NVSC - Newham Voluntary Sector Consortium
September 01, 2003
Neighbourhood Facilitation's Plight
Over the past two months the wheels have been turning and at last the Neighbourhood Facilitation Service (NFS) knows its fate. We now have another name to get our heads around ñ Community Participation Unit (CPU). If it were just a name change then ok, but of course its not.
Reviews
In 2002 Culture and Community embarked upon a review of the NFS that many of you participated in. This review ran alongside the review of the LSP, culminating in a thorough report of the NFS produced by Hilary Barnard of SDP. Unlike the review of the LSP where two days were set aside for discussion, Hilaryís review had barely 30 minutes of discussion and only because the Neighbourhood Facilitation panel community members pushed for it.
Change Needed
NVSC and the community forum reps on the LSP accepted that there needed to be a change. We welcomed the proposed aims and objectives. But from the outset we argued that if genuine neighbourhood renewal were to happen, then each area needed a facilitator. When Culture and Community first produced their response to the review, they talked about a reduction in staff because there was a shortfall in funding. They were not clear what the structure would be and used the findings of the review, out of context, to justify their actions. Nowhere in the review did it recommend a reduction in the number of facilitators.
Concerns
We were concerned at any lack of financial information ñ the original budget from NRF was almost £600k, we are still waiting to see any financial breakdown, which justifies the annihilation of the service. We were also concerned that the final decision about NFS would be made by the Executive Board without any discussion on the structure. Our third concern was
about losing the only practical support the forums had.
Staff Reductions
All of the communities concerns have been brushed aside, and we now have a new unit the CPU with a staff of 4 ñ 5 Facilitators and 1 Manager. It is hard to see how this much reduced team will be able to deliver even if the Council were to retain 4 or 5 of the current Facilitators.
However all of the permanent staff left have been issued their redundancy notices. 4 secondees will be on their way at the end of September, with 2 Facilitators having already lined up other jobs, leaving 2 others with no employment rights as they were on short term contracts. That leaves 4 experienced staff left who may be offered ring fenced interviews, but only after pressure was applied. If they are not successful they too will be on their way by the middle of October.
All the good work achieved in the forum areas will be lost. We know only too well that trust takes a long time to build, especially in communities that have been neglected for a long time. With the prospect of new staff not being in post until December at the earliest the community will have every right to feel cheated. With 10 Facilitators it was difficult with 4 it is hard to envisage what will happen. It really begs the question of how serious are the Council about community engagement?
Resilience
The Community in Newham are resilient ñ they embrace each initiative set them. But there comes a time when even they recognise that they are merely being played with. No, the NFS was not perfect, no it was not delivering in every area as it should. Perhaps it needs to be recognised that there was never a clear shared understanding as to what was to be done, that the service was poorly managed and that in some areas there was conflict with elected members who were also unclear about their role. What the community donít deserve is to be encouraged to participate, led to believe that they can make a difference and have a commitment to change and then to have the only dedicated resource removed.
No Voice
Having given hours of their time for no financial reward, Community representatives on the Civic Partnership have been invited to the discussion table under the guise of partners but instead are told they are merely there to legitimise the process and that they have a voice but not a vote.
Celebrating the work of Newhamís Volunteers
With a staff team of 2 and 2 committed volunteers, Director Gurdial Bhamra and Nancy Whiskin ñ Volunteer Co-ordinator, The Volunteer Network Centre have already achieved a number of successes.
Volunteers Week
One such recent success was the launch of Newhamís Volunteers Week. Attended by Civic Ambassador Mrs Joy Laguda, the week long event celebrated the achievements of the boroughs volunteers and gave recognition to the role of volunteers in the community.
Funding
Funded by money from the 5th round of the Single Regeneration Budget, The Volunteer Network Centre was established in October 2002, after a feasibility study concluded there was a dire need for one body to co-ordinate the work of volunteers and volunteer agencies. Now actively seeking funding for their second year of operation, The Network has many ambitious projects they wish to embark upon.
