Walsall Voluntary Action

Excellent Opportunity for local organisations

ian — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:23:21 +0000

Calling all local voluntary and community groups in need.

Following the development of a new and exciting joint venture with Walsall College, WVA can provide a gateway to specialist skills and link in with willing students that have a lot to ofer the sector in Walsall.

Could your organisation benefit from some specialist expertise then email Ian Willetts CEO at Walsall Voluntary Action now to express an interest. email ianw@walsallva.org.uk It’s as simple as that.

Take a loook below at two of the winning poster designs that Walsall College HND students created, volunteering their own time to support this scheme. There is a wealth of skills on offer and your organisation could benefit from then so get in touch today.

Click on the thumbnail images below to enlarge.

Case Study: Young people finidng common ground with BIG funding

ian — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:42:57 +0000

Young People Finding Common Ground with BIG funding

‘Immigration is great for the economy and British society. Discuss.’ I’m not having a flashback to a school exam! This was the question set for a group of young people to explore the theme of prejudice at a BIG funded project in Walsall.

We have all heard about the grim statistics around NEETs, in Walsall alone 8.3% (Quarter 3 2011 data) of young people have been labelled as NEETs. Community cohesion is also a key concern in Walsall.

The Common Ground Foundation is a BIG funded organisation actively working to build stronger communities. It runs the Young Entrepreneurs Network (YEN) which received the modest sum of £9450, according to BIG standards, via Awards for All. The project supports young people to deliver workshops to their peers on community cohesion and community development issues. The Network empowers the young people to develop a range of skills including project management, leadership, communications and business planning by delivering these workshops. These experiences will enable them to go forward and apply their learning to gain future employment or become entrepreneurs in their own right.

One young person commented “I feel the YEN has pushed me into reaching my full potential.” Whilst another went as far to say “…if we had more projects like these we wouldn’t have had the riots.”

Tariq Khan, Founder and Director of the Foundation said “It is always great to see our work having a positive impact on the people and communities that we serve. In this case, The Young Entrepreneurs Network is successfully supporting young people to enhance their business acumen whilst also developing their understanding of the dynamics of conflict, violence and cohesion. In the process it’s enabling young people to become catalysts of positive change.”

Take a look at Common Ground’s Latest Poster

If you have a case study of the positive work your organisation has been undertaking in Walsall please contact Ian Willetts CEO at Walsall Voluntary Action and we will be happy to promote your work email Ian direct at ianw@walsallva.org.uk

Job Opportunity: Park Hall Community Association Centre Manager

ian — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:36:15 +0000

PARK HALL COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

CENTRE MANAGER

The Directors of Park Hall Community Association are looking to appoint an enthusiastic, business minded person to manage the Community Association. The post would require dealing with administration, finance, human resources and planning. Experience within community services would be ideal but is not essential.

25-30 hours per week, Monday to Friday

Salary Negotiable

Please apply by sending your CV together with a covering letter to Mr S Cooke, Chairman, Park Hall Community Association,ParkHallJuniorSchool,Park Hall Road,Walsall,WS5 3HF

Applications to be received by 10 February 2012

How do small charities setup trading subsidiaries?

ian — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:39:28 +0000

Ask the expert: How do small charities set up trading subsidiaries?

Helena Wilkinson from Chantrey Vellacott DFK explains how and when a charity should deploy a trading subsidiary

Make sure you’re trading subsidiary isn’t a ‘Del Boy and Rodney’ operation. Photograph: Alamy

Q: We’re a small/medium-sized charity and our board has asked me to look into setting up a trading subsidiary. Why would it be beneficial to the organisation and are there any pitfalls we need to be aware of?

A: Before setting up a trading subsidiary it is advisable to read the Charity Commission guidance Trustees, Trading and Tax (CC35) which covers activities that a charity can carry out without the need for a trading subsidiary, such as for fundraising purposes, and when to consider setting up a separate subsidiary trading company. In addition, the Inland Revenue has detailed guidance on Charities – Trading and business activities which is also a useful source of reference.

Broadly, trading subsidiaries are usually established due to:

Risk – to ringfence an activity (even when fulfilling the primary charitable purpose of the charity) into a separate entity due to the risk associated with it or due to the trustees’ appetite for risk; thus putting safeguards into place in respect of the charity’s assets.

