E-Bulletin Issue 1

CVS Falkirk & District, the Council for the Voluntary Sector (CVS) serving the Falkirk Council area, is an independent voluntary organisation supporting the development of the community and voluntary sector locally.

CVS Falkirk and District is an integrated CVS and Volunteer Centre. Volunteer Centres exist in every local authority area in Scotland to provide a range of specific services that relate to volunteering and volunteer engaging agencies.

Welcome to the New CVS E-Bulletin

This E-Bulletin includes some reminders of items which appeared in our most recent newsletter (mostly for events which are drawing ever nearer!) as well as snippets of information which have come our way since we went to print on the newsletter.

Future editions will bring you funding news, volunteering information, website news and more! See the bottom of this E-Bulletin for information on how to sign-up colleagues for the E-Bulletin, make suggestions for future editions or to stop receiving the E-Bulletin.

Human Rights Act Training Session

Urgent Notice! This event takes place on at 23 November from 9.30am to 3.30pm at the Old Sheriff Court (click here for directions). There are still some places left on this event which is being delivered by the Scottish Human Rights Trust. It is aimed at any organisation working in the voluntary sector but particularly those working with mental health, disabilities, elderly or young persons and women’s groups, and will provide:

· An introduction to human rights and the Human Rights Act;

· Discussion on how human rights affect the voluntary sector;

· Case studies tailored to address issues facing organisations;

· A knowledge review, facilitating and supporting learning and understanding;

· A comprehensive pack of support and learning materials.

The cost for the full day’s training is £15.00 with lunch included. Due to the timescales involved we need to know by 2pm tomorrow (Tuesday 09 November) if your organisations would like to send a representative(s). You can e-mail Marie McKay for more information.

3	Carers Centre Open Day
	The Princess Royal Trust Carers Centre are having an Open Day tomorrow, Tuesday 09 November between 10am and 4pm. Have a cuppa and some home baking and learn about what they do at the same time. For more information contact Stella McDonald on 01324 611510.

Disclosure Awareness Session

CVS Falkirk & District are holding a session on Tuesday 30 November at the Old Sheriff Court (click here for directions) from 10am to 12 noon. The session is aimed at groups with little or no knowledge of Disclosures. Some Disclosures became mandatory from spring 2004. The session introduces legislation and covers:

· For whom are the checks required?

· Definition of vulnerable people

· Who is responsible for the checks?

· How to register

· How long do checks take and are they really free?

· Protection of Children Scotland Act

The session is free although we will require a £25.00 deposit to secure a place which will be refunded upon your attendance. You can e-mail Bill Knox for more information.

Volunteer Strategy for Scotland

We are also holding a session on Friday 12 November at the Old Sheriff Court (click here for directions) from 10am to 12 noon. The session is aimed at voluntary organisations, volunteers and local authority staff with an interest in volunteering. The session looks at the recently launched national Strategy, its main themes and consider its implementation locally and make volunteering accessible to all members of society.

The session is free although we will require a £25.00 deposit to secure a place which will be refunded upon your attendance. You can e-mail Bill Knox for more information.

6	Futurebuilders
	The new Futurebuilders section of the Communities Scotland website is now live at http://www.communitiesscotland.gov.uk/Web/Site/Whatwedo/FB_home.asp

Voluntary Health Scotland Conference

“Putting the Voluntary Sector into Community Health Partnerships”

Voluntary Health Scotland invites you to their major one day Conference. The Conference will involve key partners in supporting our commitment to effective Community Health Partnerships which will provide inclusive health services for Scotland. The Minister for Health and Community Care, Andy Kerr will open the Conference. For further information visit http://www.vhscotland.org.uk/events_and_activities/Vhs_conference.html, or contact Alison Crofts, Tel: 0131 557 6845, Email: alison.crofts@vhscotland.org.uk

Home Front Recall

Local groups can get lottery funding through Home Front Recall.

Home Front Recall gives small grants to fund activities across the UK commemorating the part played by those on the home front during the war years – among them fire fighters, auxiliary services, Bevin Boys, seamen, code-breakers, nurses, dock workers – and people in many other roles. They will also provide funding for groups of veterans who wish to organise or take part in reunions or commemorative events in the UK. Any not-for-profit organisation wanting to put on an event, exhibition or activity in the UK can apply for money, and there is a dedicated stream of funding for Scotland. Constituted groups and statutory bodies can apply for a grant of between £500 and £20,000. Even informal groups can receive up to £1,000 towards their project.