For example, one of the projects they hope to run is one where organisations release workers for half a day or a full day to undertake work within the community. Mr Bhamra said ëcompanies can release one or even a whole team of workers to get involved in community related work. This type of project is already operational in other boroughs and actually makes a marvellous team building exercise.í
Long Term Plans
Some of the Networks aims and objectives are to develop volunteering management and good practice policies for organisations that want to work with volunteers. To develop a skills matching database whereby the skills of the volunteer can be matched to the needs of an organisation. Another strategic long term objective is to reach some of the marginalised groups in Newham, such as the boroughís 15,000 unemployed, who through volunteering can gain valuable skills increasing their chances of securing employment. Asylum Seekers and refugees of whom there are an estimated 5 ñ 6,000, and the over 65s who in their lifetime would have gained a variety of skills from which others could benefit.
Appeal
The Network is actively seeking organisations who would like to give a volunteer the opportunity to gain work place skills and volunteers to work in a variety of roles with full support given.
If you would like further information then the Volunteer Network Centre would love to hear from you. Contact Gurdial Bhamra or Nancy Whiskin on 020 8221 4514 for further information.
Is Your website Accessible to All?
If your Web site is not accessible to disabled people you could be breaking the law. The European Union (EU) is currently drafting legislation enforcing public and private organisations to ensure their online services are accessible to all. If passed, it could come into effect by the end of 2003, along with enforcement procedures that will allow cases to be taken to court in any EU member state.
What you need to know
In the UK, under the the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA), any organisation that offers goods or services via their Web site is under a legal obligation to make their sites accessible. Most people with sight problems have some useful vision, and read online text in exactly the same way as fully sighted people: with their eyes. However, the needs of people with poor sight vary, depending on how their eye condition affects their vision. Some people require large text, while others can only read smaller letters. Most people need a highly contrasting colour schemes, whilst others can only read yellow text on a black background. To cater for everyone, web sites should be flexible in design, enabling the individual to adjust the text and colour settings to suit their needs.
In contrast, people with very little or no vision read Web pages with the help of access technology installed on their computer. Synthesised speech software reads the content of web pages aloud through a speaker, while braille software outputs to a retractable display, so that the Web site can be read by touch. An accessible web site is one that can be visited by anybody. It is perfectly possible to produce an attractive, dynamic design that remains fully accessible.
Ten Accessibility Tips
- Is the text legible?
Contrast is an important factor to consider when designing sites. Go for text and background colour combinations that offer maximum contrast.
- Is the design flexible?
Is it easy to change the colours and the size of the text by adjusting browser settings?
- Does every image have ‘alt-text’? This provides a description of the image for people accessing the site via speech synthesis software.
- Is there a site map? Site maps help visitors to get an impression of the layout of the site quickly, and will make it easier to navigate.
- Do links make sense out of context? Sighted people scan screens of information to locate the parts that interest them. If you cannot see, and rely on synthesised speech technology to ‘hear’ web sites, you need another way to get a quick impression of the content of a page. Commonly, the access software visually impaired people use will provide a list of all the links on a page as a means of getting the ‘flavour’ of the content. If a link contains only the words ‘click here’, its function will not be obvious.
- Are image maps accompanied by text links? Some software packages used by visually impaired people cannot read image maps, so it is important to make text links available as well.
- Do frames have titles, or is ‘noframes’ used? Some visually impaired people may be using software that cannot read frames. It is vital that the NOFRAMES tag is used to offer people alternative frames-free versions of your pages.
- Are alternatives offered for JavaScript, applets, Flash or plug-ins? If you are writing pages in anything other than HTML, you may be excluding some people from your site.
- Is Access Adobe available for PDF files? Adobe Acrobat Reader is not compatible with the access software many visually impaired people use. Access Adobe transforms PDF files into HTML.
- Do all pages pass the ‘Bobby’ test? The Centre for Applied Special Technology (CAST) has created an automated accessibility checker, code-named Bobby. Bobby will test for HTML 4.0 compatibility, that all graphic elements have text equivalents, and that written summaries have been provided for graphs and statistical material.
Have you registered yet?
