eNews: 9 July 2007

NICVA

Free

1. Top stories
2. Office Giveaways
3. Pick of the Websites
4. Make Your Move - new jobs this week on communityni.org
5. CommunityNI Diary
6. Subscribe to eNews
7. Feedback
8. Submit an Article
9. communitybuyer.org
10. Membership
11. Pick of the websites

Top Stories

1) Keeping a little in reserve

Positive Steps, the government’s response to the report of the Taskforce on Resourcing the Voluntary and Community Sector, gave a commitment to consider developing guidance on an organisational reserves policy.

Over the past few months Community Change, NICVA and the Volunteer Development Agency have been part of a working group with the Department for Finance and Personnel and Department for Social Development to develop a draft Reserves Policy that we hope relates to all voluntary and community organisations and represents what the public and a funder might expect to see in a well governed organisation. Although the guidance is expected to be applicable to all organisations in the voluntary and community sector in Northern Ireland, in itself it has no legal authority.

The purpose of this guidance is to provide organisations with best practice advice in respect of reserves and how the holding of reserves should be understood and justified by organisations through the development and agreement of a Reserves Policy. Much of the detail in this document comes from guidance from the Charity Commission for England and Wales and may in the future be affected by the outworking of the new charities legislation here.

We would appreciate your comments on the draft policy which will be available to download atwww.nicva.org.

All comments will be considered by the working group and the draft policy amended where relevant. Please send your comments to oonagh.kane@nicva.org by 10 September 2007.

2) Partners for Change

Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie has welcomed the Northern Ireland Executive’s endorsement of a cross-governmental strategy for partnership with the voluntary and community sector.

‘Partners for Change’ sets out how government works with voluntary and community organisations to deliver services to those most in need in society.

The Minister, whose responsibilities include voluntary and community sector policy, explained: “Partners for Change provides the only comprehensive picture of how government engages with the voluntary and community sector, both in delivering services and developing policies.

“The skills, knowledge and independent voice of the sector are vital to complement government services and policy-making. This leads to direct support for those most in need and helps us build stronger, more inclusive communities across the North.”

Examples in the document include the Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy, Supporting People and door-to-door transport services.

Copies of Partners for Change are available at www.dsdni.gov.uk/partners-for-change-2006-08.doc, or for a hard copy please contact DSD’s Voluntary and Community Unit on tel: 028 9082 9441, email: pfc@dsdni.gov.uk.

3) Making sense of your Assembly

The Rural Community Network is organising an event to explore how rurally based groups might make best use of the Assembly and develop effective working relationships with MLAs and Ministers. The event takes place on 22 August 2007 from 10.30am to 1.00pm at the Community Relations Council, Linen Green Centre, Moygashel, Dungannon.

The guest speaker at the seminar will be Joe Reynolds, Deputy Clerk to the Northern Ireland Assembly. There will also be a panel of local politicians to offer some ‘tips’ on what would be helpful from their perspective in engaging with local groups.

Numbers are limited so early booking is advisable. If you would like to attend, please contact Karin or Teresa at RCN on 028 8676 6670, email: karin@ruralcommunitynetwork.org or teresa@ruralcommunitynetwork.org.

4) Voluntary and community sector urged to ‘Get On Board’

Belfast Metropolitan College is delivering a special round of ‘Get On Board’ training for people in the voluntary and community sector. ‘Get on Board’ is an accredited programme designed to break down many of the barriers to public appointments in Northern Ireland. The main focus of this programme is to make the public appointments process more accessible to everyone in Northern Ireland. The course is aimed at individuals who are interested in or who currently hold public appointments and those wishing to put themselves forward for voluntary or community boards and committees.

An information session will take place at NICVA on 20 September 2007 and the full programme is scheduled to begin in February 2008.

If you would like to make a difference in public life and be involved in decision making at local and regional level, contact Sandra Bailie at NICVA, email:sandra.bailie@nicva.org to register your place on the information session.

5) Hard to deal with?

