Useful links
This page is constantly under development and the following list of links are just a sample of those that might be useful to the voluntary sector. Please let us know if there is anything else you would wish to find. The links in this section open into external websites. Please note that B&NES CVS cannot be held responsible for their content.
- Local Media Contacts
- Local Government Information
- Regional Infrastructure organisations
- Regional voluntary organisations
- General Links
- Charities
- Children & Young people
- Equalities
- Environment/Sustainability
- Funding
- Governance
- Health & Safety
- Health & Social Care
- ICT
- Volunteering
Media Contacts - Follow this link for a list of media contact details for television and radio stations, newpapers, and magazines in the Bath area.
- info4local Local government information.
- INFORMATION SHARING PROTOCOLS for groups who work with children and young people.
- LICENSING ACT 2003 Information from B&NES Council on the recent important changes to licensing laws.
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LOCAL AREA AGREEMENTS Information from B&NES Council on Local Area Agreements.
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General overview of procurement by Bath & North East Somerset Council. Click here.
Regional Infrastructure Organisations
- B&NES CVS
- B&NES RACIAL EQUALITY COUNCIL supports the black and minority ethnic community and is an advocate for equality and diversity.
- THE CARE FORUM supports the voluntary sector in the field of Health and Social Care.
- COMMUNITY ACTION provides information and advice on a wide range of community projects and rural services.
- ENVOLVE works with schools, youth groups, community groups, businesses and individuals on a range of projects to help people find sustainable ways of living and working.
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WECIL The West of England Centre for Inclusive Living aims to promote inclusive opportunities and enable choice and control.
Regional voluntary organisations
- SOUTH WEST FORUM The Regional Voice of the Voluntary and Community Sector
- SOUTH WEST OF ENGLAND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY
- GOVERNMENT OFFICE OF SOUTH WEST
- EQUALITY SOUTH WEST
Adobe Reader - Some of the documents on this website are in Adobe Acrobat® Portable Document Format (PDF) format. If you do not already have the softwear to read this format you can obtain this free from the Adobe Website - click Get Acrobat Reader
An excellent selection of links can be found in the links section of the National Association for Voluntary and Community Action (NAVCA) website. Click here.
Online national directory of Support Organisations. Find Support
Calendar of religious Festivals - Click here
National Hubs Update The funding from Capacitybuilders for the six National hubs has ended (except the Workforce hub in Sept 08). The National hubs will leave a number of useful resources which will still be made available to the sector. The Hubs are replaced by Nine National Support Services Workstreams. See below.
Nine National Support Services Workstreams are now funded by Capacity Builders. See Improving Support website.
National Council for Voluntary Organisations - news, events, advice, publications - excellent resource for voluntary and community sector organisations. Follow this link for the NCVO website.
The Third Sector Partnership Board - The purpose of the Board is to facilitate critical challenge between the sector, local government and the Communities and Local Government Department on how to improve the Department's understanding of the third sector and the role the sector might play in delivering Departmental objectives. See Communities and Local Government website. The Board will meet three times a year. The online discussion forum is an opportunity for you to get involved in the shaping the agenda of the Board meetings. So register today and have your say.
ProHelp is a national network of over 800 professional firms who are committed to making a difference in their local community by providing free advice and professional support. To find out more visit www.bitc.org.uk/prohelp
LawWorks - LawWorks aims to increase the
delivery of free legal advice to individuals and communities in need.
Are you a charity, social enterprise or
community organisation that requires free legal help? If so you can
apply online. You need to fill in an application on-line, submit it to
them, then they will refer the case on to a solicitor where appropriate.
There are some groups they won’t support, namely: residents’
associations; animal welfare organisations; private leisure and sports
clubs; professional or trade associations; organisations whose primary
object or purpose is the promotion of religion; international
organisations whose primary focus is on benefiting communities overseas
(unless they also benefit communities in the UK) and they will not deal
with legal questions related to a dispute within the organisation.
See
LawWorks website.
Public Law Project - provides advice and
support to challenge unjust public body funding and consultation
decisions. PLP say ‘Our advice line provides free detailed legal advice
to voluntary and community organisations on disputes involving public
bodies’ decisions and failures.’
www.publiclawproject.org.uk
Tel Advice line: 020 7697 2198 (operates Monday – Thursday)
or you can email:
evs@publiclawproject.org.uk
The PLP also provides training to the VCS on
public law issues. B&NES CVS brought in some PLP training in July of
this year and we hope to bring in some more in future.
