody will encourage them to fund more early intervention projects. http://www.justice.gov.uk/news/announcement080211a.htm The Influence of Family and Friends on Young People's Drinking is a report from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation that investigated the influence of friendship groups on teenagers' drinking. The report discusses drinking etiquette; investigates how teenagers manage their intoxication within the group; considers the importance of relationships both within the group and outside it; presents findings about underage experiences of alcohol-related harm; and discusses the implications of these findings, including restricting access to alcohol, teaching harm reduction skills and the role of parents. http://www.jrf.org.uk/sites/files/jrf/influencing-young-peoples-drinking-summary.pdf The way forward? We live in challenging times for charities and sadly some excellent organisations will doubtless become victims of the difficult economic climate. Those that move forward and prosper will do so by finding innovative ways of funding. Rather than relying on philanthropy or state support, accessing private sector cash could prove essential for maintaining healthy balance sheets in the future. Read the article by Janet Ford from BTCV. http://www.guardian.co.uk/voluntary-sector-network/2011/feb/01/voluntary-sector-network-blog?& Tom Wylie, former National Youth Agency chief executive, is acting as a specialist adviser to the education select committee inquiry into services for young people. He retired from the NYA in 2007 but has retained strong links with the sector as a trustee for a number of youth organisations and funders, including Rathbone and the Paul Hamlyn Foundation. During his time at the NYA between 1996 and 2007, the agency was credited with helping to convince the Labour government to create the youth opportunity fund and youth capital fund and invest in the Myplace youth centre programme. Travel for young people - The British Youth Council (BYC) is urging local authorities across the UK to follow Staffordshire County Council's example and bring in discounted bus travel for young people. Following a campaign by Staffordshire Youth Action Kouncil the county council is to introduce a Your Staffordshire travel card, entitling all those under 20 to a flat rate £1 bus fare on any journey that starts in the county. Councillor Mike Maryon, Staffordshire’s cabinet member for highways and transport, says the discount has been brought in to boost the local economy, saying "It is good for businesses, cuts congestion and gives people social and leisure opportunities they would not otherwise have. Other councils are scrapping bus services. That may help balance the books in the short-term, but it damages local economies. We are taking the long-term view that backing public transport benefits everyone." Vetting and Barring Scheme - The government has unveiled plans, in the Protection of Freedoms Bill, to scale back the vetting and barring scheme (VBS) and criminal records regime while ensuring vulnerable groups are appropriately protected. The proposals include:

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♦ merging the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and Independent Safeguarding Authority to form a streamlined new body providing a proportionate barring and criminal records checking service

♦ a large reduction in the number of positions requiring checks. Only those working closely and regularly with children and vulnerable adults will need them

♦ portability of criminal records checks between jobs to cut down on needless bureaucracy

♦ an end to a requirement for those working or volunteering with vulnerable groups to register with the VBS and then be continuously monitored

♦ stopping employers who knowingly request criminal records checks on individuals who are not entitled to them

The Home Office has published the findings from the review of the Vetting and Barring Scheme and also the findings of the first phase of a parallel review of the criminal records regime led by Mrs Sunita Mason, the Government's independent advisor on criminality information management. Main points from and a summary of the recommendations can be found at http://www.safeguardingmatters.co.uk/the-new-disclosure-and-vetting-service/crr-vbs-reviews-finally-published/ Voluntary Sector Spending - Decentralisation Minister Greg Clark has said that councils should publish their spending on the voluntary and community sector as part of increasing transparency, opening up services locally and dispersing power more widely. Clark has written to all council leaders saying the Government will expect them to publish all grants and payments, as well as copies of contracts and tenders, they make to the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector. The letter is also encouraging councils to share examples of good practice in protecting voluntary sector budgets, utilising volunteers and local communities and acknowledges that some councils have already implemented innovative approaches to working with their local sectors. http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/localgovernment/pdf/1836305.pdf Young unemployed will get much more help to access extended work experience opportunities to get the best possible start in life under a new scheme which will allow them to do work experience for up to eight weeks so they can get a proper stint in a business, gaining valuable experience, getting a decent entry on their CV and providing real value to the employer. Under the old system people were only allowed to do two weeks experience. If they tried to do more they could face a loss of benefits. Under the new initiative young people between 18 and 21 will be matched by Jobcentre Plus with employers looking for people to do work experience. http://www.dwp.gov.uk/newsroom/press-releases/2011/jan-2011/dwp007-11.shtml Youth Action Network (YAN) – the youth volunteering charity is set to close after failing to secure additional funding. The Birmingham-based charity supports organisations that provide youth-led volunteering opportunities across England, but relies on the Office for Civil Society (OCS) for about 90 per cent of its funding and this is due to end in March.

DISCLAIMER – VYS (Devon) accepts no responsibility for any errors or omissions. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure details are correct, VYS (Devon) cannot endorse events or items mentioned in this newsletter.