ChangeUp, published in 2004, is a framework to build capacity and improve infrastructure for the VCS. RAISE has significant involvement in ChangeUp to enable the VCS to engage with policy initiatives and gain maximum benefit from them.
In April 2004, the "South East Regional Compact on Learning and Skills "was agreed between the voluntary/community sector (VCS) and the 6 local Learning and Skills Councils (LLSCs). The Compact was developed in line with the national Compact between Government and the VCS and reflects the commitment of the Learning and Skills Council nationally to develop an overarching strategy for working with the sector. RAISE and the 6 LLSCs support each other in seeking to realise a learning society in the South East.
The Compact was the first Learning and Skills Compact to be agreed in the country. As a result of the Compact, a Compact Advisory Group was formed comprising of members from the VCS and the LLSCs and others. A Regional Learning and Skills Leader at RAISE was appointed and started in January 2005.
The Regional Learning and Skills Leader will be working with both the VCS and the LLSCs to promote the mutual advantage of working together in a variety of ways. A Compact Delivery Plan has been drawn up and it will be concentrating on three main themes, which reflect themes from the 'Working Together' Strategy, the themes are:
ChangeUp, published in 2004, is a framework to build capacity and improve infrastructure for the VCS. RAISE has significant involvement in ChangeUp to enable the VCS to engage with policy initiatives and gain maximum benefit from them.
In April 2004, the "South East Regional Compact on Learning and Skills "was agreed between the voluntary/community sector (VCS) and the 6 local Learning and Skills Councils (LLSCs). The Compact was developed in line with the national Compact between Government and the VCS and reflects the commitment of the Learning and Skills Council nationally to develop an overarching strategy for working with the sector. RAISE and the 6 LLSCs support each other in seeking to realise a learning society in the South East.
The Compact was the first Learning and Skills Compact to be agreed in the country. As a result of the Compact, a Compact Advisory Group was formed comprising of members from the VCS and the LLSCs and others. A Regional Learning and Skills Leader at RAISE was appointed and started in January 2005.
The Regional Learning and Skills Leader will be working with both the VCS and the LLSCs to promote the mutual advantage of working together in a variety of ways. A Compact Delivery Plan has been drawn up and it will be concentrating on three main themes, which reflect themes from the 'Working Together' Strategy, the themes are:
- widening participation
- workforce development
- improving quality and responsiveness of provision
RAISE Toolkits: LARGE
Following extensive consultation in 2003, RAISE determined to focus on developing the VCS in a number of targeted ways, together known as LARGE. Subsequently, RAISE is in the process of publishing a toolkit for each specific area, to date as shown:
RAISE Workforce Development Report
RAISE has now published the final report based on research into the training and development needs of the VCS workforce in the South East. The aim of the project is to raise the profile of the VCS in the South East as a workforce and establish some key principles about the skills needs of the VCS.
RAISE Learning & Skills Newsletter
RAISE publishes a quarterly Learning and Skills Newsletter which is available online.
The UK Workforce Hub
The UK Workforce Hub exists to enable voluntary and community organisations to make the best of their paid staff, volunteers and trustees through workforce development.
As well as a website, the Hub send out regular ebriefings, provide a free helpline giving advice on skills development and good employment to voluntary organisations, and work with infrastructure organisations to promote and support shared learning and good practices.
Volunteering England
Volunteering England is the national volunteer development organisation for England. It works across the voluntary, public and private sectors to raise the profile of volunteering as a powerful force for change. Its purpose is to increase the quality, quantity, contribution and accessibility of volunteering throughout England.
Change Up
ChangeUp is the Capacity Building and Infrastructure Framework for the Voluntary and Community sector, published by the Active Community Unit in June 2004. Volunteering England is the accountable body for the activity of the Volunteering Hub.
The Volunteering Hub will work to achieve the ChangeUp high level objective that by 2014 there will be a leaner, effectively marketed and high quality volunteering infrastructure reaching, recruiting and placing a greater number and diversity of individuals coupled with improved volunteer management.
Governance Hub
The Governance Hub brings together people, information and ideas about governance in the voluntary and community sector. It is for trustees, chairs, advisors, funders and all those who want to know more.
Free Good Employment Factsheets
The UK Workforce Hub has produced free factsheets on good employment practice. They are particularly useful for voluntary organisations without dedicated Human Resources (HR) expertise and for trustees taking on responsibilities for employment for the first time. The factsheets are available at ukworkforcehub.org.uk under "Human Resources".
National Training Strategy for Volunteer Managers: Consultation
Volunteering England have a draft "National Training Strategy for Volunteer Managers" ready for consultation. Over 140 volunteer managers from infrastructure organisations, large national charities and small grass roots volunteer involving organisations have shared their experience of training to date and their desires for future training.
To give your view on the strategy, visit volunteering.org.uk and see the "Excellence in Volunteer Management" section under "Resources for Managing Volunteers". Alternatively, contact Emily Lomax on 0207 520 8958 or Emily.lomax@volunteeringengland.org.
Governance Hub provides toolkits
The Governance Hub has produceds three toolkits designed to help organisations to:
- use the document 'Good Governance
- use the Code for the Voluntary and Community Sector'
- use the National Occupational Standards for Trustees and Management Committee Members
- to improve the ways in which they recruit trustees
The three toolkits are being used in 40 workshops taking place around the country from late May and will be issued free of charge to participants.
Volunteering England developing volunteer centre funding framework
In order that Volunteering England might develop a sustainable funding framework for quality accredited volunteer centres, Northampton Volunteering Centre is undertaking research into:
- the level of funding necessary to run a successful volunteer centre
- what outputs and outcomes are most important to volunteer centres, funders and other stakeholders
- how funders can be confident that they are getting a quality service and value for money
- how the profile, capacity and reach of volunteer centres can be increased
To contribute to this project see fundingframework.org.uk for more details and a short survey.
Learning Loops
Learning Loops is a cross-sector network of locally-based groups aiming to build volunteer managers' learning capacity. The groups are facilitated by voluntary Learning Advisors. A backgroud to the project, description of the Learning Advisor role and application form can be downloaded from the Volunteering England website.
Ladder4learning
Ladder4learning promotes learning for people and organizations in the community and voluntary sector in South East England. The organisation believes in the value of individual and organisational learning & training, and aims to support the development of a learning culture in the sector throughout the region
In particular, the ladder4learning newsletter provides news on free and subsidised learning and training in the region. To sign up, email enquiries@ladder4learning.org.uk, or follow the link on the right.
