Issue 573 | 20 June 2019
Labour’s alternative Civil Society Strategy:
Member briefing
Last week Labour launched its alternative to the Civil Society Strategy: From paternalism to participation: Putting civil society at the heart of national renewal . This sets out Labour’s vision for VCSE organisations and local communities. In our Member Briefing Note, we provide an “at a glance guide” to proposals outlined in the document which could have the most relevance for local infrastructure organisations. NAVCA members can read our briefing here by logging into NAVCA Connect.

As always, we are keen to hear our members’ thoughts on this:

  • What are your thoughts on Labour’s Civil Society Strategy?
  • Do the proposals go far enough?
  • What impact do you envisage for VCSE organisations and local communities?

Email our Policy & Research lead, Amanda Stevens to let us know your thoughts.
Let's get digital, this #SmallCharityWeek!
Digital Leadership 101 Series – blogs to help small charities
Superhighways was awarded funding from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to offer training, advice and resources that small charity leaders can use to get important conversations started, make strategic decisions and build digital capability.

NAVCA is delighted to be working in partnership with Superhighways on this Digital Leadership 101 initiative, along with the FSI and London Plus, and we have contributed to a comprehensive series of blogs offering tips and advice across a range of digital topics.

This first collection in this series focuses on security - helping your small charity stay safe online. Here is a selection of blogs taken from the collection, we’ll include more in next week’s LINX:


You can find out more about the Digital Leadership 101 programme here.
Start somewhere: making technology imaginable and usable for small charities
The Institute for Voluntary Action Research (IVAR) and the Centre for Acceleration of Social Technology (CAST) has published key findings from an exploratory study into making technology imaginable and usable for small voluntary organisations (SVOs).

The report ‘Start somewhere’ shares findings from research amongst charitable funders and 72 small voluntary organisations. It includes information from SVOs for SVOs, advice for funders and for support organisations, about how they can better help SVOs with digital.

You can read the full report and key findings here. Follow @IVAR_UK on Twitter to see the top tech tips shared daily throughout Small Charities Week.
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Punch above your weight on Instagram
Hannah Iqbal, Social Media Manager at the  Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) has written a brilliant blog about how small charities can effectively use Instagram. Her advice ranges from setting objectives and creating your profile, to using Instagram stories and engaging with other users. There are lots of practical and easy to apply tips to get you punching above your weight and reaching new audiences with this free social media tool. Read it now.
News, views and opportunities
Third sector trends in the north of England – take part
This is a long-term study in the north of England on voluntary and community organisations, social enterprises, cooperatives, community businesses and informal clubs, groups and societies, right across the North of England.

Whether your organisation or group is big or small, flourishing or struggling financially - or just carrying on more or less as normal – your input is needed. The survey takes about 15-20 minutes to complete and you shouldn't need to check up any facts and figures to fill it in.

Using the findings, The University of Durham builds a picture of how organisations and groups work, how they get their resources and what they achieve. This helps to inform national and local government, health organisations and charitable foundations to make good decisions on how to invest in the third sector. It also helps the third sector itself show the extent and value of the work it does.

The project has generously been supported by  Community Foundation serving Tyne & Wear and Northumberland and  Power to Change. Take part now.
UK Civil Society Almanac 2019: Data. Trends. Insights.
Since 1996, the UK Civil Society Almanac, from NCVO, is the definitive resource on the state of the voluntary sector. Drawing on a range of sources, the Almanac produces insights on what voluntary organisations do, their income and spending, workforce, volunteers and the sector's impact. NCVO’s data and charts are available for anyone to download, here. For an overview of the latest findings, read the executive summary.
State of Social Enterprise Survey 2019
Social Enterprise UK has launched its national flagship survey of social enterprises. The information collected informs and promotes practical solutions to problems faced by social enterprises. It is an important tool for Social Enterprise UK and organisations it works with in terms of providing the right type of support. It should take around 20 minutes to complete, and the answers you give will be kept entirely confidential. You can complete the survey here.
Give your views and help shape safeguarding resources
NCVO is the lead partner for the Safeguarding Training Fund and with key partners including NSPCC, Ann Craft Trust, UK Youth and others it has been researching the needs of charities and developing new resources.

In partnership with the Third Sector Safeguarding Network, NCVO has spaces at interactive workshops to hear updates on the project, shape its new resources and share experiences of successes and challenges in developing safeguarding in their charity. The workshops will also help NCVO to better ascertain what further support may be needed in the sector.

