Magazine Autumn 2012 Issue 5

Autumn 2012 Issue 05

Promoting excellence involuntary and community services

Inside• Page 3:

CEO Editorial

• Page 4 & 5:Support forgroups

• Page 6:Training

• Page 7:CommunityTransport

• Page 8 & 9:Getting to knowyour Community

• Page 10:Helping an orgwith volunteers

• Page 11:Five Ways toWellbeing

• Page 12 & 13:AffordableHousing

• Page 14:NeighbourhoodResolutionsProject

• Page 15:CommunicationsFeedback

This Issue:

Community Impact BucksPage 2

Contents

CEO Editorial


At Community Impact Bucks ourpurpose is to promote excellence involuntary and community services.We do this by supporting anyone whowants to to volunteer, by providingadvice and information to communitygroups and organisations to help themthrive and by enabling communities toidentify and develop activities that arewanted and/or needed.

In the current climate of increasingexpectations and demand of thevoluntary and community sectoralongside reducing resources availableto it – issues we are not immune from– we have been reviewing how wedeliver services to you, and whatthey are, as well as balancing thequality vs quantity argument.

At our core is the intent to empowergroups and individuals, to address your

support needs when you ask, if notbefore through events or

training. To that end weare providing access tomany more self-help

tools, guides, case studies and templates.By access we mean events, telephoneand internet support as your first port ofcall. If more support is needed we canprovide it through additional training, orscoped projects, although for some ofthese we may have to make a charge.

To aid your access to our support, adviceand information we are revising ourwebsite to include frequently askedquestions (FAQs) and mapping possiblepathways to solutions based on thosequestions, whilst keeping on offer ourtelephone, email and face to face support.

To give you a taste of the pathways thatcan result from FAQs this edition ofImpact illustrates some of the pathwaysthat may help you or your group /organisation.

[email protected] 0845 389 0389

Cora CarveyChief Executive


Support for groups

Support for groups and organisationsTo provide timely support to your organisation we have developed a range ofroutes and services including free self-help tools, face to face surgeries andmore intensive chargeable support to ensure we can meet your organisation’sneeds.

Several guides have been developedproviding valuable information that willhelp your organisation, available for freeon our website with more planned forthe Autumn. These include: Guide toBusiness Planning, Good PracticeGuide to Involving Volunteers, Guideto Project Planning, Guide to Funding,and Guide to Sustainable Funding andFinancing options.

We find that many groups need quickalerts from us as to possible fundingstreams that they can apply for. Over thepast year we have built up our FundingBlog www.bucksfunding.wordpress.comand this has now become a popularsource of up to date fundinginformation. We recommend that youuse this as a first port of call if you arelooking specifically for funding help. Youcan also subscribe to the funding blog toreceive regular updates by email toensure you never miss out on the latestupdates.

We also find that groups like to have faceto face sessions with us to help themthink through issues around governance,business planning and funding. We arenow holding monthly Funding AdviceSurgeries, offering individual 45 minuteappointments to discuss your project orfunding issue with funding advisers.You can book onto these via our fundingblog, using the online forms within.If, during your funding advice session,it becomes apparent that yourorganisation would benefit from expertvolunteer help, for example, to developa business plan, to do some marketing,develop a website, put together abudget, etc. we can refer you to one ofour Expert Volunteers for this service.Similarly we are able to refer yourorganisation for help from a localbusiness through our VolunteerWorkout programme, which could offerparticular expertise, resources, or assistyou with a fundraising event.

Support for groups


More intensive one to one advice workwith groups is, in turn, more resourceintensive for us and there is a significantcost to us to provide this. You cancommission us to do this more intensivework, although we may need to make acharge in order to do so. In some

instances we have been able to securefunds to cover this cost, for example –if you are an organisation or group thatworks with the over 50s then ourSustainability Adviser, Sara Greenwood([email protected]),can support you in this way.


