A Joint Briefing for last week’s Scottish Parliament debate on Supporting the Voluntary Sector has been published.

It was produced by a number of unions and voluntary sector bodies (Unison, Unite, STUC, CCPS, Youthlink Scotland, SCVO). See on SCVO web site.

Social businesses may want to check out Socialinvestments.com, which aims to “provide current and prospective investors with information on the fast-growing UK social business sector”.

http://www.socialinvestments.com/catalyst_si/index.jsf.

Newly published by the Institute for Volunteering Research, available via http://www.ivr.org.uk/whats-new.htm:

– ‘Volunteering to lead: a study of leadership within small volunteer-led groups’, looking at issues of leadership within small, volunteer-led groups and the challenges associated with their growth and development. Full report pdf is 240KB, summary bulletin is 271KB.

– ‘The impact of public policy on volunteering in community-based organisations’. The study worked with eight case study organisations across England to explore the impact of public policy on volunteering in community-based organisations. Full report pdf 290KB, summary bulletin pdf 279KB.

E-democracy seems to be flavour of the month.
– The National Assembly for Wales has set up an e-petition system, enabling the creation and collection of petitions online, http://www.assemblywales.org/gethome/e-petitions.htm. This is one of a number of ‘enhanced e-democracy services’ launched last week (15th April), including online forums for committee inquiries. News item.

– The Procedure Committee of the House of Commons has recommended that it should reclaim the role of receiving and responding to public petitions for the internet age. This would reflect the historic right of every commoner to prepare and present petitions to the House. The report, with links to sample web pages, news item on Kable.

The European Commission has launched a Debate Europe project for EU citizens, enabling them to connect with each other and with the staff at the European institutions and give their views on topics reflecting the biggest challenges currently facing Europe.

English pages start at http://europa.eu/debateeurope/index_en.htm.

(Source: Charity Times)

Ofcom has published its (second) Public Service Broadcasting Review, looking at its future shape and funding Consultation documents at http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/psb2_1/, and there is also a blog at http://ofcompsbreview.typepad.com.

Runs to 19th June.

The Auditing Practices Board has published a consultation draft revision of Practice Note 11 ‘The Audit of Charities in the United Kingdom’.

Likely to be of interest only to charity finance professionals - responses by 10th July. http://www.frc.org.uk/apb/press/pub1585.html.

(From CFDG news feed)

Just published is the April 2008 version of ‘The duty of Auditors to report matters of Material Significance to the Charity Commission and OSCR’. The guidance mirrors that contained in the consultation draft of Practice Note 11 from the Auditing Practices Board.

Independent examiners are referred to CC31, which is due for publication in early May. http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/investigations/whstl.asp.

At NCVO in London.

Association of Charity Independent Examiners annual conference will bring participants up to date on all the changes affecting the scrutiny of charity accounts.

Further information from http://www.acie.org.uk

NAVCA, the umbrella body for England’s local sector support organisations has a new web section for the Strategic Sports Partnership Project, with information and resources around making closer links between community sports and the wider third sector. http://www.navca.org.uk/localvs/sport.

(Via ACRE News Headlines)

Northern Ireland’s Volunteer Development Agency is making its membership open to appropriate organisations for free, so that they can become a stronger voice for volunteering.

This will also enable the widest range of organisations to inform and be informed about all aspects of promoting, supporting and developing volunteer involvement. See http://www.volunteering-ni.org/membership/about_us/.

(From http://www.communityni.org)

A university for the third sector has been proposed by charity chief executives’ body Acevo.

Acevo’s CEO Stephen Bubb, highlighting that the sector is “no longer at the margins”, argues that “The profile of the sector and the policy context we are operating in makes it an increasingly attractive choice for graduates. We need to harness this talent, developing our skills base and leadership for the future. The alumni of this university would create an invaluable network of leaders.”

The university isn’t seen as a building or a campus, but “a network which is connected across borders”, and Charity Finance reports that Acevo already has links with four European universities: University of Heidelberg, Stockholm School of Economics, Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration and Trinity College, Dublin.

News item at http://www.charityfinance.co.uk/home/content.php?id=1800, or Acevo news item.