Third Sector Online have published interim results of a Volunteer Rights Inquiry that reveal some shocking stories.

According to the interim report the standard of volunteer management in charities is low. Set up by Volunteering England to examine the treatment of volunteers, the report says that during three evidence gathering sessions and as part of an online consultation, 'numerous' volunteers had reported verbal abuse and sexual harassment. Other revelations include stories of bad management, poor governance, bullying and improper behaviour.

 

The report also raises the idea of a volunteer complaints commissioner or a volunteering ombudsman whose role would be to settle disputes. To read the interim report visit the Volunteering England website. Detailed recommendations from the report will be published in November.

 

The Equitable Charity Trust is an education charity. It makes grants of around £1 million each year towards projects for children and young people under the age of 25 who are from disadvantaged backgrounds or who are disabled.
 
Grants can be made for projects throughout the UK. For more information and an application form visit the Equitable Trust website. 

 

  

Do you know what wishes look like?  Could you turn your hopes into pictures? What image could you create of the Derby you would like to see in 2026? 
 
Derby City Partnership has teamed up with the Derby Telegraph and Quad to ask Derby's amateur photographers to let their imaginations run riot and create photographs that represent their 3 wishes for Derby in 15 years time.  
 
The photographic competition is part of Derby City Partnership's wider public consultation asking people who live and work in, or visit, Derby to give them their 3 wishes for the future; one for yourself, one for your neighbourhood and one for Derby in 2026.

 

The competition is open only to people who visit, live or work in Derby and will be split into two age categories: under 16 years and over 16 years. There will be one winner and 2 highly commended places for each age category.  The prize for the winner of each age category will be £100 of Cathedral Quarter or Westfield vouchers.  Each highly commended entry will receive a certificate. 

 

For more information visit the Derby City Partnership website.

UnLtd has teamed up with social networking site Bebo to launch the Be Cause Awards, a new scheme to inspire people to make a difference in their community. Applicants can put together a plan for a social action or social enterprise project using the Be Cause toolkit and enter it for a monthly Be Cause Award of £1,000 to help get the project off the ground.

 

For more information and to download an application form visit the

bebo website.

 

Coping, the support group for people who suffer from chronic pain, are holding a coffee morning at the Mayor's Parlour on Friday 23 July from 10:00 am to 12 noon.

 

Why not go along, meet people and find out more. For more information call 07964 293398. 

 

Communitybuilders is offering grants of up to £75,000 to voluntary and community organisations wanting to develop project plans for new or refurbished community buildings

 

For more information and details of how to apply visit the Communitybuilders website. 

Fit4funding is offering their innovative online course for funding advisers. The course is the online translation of fit4funding's face to face Open College Network accredited course for giving funding advice.  It is aimed at individuals whose work involves advising community and voluntary groups on funding and funding related issues. 

 
The course runs over an 8 week period and requires learners to commit to approximately 4 hours per week. Learners can work at their own pace and in their own time and will engage in a range of interactive experiences and networking opportunities with other learners.
 
The course content includes the role of the funding advisor; good practice in giving funding advice; clarifying complex funding criteria;
giving feedback on draft applications; and voluntary sector funding trends.
 
Course start date: 13 September for 8 weeks

Enrolment date: 8 September 2010

Cost: £250 for voluntary and community sector organisations.  £350 for statutory organisations
 
Course start date: 15 November 2010 

Enrolment date: 10 November 2010.
Cost: £295 for voluntary and community sector organisations.  £395 for statutory organisations
 
For more information and to book a place email Fit4funding or call 01924 239063 

 

 

Wellness Working is a Community Interest Company that provides wellbeing and recovery services in Derby.  You can find out more about the organisation, their unique approaches and their Wellness Programme at one of the following awareness sessions:

 

21 July

22 July

29 July

18 August

26 August

2 September

 

All sessions run from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm and will be held at          Butterfly House, 75A Rose Hill Street, Derby, DE23 8FZ. (The Old Bowling Green next to Arboretum Park).

 

The cost is £15 per person for organisations and FREE for members of the public - donations are welcomed. Parking is available on site.

For more information or to book a place email Wellness Working or call 01332 348053. The sessions are supported by the Health and Social Care Fund.

 

Do you know any amazing young volunteers? vinspired believe in giving young volunteers the recognition they deserve. Last year they developed 10 new national awards and held a ceremony at the Indigo O2 to recognise exceptional individuals who made a big difference to other people.  The awards were so successful that this year they're doing it all again!

 

Based on input from young people vinspired have updated their awards and now have 8 awards categories for 2010:

The Fresh Award for best new volunteer;

The Spirit Award for the all round commitment to volunteering; 

The Connect Award to recognize innovative and effective efforts to bring communities together;

The Legend Award for outstanding leadership;

The Shout Award for campaigning;

The Triumph Award for overcoming personal adversity or enabling a community to rise above a challenging circumstance;

The Unite Award for team activity; and 

The Energy Award for outstanding contribution to youth volunteering.

 

By nominating someone for a vinspired National Award, you will be giving a special someone the chance to become a regional or national winner and attend this year's national awards ceremony.

For more information and to find out how you can nominate a young person for one of the awards visit the vinspired website.