Archive for the ‘General’ Category
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Monday, August 23rd, 2010Wheels to Work
Friday, July 23rd, 2010Getting a job is just the start. Getting there is another hurdle. It’s especially hard for those who live or work in the countryside.
Staffordshire County Council is again helping to make the links with the Wheels to Work project, and helping people kick start their careers.
The scheme has been so successful that the team is now leading a partnership of councils across the West Midlands to replicate its success, scooping £1.38m of Advantage West Midlands funding, final approvals pending.
Staffordshire is set to spend £330,000 helping people in the county. Since the county council signed up to the scheme in 2007, it has supported 874 people.
It is open to people who live, work or attend training courses in rural communities but have no way of getting to their job independently or using public transport.
The funding has provided 40 mopeds for the county, which can each be hired for £40 per month, and 10 electric bikes which are available to hire for £20 per month.
For further details on Wheels to Work call 01785 276730 or visit www.staffordshire.gov.uk/transport/wheels.
Guidance to protect community groups from surface water drainage charges
Friday, July 16th, 2010
Defra launched a consultation today on new guidance to water companies on concessionary surface water drainage charges.
As a result of the switch by some water companies from the rateable value to a site area method of calculating surface water drainage charges some community groups experienced unaffordable water charges. As part of the Flood and Water Management Act this new guidance will protect such community groups.
The consultation can be found at here and the final guidance will be issued later this year.
Trading Standards Alert – Alarm Systems
Friday, July 16th, 2010
Trading Standards are warning residents to be aware of alarm companies operating in the ST19, WS11 and WS12 area of the county. It is likely they are also operating in other areas of Staffordshire.
The company are selling alarm systems, usually for extremely low prices, in some cases for as little as £1, without informing potential customers of high cost installation and maintenance charges which can run into thousands of pounds.
Reports have also been received of high pressure sales tactics being used to encourage residents to purchase the alarm.
Trading Standards is urging residents not to purchase items over the doorstep. Do not give out personal information to doorstep callers, or sign documents which could turn out to be contracts.
If you are interested in purchasing a similar alarm system, take time to consider and make sure you have all the facts, before making a decision.
If you feel pressured or harassed by people calling at your door, you are advised to report this to the Police.
Free Schools
Friday, July 2nd, 2010Free Schools will be set up by a wide range of proposers, including charities, universities, businesses, educational groups, teachers and groups of parents, in response to parental demand, to improve choice and drive up standards for all young people, regardless of their background. This page gives more information.
CSV Make a Difference Day – 30th October 2010
Friday, July 2nd, 2010
CSV Make a Difference Day 2010 falls at the end of half-term (Saturday 30 October), so is the perfect time for families to get together.
By volunteering, kids learn the importance of helping others and get to try out something new, and adults enjoy a fun, free activity for all the family!
We are encouraging campaign activities to make their activities family friendly where possible, while also keeping their events open to anyone who wants to take part.
Anybody who wants to get involved will be able to find events looking for volunteers on the Activity Locator, which will be up and running after registrations open at the end of July.
To find out more about what’s new for this year, visit our new and improved website.
Voluntary sector’s all-party parliamentary group ‘will have a stronger voice’
Friday, July 2nd, 2010
Alun Michael MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Community and Voluntary Sector
Its new chair Alun Michael, voluntary sector veteran and author of the Compact, tells Kaye Wiggins that the group is growing in size and expertise
Alun Michael built a reputation as a reliable, problem-solving politician during his years in the Labour government under Tony Blair, charged with handling political hot potatoes such as the hunting ban and Welsh devolution.
But the Labour and Co-operative MP for Cardiff South and Penarth says his new role as chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Community and Voluntary Sector, replacing Tom Levitt, who stood down before the general election, takes him back to his early days in the Commons.
Bereavement & Loss Free Training Course
Friday, June 25th, 2010
Katharine House joins forces with Stafford & District Bereavement & Loss
Friday, June 25th, 2010
Vetting and barring scheme put on hold
Friday, June 18th, 2010
Government will review plans to register staff and volunteers with the Independent Safeguarding Authority. Click below for more details
In Kind Direct scheme offers cut-price stationery
Friday, June 18th, 2010
Partnership with Staples Advantage will offer discounts on paper and other items
Charities are being offered cut-price stationery through In Kind Direct, the charity that distributes surplus consumer goods to voluntary organisations, and office supplier Staples Advantage. Click on link below for more offers.
SDVS Headlines
Friday, May 21st, 2010Headlines is back. However we still have some niggling problems with it (particularly images and attachments) and will endeavour to get the service fully back, up and running to its full capacity soon. Remember if you wish to post any Headlines please email them to admin@sdvs.org.uk. Thanks for your patience.
NAVCA opens merger talks with NCVO and others
Friday, May 21st, 2010NAVCA has opened talks with NCVO, ACRE, Urban Forum and Volunteering England regarding potential collaborations and even possibly a full merger.
The national umbrella body for local Councils for Voluntary Service has initiated the talks in light of the prospect of drastic public spending cuts decimating its income.
Chief executive Kevin Curley told Civil Society he did not expect that NAVCA would end up in a full merger with any of the other bodies, but all options were being considered “in case it becomes necessary in the future”.
More likely, he said, were collaborations with one or more of the organisations such as the sharing of back-office functions. And any changes would not happen immediately but in the 2010/11 financial year.
Curley said he had decided to be open about the talks because he wanted to lead by example. The inevitable pressures on funding and the divisive impact of competitive tendering should prompt more organisations to examine the benefits of collaborations and mergers, he said.
Therefore, he is also advising other infrastructure bodies, including volunteer centres and community accountancy projects, and support bodies for ethnic minority or disability groups, to investigate the efficiencies that might be achieved by merger.
In a hard-hitting speech entitled “Rationalising local support and development organisations: Some radical proposals” which Curley delivered to two conferences recently, he said that a minimum of £150,000 core funding is needed in unitary areas and £250,000 in counties, and that these levels of funding cannot be expected to continue.
“After five years of ChangeUp we can see that we have failed to rationalise local support and development organisations. The economic downturn and the prospect of severe public expenditure cuts should encourage us now to ask very searching questions of ourselves.
“Everyone has the right to establish separate charities. We do not have the right though to expect the local state to fund us.
“As local budgets shrink the days of separate support and development charities for black groups, youth groups and disability groups must be numbered,” Curley said.
At their last meeting, NAVCA’s trustees agreed to endorse the speech as a discussion document in order to engender debate.
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