Liberty: (also known as The
National Council for Civil Liberties) leading civil liberties and
human rights organisation. working to promote human rights and protect
civil liberties through a combination of test case litigation, lobbying,
campaigning and the provision of free advice. helpline 0845 122
8621. Switchboard: 020 7403 3888. Liberty have a Voluntary Sector Advice
Service with a website giving general information about the Human Rights
Act, answers to frequently asked questions, recent case summaries and
detailed advice to help you advise your service users.
www.yourrights.org.uk/VAS
Low Cost Translation Service -
Easy-Translations are a low-profit Social Enterprise providing high
quality translations and a free online interpreter directory. They work
directly with translators and provide documents in most formats,
minimising overheads and admin costs. Their aim is to provide a one stop
shop which makes Language Service provision more affordable for
organisations serving the community. For further information email
info@easy-translations.co.uk
0845 200 7832
Community Halls for Rural People is an
information resource, for those who run village halls, on the Defra
Rural Affairs website. Gives information on how to access, a whole range
of funding, services and advice and allows users to pool their
experience in applying for and securing funding. Community Halls for
Rural People' can be accessed at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/rural/communities/halls
The Charities Act 2006 Reforms in charity law and regulation to: enable charities to administer themselves more efficiently and be more effective; improve the regulation of charity fundraising, and reduce regulation on the sector, especially for smaller charities; provide a clear definition of charity with an emphasis on public benefit; modernise the Charity Commission's functions and powers as regulator, increase its accountability, and preserve its independence from Ministers. The Charities Act 2006 Click here for Implementation and Consultation timetable.
Charities Act 2006 Update
The Third and Fourth commencements of the Charities Act 2006 were
introduced on 13 March and 1 April 2008, respectively. These regulations
include provisions relating to:
Changes to the definition of a charity and the need for all charities to
demonstrate public benefit
The introduction of a Charity Tribunal
Whistle-blowing and charity accounts
Changes to
cy-près law (allowing restricted funds from failed appeals to be used
for another purpose)
The payment of trustees for (non-trustee) services
Further information can be found at:
The Cabinet Office website.
The Charity Commission - regulates and supports Registered Charities. Here you can find the full national list of Registered Charities; you can search in various ways to find the information you want. Top quality service.
The Charity Commission Website.
The Charities Aid Foundation - information and links for those involved in the charitable world. Charities Aid Foundation Website.
One Big Database - Children and Families Services. This is a central database which brings together information about services for children and their families. It covers the whole of Bath and North East Somerset as well as Bristol ,South Gloucestershire and North Somerset. Link
B&NES Children and Young People's Network. The Children & Young People’s Network provides anyone working in the Voluntary and Community Sector with up to date information on relevant legislation and developments at a local and national level. The Network aims to raise the profile of the sector in delivering and sustaining services for children and young people in B&NES. Further information on Bath Area Play Project website.
Childsafe - A Child Protection initiative, established by Avon and Somerset Police, to give sports clubs and organisations the necessary information to put in place Child Protection procedures. Childsafe website
Every Child Matters - Information on the range of initiatives affecting VCS groups and others working with children and young people. Every Child Matters Website
Child Protection Procedures South West Child Protection Procedures
STAR is a charity specialising in working with professionals and parents concerned with creating a positive environment for all children under 8 at home and at school. STAR's overall objective is to work towards the elimination of discrimination and to promote equality of opportunity and good relations between persons of different racial groups by offering support and training to teachers, under 8's workers, parents and carers. Link to STAR website.
The Children's Workforce Learning Network (CWLN) has been established in the South West region to support staff working with children and young people and their families in the various Voluntary and Community sectors. Visit the website.
Working with Children and Young People with Disabilities. The Children's Workforce Development Council has created a web-based resource for anyone working with children and young people with disabilities. Click here to link to the CWDC website.
Children & Young People Now - Provides support for multi-agency professionals who need to be kept up-to-date with news and information across children and youth services. Children & Young People Now website
CYPnet - a new email network for people in the community and voluntary sector who support groups working with children and young people. The network is free to join and open to anyone who works directly with children or supports others who do. For more information and to find out how to join, visit the NAVCA website.
The Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) has been created to help prevent unsuitable people from working with children and vulnerable adults. From autumn 2008, when you recruit anyone new they will need to apply for ISA registration as part of the recruitment process. Further information can be found on the ISA website and on this link to the Every Child Matters Website. also a link to the powerpoint presentation of the latest information session.
Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) Scheme Update - April 2008
The Equality and Human Rights Commission is made up of the three equality commissions: Commission for Racial Equality (CRE), Disability Rights Commission (DRC), Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC). Recent reports from the former commissions can be accessed on the recent publications page of the new website: http://www.equalityhumanrights.com The Commission has launched its new YouTube channel where you can find the latest videos about its work to promote equality, fairness and human rights for all. To find out more, visit: www.youtube.com/EqualityHumanRights
Get Fair - This campaign calls on all political parties to commit to concrete measures to ensure decent, adequate incomes, fair access to services, affordable homes and decent neighbourhoods for all. The campaign will run over the next year to ensure priority is given to tackling poverty in all its forms. For further information on how you can help Get Fair, or to register for updates about the campaign, visit: www.getfair.org.uk or e-mail info@getfair.org.uk
Equality South West - are dedicated to promoting equality and diversity throughout the region. They work to tackle discrimination on the grounds of age, disability, faith, gender, race and sexual orientation. Equality South West Website.
B&NES RACIAL EQUALITY COUNCIL supports the black and minority ethnic community and is an advocate for equality and diversity. Please follow this link to the B&NES Racial Equality Council website.
Equalities Monitoring Guidance - this guidance from Bath & North East Somerset Council's Corporate Equalities Team gives recommended guidelines for monitoring in both employment and service delivery. Includes information on why we need to monitor, what to monitor, setting targets, how to set up, analyse and report on results of monitoring and summarises relative legislation and policies. See Bath & North East Somerset Council website.
WECIL The West of England Centre for Inclusive Living aims to promote inclusive opportunities and enable choice and control. WECIL also runs the Disability Equality Forum for Bath & North East Somerset. Please follow this link to the WECIL website.
Legislation: at a glance - legislation updates on the Improvement & Development Agency Website.
Online Training on Discrimination in
Employment - The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service
(ACAS) offers online training on discrimination on the basis of religion
or belief, and on age discrimination. Visit
www.acas.org.uk/elearning.
The Inclucive Fitness Initiative (IFI) - The Inclusive Fitness Initiative (IFI) is a programme that supports the fitness industry to become more inclusive, catering for the needs of disabled and non-disabled people alike. Through a range of projects and products the initiative has supported facilities across England to create an inclusive service, increasing participation by disabled people. Find the Nearest Inclusive Fitness Sites or details of projects, etc. See IFI website.
Shape is the country's leading disability arts organisation, with the aim of improving access to the arts for deaf and disabled people whilst supporting deaf and disabled artists to challenge perceptions and promote Deaf and Disability Culture. Shape website. 'Open the Door' provides essential services to help you apply access and equality standards across your organisation and develop your deaf and disabled audiences.
STAR is a charity specialising in working with professionals and parents concerned with creating a positive environment for all children under 8 at home and at school. STAR's overall objective is to work towards the elimination of discrimination and to promote equality of opportunity and good relations between persons of different racial groups by offering support and training to teachers, under 8's workers, parents and carers. Link to STAR website.
The Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) has been created to help prevent unsuitable people from working with children and vulnerable adults. From autumn 2008, when you recruit anyone new they will need to apply for ISA registration as part of the recruitment process. Further information can be found on the ISA website and on this link to the Every Child Matters Website. also a link to the powerpoint presentation of the latest information session.
Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) Scheme Update - April 2008
UN Enable - United Nations website devoted to promoting the rights and dignity of disabled people.
Open the Door - provides essential services to help you apply access and equality standards across your organisation and develop your deaf and disabled audiences. Click here for SHAPE website. For almost 30 years Shape has been at the forefront of change, aiming to achieve access to the arts for disabled and deaf people; empowering people to enrich their lives through enjoyment of the arts and active participation.
Advice Services Alliance (ASA) have launched a website www.isthatdiscrimination.org.uk to raise awareness of discrimination through public information and outreach work. The website aims to bring advice agencies together to share experience and help advisers recognize and deal with discrimination problems.
Educational Action Challenging Homophobia EACH
British Deaf Association - member led, representing the deaf community. British Deaf Association Website
Royal Association For Deaf People - facilities in SE England. Royal Association For Deaf People Website
Sense - working for people with deafblindness. Sense Website
The Royal National Institute For Deaf People - lobbyist and service provider. THE RNID website
Action For Blind People - a national charity promoting equal opportunities for blind people. Action For Blind People Website.
The Guide Dogs For the Blind Association - one of the country's favourite charities. The Guide Dogs For The Blind Association Website.
Royal London Society For The Blind - education, training and employment. Royal London Society For The Blind Website.
