Neath Port Talbot Council for Voluntary Service

WCVA Trustee News December 2011 is now available online.

If you’re having trouble untangling your concerns about charity trading, the latest in WCVA’s exciting programme of third sector seminars will really help you out.

Titled Charity trading: know the ropes, this seminar – run by Geldards law firm – will guide you through the maze of charity trading concerns. The day will be split into two sessions:the first session will cover the basics of what constitutes trading, when trading income would be taxable in the hands of a charity, and generally why you might set up a trading subsidiary

The second session will then look at how to set up a subsidiary, the provision of working capital and use of other charity resources, and the practical issues you will need to deal with.

This is a challenging subject but practical examples and simple case studies will be used during the seminar to help both Charity Trustees and staff get to grips with it. There will also be the chance to book a one-on-one appointment with a Geldards expert to discuss your particular charity trading concerns, and you’ll get to hear all about 3to3, the third sector’s online marketplace.

WCVA will be running this valuable seminar twice, so everyone can benefit:

Wednesday, 8 February, 9am-2pm – WCVA Head Office, Cardiff, £10

Wednesday, 29 February, 12pm-5pm – Morfa Hall, Rhyl, £10

Lunch will be provided on both dates.

So book your place today, and you’ll soon be making the grade at trading.

A £6m investment fund to help community organisations create local enterprise was announced on Tuesday 29th November 2011 by Deputy Minister for European Programmes, Alun Davies. The Communities Investment Fund will provide finance of up to £250,000, primarily through flexible loans, to local organisations and social enterprises. The fund will invest in organisations to develop trading activities by supporting the purchase or improvement of buildings, equipment and other community business ideas. It will also offer finance to charities to support them in delivering public services such as healthcare and employment programmes. Managed by WCVA, the fund is backed with Welsh Government funding including £3m from the European Regional Development Fund. It will create 100 jobs as social and community enterprises involved are able to extend their services and new ones are set up.  In total the fund will help set up 30 new enterprises, support a further 75 existing enterprises and encourage them to become more sustainable by providing an alternative to grant based support. For more information about the Communities Investment Fund and an application pack, contact the WCVA Helpdesk on 0800 2888 329 or email cif@wcva.org.uk.

A day celebrating the European Year of  Volunteering 2011.

Monday 5th December 2011 at the City Hall, Cardiff, 12.00 -4.30pm

Titled Fewer bucks but more bang, this year’s WCVA Annual Conference is on the theme of how groups can deliver more for less, and place impact and influence at the heart of their work in doing so.

Taking place on 24 November at Venue Cymru in Llandudno, it aims to enhance the ability of third sector groups to demonstrate their impact, and improve their ideas and practical skills. The AGM will follow the conference.

A strong line-up of speakers is promised, including Carl Sargeant AM, Minister for Local Government and Communities and Sharon Jones of CREST Co-operative. Workshop topics include getting your message through to those in power, maximizing your use of digital media and demonstrating the role of volunteers in your impact. There’ll also be plenty of time for invaluable networking.

View the full programme and then book your place.

For more information call WCVA Helpdesk on 0800 288 329, or search Twitter using hashtag #annconfwcva.

• Carers Strategies Measure received Royal Ascent in November 2010

• WAG just launched consultation on draft Regulations and Guidance to support the implementation of this measure (deadline for consultation 23 June 2011)

• Aims to address gaps in provision of services for carers, and to ensure consistent standard

Key areas:

• information for carers e.g. financial benefits; employment; rights to needs assessment etc.

• statutory agencies to engage with carers as partners in the provision of care services, and to include consulting carers on decisions for service user

• training for staff to better assist carers

• training for carers.

• Duty on LHBs/Trusts to produce a strategy.

For more information click here

Guidance for Engagement and Consultation on Changes to Health Services

• This has just been published yesterday 31 March, following consultation

• Pleased to say that WCVA’s request to include reference to Local Compacts has been picked up: find reference in para 24

• Although WCVA also requested reference to the MoU with the CHCs, it was felt that this was outside the Guidance’s remit.

