Government and voluntary sector agree new compact

A new Compact was recently agreed between the government and the voluntary sector.

The Compact sets out the relationship between the government and the voluntary sector and is the basis for their partnership.

The new Compact features an increased emphasis on accountability and includes measures to improve adherence to its principles. Government departments are also required to be more transparent in demonstrating how they implement the compact. For example, departments are now required to include  in their business plans statements of how the Compact is being implemented.

There is additional help available to organisations through the Compact Advocacy Programme. One of the main functions … Continue Reading

Charities Act 2011 receives Royal Assent

The Office for Civil Society, in conjunction with the Law Commission and Charity Commission, have announced that the Charities Act 2011 received Royal Assent on the 14th December. The Act will be implemented into UK law by March 2012.

The 2011 Act is an attempt to streamline previous legislation, which had come under criticism for being cumbersome and hard to follow, especially for those working in a voluntary capacity.  The Charities Act 2011 brings together provisions of the Recreational Charities Act 1958, the Charities Act 1993 and much of the Charities Act 2006, all since amended by other legislation. The Act updates the text and simplifies the structure of the existing legislation.

The new Act does not change the existing law or introduce new policy, and Lord Hodgson’s review of the 2006 Act is still going ahead.

Be a Board Member For the Day – 5th October 2011

Duration: Full Day 10 – 4

Dates: Wed  5^th October 2011

For: new board/committee members, people interested in becoming trustees or committee members, managers working with boards/committees, volunteers.

By the end of the series of session participants will:

• Have gained an overview of roles and responsibilities of board/governance group members
• Have an overview of issues common to Boards/management groups of charities and/or community organisations
• Have developed their skills in group working
• Have an increased self-awareness of themselves as a group member
• Have gained skills in building relationships and giving and receiving feedback

Do I want to be a Board member? If so, what will be my personal learning or what will I gain?

What is my role and what are my responsibilities as a Board member?

How do I contribute in my board/governance group?

Are there possibilities for changing the way I communicate in order to achieve better results?

How do I get support? … Continue Reading

Rising Circles – 4th October 2011

Duration: 6 x 2 hr sessions over at least 12 weeks (8 – 10 participants)

Times: All sessions run 5pm – 7pm

Dates:

• Tue 4^th Oct
• Tue 18 October
• Tue 1^st Nov
• Tue 15 November
• Tue 6^th December
• Tue 17^th Jan

Participants should ideally attend all sessions in order to build continuity and rapport within the group.

For: managers, board/committee members, staff, volunteers.

By the end of the series of session participants will:

• Have created a safe, confidential space for thinking, discussion and insights.
• Have developed their skills in group working through experiencing the Rising Circles group process
• Have gained skills in identifying goals; action steps and personal evaluation; developing effective questions, congruent insights, sensitive support and compassionate challenge; giving and receiving feedback and many other areas
• Have experienced a process through which they may positively influence the future through focussing their own thinking and actions towards that which they wish to create

This will be a coaching circle. Participants will work individually and together within the group, they will identify current issues, dilemmas, ambitions and potential and will support each other in creating positive futures. Participants can choose what issues to work on and each is likely to be very different – career progression, management dilemmas, relationships at work or outside work, next steps in personal and professional development or a variety of personal themes.  … Continue Reading

Assessing your Board – 17th November 2011

Duration: 10.00 – 16:00 (Full Day)
Dates: Thursday 17th November

For: Anyone involved as a trustee or board member of a voluntary sector organisation – charities, limited companies,
community interest companies. The training is especially suitable for newer board members, or members of a board
that has not yet done an official appraisal.

Learning outcomes
By the end of the session, participants will:

Understand the role and function of the board in voluntary and community sector organisations
Understand the need for regular objective appraisal of the board’s performance, in the context of the Good
Governance Code for the voluntary sector
Know what makes the difference between ineffective and effective boards
Have the tools and knowledge required to begin to appraise their own organisation’s board

Content:
1. Introduction
2. Purpose of the board
3. The good governance code
4. Why appraise?
5. Appraisal methods
6. Implementation and continuous improvement
7. Useful tips
8. What next? … Continue Reading

Strategic Visioning

Duration: 10:00 – 13:00 (Half Day)

Dates: Thursday 24th February 2011

For: Anyone (including staff, volunteers, and committee members) involved in the planning, managing or governance of the organisation.

… Continue Reading

Mental Health Awareness and Safeguarding Children

Improving voluntary sector governance

The second edition of Good Governance: a Code for the Voluntary and Community sector has been published. It sets out best practice for governing a voluntary organisation and should be clearer with less jargon than the original version produced in 2005. … Continue Reading

Free trustee guide to campaigning and influencing

Are you a trustee and want to know more about effective campaigning and influencing? Are you working to influence change and want a resource to explain effective campaigning to your board?

Improving Support have produced a short guide, which outlines both what is required by the law and what is good practice in the development and implementation of effective campaigns. It’s relevant whether you are involved in a large organisation looking at the strategic overview or in a small organisation and are more directly involved in the day-to-day delivery of activities.

To download the document click here

NCVO launches Get Legal website

This month NCVO has launched a new online reference and decision making tool providing information and advice for charities, social enterprises and co-operative organisations and their advisors looking to develop legal forms and governance structures.

The new Get Legal website is designed to:

• Help individuals, organisations and their advisors understand different legal and governance structures

• Help individuals, organisations and their advisors decide what legal and governance structure will work best for them according to their objectives and vision.

• Provide signposting and templates to help individuals, organisations and their advisors take forward the ideas and recommendations.

To visit the website click here