The Governance Hub has produced a short introduction on how to go about making the governance of your organisation better. It doesn’t try to tell you what to do but rather to guide you to a process that has the best chance of success.

Download ‘Better Governance: An Introduction to Measuring and Improving Board Effectiveness‘ in pdf format, 744kb.

‘Neighbourhood Fix-It’ (http://www.neighbourhoodfixit.com) is the latest project from mySociety to launch. It enables people to report, view, or discuss local problems like graffiti, fly tipping, broken paving slabs, or street lighting.

There has been some discussion on their blog (http://www.mysociety.org/2007/03/08/neighbourhood-fix-it-launches/) as to whether this as innovative as it appears, for example the existing ‘report problems by mobile phone’ run by Lewisham Council at http://www.lovelewisham.org. We also know of the recently launched pothole reporting site set up by cycling organisation CTC at http://www.fillthathole.org.uk.

What kinds of local and community initiatives are most effective at influencing people’s behaviour? And can lessons learned from these be applied to the issue of climate change and reducing carbon emissions? These questions form the starting point for a study by CDX and the Centre for Sustainable Energy for Defra and four other government departments.

Download ‘Mobilising individual behavioural change through community initiatives: Lessons for Climate Change’ in pdf format, 378kb, from http://www.cdx.org.uk/odds/news1278.pdf.

At Inmarsat Conference Centre, London. Workforce Reform and the Experiences of the Voluntary, Community and Faith Sector. From NCVCCO (National Council of Voluntary Childcare Organisations).

This FREE to attend one day conference aims to:

Provide the voluntary, community and faith sector with a platform to raise issues with key players in workforce development

Provide voluntary and community organisations with the opportunity to network and share practice in workforce development

Raise awareness of existing channels of communication between the CWDC and the voluntary and community sectors

The event is FREE to attend, but places are limited so please book early to avoid dissapointment.

For further information contact Paul Rushworth on 020 7324 4364,
e-mail paul.rushworth@neilstewartassociates.co.uk
or visit our website: www.neilstewartassociates.com/kd159
Keynote Speaker

Jane Haywood MBE
Chief Executive,
Children’s Workforce Development Council

Other Speakers include:

Maggie Jones, Chief Executive,
National Council of Voluntary Child Care Organisations

Maggie Rowlands, Training Director,
Home-Start UK

Helen Hibbert, Regional Coordinator,
Partnership for Young London

Written responses to Scottish charity regulator OSCR’s consultation on its proposed Rolling Review of charitable status have been collated and commented. Pdf report.

Community groups, local history societies, membership organisations and others can now access programmes of films offering insights into Britain and Britons during the 20th century, drawn from the Mediatheque at the new BFI Southbank, in homage to the touring picture shows of the past. See http://www.independentcinemaoffice.org.uk/nowavailable.html for more information.

Booking fee for community groups is £20 - contact Becky Clarke, Independent Cinema Office, email: beckyc@independentcinemaoffice.org.uk

The newly formed Yorkshire & Humber Regional Parks Forum is after people and organisations with an interest in parks and open spaces.

The forum aims to champion quality and the sustainability of green spaces throughout the region. Voluntary sector contact is Steve Hyde, email: steve_hyde@lineone.net

A couple of items which have come to our attention a bit late:

- The Department of Trade and Industry announced in January that it would be undertaking a review of the national minimum wage in relation to voluntary workers. This will look at the relevant Act and alternative non-legislative options, to clarify and/or add flexibility to it in respect of voluntary workers. http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmtoday/cmwms/archive/070117.htm.
- Enforcement policy on the national minimum wage and Cadet Force adult volunteers sponsored by the MOD or others covers some of the issues such as subsistence costs. Published Dec 06, pdf 42kb, from http://www.dti.gov.uk/files/file36035.pdf.

Acas, the employment relations service, has launched a new tool to check how well employers share information and consult with their workers. This is of particular relevance to larger organisations, with 100 or more employees, which will need to comply with Information and Consultation of Employees (ICE) regulations from 6th April (see newsletter 283).

http://www.acas.org.uk/informationandconsultation.

Two publishers which had been pushing ‘charity advertising’ in funbooks have been closed down by the High Court. They had failed to inform advertisers of the low proportion of the fees actually going to charity.

News item at http://www.creditman.biz/uk/members/news-view.asp?newsviewID=7065.

A report from the Residents and Relatives Association says that insufficient use is made of volunteers in care homes for older people. See the press release on their web site (111kb pdf) for more details: http://www.relres.org.

(Source: Croners Health and Care)

A £2 million ‘National Programme for Third Sector Commissioning’ to help local authorities “harness the potential of the third sector to improve people’s lives” is to be run by the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA). It will work with 2,000 commissioners from across the public sector including Jobcentre Plus, health authorities, the National Offender Management Service and local councils to improve their understanding of the benefits third sector organisations can bring to the design and delivery of services.

The programme, first announced in last December’s Partnership in Public Services action plan, will receive strategic direction from a steering group which includes sector representatives. Office of Third Sector press release: http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/third_sector/news/news_releases/070314_idea.asp.