Training

Strategic VolunteeringShort description:A one day workshop focussed on how to involve volunteers to reach strategic andlong term goals, including high calibre professionals or expert volunteers.

Course Introduction:Many organisations involve volunteers in service delivery, but this workshop isfocussed on improving how to involve volunteers to reach strategic and longerterm goals.

Whether you are already have volunteers or want to start a new programme, theworkshop is an opportunity to review your current priorities, learn from good practiceand apply it to your own organisation.

Aimed at trustees or staff with responsibility for volunteering, this will help to identifyhow to benefit from volunteer involvement.

The workshop will cover: • Understanding why people volunteer • Identify what volunteers can offer to your organisation• Clarify priorities for taking your Volunteer programme forward • Investigate new and strategically important volunteer roles • Identify routes to recruitment of high calibre and professionally qualified volunteers• Reviewed needed management inputs and develop a management case for a new

initiative or plan• Consider some issues around motivation and management

Book online at http://www.theclarefoundation.org/training.html

During September we have been conductinga feedback survey on your training needs,this has been done to double check that thetraining we offer to you across the Countycontinues to meet your needs. The surveyhas been done in collaboration withAylesbury and Chiltern District Council, TheClare Foundation and Action 4 Youth whoalong with ourselves deliver training to thevoluntary sector and who are part of thetraining directory partnership. The nextedition of the training directory will bepublished on line for the period October 12

to March 13 and will take guidance from thesurvey’s findings. This is important becauseover the last 12 months a number of coursesincluded in the Countywide trainingdirectory have had to be cancelled due tolow numbers. Clearly this situation is of nobenefit to anyone and it is vital in thesetimes of scarce resources that we focus ondelivering training that appeals and deliversto a broad number of groups. If you havenot seen the survey but wish to feedbackyour comments please [email protected].

Community Transport


Buckinghamshire County Council,Buckinghamshire Community Foundationand Community Impact Bucks are pleasedto announce the launch of the CommunityTransport Challenge Fund; an exciting newopportunity to support local communitiesand community transport providerspromote and develop communitytransport services in Buckinghamshire.

Community Transport services provide alife line to local people who are in dangerof becoming socially isolated due to alack of transport. Approximately 75community transport schemes exist inBuckinghamshire alone, often run by asmall team of volunteers. The aim of theCommunity Transport Challenge is to supportnew and existing services in activities thatenable local people to get around. Grantsof up to £30,000 will be available toregistered charities, informally constitutedorganisations such as village car schemesand social enterprises. A total of £150,000is available, to be split between thesuccessful applicants, andcan be used for eithercapital or revenuepurposes.

The activities undertaken must either becompletely new projects or a clearly differentapproach to an existing service.

The award of funds will be split into twophases:

Phase OneSummer 2012 to November 2012

Phase TwoJanuary 2013 to 30th June 2013

All applicants will be supported and givenguidance by Buckinghamshire CommunityFoundation and Community Impact Bucks,who will also take applicants through anorganisational review.

For further information about the Fund andhow to apply, contact BuckinghamshireCommunity Foundation on 01296 330134 oremail: [email protected]


Getting to know your Community

Getting to know your CommunityFor a number of years Community Impact Bucks has supported communitiesthroughout Buckinghamshire in embracing the benefits of Community Led Planning.Community Led Planning, sometimes known as Parish Planning, is an ideal way toreach out and truly understand what the needs and aspirations are of people wholive in your community.

The process is truly community led,bringing local volunteers together on aproject in which they undertake a rangeof community consultation activities;from which an action plan of projects andpriorities is established and implemented.The process and the resulting projectsbring all sorts of people from thecommunity together to develop theirshared vision for the future of theircommunity. The resulting action planthen provides the community with theroute map to progress towards achievingthe overall holistic vision for theirneighbourhood.

