Supporting voluntary & community action
Inside this issue: Why it is all change for PAYE
Making Bristol a restorative city
Business planning with Social Enterprise Works
Voscur’s Deaf People’s Transitional Development Project
New year training The new Bristol Compact and commissioning
Measuring outcomes for young people
Photo by Lee Ryda
and more!
What lies in store for policing in Bristol? New Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstevens to set the budgets and priorities for policing and community safety for the next three and a half years.
January / February / March 2013
Supporting each other to deliver best value for money DPS Payroll Services will deliver your charitable payroll to the highest standard, in a timely manner, supported by our qualified payroll team who can draw on a wealth of payroll knowledge and experience. The Charitable Double Bubble – Reusing funds in the Charity Sector:
Charitable client pays DPS for payroll services
DPS gift-aid profits to WECIL
WECIL use funds to support Service Users
We deliver a quality payroll service tailored to meet our customer needs: • • • • • • • •
Complete confidentiality. Initial set-up and data management. Detailed payslips for employees. Additions/deductions from pay as standard. Analysis of all Payroll costs. Payments by Bacs, if required. Easy-to-understand reports. P45s; P11Ds; P60s and other statutory forms.
We invite you to discuss your requirements with us by emailing: enquiries@dpspayroll.co.uk. Introductory benefits may apply. Join our growing number of charitable clients and reuse charitable funding within its own Sector. CRB Checking available.
www.dpspayroll.co.uk www.wecil.co.uk 2 www.voscur.org
charity number 1053515
January / February / March 2013 Issue 19
Contents Voscur
Compact
3 Contents
16-17 The new Bristol Compact – your organisation and commissioning
4 Editorial 5
New members
6
Prove your value to funders
Voice and Influence 18-19 Social value – the voluntary sector’s unique selling point
Support Hub 7
A ‘Kick Start’ for Dua Women’s group
8
Information on Business on Board and Safeguarding
9
Why it is all change for PAYE
10
What structure should you choose for your organisation? – Advice from Avon and Bristol Law Centre
11
Seeing the wood for the trees – help with business planning
12-15 Upcoming training courses
20-21 Equalities news: Holocaust Memorial Day, LGBT History Month and International Women’s Day 22
Voscur’s Deaf people’s Transitional Development Project
23
Count me in – what the latest Census tells us about Bristol
24
More tough times ahead for health and social care – time to raise the profile of the sector
25
Measuring outcomes for young people
26-27 Making Bristol a restorative city
Cover image: Ping! Bristol saw 50 public ping pong tables installed across Bristol landmarks, parks and public spaces for all to play. Locations spanned Bristol Zoo to the Cathedral, HMS Belfast to Clifton Shopping Centre. Ping! aimed to remind people of the fun of ping pong. Bats were available from the side of the tables. Funded by Sport England, Ping was produced by arts organisation Sing London and Bristol City Council.
28
Community Infrastructure Levy: new funding source to support new neighbourhood facilities
29
Work ahead for the new Police and Crime Commissioner
30-31 Bristol’s new Mayor wants to “champion the voluntary sector”
Keep up to date with Voscur online:
www.facebook.com/voscur
twitter.com/voscur
www.flickr.com/voscur
www.youtube.com/voscur
Thrive! is also available online as a pdf at www.voscur.org/magazine. If you require it in another format, please get in touch on 0117 909 9949. Disclaimer: some of the views expressed in this publication are those of individual contributors and do not necessarily represent those of Voscur. Publications, events and services mentioned in Thrive! are not necessarily endorsed by Voscur.
Issue 19 January / February / March 2013
www.voscur.org
3
Dear members and friends autumn and, in partnership with
that he has signed the pledges*
member organisations and others,
that will help him to put his
organised a series of mayoral
commitment into practice.
‘Question Time’ events that attracted more than 1,000 people. We also crossed boundaries to partner with colleagues in the West of England and Somerset to organise similar events for the Police and Crime Commissioner election.
Wendy Stephenson Chief Executive
In May last year, we found out that Bristol would be electing a Mayor in November. Voscur wanted to make sure that the candidates had the opportunity to have some dialogue with Bristol’s voluntary
makes to the city and discuss with them some of the issues that we are facing. Voscur’s Voice and Influence service pulled out all the stops this
4 www.voscur.org
autumn and should be seen as the document that defines the way that we work across sectors.
these events so successful, and to
this magazine. Others can view it
the candidates for participating.
online at: www.bristolcompact.
We now know that Bristol’s
org.uk/bristolcompact. See
elected Mayor is George Ferguson
pages 16 and 17 to find out how
and the Avon and Somerset Police
the Bristol Compact can be used
and Crime Commissioner is Sue
to make sure that the voluntary
Mountstevens. Congratulations
and community sector is properly
to you both – we look forward to
involved in shaping and delivering
working with you.
services.
At Voscur’s AGM, speaking in
Wendy Stephenson
response to the question, ‘How
Chief Executive
do you see the voluntary and community sector contributing to your vision for Bristol?’, George Ferguson said:
Mayor so that I can be your voice
about the contribution the sector
Bristol Compact was revised this
Bristol Compact for members with
good understanding of our work.
able to tell the mayoral candidates
significance of the Compact. The
Thanks to everyone who made
“I want to be your independent
September, Voscur members were
important that we remember the
We have enclosed a copy of the
and community sector and get a
At our Annual General Meeting in
In addition to these pledges, it’s
* To view the voluntary sector pledges, visit: goo.gl/TRPCu. More information on the new Mayor and PCC is on pages 30-31.
Key to symbols
for the voluntary sector. I want to champion the voluntary sector
Equalities Article
and I want to ensure that we work together to make Bristol a fairer, more caring city, a more inclusive city and one that we can all feel proud of being part of.” It’s great that this is the Mayor’s position and we are very pleased
Training Information & Resources Event
January / February / March 2013 Issue 19
Voscur
New Voscur members HAWKS
Penny Brohn Cancer Care
University of Bristol
0117 964 2859
01275 370 126
Clothes Swap
info@hawks1.org.uk
sabine.okraffka@pennybrohn.org
07956989581
www.hawks1.org.uk
www.pennybrohncancercare.org
clothesswapbristol@gmail.com
St Vincents Housing
Ambition Lawrence Weston
Developing Health and
0117 973 9477
07855344558
Independence
stvincentshousing@btconnect.
helen@ambition-lw.org.uk
01225 478730
com
www.lawrenceweston.co.uk/
info@dhibath.org.uk
www.stvincentshousing.org.uk
ambition-lw
www.dhi-online.org.uk
OPOKA-Bristol
Grove Road Youth Club
Elizabeth Thomas
0117 239 1214
groveroadyouthclub@gmail.com
07879 455330
opoka.bristol@gmail.com www.opoka-bristol.com
The Shire Advice Service
liz@elizabeththomas.org
07849721033 Contact the Elderly
garywilliams71@hotmail.co.uk
0117 960 9606 helen.ker@contact-the-elderly. org.uk www.contact-the-elderly.org.uk
Voscur would also like to welcome its two new Trustees who joined the Voscur Board in September 2012. Poku Osei, Babbasa Youth Empowerment Projects (BYEP) ”As a coordinator at BYEP, I oversee all the wonderful work it does and support and empower young people in enterprise and employability skills. Over the years this has given me a fair insight into the challenges and barriers facing disadvantaged young people and families living around the inner city parts of Bristol. I hope to become one of the vessels on the Voscur board for communicating these challenges and needs, to help shape decisions and support for these disadvantaged groups.”
Issue 19 January / February / March 2013
Mike Zeidler, Happy City Initiative “Over the years I’ve been an advisor, partner and member of Voscur and I believe it to be an outstanding organisation that has adapted well with the times. I know my detailed knowledge of public/ private/voluntary sectors, partnership working and social enterprise in the West of England area will be a relevant and useful complement to the existing board. I am very happy to have been given the opportunity to offer Voscur my personal passion and professional experience to help develop our vitally important and under-appreciated sector.”
www.voscur.org
5
Voscur
Prove your value to funders “I want to fund organisations that
applying for funding in the future
really show me the difference they
you can then show how for every
make – socially and economically.”
