RAISE exists to champion the Third Sector’s unique contribution
to making South East England socially, economically and environmentally sustainable.
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Join RAISE - no charge
If yours is a voluntary or community organisation in the South East Region of England and you want to have your voice heard by decision makers, RAISE membership is for you.
More details about RAISE can be found in the 'About Us' section.
Apply for RAISE membership online here.
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Quarterly Economic Climate Survey Launched
As part of RAISE's work to highlight the pressures faced by the Voluntary/Community Sector (VCS), we are carrying out a short quarterly survey to build up a picture of how the economic climate is impacting on the Sector, their services and the wider communities that they work with. An analysis of the survey responses will be fed directly to key influential decision makers in the South East, including the South East Economic Delivery Council.
If you have already completed our previous January and March surveys, please complete this survey to allow us to continue to monitor and track any significant economic changes.
The survey consists of just ten questions and will only take a few moments of your time to complete. The deadline to respond is Friday 10th July.
To take part in the Economic Climate survey please click here.
Provision for Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople
The South East Partnership Board has submitted their review of the provision of new pitches that each local authority should provide for Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople in the South East. Responses to the content of the document are requested before 1st September 2009.
RAISE submitted a response to the initial public consultation in November 2008 which culminated in the preparation of the review now being consulted on. RAISE is now calling for comments to incorporate into the current consultation request which shall in turn be considered as part of an Examination in Public early in 2010.
To view the document please click here.
For further infomation regarding the document please click here.
National Indicator 4 Research Report
RAISE was commissioned by the National Empowerment Partnership to investigate how local authorities and their Third Sector partners in the region are aiming to achieve their targets in relation to National Indicator 4 (NI4), ‘the percentage of people who feel they can influence decisions in their locality’.
The purpose of the research was to provide a snapshot of the ten local authorities in the South East who confirmed that they had identified NI4 as a priority indicator in their Local Area Agreement. The report identifies the key drivers for choosing to adopt NI4, the factors that have impacted positively upon the implementation of NI4 and the perceived barriers to the implementation of NI4.
To view the 'Report on Research into the Delivery of National Indicator 4 in the South East' please click here.
To view the 'level of Third Sector engagement with Local Area Agreements please click here.
Consultation on the 'Right to Control'
The Office for Disability Issues (ODI) has launched a consultation to ask disabled people how to make choice and control a reality in their lives.
The consultation is running between 11th June and 30th September 2009. The ODI would like to hear the views of disabled people, their organisations, public bodies, commissioners and service providers. RAISE is submitting a response to this consultation exercise and would like to hear the views of our members and other organisations or individuals, involved in disability issues.
From 2010 the 'Right to Control' will be trialled in a number of local authority areas. These will be called Trailblazer sites.
If you wish to make a comment or discuss this consultation with a RAISE policy officer, please email john@raise-networks.org.uk or telephone John Slater on 01483 885264.
To view the consultation please click here.
To view an overview of the consultation in an easy to read format please click here.
To view a guide to 'Right to Control' for local delivery agencies please click here.
Recruiting RAISE Board Members
All nominations must be received by the 6th July
RAISE is governed by a non-executive Board, elected at bi-annual elections. The Board is the primary decision making body and has a duty to ensure that RAISE is being managed in accordance with the Memorandum and Articles of Association of RAISE.
Becoming a RAISE board member will enable you to learn more about policy, how it effects your organisation and the wider Voluntary/Community Sector. It will also provide you with the opportunity to raise the profile of organisations you work with in your area, to meet key decision makers and to share learning experiences from across the South East with your peers.
To nominate for the Board, you must be a full member of RAISE and you must also be nominated by a full member organisation, this can be the organisation you represent.
For a nominations pack please email becky@raise-networks.org.uk or call 01483 885268
Hidden Asset Research
As you may already know, we are currently working on ‘Hidden Asset.’
The target of this project is to create a unique social and economic profile of the Voluntary/Community Sector (VCS) within the South East, in order to re-enforce the value of a key asset in the South East, you.
We first undertook the ‘Hidden Asset’ profile in 2005 however in light of the changing nature of our economy we felt it was crucial that we once again updated the ‘Hidden Asset’ to provide a completely accurate an up to date picture of the VCS.
