1. THE NEWSLETTER FOR ALL THOSE INVOLVED IN YOUTH WORK IN
DEVON AND PRODUCED BY VOLUNTARY YOUTH SERVICES
Issue 1 – JANUARY 2011
THERE ARE BIG CHANGES AHEAD FOR CONTENTS
THE DELIVERY OF SERVICES FOR YOUNG Devon/Regional News
PEOPLE IN DEVON. WHAT ARE THE Events
IMPLICATIONS FOR THE VOLUNTARY Training Courses
SECTOR? Publications and Resources
Grants / Awards / Competitions
In my last piece for Youth News at the end of National News & Information
December, I referred to the fact that the Local
Authority is reviewing how services to young 2. recognises the coalition
people in Devon will be organised in the light of governments commitment to
impending reductions in public sector funding; localism and local involvement
and this government’s commitment to the notion through the Big Society in filling
of the ‘Big Society’, in which the voluntary sector the gaps to support a universal
will be encouraged to develop and expand its offer
role and its services.
3. endorses Devon County Council
A paper on the future delivery of services to moving to a 'commissioning'
young people was considered at the Council’s role in respect of the Youth
Cabinet Committee on 12 January and the Service.
following recommendations (in italics) were
approved: With regard to the third recommendation
above, the Committee considered three
That Cabinet: possible future delivery model options,
1. notes the national policy direction these being:
and role of the Local Authority in Option A. Retain current In-House mixed
ensuring that youth services are economy arrangements, i.e. the current
targeting the needs of vulnerable status quo arrangements regarding the
young people Devon Youth Services
VYS, YFC Centre, Retail Park Close, Marsh Barton Road, Exeter EX2 8LG
Tel / Fax: 01392 250976 E-mail: admin@vysdevon.org.uk
Registered Charity No. 1054442
www.vysdevon.org.uk

2. Option B. Merge with an existing Local Authority Controlled Company, such as, for
example, Careers South West
Option C. Outsource to a newly formed Social Enterprise or Mutual
The committee has rejected option A, which is ‘against the national direction of travel’ and
is less conducive to the Council’s commitment expressed in 3 above to move towards a
‘commissioning role’.
This, in effect, means that the current arrangements for delivery of services through the
Local Authority’s Youth Service will cease with effect from April 2012 and be replaced
either by options B or C. The cabinet committee has agreed that further investigations will
be made regarding these two options before deciding which one it will approve to replace
the existing arrangements from April 2012.
What are the implications of this for the voluntary sector? VYS is seeking to determine the
time scale for the next stage of this decision making process and the extent to which the
voluntary sector can input its views on which of the above two options would be best
suited to supporting its needs and its aspirations for development.
Clearly, it is also very important that the Cabinet makes a decision about a future delivery
model that is also consistent with its second recommendation above that it ‘recognises
the coalition governments commitment to localism and local involvement through
the Big Society in filling the gaps to support a universal offer’. In other words, the
Local Authority needs to make a decision that recognises and supports the future role of
the voluntary sector. Neither should it be overlooked that very many voluntary sector
organisations make big contributions in meeting the needs of vulnerable young people
(recommendation 1 above)
VYS, as an independent charitable organisation, with an important role in representing the
views of the sector, is determined to do this before the Council makes these crucial
decisions; and we aim to start this process at our Annual Conference on 5 February at the
Belmont Chapel in Exeter.
We also hope that the three VYS Vice presidents, Councillors Christine Channon, Saxon
Spence and Vanessa Newcombe, who may also be involved in this decision making
process, will be at the Conference to take part in the debate about the implications for the
sector and to hear your views about the future delivery of services to young people. It will
also be important to hear their views regarding the Council’s commitment of support to the
voluntary sector and our role in the development of the ‘Big Society’ in Devon.
Therefore, I very much hope that you can attend the VYS Annual Conference, which
includes a number of other important topics and information, details of which have been
circulated. Please contact either Juliet White or Anthea Parkyn at the VYS office if you
wish to book a place.
Both I and a considerably expanded VYS Executive Committee (six new members) look
forward to meeting you at the VYS Conference shortly.
Paul Allan, Chair
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3. DEVON NEWS
JOB VACANCIES - Visit the VYS website which is updated with new vacancies on a
regular basis – see http://www.vysdevon.org.uk/page/jobs
The Hollow Lane Club - Finance Officer. Part-time, home-based, 16 hours per month at
£13.50 per hour. Offered initially as a one year fixed-term contract. We require an
experienced person to be responsible for the financial management of The Hollow Lane
Club – an Exeter-based charity providing out of school hours activities for children and
young people with special needs and their siblings. You will be responsible for the monthly
payroll, operating the PAYE system, keeping accurate financial records and providing
timely management reports to the charity’s Trustees. You must have good communication
skills, be flexible and able to work on your own initiative. For a job description, please
contact the Administrator, C/o Ellen Tinkham School, Hollow Lane, Exeter EX1 3RW or
email contact@hollowlane.org.uk. The closing date for applications is 10th February and
interviews will take place the following week.
Bungalow Youth Project Assistant Youth Support Worker for 16 hours per week. The
Bungalow Youth Project require a dynamic and flexible Assistant Youth Support Worker
to work 16 hours per week during the evenings temporary for 12 months in the first
instance. Salary £6115 per annum. The ideal applicant will be need to be able to work
with a variety of young people in different settings from generic youth sessions to advice
and guidance work. You will be working as part of a small team and will receive support
from a professional youth worker. For an application pack and further information ring
01626 369283.
