This issue of the Calderdale Community Forum Bi—Monthly Newsletter will

keep you up to date on the latest news, events and happenings here at the

Forum and also throughout Calderdale‘s Voluntary and Community Sector.

There will also be a number of future events that are being held in the next

few months for you to stick in your diary!

WELCOME!

I N S I D E T H I S

I S S U E :

The Big

Debate

Silver Surfer

PCS

Transforming

Lives: MBF

Shopmobility

joins Age

Concern

Message from

Action Halifax

Bogus Phone

Calls

Safety Net

Project

Giving World

Online

Changes to

National

Lottery

Funding

P.P.F. Update

Charity

Finance Course

CCF

Information

and contacts

VAC Training

Courses

1

2

3

3

4

4

5

6

6

7

8

9

9

B U S I N E S S N A M E

CALDERDALE COMMUNITY FORUM

J U L Y 2 0 1 0

P A G E 2 SILVER SURFER PCS OFFER

EXTENDED DUE TO ROARING

SUCCESS! In May of this year, DOT– COMmunications launched Silver Surfer Week, which was so successful that they‘ve decided to extend the offer for a couple of months to allow more people to benefit from having a full internet-ready reconditioned computer system of their own. Feedback regarding this offer has been fantastic with the majority of participants extremely happy with their ‗new‘ computer systems. As a result, DOT-COMmunications have decided to make more

systems available at this extremely low price. It has to be noted that these are desktop or tower computers supplied with the older style monitors (the scheme cannot provide laptops or the thinner monitors at this subsidised price). It consists of a computer running Windows XP, with 512mb of memory, at least a 20gb hard disk and CD drive, USB ports, a CRT monitor, keyboard and mouse. The systems also come with anti-virus software and open office suite installed as standard. Each system will still cost only £25 and is limited to one per eligible person while stocks last who will need to prove that they are over 60 and resident within the Borough. This offer is while stocks last and is not available by mail order or telephone or for the purposes of resale. For more details phone 01422-844991 or email admin@dot-communications.co.uk for more details. The systems must be collected from the DOT-COMmunications Centre in Hebden Bridge, which is open Monday to Thursday from 9am to 4pm. They have a number of systems ready at any one time and as more systems come in they will be making them available at the discounted price of £25 to local people living in Calderdale and 60+ years of age. They require anybody wanting to take part in this offer to bring eligibility of both age and address when they come. People with mobility problems can authorise someone else to purchase a system on their behalf but DOT-COMmunications will still require proof of eligibility. DOT-COMmunications is a not-for-profit social enterprise established by the award-winning Ground Floor Project and based at Salem Community Re-source Centre. Its 3R-iT project provides low cost refurbished and reconditioned computers and IT equipment to individuals on low income as well as local not-for-profit organisations such as charities, community, voluntary and faith organisations and not-for-profit social enterprises.

C A L D E R D A L E C O M M U N I T Y F O R U M

A regional event specifically designed for regional and local commissioners and

funders is running on the 22nd July from 9am to 1pm at the Hilton Hotel, Leeds.

This unique free regional event has been designed to bring together mentoring

and befriending practitioners and commissioners to:

- Promote understanding of the benefits of mentoring and befriending programmes and

how they can contribute to local and regional health and social care priorities

- Help commissioners and mentoring and befriending practitioners to understand each

other's requirements when commissioning programmes in Yorkshire and Humber

- Increase awareness of the guidance and support that MBF can offer to regional and

local commissioners and funders including the national quality standard for mentoring

and befriending services; the Approved Provider Standard.

Places are limited. For more information and to book your place, or contact the Regional

Co-ordinator for Yorkshire & Humber, Richard Andrew, at

Richard.andrew@mandbf.org.uk or on 07733 890705.

From the 1st June 2010 the Calderdale Shopmobility service transferred to Age Concern Calderdale and Kirklees (ACCK). The ACCK are very pleased to be the new guardians of Calderdale Shopmobility and are excited at the prospect of managing and developing the service to meet the mobility needs of people living in the Calderdale area. Although they have now included Calderdale Shopmobility service, they do not run the Kirklees Shopmobility service and this remains a separate, independent organisation. Calderdale Shopmobility complements many other services that ACCK runs throughout Calderdale and Kirklees. They provide information and advice, home care services, shopping and cleaning, home from hospital, day care, active befriending, community link services, advocacy, charity shop, insurance and energy products to mention just a few. For the time being the Calderdale Shopmobility service will continue to operate from the current premises at Wards End. There will be no change in how users and members access mobility aids and scooters and we will continue to provide the exceptional service that people are used to from our valued staff and volunteers. However, we will need to relocate to new premises sometime at the back end of this year as the lease on the Wards End premises expires and we are unable to renew it. We will keep you informed of our plans over the coming months.

