News

Budget investment in community organisations

The Coalition welcomes the Government's announcement in the March budget of an investment of 80 million into community organisations over the next 4 years.

Community Involvement in Children's Trusts

Recommendations for the community sector in how to engage with Children's Trusts

Office of the Third Sector Small Grants Programme update

The Office of the Third Sector (OTS) at the Cabinet Office are currently working up plans to deliver the small grants programme to support community groups that was announced in the Budget in March.

Quirk review findings on community asset management and ownership were launched on 15 May at the Burton Street Project, a Sheffield based development trust and member of the Development Trusts Association (DTA)

Faith communities - part of the solution

With concern growing about the increasing racial and religious segregation in Britain, is there a role for faith-based community development?

Sustaining Grants

Coalition backs campaign to establish grant funding to support community initiatives

Third Sector Strategy Consultation

The Communities and Local Government Department launched its Third Sector Strategy last week, outlining its plans for working with the sector.

Coalition members welcome Gordon Brown's Vision

bassac shares Gordon Brown’s vision for a local and vocal third sector

Young Foundation Report on Small Grants Published

A new report by the Young Foundation outlines how financial support should best be provided to local, voluntary and community organisations. With small community organisations playing a crucial role in local areas through their contribution to social capital and community cohesion, community organisations are still losing out to larger voluntary organisations, both in terms of public donations and public contracts.

Learning Power: A contribution to the national skills strategy

Learning Power, a contribution to the national skills strategy, by Titus Alexander of the Scarman Trust, a Community Sector Coalition member, makes the case for practical political education as essential skills for tackling poverty and social exclusion.

The Community Sector and ICT

The Coalition has just produced three publications from it's work which was funded by the ICT Hub into the ICT needs of the community sector.

Local Leadership Research

Urban Forum and NAVCA are conducting a survey to explore the relationship between councillors and local community groups.

Hazel Blears Announcement at DTA Conference

Hazel Blears announced on Monday 17th September "To ensure a joined-up approach, I am delighted to announce the formation of the National Empowerment Partnership, led by the Community Development Foundation and bringing together practitioners including the Community Sector Coalition, IDeA and the Urban Forum - who will play a crucial role in making a difference on the ground in every region."

Coalition to undertake research for The Performance Hub

The Coalition has just won a contract to deliver research on behalf of the Performance Hub into the performance support needs of community organisations and the most successful and effective delivery mechanisms for this performance support to frontline groups.

Campaign for Community Day

The Trades Union Congress, the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, Community Service Volunteers, Volunteering England and the National Association for Voluntary and Community Action have launched a campaign for a new bank holiday in late October to be called Community Day.

CDF trustee vacancy

The Community Development Foundation is a non departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Communities and Local Government. They are currently recruiting for a new trustee: deadline for applications is 6th December.

Press release: 3rd Sector Strategic Partners programme

CSC Letter to Hazel Blears MP (April 2008)

CSC express concern over recent CLG handling of community programmes / expression of strong support for government championing of community led action

CSC new jobs May 2008

Administrative Officer & Programme Manager

CSC Empowerment response

Response to DCLG Empowerment consultation - forthcoming EWP and UTT

Change the benefits rule

New campaign for a community allowance; (watch the film, then write to your MP)

New CSC Empowerment Report

A road well travelled – see examples of community case studies and recommended actions for CSC and Government.

Philosophy of indicators (CDF paper)

A way of joining up indicators from the new performance framework – it’s all about NI4!

Urban Forum’s CEN report – compelling findings

Reduced funding leads to less outreach and representational work creating a long term local vacuum that will require the reinventing of structures for ‘community voice’

Democracy and Empowerment in London

Special conference event 5th June 2008

NEP evaluation report

Report with strong recommendations for future working arrangments

CLG announcement and CSC response (petition power)

Three New Right need community infrastructure to underpin them

NI7 – an environment for a thriving third sector

Government guidance on 3rd Sector - Thriving or surviving?

Briefing on Cohesion guidance

Worrying implications for guidance addressed

CSC presentation on empowerment

Presentation given at FCDL AGM

CSC response to DIUS consultation on adult learning

CSC have given extensive feedback, with case studies on the need for and potential of informal adult learning

Stop right there CLG with your Cohesion Guidance

Voice4Change England has demanded that Communities & Local Government radically change its attitude to funding BME Third Sector organisations.