Breakthrough Music Project - Sound Gallery's group of volunteers have been
successful in securing funding from VCashpoint and YOF to run a music talent
competition where 15 acts will be chosen to audition in front of a panel of judges out of
which 3 will win a free day's recording worth £200 at Sound Gallery Studios plus the
opportunity to perform live at Exeter Phoenix. If you know of any young musicians (band,
solo or duet) who play original material, that are under 19 and live in the Southwest then
let them know of this opportunity. For details contact Marc Langdon
breakthroughmusicproject@gmail.com or call 01392-495 301. Deadline 28th January.
Devon Children’s Trust Bulletin – the latest issue is now available at:
http://www.devonchildrenstrust.org.uk/meetingsnews/bulletin.html
Devon Children’s Trust - A useful resource to help you find your way around the Trust is
the "Family service maps for professionals". The maps list all services around children and
young people and potential routes for consultation with both parents and their children.
There will be a further map showing other services that support parents and carers across
the county but this has not been completed yet. See
http://www.devonchildrenstrust.org.uk/toolkit/fsd.html
Devon Consortium Voluntary and Community Sector Baseline Study for Devon This
is an important and comprehensive research report. It maps the current position of the
voluntary and community sector organisations (VCOs) in Devon and identifies their
support needs. Both the summary document and the full report are available on the Devon
Consortium website http://www.devonconsortium.net/
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4. Devon Wheels 2 Work have managed to keep over 70 bikes on the road during the
winter months and now have several bikes available for loan - 50cc and 125 motorcycles.
All young people need is a provisional license and a CBT to get on the road. Public
transport is not always a viable option if you work out of hours or irregular shift patterns
and with the cost of fuel rising all the time a tank of fuel on a bike costs around five
pounds and you will get around 58 mpg. Wheels 2 Work have also got the workshop
available should your own bike need a service in preparation for the motorcycle season,
and have fully qualified technicians and the facility to do motorcycle MOTs. Their shop in
Halwill Junction has clothing and equipment or there is a link to its ebay shop from the
web site www.devonwheels2work.co.uk For details contact Aprille on 01409 220357.
Free YHA Membership - The Youth Hostel Association is currently offering free
Membership to schools and youth groups. http://www.devon.gov.uk/sc-jan1050002.pdf
Learning South West Quality Toolkit - see the briefing from VYON SW on this new
toolkit for quality assurance for youth work.
http://www.vysdevon.org.uk/page/workforce_development
Local Involvement Network for Devon (LINk Devon) has made a series of
recommendations to Devon’s Health and Social Care services, following a recently
published report that follows a consultation of nearly 500 young people across the county
over six months, in schools, events and youth organisations. The results highlight certain
areas where respondents felt that information could be easier to find, especially in the
areas of contraception advice and information on healthy eating, which could also be
available on-line, through a dedicated website.
http://www.linkdevon.org.uk/uploads/documents/Governance/reports/YP%20Survey%20re
port%20Final.pdf
Sir Francis Chichester Trust is offering young people (16-24 yrs) from Devon, including
Plymouth and Torbay, free places on Outward Bound courses (mainly 3 weeks) over the
summer holidays. Candidates are normally selected from those who have had few
opportunities for challenges of this nature in the past and the Trustees will look for some
indication that the young people concerned will really benefit and enjoy the experience
and learn from it! Outward Bound cannot take young people who will at the time of their
course be subject to any youth offending order. The closing date for applications is 4th
March. For more details and to download an application form go to
www.chichestertrust.org.uk and there are also links from there to the Outward Bound
website which gives much more information on the courses themselves. Alternatively
contact Anthea Parkyn on 01392 250976 or info@chichestertrust.org.uk
Sports Unlimited Funding Success - Horrabridge Youth Club recently received funding
from Sports Unlimited through West Devon Borough Council to run a Break Dance project
through the autumn term. Participants aged from 11yrs -18yrs received six break dance
sessions including two hour intensive workshops. Feedback has been fantastic with many
of the young people learning to dance for the very first time. In addition West Devon SK8
Club has set up a new roller skating and roller hockey club, based at Plymstock School on
Tuesday evenings as a result of a very successful Sport Unlimited activity programme. On
any night up to 19 young people took part and the decision to continue the sessions by
forming a new branch to the Tavistock based club was unanimous.
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5. Youth Music is looking for young people (14-19 years) to join its national singing team
and be part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad and you are invited to bring a group of
young people to a free singing event at Plymouth Music Zone on 13th February. This
exciting one day singing workshop for young people, led by Richard Frostick, is the
beginning of a selection process to find 150 young singers from all over the UK to join a
new national vocal group, Youth Music Voices Ensemble, which will have the fantastic
opportunity to perform in high profile events celebrating the London 2012 Olympic and
Paralympic Games. For details see www.youthmusic.org.uk/voices.