£1 your organisation receives, it
If a funder or commissioner said this to you, would you be able to convince them to invest in your organisation?
creates, say, £4 worth of social value for the local community – through improving people’s health, reducing antisocial behaviour or helping people find
Competition for public contracts
jobs. By measuring the impact of
is increasing. Previously, cost has
our support on your organisation,
often been the deciding factor
Voscur can then make a similar
in awarding them, favouring
argument too.
large charities and commercial companies. The Public Works (Social Value) Act 2012 should help
Photo by Tsahi Levent-Levi
How would I benefit from being involved in Proving
voluntary and community sector
Our Value?
(VCS) organisations to offset this
Your organisation would
cost advantage by ensuring public
benefit from:
bodies also consider the additional social value they create (read more on this on page 18). Quantifying social value is not easy, however... Proving Our Value, a partnership between VCS organisations and universities, is developing tools to measure and communicate the social value of our work. Why is it important to me and to Voscur? Your organisation provides,
completed and evidence supporting the tools used. • A toolkit for any organisation
• Improved understanding of measuring and communicating
to measure the social impact and value of its work. • Better services for clients
social value. • New insight into your work
(because organisations will
and how to make your services
know how they make the
even better.
most difference).
• Helping public bodies understand the social value your organisation creates, which will help when bidding for future funding.
A second survey is nearing completion and the final one will start in May 2013. The combined results will help refine the tools being developed
Some organisations will also get a
and evidence a range of social
more in-depth economic analysis
impacts. It’s not too late to get
of their work.
involved – see goo.gl/87JJy for
for example, support for older
more information.
people, skills training for people
What’s happened so far and
with disabilities, or mentoring
what will be the final result?
for young people at risk of
The project’s first survey showed
offending – all these activities
Bristol’s VCS performing well but
produce a benefit for individuals
also a clear need for ongoing
and communities. If we help
support and development.
you quantify this impact, when
Further work will lead to:
6 www.voscur.org
• A report detailing research
January / February / March 2013 Issue 19
Support Hub
A ‘Kick Start’ for Dua Women’s group Dua Women’s group was established to support women of Indian and Pakistani heritage and boost their confidence levels. Iman Asghar, founder of the organisation, talks about the development of Dua Women’s group and the benefits of attending Voscur’s Kick Start training. Iman started the group to enable women to talk, share their problems and help one another to find solutions for managing issues related to their everyday lives. The group offers support sessions for women and attendance is growing. The service is free and is funded by family and friends who are committed to its success. Its management committee provides a vehicle to empower women into governance roles and to increase their skills in this area. Two members of Dua recently attended our free six-session Kick Start training course for emerging and re-emerging groups. The course provides a supportive space for groups to learn about all of the stages involved in managing an organisation. “I found the training extremely helpful,” Iman says. “Kick Start gave me the understanding about how to improve our group and the confidence to do it. I am now able to share this learning with other women and friends so I can educate them about how to manage an organisation. Before
Iman (left) and attendees at the Kick Start Session
attending Kick Start we did not understand issues such as policies and procedures, or the complex details about constitutions. Now we are developing a constitution of our own and putting this into practice.”
On 31 March, Dua will be running a family fun day at Easton Community Centre, 12-6pm, focusing on women and children but open to all parents.
Iman feels that what she and her colleague found most useful about Kick Start was the range of information they received and how the trainers made complex issues easy to grasp.
To contact Dua Women’s group contact Iman Asghar on: imanasghar@hotmail.com /
“We felt good about asking any question we wanted without being made to feel stupid, and the rest of the group we trained with were all very supportive of each other. I’m now looking forward to further support from Voscur including attending a couple more Support Hub training courses this term.”
The fourth Kick Start training programme starts in January 2013. For more information about enrolling on this please contact us on:
Issue 19 January / February / March 2013
07735 272 797.
Kick Start
Email: info@supporthub.org.uk Telephone: 0117 909 9949 Website: www.supporthub.org. uk
www.voscur.org
7
Support Hub
Business on Board Are you looking for Trustees with commercial experience? Business on Board is an exciting initiative which aims to match skilled professionals from the private sector with voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations who are looking for trustees. The brokerage has been set up in partnership with the regional offices of Business in the Community, the Institute of Directors, the Chamber of Commerce, the Confederation of British Industry and Voscur for the benefit of Bristol’s vibrant voluntary and community sector. Business on Board is a free
service to VCS organisations and is currently recruiting business volunteers with the following skills: • Tender procedures and processes; • HR to include Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) (TUPE)/ redundancies/benefit system; • Legal assistance; • Financial; • Governance; • Risk management; • Property knowledge; • New technology and social media;
• Income generation. Each business volunteer has individual skills, interests and motivations. These will be assessed on a 1:1 basis to help identify VCS organisations that would benefit from these skills.
If your organisation is looking for trustees, please contact Lisa Bryant for further information at info@businessonboardsw.co.uk.
Safeguarding children and adults: the new Disclosure and Barring Service From 10 September 2012, a
represent a change to the
number of legislative changes
services you receive.
took place in relation to the CRB (Criminal Record Bureau) checking service, including a new definition of regulated activity for children and adults, statutory guidance on the supervision of children, repeal
Another change in early 2013 is a new Update Service. More information is available on the new DBS website: www.homeoffice.gov.uk/dbs.
of controlled activity and various other changes. From 1 December 2012, the work of the CRB and of the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) merged into a new single, non-departmental public body called the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The work of the DBS will not
8 www.voscur.org
For help and up-to-date information around safeguarding, attend our Writing a Safeguarding Policy workshop on 26 March 2013. More information at: www.supporthub.org.uk/ training-hub.
Old Terms
New Terms for DBS
CRB, ISA.
DBS.
Standard CRB check.
Standard DBS check.
Enhanced CRB check.
Enhanced DBS check.
Enhanced CRB check with barred list check.
Enhanced check for regulated activity.
ISA Adult First.
DBS Adult First.
Vulnerable adults.
Vulnerable groups, including children.
January / February / March 2013 Issue 19
Support Hub
Why it is all change for PAYE How employers report Pay As You Earn (PAYE) details to HM Revenue & Customs is changing. HMRC’s Jane Brothwood explains to employers in Bristol what they need to do to prepare. What is Real Time Information?
How will RTI benefit employers
From April 2013 there will be a
and pension providers?
new way to report PAYE in real
By getting rid of employer annual
time, Real Time Information
returns and streamlining the
(RTI). Under the present PAYE
starter and leaver processes, RTI
system, employers tell HMRC what
will remove admin burdens from
deductions they have made from
organisations of around £300m
employees’ pay at the end of
each year.
the year. Reporting PAYE in real time will ensure that employees’
What is the timetable for
tax records are accurate, so they
introducing RTI?
won’t face big PAYE overpayments
RTI is being introduced
or underpayments at the end of
progressively to give plenty of
every tax year. It will also provide
time for testing the new systems.
accurate records on wages and
We began piloting RTI in April
tax for the forthcoming Universal
2012, with around 310 volunteer
Credit, so eligible employees will
employers. The pilot is going well
get the right amount of benefits
and is on track. Most employers
in the right format. Employers
or tax credits every month.
will begin reporting PAYE in real
should also make sure that they
time in April 2013, with all doing
add staff to their payrolls who
so by October 2013.
will now need to be included with
What is changing? PAYE itself will not change –
Jane Brothwood, head of RTI Communications at HMRC
their RTI submissions, for example,
just the way, and how often,
Next steps
those under the Lower Earnings
employers send PAYE details to
Organisations of all sizes should
Limit (LEL).
HMRC. Instead of sending all PAYE
start preparing for RTI now by
details to HMRC in one go at the
talking to their payroll software
end of the year, from April 2013
provider or payroll service provider
employers will have to:
about how they are developing
• Send details every time a payment is made. • Use payroll software to send the details electronically. • Send the details as part of your normal payroll process.
appropriate payroll software. It’s also vital that employers check that information about their employees is accurate and up to date. This involves making sure that surname, forename, gender, address, date of birth and National Insurance number are correct and
Issue 19 January / February / March 2013
To learn more about RTI, attend our upcoming training session: PAYE Changes: Making Sense of Real Time Information 5 February 2013, 10am-12pm For further information about RTI go to: www.hmrc.gov.uk/rti
www.voscur.org
9
Support Hub
What structure should you choose for your organisation? Choosing the most appropriate legal structure can be difficult for new organisations. Holly Hawkins, a solicitor with Avon and Bristol Law Centre, describes some of the services that the Law Centre can offer to organisations through the Support Hub. People in communities often
What type of structure might a
come together to form a new
community group consider?
community group or organisation
There are several different
to meet the needs of their
structures which a community
community. It is important for
group might want to consider
the group to be clear about their
and these may include:
legal structure. There are likely to be different options open to community groups and initially understanding the pros and cons of each may be challenging. Avon and Bristol Law Centre can offer advice and support to groups to help them: • Understand the range of different legal structures available. • Identify an appropriate legal structure for their organisation. • Set up an organisation
• An Unincorporated Association. • A Charitable Trust.