Royal National Institute For The Blind - RNIB Website
AGE CONCERN (BATH) A locally based charity supporting older people, their families and carers across the area. Please follow this link to the Age Concern website.
Reaching Out Project – providing advice and skilled volunteers. Reaching Out is an England-wide project providing advice and skilled volunteers to faith, rural, black and minority ethnic, and refugee and migrant groups. With input from the project these frontline groups can strengthen their know-how and benefit from experienced REACH volunteers. Contact: 0207 840 5663 or www.reach-online.org.uk/projects.htm
Envolve - Partnerships For Sustainability - works with schools, youth groups, community groups, businesses and individuals on a range of projects to help people find sustainable ways of living and working. See Envolve website.
Are you doing all you can to save Energy? Please follow this link to The Big Energy Challenge website to find out.
Centre For Sustainable Energy - 'CSE believes that it is only with the support, cooperation and active participation of communities that we will see real changes in the way we use and source energy. CSE therefore provides a range of services to engage people – from training volunteers and facilitating consultation to providing advice and project development. Our aim is to help communities understand the issues – often by making links with existing concerns such as poverty, housing and health – and find appropriate local solutions'. See CSE website. CSE also produces a regular newsletter - read latest version here.
The Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (ACEVO) has published 4 updated briefings on Successful Procurement and Negotiation and covering the following areas: Tendering and Bidding Briefing: Give your tender a winning chance; Impact Briefing: Putting impact at the heart of the tendering process; Negotiation Briefing: Effective negotiating to secure better outcomes; VAT Briefing: VAT made simple when working in partnership. These briefings can be downloaded from the ACEVO website .
Charities Information Bureau (CIB) - Local support and advice about voluntary sector funding and law. The current Charities Information Bureau website carries much information on funding and fundraising together with a good useful links section. Their new website (available shortly) has had a complete revamp with funding help from Sport England, and offers not only a FREE searchable facility for individual project searches but also ready to go packs for particular themes, such as Sport, Health & Social Welfare. CIB Website. There is also a link to a bi-monthly regional bulletin which gives information on new grants, selected ongoing grants and local funding information. See: www.cibsouthandwest.org.uk
Government Funding - for voluntary organisations seeking government funding. Developed in partnership with the Directory of Social Change. Government Funding Website
The Big Lottery Fund Website
UK Fundraising Website Wide range of information.
Funderfinder Website From the funding software people - good links.
Funders On-Line Website European funding site.
Funding Digest Website Access to subscription based online funding information.
Association of Charitable Foundations Website Mostly for grant givers but you can download leaflets to help you apply.
Lloyds TSB Foundation Website straightforward well maintained site for grant seekers.
Institute of Fundraising Southwest Website News, events and Training for fundraisers in the SW of England
THE BIG GIVE - This is a free website which allows major donors to search for charity projects in their field of interest. You can register your charity now. Click here.
Community Halls for Rural People is an information resource, for those who run village halls, on the Defra Rural Affairs website. Gives information on how to access, a whole range of funding, services and advice and allows users to pool their experience in applying for and securing funding. Community Halls for Rural People' can be accessed at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/rural/communities/halls
The Governance Hub is a website and helpline set up to support voluntary and community sector organisations with governance issues. ranges from basics; such as ' What is a Board' to complex and emerging governance issues. Although The Governance Hub website is no longer being updated you can still access the existing resources here for the time being. Follow this link to the Governance Hub website.
Charity Governance - a website resource giving information on issues trustees need to be aware of: law, finance, strategy, model documents. Practical advice on implementing successful strategies for success. Follow this link to the Charity Governance website.
Support and information for Trustees
From Nightmare to Nirvana - An ICT Survival Guide
for Trustees. ICT Governance can impact on everything an
organisation does in society. It can lead to greater efficiency, better
services and greater impact for beneficiaries. ICT Governance is the
core of good ICT planning and management. This guide is not to improve
your technical understanding; but will help your trustees understand the
role of ICT and the importance of strategic planning to reduce the cost
and risk implications. Download from
ICT Hub website.
NCVO's HR Bank is a collection of human resources policies, contracts and documents used by and donated by different voluntary organisations. Go to the NCVO website.
Web-based H&S Support for Trustees and Senior
Management
Health and safety is an issue that should be incorporated into the main
governance structures of an organisation, including board
sub-committees, such as risk, remuneration and audit. The Health and
Safety Executive now offer a very helpful website to support this.
Click here.
Companies House - have booklets offering guidance on all stages of company development from launch to wind up. Please follow this link to Companies House website.
