Local Election Special - Gypsy & Traveller Focus - Summer Training

1. !
Supporting Voluntary & Community Action May and June 2009
Inside
Voscur’s
Magazine
Project Respect: linking
generations and cultures
Commissioning Support
Local Election Special
Gypsy and Traveller Focus
Refugee Week
Listening Partnership to
overcome bullying
Funding Opportunites
Summer Training
Volunteering News
Recession Support
Image: Project Respect (page 22)
And much more…

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www.tactcare.org.uk
Charity Number: 1018963

3. Contents Welcome
4 Editorial 26-27 Children & Young People
Listening Partnership
Network Feedback
5-6 Voscur News
MyPlace
Commissioning Support
Governance and Leadership Support
Don’t Suffer in Silence 28-29 How To - Funding Pages
E Forums Lottery Small Grants Programmes
Website Toolkit Arts Council England
Recession Support Heritage lottery Fund
Sport England
7 Sector News
Leadership and Management 30-31 How To - Green Pages
Merger and Collaboration Funding
Park Keepers – How voluntary and
community groups help keep Bristol parks
8 New Voscur Members and green spaces green and lovely
9-10 Member Profile 32-33 Volunteering Bristol
Friends of the Avon new Cut Volunteering Week
Streets Alive Grant for new work
11 How To - ICT 34 Bristol Partnership
Surviving the Big Byte Interview with Linda Prosser the new
Director of the Local Strategic Partnership
12-15 Local Election Special
35 Have Your Say
Bristol’s Councillor Leaders give their views
Vox Pops
on the role of the voluntary
and community sector
36 Diary
16-19 Voscur Training & Learning
Feedback on training
Skills – Third Sector
Voscur Summer Training
20-25 Equalities and Human Rights
Gypsy and Traveller Focus
Project Respect
Equalities and Human Rights event report
Why not advertise? Thrive! is available on disc. Please contact
Special discounts for Voscur members. the office if you would like to
Deadlines for July/August 2009 edition of Thrive!:
receive your Thrive! this way. The
2 June 2009 for ads, 26 June 2009 for flyers
newsletter is also available online as a pdf
Details of prices at www.voscur.org/magazine
at www.voscur.org/magazine
or phone Polly Stewart, sub-editor, on 0117 909 9949
Disclaimer: some of the views expressed in this publication are those of individual contributors and do not necessarily represent
those of Voscur. Publications, events and services mentioned in Thrive! are not necessarily endorsed by Voscur.
3
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4. Editorial
Diversity and Diversification
Voscur is committed to together with service providers in
supporting community discussion and dialogue. This event
activism; we help had great support and many useful
connections were made.
organisations and individuals
get involved in and influence
We know that many people
decision making in the city,
support our Equalities work, but
and we do this in many
also that this work isn’t popular
different ways. One of
with everyone, (in that some
the ways that we do this
people don’t recognise that
is to support Equalities
there is a need for it and some
communities.
criticise us for doing it). But at
Voscur, we recognise that we will
We recently worked with Support
all be members of a marginalised
Against Racist Incidents (SARI),
community at some point in our Wendy Stephenson
Churches Council for Industrial and
lives. Our work is about supporting
Social Responsibility (ISR) and the
our being commissioned to deliver
those groups who have historically
Women’s Forum to ensure that
some training with Gypsy and
been marginalised, to have a voice.
under represented communities
Traveller Communities and health
We think that as we go into a
are heard at the Bristol Partnership
professionals outside Bristol.
recession this work is even more
in the future.
This work will help to sustain our
vital as minority groups are further
Equalities staff team until we can
marginalised and at risk of attack.
We have supported community
secure investment to keep this
involvement in Neighbourhood
valuable work going in Bristol.
Our Equalities work has been
Partnerships this past year, and
funded by the Big Lottery since
in March we started talking with
kEy TO SyMbOLS
2003 and more recently by the
the Neighbourhood Partnerships
Equalities and Human Rights
Residents’ Forum about the
Equalities Article
Commission. The work is difficult
involvement of Equalities
to fund and we are now at the
Communities in the Partnerships.
point where we have a funding
? Training
gap for this work. However, we
Voscur’s ‘Our Voices Count’ event
won’t give up. Voscur’s Board is
in February enabled Gypsy and
committed to continuing our work
Traveller communities, Somali Resources
with Equalities groups.
parents, Refugee Women of Bristol,
single parents and lesbian, gay and
Our reputation for working with Event
bisexual communities to come
Equalities communities has led to
4 www.voscur.org