2011 as it relates to charitable
• A Charitable Company/Company
organisations. The Act contains
Limited by Guarantee. • A Charitable Incorporated
descriptions of purposes and confirms the need for charitable purposes to be for ‘the public
Organisation. • A Community Interest Company. The group may also want to consider whether it is capable of being recognised as a charity and whether trustees have a duty to register a charity.
benefit’. We can give advice to help a group be clearer on what a charitable purpose is and to understand public benefit principles. We can also advise on both the registration process and the registration requirements for
What support can Avon
charities.
(including advising on the
and Bristol Law Centre
By discussing these aspects in
completion of relevant
provide to groups through
some detail, we aim to help
documents and filing
the Support Hub?
Support Hub customers to
requirements).
The support available can
decide on the most appropriate
include an exploration of the
legal structure to set up. We can
for charities to register with
group’s organisational aims and
also help with completing legal
the Charity Commission and the
objectives and consideration of
paperwork.
process involved (if applicable).
some different legal structures.
For more information on the
• Understand the requirements
If relevant, the Law Centre may refer to specific legislation – for example the Charities Act
10 www.voscur.org
Support Hub and how to get in contact, please see the information box on the next page.
January / February / March 2013 Issue 19
Support Hub
Seeing the wood for the trees – help with business planning Voluntary and community sector organisations are increasingly required to produce business plans that set out their futures and prove that their organisations are effective. Over the last year, many Support Hub customers have requested support with business and strategic planning. In addition, organisations are reviewing the potential of different sources of income, such as trading activities, to improve their resilience in the difficult economic climate. Customers tell us that they do not know where to start and need help with different stages of business planning. In response to this, we have developed an additional Support Hub service. Social Enterprise Works – an organisation that offers expert guidance, support and training to help social enterprises grow, develop and succeed – will provide business planning support to Support Hub customers. What is included in business planning support? The main focus of this new service is to improve Support Hub customers’ ability to develop business plans that set out clear aims and goals. The service has been designed to be flexible about specific requirements and the support may cover some of
Photo by Andy Logan
the following aspects of business planning: • Vision, mission and values. • Aims and strategic objectives. • Products, activities and services. • Market research and competition. • External environment – political, environmental, economic aspects. • Action planning and prioritisation. How does it work? Support Hub development workers help customers to identify their organisations’ circumstances and needs using a ‘health check’. They then support the organisation by proposing an action plan to address the organisation’s needs. That action plan would include actions for the organisation’s staff and trustees, actions for the development worker or referrals
Issue 19 January / February / March 2013
to specific Support Hub services. If support for business planning is included in an action plan, the referral would be to Social Enterprise Works. Elaine Flint of Social Enterprise Works says: “We are pleased to be working with the Support Hub to help voluntary and community organisations develop and improve their business plans. These plans are essential tools to help organisations track progress and provide guidance for decisionmaking and to help with raising funds and being sustainable.”
For the services on this double-page spread, as well as others offered by the Support Hub, visit: www.supporthub.org.uk or call 0117 909 9949.
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11
Support Hub training courses The Support Hub is offering an exciting range of courses between now and April to help your organisation to run effectively and be ahead of the curve when it comes to engaging in commissioning, fundraising, working in partnership and more! For all of these courses, as well as others which are added throughout the year, visit: www.supporthub.org.uk/training-hub.
Trustees and meetings training: Becoming a trustee is an exciting opportunity to be involved in the management of an organisation. These training courses are a good way to build up your confidence and knowledge to perform well in your new role.
Having Effective Meetings
Being a Good Trustee
19 February 2013, 9:30am-3:30pm
7 March 2013, 6:30pm-9:30pm
We all know how to have an ineffective meeting; this course will give you a series of tools to use in order to get the most from your meetings, including time keeping and focus.
Being an Even Better Trustee 14 March 2013, 6:30pm-9:30pm These two short evening courses are ideal for anyone who has just become a trustee or wants to brush up on their knowledge and skills. Being a Good Trustee covers the roles and responsibilities of a trustee; Being an Even Better Trustee goes into more detail about governance, managing risk, effective meetings and how to make the most of the skills in your trustee team.
Commissioning training: Commissioning is becoming an increasingly common way for services in Bristol to be funded so it is important for everyone to understand how this works and how they can engage.
Commissioning for Beginners 29 January 2013, 9:30am-1pm Commissioning can seem daunting, but this half-day course will help you to make sense of it. This course covers the principles of commissioning, explains the terminology, takes you through the commissioning cycle and deals with some of the myths and fears around the whole process.
Using Proactis Plaza 27 February 2013, 9:30am-1pm
12 www.voscur.org
Proactis Plaza is Bristol City Council’s online system which organisations need to use if they want to be commissioned for work. This short, practical course introduces you to the system and how to use it.
Commissioning and Outcomes 18 March 2013, 9:30am-3:30pm This course is aimed at anyone with some experience of fundraising or as a follow-on to Commissioning for Beginners. It looks at what outcomes actually mean in practice, how to monitor these and where to find further support.
January / February / March 2013  Issue 19
Support Hub
Staff and volunteer management training: Managing other people can be rewarding but also challenging. It’s important to feel confident in this work, especially when it comes to the more complex areas.
Managing Redundancy 16 January 2013, 9:30am-1pm Everyone hopes never to have to face it, but it is important that organisations prepare for how they would manage redundancies. This short course gives an introduction to the practicalities and potential challenges of managing the process.
Volunteers and the Law
Updating your Equality and Diversity Policy 21 February 2013, 9:30am-3:30pm Whether this is a development area for you or something you’ve done before, this course will help you work through updating and improving your equality and diversity policy so it works for you, your staff, volunteers and service users.
24 January 2013, 9:30am-1pm
Writing your Safeguarding Policy
Volunteers can add value to organisations, as well as building their own skills and confidence. In order for both sides to get the most from the arrangement, it is important to be clear on the law and best practice. A good introductory course for all volunteer managers. This course is delivered in partnership with Volunteer Bristol.
26 March 2013, 9:30am-3:30pm This course will provide an introduction to writing a safeguarding policy for vulnerable groups, particularly children and young people.
Fundraising training: Fundraising is at the forefront of lots of people’s minds right now, and worth spending some time on to get clued up.
Introduction to Fundraising 31 January 2013, 9:30am-3:30pm This course introduces you to the landscape of funding and helps you to think about what funding opportunities to apply for. It also introduces you to the language and skills you need for successful funding bids. A great course for people new to fundraising.
Prove it! Convincing Funders Your Project is Needed
well? Come on this course and get equipped with the skills and resources to make funders take notice.
Developing a Fundraising Strategy 13 March 2013, 9:30am-3:30pm Not sure where to go next with fundraising or feeling like it’s a lot of work for less gain than you’d like? If yes – this course is for you. It introduces fundraising strategies and why they’re useful, external challenges and opportunities and how to start thinking about a variety of funding sources.
25 February 2013, 9:30am-3:30pm You know your project is necessary and performing well: now how do you make sure funders see this as
Issue 19 January / February / March 2013
www.voscur.org
13
Finance training: Finance and financial management is an area where it is always important to keep knowledge and and awareness up to date. The Support Hub is offering several creative and engaging events and workshops designed to do just that.
PAYE Changes: Making Sense of Real Time Information 5 February 2013, 10am-12pm Delivered by HMRC, this presentation explains the changes coming in April 2013 for employers. It will examine what Real Time Information (RTI) means and what needs to be done to prepare for it, including submitting pay and tax details to HMRC every payday.
VCS Funding Fair 7 February 2013, 9:30am-3:30pm
learn how best to present your proposals. There will also be workshops and presentations on the day – look out for further information in Voscur’s e-bulletins and on the Voscur website.