JRF solutions on worklessness

Local initiatives to help workless people find and keep paid work: evidence from research: a report for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation by Pamela Meadows.

Conservative Party – Voluntary Action in the 21st century – 20 pledges

The Conservative Party consultation paper on the voluntary sector, Voluntary Action in the 21st Century, outlines its agenda to expand the role and influence of voluntary organisations.

Southall Black Sisters Demonstration 17th / 18th July – show your support

Many of you are already aware that SBS has been locked in struggle against Ealing Council with regard to its decision to withdraw funding for domestic violence services for black and minority women.

Sisters celebrate as council caves

Supporters of a domestic violence group are celebrating a dramatic victory in a High Court battle over a decision that threatened its future.

CSC champion Community Allowance campaign

ADEPT AGM & Conference

Independent communities = thriving neighbourhoods?

Scarman Community Champions Impact Report (London Region 2000-2008)

The Community Champions Fund has been one of the most successful and cost effective ever schemes for encouraging community-led empowerment.

Mark Walton (CDF) Article - "Every Action Counts"

NCVO'S - VS Magazine (Sept 2008)

CSC Gets Behind The Get Fair Campaign

The CSC has put its support behind the Get Fair Campaign, a national coalition calling for an end to poverty in the UK

Review of the National Occupational Standards for Community Development Work

"The Federation for Community Development Learning (FCDL) is working in partnership with LLUK (the Lifelong Learning Sector Skills Council), supported by a project steering group, to undertake the review that will result in new occupational standards that will define what is good quality community development work practice for the next five years or so...."

Gabriel Chanan (CDF)

Gabriel Chanan, the CDF Director of Policy and Research, has left the organisation after 27 years. Alison Seabrooke, Chief Executive of CDF, has asked the CSC to send round the following statement thanking Gabriel for his dedicated work

Community Infrastructure Levy

DTA has prepared a briefing regarding proposals made in The Planning Bill for the creation of a Comunity Infrastructure Levy. DTA has submitted its briefing to CLG officials prior to the Planning Bill going through Parliment this week

CSC consultation response to Empowerment Fund

On Tuesday 30th September, Matthew Scott, the CSC Director, submitted the coalition's official response to the Empowerment Fund

CSC submits its response to the Third Sector Partnership Board

CSC Director, Matthew Scott has submitted the coalition's response to the Third Sector Partnership Board highlighting concerns regarding the lack of consultation of the sector in the planning of this new government space

New Start Magazine Article

An article published in New Start online magazine on the 1st of October features comments by CSC Director, Matthew Scott, in response to the government's Work for Your Benefit proposals whereby community groups could find themselves obliged to take on long term unemployed volunteers

FCDL Consultation - Reviewing the Community Development Work, National Occupational Standards

The Federation of Community Development Learning have announced a consultation, concerning the national review of the Community Development Work Standards (by Lifelong Learning UK and the Federation for Community Development Learning)

Building Capacity for Campaigning

CSC members are invited to take part in one of nine campaigning & advocacy roadshows in each English region. These are part of a three year Capacity Builders Improving Support programme, run by a partnership including bassac, NAVCA, NCVO and Novas Scarman

CSC bid to Ministry of Justice

The CSC have submitted a request for funding from the Ministry of Justice for the development of a new programme, Community Democracy (a.k.a let's change the rules of the game)

Adult Learners' Week Awards

The National Institute of Adult Continuing Education are looking for nominations for their Adult Learner's Week Award, acknowledging people whose remarkable learning achievements deserve recognition and could inspire others.

Response to Welfare Reform Green Paper

The CSC has teamed up with the Create Consortium to produce a response to the Department of Work and Pension’s Welfare Reform Green Paper – No One Written Off: Reforming Welfare to Reward Responsibility.

Empowerment Fund - Government's Response to the Consultation

The Summary of Consultation Responses on the Empowerment Fund has been released, along with the Final Prospectus, outlining how the fund will operate and inviting applications from eligible third sector organisations.

Chain Reaction

The Coalition would like to bring your attention to a 2 day programme looking to generate new ideas for social change, to take place on the 17th and 18th November.