5. Voscur News
Governance and Support Don’t Suffer in
Leadership Support Silence –
Louise Clark will join the Voscur
staff team as Compact Liaison
get in touch
Sophie Bayley, Voscur’s Workforce
Officer this month.The work
Development Co-ordinator delivers
will link directly to public sector
an excellent training course
You are not alone!
commissioning of services from
on roles and responsibilities of
voluntary, community and social
trustees/governing bodies. This
Many Voscur members have been
enterprise organisations.
training course has been enhanced
asking us for help to get through
by input from Avon and Bristol
difficult times.
Louise’s role will be to raise the
Law Centre (For details of Voscur
profile of the sector with public
training see page 35).
We have answered questions about
sector commissioners; help
employment issues, governance
the sector to respond to the
Sophie has now also worked
and finance issues, funding crises,
commissioning agenda and ensure
with several groups to deliver
relationships with funders, and
that we are all working to agreed
training in-house to management
when we haven’t been able to
standards of good practice.
committees, so that all board
offer direct support we have
members are receiving the same
signposted to other sources of
This post came about as a result
information at the same time.
help.
of Voscur’s work as a member
Boards have found this very helpful
of the Compact funding and
and have emerged strengthened
It may be that we know of another
commissioning group. We
from the experience! We have now
organisation that has been through
recognised that without a
found out that we may be able to
what you are experiencing and has
dedicated worker raising awareness
help you get funding to pay for in-
found a solution. We will always
of the Compact, it’s difficult to put
house governance and leadership
listen to what you have to say. So,
Compact principles into practice.
training.
get in touch.
A programme of activities will
If you think your board
? be developed with the support
needs a refresher course
Wendy Stephenson
of the Compact steering group;
in its responsibilities,
Chief Executive, Voscur,
we will keep you posted in our
please contact
The CREATE centre
e-bulletins, on the website and in
sophieb@voscur.org
Smeaton Road, Bristol, BS1 6XN.
this magazine.
0117 909 9949, wendy@voscur.org
Clarification
Commissioning our Equalities manager, Ruth Pitter, wrote about her trip to the USA where
In our last issue of Thrive!
she witnessed President Obama’s inauguration which marked a landmark occasion and a triumph for
community activism. This trip was a personal holiday and not paid for by Voscur.
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6. Voscur News
Keeping ‘in the Recession Support redundancies fairly in the current
climate, to free and cheap ways of
loop’ is e-asy Funding from Capacitybuilders
improving and maintaining your IT
has enabled Voscur to work with
with the Voscur systems.
other infrastructure organisations
Forums in Bristol and the West of England
View these at www.voscur.org/
Voscur has online E-Forums to ChangeUp consortia to develop a
recessionsupport
help you keep up-to-date with recession busting booklet, which
issues affecting you and your will be available to download from
organisation, and to enable our website, and in hard copy from
Website Toolkit
you to easily share information our office. The booklet will provide
on particular topics with other Developing a website from scratch
information on risk assessments,
E-Forum users. can be quite daunting.
governance, managing in a
downturn, and closing an
We’ve made improvements to the Voscur has set up a Website
organisation.
online forums so it’s easier for you Development Toolkit online, where
to sign up and use them. you can sign up to learn about
We have also gathered information
all the issues that you need to
from a range of sources on
Now is a great time to register think about when creating a web
everything from The Equalities
on the Voscur online forums presence for your organisation.
and Human Rights Commission
– follow our easy step by step guide to managing in a downturn,
guide at www.voscur.org/ Visit moodle.voscur.org:8000
which sets out how employers can
ebulletin and follow the instructions.
use flexible working and manage
a new oven
has meant new
sights and
smells for Laura
help for individuals
St Monica Trust Community Fund We are keen to receive applications for funding from individuals who satisfy our
criteria, these being: 1.Have a physical disability or long term physical health problem
helps people with one off gifts, 2.Live in Bristol, BANES, South Glos, Gloucestershire, North Somerset, Somerset or
Wiltshire 3.Have a low income and limited savings 4.Be over the age of 16 We are
such as cookers, washing machines
happy to receive applications directly from clients or from referral organisations.
and carpets, as well as short- term For more information please contact us on
grants in crisis situations. 0117 949 4003 or visit: www.communityfund.stmonicatrust.org.uk.
6 www.voscur.org

7. Sector News
Leadership and Management -
£500 available for training
If your organisation has a staff for example, to support your For more details
?
team of between five to 250 management team in strategic on how to access
employees then you could be direction, coaching or mentoring, this funding, please
or tailor made training packages. contact the South
eligible for £500 leadership
West Region’s Third
and management training
Voscur offers tailor made Sector Skills Broker,
through Train to Gain. There is
training packages in Roles and Marisa McClelland on
£1000 available in total.
Responsibilities of Trustees and 01202 847607
can support you to apply for the marisa@learningcurve.org.uk
The first £500 must benefit the one
money if you are interested. Call
person identified as the key leader/
Sophie Bayley on 0117 909 9949 To find out more about Train
manager of the organisation. The
to Gain and the third sector,
next £500 must be matched by
Train to Gain also offers support for download their document at
your organisation but can be used
other staff members through Skills snipurl.com/gcyxg (pdf)
to support other managers or
for Life which offers a variety of
trustees in the organisation.
training courses for staff who have
You could use this money,
few formal qualifications.
Money to Support
Merger and
Collaboration
Capacitybuilders is offering bursaries
to organisations considering
collaboration and merger. The
bursaries are to pay for two days
of advice/consultancy on the
issues relating to collaboration and
merger. If, following the advice,
groups decide that this is the route
that they want to take, they may
be eligible for a further £10,000 to
support their merger.
For further details of this scheme visit
www.voscur.org/recessionsupport
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8. Voscur New Members
Voscur New Members
bedminster Tenant demise of the Bristol Community Impatient Vagrant
Management Organisation Festival at Ashton Court. Impatient Vagrant began in
Steering Group www.thebristolfestival.org 2007 in order to bring accessible
The group want to establish community theatre into the rural
a TMO (a non profit making areas of South Gloucestershire.
Coexist Community Interest
company managed by tenants and The company passionately believes
Company
leaseholders with responsibility that theatre can bring a community
Coexist is a mixed use building
for some or all of the housing together to celebrate and engage
on Stokes Croft, Bristol, which is
management functions currently with its history and culture.
undergoing major refurbishment
undertaken by the local authority) www.impatientvagrant.com
so that it can become a centre of
to tackle and improve the quality
excellence in terms of sustainable
of life for all Bedminster tenants
communities. The New Room - John Wesley’s
and leaseholders.
Chapel
www.coexistuk.org
snipurl.com/gd15n (pdf)
The New Room in Bristol is the
oldest Methodist Chapel in the
Four Towns & Vale Link
brislington Enterprise College world (originally built in 1739)
Community Transport
Brislington Enterprise College and the cradle of the early
A charity, based in South
(BEC) is an 11-18 Local Education Methodist movement.
Gloucestershire, formed by
Authority mixed comprehensive www.newroombristol.org.uk
the merger of two community
college set in sixty acres of
transport charities – Four Towns
attractive grounds overlooking
and Vale Link each served Patchway
Bristol.
and Thornbury respectively.
www.because.org.uk
The aim of the Four Towns and
bristol Epilepsy Support Group Vale Link Community Transport is to
increase opportunities and develop
The Bristol Epilepsy Support Group
a more inclusive community by
offer people whose lives are
improving access.
affected by the condition a chance
nigel_4tt@yahoo.co.uk
to get together and discuss the
issues that matter to them.
www.bristolepilepsy.com
GAVCA - Gloucestershire
Association for Voluntary &
Community Action (Associate)
The bristol Festival Community
Group Supports and represents local
voluntary action by working in
The Bristol Festival Community
partnership to promote equality.
Group is a collection of volunteers,
www.gavca.org.uk
with a wide range of backgrounds,
interests and ages, who have come
together to plan a community-
Statue in courtyard of The New Room
based festival, following the sad
8 www.voscur.org