For more information click here

Millennium Volunteers in Wales, the programme that supports young volunteers, will officially become a part of the GwirVol initiative.

The move to integrate Millennium Volunteers into GwirVol was initially motivated by funding cuts from the funders of both programmes, but the integration of two programmes with similar beliefs and aims is welcomed by both Millennium Volunteers and the GwirVol partnership.

Launched in 1998, Millennium Volunteers is part of a UK-wide programme supporting young people in making a commitment to volunteer in their communities for 200 hours.

Millennium Volunteers encourages 16-25 year olds to build on existing skills and interests and to gain new experiences by giving their time to volunteering activities. Their efforts are recognised through certificates awarded following 50 and 100 hours of volunteering, and an Award of Excellence, signed by the First Minister of the Welsh Assembly Government, after 200hours.

GwirVol developed from the Russell Commission recommendations published in May 2005, and is seeking to increase the number and diversity of young people volunteering in Wales, as well as the number and quality of volunteering opportunities. The Initiative is managed by a partnership of organisations in Wales from across the private, public and voluntary sectors.

GwirVol has worked closely with Millennium Volunteers since the initiative began in 2005, explained Tim Day, Chair of the GwirVol initiative and Director of Volunteering and Policy for WCVA. Millennium Volunteers shares the same values as GwirVol and offers a wonderful opportunity for young people to gain recognition for their volunteering.

GwirVol recognises the fantastic work Millennium Volunteers does with young people across Wales and wants to support the programme and help it continue.

David Heald, Millennium Volunteers Co-ordinator, said: Millenium Volunteers will continue in very much the same way as before. The main change will be with the grant programme, which will now run alongside the GwirVol grants and have two rounds per year.

The integration has given Millenium Volunteers the opportunity to explore new developments for the award and we are looking forward to announcing these in the near future.

GwirVol grant information, including details on becoming a part of the Millennium Volunteers programme, are available on the GwirVol website – http://www.gwirvol.org/- along with information for young people about how they can volunteer.

Since its launch in 1998, Millennium Volunteers has supported over 14,500 young people in giving 1,500,000 hours of their time to volunteer. Since GwirVol began in 2005, over 6,000 young people have been recruited as volunteers and around 2,000 volunteering opportunities are created every year.

With such positive outcomes to date from each of the separate programmes, we are really looking forward to what we can achieve together, concluded Tim Day.

For more information please contact Lynne Reynolds on 029 2043 1718 or David Heald on 029 2043 1728. WCVA website www.wcva.org.uk

Notes

GwirVol and Millennium Volunteers are managed by Wales Council for Voluntary Action, charity number 218093, company number 425299, registered office Baltic House, Mount Stuart Square, Cardiff CF10 5FH July 2010

Information on the next round of grants is available from GwirVol, on 029 2043 1763, or e-mail gwirvol@wcva.org.uk

 WCVA is the voice of the voluntary sector in Wales, with more than 3,000 members including a wide range of organisations working on issues such as housing, economic regeneration, childcare, community development, transport, the environment and health.

 Data Protection Act 1998 Contact details (name, address, organisation, tel, fax, emails) of press contacts are held and processed by WCVA on computer. The information is used by WCVA for the promotion of the voluntary sector in Wales. Contact details are disclosed to third parties for the purposes of assisting this promotion.

Please note that a new information sheet has recently been added to the WCVA Information Distribution System:

2.13 Tackling Climate Change

Please refer to the information page for more information.

3to3 is the one-stop shop for third sector groups to trade with each other. If you have a product or service to sell, 3to3 is the place to be.  3to3 is used by a wide range of third sector organisations, so this is the ideal place to come to reach like-minded people, raise funds and boost your group’s profile. WCVA’s website 3to3 is now live at its proper address – 3to3 website.