Economic and Employment Update | Useful Links | Key Resources | Impact of the Recession

Support to help the voluntary community and social enterprise (VCSES) sector through the recession.

Voscur has brought together some information on the impact of the recession, some useful links and key resources aimed at supporting groups at this time. We will add to this page as we find more useful resources.

Extra Jobs Help available here

NAVCA Tender Support Project

Would you like some one-to-one help with writing an excellent tender submission?

Are you:

• a local voluntary or community organisation or social enterprise?
• ready to tender for a contract to deliver a local public service?
• new or inexperienced in writing tender submissions?

The NAVCA Tender Support Project will provide one-to-one support to increase your ability to win contracts to deliver public services. One day of consultancy is available and can be used for single or partnership bids.

For more information please click here.

Dealing with redundancies

If you are planning to make people redundant and need to understand more about your responsibilities as an employer, you can also get help from the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform's Redundancy Helpline on 0845 145 0004 or go to the Businesslink Website.

Advice for running businesses of all sizes available:

Real Help for Businesses:

There is a range of free support to find finance, raise productivity, or save money by reducing waste and saving energy. Whether you need to increase cash flow, keep your staff on, improve their skills and flexibility, or simply reduce costs, you can get real help to keep your business fighting fit by clicking here.

Employing people:

Information and guidance available about taking on staff; Pay and pensions; Managing your staff; Improving staff performance; Problems and incidents such as Dismissals, redundancies, disciplinary problems, disputes and grievances.  To access please click here.

The Economic Downturn - 15 questions Trustees need to ask

Please click here to view the Charity Commission's Economic Downturn Checklist.

Planning for a Stronger Future

Voscur and our partners can offer suport services for groups experiencing change during the recession, or supporting individuals and communitites during the recession.

As part of a new offer – Social Enterprise Works and Voscur are together offering an opportunity for some intensive organisational and business development support.  To read more please click here.

We can also offer one-to-one funding sessions with groups to identify a range of potential funders for projects and services, look through your funding applicatins before y ou submit them and give advice about hou you address funders' requirements in the information you provide.

Are you thinking of forming partnerships for joint working?  Need time to explore your ideas on this a bit more? We know that partnership working takes planning and resources.  If you are thinking of joint working with another organisation or agency from a different sector we can help by offering you a bursary of £1,000 to pay for a consultant to work with you.

The scheme is being managed by Voscur and supported by Voluntary Action North Somerset, DEVELOP (Bath and North East Somerset Council for Voluntary Service), and South Gloucestershire Council for Voluntary Service.  For further information click here

ProHelp

ProHelp is a national network of over 600 professional firms committed to making a difference in their local community by providing free advice and professional support. ProHelp's aim is to ensure that local community groups can access free professional help and advice with issues that might otherwise hinder their work and projects.  Support is focused in areas of greatest need.

To download the application form click here  and to find out more about the support they offer click here

Training

Free courses for your staff and volunteers with City of Bristol College.

Has your organisation had to issue redundancies to staff over the past 6 months, or is likely to have to do so?  You can signpost staff who are in this position to free learning and development opportunities being offered by City of Bristol College.   This could include volunteers working with you who have been made redundant from previous employment.  The courses are funded by the European Social Fund.  To be eligible for the courses individuals must be:

• Over 18
• Able to work in the UK
• Made redundant in the last 6 months or facing redundancy.

There are a range of courses that run for a period of 2 weeks on a rolling programme.  If relevant City of Bristol College could tailor courses for a group of organisations. 

Please see flyer, or contact Ruth Pitter on: ruth@voscur.org / 0117 909 9949 for more details. 

Click here to view the flyer.

Economic and Employment Update

South West Key Facts: January 2010 - about the South West Labour Market

Bristol City Council Economic update - this Bristol City Council website is updated monthly.

Worksmart - the Trade Union Congress (TUC), with the help of Citizens Advice, published a selection of advice to give practical information about how best to weather the current economic storm. Including resources on workers' redundancy rights, job hunting, training options and welfare & benefits. Click here to download TUC's 'Coping with the economic downturn guide' as a pdf.

Guidance notes - how to manage your workforce in a recession, a joint Acas and CIPD publication

Equalities and Human Rights Commission guide to managing in a downturn. The guide sets out how employers can use flexible working and manage redundancies fairly in the current climate.

Useful links

ACEVO Recession Support - The Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (ACEVO) has launched a website aimed at helping the third sector through the economic downturn. The website offers practical advice and expert guides from industry leaders on a range of topics, it states. It also provides a selection of tips about business, cost saving, fraud prevention, staff management and funding, as well as useful links to courses and relevant events.

Surviving the downturn - a NCVO webpage on how to deal with economic uncertainty. With '5 top tips to survive and thrive', news and case studies.

Charities Aid Foundation - CAF has opened a confidential Financial Crisis Helpline. Leaders worried about their organisation's financial viability can request a one-off confidential discussion with experienced managers who will listen and suggest steps for support.

Charity Finance Directors' Group - CFDG has launched a Recession Watch web page with the latest news and advice on the recession, and advice and services available to CFDG members.

NIVCA Recession Toolkit - Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action have put together some interactive resources for assessing capacity to survive and addressing issues that might undermine organisations.

Resources

Early warning guide - this guide is intended for use by board members and managers of third sector organisations.

Dealing with a fundraising crisis - a guide from the Funding Advice Bureau on what to do when you are facing funding cuts

Backing communities: local solutions - councils and voluntary and community organisations supporting people through the recession

ICT Recession Buster - list of links to free and cheap for improving and maintaining your IT systems

Managing in a Downturn, (November 2008) a report produced by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, the Charity Finance Directors Group (CFDG) and the Institute of Fundraising predicted that there would be a shortfall of around £2.3 bn across the sector next financial year. Download report here (pdf)

LGA/NCVO document backing communities: local solutions - councils and voluntary and community organisations supporting people through the recession.

Powerpoints from Voscur Collaboration and Merger Training held on 15 July 2009.

Impact of the recession

From recession to recovery: the local dimension - This report, commissioned by the LGA, analyses the local effects of recession and the impact of the economic slowdown on towns and cities, regions and sub regions in England.

The Credit Crunch and Regeneration: Impact and Implications January 2009 - Communities and Local Government has published a study of what the effect of the economic downturn has been, what might happen next, and what the key implications for partners involved in regeneration are.

Economic Survey of Charities - published by the Charities Commission illustrates the deepening impact of the recession on charities.