To find out more about Home Front Recall, or to get a copy of the application form, please call 08457 458 458.

Building Local Compacts for Health

Voluntary Health Scotland has worked over the past year to produce a draft guide to building local compacts for health. Six workshops were held for the local voluntary sector in different parts of Scotland, involving over 120 participants. VHS have now established a voluntary sector view of local compact building for health. Following consultation with the wider voluntary sector, they shall be presenting the draft to NHS Boards for their views. A final version will follow early next year and will be submitted for approval to the Scottish Executive Health Department.

VHS are looking for comments on the draft at this stage which can be accessed at http://www.vhscotland.org.uk/consultation/index.html A deadline of 26 November has been set for responses.

"When the Bulbul Stopped Singing"

A one-man show drawn from the diaries of Raja Shehadeh, a Palestinian writer and human rights lawyer. The play concerns the invasion and siege of Ramallah by the Israeli occupation forces in May 2002. The show is about how one ordinary individual copes with life when his city is being occupied by an army.

For one night only: 7.30pm in St. Francis Xavier Church Hall, Falkirk (opposite Morrison's Garage and just past Falkirk Library, a single storey building with car park)

The play will be read by the person who adapted the diaries – award winning playwright David Greig. David's connections to Palestine go back to 2001 when he stayed in Ramallah to write a comedy about the Intifada - in Arabic! Since then he has been back on a number of occasions and has worked on various different theatre projects including work with young writers in Bethlehem.

Price: a minimum donation of £2 per person. Tea and coffee provided. All proceeds go to the Antonine Friendship Link. For more information contact Cate Mowat at 01506 822481

11	Changes to Awards for All
	As well as the changes to the application process (as mentioned in our most recent newsletter), Awards for All have also opened up funding to groups with an annual income of more than £20,000, unless their project is about sports or arts. They will also now fund foreign trips (again, unless the project is to do with sport or arts).

12	Voluntary Sector Forum Meeting
	The next meeting of the Forum takes place at the Old Sheriff Court (directions) on Friday 19 November at 1pm. For more information on the Forum please contact Marion Calder on 01324 692007.

13	Children’s Services Forum Meeting
	The next meeting of the Forum takes place at the Old Sheriff Court (directions) on Monday 13 December at 10am. For more information on the Forum please contact Marion Calder on 01324 692007.

£1 million Training Fund for Staffed Organisations

Voluntary sector organisations are being urged to apply for a share of £1 million to help develop staff skills and improve the lives of vulnerable children and adults. The funding is part of a three year package which has already helped 63 Scottish voluntary care groups train staff to meet the Scottish Social Services Council's standards for registration.

The Voluntary Sector Development Fund was announced in January 2004 following discussions at the Education, Training and Development Working Group, a sub group of the National Workforce Group chaired by Euan Robson, Deputy Minister for Education and Young People. The working group is developing a national training strategy aimed at achieving a competent and confident workforce.

The closing date for receipt of applications is November 26. Applicants should contact Gwen Smith Tel: 0131-244 3737 or Gwen.Smith@scotland.gsi.gov

Future E-Bulletins

To sign-up colleagues to ensure that they receive future editions of the E-Bulletin directly to their Inbox you can a) get them to send an e-mail to ebulletin@cvsfalkirk.org.uk or b) you can e-mail ebulletin@cvsfalkirk.org.uk and put their e-mail address on the first line of the e-mail.

We would be pleased to receive feedback about this, our first, E-Bulletin. Furthermore, your suggestions for future editions of E-Bulletin would be much appreciated. Phone or e-mail with your suggestions and feedback.

For more information about CVS Falkirk and District, our newsletter, E-Bulletins or any other related matter contact us on 01324 692000 or e-mail info@cvsfalkirk.org.uk.

If you do not wish to receive further E-Bulletins then please send an e-mail to ebulletin@cvsfalkirk.org.uk with the word remove in the subject line.

Kind regards and best wishes,

CVS Falkirk and District.