If you have any questions you might wish to ask about the service, or indeed have some ideas about how you think the service might be developed to assist you, then please email me at pat.akerman@acck.org.uk or contact me on 01422 399830.

P A G E 3 TRANSFORMING LIVES: IMPROVING HEALTH

& SOCIAL CARE OUTCOMES THROUGH

MENTORING & BEFRIENDING

SHOPMOBILITY JOINS AGE CONCERN CALDERDALE & KIRKLEES ‘The ACCK are

very pleased to be the new guardians

of Calderdale Shopmobility and are excited at the

prospect of managing and developing the service to meet

the mobility needs of people living in

the Calderdale area.’

Also visit: http://www.mandbf.org.uk/regions/yorkshire_humber/news/

P A G E 4

―I am outraged that individuals are misusing the

good name of the Charity

Commission in this way. I would

strongly urge anyone to

contact the police if they receive one of these calls and to please notify

us as well.”

COMMISSION WARNS OF BOGUS TELEPHONE CALLS

MESSAGE FROM ACTION HALIFAX

―Action Halifax has now closed its doors. I have greatly enjoyed my time in Halifax and Calderdale and am very proud of what Action Halifax and its partners, colleagues and Directors have achieved and in particular work we have done directly within communities in Halifax and our wider involvement through the Community Forum. I wish the Forum and its members every success in the future.‖ Best wishes John Shepherd www.johnshepherdassociates.co.uk

The Charity Commission has been made aware of a scam involving people being telephoned by individuals claiming to represent the Charity Commission. In the phone calls these individuals claim to be from the "debt collection department" of the Commission and they demand payments for various services and advertisements. Some of the bogus calls have demanded payments of thousands of pounds for various services and advertisements. The Commission has been contacted by a number of people who have received calls of this nature and has already reported this matter to the police. It is important to be clear that:

Any call from someone claiming to work with or on behalf of the Charity Commission, and claiming any payment in a threatening way, is clearly bogus

The Charity Commission does not charge for any of its services to charities; it does not get involved in debt collection either directly or through contract-ing third parties to do so, and nor does it collect debt on behalf of charities

You should immediately report these sorts of incidents to the police, and the Charity Commission would also like to be informed where its name is being used for suspected fraudulent purposes.

Andrew Hind, Chief Executive of the Charity Commission said; ―I am outraged that individuals are misusing the good name of the Charity

Commission in this way. I would strongly urge anyone to contact the police if they receive one of these calls and to please notify us as well.‖ Our advice to charities is:

When you speak to any member of staff from the Commission they will always be prepared to give their name, telephone number and email address

Commission email addresses always end with the domain name @charitycommission.gsi.gov.uk

Check the number of any suspect caller against the direct dial telephone codes for our offices— London 0207 67, Liverpool 0151 703, Taunton 01823 345, Newport 01633 2255

The best way to contact us is by email or if you need to speak to someone urgently you can call our contact centre on 0845 300 0218. Lines are open from 08:00 to 18:00, Monday to Friday, except national holidays.

C A L D E R D A L E C O M M U N I T Y F O R U M

My name is Sarah. I live in Halifax and attend the Learning Disability Partnership Board meetings and I am a member of Cloverleaf Advocacy. I am also helping with the Safety Net Project. ARC (the Association for Real Change) is working on a three-year project funded by the Dept of Health. It will look at how people with a learning disability can be safer in their area. Calderdale is one of two pilot sites for the national Safety Net project that aims to help people be safe. The other is in North Devon. People with a learning disability are sometimes victims of Hate Crime. Sometimes the people committing these crimes pretend to be their friends first. More people now know these crimes can happen than at the start of the Safety Net project. We must make sure people know what to do when they happen. The everyday things that can make it harder for people who have a learning disability to live happy lives can go unreported and unnoticed. If people pick on you, call you names, bully you, abuse you physically or sexually or steal things from you and they do this because you have a disability this is a Hate Crime. If you are gay, come from a different ethnic background or follow a different religion and people do this to you it is also a Hate Crime. The person who does any of these to you is committing a Hate Crime it does not matter if the person doing this is pretending to be your friend first. There are not enough reports of Disability Hate Crime. If we do not report things when they happen other people they will not get the support they need either. Staff and families need to take these reports of incidents seriously and report them. They should not say ‗just ignore them and they will go away‘ or ‗just close the curtains‘. They should say that is a Hate Crime and we need to report it. To find your nearest Hate Crime Reporting Centre in Calderdale look on the Calderdale website (www.calderdale.gov.uk) or via the Calderdale page on the Safety Net website (www.arcsafety.net). We are working closely with lots of organisations to make people with a learning disability safer in Calderdale. The Police, Social Services, Reporting Centres, Housing Providers, Adult Training and others are involved in the work of the project. We have talked to lots of organisations and interested people in Calderdale and others in West Yorkshire to tell them about the project. We are holding a number of sessions for people in the next few months about how to keep safe and about Hate Crime. These will be free and people should try and attend. If you want to attend one of the sessions we run, know more about the project or have your name added to our email group, then please email the project manager David Grundy david.grundy@arcuk.org.uk