With the introduction of the localismact, we are now seeing communitiesusing Community Led Planning tounderstand what the local shared visionis for their area, and to identify which ofthe tools within the localism act can besthelp them achieve their vision. Putsimply, Community Led Planning helpsyou understand what you need as acommunity, and the rights within thelocalism act can then provide theframework to take action on what hasbeen identified.

The process is also a good way to startthe discussions with the local authoritiesand other service providers in how theycan help your community. CommunityLed Planning really is the tool to kickstart localism in your community andCommunity Impact Bucks is here to help.

Getting to know your Community


With our Community Led Planningsupport, we can help your communityundertake expert communityengagement using a range of differenttools and techniques; from working withsmall groups of village organisations,through to providing expertise inengaging with particular groups such asyoung people using our i-van.

For more information on CommunityLed Planning please visit theCommunity Impact Bucks website(www.communityimpactbucks.org.uk/pages/community-led-planning.html),

where you will find a range of resourcesand case studies on what has beenachieved in a community like yours.

If you would like to explore CommunityLed Planning activity further withinyour community we would be morethan willing to come out and meet withyou, so feel free to contact us [email protected] call 0845 3890389 and ask to speak tothe community development team.


Helping an organisation with volunteers

The Well @ Lent Rise came to CommunityImpact Bucks needing help with marketingtheir organisation. As Nicky Allen explains:“In the past we have struggled to have anyresponse to adverts we have placed forexpert volunteers. Following a meetingwith Alison Holloway (Community Impact’sExpert Volunteer Coordinator) we had a farbetter understanding of what to actuallyinclude in the adverts and we have beenmuch more successful ever since.”

The charity, based in Burnham currentlyruns six projects providing help to thelocal community including supportingvulnerable individuals, providing freefinancial guidance and running a youthoutreach service. They wanted to raisetheir profile locally by means of amarketing leaflet which would encouragepeople to donate funds. CPS, a companybased in Marlow, had been helped byLucie Maldoom (Community Impact’sVolunteer Workout Project manager) toset up an employer supportedvolunteering scheme. Volunteer Workoutworks with businesses and businesspeople to enable them to give back totheir communities. Laura Radcliffe, themarketing manager for CPS, volunteeredher time as part of this initiative.

Following 2 days input the leaflet wascompleted, a printer found and the leafletavailable in time for a fundraising event.“Reflecting on this assignment (says Laura)I have learnt a lot about how smallcharitable organisations function and thedifficulties they face – I’ve also discoveredthe huge difference they make to thepeople they touch. It was great to be ableto help out and deliver something that thecharity will be able to use to further theirexcellent work.”

As Nicky Allen from The Well explains:“A totally new leaflet was produced whichwas more up to date than our existingmaterial and a far better reflection of whowe are as a charity. Along the way we havelearned some useful tips about setting outand planning documents which has beena huge added bonus. Moreover, Laura hasdone a brilliant job on the leaflet and nowwants to help us with a few other thingswe have been struggling with. We couldn’tbe happier!”

“We will DEFINITELY use expert volunteersin the future. It is a brilliant way to matchup people with relevant skills to helporganisations such as ours. It is a fantasticservice for which we are truly grateful. “

Helping an organisationwith volunteers

Five Ways to Wellbeing


Community Impact Bucks aresupporting a Buckinghamshire widecommunications campaign thatlaunched in April 2012 to encouragethe general adult population toimprove their mental wellbeing.

Eleven organisations acrossBuckinghamshire, including the districtand county councils, NHS, Bucks Sportand the voluntary sector led byCommunity Impact Bucks have workedtogether to implement a co-ordinatedcampaign across Buckinghamshire topromote the Five Ways to Wellbeing andpromote existing programmes, facilitiesand events which related to each of thefive themes.

From the pre evaluation which soughtpeople s awareness of the Five Ways toWellbeing, the results are encouraging.

Headline results showed that:

• 36% of respondents had heard of the FiveWays to Wellbeing but 58% had not, yethigh numbers of people said that theycarried out some of the five actionswithin their daily lives, indicating that thelink between what they were doing andits benefit to their mental wellbeing wasperhaps unknown.