9. Member Profile
Friends of the Avon new Cut
200th Anniversary
of Avon New Cut
This year marks the 200th
anniversary of the completion of
the Avon New Cut and Feeder
Canal and the opening of Bristol’s
Floating Harbour. Celebrations of
this important event in our city’s
history will go on throughout 2009,
and games for children - or cut - leaving the docks as a
starting with a special
• Fascinating facts and images “floating harbour”.
of the New Cut and Floating
Fun Day on Monday 4 May
Harbour. The Cut was dug by Irish and other
12.30 - 5pm by
Brunel’s ss Great Britain travelling labourers - mainly using
Drop in any time. picks, shovels and wheelbarrows,
Free event! but also gunpowder to blast a way
The original celebration in May
through the rock. It took five years
1809 involved a party where a hog
The Avon New Cut to complete.
roast and a specially brewed beer
and the Floating
were enjoyed by the Irish builders
Friends of the Avon
and Bristol townsfolk alike.
Harbour
New Cut
Bristol’s port was originally sited in
Brunel’s ss Great Britain is running
the centre of the city on the River
a hog roast, the Bristol Beer
The Friends of the Avon New Cut
Avon. It was the second-busiest
Factory has produced a special ‘Cut
(FrANC) is a group of local people
port in the country during the early
Blaster’ beer, and the Friends of
promoting a greater understanding
18th century, but the tidal nature
the Avon New Cut have organised
and appreciation of the Cut,
of the river increasingly caused
entertainment for the whole family
including its history, wildlife, and
problems for ships. Traders began
including:
essential role in the city.
to use other ports instead, and a
solution was needed if Bristol was
• Tales of the Cut with an Irish
FrANC runs guided walks, organises
to maintain its wealth.
actor and ‘Show of Strength’
riverbank clean-up sessions,
theatre group
produces regular newsletters, and
William Jessop, a civil engineer,
• Irish dancers and Morris dancers
has published wildlife leaflets and
developed a plan to divert the River
• A jazz band
a book about the Avon New Cut.
Avon away from the docks area
• Sea shanty singers
Further information is available at
through a new artificial channel
• A treasure hunt - plus other fun
www.southvillecentre.org.uk.
www.voscur.org 9

10. Member Profile
Streets Alive - Lets do it in the street!
Streets Alive is a charitable Streets Alive is a key partner in a not already on their street party
group, based in Bristol new exciting campaign being led website: www.streetparty.org.uk
but working across the by the Eden Project called ‘The
Big Lunch’ which is encouraging You can also view
UK, which promotes the
people to have street party-style details by visiting
street as a social space,
events. The focus of the big lunch www.streetsalive.net
developing culturally thriving
is on food - growing, cooking and www.thebiglunch.com
communities through traffic-
sharing it.
free street events.
The campaign is a welcome
Since 2001, Streets Alive have boost to Streets Alive’s efforts
developed special ways of to promote street parties, and it
engaging with the public and is hoped that across the country
communities on social and thousands of people will join in
travel issues in street events and ‘The Big Lunch’ on Sunday 19 July.
other activities. Specialising in
community-based events which If any residents, groups or Councils
engage the public in creative and have any questions or practical
meaningful ways on issues of social issues that need solving then
cohesion, greener travel, arts, contact Streets Alive and they
sports and children’s play. will try to help if the answer is
10 www.voscur.org