Carnegie Report - Social Justice and Climate Change

The Carnegie UK Trust commissioned Steven Burkeman to explore the ways in which trusts and foundations are working on the social justice implications of climate change, identify the kind of interventions to which foundations might be willing to contribute and identify the degree to which they maybe willing to collaborate.

Bank Crisis - CSC Letter to Third Sector Minister

The Coalition has reacted to concerns within the sector with regard to the uncertainties around the current financial crisis by sending a letter to the Rt Hon Kevin Brenan MP requesting checks to be carried out for all registered charities in regard to actual and potential threats to community assets and third sector investment / reserves.

CSC Blog

In our latest effort to achieve better communication with our members, the CSC are looking at setting up a new Director’s Blog.

CSC seek small community organisations to contribute to L&G programme

Do you know someone who could contribute a story of local leadership, share their experience of a development programme or to discuss leadership in the community sector and explore what sort of programme would best suit their needs? If so, the CSC would like to get in touch with them and use their experience and knowledge in the development of the L&G programme. Please can you advertise this request to your wider membership.

Defra launches £6 million Greener Living Fund

The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs have announced a new £6 million fund which will help charitable and voluntary organisations support and develop environmental projects throughout England.

Community Allowance Pilot Programme

If you think that the DWP's work for your benefits proposals are unspeakable, here is a healthy alternative. The CREATE consortium would like to hear from community organisations from across the UK that are interested in being part of the Community Allowance pilot programme.

England’s BME networks under threat

A third sector lobby group has identified that England’s BME networks could end up closing unless the government commits to funding them beyond 2009. Tine for some collective action on this one!

A celebration for Gabriel Chanan

Say goodbye to a long term CSC supporter by attending a party to celebrate Gabriel Chanan and acknowledge his contribution to community development theory and practice over those 27 years at CDF will take place on Tuesday 2 December.

CSC Respond to Compact Commission

The Compact needs to do much more if it is to be relevent for community groups says CSC Director Matthew Scott. Matthew has sent a response to the Compact Team proposing a review of Compacts codes and putting forward the CSC as playing an active role in this review process.

Study finds problems with new initiative to Prevent Violent Extremism

A deeply unpopular initiative has come unstuck with fears of pandering and Islamophobia, a study has revealed. The study, commisioned by the Audit Commision, looked into the governments controversial initiative to prevent terrorism via cohesion work and found that the project had experienced various problems on the ground.

Job Opportunity: Development Manager, Federation of Stadium Communities

The Federation of Stadium communities are looking for a new development manager to be based in Stoke on Trent.

Appointment of consultants to develop leadership programme

After a sucessful tendering process, CSC has appointed Steve Skinner and Guy Farrar to undertake the development and delivery of a pilot leadership programme for support providers. They may be contacting Coalition members over the next couple of months.

DEFRA's Third Sector Advisory Board

The Department for Environment and Rural Affairs are currently recruiting members to a third sector advisory board and you can be a part of it.

New Charity Commission report on Environmental Performance

A new report from the charities commission researching the ways charities are taking environmental responsibility and containing ideas to consider adopting for your organisation

Please test new Governance Star tool

NCVO would like feedback on a new governance tool that they have commissioned as part of the Leadership and Governance programme. CSC will reimburse time spent by you or your staff on this.

Every Action Counts - Eco-worrier postcards

Every Action counts have packs of 24 postcards of Eco-Worrier cartoons to give away free to groups to spread the message about climate change to their members. They are a very popular tool for getting the message across to groups of people and individuals in a fun and accessible way.

EAC publish consortium review drafts

A draft paper has been developed following the Every Action Counts consortium meetings in June and November 2008 and discussions with the EAC management group and other stakeholders. It sets out the potential for the current members of the EAC consortium to continue to work together, with each other and with others, in partnership on the sustainable development agenda.

Creating Bottom-up Organizations: A Working Paper

CSC Director Matthew Scott has recently undertaken worked with activists from New Orleans in his own neighbourhood and found their model of engaging extremely effective. Click on the link below to read more.