NCVO Third Sector Foresight Website - A fully interactive website to help shape your organisation’s strategic thinking and planning. The site provides: access to online strategy tools, information about major trends and forces (drivers) affecting the external environment, regularly updated news, research and events and a personal profile page, where you can save information and post news and articles to share with other members. Follow this link for the NCVO Foresight website .
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.
Governance Pages - The National Lottery have funded this new website that aims to produce useful information on governance and management committees for community groups and small voluntary organisations. Click here.
Business Link - Everything you need from starting up a business, finding finance, employing staff, filing online VAT returns, Health & Safety, etc. all the way through to selling your business. Contains fact sheets and sample documents. The 'Your Type of Business' section pinpoints the key regulations, licences and standards that apply to your specific business categories. It also lists key trade bodies with expertise about your area of business. See Business Link website.
DirectGov - Website of the UK Government. Useful site for information on a wide range of legislation, policies and general information from Central Government affecting the Voluntary and Community Sector. DirectGov.co.uk.
Social Enterprise - Avon Co-operative Development Agency (CDA ) and Social Enterprise Works have announced the launch of a new co-operative and social enterprise development service offering free help to develop new and existing rural enterprises such as: providing childcare, saving local village shops, homecare services for the elderly, improving local transport, helping local producers market their goods. Are you ready for Social Enterprise? Click here to find out.
Co-Active is a social enterprise development agency contracted by Business Link to deliver the Social Enterprise Link service in the south west region of England. They provide business support to social enterprises in the south west region of the UK. The website is a useful resource for existing or prospective Social Enterprises. Co-Active website.
Community Halls for Rural People is an
information resource, for those who run village halls, on the Defra
Rural Affairs website. Gives information on how to access, a whole range
of funding, services and advice and allows users to pool their
experience in applying for and securing funding. Community Halls for
Rural People' can be accessed at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/rural/communities/halls
Health and Safety Executive mini-website for management committee/board members. See HSE website
The Health and Safety Executive has a
designated Display Screen Equipment section on its web site,
bringing together a variety of useful material around the use of
computer workstations. Click here for
H&S Executive site.
Risk Assessment for Village Halls - Recent addition to the online case studies of risk assessments compiled by the Health and Safety Executive is one for a village hall. Also applicable to many small community buildings. See HSE Website.
Guidance on Risk Assessment and the Employment of Disabled People
The guidance which has been prepared by the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is a joint document which provides employers and disabled people with guidance on how to ensure that health and safety issues are managed effectively, so that disabled people do not experience discrimination, but so that employers can also maintain a safe working environment for everyone. The web-based guidance has been developed to encourage employing and retaining disabled workers. It provides expert advice on delivering the necessary workplace adjustments to both employers and disabled people. The guidance also includes links to relevant government agencies, which provide reliable and up to date information to help employers achieve levels of good practice and meet requirements under health and safety and disability discrimination law. You can follow the step by step guide by going to the HSE Website.
The Care Forum - supports the voluntary sector in the field of Health and Social Care. The Care Forum Website
Scils/Eils Database - Made up of two websites, the database offers training materials and information for staff working in health and social care organisations in the statutory and voluntary/independent sector. Details.
Public Health Library - the NHS has launched an expanding online National Library for Public Health with a range of articles and resources on various topics including: Children's Health, Mental Health, Health Inequalities, Tobacco, Alcohol and Sexual Health. Click here.
ICT HUB This website contains a range of free advice and support for charities and community organisations, to help you make the most out of ICT (Information and Communication Technology). The website is still operational until end of May 2008.
Help With Web 2.0 The Media Trust have produced a new guide
focusing on the voluntary sector, giving advice, instructions, and
success stories to help you tap into the potential of Web 2.0. Download
a copy from the
Media Trust website.
Free website that converts file types - You can also edit pdf's by converting them to Word. You can also easily convert your iTunes (aac) files to mp3. www.zamzar.com
Online Photo-editing Program - Works in a Web browser, so you don't need to install it, or even register to use it. www.picnik.com
B&NES Volunteer Centre Links to central volunteering resource 'do-it!'.
SWINDON VOLUNTEERS Volunteer Bureau with links to Millenium Volunteers.
Reaching Out Project – providing advice and skilled volunteers. Reaching Out is an England-wide project providing advice and skilled volunteers to faith, rural, black and minority ethnic, and refugee and migrant groups. With input from the project these frontline groups can strengthen their know-how and benefit from experienced REACH volunteers. Contact: 0207 840 5663 or www.reach-online.org.uk/projects.htm