The report ‘Hearts and minds: commissioning from the voluntary sector’, published on 31st July by the Audit Commission, finds that councils and voluntary organisations are starting to realise government ambitions to expand the role of the sector in delivering public services. However neither party is making the most of this £3 billion relationship, with commissioners who ARE doing so not necessarily giving voluntary providers special treatment, but commissioning intelligently from service providers of all kinds. The report is aimed primarily at those in local councils responsible for commissioning services. Press release summary or read the report (html and pdf options)].

Welcoming the report, NCVO chief executive Stuart Etherington called for government to be clear about “what qualities, values and skills it wants voluntary sector partners to bring to the table when delivering public services”, http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/press/releases/?id=5874.

There is a consultation on the process for barring people who are deemed unsuitable to work with children and vulnerable adults under the new arrangements due to start autumn 2008.

Summary of issues on WCVA site at http://www.wcva.org.uk/news/dsp_news.cfm?newsid=945&display_sitedeptid=21. Details at Department for Children Schools and Families, http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/consultations/conDetails.cfm?consultationId=1476.

Runs to 14th September.

Alongside its report on the pilot assessments on public benefit test and existing charities, the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator highlights three key points that Scottish charities can consider now in preparation for the Rolling Review (whenever it eventually gets to them):
-  Make sure that your Charity Trustees’ Annual Report describes your charity’s activities and demonstrates public benefit provision;
- Make sure that your charity’s constitution is up-to-date, is in keeping with the requirements of the 2005 Act, and accurately reflects your charity’s activities;
- If part of a group structure, consider establishing or updating a model constitution.
OSCR news item at http://www.oscr.org.uk/NewsItem.aspx?ID=aba97c8c-73ff-40c1-a79b-d5a63bde7845.

Organisations working with vulnerable adults or children wishing to register as charities (England and Wales) will in future be required to sign a declaration that required checks have been carried out. This is in place of having to provide proof to the Charity Commission, as the cost was “disproportionate to the level of risk”.

Reported by Third Sector, http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/News/672936/ (registration required).

The Conservative Party’s ‘Social Enterprise Zones Task Force’ has reported on how to fulfil David Cameron’s pledge to establish such Zones. Proposals include tax reliefs for private investment in social enterprise projects and a Community Bank scheme to support them too.

This is closely connected with recommendations on the third sector recently produced by the party’s Social Justice Policy Group (newsletter 302) and the idea that social enterprises would “bring new life, money and jobs into areas of deprivation”.

News release with link to report (pdf, 872kb) at http://www.conservatives.com/tile.do?def=news.story.page&obj_id=137839, or see Cameron’s piece in The Guardian, http://society.guardian.co.uk/socialexclusion/comment/0,,2142986,00.html.

A new Canadian framework, ‘Culture of Accountability’, describes eight Critical Success Factors and Indicators that must be present for an organisation to be considered highly accountable.

It is “grounded in research and incorporates the perspectives, promising practices and realities of non-profit organizations”. http://www.cultureofaccountability.ca.

(Source: CharityVillage)

The second edition of the SCEDU Tender Readiness Toolkit has been produced, to help organisations identify what areas of business might need addressing in order to bid for tenders.

The new version is completely updated and includes more supporting information around social enterprise and procurement as well as new tools. http://www.scedu.org.uk/toolkit.htm.

Off the Streets and Into Work publication ‘Gaining Experience, Giving Time: Homeless People and Volunteering’ looks at the experiences of 24 homeless people who have volunteered. It is a companion to an earlier report which looked at attitudes to such volunteering. Download the pdf, 386kb (54 US letter pages) from http://www.osw.org.uk/librarydocs/Gaining_Experience_Giving_Time.pdf.

‘The Modernisation Agenda: Volunteer Development Agencies and ChangeUp’ from the Institute for Volunteering Research shows how the volunteer centres network engaged with ChangeUp to increase its efficacy. Large pdf (1.72MB) from http://www.ivr.org.uk/IVR_mapping_final.pdf.

Wales Council for Voluntary Action has set up a new Trustees and Governance web site at http://www.trusteewales.org.uk. It brings together new and existing WCVA material as well as linking to other resources for voluntary committee members.

Applications are now open for community radio licences in North Wales and North West England. Deadline is 30th October. See Ofcom details at http://www.ofcom.org.uk/radio/ifi/rbl/commun_radio/tlproc/invites/.

New licences have been recently announced for Scotland and Northern Ireland - CMA has the news.

Canadian e-newsletter Charity Village reports that new legislation to control shady backroom lobbying of the country’s government could be a major burden for some voluntary organisations when it comes into effect. They will need to file reports with a Commissioner of Lobbying by the 15th of the month following any “reportable” communication with Designated Public Office Holders.

See cover story archive at http://www.charityvillage.com/cv/archive/acov/acov07/acov0723.html.

A new web site takes employers step-by-step through the procedure for checking that job applicants are entitled to work in the UK, including explanations of acceptable documentation. To avoid allegations of racial discrimination checks should be carried out for all potential employees, and must be done before the person is employed.

At http://www.employingmigrantworkers.org.uk. (From Sandy Adirondack’s Legal Update, http://www.sandy-a.co.uk/employment.htm#righttowork)