Stop the madness of wasteful paper consumption

Around the world, we use around 1 million tonnes of paper every day, with half of the trees cut down commercially ending up in paper products. Yet much of this paper use is wasteful and unnecessary. Mark Parker, Head of policy at bassac has compiled a short report which urges you to pledge to reduce your personal paper use in 2009.

NEF offer coalition members Empowerment Fund help

Perry Walker, Head of Democracy and Participation at the New Economics Foundation would like to find out if any CSC members bidding to the Empowerment Fund would be interested in incorporating any of nef’s tools and techniques.

BIHR’s Conference: Third Sector Participation and Capacity Building Pre Day

The British Institute of Human Rights are asking the coalition to fill 30 free places for representatives from grass roots voluntary and community sector organisations with little or no income to attend the pre-capacity building day (on 27th January) in addition to the main conference which follows the day after.

Clearaway article: Community empowerment risks leaving community groups behind

Click below to download the full article by CSC Director, Matthew Scott, regarding growing inequalities within our sector

CSC members meeting minutes - Dec 11th

For all those who attended our latest members meeting at CDF and all those who couldn't make it, here are the minutes from the days discussions. The CSC would like to thank everyone for contributing to a very informative and valuable day, especially the people from CDF for allowing us to use their fascilities.

EAC publish green office results 2008

Groundwork West London have recently completed a survey of green office practices in the voluntary and community sector (VCS) on behalf of Every Action Counts. This was a repeat of the survey undertaken 18 months previously in 2007 and is in association with the publication of the EAC green office guide; ‘Changing Where We Work’. 188 organisations responded to the survey and EAC would like to take this opportunity to thank you if yours was one of them.

Free Leadership Development Opportunities with Henley Management College

The CSC have notice of 3 free places available to leaders of Third sector Organisations on a 5 day residential programme with leaders across all sectors - at Henley management College in Oxfordshire.

DTA launch Advancing Assets for Communities – Round 3

Following Rounds 1 and 2 of the Advancing Assets for Communities demonstration programme that have been running since May 2007, The Development Trust Association are pleased to announce the launch of Round 3. As in previous rounds, the programme will demonstrate in selected local authority areas how local authorities and local community-led third sector organisations can be supported to develop joint plans for asset transfer, in line with the recommendations of the Quirk Review, and to begin to implement them within specific projects.

Improving Support for Campaigning Roadshows

Are you interested in campaigning, active citizenship, empowerment and influencing policy? Do you support community and voluntary sector organisations? Are you a community group, social enterprise or campaigning organisation? Then the Make Difference campaign events are for you!

Local Grants Forum publish: Defending local grants: resources you can use

The Local Grants Forum, a partnership of national organisations which campaign to protect grants for the local third sector, have published a new leaflet to use at local level which will help to convince councillors, commissioning officers and procurement professionals that grants should continue to be used to fund local organisations and groups.

LDEDC bill's policy documents made available

The Department of Communities and Local Government have produced a series of policy information documents to provide further detail on its intentions behind the provisions in the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill.

L&G: Survey sent to NAVCA members

A survey has been circulated to CVS support providers to ask for their views and experience in supporting leadership at a local level. It also seeks to obtain information about any existing local initiatives to support leadership. As well as contributing to our overall picture about leadership initiatives, the survey will provide a baseline for the monitoring and evaluation of the programme.

L&G: The Face of Trusteeship

Board members are the lifeblood of the sector and we want to celebrate them! The NSS Leadership and Governance programme (NCVO and Community Sector Coalition) wants to use real experiences from Board members in publications and campaigning materials to showcase and promote trusteeship. Please can you circulate this to your wider membership.

Current Debate on Third sector Grants

The economic crisis has lead to a great deal of uncertainty within the community sector and following Kevin Brennan’s appearance on the Politics show for the Southwest the debate has moved up a gear. Here is an overview of some of the points and issues raised in conversations between leading community sector figures over the last week.

Barack Obama: Why Organize? Problems and Promise in the Inner City

For three years Barack Obama was the director of Developing Communities Project, an institutionally based community organization on Chicago's far south side. He has also been a consultant and instructor for the Gamaliel Foundation, an organizing institute working throughout the Midwest. "Why Organize? Problems and Promise in the Inner City" was an article written by Obama, first published in the August/ September 1988 Illinois Issues. Click below to download the article in full.