11. How To - ICT
Surviving the Big Byte
The IT industry, unlike cars 2) Plan and budget - you may org/ictrecessionbuster
and clothing, appears to be and we’ll be highlighting and
not be going to spend any money
riding out the recession so far. comparing software services such
this year, but how much did you
Most people need access to IT as our new Surveys article -
spend last year and how much the
to do their jobs; even small www.voscur.org/onlinesurveys
year before? What would it cost
organisations run from home.
With reducing budgets and
new fundraising opportunities
growing scarcer, relying on
equipment that is growing
old and unstable can be a
stressful experience.
However, there are new ways
of doing things on the web,
and adopting new methods of
working allows groups to hear of
4) know where to go for help
to replace a computer? Could you
opportunities and access help more
- use the Voscur directory and
use a refurbished one? Do your
quickly, plus get their message out
forums to know where to go for
trustees understand the issues and
to a new and larger audience.
help and support. The Voscur ICT
can you bring them on board?
Directory lists companies, social
Think of the costs implied by your
How can you do that without
enterprises and individuals from
risk assessment and then make a
spending large sums on
PC specialists to website designers
budget to cover the most likely
equipment, support, training and
that other Voscur members have
elements.
time on managing it all?
recommended.
Voscur 4 point plan 3) Get Value for Money - use the
The forums are managed by Voscur
Voscur website for top tips for
for surviving the staff to answer all your queries (not
free and “value for money” tools
Big Byte just ICT) and they can be accessed
and support. We are re-organising
through the website
the ICT pages to highlight new
1) Risk assessment - Think about
(see the article on signing up for
developments in how the Voluntary
what could possibly go wrong -
the forums on page 7). You can
Sector is adapting to the free
hardware failure, viruses and data
also post your own tips that might
software revolution and the rise
loss are all organisational killers or
benefit other Voscur members.
of social networking as a tool for
at least very inconvenient. List all
Lets get talking!
being more effective in your job.
eventualities - don’t forget the
member of staff who manages
Sean Kenny, ICT Development
Our ICT recession buster page has
the database who might decide to
Worker sean@voscur.org
just been published -www.voscur.
emigrate!
11
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Photo: www.flickr.com/photos/jmarty/

12. Local Election Special
Local Election Special
In advance of the local elections we asked the lead councillors of the four political parties on
Bristol City Council to write for Thrive! We asked for their views on the role of voluntary and
community sector (VCS) in Bristol and what, if elected, councillors from their party would do to
ensure the local VCS thrives?
Councillor Charlie it also goes much further than
that, seeking to lay the basis for
Bolton - Green Party a cultural shift in relation to the
concept of volunteering, and
The Green Party should be the
traditional economics’ blithe
natural party of the voluntary
discounting of the value of
sector. We do not see the sector
‘community voluntary work’.
as a pawn in the battle to roll back
the frontiers of the state. We do
In the end, what makes the sector
not see it as a way of delivering
unique is its ability to mobilise
public services on the cheap. We
volunteers, and the resulting
also do not see it as a substitute
independence from the political
for the kind of social and economic
agenda of the day. A voluntary
reform governments are too timid important role: that of keeping
sector that tries to expand without
to introduce themselves. up the pressure on statutory
expanding its volunteer base is
authorities to abide by Compact
ultimately unsustainable.
What has finally been recognised guidelines. This means drawing
in the new local government attention to those that do this well,
What matters is not warm words
performance framework National just as much as pointing out those
around partnership and yet
Indicator 7, is something the who do not.
more rhetoric about the sector’s
Green Party has always understood
importance. What matters is the
instinctively – that the voluntary The VCS in this city is well-
bottom line: stable funding cycles,
sector, like everything else, needs organised and well-represented,
effective capacity building, full cost
the right kind of environment to and will weather the storm better
recovery. And once that is in place,
thrive. than most. But tough times are
an emphasis on proper consultation
coming, and the culture that would
and properly utilising the sector’s
Nationally, a Green government ensure the sector thrives even in
expertise in shaping services.
would introduce a radical series bad times is not yet fully in place.
of measures going back to the This is what the Green Party will be
This is hardly revolutionary – largely
very essence of the sector – working to achieve in the coming
it’s just sticking to Compact. But
volunteering. Our manifesto months and years.
this is an area where even an
unsurprisingly calls for the ‘proper
individual councillor can play an
sustainable funding’ of VCOs. But Charles.bolton@bristol.gov.uk
12 www.voscur.org