The Northern Ireland labour force is changing - there are more people from black, minority and ethnic communities, more women and more migrant workers available for work. If predictions are correct, by 2010 less than 20% of the UK working population will be white, male, non disabled and under the age of 45. Employers will therefore increasingly be recruiting from a more diverse labour pool as the traditional employment groups are in decline. Managers will have to ensure that their workplaces evolve in accordance with these social changes if they want to access the widest available talent pool and compete in the global marketplace.

Diversity Works has launched Hard to Deal With? - a research study that explores the relationship between multiple identity and employability among people who are currently out of work in Northern Ireland.

Hard to Deal With? found that there were links between multiple identity and employability. Many of those involved in the study with multiple identities also experienced multiple disadvantage. The research study produced ten key findings and produced 31 recommendations in areas including the benefits trap, confidence, childcare and caring responsibilities, disability and age discrimination.

Diversity Works is currently working with the participating groups to try and get some of the recommendations of the research study implemented.

Copies of the research study are available from Nicola O’Neill at Disability Action on tel: 028 9029 7880, textphone: 028 9029 7882, email: nicola.dw@disabilityaction.org or can be downloaded at the Disability Action site.

6) Delivery, sustainability, prosperity

The Northern Ireland Federation of Housing Associations’ (NIFHA) Annual Conference 2007 will take place on 25 and 26 October 2007 in the Armagh City Hotel.

The conference programme includes a number of high profile guest speakers and practical workshops including:

• Communications
• Finance – looking in the crystal ball
• Governance
• Lobbying
• Built environment
• The work-life balancing act
• The 'green' house

You may register online atwww.nifha.org or contact Margaret McIlwaine for more information on 028 9023 0446, email: mmcilwaine@nifha.org.

7) What are you doing after the holiday?

You might be thinking about the upcoming holiday, but now is the time to get your autumn training sorted. Ulster People’s College has a number of courses in community development/relations beginning in October, but the closing date is 11 July 2007.

The courses are:

OCN Level 3 Certificate in Community Relations (Tuesdays, 9.30am to 3.30pm)

This course provides an opportunity for community relations workers and activists to further develop their knowledge base and enhance their work skills. Areas covered include community relations theory, policy and practice, cultural attitudes and behaviour, race and ethnicity, reconciliation and approaches to dealing with the past.

OCN Level 3 Certificate in Community Development (Thursdays, 9.30am to 3.30pm)

This course provides an opportunity for community development activists to learn about the theory and practice of community development; reflect on their own and their organisational practice; develop their understanding of the National Occupational Standards in Community Development; and improve their ability to access funding and govern their community groups.

For further information please contact Tracey Loughens on tel: 028 9033 0131 or email: tloughens@upclearn.org.

8) Need a ‘crash’ course in computing?

WEA is offering a one week intensive crash course leading to a European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL).

The training includes File Management, Word Processing, Spreadsheets, Databases and PowerPoint. An experienced tutor will provide class tuition and support. Home study may be required but WEA will provide all candidates with a comprehensive training manual, workbook and practice tests for all modules.

The course runs from 6 to 10 August 2007, 9.30am to 4.30pm at 1-3 Fitzwilliam Street, Belfast.

Please contact Caitriona Livingstone for information on 028 9032 9718.

9) Do bank on it

The Consumer Council's two-step guide How to Challenge Your Bank has helped bank customers in Northern Ireland get back more than £115,000 in unfair bank charges. It has now been translated into Polish and Cantonese. If you or your voluntary or community group would like a copy, please contact the Consumer Council on 0845 601 6022. Alternatively you can download the guide at www.consumercouncil.org.uk.

10) Vocational assessors wanted

Advice NI is an established Open University Assessment Centre for Vocational Qualifications. The organisation wishes to recruit a pool of assessors for its register for assessment of the following qualifications:

• A1 Assessor Award
• NVQ in Advice and Guidance Level 2-4
• NVQ in Customer Service Level 2-4

If you have experience working in any of these fields and have completed the D32/33 or A1 Assessor Award, please contact Advice NI by 25 July 2007 at 1 Rushfield Avenue, Belfast, tel: 028 9064 5919, email: info@adviceni.net or visit www.adviceni.net.