8 principles of good commissioning

The Office of the Third Sector have outlined 8 principles of good commisioning which they say if embedded, can result in better public outcomes for individuals and communities, which yields efficiency gains and community benefits, through smarter, more effective and innovative commissioning, and optimal involvement of the third sector in public service design, improvement, delivery and holding the public sector to account is the vision of the National Programme for Third Sector Commissioning.

QRSP free events 'Helping you to work with the vocational reforms'

The Qualification Reform Support Programme are putting on free support events, ideal for providers from England – specifically, curriculum managers, business development managers, workforce development managers and quality managers to help them understand and work with the Qualification and Credit Framework (QCF) and Foundation Learning Tier (FLT) developments.

Birmingham City Council defers funding cut and thinks again

Following on from last months debate between members of the Local Grants Forum, its has been announced that Birmingham City Council has extended the grants of a number of voluntary organisations in the city after a successful legal challenge to its commissioning process.

Review of the National Occupational Standards for community development work - PHASE TWO

The Federation for Community Development Learning are unveiling the second part of their review into national occupational standards for community development work and are asking the CSC members to help spread the word. Below you can downlaod a leaflet which gives the community workers all the information they need to get involved, which FCDL are asking you to put up on your websites and send round through all your networks. This review represents a great opportunity to help define what will be recognised as good quality community development practice over the next five years so please help get this information out there.

Make your voice heard! Get Fair Constituency Lobby, June 2009

Get Fair is coordinating a constituency based lobby of MPs at the end of June, to ensure ending poverty in the UK is on the agenda of all the major political parties. Briefing events are being held in March and April, for potential constituency organisers to introduce the campaign, the purpose of the lobby, how to organise a delegation and policy briefings for putting across an effective case to your MP.

Lobby your MP to get recognition of the BME Third Sector’s contribution

Voice4Change England has launched a Valuing the BME Third Sector campaign to increase recognition of the positive contribution made by the Black and Minority Ethnic Third Sector in bonding communities and promoting equality. The aim of the campaign, which builds on Early Day Motion 620 Voice4Change tabled in Parliament by Alun Michael MP, is to increase political support amongst MPs for adequate and equitable resourcing of the Sector to bring about better outcomes for BME communities.

Get fair announce dates for regional briefings events

The Get fair campaign are excited to announce the dates and locations for 8 Get Fair Regional Briefings events. These 2 hour sessions will provide training and input from the Get Fair coordinators for local groups and potential constituency organisers, so they are well prepared to join in the parliamentary lobby on 26-27 June, to ensure ending UK poverty by 2020 is on the agenda of all the major political parties.

Climate change and UK poverty report

The New Economics Foundation and Oxfam published a report yesterday on the links between climate change and poverty in the UK. This report has been developed jointly by a roundtable which included a number of EAC partners and has been actively supported by EAC.

DTA Vacancy: Policy and Research Officer

The Development Trust Association are seeking a quality driven, research skilled Policy and Research Officer to provide policy support to its staff and members and coordinate its policy activities. The succesful applicant will build the DTA's evidence bank and promote the development trusts movement. With a track record in preparing high quality policy analysis and communications as well as experience of responding to government initiatives, you will need excellent communication and interpersonal skills and be able to support your activities using appropriate technology.

Get Fair briefings - Update: Lets get moving!

After 3 Get Fair briefing events, organisers have described turn out as 'disappointing' and have been left asking where are the representatives from the Get Fair organisations? So far only 4 out of 70 member organisations have been represented at the briefing events. Get Fair are now asking you all to do anything at all to call your regional representatives in or near the remianing venues in Manchester, Luton, London, Perth and Cardiff and let them know about the briefings in their area, and encourage them to come or do their best to mobilise on the ground? Your effort now will increase the impact on MPs and the political parties in June!

Greener Living Fund - First shortlist announced

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs today announced the shortlist of organisations who have been invited to bid for a share of the £6m available from the Greener Living Fund (GLF). The 17 shortlisted organisations were selected from 112 who submitted “concept notes”.

Put People First: Jobs, Justice, Climate Platform

Put People First, the alliance of development NGOs, Trades Unions and Environmental groups, is organizing a mass march on 28 March, ahead of the global G20 meeting and you are invited to sign up.

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