The nature of this information is unique; Hidden Asset is pioneering a complete profile of the Voluntary/Community Sector in the South East. To do this we need your help, the questions we need you to answer will take less than 30 minutes. We understand how valuable your time is but we will use your time wisely to contribute to the bigger picture of the Voluntary/Community Sector as a whole.
For an electronic copy of the questionnaire click here. Feel free to cascade this questionnaire out to other Voluntary/Community Organisations in the South East.
For a hard copy of this questionnaire please email: raise.hiddenasset@yorkconsulting.co.uk
For more information on the nature of this questionnaire and the data captured please call Lisa Hall on 0113 222 3545 or email lisa.hall@yorkconsulting.co.uk
DCMS Voluntary/Community Sector Strategy
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) have published their strategy for the Voluntary/Community Sector.
Barbara Follet, minister for Culture, Creative Industries and Tourism stated that ‘ the voluntary sector has a crucial role to play in shaping the nations future. It is a central part of building and shaping communities, achieving active participation and community cohesion, and finding solutions to social and environmental challenges.’
The DCMS pledged to work with Voluntary/Community Organisations to identify challenges in commissioning, grants and procurement. With the strategy also indicating that the annual DCMS finance directors' conference will stress the importance of three-year funding, full cost recovery and three months' notice of the withdrawal of funding.
To read the full strategy please click here.
Third Sector Foresight Training
Guildford 7th July - 20th July - 4th August - 7th October
RAISE will be holding a series of training workshops in partnership with the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO). RAISE will work together with the NCVO Third Sector Foresight team to identify better ways of understanding the changing world with the aim of identifying how Voluntary/Community Organisations can incorporate these changes into strategic decisions.
RAISE is holding two breakfast workshops for leaders of infrastructure organisations within the South East. The training titled 'making sense of your environment' will take place on the 7th July and 4th August from 9:30am till 11.30am in Guildford.
To book a place on this training please click here
In addition RAISE will also be holding training for development workers or information officers. The course will focus on 'understanding the external environment supporting the frontline' and will span a full day on the 20th July in Guildford.
To book a place on this training please click here
'To find out more about the trends that can have a positive or negative impact on the VCS, otherwise known as 'drivers', please click here
For further information contact Abigail Lee on 01483 885271 or email abigail@raise-networks.org.uk. A follow up event will take place on the 7th October, details to be confirmed.
RAISE is working with Third Sector Foresight at NCVO as part of the change workstream, funded by Capacitybuilders as part of its National Support Services programme to improve support to the third sector (see www.improvingsupport.org.uk)
South East Regional Compact Launched
The compact is an agreement between the Government and the Voluntary/Community Sector outlining key guidelines on how both parties can work together.
The Regional Minister, Jonathan Shaw stated:
"I am really pleased to announce the launch of 'Our South East Regional Compact', particularly relevant in these challenging times when we need to work together. It is a real demonstration of our strengths in partnership working in this region."
To read the Compact please click here
For more information about the Compact, including the 5 codes of practice which underpin it please click here
Real Help for Communities: Volunteers, Charities and Social Enterprises
The Government has announced details of a Third Sector action plan, offering £42.5 million support for the Third Sector. Real Help for Communities is designed to lessen the ecconomic weight of concern currently resting on Voluntary/Community Organisations.
The plan can be broken down into 5 key elements.
1. Volunteer brokerage Scheme for the unemployed: £10 million to find volunteering opportunities for approximately 40,000 people who have been unemployed for at least six months.
2. Community Resilience Fund: £15.5million invested in small organisations in the most deprived areas. A grants scheme will be targeted at organisations addressing recession-related needs such as debt and family breakdown.
3. Modernisation Fund: £16.5 million fund for specialist advice to organisations that want to merge or collaborate.
4. School for social entrepreneurs will get £0.5million to help increase the number of social entrepreneurs it trains to set up sustainable community enterprises in the next.
Additional components include a national campaign to raise awareness of the Government's commitment to pay invoices within 10 days along with an independent review of incentives for investment in social enterprise.
This action plan takes vital steps towards strengthening the Third Sector and addresses the increase in demand due to economic pressure.
To view the full report please click here
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