Finance Forum 5 March 2013, 10am-12:30pm The Finance Forum offers a chance to meet other workers with financial responsibilities, find out about what is happening in the world of finance and attend workshops designed to develop your skills.
The Funding Fair is a chance to get informed about funding opportunities, identify appropriate funds and
Other training: Working Together: Legal Considerations
To book onto any of these courses or to find out more, please go to: www.supporthub.org.uk/traininghub. Alternatively, you can call us on 0117 909 9949.
30 January 2013, 9:30am-1pm Partnership working is something that more and more organisations are considering and it can be an exciting move. However, it is important to know the law around any partnership work before ploughing ahead; this half-day course will give you a good introduction to what you need to know.
This is a QR code,
Food Hygiene
you to scan these
25 March 2013, 9:30am-4:30pm
codes for instant
This course is for any organisation looking to build up skills around food hygiene, whether that is training volunteers and staff for a community cafe or wanting to be aware of how to handle food during toddler group picnics.
14 www.voscur.org
designed for smart phones and devices. You can download an ‘app’ which will allow
access to additional information on your mobile/smart device.
January / February / March 2013 Issue 19
Support Hub
Volunteers and the Law Volunteering is popular in Bristol and plays a huge part in the success of our thriving voluntary and community sector. Over 350 people sign up to Volunteer Bristol every month, looking to develop skills, get involved and give something back. Volunteers benefit organisations, bringing enthusiasm, energy, skills, knowledge and passion, which many organisations are embracing. However, there are important legal considerations when taking on volunteers, whether for one-off events or long-term projects.
??Should I give new volunteers a job description or a role description? ??Is it all right to get new volunteers to fill in an application form? ??Can I pay my volunteers a nominal amount for their volunteering or should I just cover their out-of-pocket expenses?* If you are not sure of the answers to these questions (or have other questions about how the law applies to volunteers in your organisation), then the Support Hub’s half-day training on Volunteers and the Law will be
Managing redundancies: better to have a plan and not need it! According to Labour Market Statistics, redundancy rates at the end of 2011 were 6.6%, up slightly from the year before. Across the sector, cuts in funding and changes in service provision are increasing, as is the possibility that organisations will have to manage making posts redundant. Managing redundancies is something that most organisations hope never to have to deal with. Despite this, it pays to think about how your organisation would handle this
and to have plans in place. In January 2013, Voscur’s Support Hub will be running a one-day training course to help organisations start thinking about how to manage redundancies. Delivered by Charity HR, this course will cover the process and how to follow it, as well as the rights, responsibilities and potential issues for employers facing managing redundancies. The training will also look at ways it may be possible to avoid
Issue 19 January / February / March 2013
helpful for you, giving you a good grounding in the basics, as well as an introduction to other sources of information and support. The session, taking place in January 2013, is delivered in partnership with Volunteer Bristol, Bristol’s volunteer bureau that provides support to volunteer managers as well as running an active volunteer matching service. * Answers: role description; yes, as long as you don’t call it a ‘job application form’; only out-of-pocket expenses.
For more information: www.supporthub.org. uk/training-hub Volunteers and the Law 24 January 2013, 9:30am-1pm
redundancies, and other options instead of redundancy. Like many things that seem worrying, dealing with the concerns can make a huge difference. Even if your organisation seems unlikely to be facing redundancies in the near future, it is often better to have a plan and not need it than to need a plan and not have it.
For more information: www.supporthub.org. uk/training-hub. Managing Redundancies 16 January 2013, 9:30am-1pm
www.voscur.org
15
Using the new Bristol Compact – your organisation and commissioning Last year, following a detailed consultation, the Compact Partners’ Group coordinated a revision of the Bristol Compact to ensure it is fit for purpose in the context of commissioning, personalisation, localism, new health structures and a new Bristol Mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner. Many interested parties (both public and voluntary and community sector) contributed to the consultation and there were high levels of support for all elements of the new Bristol Compact. Eighty per cent agreed with the new shared values that underpin it, and 86% agreed with the new commitments, both those of the voluntary and community sector and public sector, and those that are shared. For a full write-up on the consultation, visit: www. bristolcompact.org.uk/news/ compact-consultation-results. The new Bristol Compact was launched in November 2012 and covers all types of relationships between the sectors (including volunteering and community cohesion). The main message that came out of the consultation however was that the Compact needs to be relevant in relation to commissioning, to help voluntary organisations to engage.
16 www.voscur.org
Commissioning cycle The types of activities and involvement of the voluntary and community sector changes throughout the commissioning cycle. As can be seen in the diagram to the right, there are four key stages (‘analyse’, ‘plan’, ‘do’, ‘review’) which are common to any planning process. As activities change throughout the cycle, so does the nature of the relationships between your organisation and commissioners. The following commitments – shared, public sector and voluntary and community sector – illustrate the use of the Bristol
Basic Commis
Analyse
Compact in the commissioning cycle.
As you will see, we have referenced each commitment according to its place in the new Bristol Compact document. To read more, you can access the full document here: www.bristolcompact.org.uk/ bristolcompact.
Review
January / February / March 2013 Issue 19
Bristol Compact
S = Shared commitments P = Public sector commitments VCS = Voluntary and community sector commitments
‘Analyse’ stage Understanding people’s/ communities’ needs and the provider market Your organisation may want to define what social value means and how you measure it – in readiness for the new legal requirement of procurement to consider social value [shared
ssioning Cycle
commitment 1.1]. Engage your service users and governance bodies so that the ‘needs analysis’ includes your expert perspectives on people’s needs [VCS commitment 1.17].
‘Plan’ stage Proposing to meet people’s needs Look out for the consultation on the draft commissioning plan – it’s an important opportunity [VCS 3.12] and the consultation process should be fair and reasonable [shared 3.1-3.8] so that your organisation can respond. In designing the purchasing/procurement options, commissioners should consider the possibilities of the local provider market [public sector 1.14]. Best practice, such as full cost recovery budgeting, should be included in funding opportunities by commissioners and in proposals/accounting by VCS providers [shared 1.4].
‘Do’ stage
Plan
Do
New services in place and meeting needs Service providers should strive for continuous improvement, which may be achieved by facilitating feedback from service users to improve services [VCS 1.19]. Contract management should be proportionate [public sector 1.10]. Commissioners should recognise that payment in advance of expenditure enables more VCS organisations to engage in sustainable service delivery [public sector 1.13].
Issue 19 January / February / March 2013
‘Review’ stage Are services still needed? Recognise [shared 5.1] and work together [shared 5.3] to minimise the impact of changes or reductions of funding on service users and employees. Understand and take into account when designing and implementing policies, programmes and services the specific needs of underrepresented and disadvantaged groups [shared 2.1].
The Bristol Compact and your organisation Many Bristol Compact commitments apply to different parts of the commissioning cycle – these will change according to your specific relationship. It would be an advantage for your governance body (management committee, board of trustees) and staff team to become familiar with the commitments so that your organisation can deliver and lobby for best practice. The success of the new Bristol Compact is our shared responsibility. If we use it, and not just when we’re in a crisis, it will help us to improve our relationships and facilitate effective working.
For more information, contact Mark Hubbard, Bristol’s Compact Liaison Officer, on: 0117 909 9949 or email: mark@voscur.org.
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Social value – the voluntary sector’s unique selling point As the new Public Works (Social Value) Act 2012 comes into effect we look at how the voluntary and community sector (VCS) can use this legislation to its advantage by emphasising VCS added value. In January 2013 the Public Works (Social Value) Act 2012 comes into effect. For the first time, all public bodies in England and Wales, including local
The Public Works (Social Value) Act 2012 will ask that public bodies, including councils, commission services from providers who are committed to doing more than simply making money from a contract.
authorities, will be required to consider how the services they commission and procure might improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of the area. The requirements of the Act involve looking beyond the price of each individual contract and looking at what the collective benefit to a community is when a public body chooses to award a contract. Social value asks the question: “If £1 is spent on the delivery of services, can that same £1 also be used to produce a wider benefit to the community?”
What does the Act require public bodies to do? The Act states that: “The authority must consider— (a) how what is proposed to be procured might improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of the relevant area, and (b) how, in conducting the process of
18 www.voscur.org
procurement, it might act with a view to securing that improvement.”