EVENTS
3rd February Migrant Communities Cultural Awareness Seminar - The Devon Migrant
Worker Task Group is leading a second FREE seminar for frontline agencies who have
face to face contact with Migrant Communities in Devon. Feedback was very positive from
our first cultural seminar in Jan 2010. There will be a Migrant Community panel of 5 who
are from diverse communities and who will talk about the differences in cultures, and
answer your questions regarding working with diverse Migrant Communities. This will be
held at Newton Abbot and the key aim is to try and ensure that migrant communities in
Devon receive accessible, inclusive and positive services from statutory and voluntary
agencies in Devon. For more details contact Louis Collins, Community Council of Devon,
on 01392 383443 or e-mail Louis@devonrcc.org.uk
5th February VYS (Devon) Conference – last chance to book your place for what should
prove to be an interesting and informative event with Susanne Rauprich, Chief Executive
of NCVYS, as the key speaker bringing everyone up-to-date with the national picture. Lots
more besides – the programme and booking form can be downloaded from the VYS
website www.vysdevon.org.uk
9th February Corporate and Community Fundraising courses – Two courses to be
held in Exeter. Essentials of Corporate Fundraising course runs in the morning and will
give valuable techniques to raise money from business. Essentials of Community And
Events Fundraising follows in the afternoon. For details see
http://www.companysolutions.biz/Course/584/Essentials+of+Corporate+Fundraising/
15th February Introduction to Facilitation Skills – this training from Cascade Training is
to be held at Sparkford, Yeovil. It is a practical one day course aimed at staff at all levels,
who would like to improve their skills at leading and facilitating group meetings and
planning processes. For details contact Cascade Training on 07854208369, email
Lauren@cascadetrainingplus.co.uk or see www.cascadetrainingplus.co.uk
16/17th February FREE 2-day Train the Trainers Programme is being offered by the
Regional Youth Work Unit as part of the Progress Programme. It is aimed at experienced
youth workers and other youth professionals and will be held at Bishops Hull House,
Taunton. The training is open to trainers who are already registered providers on the
Progress project and for individuals who would like to expand their training skills in work
with young people. See http://www.vysdevon.org.uk/page/workforce_development for
details and to book a place contact jane_shipton@learning-southwest.org.uk
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6. 17th February Emergency First Aid at Work - A practical course leading to the HSE
recognised qualification which is valid for three years. It is being held at Tavistock – for
details contact West Devon CVS on 01837 53392 or email info@westdevoncvs.org.uk
21st February Making a Difference: Involving children and young people in decision
making – a training event being run by Rachel Henderson at the Knight Club in Exeter.
The aim of the training is to promote the participation of children and young people in the
decision- making, commissioning and evaluation of the services they receive. If you would
like further information please contact Rachel Henderson on 07815 862075 or email
rachel.henderson@devon.gov.uk
24/25th February Effective Supervision Skills - This 2 day training from IDT is being run
in Exeter. It is a practical, process-focused course which builds confidence, incorporates
existing skills, and provides a flexible structure for managing supervision meetings.
Essential training for newly or recently appointed Supervisors/Managers, but also
invaluable for skills updating and affirming practice for those with more experience. For
details ring 01803 299049, email mail@idttraining.com or visit www.idttraining.com
3rd March Charity law, practice and governance update - This is an all embracing
course, being held in Bristol, that will be useful for charity trustees and managers,
accountants (and their staff) who carry out Independent Examinations or audits of
Charities, advisors who advise charities on governance matters and community
accountants. The cost is £50. See http://www.branchword.co.uk/course1.htm
8th March Small Charities Coalition is holding a ‘link up and learn’ day which will
provide you the opportunity to link up with other small charities and gain new contacts for
better access to advice and support in the future. Learn from the workshop leaders and
one another and get practical knowledge and understanding, leaving you better equipped
and more confident when you return to your charity. The event is being held in Taunton
and the cost is £10, which includes your lunch and refreshments throughout the day. It’ll
be a packed day of practical sessions covering a range of subjects such as online
fundraising, communications on a shoe-string, successful bid writing and charity legalities
with a host other interesting ways for you to gain new skills, new insights and new
contacts. See http://www.smallcharities.org.uk/taunton/?dm_i=7FK,CH3L,QUIEL,ZE4R,1
8th March Data Protection: how to manage sensitive data – a workshop being held in
Exeter and run by Cascade Training. It will explore both the legal framework and the key
implications of the Data Protection Act. This is a significant concern for all organisations
which collect and store sensitive or personal data. Illustrated with current examples of how
the Act works in practice, this workshop will offer plenty of opportunity for you to share
workplace experiences and to discuss some of the practical problems affecting your
organisation. Ring Lauren on 07854208369 or see www.cascadetrainingplus.co.uk
10th March Budgeting and Fundraising for Youth Arts Projects is a training event from
Artsplan to be held in Bristol. The course is aimed at organisations and individuals who
already have an idea for a youth arts project but are unsure on how to finance it. It will
take participants through a step by step guide for planning and drafting their own budget,
advise on the best way to fill in funding applications and suggest where to go to find the
funds needed. Cost is £75 and for details contact Artsplan on 02380 682535 or
artsplan@artswork.org.uk
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7. 12th March Principles of Play Workshop - This free training is aimed at practitioners
who do not already have a formal playwork qualification. It will introduce participants to the
play principles; enable you to apply the play principles in your practice; help you to
understand the role of the playworker; and explore play cues and the differences between
adult and child led agendas. The event takes place 9.30 – 2.30 in Exeter. For details
contact Nicole Rich on 01392 385425 or nicole.rich@devon.gov.uk
21st March Workshops on commissioning children's services The Department for
Education, in partnership with others , is holding a series of FREE training workshops on
modernising the commissioning of children's services, with this one being held in Bristol.