Trading – where the charity is carrying out a trade which is not covered by the annual exemption and is not primary purpose so as to be able to use gift aid or deed of covenants to pass profits up to the charity.

The key points to think about when considering establishing a trading subsidiary are:

Governing document

Firstly, any activity that the charity carries out or intends to carry out needs to be permitted to do so by its governing document. The example given by the Charity Commission is a museum with a café. The café is an example of an ancillary trade (activity that is associated with the main purpose of the charity) and is permitted by the charity’s governing document. This trade was then expanded to encompass renting the café for events – which was not. This new income source needed to be routed through a trading subsidiary. This is not always a straightforward area and the trustees may need to consider taking appropriate professional advice.

Investment

The next biggest issue, on having decided to create a trading subsidiary, is to understand how to finance its activities. Again, the first starting point is the governing document to make sure that the charity has the necessary investment powers – where powers are not available then permission to change the governing document will first need to be approved by the board and agreed with the Charity Commission.

With regard to the finances of the trading subsidiary, it is advisable to start by reviewing and establishing the financial viability of the trade so that if its purpose is to generate profits to covenant up to the charity, this is seen as feasible. If the trading subsidiary is created to carry out primary purpose this may not be relevant.

This process will also identify the cash flows of the trade and the amount of working capital that will be required to be injected into the business at the start and its ongoing financing requirements. Having established the working capital, profitability and cash flows, it is possible to determine the cash injection required. Dependent on the sum involved this may be as simple as investment in the subsidiary’s share capital to more complex situations which have a mix of share capital, inter-company current accounts and loans. With loans, the charity needs to ensure there are formal loan agreements in place and the charity needs to consider the security of a loan, or if no security is provided, why this does not put the charity’s assets at risk.

Whichever method is adopted, the trustees need to document and justify their investment in the trading subsidiary, as with any other type of investment that the charity makes. Internal Financial Checks for Charities (CC8) gives guidance on monitoring a charity’s financial position and its investments. This is an area, except in the simplest cases, where professional advice should be sought to assist in ensuring that the trading subsidiary has been subject to a proper financial assessment and investment advice.

Structure

Once the appropriateness of the establishment of a trading subsidiary has been confirmed, including its investment requirement, the next consideration is the composition of the board. Dependent on the activities of the subsidiary, it may be that the necessary skills required for the subsidiary board could be fulfilled by the trustees. However, following Companies Act 2006 (Part 10), and the introduction of the duties of directors, which include consideration of the duty to promote the success of the company’s business and of the duty to avoid conflicts of interest, the trading subsidiary governance should be independent from the parent charity.

This could be achieved by a portion of the subsidiary board having a proportion of directors that are independent from the board of trustees – this is particularly important for the subsidiary company to focus on its business and trade without undue influence from the parent charity. There needs to be greater emphasis on ensuring that the affairs of the parent charity and its trading subsidiary are kept separate.

Reporting

Finally the new subsidiary board needs to implement reporting procedures which monitor the trading subsidiary’s success, ongoing future budgets, plans and its contingency plans as with any other commercial operation.

One final point to consider is shared services and how these will be dealt with for items such as staffing, premises and office costs between the parent charity and the trading subsidiary. It is important to remove non-charitable expenditure out of the charity to avoid tax issues but beware that such recharges can attract VAT so this needs to be considered and addressed where necessary.

Helena Wilkinson is a partner at accountancy firm Chantrey Vellacott DFK specialising in the audit of charities and not-for-profit organisations. She is a committee member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) Charity and Voluntary Sector Special interest Group and holds the ICAEW’s diploma in charity accounting.

If you would like to discuss your groups needs please contact WVA who will be happy to assist you in your decision making.

Walsall Council donates lever arch files to community groups in Walsall

ian — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:34:53 +0000

Following the commencement of The Smarter Workplaces Programme which involves the rationalisation of the Council’s property portfolio which will involve fewer Council office buildings with refurbishment work for the Civic Centre which started in October 2011 and will complete in December 2012.

The key outcomes from the programme are:

Our customers, partners and colleagues will benefit from the changes in the way we work
In the future more money will be spent on services through spending less on offices
Staff will be able to work more flexibly and in ways which meet their needs
Less time travelling will free up more time for customers and each other
Teams will have access to improved work environments and better technology

Investment in technology as part of the programme will lead to reduced printing and photocopying and reliance on information held on paper.. As a result of this the Council now has a number of lever arch files which we would like to make available to the voluntary/community/independent sector.