NVSC is embarking upon an exciting new project, for which your help is required. NVSC already has a database of over 800 voluntary, faith and community groups, but now we want to put that database online. The same information will be collated to produce a directory of Newhamís voluntary, faith and community groups to be published in spring 2004.
The online database will give easy access to those who want to find out about your service, where you are, what you do and how to get in touch at the click of a button. The directory will hold the same information but in
a paper format, in a ring binder file, making replacing outdated information easy with regular updated inserts.
How will it work?
All you have to do is to complete a Registration Form. This can be downloaded from the NVSC website at www.nvsc.org.uk or email admin@nvsc.org.uk and a copy will be emailed back to you or call us on 0208 519 9500 and ask for a copy of the Registration Form to be sent to you.
Become a Member
Become a member by ticking the box in Section 5 of the Registration Form. By becoming a member you will gain access to the NVSC website to post your own information about events, meetings and training.
Create your own WebPages
Becoming a member has additional advantages. For members who do not have their own website, weíre giving you the opportunity to have your very own Web page. That means your organisation will be able to be accessed via the Internet at no cost to you.
The online database will be in operation from November. We need your Registration Form back as soon as possible, so donít delay, send it back today.
What would you like to do?
Is there a project you are really keen to get underway but not sure how to go about organising it? Well, the Community Involvement unit (CIU) may be able to assist you.
The CIU provides voluntary sector and business training resources, development and support. It also provides a well-stocked library of voluntary, community and charity sector publications, databases and resources, research services and advice on organisational development, and a range of training courses in community venues across East London.
If you require assistance with any projects you would like to run or are interested in a base to work from, please do not hesitate to contact the Community Development Officer, Marilyn Garber on 0208 536 3822
Lending to Londonís Local Communities
Voluntary and community groups developing their revenue-generating activities and who need finance in order to do so now have a source of funding and a specialist support service to help them on the road to sustainability.
The London Rebuilding Society (LRS) is a community development finance institution set up to strengthen Londonís social economy by lending money and offering enterprise support to organisations developing services and jobs in disadvantaged communities.
Access to Finance
While more opportunities arising for the voluntary sector to develop social enterprise (services that are sold or contracted rather than grant-funded), one of the major barriers has been the lack of access to finance from sources that understand the sector. LRSís Social Enterprise Fund provides loans between £5,000 and £50,000 along with support and advice from staff who are experts in the field. Any not-for-private-profit organisation may qualify for our services including co-operatives, community businesses, and social firms, as well as charities and voluntary bodies with a trading arm. East London borrowers from the Social Enterprise Fund include Race Equality in Newham (REIN), the local CRE, who were able to purchase the freehold of their building.
Understanding the Voluntary Sector, the London Rebuilding Society is more than a loan fund, it assists those organisations and enterprises that achieve social aims to benefit the community, gain access to finance, and supports them in understanding what investors and lenders are looking for. Most important of all it is developing new kinds of finance that suit the sectorís needs.
Mutual Aid
Their Mutual Aid Fund has a credit-union style structure and is a savings and loan facility for community organisations to build reserves, capacity, and skills. This fund is being piloted at the moment and membership is now already open.
This autumn will see test lending from a further loan fund - Assistance and Business Loans for Ethical Enterprise (ABLE). This fund is aimed at organisations that may have an element of private profit, but whose work is of economic, environmental, or social benefit to their community.
For further information about the services LRS offer, or to discuss how loan finance might assist your project, contact the Local Development Managers through London Rebuilding Societyís head office on 020 7682 1666 or email info@londonrebuilding.com
Reduced Rail Travel for Charities
To help Charities devote the maximum possible funding to their work rather than to administration costs, Virgin have set up a Charity Line and are offering an easement to their Saver ticket to registered charities. The new Virgin Trains Charity Line service will be a booking service available to all UK registered Charities. Charities will have to register to use this service, by calling 0845 30 50 350 or by completing a registration form and will cost £15 per year.
When registering Charities can give details of travel preferences, authorised bookers and payment methods and these will be held on file to speed up the booking process. You can sign up online