This is not a training workshop on safeguarding but a space for those with safeguarding responsibilities to share their insights for new resources to improve safeguarding effectiveness in the voluntary sector. These events are suited to those with a safeguarding responsibility in their organisation; usually the Designated Safeguarding Officer/Lead.
The same workshop will be run three times during next week:

  • Monday 24 June (09:30 – 12:00) - Manchester
  • Thursday 27 June (14:30 – 17:00) – Central London
  • Friday 28 June (09:30 – 12:00) – Central London

If you are a safeguarding lead in your organisation, keen to share you practice and learn from others, please register by emailing Vasilis ( Vasilis.Ntoulos@ncvo.org.uk) with details of your job title, organisation and any access requirements.
Events
Brexit Civil Society Alliance, Lloyds Bank Foundation, England & Wales, 10GM and NPC are hosting a free conference, bringing together the social sector to discuss the potentially momentous changes Brexit will have on charities, voluntary organisations and the communities they champion and represent.

This event builds upon the success of the first New Frontiers conference held in London on 26 April, and the key question that New Frontiers in Greater Manchester will address is:

What should the role and mission of the social and wider voluntary sector be through (and post) Brexit? What might existing trends tell us about potential new directions in activity and need? How do we gear up to actively shape the agenda not just observe? Are we prepared for the possibly momentous change that is coming our way? And how is the sector going to overcome disruption to funding as a result?

The event is for leaders, thinkers and practitioners from across the sector. Organisers are particularly keen to hear from charities whose funding is at risk from Brexit and/or whose mission has been affected by ongoing uncertainty and disruption re: the UK’s relationship with the EU.
This two-day collaborative conference will provide an exciting opportunity to hear the latest research and thinking on the implementation and practice of social prescribing around the world. You will hear how social prescribing is being implemented in Canada, the Netherlands, Singapore, and Finland as well as understanding progress in the home countries of the UK.

Keynote talks and breakouts include the latest strategic information and discussion from NHS England by James Sanderson, Director of Personalised Care and a comprehensive review of the evidence for lifestyle medicine by Dr Dean Ornish, Clinical Professor of Medicine, University College San Francisco.
The Building Health Partnerships is hosting a free event for commissioners, clinicians, service designers, delivery organisations and system leaders from across health and care, including VCSE and Patient and Public Voice partners. The session will focus on working with the VCSE sector to prevent strokes, but the principles will be of interest across any ‘condition’. Find out more about this event, and how to register here.  
Jobs
Visit our   jobs page  for more details on current vacancies in the voluntary and community sector, or click on the links below:

Volunteer Centre & Timebank Coordinator,  Basildon, Billericay & Wickford CVS
Head of Enterprise, Community First, Hampshire
Community Builder, Northumberland CVA

Also here's a   quick guide  to selling yourself when applying for a job in the voluntary sector.

Advertise jobs and contracts here, on our website and through our Twitter page! Just send details including a weblink to   webedit@navca.org.uk . This service is free to members.
Funding, contracts & awards
Our funding section is brought to you by  Community Matters Yorkshire .

The Wolfson Foundation is a charity that was established in 1955. It aims to support excellence, generally through the funding of capital infrastructure in the fields of science and medicine, health & disability, education and the arts & humanities. Deadline 01 July.

The Holiday Grants programme provides grants for recreational trips and holidays for groups of children aged 13 and under in the UK who are disabled or disadvantaged. Deadline 02 July.

The Dan Maskell Tennis Trust is a tennis charity raising funds for people with disabilities who play tennis. It was formed in 1997 and named after the late Dan Maskell “The Voice of Wimbledon” who was passionate about rehabilitation through sport. Deadline 05 July.

The Coalfields Community Grants programme in England is aimed at organisations, community groups and social enterprises that can make a positive difference in their communities.

Helping Hands is a community initiative where each local store has a budget to distribute to projects and schemes within the stores local community.
Blogs & articles
Community Action Sutton has been talking to local grassroots organisations about they impact they are making to people’s lives and have put together this great blog as a showcase for Small Charity Week.

Asif Afridi , who was part of the Civil Society Futures team, writes about the challenges that can exist in the dynamics between larger and smaller charities.
Health and social care
Designing integrated care systems (ICSs) in England
NHS England has published a new guide on designing integrated care systems in England. This guide sets out the different levels of management that make up an integrated care system, describing their core functions, the rationale behind them and how they will work together. You can download this new resource here.
ACEVO publish research into bullying in the charity sector
ACEVO and the Centre for Mental Health have published research into bullying in the charity sector.

In Plain Sight: Workplace bullying in charities and the implications for leadership shines a light on the experiences of people who have been bullied in a charity workplace. It highlights the emotional harm it causes, making six recommendations to create safer systems, processes and cultures.

The research comes amidst a rise in public and political concern about the possibility of misconduct taking place within charities, including bullying behaviour. It draws upon the voices of victims of bullying in charities to describe the conditions in which it occurs and might persist and to provide analysis and recommendations for what charity leaders should do to create safer working cultures.

You can download the full report, an executive summary and ACEVO's plans for next steps here . You can also find a blog from Vicky Browning, CEO of ACEVO, discussing why they undertook the research, here.
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