If your organisation would like to register an interest and make a request for some lever arch files please contact Wayne Palmer at the following email address wayne.palmer@community.poolhayesarts.com with details of how many files you would like by not later than Friday 10 February 2012.

Please note this offer only applies to voluntary / community / independent sector organisations in Walsall.

2012 Walsall Disability Awards nominations are now open

ian — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:53:01 +0000

If you wish to nominate anyone please complete the noination form below referring to the protocool document whihc can also be downloaded from the link below and return the form to Walsall Disability Forum by 29/2/12.

2012 Disability Awards Nomination Form

DISABILITY AWARDS NOMINATIONS PROTOCOL

Free advice training & consultancy to voluntary & community sector groups

ian — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:15:36 +0000

Walsall CAB are offering two opportunities for local voluntary and community sector organisations. Please take a look at the links below to find out more:

FREE Consultancy publicity poster

FREE Training publicity poster

Tender Opportunity: The Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA) Services

ian — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:11:04 +0000

Wolverhampton City Council, on behalf of the four Black Country Councils and NHS Commissioners- Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton are seeking suitably qualified organisations to tender for the Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA) Services, to cover all the Black Country. The contract to commence in October 2012.

In the Mental Health Act 2007 qualifying patients in England must have access for help from an Independent Mental Health Advocate. This service to be available for people admitted to inpatient services for Adult Mental Health, Older Adult Mental Health and Learning Disabilities, though qualifying patients will be prioritised.

Roles and responsibility of IMHA:
-IMHA must be available to all qualifying users
-The advocate is independent of any professional involvement
-IMHA will help users obtain and understand information regarding the legislation they are subject to, the conditions or restrictions they are subject to, and the medical treatment proposed
-IMHA will help users obtain information concerning their rights and how to exercise them

In addition to evidencing the ability to deliver the required service, potential providers must be able to demonstrate:

-A thorough understanding of mental health legislation
-Detailed Knowledge of the health and social care environment together with key drivers
-Innovation and creativity in the delivery of the service
-Evidence of integrated working with other partners
-Ability to deliver the service from bases within the boundaries of the Black Country locality.

Those who tender will be selected on the basis of the experience, capability, quality and safety standards and financial standing.

The initial process will entail a Pre-Qualifying Questionnaire which is to be returned no later than 12:00 noon on Thursday 2nd February 2012.
Only those that successfully meet the qualifying criteria will be invited to tender, with tender packs to be sent out in March 2012. The contract to be awarded in July 2012 for the service to commence on 1 October 2012.

For more information visit:
https://in-tendhost.co.uk/blackcountryportal/aspx/ProjectManage/161

Charities scared to speak out amid cuts, says report

ian — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:14:27 +0000

The Independence Panel, a commission set up to monitor the voluntary sector as it grapples with huge cuts in public funding, said service provider charities that traditionally have also had an advocacy role were censoring their public utterances for fear of reprisals from local authority and central government funders.

To read the full article please follow this link to the Guardian Website

This may be a sign of the times but the worst thing local organisations can do is to keep silent whilst issues and concerns often about funding go unheard. WVA recommend you discuss any concerns you may have with the relevant organisation be that a public sector body or a charitable funder. Do not forget that you can also contact WVA who will discuss your concerns in confidence and see if we can help you and your organisation identify a way forward. You are not the only one facing difficult times and often some difficult decisions.

Please feel free to contact our Chief Executive – Ian Willetts or speak to a member of the development team on 01922 619840 and we will see how we may be able to help you out. Please remember if you do not tell us about your concern then we can not help you.

Walsall Coach and Volunteer Education Programme 2012-2013

ian — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:22:35 +0000

Walsall Council Sport and Leisure Development Services is committed to supporting voluntary sector sports clubs within the borough to improve the provision of opportunities for young people and adults to participate in sport in a safe and effective sporting environment.

This programme is suitable for everyone from Sports Club Volunteers Coaches, Physical Education Practitioners, Health, Physical Activity, Sport and Leisure Professionals to those of whom wish to increase their knowledge of First Aid or renew their previous certificate, all the courses range from between 2-6 hours.

For further information please see the following link

Walsall Sport & Leisure Development Services Coach and Volunteer education programme 2012/2013