Why is the Public Works (Social Value) Act 2012 relevant to the VCS? It will ask that public bodies, including councils, commission services from providers who are committed to doing more than simply making money from a contract. Commissioners and procurement officers will need to seek out organisations that deliver above and beyond, charging a fair price while supporting the boroughs and communities in which they operate. The strength of the VCS is that the work it undertakes is driven by wanting to do social good and not by making money. Many VCS organisations not only deliver services but do so in a way that provides added social value.
How will the Public Works (Social Value) Act 2012 be introduced in Bristol? Currently, Bristol City Council has established sustainable procurement in its commissioning processes. This expects financial, social and environmental issues to be taken into consideration in commissioning. Although these measures can be part of social value, the current policy does not clearly define social value or how it would be measured in commissioning processes. There are, for example, no new indicators of social value under the headings – this presents an opportunity for the VCS to propose some recommended social value indicators. What social value indicators would you propose? Join the discussion at: www.voiceandinfluence.org. uk/developing-social-valueindicators-bristol.
January / February / March 2013 Issue 19
Voice and Influence Local examples of social value:
safely providing over 12 million
experience, skills and qualifications
passenger trips on their fleet of
to move on into employment.
The Bristol Pound
2011 HCT took over the operation
buses every year. In September of the A4 Park and Ride Service (904) in Bristol and in April 2012 started operating the Portway (902) Park and Ride. As a social enterprise bus operator, the commercial contracts in Bristol bring social value by helping to support the work of Bristol
Photo by Pavel Medzyun
Community Transport (BCT). BCT provides low-cost, accessible
www.csvavon.org.uk/cafe.htm
What can you do about social value? • Ask your commissioner or contract manager how they propose to assess social value in commissioning processes. • Work in your organisation to define what social value means, how your organisation achieves it and collect evidence of it.
The first Bristol Pound notes
minibuses for community groups;
were circulated in 2012. The
community buses and cars for
Bristol Pound is a local currency
older people and people with
that encourages spending in
disabilities; training services;
Bristol to boost local economic
and more.
activity by retaining money in the
www.bristolcommunitytransport.
5.8 refer to social value. You
org.uk
can access this here:
www.bristolparkandride.org
www.bristolcompact.org.uk/
www.hctgroup.org
bristolcompact.
area. This delivers social value by encouraging and strengthening economic ties between the people of the area and local traders. The Bristol Pound is a complementary
This will be useful in proving your case in commissioning processes. • Check the new Bristol Compact – commitments 1.1, 1.2 and
Whole-Baked Cafe
currency that can be used alone or alongside the national currency. Its use by provider organisations
Find out more
in paying suppliers and employees
Public Works (Social Value) Act 2012
could demonstrate social value. www.bristolpound.org HCT Group/Bristol Community Transport
The Whole-Baked Cafe in Bristol was established over 20 years ago. It not only offers a daily changing selection of meat, vegetarian and vegan dishes, salads, snacks and desserts, but provides added social value by offering training for people who have a learning disability. The Cafe is open from
HCT Group is a social enterprise in the transport industry,
12-2pm, Monday to Friday, and works with people with a learning disability who wish to gain
Issue 19 January / February / March 2013
www.legislation.gov.uk/ ukpga/2012/3/enacted NAVCA presentation on the Public Works (Social Value) Act 2012 www.navca.org.uk/downloads/ generate/3253 Also, see page six for information on the Proving Our Value project and how it could help you to prove your worth to funders.
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Equalities news The start of 2013 brings an immediate focus on equalities communities – 27 January commemorates Holocaust Memorial Day, February will see events taking place for LGBT History Month, and 8 March marks International Women’s Day. Voscur is pleased to support activities and events that raise awareness, address inequality and celebrate diversity. It is important to emphasise that the championing of equalities must be an ongoing commitment throughout the year. The voluntary sector is active in addressing inequality while working with local communities and partners in other sectors to achieve positive change.
Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) – 27 January 2013
of HMD projects at an event at City Hall on Thursday 24 January. For further information and to get involved, contact: Simon Nelson, Equalities (HR Support) Officer, Bristol City Council on: Simon.Nelson@bristol.gov.uk / 0117 922 2358.
LGBT History Month – February 2013 Photo by alphadesigner
The theme this year is ‘Communities Together: Building a Bridge’, which is asking us to share the lessons of the past and present and to use our voices to create a safer and better future. The day hopes to empower people to challenge discriminatory behaviour when they see and hear it. The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust has appointed Equality South West as the regional champion for the day. For support and resources, email: southwest@hmd.org.uk. For more information about HMD, visit: www.hmd.org.uk. Bristol City Council is currently discussing showcasing a range
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Some updates on local lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) projects, and events taking place in LGBT History Month.
OutStories Bristol
associated with Bristol. Covering all periods of history to the present day, our aim is to record the life stories of LGBT people and preserve documents and artefacts that tell those stories in a publicly accessible way. Currently, our key activity is an exhibition of local LGBT history since the Second World War, taking place at the M Shed during February. This has been funded by a Heritage Lottery Fund grant of £20,300. Around 40 people have taken part, allowing us to record their stories and use their words. OutStories Bristol is an ongoing group and will offer other opportunities for people to get involved in activities during the year. For more information, visit: www.outstoriesbristol.org.uk.
LGBT Bristol OutStories Bristol is a volunteer community history group that gathers the stories of lesbian gay bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) people living in or
This year we are concentrating on two main projects: ‘Walk Out’ and ‘Diversity in Schools’.
January / February / March 2013 Issue 19
Voice and Influence their equalities competence, and Ofsted reports.
Walk Out is a one-year joint-funded project between LGBT Bristol, Walk for Health and Awards for All. Launched last October, it aims to address the health, mental health and well-being of older, less able and/or socially isolated LGBT people. Our development worker Esther Clarke is developing the programme and will lead walks along with volunteers that we will be recruiting and training. While supporting the project with our core funding we will be seeking further funding to continue the project beyond the initial year. For more information about the Walk Out project please contact Esther Clarke: walkout@lgbtbristol.org. uk. Details of the walk timetable are available on our website www.lgbtbristol.org.uk. Diversity in Schools is a 4+ year project that aims to assist primary schools in addressing all equalities issues in policies, school life, the classroom and the curriculum. We are setting up support groups for LGBT governors, staff, and families to continue dialogue on the practices we introduce. We will also work to set up a network for all the groups to link into. Our database will include information for the public about each school, including details of
To celebrate LGBT History Month we invite you to attend the Diversity in Schools project launch on 1 February 2013 at City Hall from 5-9pm. There will be various presenters providing information and entertainment. All local LGBT groups are invited to take part, and in the foyer you will be able to see our art project (drawings of LGBT families by local children). For more information about the Diversity in Schools project and how to get involved in the art project, please email: sarah@lgbtbristol.org.uk.
International Women’s Day – 8 March 2013 Confronting Women’s Poverty: Turning Things Around In response to the grossly disproportionate effect of the government’s cuts on women (the Fawcett Society has shown that £5.8 billion of the
have led to unprecedented levels of poverty among women (and men) – in welfare cuts, increased debt, higher fuel and food bills, etc. – and widened the gap between rich and poor. The event will highlight the reality of women’s poverty, as well as working towards finding positive solutions. The full programme/booking details will be announced on the event blog nearer the time: confrontingwomenspoverty. blogspot.co.uk. Email: confrontingpoverty@gmail.com. Twitter feed @ConfrontPoverty.
Polish Information Day – 20 January 2013 SARI, Avon and Somerset Police and Voscur will be hosting the second Polish Information Day on 20 January 2013. Last year’s event was a huge success; hundreds of people from Bristol’s Polish community attended to find out about voluntary and community sector and public sector services available to them. Many groups had stalls and promoted their activities. This year’s event will again be held at the Polish Church on
£8 billion cuts will be taken from women’s pockets), feminist activists in Bristol are organising a one-day event at City Hall on International Women’s Day, Friday 8 March 2013.
