The UK Workforce Hub is seeking volunteers to help in the development of pocket versions of the two recently revised National Occupational Standards, for fundraisers and managers of volunteers. There will be 2 to 3 meetings over a 5 month period, starting early August.

If you are interested and a (poetntial) user of the standards, see more details at http://www.ukworkforcehub.org.uk/DisplayPage.asp?pageid=12651.

A major study on social entrepreneurship in the UK found that social entrepreneurial start-ups are higher amongst the black and minority ethnic communities than the white community, and in contrast to mainstream business, there are no significant differences between women and men.

‘Social Entrepreneurship in the UK’ draws on five years of research. The summary ‘Social Enterprise in the UK’ (pdf, 1.75MB) is at http://www.deltaeconomics.com/media/socialenterprise2008summary.pdf, the full report (pdf, 1.16MB) at http://www.deltaeconomics.com/media/social2008fullreport.pdf.

The next version of the Charity Commission’s online Register of Charities, expected to be launched in early autumn, will provide a much greater range of information.

As reported by Charity Finance (http://www.charityfinance.co.uk/home/content.php?id=2100), this includes potentially thorny data on administration costs as a proportion of income, which would be supplied by the charities. More details will follow nearer the time.

GoldStar, an organisation that promotes the sharing of good practice among volunteers, mentors and befrienders from socially excluded or disadvantaged groups, is calling for applications for grants of between £100 and £3,000 to hold good practice events around working with volunteers.

http://www.goldstar.org.uk/SmallGrantsForEvents.htm.

DIAL UK, a national network of around 120 groups providing information, advice and support to disabled people, is to become a part of Scope Response, the information service run by disability charity Scope. The local groups will remain independent after the merger in August.

Governance news item http://www.charitygovernance.co.uk/home/preview.php?id=321.

Over 300 organisations participated in the first survey of pay and benefits in Ireland’s voluntary sector, commissioned by support body The Wheel (http://www.wheel.ie).

CommunityNI has a short overview of findings - the sector currently employs over 40,000 full-time and 23,000 part-time staff, with volunteers providing the equivalent of a further 31,000 staff.

Copies of the survey are available to voluntary organisations for fifty euros.

A report for the Scottish Government says that initiatives that promote social enterprise start-up are “fragmented, complex, uneven and inconsistent”.

Commissioned by the previous administration, it maps out existing provision in Scotland and identifies key challenges. Support providers are encouraged to speak to one another and form a joined-up approach.

‘Scoping Study: Support for Social Enterprise Start-Ups’ is available in web or pdf versions, summary at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/06/24161631/0, full report at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/06/24161705/0.

An agreement between the government, trade unions, business and the third sector aims to improve the quality of services delivered under government contracts by raising the skills of the workers involved.

The Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations and National Council for Voluntary Organisations signed it along with CBI, Business Services Association and TUC.

Cabinet Office news release with link to the ‘Joint statement on access to skills, trade unions and advice in government contracting’ at http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/newsroom/news_releases/2008/080715_psf.aspx.

The increase in fuel costs has seen Volunteering England’s Information Service getting more enquiries about mileage rates.

The organisation has had discussion with HM Revenue and Customs, who have indicated that that there are no plans to review the agreed tax-free rates at present, but point out an alternative method for calculating costs in reimbursement claims. HMRC has agreed to work with Volunteering England to improve the guidance on this.

Read VE’s statement, or see their information sheet on Volunteer Travel Expenses.

CODA 2go, a new ’software as a service’ accounting facility (http://www.coda.com/2go), is to be made available to registered UK charities at no cost for up to four licenses, with additional licenses at reduced rates. Charity Finance news alert reports that only limited facilities are available at present but that this will be expanded over coming months. http://www.charityfinance.co.uk/home/content.php?id=2092.

This joins a report from Third Sector magazine that Microsoft is to develop a version of its Office Accounting Pro program for charities in the UK. The head of citizenship at Microsoft UK says that they are “going to research added features that will offer charities more functionality … looking at having something ready by the end of the calendar year.” The current version is available via Charity Technology Exchange for a £6 admin fee, and this could be a significant development for cash-strapped charities. Third Sector: http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/News/829795/ (registration required)

Together these developments could make a real difference in the level of functionality available at reasonable cost for smaller charities.

A downloadable guide to (financial) risk management for charity trustees has been published by Triodos Bank and auditors Sayer Vincent. Balancing Risk.

Triodos news item at http://www.triodos.co.uk/uk/whats_new/latest_news/press_releases/686835, or download ‘Balancing Risk’ (pdf, 509KB) from http://www.triodos.co.uk/uk/static/pdf/Balancingrisk.pdf.

A ‘Worker Co-operative Code of Governance’, developed over the last two years based on practical experience from worker co-operatives, sets out how to run and govern a workers’ co-operative successfully.

Available from Co-operativesUK at http://www.workercode.coop. News item.