VAS Credit Crunch AGM & Open Morning

This year the Voluntary Action Sheffield AGM is taking place on Thursday 23 November, 12.45 - 3.30pm with a guest speech from Professor Danny Dorling of the University of Sheffield.
Join us to celebrate the highlights and work undertaken over the past 12 months, and to look to the year ahead, thinking about how we will respond to the credit crunch challenges which currently face society, and our sector.
Before the AGM discussions begin there will be a stimulating and interesting talk from our guest speaker, Professor Danny Dorling, from the University of Sheffield. Danny’s presentation, Social Inequality and the Economic Crash, is guaranteed to be interesting and thought provoking, with the opportunity for questions and discussions afterwards.

This is a FREE event however places must be booked in advance

The VAS Open Morning is also being held on Monday 7 December, 10am - 1pm, at The Circle.
Come along and find out about VAS and the range of services available to local voluntary and community groups. Staff from each of the service teams will be available to explain how they can help and support organisations, and provide any advice. There will be rolling presentations throughout the morning for those unfamiliar with VAS, tours of The Circle, and refreshments and networking opportunities.
Feel free to pop by or email info@vas.org.uk to register your interest, or call 0114 253 6623 for more details.

Autumnal stirrings ...

The VCF review steering group meet this week to look at recommendations and then there is a stakeholder meeting on the 24th - so the review is progressing well.

Come back soon for more updates ....

Autumn report on track ...

The VCF Review is on course to report in the Autumn as planned, following the recent steering group meeting. This blog will not accept further comments, but if you do have any questions during August please contact Paul@cadenceworks.co.uk.

Thanks and have a good summer.

VCF review next steps ...

The VCF Review Steering Group are meeting on Monday 3rd August to discuss an interim report.

Next steps will be put on the blog as soon as possible, hopefully when summer really begins.

Thanks.

'3rd sector' criticism in Society section today - views?

A letter in the Guardian Society section caught our eye today and we would welcome views on it.

Root causes

There needs to be root and branch reform of public spending - and I think there also needs to be root and branch analysis. The so-called third sector, promoted by Blair and his gurus, has created a professional class that act as self-serving gatekeepers, often heard making all sorts of claims - as Stephen Bubb has done (Second thoughts, 8 July).
I agree that there is no one keener to provide services focused on citizens and communities, but it is the small community groups, not the quangos and the chief executives (who keep numerous management consultants in work), that are adept at tackling causes, rather than symptoms.

From; communityworks1via SocietyGuardian.co.uk

Also in Society today are interesting articles on youth clubs and youth unemplyment. The first talks about the problems that non-statutory youth clubs face with funding and the second looks at the potential role of voluteering for the BTCV.

And now that the penny is finally dropping …

We have received some interesting and heart-felt feedback on the effects of the current recession on the VCF sector in Sheffield. Here are just a few of the comments from your questionnaires about how the downturn is affecting us all.

One local forum commented that they had noted: ‘Increased demand for employment advice and support [and a] shortage of funding - especially commercial sponsorship previously available for events such as the carnival. Our community engagement has had to be greatly curtailed.’ Interestingly, the same forum also had this to say: ‘The Council has tended to penalise organisations which are successful in securing social enterprise contracts, commissions and external funding by reducing their grants. What message does this send to everybody else?’ Has this been anybody else’s experience?

One local social and support organisation said: ‘A major part of our income is from investments and this has been significantly reduced in the current economic downturn.’

And this was the feedback from one important local counselling service: ‘Our service delivers on quality and provision on very little resources. We would like to see organisations like ours secure funding from the council on a three-year basis as opposed to one, and the funds given reflect full commercial value for the services we provide.’

One active church said: ‘Increased costs and decreased voluntary giving may mean we have to streamline our projects. The current economic situation may mean more people need our services. By contrast, more people may find they have more time to help us serve others, which would mean we can do more.’

Notes from consultation events available now!

The notes from the consultation events are available online now at Cadence Works' website, follow this link to find them ....

Anything to add?

Couldn't get to an event and something missing?

Can't believe nobody said, x, y or z?

Take your chance to have your say, you can say who you are on the blog or do it anonymously ... don't miss out and then feel frustrated later ...