The workshops will bring together voluntary and community sector professionals, small
and medium size enterprise (SME) professionals, local children's commissioners and local
procurement professionals to look at the practicalities of modernising commissioning.
http://www.thesocialinvestmentbusiness.org/category/events/modernising-the-
commissioning-of-childrens-services/
22nd March New! Leadership: how to harness talent! This workshop from Cascade
Training is being held in Bristol. It is an ideal introduction to the leadership role for new
team leaders and managers - but also a useful refresher for more experienced team
leaders who want to improve their skills. The main focus of the course will be on the
crucial importance of good leadership in achieving results. See
www.cascadetrainingplus.co.uk or contact Lauren on 07854208369 or e-mail her at
lauren@cascadetrainingplus.co.uk
24th March An Introduction to Project Management Thursday 24th March - This
course from Cascade Training is being run in Plymouth and is an introduction to the
principles and practice of project management. It is suitable for all managers or project
team members who need to know the practical basics of initiating, managing and
evaluating the performance of small to medium sized projects. To successfully plan,
manage and close a project is something that all managers, regardless of position or role,
should be skilled in and feel confident about. See www.cascadetrainingplus.co.uk or
contact Lauren on 07854208369 or e-mail her at lauren@cascadetrainingplus.co.uk
24th March Financing Your Community Enterprise -This course from the Community
Council of Devon includes: Introduction to Social Enterprise model; Legal structures and
trading; and Business planning & funding strategies. It is being held at Spreyton and is
free with £10 deposit. For details ring 01392 383443.
30th March Benefits Overview - This half-day session from Workways is suitable for
anyone with limited or no knowledge of the UK benefits and tax credit systems. It will
provides a basic overview of the benefits and tax credit systems, giving information on
what can be claimed, in which situation, and how and where to claim them.
http://www.workways.org.uk/training.htm or ring 01392 677050.
19th April Improving Funding Applications - Make sure your organisation doesn't miss
out on the funding it deserves - learn to 'talk the talk' and ensure your applications are
relevant and compelling. This training is organised by Torridge CVS and for details
contact Kate Shanahan on 01237 420130 or e-mail administrator@torridgecvs.org.uk
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8. TRAINING
ADVA Training – to clarify, the courses are FREE for voluntary organisations in Devon
(excluding Plymouth and Torbay) with a limit of three free spaces on each course, except
for Level 1 where there is no limit. For information about the training see www.adva.org.uk
or contact Claire Birch on 01392 382567 or e-mail claire.birch@devon.gov.uk
Devon Safeguarding Children Board (DSCB) - Self-enrolment for the Safeguarding e-
learning modules is now available. Please do make the most of this excellent, currently
free resource. You may access one of five courses - the correct course will be determined
by answering the questions correctly in the Training Allocation Quiz. You can work
through the training material and then take the quiz at the end of the module. This will
enable you to print off a certificate as evidence of your achievement. Each module takes
approximately 2 hours to complete and you can work through the interactive modules at
your own pace and dip in and out of them at your own convenience. See
http://devoncc.safeguardingchildrenea.co.uk/
Eddystone Trust has a range of FREE training courses coming up at various venues
across Devon in the coming months. For details see www.eddystone.org.uk or email
training@eddystone.org.uk
Fund it, Build it is a course from the Community Council of Devon that is being run in
Broadclyst on 8th February and Kenn on 10th March. It is a course for communities
involved in capital works projects that will:
♦ Introduce the New BLF Community Building Grant
♦ Help you to explore external funding opportunities
♦ Enable you to develop a capital investment plan
♦ Check whether your project is investment ready and financially sustainable.
♦ Develop your skills for writing successful funding bids
♦ Enable you to meet other funders and support agencies; see logos
Courses cost £20 per person for DACB members and £30 for non-members(subsidised
by Devon County Council). Lunch and refreshments are provided. Contact Eleanor Rutley
on 01392 382533 or email eleanor@devonrcc.org.uk
Introduction to Youth Work – a course will run at Braunton Youth Centre in March/April
on 6 Wednesdays and 2 Saturdays. For further details contact Bruce Freeman on 01647
440526 or 07980 792298.
Money Mastery and Money Mastery Meets the Benefits Trap courses - The National
Youth Agency is offering youth organisations and local authorities the chance to host free
in-house training courses, to help youth professionals gain vital skills in supporting young
people to overcome money issues or get out of the ‘benefits trap’. Contact Holly-Marie
Draper on 07921 867847 for details.
On-line Child Protection Training - Safe Network has partnered with EduCare to
provide FREE child protection training for not-for-profit organisations. There are four
different online learning programmes available in concise, bite-size modules. See
http://www.safenetwork.org.uk/training_and_awareness/Pages/default.aspx
OpenLearn - The Open University (OU) is making available its free OpenLearn web
resources for people who are active on management committees and boards of charities
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9. and voluntary and community organisations. Specifically in OU’s sights are: small
voluntary and community organisations in rural areas/small towns; User Led
Organisations in the social care arena; organisations working with young people; and
recent graduates interested in paid or voluntary roles in the Sector. OpenLearn already
contains many free OU course materials relevant to trustees, and plans to set up eTrustee
(provisional name), a dedicated Trustee Development space on the site. It will bring
together and classify free-to-access educational material about governance from OU and
elsewhere. Users will be guided to the material likely to best suit their requirements.