13. Local Election Special
Councillor Barbara additional support for Bristol Credit
Union to help those struggling
Janke - Liberal with debt, support for apprentices,
Democrat Party and measures have been put
A thriving voluntary community in place to make it easier for
sector people to get advice and support
As the leader of Bristol City Council, through a variety of networks. By
I understand that the city council strengthening the relationship
cannot tackle all of the issues that between the council and the small
face our society alone and we voluntary community sector the
need to work closely with other two sectors together can make a
led third sector organisations,
organisations and communities to difference and help us withstand
but these are often in need of
find the most effective ways of the impacts of the recession.
refurbishment. We are working to
delivering services. In Bristol, the
find ways to transfer these assets
voluntary, community and social Strengthening local communities
to the third sector on a viable
enterprise sector has an important The Liberal Democrats want to
basis where possible, and to build
part to play in understanding local bring decision-making closer to
on successful projects that have
need and is often best placed the people and the communities
already taken place.
to deliver activities, services and they affect. We want local people
support that best meets the to have the chance to make real
A good working relationship
needs of often some of the most local choices and will build on
between the council and the
vulnerable groups in our city. the Neighbourhood Partnerships
small voluntary and community
now in place by establishing local
sector is vital to the success of our
Working together during the budgets. We would do this by
communities. We are committed to
recession delegating matters, currently
the Bristol Compact to strengthen
Much of Bristol’s voluntary sector centrally determined, for decision
positive working relationships
is working hard to help people who at local level.
between the public and voluntary,
have suffered as a result of the
community and social enterprise
recession. The Liberal Democrats Community Asset Transfer
sectors to ensure the best
recognise the importance of this We know that some of the
outcomes for Bristol people.
work and have backed plans to council’s buildings would provide
barbara.janke@bristol.gov.uk
offer additional support to help good bases for community
deliver this work. This includes
13
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14. Local Election Special
Councillor Helen to work with you, understanding
that without your work, the call on
Holland - Labour statutory services would be even
Party greater.
Together We Can Make a
Difference in our City You support communities, you
innovate - with services grown
Many Labour councillors, candidates from local people addressing local
and Party members work with concerns. You bring additional
voluntary and community capacity to communities, you give
organisations locally, and have local people pathways to volunteer,
learned much of our role from you. and personal development through
Thank you! Many councillors sit on that volunteering, and we celebrate
management committees of local that with you.
organisations, and work closely with
the Council where the working
you. However, we need more than warm
principles of the Compact have not
words to back the sector. We need
been taken on board, and Labour
The role of councils and councillors, policies and action to make this
councillors will make embedding
is changing, and local members are happen.
this, across all departments, a
becoming ‘community champions’.
priority.
Labour expects our members Labour councillors will ensure that:
to get to know organisations in
We will also commit to making
their wards, and work alongside • the Voluntary Community
best use of Government policy
them. This is a real priority for Sector is involved in designing
to transfer assets to community
newly-elected Labour members, specifications for commissioned
organisations, as we have done at
so that they can reflect an in- services
St Werburgh’s Community Centre.
depth understanding at every • that the Council agrees ‘full
level from street to ward, from cost recovery’ as essential for
We will meet our LAA (Local Area
Neighbourhood Partnership to maintaining groups’ financial
Agreement) commitment to
Bristol-wide. viability
ensuring a ‘thriving environment
• that monitoring, evaluating and
for the third sector’, not just within
Labour councillors know the reporting are transparent, and
the Council, but also with the
value of your work with some of agreed with the sector.
Bristol Partnership, strengthening
the most vulnerable people in
the role of the sector, so that
the city. We know that times are This is why Labour champions the
together we can build better
changing for the sector and for Bristol Compact, the agreement
neighbourhoods, and make a
many organisations; with more call between public agencies and the
difference in our city.
for your services during the global voluntary sector, which defines the
recession, and concerns about relationship we should have. helen.holland@bristol.gov.uk
sustainability of groups. We pledge Unfortunately, there are parts of
14 www.voscur.org

15. Local Election Special
Councillor Richard its heart the vision of an expanded
role for voluntary and community
Eddy - Conservative work.
Party
The Role of the Voluntary and For Conservatives, a good and
Community Sector strong society can only be built
organically from the bottom-up;
Philosophically, the Conservative relying first upon the individual,
Party has always placed great value then through their private
on the ability of individuals to help relationships with family and
themselves rather than always friends. This myriad of associations
rely, passively, on the intervention eventually become intermingled
of the State to solve social ills. with more formal or organised
Historically, we have acknowledged structures or public expressions
the indispensable part played by of civic life - the realm of the
the voluntary and community voluntary and community sector.
sector in helping to build a better, This is the where we must look for
interacts with it. In the future,
more prosperous society. answers that neither the State nor
funding will be channelled through
the market can provide.
grassroots organisations, not
We recognise that the centralised
merely dispensed by unelected
State - particularly in Britain today The next Conservative Government
bureaucrats or unaccountable
- is unable to both identify and is committed to expanding what
Whitehall appointed quangos.
deliver the kind of social reforms some have called this ‘third sector’,
so desperately needed. In our to enable the delivery of better,
Successive post-war
so-called “broken society”, family more effective and responsive
Administrations have come to
dislocation and crime has become public services via charities,
realise that the State can never be
rife and traditional values and social enterprises and voluntary
a substitute for the community.
loyalties no longer seem to apply. organisations.
At best, it can seek to work in
partnership with the voluntary
Nationally, Conservatives have This sea-change envisages a future
sector but must never try to
conducted an extensive review where there are more direct
replace or supplant it.
into how we can best address contractual arrangements forged,
these failings and promote increased use of grant funding
richard.eddy@bristol.gov.uk
greater voluntarism, altruism and and a greater emphasis placed on
community action. The consultative charitable giving and volunteering.
policy green paper ‘A Stronger
Society: Voluntary Action in the Our approach is not to seek to
21st Century’ forms part of our change the voluntary sector but
responsibility agenda and places at to alter the way that Government
15
www.voscur.org