• Walking to be active and studying for aqualification to keep learning were thetwo most popular actions done byrespondents. However, the resultsshow there are clear opportunities topromote alternative activities whichpromote wellbeing other than thoselisted by respondents.

• Locally created logos and symbols forthe campaign were favourablyreceived, with 75% recognising the FiveWays logo and 68% strongly agreeingthat the wellbeing symbols matchedthe actions they represented.

• Of those who responded 66% agreed tobeing contacted again for follow upsurveys, giving us a great baseline onwhich to further evaluate this campaign.

If you want to know more about FiveWays to Wellbeing or how your groupcan get involved visit:www.buckinghamshire.nhs.uk/wellbeing

Five Ways to Wellbeing campaignshows encouraging results


Affordable Housing

Celebrating the official opening of Tingewick’ssecond affordable housing schemeOn Friday 22 June 2012, practically five years to the date of the opening of the firstaffordable rural housing scheme in Tingewick, a second development of 8 homes forlocal people was opened by the Rt Hon John Bercow MP.

l-r in foreground Peter Smith – Chairman Tingewick Parish Council; Cllr Derrick Isham – ChairmanAylesbury Vale District Council and Rt Hon John Bercow MP at the official opening of Tingewick II.

The scheme, offers 2 one bedroom flats,3 two bedroom houses and 1 threebedroom house for rent and 2 onebedroom flats for shared ownership.

In Buckinghamshire, high house pricesoften mean that people who have astrong local connection to a rural parishoften can’t afford to buy or rent in the

villages where they belong. Ruralexception schemes address that issue byproviding housing for those people andensuring that those houses remainaffordable and available for local peoplein perpetuity. This housing makes a realdifference to peoples’ lives, offering alasting advantage for rural villages.

Affordable Housing


Would you like to find out how your village can provide homes for the community? orperhaps affordable housing has been identified as a need through your community ledplan.

Call or contact:

Jean Fox, Rural Housing Enabler, Community Impact Buckson 0845 3890389 or [email protected]


Neighbourhood Resolutions Project

Community Impact Bucks is workingin partnership with Thames ValleyPolice and Wycombe District Councilto deliver an exciting new pilotproject designed to tackle low levelcrime and anti-social behaviour in theHigh Wycombe area. The scheme,known as NeighbourhoodResolutions, is based on the principlesof Restorative Justice, with acommunity volunteer facilitating ameeting between wrong-doer andvictim. The volunteer’s role in theprocess is to support both parties indeciding on what reparative actionthe wrong-doer can take to helprepair the hurt, damage and distressoften caused.

One of the scheme’s main aims is toreduce the number of first timeoffenders entering the Criminal JusticeSystem. Dealing with low level crimeand anti-social behaviour in this waymeans the wrong-doer is able to avoid acriminal record and is effectively givena second chance to change his or herways. But the meetings are definitelynot a soft option. Facing the victim canbe a powerful experience and hearing

from them about the consequencesof their actions, has the potential ofmitigating the chances of thewrong-doer re-offending in the future.But the most important person in thewhole process is the victim, withthe meeting being an effective wayof giving them the opportunity ofhaving their voice heard and enablingthem to take an active part in thejustice process.

Low level crime and anti-socialbehaviour, such as graffiti, criminaldamage and drunk and disorderlyconduct, can have a huge impact oncommunities. This initiative offersmembers of the public the opportunityto address these issues in a positiveway, helping them make theircommunities safer, more pleasantplaces in which to live.

We have great hopes for the project andthe volunteering opportunities itprovides and if it proves successful inHigh Wycombe there are plans to roll itout to other areas. So watch this spaceand we’ll keep you updated.

Communications Feedback


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PROMOTING EXCELLENCE IN VOLUNTARY AND COMMUNITY SERVICES

Documents

Magazine Autumn 2012 Issue 5