www.open.ac.uk/openlearn
Safer Recruitment – CWDC has launched an online training package that covers what
constitutes abuse, recruitment processes that should be followed, the current
arrangements for vetting and checking and how to manage allegations. They are also
running face-to-face Safer Recruitment Training, across England through a consortium led
by Action for Children. These will run in Taunton on 18th February and Plymouth on 24th
March. There are a limited number of free places for small organisations.
http://www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/safeguarding/safer-recruitment
Subsidised Training with the Progress project which provides a subsidy for accredited
training for staff and volunteers in the VCS working with young people. Available only until
March, all training offered is on the Qualifications and Credits Framework (QCF) and
builds towards full qualifications. Learners are able to access multiple units, with many of
the training providers offering tailored and unique packages of training. It's really easy to
get started with Progress. If you're interested in finding what training might benefit you
take the self-assessment exercise and if you are a voluntary organisation considering
training for your staff and/or volunteers, remember accredited training not only sends a
strong signal about the quality of your workforce to funders and commissioners, it also
demonstrates your commitment to the professional development of your staff and
volunteers. http://www.ncvys.org.uk/blogs.php?act=view_topic&id=205
PUBLICATIONS AND RESOURCES
Barrier Busting is a new website from Government where charities and community
groups can ask for help in overcoming bureaucratic obstacles to their work. Questions
logged on the site will be answered by civil servants. It will let people setting up or running
local community projects submit queries about regulations, such as by-laws or health and
safety rules, that hinder them in their work. A team of civil servants at the department will
be responsible for helping the groups overcome the problems. Those who log problems
on the site will be given an ID number so that they can track the progress of their case
online. They will also be given the contact details of a civil servant responsible for helping
them. A CLG spokeswoman said common bureaucratic obstacles to community action
also included planning regulations and Criminal Records Bureau checks.
http://barrierbusting.communities.gov.uk/
Challenge and Lead is a new publication that offers young people a five stage plan to
support leadership and challenge. Developed by the National Youth Agency, the
resource’s five-stage plan provides activities on forming a working relationship within the
group; identifying issues to explore; formulating an action plan; developing and delivering
a campaign; and reviewing what’s changed. It has been developed in conjunction with a
group of young people making up The Youth of Today’s Youth Leadership Team who
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10. continue to use, review and develop the Challenge and Lead resource moving forward. It
is available as a free download http://www.nya.org.uk/challenge-and-lead
Generating Local Media Coverage - The media always want good local stories, or a
local angle on a national story, especially with a human interest. This briefing from Media
Trust is full of useful information (they have a range of resources on their website). See
http://resources.mediatrust.org/guides/public-relations/generating-local-media-
coverage/?dm_i=46N,BR4H,RMOTU,X9KV,1
Good Governance: a Code for the Voluntary and Community Sector – the second
edition of this NCVO guide sets out best practice for governing a voluntary or community
organisation and builds on the original version from 2005, and should be clearer with less
jargon. It is based on six key principles describing how an effective board provides good
governance and leadership:
♦ understanding their role;
♦ ensuring delivery of organisational purpose;
♦ working effectively both as individuals and a team;
♦ exercising effective control;
♦ behaving with integrity;
♦ being open and accountable.
The Code explains why each principle is important, and gives examples of how to apply
them in practice. There is a summary version as well as the full document at
http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/codeofgovernance
National Youth Homelessness Scheme – this is a knowledge base for local authorities
and their partners to help prevent and tackle youth homelessness.
http://www.communities.gov.uk/youthhomelessness/
So you want to work with young people? This is a new resource handbook from the
NYA for training and supporting volunteers. It is a compilation of over 50 activities that has
been devised as an introduction for volunteers who want to work with young people. Email
sales@nya.org.uk or go to www.nya.org.uk
Sparked is a new micro-volunteering website where non-profit organisations can register
to receive help with design, media, marketing and more and those with professional skills
can sign up to turn their spare time into social good. For more details visit:
https://www.sparked.com/
The Little Activity Book is a collection of practical group challenges from UK Youth. It
guides leaders through 22 practical and physical activities and will increase young
people's ability to function within a group and build their sense of well-being.
http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/the-little-activity-book/11775735
The Technology Handbook has been produced by LASA to be a central repository of all
information relevant to the configuration and management of the technology services
within an organisation - from your ISP login details to where licence keys are stored.
Aimed at whoever it is in the organisation who has responsibility for supporting,
developing, managing and securing ICT systems, there are 8 sections: the organisation,
compliance, inventory, configuration, contracts, policies, procedures, and appendices.
See http://www.lasa.org.uk/publications/computanews-guides/
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11. Youth Active Toolkit - UK Youth and Youth Active have worked together to produce this
resource to help encourage young people to take up sport and physical activity. This
toolkit can either be used in its own right or can be used to recognise the learning and
participation skills through the Youth Achievement Awards (YAA). This toolkit sets
appropriate challenges and targets through sports, in game and activities, cycling,
swimming, basketball, football, athletics, cricket, racquet sports, dance, action sports,
circuit training and fitness. It also goes through the benefits of sport; how to introduce
sports and physical activities to young people; 14 sample worksheets, ideas for workers,
peer leaders and volunteers and progression in sports and fitness.
http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/youth-active-toolkit/11775702
Volunteering whilst getting benefits - This guide from the Department for Work and
Pensions explains how benefits work in a range of situations where an individual is also
volunteering http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/dwp1023.pdf
GRANTS/AWARDS/COMPETITIONS
Amendment – incorrect contact details for the David Knightly Charitable Trust in the last
issue. The correct details are: David Knightly Charitable Trust, c/o Rachel Butterworth,
Middlewick House, St Mary Bourne, near Andover, Hants SP11 6AJ, Tel: 01264 73826.