16. Voscur Training and learning
Trustee Training Review
Poppy Stephenson from Bristol Festival take time to swap our ‘volunteer hats’ for ‘trustee
Community Group talks about her organisation hats’ to focus on the bigger picture. I feel that
and the Trustee training she attended at creating this distinction between our roles will help us
Voscur to remain on track and will allow the whole team to
recognise the value of their positions as trustees.
The Bristol Festival Community Group was set up in
Voscur is running Trustees series 1,2 and 3
?
2007 to support and promote arts and culture in the
this term. Please visit:
South West region. This involves organising a publicly
www.voscur.org/training
directed volunteer-led community festival in the city,
which showcases local talent, supports local businesses
“I found the sessions really
and provides training, mentoring and a rewarding
informative and enjoyable. It’s made
experience to volunteers. Local community and youth
groups are also involved in year-round projects to me feel more confident in my role and
create décor, site furniture, artwork and train for
I would definitely recommend them to
performances at the event.
anyone that’s new to trusteeship”
Why did you come on the training?
We recently gained charity status and being new to
trusteeship we felt it was important to learn as much
as we can about our responsibilities.
What did you hope to gain from the
sessions and what did you gain?
I wanted to further my understanding of my official
duties as well as pick up some ideas about how we
could improve the running our organisation, to make
sure we weren’t missing anything important. I gained
a lot of really useful information to take back to our
group, not just from the course but also from the
other participants; it was really interesting to find out
about other charities’ structures and how they do
things.
What will you do differently as a result
of the sessions?
We are a very small team with just one paid member
and so we all muck in to get the day to day workload
Poppy Stephenson
done, however we will now make sure we regularly
16 www.voscur.org

17. Voscur Training & Learning
New Independent Skills Body Created:
Skills - Third Sector
After several years of - incubated in the short term by practitioners from across Bristol
lobbying, the sector has finally Skills for Justice. who want to support each other,
persuaded government to share information, experience, skills
create a new, independent The new body will be introduced and ways of working.
Third Sector skills body, at a series of third sector national
‘Skills – Third Sector’ which learning alliance launch events The Network is open to public,
will identify and address regional events. private, community and voluntary
skills gaps and shortages for sector practitioners who use a
charities, voluntary groups, The South West event, ‘Skills for community development approach
social enterprises and other Solutions’ took place in April in to their work.
third sector organisations. It Taunton, so look out for further
will pull together the work of information on Voscur’s website: The Community Development
the sector skills councils to www.voscur.org Exchange (CDX) defines Community
Development as, ‘the process of
open up learning opportunities
developing active and sustainable
for third sector paid and
Contact Tim Ward communities based on social justice
voluntary staff.
Learning Curve www. and mutual respect. It is about
learningcurve.org.uk influencing power structures to
It is well overdue but it is a
remove the barriers that prevent
positive step that someone will
people from participating in the
have the authority to ensure
Support for issues that affect their lives’.
that our sector’s needs are
properly considered in the
Community The Bristol network will meet bi-
design development of National
Development monthly and each meeting will be
Occupational Standards, the design
themed around issues agreed by
Practitioners in
of Apprenticeship Frameworks and
its members. These themes will
Sector Qualification Strategies.
Bristol be agreed at the next meeting on
Monday 11 May 10am – 12pm,
This puts our sector on an
Do you work in and with at Bristol Community Housing
equal basis with other sectors
communities? Do ever feel like you Foundation Office, 400 Filton
in ensuring that our needs are
would like support from people Avenue BS7 0LN.
being considered in designing
doing similar work to you? Are you
qualifications and allocating
in need of some new ideas? Contact Hannah Parker at Voscur if
funding for training.
you would like to attend,
Voscur is launching a Community 0117 909 9949.
Janet Fleming (Head of the
Development Network which
Workforce Hub) has been seconded
aims to bring together often
to act as Project Director in order
isolated community development
to set up this new organisation
17
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18. Voscur Training & Learning
? Training Writing better funding bids
New Course
Tuesday 12 May (9.30am-3.30pm) at The
Gatehouse Centre, Hareclive Road,
Voscur is aware that training is one Bristol BS13 9JN
of the first things to go when money This course will give you all the skills you need to make
is tight in the sector. effective fundraising proposals for your organisation. It
is aimed at those quite new to fundraising or those who
This is why ALL of our courses are want to know more about writing successful applications
designed to help the long-term to grants, trusts and the local government. It will cover
sustainability of your organisation developing ideas about your project; filling in forms;
and its staff. We also run low-cost writing and developing outcomes and action planning.
and free training where we can.
How to develop a business plan
Wednesday 20 May (9.30am-3.30pm)
To book onto any of our
at CEED, Ujima House, Wilder Street,
courses go online to www.
Bristol BS2 8QU
voscur.org/training or call us This course is for anyone who is planning to write a
on 0117 909 9949. business plan and doesn’t know where to start. It will give
you lots of hints and tips to help you get started and will
cover the business planning process and the planning
cycle; audience, purpose and content of your plan;
who needs to be involved and vision, mission, aims and
objectives.
Trustee Series 1-
Why am I on the committee?*
Tuesday 2 June (6.30pm-9.30pm) at City
Academy, Russell Town Avenue, Redfield,
Bristol BS5 9JH
This course is for those people who are trustees who
want to know more about their roles, responsibilbites
and duties as trustees. It will cover your legal obligations
as well as offer information on the different roles you
have to take as a trustee. *(Previously known as Roles and
Responsibilities of Trustees 1)
18 www.voscur.org

