London. A conference to showcase the practical resources and initiatives developed by the Volunteering Hub.

With inspirational guest speakers, practical advice, workshops, networking opportunities, a small exhibition and a question and answer session with expert panellists.

Including

• Introduction to using the National Occupational Standards for Managing Volunteers
• The Investing in Volunteers toolkit
• Launch of the Excellence in Volunteer Management training programme
• Details of the new funding model for Volunteer Centres
• The online Good Practice Bank
• Launch of the ultimate toolkit for Volunteer Centre managers

Early bird discount applies to bookings made before 6 December.

To register your interest, email: events@volunteeringengland.org
Tools of the Trade info - London

At Manchester International Convention Centre. Doing More, Doing Better.

From Social Enterprise Coalition; Conference info.

Birmingham. Principles and Practice: The middle ground.

The event will present practical working examples of technology support in the sector alongside the policy, standards and working principles we use.

From ICT Hub/Lasa. Conference details.

Two (probably) unconnected items on English/Welsh charities operating in Scotland:

Scottish conference is ’significant activity’

The monthly legal update from the Charity Team at Russell-Cooke Solicitors (http://www.russell-cooke.co.uk) reports that the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator is not adopting as light a touch as hoped in respect of charities in England and Wales which have limited activities north of the border. The example quoted is one such charity’s annual conference in Scotland, organised jointly with a Scottish sister charity, being seen as constituting ’significant activities’ requiring Scottish registration. OSCR: http://www.oscr.org.uk.

Monitoring cross-border charities

Formal monitoring by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator off ‘cross-border’ charities is to be put off for at least 12 months. The press release says “This is to allow OSCR and the Charity Commission to work together to align their monitoring programmes and minimise the regulatory burden on cross-border charities as far as possible.” Joint statement.

A benchmarking exercise on governance in the voluntary sector, previously conducted in 2000 and 2003, is being run again. The results will allow charities to compare governance arrangements against hundreds of others, and will be published on a non-attributable basis in Charity Finance and Governance magazines.

Go to http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=503242900754.

(Source: Governance Hub newsletter)

Arts funding in Northern Ireland is below levels elsewhere in the UK and the Republic of Ireland, and things are likely to get worse.

This is the reasoning behind the Arts Funding Campaign launched by Community Arts Forum: http://www.caf.ie/ArtsCampaign/.

(Source: NICVA eNews)

The Charity Commission has committed to reducing the administration burden it puts on charities by at least 25% (by cost) over the next three years, as part of the government’s recently trumpeted Administrative Burdens Reduction Project.

Its Simplification Plan, published 11th December, includes Charities Act provisions such as changes in audit thresholds as well as proposals such as improving guidance so less external costs are incurred in preparing Annual Returns.

News release at http://www.gnn.gov.uk/environment/fullDetail.asp?ReleaseID=249308&NewsAreaID=2, or go to http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/spr/simple.asp for a copy of the Plan and further background reports (due soon).

New funds for youth volunteering will offer grants of up to £15,000 to help local volunteer-involving organisations to take on and support young volunteers in harder to reach communities. The Youth Volunteering (Russell Commission) Fund is an additional and ring fenced element of the Communities First Trust Fund.

Applications by 12th January, details at http://www.communitiesfirst.info/TrustFunds/index.aspx?id=632.

(News item from WCVA.)

Just out is the second newsletter for the ‘Empowering the voluntary sector’ project which aims to provide advice and training on public law principles to all voluntary sector organisations in England that deal with public bodies.

It looks at the status of local strategic partnerships, making requests under the Freedom of Information Act and the meaning of consultation according to public bodies.

Run by the Public Law Project with NAVCA, find (in pdf, 65kb) via http://www.publiclawproject.org.uk/EmpowerVolSect.html.

Local government improvement agency IDeA is collecting short descriptions of  the work local government and the voluntary and community sector are doing together, under the heading ‘journeys to improvement’.

There are a few already available from http://www.idea.gov.uk/idk/core/page.do?pageId=5581014.

The ICT Hub National Awards will recognise organisations which have realised the potential of Information and Communication Technology, and showcase them as good examples.

Categories are Most Innovative Use of ICT, Most Effective Use of ICT, Most Accessible Organisation, Delivering Social or Environmental Benefits through ICT and Special Award: Individual Contribution to ICT in the Voluntary Sector.

Nominations by 16th February. See http://www.icthub.org.uk/ICT_Hub_Awards/.

A review of the delivery and operation of the community investment tax relief (CITR) scheme was announced on the publication of the government’s Social Enterprise Action Plan in November. They are now inviting evidence from all interested parties on how the operation of CITR and other incentives might be improved.

Respond by 28th February - http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/third_sector/news/citr.asp.