Breaks 4 Kids is a charitable fund, run by YHA (Youth Hostel Association) that supports
under-privileged young people under the age of 18, travelling as part of an organised
group such as; youth club, church group, or a group organised by a body such as the
Youth Offending Group or Connexions. They offer grants for up to 50% of the cost of
accommodation and food. Applications for funding can be made at any time but must be
made at least 8 weeks before the trip commences. http://www.breaks4kids.co.uk/schools-
and-groups/index.aspx
BT's Big Voice is a national competition to support the 2012 London Olympic and
Paralympic Games. It is open to young people 11 - 19 years old, working in teams of
between 5 and 8 members under the supervision of a responsible adult.
http://www.btplc.com/Responsiblebusiness/Supportingourcommunities/Learningandskills/
London2012/BigVoice/default.aspx
Devon Community Foundation provides grants to voluntary grass roots community
groups working to relieve the effects of poverty and disadvantage in the county of Devon.
The highest priority is given to small-budget, community-based organisations and can be
for capital and revenue expenditure. A range of Funds are available offering grants of up
to £5,000. Applicants must be registered charities or voluntary organisations which are
constituted for charitable purposes. Applications for small grants can usually be made at
any time and are assessed at quarterly meetings. See http://www.devoncf.com
Garfield Weston Foundation provides funding for projects in the UK with no specific
priorities for funding and a wide range of charitable activity being supported. There is no
strict limit on the size of the grant given as every application is considered on its own
merits. In general, the Trust looks for organisations to have raised the majority of funding
through local or statutory sources before an application is made. It is highly unlikely that
the Foundation will consider making a grant to organisations that cannot demonstrate
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12. significant progress with fundraising. For more information ring 020 7399 6565 or see
http://www.garfieldweston.org
Lawrence Atwell's Charity provides grants or loans for young people based in the UK
and aged between 16 and 26 towards the cost of vocational training or equipment that is
essential for work. The charity's aim is to assist young people who come from a low-
income background to become qualified or equipped to work in their chosen career.
Funding can cover tuition, enrolment, examination or registration fees, general living
expenses during study/training and other specific items.
http://www.skinnershall.co.uk/charities/lawrence-atwell-charity.htm
Lloyds TSB Foundation for England and Wales supports registered charities that help
disadvantaged people to play a fuller role in communities across England and Wales. The
Foundation’s approach to good grant making is designed to work with charities from initial
enquiry through the lifetime of a grant. It is a consistent and transparent approach that
ensures the Foundation gives the best support and advice to charities irrespective of the
outcome of their application. It will fund core costs such as salaries and other overheads.
See www.lloydstsbfoundations.org.uk
Rayne Foundation provides grants to a range of projects, mainly around disadvantage,
so see the website for more details. http://www.raynefoundation.org.uk
sported. is a charitable organisation which provides funding and capacity building
services to the community and voluntary sports sector and is now working in Devon. If you
provide sporting activity for young people aged 11-25 then have a look at the sported.
leaflet http://www.vysdevon.org.uk/news/2334 and find out more. The regional manager is
Julian Wills - 07901 339335, 01822 850454 or email j.wills@sported.org.uk
Swimathon Foundation is offering grants of between £300 and £2,500 to swimming
pools, community organisations and charities who can demonstrate how funding will allow
them to help more people participate in and enjoy swimming and to make swimming more
accessible. Whether you’re a scout leader that would like to take your troop for a day at an
open air pool, a healthy living group wanting to try our Aquaerobics for the first time or a
scuba diving club desperate for new equipment, a grant could be the helping hand you
need! For more information see www.swimathon.org/foundation or ring 0845 459 9016 or
e-mail info@swimathonfoundation.org The next deadline for applications is 21st March.
Wakeham Trust provides grants to registered charities, community and voluntary groups
in the UK to help re-build communities through community participation and can cover
start-up costs, equipment and publicity. Grants of between £75 and £750 are provided
and the Trust favours small charities - often, but not always, start-ups.
http://www.wakehamtrust.org
Woodward Charitable Trust awards grant funding to small-scale, locally-based
charitable initiatives in the UK. There are one-off small grants of between £100 and
£5,000 and large grants of over £5,000 over a maximum of three years available. The
Trust is particularly interested in helping smaller organisations which offer direct services.
Potential applicants are encouraged to contact the Trust to discuss their work before
making an application and applications for large grants will be rejected unless applications
are discussed with the Trust's administrator prior to submission. See:
http://www.woodwardcharitabletrust.org.uk
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13. Young Carers – UK Youth have been awarded a grant by Children in Need to provide
respite weekends for young carers from across the UK and is offering 10 weekends over a
period of one year for up to 10 young carers per weekend at Avon Tyrrell Activity Centre,
Hampshire, UK Youth's Headquarters in the New Forest. The weekend will give young
carers aged 13 - 18 the opportunity to explore new surroundings and take part in exciting
adventure and environmental activities. The weekend will be FREE to young carers with
activities, accommodation, full board catering and money towards travelling expenses
provided for the successful applicants applying for a grant.