19. Voscur Training & Learning
Trustee Series 2 - Good Governance you assess whether your legal structure meets your
– How to be a better trustee * current needs and look at options for future change
or development.
Tuesday 9 June (6.30pm-9.30pm) at City
Academy, Russell Town Avenue, Redfield,
Speaking with Confidence
Bristol BS5 9JH
New Course
Tuesday 14 July (9.30am - 3.30pm) at
This course is for those people who have been
The Greenway Centre, Doncaster Road,
trustees for a while and want to know more about
Southmead, Bristol, BS10 5PY
how to be effective in their role. It will cover the
This session is aimed at people who need more
governance/management split as well as skills
confidence, skills and practice of speaking in public.
audits, effective meetings and risk and liability.
This practical session will cover: exploring some of
*(Previously known as Roles and Responsibilities
your fears and barriers to public speaking; how to put
of Trustees 2. We recommend that you attend
together presentations and some of the skills needed
Trustee Series 1 first).
to speak in public. You will be asked to deliver a mini
Making Outcomes Work for you presentation on the day.
Wednesday 17 June & Wednesday 8 July
Collaboration and Merger
(9.30am - 4.00pm) at The Withywood
New Course
Wednesday 15 July (9.30am - 3.30pm)
Centre, Queens Road, Withywood,
at Windmill Hill City Farm, Philip Street,
Bristol BS13 8QA
Bedminster, BS3 4EA
This 2-day course aimed at senior members
This workshop, facilitated by NCVO’s (National Council
of staff or project workers will help you to
for Voluntary Organisations) collaborative working
understand outcomes and give you all you need
project, will look at collaboration and merger and
to consider implementing an outcomes focus in
how it can work for you. Among other things it
your organisation. It will cover outcomes, outputs,
will cover the benefits, obstacles and challenges
indicators, collection methods and lots more.
for collaboration and the legal implications of
Please note we recommend that two people
collaboration and merger.
attend from each organisation.
Trustee Series 3 - So you think Keep an eye out for our free courses in
you’re a charity? – Understanding
partnership with ProHelp on Data Protection,
legal structures for organisations
Confidentiality and Employment Law.
Tuesday 30 June (10am-1pm) at Black
Development Agency, Russell Town Avenue,
To book and for more details go to
Redfield, Bristol BS5 9LT
www.voscur.org/training or contact Anna Polanek at
This session is for trustees or senior staff who
Voscur on 0117 909 9949, anna@voscur.org
want to know more about their legal structure
and those you have dealings with. It will also help
19
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20. Equalities & Human Rights
Gypsy and Traveller Month – June 2009
Gypsies and Travellers arthritis and diabetes did not have
are among the most a phone and making appointments
disadvantaged groups in our with the doctor was difficult.
society; they experience
poorer health, higher infant Another said that when her
mortality rates and the lowest husband felt ill he did not go for
educational attainment of all tests, and found out he had cancer
UK communities. when it was too late for treatment
– for some GRT communities the
custom is that people die at home,
How many Gypsies and Travellers
but he was not offered palliative
are there in England?
care because health workers would
Gypsy, Roma, Traveller (GRT)
not come out to the traveller site.
communities in England are not
distinguished by either the Census
Housing
or many ethnic record systems.
Local Authorities were required
Estimates are between 180,000
to find sites for GRT communities
and 350,000, the majority living in
until 1994 when the Criminal
bricks and mortar housing.
2 – 5 times more health problems and Justice and Public Order Act
than other UK residents. Their life was introduced and Travellers
Who is covered under
expectancy is on average 10 – 12 were encouraged to buy their
legislation?
years less than other UK residents; own land. However, over 90% of
Race Relations legislation covers
the average age of death among planning applications are refused
Romany Gypsies and Irish Travellers.
GRT men is 53. Infant mortality as opposed to 20% of non-traveller
As Showpeople (fairground and
rates are 3 times higher, children applications.
circus), Bargees (water travelling
are 1.5 – 2 times more likely to die
communities), New Travellers
in the first year of life than children The Gypsy and Traveller
or New Age Travellers are not
in non-GRT families. Accommodation Assessments
recognised as ethnic groups
(GTAAs) indicate that mobility and
they are not covered, although
Reasons such as lack of full access travelling have reduced over the
they could meet the Housing Act
to health services, suspicion about years for reasons such as access to
and planning definitions. All are
health services, being housed health and education, nowhere to
covered under the Human Rights
in substandard accommodation stop safely or fear of losing a site
Act.
and high levels of mental health place. Relative ‘settlement’ does
issues contribute to this. One not, however, mean that many
Health
settled traveller who suffered from GRT want to lose their identity
GRT communities have between
20 www.voscur.org Image: www.flickr.com/photos/scuoladiatene