Cheltenham Road, from 11am-
This event will welcome national speakers to Bristol together with representatives from South West organisations whose work is dedicated to addressing the impact of government policies. These
by emailing: anna.skotniczna@
Issue 19 January / February / March 2013
3pm. This is a great opportunity for local groups – if your organisation would like to have a stall or get involved, please contact PCSO Anna Skotniczna avonandsomerset.police.uk or calling: 07766137137
www.voscur.org
21
Voice and Influence
Voscur’s Deaf people’s Transitional Development Project Voscur has been commissioned by the Council’s Health and Social Care team to explore and identify needs and aspirations of Deaf1 people (and those with a significant hearing impairment) in Bristol and to help to plan future service delivery. In Bristol it is estimated that there are around 350 profoundly Deaf people for whom British Sign Language (BSL) is their first and preferred language.2 It is hoped that the results of the latest Census (see page 23) will give us a more up-to-date picture for Bristol. There are also many more deaf and hard-of-hearing people who are not using BSL. In all there are probably around 6,000 people who are Deaf and/or hard of hearing. This is based on the understanding that 1 in 7 people have some kind of hearing loss.3 Deaf people who prefer to communicate by signs often like to spend their time together with others in a similar situation, rather than navigating difficult language/communication barriers.4 This makes it difficult for service providers (including Bristol City Council’s Health and Social Care team) to fully understand Deaf people’s needs. Voscur’s Deaf Development Project aims to find out how the Council can improve its health and social care services for Deaf people, making them more accessible and removing any barriers that prevent Deaf people from using
22 www.voscur.org
Eva Fielding-Jackson, Deaf Transitional Development Worker
them. The project is also looking for ways to increase Deaf people’s confidence in using local services, as well as their independence and empowerment more generally. Eva Fielding-Jackson, Deaf Transitional Development Worker, has produced a questionnaire as part of the project which can be completed up until 28 January. Hard copies of this questionnaire are available, as well as an online and signed DVD version. Results from the questionnaire will help Voscur to make key recommendations that will inform future service design, and address social and support needs of Deaf people in Bristol.
If you wish to contact Eva her email address is evafj@voscur.org or for the online questionnaire, visit: www.survey.bris.ac.uk/voscur/ deafcommunity.
1. Deaf with a capital ‘D’ represents Deaf people who are culturally Deaf and use BSL as their first language. 2. This information is based on the number of Deaf people who receive Disability Living Allowance (DLA). 3. Action for Hearing Loss (the new name for The Royal National Institute for Deaf People). There is an agreed formula worldwide where 1 in 1,000 are born profoundly deaf and 1 in 7 will develop some sort of hearing loss. 4. ‘Deaf People in the Community’, 2002, Deaf Studies Trust (Bristol).
January / February / March 2013 Issue 19
Voice and Influence
Count me in – what the latest Census tells us about Bristol Photo by Tico
As the information on Bristol from the latest Census is released, Voscur has organised a briefing to help voluntary and community sector organisations find out about the changing population of Bristol. In early 2013, the analysed data from the Census carried out in 2011 will be released. This data provides the most up-to-date information on Bristol’s population. The Census headlines were released in September 2012 but the full information gives a comprehensive picture of Bristol, with details of population, demographics, employment, income, housing tenure, equalities groups and more.
What the 2011 Census headlines tell us Bristol’s total Census day population was 428,200, making Bristol the tenth largest local authority in England and Wales. Bristol’s population increased by 38,200 or 9.8% between 2001 and 2011, a percentage increase which is much higher than the averages for both the South West (7.0%) and England and Wales (7.1%). Bristol had the third highest growth rate of all Core Cities* after Manchester (19.0%) and Nottingham (13.7%). Bristol has a younger age profile than England and Wales and the South West region. The median age
of people living in Bristol was 33.7 years old – 5.3 years lower than the England and Wales median of 39 years.
Bristol had the third highest growth rate of all Core Cities* after Manchester (19.0%) and Nottingham (13.7%). (Census, 2011)
There were 74,100 children (aged 0-14) living in Bristol according to the 2011 Census, making 17% of the total population. This is similar to the South West (16%) and England and Wales averages (18%). The number of 0-14 year olds has increased by 5,400 since 2001, which was a 7.9% increase compared to a 0.6% increase nationally. The increase was particularly concentrated in the under 5s, both in Bristol and nationally. In Bristol the number of 0-4 year olds has increased by 6,200 (26.5%) since 2001, over double the national increase of 13.1%.
Issue 19 January / February / March 2013
There were 298,200 people of working age (15 to 64 years) living in Bristol according to the 2011 Census, making up 70% of the total population. This proportion was higher than both the South West average (64%) and the England and Wales average (66%). This age group has increased by 34,600 since 2001. Looking at the number of over 85s, there was a total of 1,500 living in Bristol. This age group has increased by 20.3% since 2001.
* England’s core cities are: Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Nottingham, Sheffield.
Voscur (working in partnership with Bristol City Council) is holding a Census briefing for voluntary and community sector groups on Thursday 28 February 2013, 2-4pm. For more information and to book your place at the Voscur Census briefing visit: goo.gl/VIciL
www.voscur.org
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Voice and Influence
More tough times ahead for health and social care – time to raise the profile of the sector Photo by CBSS-Baltic21
In November 2012, The Institute of Fiscal Studies announced that the government is likely to get less tax receipts than planned, leading to the national borrowing target being missed by around £13 billion for this financial year. This is bad news for health and social care; we are likely to see a continuation of ‘austerity measures’, which means more reductions in funding for health and social care budgets, reductions in support for the voluntary and community sector (VCS) and reductions in welfare payments to those most vulnerable in society. So, all the more reason to do more to promote the value of the voluntary sector and raise our profile. At Voscur, we have been putting energy into raising the profile of the VCS with the new Bristol Mayor (see pages 30-31) and improving the VCS presence at strategic meetings. We have been asked by Bristol City Council to have a sector-wide representation on two partnership groups – the Provider Forum and the Physical and Sensory Impairment Board.
We need your help Both groups meet quarterly for about two hours and we are
24 www.voscur.org
looking for someone to attend who can speak for the sector as a whole. Both groups hear about current activities of Bristol City Council and can contribute to early-stage thinking. VCS issues can be raised and pursued through these forums.
Why attend and represent the VCS? We think having a sector-wide presence is vital to raising our profile and reminding everyone about the expertise of the VCS and its huge contribution to improving people’s lives. On a more individualistic level, attending these meetings provides an opportunity to find out how decisions are made, how Bristol City Council works and to hear about the latest initiatives. Our VCS advocates (we prefer ‘advocate’ to ‘representative’ as the role is about advocating for
the sector rather than attempting to represent its diverse views) have our support with their roles. Advocates are not required to give us lengthy reports, but to write a short summary, and they are encouraged to do a short video update of their take on the meetings they attend. If we have more than one person apply for these roles, we will ask the voluntary and community sector to vote. Anyone can come forward and ‘self nominate’ themselves for the roles.
If you would like to take up the challenge contact Sue Brazendale on 0117 909 9949 or email sue@voscur.org. Details of the Provider Forum and the Physical and Sensory Impairment Board can be found here: goo.gl/FYnXz.
January / February / March 2013 Issue 19
Voice and Influence
Measuring outcomes for young people Achieving in education, successful
providers and commissioners to
careers, being healthy, having
articulate and demonstrate impact
positive relationships, involvement
in improving outcomes for young
in meaningful, enjoyable
people.
activities – these factors all play an important role in the life chances of young people. Aware of this, providers of services for young people often work in the important area of personal and social development, supporting young people to achieve in these
A specific focus is on social and emotional capabilities (sometimes referred to as ‘soft skills’, or ‘noncognitive skills’) because they are not measured by standard cognitive tests and play an important role in the achievement
Young person taking part in the Creative Youth Network’s ‘Arts 4 Life’ project.
such as educational attainment, employment, and health.
of all other outcomes for
The Framework also sets out
young people. Supporting the
a matrix of available tools to
Capturing the difference that
development of young people’s
measure these capabilities,
services make can be challenging.
underlying social and emotional
addressing which capabilities each
The link between the impact of
capabilities is a strong theme in
tool covers, key criteria that might
services and the achievement
the government’s Positive for
be considered in selecting an
of these outcomes is hard to
Youth strategy, which encourages
appropriate tool (such as cost or
assess or demonstrate for many
a stronger focus on early help
the number of users) and a step-
young people, especially as these
to support all young people to
by-step approach to measuring
outcomes usually lie some way in
succeed.
these capabilities in practice.
areas and get the most out of life.
the future. Outcomes from the process of personal and social development can be equally difficult to measure.