11) Volunteers to get revved up

Have you ever thought about volunteering but weren’t sure how to go about it? The Motocross Grand Prix of Northern Ireland takes place on 18 and 19 August 2007 and help is needed. Not only will you be making a worthwhile contribution by volunteering but you will also get the opportunity to see some of the best riders in the world.

Volunteers are needed as car park attendees, programme sellers, general runners and more.

If you wish to volunteer or have any queries please contact Lyne Greenwood at the Northern Ireland Sports Forum as soon as possible on tel: 028 9038 3825, email: lynegreenwood@nisf.net.

12) Latest Interchange opportunities

Ever wanted to work in another sector? The Interchange scheme facilitates temporary secondments between the public, private, voluntary and community sectors, so if you fancy a change, keep checking the Interchange websitewww.interchangeni.org.uk

Current vacancies include a Senior Events Manager opportunity with The Northern Ireland Events Company (NIEC). The successful applicant will report to the Acting Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Events Company (NIEC) and will deputise for him in his absence. The post holder will be part of the NIEC team responsible for the promoting, supporting and the provision of funding for events that will present Northern Ireland in a positive light within the UK and on the international stage and which will have significant input in the Northern Ireland economy.

Office Giveaways

Got some furniture or equipment to donate (or going cheap) to a voluntary or community group? Use this space to let people know what you’ve got.

Pick of the Websites

Interest rate hike will hit housing

Yesterday's increase by a quarter of a percent in the interest rates is bad news for affordable housing in Northern Ireland according to the Northern Ireland Federation of Housing Associations.

Bill of Rights campaign gathers support

Nobel peace prize-winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu met with representatives from the Human Rights Consortium in the Hilton Hotel, Belfast to lend his support to the Consortium’s campaign for a strong and inclusive Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland.

Forced to flee

The new edition of Forced to Flee, seeks to separate the myths from the truth about refugees & asylum seekers.

Make Your Move – new jobs this week on communityni.org

This section contains a random selection of the latest jobs from the CommunityNI website.

• Director at Groundwork Northern Ireland
• Welfare Rights Advisor at Citizens Advice
• Programme Officer at Rural Development Council
• Fundraising Officer at Corrymeela

Submit your job - eNews does not carry full job advertisements, but if you would like your job to be one of the featured links, please submit your advertisement to the CommunityNI website using this link.

As the featured link slot is in great demand, to keep things fair, we can only make a random selection of three or four new jobs each week, and cannot guarantee that your job will be selected.

CommunityNI Diary

NICVA’s successful Community Diary now has a new home on the CommunityNI web portal. Submit details of your upcoming events in CommunityNI’s Events Calendar.

Simply follow the Submit an Event link to the right of the page, enter the details, and we’ll do the rest.

Subscribe to eNews

Use this link to subscribe to eNews. Alternatively, send an email to nicvalist@nicva.org, with subscribe in the subject field. eNews is sent to its subscribers weekly. Please feel free to circulate the information within your organisation as appropriate.

If you no longer wish to receive eNews you may unsubscribe using this link or by emailing nicvalist@nicva.org withunsubscribe in the subject field.

Feedback

Your feedback about this service is very welcome.

Please let us know if you change your email address. We do not pass email addresses to anyone else.

Submit an Article

Use this link to submit an article for inclusion in eNews.

Please do not reply directly to this email – use one of the links above to subscribe, send feedback or to submit an article. For general enquiries, email john.mccormick@nicva.org.

Community Buyer

Communitybuyer.org has been connecting the voluntary and community sector with top suppliers since March 2007.

Communitybuyer.org is an online directory of products and services specially for the voluntary and community sector. With ratings and advice it’s an essential resource for your buying needs. Only companies that have a keen interest in working with the voluntary and community sector are listed and great discounts are available to NICVA members. Look out for the NICVA member discounts badge on the site.

To find out more, visit www.communitybuyer.org.

Membership

NICVA membership is open to all voluntary and community organisations in Northern Ireland.

To find out more contact Frances McAtamney on tel: 028 9087 7777, email: frances.mcatamney@nicva.org or visit the website.

The opinions, views or comments in this email do not necessarily reflect any views or policies of NICVA. In making information available from other organisations NICVA is not endorsing, privileging or guaranteeing its accuracy but acting as an information conduit in good faith.