www.ukyouth.org/whatwedo/Opportunities+for+Young+Carers+at+Avon+Tyrrell
Getting Funding and Planning Successful Projects – the Big Lottery Fund has recently
revised its approach to outcomes and has produced this guidance for organisations
applying for a Big Lottery Fund grant from 1st November 2010. It is a simple step-by-step
introduction to the fundamental concepts and principles that you will need to know about if
you are going to apply for funding from BLF. See http://www.biglearningzone.org.uk/
NATIONAL NEWS AND VIEWS
Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) - ClickCEOP is an advice and help
centre where you can access guidance on a broad range of topics to help protect children,
or alternatively report a concern directly to CEOP. It’s children and young people’s
programme Thinkuknow is used in schools nationwide to educate young people about
how to stay safe online. CEOP has been working with social networking sites such as
Facebook, BEBO, MSN and other major service providers to put internet safety advice at
the fingertips of children through the ClickCEOP application. Facebook users should visit
www.facebook.com/clickceop to add the ClickCEOP app to their profile. The app is free
and easy to use, and gives immediate access to internet safety advice as well as being
able to report any suspicions. If you become a friend of the page, CEOP will invite you to
free online safety surgeries and send you updates. For more on CEOP go to
http://www.ceop.police.uk/
Commercialisation of Childhood - The Office of the Children's Commissioner for
England has launched a survey, developed by children and young people, to examine this
issue. The children and young people's advisory group, which is made up of 19 young
people aged 8 to 18 is looking at the topic and is aiming to gather the views of children
and young people across England. A questionnaire was devised by the group to attempt
to find out the sorts of things children and young people want to own and why. The
group will report the findings to Reg Bailey’s review of commercialisation and
sexualisation of childhood. The deadline for completing the survey is 28th January. See
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/commercialworld
Comprehensive Cuts - part two This second paper from NCVYS (see
http://www.vysdevon.org.uk/news/2332 ) builds on its initial report Comprehensive Cuts
published in 2010. The report provides an up to date look at the impact of changes to
policy and funding as well as spending cuts affecting young people across England.
NCVYS is extremely concerned about the cumulative impact of these changes: the overall
picture is one of less financial support for young people, receding support for those
working with young people to develop them and reduced investment in the charitable
sector which could be a source for training, skills development and employment
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14. opportunities for young people. NCVYS strongly believe that a more cohesive approach to
serving young people is needed. To this end, they are working with officials at the
Department for Education to bring together key ministers at a youth summit to ensure that
decisions from the centre are serving young people in a coordinated and coherent
fashion. If you would like to discuss the findings of this report or for more information
about the youth summit, please don’t hesitate to contact Susanne Rauprich on
susanne@ncvys.org.uk
Consultation: Green Paper on Giving - Minister for the Cabinet Office Francis Maude
launched the paper that sets out the Government's initial ideas for building a stronger
culture of giving time and money. The aim is to start a national debate on our society's
attitudes to giving. The paper proposes a new role for government as a facilitator of giving,
making it easier for philanthropists, volunteers and charities to form partnerships. It
proposes that the Government will provide:
♦ At least £50 million of match funding over the next four years to encourage the building
up of local endowments as part of the Community First programme.
♦ Additional funding to neighbourhood groups to help them implement their projects and
plans.
♦ A Volunteer Match Fund, worth up to £10 million per year, to double the benefit of
private donations to voluntary projects.
♦ An England-wide Volunteering Infrastructure programme worth £42.5 million over the
next four years that will provide brokerage as well as frontline support to volunteers and
the organisations that manage them.
The paper also sets out wide-ranging ideas, including the use of online and social media,
for making giving and voluntary action in the UK "as easy and attractive as possible". See
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/giving-green-paper.
Deadline for comments 9th March.
Consultation on Tackling Child Poverty and Improving Life Chances - The
government is calling on voluntary groups, charities and local communities to give their
views on its latest strategy to tackle child poverty. This is a cross-department consultation
on the government's approach to ending child poverty and improving life chances. The
strategy looks to address poverty through placing a greater emphasis on social mobility
and opportunity to help combat cycles of educational underachievement, worklessness
and family breakdown. Consultation deadline is 15th February.
http://www.education.gov.uk/inthenews/pressnotices/a0071184/government-sets-out-new-
vision-for-ending-child-poverty
There is also a series of short films to launch at the same time as the consultation.
http://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/families/childpoverty/a0069978/tack
ling-child-poverty-films
Drinking to Belong: Understanding young adults' alcohol use within social
networks is a new report from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation that examines the
relationship of young people with alcohol, and identifies the factors behind their drinking
habits. It suggests that excessive alcohol consumption is the norm in young adulthood
and highlights the influence of friends' behaviour, and of alcohol pricing.
http://www.jrf.org.uk/sites/files/jrf/alcohol-young-adults-full.pdf
Early Intervention Grant and Pupil Premium - Education Secretary Michael Gove has
set out the two-year funding allocations for local authorities and one-year funding
allocations for maintained schools. This includes details of the new Early Intervention
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15. Grant (EIG), which provides local authorities with funding for key preventative services,
and the pupil premium. The amount to be allocated through EIG will be 10.9% lower than
the aggregated 2010-11 funding through the predecessor grants. The EIG is not ring-
fenced, giving local authorities the flexibility to respond to local needs and drive reform.