The Framework of Outcomes for Young People uses a model of
For details and to access the document, go to: goo.gl/BJMSA.
seven interlinked clusters of social and emotional capabilities that
To help address this, the Young
are of value to young people:
Foundation has developed a
communication, confidence and
‘Framework of Outcomes for
agency; planning and problem
Young People’ (as part of the
solving; relationships and
Catalyst Consortium which is
leadership; creativity, resilience
funded by the Department of
and determination; and managing
Education to strengthen the
feelings. There is strong evidence
youth sector). The emphasis of
demonstrating the link between
this framework is on supporting
these capabilities and outcomes
Issue 19 January / February / March 2013
Events to look out for: CYP briefing on the Outcomes Framework: 6 March 2013, 10am-12pm CYP Network meeting February 2013, further details TBC.
www.voscur.org
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Making Bristol a restorative city In December 2012, Voscur partnered with Avon and Somerset Probation Trust to hold ‘Restorative Bristol’, a conference that explored how public and voluntary and community sector organisations could work together to make Bristol a restorative city. As part of the conference, a guide to restorative justice was produced which includes different examples of projects being delivered by both public and voluntary and community sector organisations. This extract from the guide, authored by Marian Liebmann, explains what restorative justice is and some of the different restorative processes.
Restorative justice: a definition There are many definitions of restorative justice. The Restorative Justice Council uses the following definition on its website: ‘Restorative processes bring those harmed by crime or conflict, and those responsible for the harm, into communication, enabling everyone affected by a particular
Restorative justice helps offenders
the mediator, work out the
to understand the real impact
terms of the agreement.
of what they have done, to take responsibility and make amends in whatever way possible.
Victim-offender mediation – an impartial third party helps the victim(s) and offender(s) to
Restorative processes can be
communicate, either directly or
used at any stage in the criminal
indirectly. The mediation process
justice system: in schools and
can lead to greater understanding
communities, diversion by the
for both parties and sometimes to
police, between conviction or
tangible reparation.
sentencing, or post-sentence.
Restorative conferencing
incident to play a part in repairing
Restorative processes are also
– similar in principle to victim-
the harm and finding a positive
being used in schools, care homes
offender mediation but involves
way forward.’ (Restorative Justice
and the community to address
families of victims and offenders,
Council 2012)
conflict, build understanding and
and other relevant members of
strengthen relationships.
the community. Often a script of
In criminal justice, restorative processes give victims the chance to tell offenders the impact of their crimes, and get answers to their questions and an apology – sometimes some things can be put right.
26 www.voscur.org
Some restorative processes: definitions Mediation (conflicts) – an impartial third party helps two (or more) disputing parties to reach an agreement. The disputants, not
questions is used. Family group conferencing – similar to restorative conferencing but the offender’s family has some private time to come up with a viable plan for reparation and for the future.
January / February / March 2013 Issue 19
Voice and Influence Reparation – the action taken
them become more aware of the
by the offender(s) to put right
effect their crime has had on their
the harm done, whether directly
victim(s). It can be undertaken
to the victim or indirectly to the
in its own right and also as a
community.
preparation for a meeting with
Victim-offender groups – groups in which victims of crime and offenders meet, usually for a set number of sessions, where the victims have suffered similar crimes (but not the actual crimes) to those perpetrated by the offenders (for example, burglary victims and burglars). Victim awareness work – work done with offenders to help
the victim.
Research Research has shown good results: high victim and offender satisfaction reduced reoffending in many cases, and a lessening of post-traumatic stress symptoms for victims. (Sherman & Strang 2007; Shapland et al 2011)
Find out more: Restorative Justice Council: www. restorativejustice.org.uk. Restorative Justice Online: www.restorativejustice.org (online database of restorative justice worldwide). Find the full guide, including case studies and other resources from the Restorative Bristol conference, online at: www.voiceandinfluence.org.uk/ restorativebristolconference.
Case Study: Community Resolve Community Resolve is a charity and social enterprise. It was set up in Bristol in 2002 and now has 20+ part-time workers from local communities. “We work with individuals, groups
trained local residents from both
and agencies across the city to
communities to work in pairs,
transform local tensions and
going door to door to talk to
build stronger communities.
everyone. Issues included a lack
A recent example of our work relates to violent verbal and physical clashes that had taken place between white and newly arrived Somali residents in a tower block in Bristol. Its population had changed, with nearly 50% new arrivals in an area that was historically white. Over six months, we visited all the flats with a questionnaire about the difficulties they faced. We
of language, housing support and opportunities for original and new residents; also a stark difference in attitudes to dogs. Questionnaire results were fed back to residents (as a letter
Young people at a Community Resolve ‘Fridays@mill’ mentoring session
residents group which monitored difficulties in the block. Clashes between residents reduced, and an incident eight months later was resolved by the residents group.” Hen Wilkinson,
through their door, in English and
Community Resolve.
Somali), and at two multi-agency
For more information, visit:
meetings. Positive developments
www.communityresolve.org.uk
included a welcome pack for
or call 0117 955 3021.
new residents in English and other languages and a diverse
Issue 19 January / February / March 2013
www.voscur.org
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Voice and Influence
Community Infrastructure Levy New funding source will support new neighbourhood facilities. The Community Infrastructure Levy (called ‘the levy’ or ‘CIL’) allows local planning authorities to raise funds from developers who are undertaking new building projects in their area. The funds raised will go towards infrastructure that is needed to support the growth of the city. CIL is applied as a charge on each square metre of new building, and will be payable by most developments in Bristol. It replaces a number of existing Section 106* contributions. The CIL charging schedule was formally approved by the Council in September 2012. It will apply to all relevant development permitted after 1 January 2013.
Is any development exempt from the CIL? The CIL regulations provide for mandatory exemptions from CIL for both social housing and development by charities for their charitable purposes.
How much income will the CIL generate? It is anticipated that approximately £14,000,000 of CIL funding will be received between 1 January 2013 and 31 March 2018.
What can CIL income be spent on? The money raised through CIL must be spent on infrastructure
28 www.voscur.org
A new development in Easton. Photo by David Martyn
to support the growth of the city. The Planning Act 2008 provides a wide definition of this including transport, flood defences, schools, hospitals, and other health and social care facilities. This allows the Levy to be used to fund a broad range of facilities such as play areas, parks and green spaces, cultural and sports facilities, district heating schemes, police stations and other community safety facilities. This gives local communities flexibility to choose what infrastructure they need to deliver their development plans.
Who will decide what CIL is spent on?
The Levy is intended to focus on the provision of new infrastructure and should not be used to remedy pre-existing deficiencies in infrastructure provision unless those will be made more severe by new development. The Levy
of CIL is to be allocated.
can be used to increase the capacity of existing infrastructure or to repair failing infrastructure if either is necessary to support development.
Government intends that a “meaningful proportion” of each CIL receipt is devolved to the community in which the development took place. Regulations setting the parameters for the “meaningful proportion” are anticipated early in 2013. Once these are published, the Mayor will make a decision on both the level of the proportion to be devolved to Neighbourhood Partnerships, and the mechanism by which the strategic element
* Section 106 and CIL information on the Neighbourhood Planning Network website www.bristolnpn.net/ community-involvement-in-planning/ section-106
Find out more CIL information on Bristol City Council’s website: goo.gl/3NLlu
January / February / March 2013 Issue 19
Voice and Influence
Work ahead for the new Police and Crime Commissioner On 21 November 2012, Sue Mountstevens was sworn into office as the first ever Police and Crime Commissioner of Avon and Somerset. Her first job will be to prepare the 2013/14 police budget and the five-year Police and Crime Plan for Avon and Somerset (both to be finalised before April 2013).
The Police and Crime Commissioner Question Time Event at City Hall (previously called the Council House) in October 2012.
