The Charity Commission has revised ‘The Hallmarks of an Effective Charity’ guidance (CC10) “to clarify the key areas of governance that will provide a governance framework based on good practice for all charities” and reflects the increasing importance of financial prudence and accountability.

News item at http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/news/hallmarkspr.asp or go direct to http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/publications/cc10.asp.

A new web site for Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives, a Health Scotland project aimed at employers and employees, carries information on all aspects of workplace health including health and safety and health promotion.

It offers resources, tools and publications plus an ‘email a query’ service. http://www.healthyworkinglives.com.

This September two of Britain’s largest youth work organisations, Clubs for Young People and UK Youth, are to discuss merging. A resulting merger could take place as early as next April.

From Children and Young People Now,
http://www.cypnow.co.uk/bulletins/Daily-Bulletin/news/828312/.

Work Re-tune is a new web tool to help senior professionals and managers to understand, negotiate and implement more flexibility in their roles.

It has been created using the expertise of the Working Families charity with government funding. http://workingfamilies.ionetwork.ac.uk/retune/pages/EG1.html?menuID=0_2.

(Source: HRzone)

The third edition of Practical Quality Assurance System for Small Organisations (PQASSO) has been published by Charities Evaluation Services. Changes include more emphasis on the importance of planning and marketing of services, better support for working in partnership and greater focus on environmental and sustainability issues.

Discounts for recent purchasers of the second edition. CES announcement and further explanation at http://www.ces-vol.org.uk/index.cfm?pg=339.

Two warnings from Out-law.com on licensing at work.
– The Federation of Small Businesses has criticised the Performing Right Society (PRS), which represents music creators and publishers, for recent heavy-handed pursuit of back-dated licenses. A public performance licence from PRS is required for any ‘mechanical performance’ of copyright music as a background to work or in rest rooms etc. and covers music playing on television or radio as well as CDs. Buying an annual license is costed at 14.99 pence per day, per unit of 25 employees. http://www.out-law.com/page-9199.

– Employers could be penalised, with a fine of up to £1,000, for staff watching TV online if they don’t have a TV licence. TV Licensing has warned that its officers are visiting unlicensed addresses throughout this summer’s sports tournaments. http://www.out-law.com/page-9201.

There are a few new items of interest from the Charity Commission:
– Updated ‘Complaints about charities’ guidance (CC47) looks at when the Commission will, or will not, follow up on complaints about charities. http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/publications/cc47.asp.

– ‘Conflicts in your charity - A statement of approach by the Charity Commission’ gives guidance on when the Commission will or will not get involved in a dispute, plus provides details of organisations that may be able to offer additional information and support. http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/investigations/conapp.asp

– ‘Affordable Home Ownership - Charitable Status and Tax’, published jointly with HM Revenue & Customs and the Housing Corporation, explains when providing affordable low cost home ownership may be charitable and the legal and tax implications. http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/supportingcharities/homeown.asp.

‘Benchmarking made simple: a step-by-step guide’, produced for the Performance Hub, is available for download (pdf, 467KB) from authors Charities Evaluation Service web site at http://www.ces-vol.org.uk/index.cfm?pg=112.

It covers practical issues such as when it is appropriate to share experiences with others through a benchmarking exercise and finding partner organisations to benchmark with. Direct link: http://www.ces-vol.org.uk/index.cfm?format=238.

The ‘Our South West’ web site has a guide to reducing the environmental impacts of conferences and seminars, which now includes a ‘Greener Events Guide Checklist for Outdoor/Community Events’ (small pdf).

See http://www.oursouthwest.com/SusBus/gevents.html#companion-guides

(Source: Acre Alert)

This year’s Risk Survey from Charity Finance Directors’ Group with PKF is exploring the sector’s “risk appetite” - the level of risk with which organisations are comfortable.

To find out more and complete the survey, see http://www.pkf.co.uk/charitiessurvey.

The Code of Good Governance developed by voluntary and community organisations in Northern Ireland, to help ensure the sector meets high standards, has been launched.

There is a poster and pocket-sized booklet, the latter available as a pdf, 638KB, or see CommunitySkillsNI site, http://www.communityskillsni.org.

The practical resources at http://www.diycommitteeguide.org are in the process of being reworked to connect with the seven principles of the code.

Acciòn Social, a Spanish NGO umbrella organisation, has launched ICONG - the Institute for the Quality of NGOs - to deliver and standardise quality control within the third sector in Spain.

Vita Europe news item at http://web.vita.it/vitaeurope/art.php?art=94515 (registration required).