Bath and North East Somerset Council - Empowering Communities Review. See Consultations

ACEVO South West Seminars 2007/2008. Aimed at Chief Officers of VCS Organisations. Details.

Follow this link to find updates on the Local Development Framework, the Core Strategy and the Regional Spatial Strategy. LDF Newsletter Feb08.

ACRONYMS - link to NAVCA's jargon busting list for 2008. (permanent link on Resources page).

Women’s Involvement in the Voluntary and Community Sector. Focus Group 31 March. Details.

CVS DIRECTORY OF SERVICES - If you would like to be included and have not yet sent in your form please click here and return to sue.evans@banescvs.org.uk before 31 March.

Consultation on integrated working in local partnership areas - the next steps. See Consultations page.

ACEVO Spring Conference 13 March. Details and booking.

Social Enterprise Workshop A “local focus” workshop for support providers in Bath 12 March Details.

Consultation on Access to Rural Services - deadline 7 March. Details

Subsidised pilot Full Cost Recovery Course being held on Tuesday 25 March 2008 in Swindon. Details and Booking.

'Viability not Liability' seminar at Bristol on 25th February. Aimed at helping you assess and develop your asset acquisition plans. Details.

Free Accountancy Support for B&NES CVS Members. Details.

Are you doing all you can to save Energy? Please follow this link to The Big Energy Challenge website to find out.

ENGAGING YOUNG PEOPLE IN YOUR ORGANISATION - A new toolkit from Community Matters. Details.

Revised Information Sharing Protocol for those working with children, young people and their families.

Follow these links for the Practitioners Handbook and the Wallchart.

The New PQASSO Quality Mark was launched on 13 November. PQASSO, CES’ Practical Quality Assurance System for Small Organisations, is the most widely used quality assurance system within the third sector. Link to PQASSO website.

Local Action - A £28 million initiative to help rural communities in South West England. For details see our Funding page. Deadline 31 December.

Comic Relief Young Carers Grants Programme 2007/08
Stage one - Expressions of Interest - closes 5pm on 14 December 2007. Details

The Big Lottery Fund has launched a consultation on the second round of its BASIS programme.

Embracing Difference - A South West Heritage and Diversity workshop. Nov 28 in Bath. Details.

TRAVEL SAFE TO BE LAUNCHED IN B&NES
Travel Safe began as a research project funded by the Home Office (UK) and the European Commission. Sadly what was uncovered in the twelve month European based study, was significant amounts of abuse, particularly in the area of homestay visits. The Travel-Safe series of books has been able to turn these research results unto a positive and pro-active initiative that informs young people, parents, host families, voluntary and commercial organisations, schools and others about the potential threats. Travel Safe will be launched locally in B&NES on Tuesday 27th of November 2007 at the Guildhall in Bath from 6.30-9pm. We will be inviting Language Schools, Host Family Organisers, Host Families, Headteachers and Educational Visit Co-ordinators and are expecting 100 people at the event. We will have key speakers from relevant local agencies as well as Chris Gould (Child-Safe Chief Executive Officer). Our aim is to make people in B&NES involved in travel, excursions, exchange and home-stay visits aware of this important initiative and the advice material that has been produced to support it. The launch will be the introduction and inauguration of a B&NES Travel-Safe Forum for the industry which will meet annually to share information and best practice.  Anyone wishing to attend should contact Tara Savage, B&NES Child-Safe Administrator, Community Safety Team, Bath Police Station, Manvers Street, Bath BA1 1JN. Tel : 01225 842473 or email tara.savage@avonandsomerset.police.uk to book a place.

West of England ChangeUp Consortium is Seeking Views on its Current Configuration. For details see our Consultations page.

Contact Point Workshop 26 Nov, Taunton. Find out more about this co-ordinated approach to CYP service delivery. Details on our Children & Young People page.

The Big Lottery Fund will be launching Round Two of the Advice Plus programme on the 12th November. For details of a regional seminar on 22 November in Taunton to set out the main features of Advice Plus see Funding Page.

Supporting People with Asperger Syndrome – fully funded introductory workshop, Mon 19 November. Details.

Understanding developers and Section 106. seminar for community groups, community development workers, neighbourhood planning groups and charities on this important subject. Wednesday 14th November, 6pm – 8:45pm, Bristol. Details.

LINks - local involvement in the design, commissioning and delivery of health and social care. Details and booking for preparatory event on 6 Nov in Bath - click here. Booking Essential.

SupportActionNet Awards
Organisations that are working with vulnerable people in the UK are invited to enter for the second SupportActionNet Awards that recognise innovation and excellence in supporting vulnerable people to achieve their social and emotional aspirations.The Award Winner in each category (large or small service providers) will receive £1,500 sponsored by the Ashden Trust. The closing date for entries for these awards is 26 October 2007. Click here for further information and an application form.

The Charities Act 2006 - What you need to know: A Summary, the  Implementation Plan and a Timetable for Implementation and Consultation.

PACT How could your neighbourhood be improved? What problems do you think need tackling to make your area feel safer? Have your say at the Partners and Communities Together (PACT) meeting. Details of local area PACT meetings: click here. and enter PACT in search function.

Natural Allies: Can the VCS and Local Government Work Together? Friday, 19 October 2007, Central London. Details.

Celebrating PQASSO. An opportunity to showcase organisations or projects which use PQASSO at the Royal Festival Hall 13 November 2007. Details

CDA (Brave Ltd) has launched a one year pilot project, which will offer a rural co-operative and social enterprise development service in B&NES. Details

Quartet Community Foundation help groups struggling to find funding. Details on our Funding Page under Funding Opportunities.

NCVO Data Protection & Communications Conference, 26 September in London. Details.

What are Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIOs) and Community Interest Companies (CICs)?
Free Event 18 September in Bristol. Details.

Run for the Future. Family run in aid of Prostate Cancer awareness and research. Sunday 16 September in Bristol. Details.

VCS Engage is hosting free training courses to help VCS organisations understand the new planning and commissioning process, introduced by the Every Child Matters (ECM): Change
for Children agenda. Details

The Safer Communities Initiative Fund is set up to resource new Crime Reduction Projects. Details and Application Form. Application deadline 31 August 2007.

The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) invites you to attend a briefing event on its forthcoming e-procurement round for all 2008/09 LSC funding. Taunton 28 August. Details.