21. Equalities & Human Rights
“Evidence shows that
settled travellers
or to move to bricks and mortar that do exist tend to be national or
experience poorer
accommodation. regional bodies.
health than roadside
When living in settled communities, Otherwise, there is a high
communities.”
retaining their culture and lifestyle reliance on statutory provision
is still very important. yet discriminatory institutional
and individual attitudes mean
Evidence shows that settled GRT communities do not get the
and support to develop their
travellers experience poorer health same level of services as non-GRT
potential.
than roadside communities. There communities. Research shows
is a sense of feeling trapped and that only 20% of PCT services
Criminal justice
imprisoned, there are imposed have any targeted provision for
There is no evidence that offending
regulations on traveller sites. For GRT communities (although this is
among GRT communities is higher
example some permanent sites currently changing with the PCT
than among other groups, yet a
prohibit residents from plumbing in Pacesetters pilot programme that
disproportionate number of GRT
water systems; the lack of running aims to raise awareness among
men are incarcerated; hence prison
water in caravans conflicts with health workers of GRT needs).
sentences are more likely to be
strict hygiene rules in some GRT Meanwhile, schools need to be
the outcome of prosecutions for
cultures. effectively managing the needs of
this group. Some GRT communities
GRT children whether travelling or
also view the Criminal Justice and
Education and Employment settled.
Public Order Act as prejudicial to
From assessments carried out from
their housing needs. In terms of
the School Census since 2003,
victimisation, GRT communities
OfSTED has stated that GRT children For more information
face extremely high levels of
and young people are ‘the most at on Gypsy and traveller
discrimination and harassment yet
risk in the education system.’ communities visit:
do not benefit from the range of
Voscur website:
services provided for victims of
They are the lowest attaining www.voscur.org
crime and hate crime.
amongst all minority ethnic groups. Bristol City Council ‘Gypsy
Poor education means most GRT and Traveller myth buster booklet’:
Services
communities are disadvantaged www.bristol.gov.uk
Work targeted at BME communities
in the job market and although Friends, Families and Travellers:
often neglects the needs of GRT
communities have traditionally www.gypsy-traveller.org
communities. There are few
been self employed this is changing The Gypsy Council:
voluntary sector groups established
as families are more static; they www.thegypsycouncil.org.uk
to support specific needs; those
therefore need sensitive training
21
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22. Equalities & Human Rights
Project Respect:
linking generations and cultures
National Refugee week is 15 cultural backgrounds from the and multi-cultural interaction. It
– 21 June and in this edition DICE Project (Disablist Incidents took people out of their comfort
of Thrive! we are featuring and Crime Education) at the City zone and got them to open up
important work to combat Academy Bristol, supported by about issues of prejudice; showing
prejudice. Young Bristol, with Elders mainly that such attitudes and beliefs are
from Caribbean communities. The not necessary.
participants shared experiences
Recent government research
and life stories in six exchange It also provided a safe place
found that many refugees are well
sessions over six weeks. The focus for the participants to explore
educated and qualified, and could
was on positive interaction of age aspects of their own and each
contribute more if prejudice did
groups and cultures. others life story, the process of
not stand in their way.
which underlined the value and
Elders had the opportunity to preciousness of each one of those
Targeted work to bring
spend time with young people, lives.
communities together to share
some of whom had only been
experiences and awareness is an
in this country for a couple of
ideal way of combating prejudice For more information
months. They found the young
and alienation. Victoria Appleton contact Emma at the
people lively, kind and interested
describes one such project that has Trinity Centre on
in the exchange and felt honoured
been taking place in Bristol: info@3ca.org.uk or Victoria on
to be part of their lives during the
info@victoriaappleton.com
sessions.
Through funding from Quartet
Community Foundation Fund for Refugee Action:
Young People appreciated that the
Older People, the Trinity Centre www.refugee-action.org.uk
Elders had given up their time to
extended ‘Project Respect’, Refugee Council:
show interest and that they were
reuniting some original participants www.refugeecouncil.org.uk
willing to support them. In return,
and welcoming new participants. United Nations High Commission
they wanted to take care of them,
The first phase of the project for Refugees:
particularly those needing support
involved workshops with young www.unhcr.org.uk
with physical mobility. They learnt
people and international Elders, Bristol City Council Refugee and
that older people are not boring,
now living in Bristol, which resulted Asylum Seeker myth busting
and that they don’t always order
in the creation of a sculpture and booklet:
you around!
time capsule. www.bristol.gov.uk
Saltford Myth buster:
The project has been effective in
The second phase of ‘Project www.salford.gov.uk/living/
offering opportunities for talking
Respect’ brought together young advice/refugee.htm
together and inter-generational
people from refugee and other
22 www.voscur.org

23. Equalities & Human Rights
Voscur’s Equalities and Human
Rights Commission (EHRC) project
Somali parents from Hannah More School, celebrate completion of the ‘Confident to Present’ course
How communities Development Frameworks or Local feel confident about expressing
Area Agreements but purely with their thoughts without being
benefited by finding
people’s own stories. judged.
and using their voices
Many of the communities we It was crucial that the project
The aim of Voscur’s EHRC worked with were not used enabled communities to challenge
project was to encourage to speaking out about what the views they had of themselves
good relations by improving concerned them. Some felt that - for example: tolerance of
dialogue, integration and they wouldn’t be listened to discrimination and prejudice,
cohesion between equalities because ‘their English wasn’t good gratitude for what the UK had
groups. enough’ or they had low literacy offered them, or a perception that
skills, or because they were just not they had nothing of any value
The need for this project cannot important enough. to say.
be underestimated. How often
do we attend meetings and Refugee women not only enjoyed One participant from the Gypsy and
hear reports about particular the training but found it helped Traveller community said that the
communities rather than reports them to recognise their existing project had transformed his life.
from communities? The project skills as well as improve them. He had previously not been aware
needed to challenge this process; Teenage parents talked about how of the level of discrimination he
it meant having to start at a place much they were enthused and able experienced until he had sat down
that didn’t involve jargon such as to explore ideas and were able to and thought about it at the training.
23
www.voscur.org