Voscur held ‘Question Time’
the experts in this. One of the
group of lay custody visitors
hustings events with all the
things that I know is close to some
which we manage very well, so
candidates in Bristol and Taunton,
people’s hearts is commissioning.
it can be done and we need to
giving VCS groups the opportunity
One of the things I will be looking
work with all the organisations
to quiz the candidates. At the
at very closely if I get elected
throughout the whole of Avon
Bristol Question Time event,
will be evidence. You need to
and Somerset.” (Sue Mountstevens
Voscur Chief Executive Wendy
make sure that whatever you’re
at the Bristol PCC Question Time,
Stephenson asked how the
doing – it’s working. So as far as
18 October 2012)
candidates would work with
preventing crime from happening
local voluntary and community
in the first place, reducing
organisations to identify priorities
reoffending or supporting
and deliver the solutions. Sue
victims, as far as I’m concerned
Mountstevens replied:
those are the outcomes that will
“I think one of the important things is that we [the PCC] won’t deliver solutions – we have to work with all the organisations to work out what the solutions are. I certainly don’t have the answer and I suspect that none of us [the other candidates] have the answers, so we need to work with organisations that are already
be necessary. I’m not going to be looking for targets; all we do when we set targets is measure those things and you leave out the things that can’t be measured. So those would be the outcomes that I would be looking for, but we need to work with the voluntary sector, and we have excellence within the police authority including an excellent voluntary
Issue 19 January / February / March 2013
Find out more Listen to the recording of the PCC Question Time event held in Bristol on Ujima FM at: goo.gl/rwELC. Look out for consultation event dates for the PCC Budget and the Police and Crime Plan and join the mailing list for the VCS PCC Network for Avon and Somerset: www.voiceandinfluence.org.uk/ VCSPCCNetwork
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Bristol’s new Mayor wants to “champion the voluntary sector” Independent candidate George Ferguson is the first directly elected Mayor of Bristol. He was one of ten mayoral candidates who signed up to support our voluntary and community sector (VCS) pledges for the mayor and we will be working with VCS groups to monitor how these commitments are implemented. During the campaign, George Ferguson joined fellow candidates at a number of events organised by Voscur and local partners. When asked the question ‘How do you see the voluntary and community sector contributing to your vision for Bristol?’, he responded: “I want to be your independent Mayor so that I can be your voice for the voluntary sector. I want to champion the voluntary sector and I want to ensure that we work together to make Bristol a fairer, more caring city, a more inclusive city and one that we can all feel proud of being part of.” Speaking at the Voscur AGM last September, George Ferguson said: “My general feeling is that in difficult times we should look at investing more in the voluntary sector. Now that’s a difficult thing to take on, but it’s undoubtedly true that the voluntary sector provides much better value. It’s much closer to the issues, it’s much closer to the people it’s serving than some of the formal structures with all their bureaucratic layers
30 www.voscur.org
“We need to tear up the rule book, we really need to start again – we need to look at how we deliver services in this city and have a very open mind as to how we do it (as to whether that is from the centre or whether it is from the neighbourhoods) and who is delivering and how we fund it.” George Ferguson, Bristol’s elected Mayor
of management, and so I’m for cutting through all that as much as possible. I’ve noticed one or two real needs [from the discussions with VCS groups at the AGM]; if we’re to redistribute the power in this city down to the local communities, which we must do, we need stronger and more even neighbourhood partnerships. I think a Mayor has a great responsibility in enabling that to happen. “Commissioning and the bidding processes are vitally important. It’s been a grumble of mine that the City Council takes the easy route, that it doesn’t challenge the European regulations enough, assumes that it can’t give preference to local and small organisations. It can, it should and I think it should be helping people
to do that – I think a Mayor should take leadership on that. I very much go along with the fact that women are disproportionately affected in so many of the issues. We need to break down the barriers right across the city and they are social barriers, they are transport barriers, general access barriers, and the voluntary sector has a great role to play in that. We need to tear up the rule book, we really need to start again – we need to look at how we deliver services in this city and have a very open mind as to how we do it (as to whether that is from the centre or whether it is from the neighbourhoods) and who is delivering and how we fund it... But let’s not think that in a time of cuts we have to cut evenly across the board; let’s look at how we get best value out of the investment
January / February / March 2013 Issue 19
Voice and Influence
George Ferguson talks to members of the voluntary and community sector and participates in round-table discussions at Voscur’s AGM in September 2012.
that the city puts in and hopefully that the money is recirculated in the city rather than being taken out of it by commissioners who have no real interest in the city.” You can watch the videos of the new Mayor speaking about the voluntary sector on Voscur’s YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/voscur
How influential do you think the voluntary sector is? In 2011 we carried out our first survey of VCS organisations to find out how much influence
the sector has with key decision makers in Bristol. Over 40% of respondents felt that through the work of VCS representative structures, their views were heard and responded to. We’ve now launched our 2013 survey to find out how influential you feel and how effective our Voice and Influence service is in helping the VCS to have a voice and engage in consultations and strategic decision making. The survey can be completed online at goo.gl/l1zpg or if you would like to receive a paper copy, please call us on: 0117 909 9949. The survey closes on 1 February 2013.
The Bristol Mayor Question Time event at Bristol University.
*** STOP PRESS *** Have your say on the draft 2013/14 Council budget The public consultation on the
wide range of local equalities-led
from this meeting and the wider
2013/14 Mayor of Bristol’s first
groups (and those representing
consultation will inform the
budget will be open on 3 January
equalities communities in Bristol)
budget proposals which will go
and you can submit your views
to their Equality Stakeholder
to the full Council for approval in
via Bristol City Council’s website.
Budget Consultation meeting
February 2013.
The Council will also be inviting a
on Friday 11 January. Responses
Issue 19 January / February / March 2013
www.voscur.org
31
Voscur Ltd. Royal Oak House Royal Oak Avenue Bristol BS1 4GB
Tel: 0117 909 9949 Fax: 0117 933 0501 Email: info@voscur.org Web: www.voscur.org
Training and events diary January 2013 Date
Time
Event
Location
16th
9:30am-1pm
Managing Redundancy
The Withywood Centre
20th
11am-3pm
Polish Information Day
Polish Church
22nd
1pm-3pm
Health and Social Care Network – Statistics on Bristol’s Move St Werburghs Community Centre to Personalisation (Self Directed Support)
24th
9:30am-1pm
Volunteers and the Law
The Gatehouse Centre
29th
9:30am-1pm
Commissioning for Beginners
The Greenway Centre
30th
9:30am-1pm
Masterclass: Working Together – Legal Considerations
Foot Anstey Office, Victoria Street
31st
9:30am-3:30pm
Introduction to Fundraising
Windmill Hill City Farm
February 2013 Date
Time
Event
Location
2nd
10am-12:30pm
City-wide meeting for members of Bristol’s Neighbourhood Partnerships
Central Bristol venue – TBC
5th
10am-12pm
PAYE Changes: Making Sense of Real Time Information
Royal Oak House
7th
9:30am-3:30pm
VCS Funding Fair
The Greenway Centre
7th
6:30pm-8:30pm
Trustee Network meeting
TBC
19th
9:30am-3:30pm
Having Effective Meetings
Easton Business Centre
21st
9:30am-3:30pm
Updating your Equality and Diversity Policy
Phoenix Social Enterprise
25th
9:30am-3:30pm
Prove it! Convincing Funders your Project is Needed
The CREATE Centre
27th
9:30am-1pm
Using Proactis Plaza
Knowle West Media Centre
28th
2pm-4pm
2011 Census Findings Briefing for the Voluntary and Community Sector
The Station, Silver Street
March 2013 Date
Time
Event
Location
5th
10am-12:30pm
Finance Forum
TBC
6th
10am-12pm
Children & Young People’s Briefing – the Outcomes Framework for Young People
Training Room 5, Barton Hill Settlement
7th
6:30pm-9:30pm
Being a Good Trustee
Barton Hill Settlement
7th
10am-1pm
VCS Assembly meeting
Barton Hill Settlement
13th
9:30am-3:30pm
Developing a Fundraising Strategy
@Symes Community Building
14th
6:30pm-9:30pm
Being an Even Better Trustee
Barton Hill Settlement
18th
9:30am-3:30pm
Commissioning and Outcomes
St Werburghs Community Centre
20th
2pm-5pm
Neighbourhoods and Communities Network meeting
The Greenway Centre
25th
9:30am-4:30pm
Food Hygiene
St Werburghs Community Centre
26th
9:30am-3:30pm
Writing your Safeguarding Policy
Barton Hill Settlement
For details of all the above training and events visit: www.voscur.org/calendar/month Voscur is a registered charity and a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee. Company no. 3918210. Charity no. 1148403. Printed on 100% recycled paper using vegetable-based inks