P A G E 5

SAFETY NET HATE CRIME EVENT

Square Chapel, Halifax

MONDAY 19th July

There are 2

sessions: Morning and Afternoon

These sessions

will look at -

• Keeping safe

• Are they my

friend?

• What is a Hate

Crime?

• How and where

to report any

Hate Crime

incidents.

THE SAFETY NET PROJECT EXPLAINED: ‘BECAUSE SOMETIMES FRIENDS TURN OUT

TO BE YOUR FOE’

P A G E 6

‘Since GWO 's soft launch in December 2008 more than half a million pounds worth of quality goods have been redirected from landfill to UK charities.’

PROPOSED CHANGES TO NATIONAL LOTTERY FUNDING CONSULTATION

GIVING WORLD ONLINE HELPS

REDUCE UK LANDFILL Giving World Online is a scheme set up to help community groups and charities access free surplus goods from businesses and organisations whilst at the same time helping reduce the amount of goods sent to landfill. In the next three months /GWO/ will be engaging with businesses in the Yorkshire and Humberside region to encourage them to use GWO's free service to redirect their surplus goods onto charities and groups that could make use of them for their beneficiaries. Director Rama Bhalla said: "Our service is available to all charities and community groups but we are particularly aware that many smaller organisations are often volunteer-led or operate on very limited funds. We are focussing our efforts on engaging more businesses to use GWO to directly help community groups in their locality access surplus stock which could be of great benefit". Since GWO 's soft launch in December 2008 more than half a million pounds worth of quality goods have been redirected from landfill to UK charities. Plans are to expand the reach of the organisation and Rama added: "Any bona fide community group or charity can visit our website and register to receive goods as well as publicising items that they need. The process

is very simple." For further details visit www.givingworldonline.com

Members of the Forum are encouraged to offer their views on the consultation and this can either be done individually or collectively. The consultation deadline is 21 August but if groups would like to reply collectively could comments be back to Emma Worsley, Communications Worker, by Monday 16 August 2010 The Forum will then feedback into the NVCO who are using members responses to inform their views. <emma@calderdalecommunityforum.org.uk> The consultation can be downloaded following this link: www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/...NL_member_briefing_DCMS_consultation_May_2010.pdf

C A L D E R D A L E C O M M U N I T Y F O R U M

PPF Interest Group There are now 20 members of this group who receive email updates on the development of the personalisation agenda and specifically the way in which the rollout of personal budgets is providing new opportunities for VCS groups to deliver services to budget holders. Information exchange meetings are held at 8 weekly intervals. Any organisation wishing to keep updated can join this group. Individual Service Fund Pilot A pilot project to set up consortia within the VCS to deliver services for personal budget holders by acting as Individual Service Fund providers. Personal budgets can be offered to users as either cash budgets or managed budgets ( managed by the LA) or as Individual Service Funds (managed on behalf of the Personal budget holder by an individual Service fund manager). I am working with Age Concern and Women‘s Centre as lead bodies to look at the barriers and process needed to establish consortia working which allows smaller organisations and groups to be involved in delivery. The purpose of the Pilot is to have the Consortia added to the provider list for users to exercise more choice and control. The work will be written up as a guide to others who wish to replicate the model. Members of the PPF Interest group will be involved in this work and local community groups who are interested in this should consider joining. Market shaping As my work is around widening choice for service users I have been focused on the need to widen and shape the marketplace ie increase the number and range of providers. Whilst providing business readiness support to the VCS it has become evident that providers are unlikely to come forward without receiving specific support with information, financial planning, marketing publicity and regulation and red tape guidance. I am meeting with Commissioners to discuss ideas for developing that kind of support in an ongoing way. Some seedcorn and investment funding is also essential to allow organisations to develop new business. This work is being linked to ideas generated from Economy and Enterprise and other initiatives in the Sector . Anyone with views on this is asked to contact me Training - SMALL LOCAL COMMUNITY GROUPS PLEASE NOTE Training sessions are being arranged to support business readiness. The first of these is on Finance –Costing your services and fixing prices for each item of service you deliver on the 27th July in the Training Room, VAC, 9.30-1.00. This will be followed by light lunch and the opportunity to book ‗one to ones‘ for your organisation with West Yorkshire Community Accounting Service who are delivering the training. This is especially useful for groups who are wanting to charge for services but find it difficult to know what to charge in order to cover costs and be competitive. Also if you have not considered charging but need to think about how to keep going as an organisation. To book a place contact Irene Naylor Irene@calderdalecommunityforum.org.uk

Irene Naylor – Putting People First engagement worker for VCS

P A G E 7

‘Individual Service Fund Pilot A pilot project to set up consortia

within the VCS to deliver services

for personal budget holders

by acting as Individual Service Fund providers.’