Those centrally-directed grants to support services for children, young people and families
which will be replaced by the EIG include the Connexions, Children's Fund, Youth
Opportunity Fund, Youth Crime Action Plan, Positive Activities for Young People
Programme, Youth Taskforce, Young People Substance Misuse, Teenage Pregnancy.
The pupil premium, which will provide additional funding for deprived pupils, will be £430
per deprived pupil in 2011-12 and allocated to pupils currently eligible for free school
meals. In 2011 the total spending on the premium will be £625m, but this figure will rise
each year until 2014. As funding for the premium increases, the government will boost the
amount of money each child receives and by 2013, the premium will be extended to all
children who have previously been eligible for free school meals.
http://media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/pdf/m/michael%20goves%20letter%20to%20loc
al%20authorities%20%20%2013%20december%202010.pdf
Early Intervention: Next Steps - The interim findings of the early intervention review, led
by Labour MP Graham Allen, recommends that nineteen of the most effective early
intervention programmes should be supported and expanded, with a new body created to
promote effective practice. It also recommends the creation of 15 "local early intervention
places" to spearhead the development of practices. These areas would be supported by a
newly created Early Intervention Foundation. Allen makes a total of 34 recommendations
in the report, stating there is no need for new legislation or immediate additional public
expenditure for them to be implemented. http://www.cypnow.co.uk/bulletins/Daily-
Bulletin/news/1050038/?DCMP=EMC-DailyBulletin
Energy: How fair is it anyway? The Department of Energy and Climate Change has
published this report from its Youth Advisory Panel, which finds that there is huge support
for renewable energy among young people. It calls for greater youth consultation on
energy and climate change policy and for young people to get involved. The report calls
for: a fair deal for young people in the decision-making process; work to ensure that
Government does not lock young and future generations into ecological debt; and
continued engagement in dialogue with the youth constituency and stakeholdership to
ensure that the youth perspective is heard, and responded to, by Government.
http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/About%20us/youth-panel/961-energy-how-fair-youth-
panel.pdf
European Year of Volunteering - 2011 has been designated as the European Year of
Volunteering within the European Union. The purpose of the Year is to support the efforts
of member states and civil society organisations to create conditions which are conducive
to the development of volunteering across Europe. The Year provides an excellent
opportunity to support the development of social action, a key pillar of the Big Society and
the Cabinet Office is making available small scale contracts and grants for organisations
to develop and implement activity within England, as part of the national work programme
for European Year of Volunteering. See http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/news/grants-
available-european-year-volunteering
Localism Bill - The Department for Communities and Local Government has published
this bill, that intends to: devolve significant new powers to councils; establish new rights
for local people and communities to take over services (for example through employee-
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16. run mutuals, co-operatives, or social enterprises) or to buy community assets; give
citizens a right to have referendums on local issues and to veto council tax rises; give
greater financial autonomy to local government, and return decision-making powers on
housing to local councils and communities through a new Community Right to Build.
DCLG has also published an “Essential Guide” to the Bill, which sets out six actions
central government will need to take to achieve and maintain the radical shift in power, - in
behaviour, expectation, and culture - which must go alongside the changes in law
proposed in the Bill. http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/corporate/1794946
NCVO has also produced a briefing paper on the Bill which is at:
www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/sites/default/files/Decentralisation_and_Localism_Bill_briefing.pdf
Renewed Compact – this has now been launched by the Cabinet Office. It is shorter and
more focused than the previous agreement and aims to create the right environment for
partnership working. In addition, the National Audit Office will carry out a one-off study into
the operation of the Compact across government which will be reported to parliament. The
Compact recognises the need for national and local support and development
organisations to be resourced in order to assist civil society organisations with their
capacity and capability to deliver positive outcomes. Alongside the renewed Compact, the
new Accountability Guide details various avenues to pursue complaints or concerns about
Compact non-compliance, as well as details of major programmes to ensure Compact
reporting takes place regularly. http://www.compactvoice.org.uk/resources/using-compact
The Cost of Exclusion: Counting the cost of youth disadvantage in the UK is a new
report from the Prince's Trust that estimates that the number of young people aged
between 16 and 24 claiming unemployment benefit for more than 12 months has
quadrupled since the start of the recession to 232,000, and therefore that youth
unemployment currently costs the country up to £155m a week. It also finds that the cost
of youth crime in Britain has risen to £1.2bn a year due to more young people being
imprisoned. http://www.princes-trust.org.uk/pdf/COE_full_report.pdf
Young People in Governance is a report from research consultancy nfpSynergy that
considers organisational experiences of overcoming the barriers to involving young people
in governance. A key recommendation of the report is that there is no ‘one-size fits all’
model when it comes to engaging young people in governance - each organisation must
consider which mechanisms will work best for their needs. Research has found that young
people’s civic involvement doesn’t just improve their own outcomes. There are ten key
findings in the summary. See
http://www.nfpsynergy.net/includes/documents/cm_docs/2010/y/young_people_in_govern
ance.pdf
Young Voices ‘Stronger Together’ is a research report from the British Youth Council
which found that the involvement of youth councillors in public decision making not only
increased young people's participation in decision making by 89%, but also improved the
quality of youth services (62%) and saved the council money (22%). See
http://www.byc.org.uk/asset_store/documents/young_voices_stronger_together_web.pdf
DISCLAIMER – VYS (Devon) accepts no responsibility for any errors or omissions.
Whilst every effort has been made to ensure details are correct, VYS (Devon)
cannot endorse events or items mentioned in this newsletter.
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