PUTTING PEOPLE FIRST ENGAGEMENT UPDATE

P A G E 8

LEAD THE WAY IN CHARITY FINANCE

London South Bank University (LSBU) is the most comprehensive provider of postgraduate education to the charity and not for profit sector in the UK. Our reputation is second to none and our graduates work in senior positions across the sector.

Currently we offer courses designed to enhance professional skills and employability and encourage anyone working in or contemplating a position in charity finance, fundraising or management to apply. In particular the CIPFA Certificate in Charity Finance & Accountancy offers a recognised professional qualification, as well as an academic qualification to those working in charity finance. All you need to join the Course is one year's work experience in charity finance, including your current role. This Course is the most comprehensive charity finance learning opportunity in the country, including the only full Unit on Charity Taxation. The Course is led by Nigel Scott, 20 years a Charity Finance Director, supported by Nick Kavanagh, former Chair Charities Tax Group and Eddie Finch, Charities Partner at Buzzacotts Chartered Accountants. Importantly successful completion of the one year Certificate can lead directly to the full CIPFA qualification or to an MSc in Charity Accounting & Financial Management. The Course is delivered close to you through Blended Learning. Attendance at venues across the UK is for 3 full and 3 half days during the year. As well as this we use the latest e-learning techniques and audio-visual media to enable you to have a fulfilling learning experience. Places are still available on the next course which starts from 23th September 2010 - so make your mind up soon! Course Fee The 2010-11 Fee is £2,144 which includes CIPFA membership until December 2011. A salary sacrifice scheme (see HMRC website) could reduce this to £1650 or less. Funding may also be available from Train to Gain (while it lasts) or ESF sources. More details on this and all our other charity courses can be found on www.lsbu.ac.uk/studycharity

C A L D E R D A L E C O M M U N I T Y F O R U M

‘This Course is

the most

comprehensive

charity finance

learning

opportunity in

the country,

including the

only full Unit on

Charity

Taxation.’

MANAGING MEETINGS 8th July, 10.00am - 1.00pm at VAC This session will look at: How to hold effective meetings, Chair-ing, minute-taking and keeping the

books. There will also be an overview with supporting materials to take away. COMMUNITY REPRESENTATION – BUILDING OUR SKILLS 12th July 2010, 10.00am–1.00pm at Groundfloor Project, Hebden Bridge This is a practical workshop that focuses on: Understanding what skills are involved in being a representative – using what we‘ve got from our lives and experience—a skills framework – an easy to use resource— how to apply our skills to different situations we may encounter as a representative and looking ahead at how we can get support and build confidence. If you would like more information or would like to book a place on any of these courses please contact Jo Bolland on 01422 438725 or email jo.bolland@cvac.org.uk

The Resource Centre,

Hall Street,

Halifax,

HX1 5AY

Phone: 01422 431095

Jayne Leech Forum Coordinator

jayne@calderdalecommunityforum.org.uk

Kala Wild C&YP Network Development Officer

kala@calderdalecommunityforum.org.uk

Irene Naylor PPF Engagement Worker

Irene@calderdalecommunityforum.org.uk

Emma Worsley Communications Worker

emma@calderdalecommunityforum.org.uk

Sophie Walshaw Office Administrator

Sophie@calderdalecommunityforum.org.uk

VOLUNTARY ACTION CALDERDALE

JULY TRAINING COURSES

P A G E 9 C.C.F AND NETWORK MEETING

DATES

CCF STRATEGY GROUP

The Strategy Group meets to discuss the direction of the Forum, and sector wide developments, issues etc. Attendance at the Strategy Group meetings is open to CCF members and by invitation. All meetings are from 4pm to 6pm, here at the Resource Centre.

Total Place Event—14th July

The Shay Stadium, Halifax 10am—2pm

CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE’S NETWORK

To get involved with the Children‘s Network (0-13), the Youth Network (13-19) or the Children and Young People‘s Sub Block, please contact Kala Wild (Children and Young People‘s Network Development Officer.) The next meeting dates are - Youth Organisation Network - 27th July 14th September Children and Young People’s Sub-block - 8th July

www.calderdalecommunityforum.org.uk