Voscur Annual Report 2009-2010

Annual Review 2009/10

Chief Executive’s report

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Infrastructure reviewStrong leadership from Voscur’s board, a skilled staff team, and committed members have, this year, enabled Voscur to review its future in response to Bristol City Council’s infrastructure review. The board has made decisions that will affect the future of Voscur and the future of voluntary sector support and development services in Bristol. Much time has been spent consulting with our members on the Council’s draft infrastructure strategy, seeking their views as to Voscur’s role in any new services, and responding to the local authority.

ServicesAlthough the infrastructure review has created extra demands on Voscur staff, we have worked hard to maintain ‘business as usual’ so that our members have not experienced a loss of services during this busy time.

Direct support provided to members has included: 33 training sessions delivered by our own staff and in partnership with Volunteering Bristol, Avon and Bristol Law Centre, Equality South West and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations; 13 in-house tailored sessions; 75 guided funding advice sessions; 28 one to one support sessions with groups reviewing their development plans and funding applications.

Capacitybuilders’ Real Help for Communities fund enabled us to establish a list of specialist support providers and provide bursaries for 21 groups interested in merger and collaboration. The success of this fund led to us setting up a similar arrangement with Quartet Community Foundation, which supported five smaller groups. Our weekly e-bulletin reaches 945 subscribers and our website now attracts 23,000 unique page visits per week. We also provide specialist Children and Young People’s Organisations, Neighbourhood Partnerships, and Skills and Learning e-bulletins.

The recession, and the increased demand for services, has meant that the operating environment has been difficult for Voscur and many of its members. An important role this year was to utilise funding from the Council’s recession mitigation fund to provide recession related support for 100 groups. This included working with specialist providers to offer services such as Human Resources support and business planning.

We have been able to generate income from some of our activities – for example, our reputation for delivering high

quality Equalities training led to our being commissioned by the National Health Service Pacesetters programme to deliver a series of gypsy and traveller awareness training sessions in partnership with gypsy and traveller communities.

InfluencingVoscur had an important role in the Council’s Select Committee on Third Sector Commissioning, bringing in expert witnesses from NAVCA and leading the design of a survey on commissioning from the sector, which will inform future policy making. The employment of the Compact Liaison Officer on behalf of the Compact Steering Group has enabled us to promote the value of the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector in the commissioning and delivery of public services.

Working with Equalities partners and the Bristol Partnership’s Director, we have revived the Bristol Partnership’s Equalities Action Group this year, so that Equalities groups again have a place at the Partnership table.

Voscur staff and members continue to be active within the Bristol Partnership: we have attended more than 50 Partnership related meetings and events this year, including meetings of the Executive Board, the Recession Resilience Group, the Migration Impact Fund Group, the Third Sector Strategy Group, the Thriving Neighbourhoods Board, the Prosperous and Ambitious Board, the Health and Wellbeing Board, the Children and Young People’s Trust Board and the Safer Bristol Board. Our

Wendy Stephenson Chief Executive

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This year has been both fascinating and tough for Voscur, as it probably has been for many of our members. It has presented Voscur with some difficult choices, particularly in working through the commissioning process for infrastructure organisations.

We are very hopeful that the new delivery and Voluntary Sector Assembly model we have developed through consultation with members and stakeholders, will be a dynamic and effective structure for years to come. We hope it will strengthen the sector in Bristol.

There are many people to thank for their support during the year including our members and partners. I would also like to thank the staff for their contribution, which has been above and beyond normal expectations, and also fellow board members who have been very constructive.

Joanna Holmes Chair

webcast reports from meetings have been viewed almost 1000 times.

We raised the profile of the sector by getting involved in the design and delivery of the Partnership’s 20:20 week to promote the launch of its ten year plan, and ensured that there is a role for Voluntary and Community Sector organisations in the Partnership’s 20:20 plan. As part of 20:20 week we promoted the use of Free and Open Source Information and Communications Technology which has been fundamental to improving Voscur’s communications systems.

NetworkingVoscur networks continue to provide opportunities for people and groups to meet, learn and influence. In addition to our Neighbourhood Partnerships Residents’ Forum, Children and Young People’s Organisations Network and Assembly meetings, this year we have worked with Bristol City Council to provide a Community Buildings Network and with Clinks to provide networking opportunities for groups working within the criminal justice system.

ThanksI would like to take this opportunity to thank the Voscur

board for its leadership during these challenging times, when many are experiencing change within their own organisations; our staff team whose skills and knowledge of the sector are exemplary; our representatives to strategic partnerships and their commitment to accountability; our members (who increased in number by 60 this year, bringing the total to more than 400 at March 2010) and our funders and partners, particularly Bristol City Council, whose support for our work means that we in turn can support Bristol’s Voluntary and Community Sector organisations who are providing such valuable services in our communities in Bristol.

Chief Executive’s report

Chair’s Introduction

Strengthening the Sector

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Funding and Income GenerationThe impact of Voscur’s Funding Advice work in 2009-2010 was to increase local knowledge and understanding of fundraising and commissioning opportunities, tools and techniques and to help secure over £500,000 for the local Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector (VCSE).

Eva Pollard, Voscur’s Funding Advisor, delivered 75 funding advice and outreach sessions to local VCSE organisations. Many included guided searches of grant finding databases, and advice on governance, strategic planning and organisational development, in recognition that business development is an integral part of fundraising. 85% of service users report improved skills/application of skills and improved quality of service delivery.

Eva also worked with 28 local groups on a one-to-one basis, including proof-reading applications and advising on specific funding-related issues.

At least eight local groups received income following funding advice provided by Voscur in 2009-2010. This brought in around £595,400 to Bristol’s VCSE. Many other groups are still waiting to hear whether their applications have been successful.

Finance and Funding Training and LearningVoscur delivered 13 training and learning events in 2009-2010 to 215 participants, on a variety of funding and finance issues.

The Get Ready to Trade course, delivered in partnership with NCVO’s (National Council for Voluntary Organisations) Sustainable Funding Project, helped participants to understand the benefits of trading to enable them to diversify their income streams.

A new course, Prove it!, was developed in partnership with Bristol City Council’s Consultation, Research and Intelligence Team. It equipped groups with skills and resources to prove to funders that there is a need for their project.

Through our Sustaining the Sector partnership with the Black Development Agency, Voscur delivered several joint events. Our Funders’ Fair was attended by 70 participants, representing a range of local organisations.

“The fact that I had Eva to help me through the session was a massive help to me today. Without her help I would have been lost.”

Laura Francis, Hope’s Place

“The hardest part of the application was formulating the outcomes so that the whole of our service was described. We could not have done it without Voscur’s help.”

Sally Walker-Cousins, Serenity House


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Funding and Commissioning OpportunitiesVoscur keeps the VCSE updated on local information on commissioning and procurement. We created opportunities for local groups to communicate with commissioners, including engaging Bristol City Council’s Strategic Director of Resources to deliver a presentation at the Funders’ Fair on the Enabling Commissioning Framework.

191 new funding opportunities were promoted weekly through Voscur networks, website and e-bulletin. We supported local groups to register on the Bristol e-Procurement System, from which they may receive tender alerts. We also joined NAVCA’s (National Association for Voluntary and Community Action) Tender Support Project which enables inexperienced groups to access funding for professional support with tender writing.

Finance ForumTwo Finance Forum meetings took place for finance workers within the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector. The themes looked at types of insurance cover required and tips for preparing annual accounts.

“This is one of the most useful and informative training courses I have ever attended.”

Noelle Rumball, BREAD Youth Project

“I have useful information and support from the team and feel that I could come to Voscur any time I need to.”

(anonymous)

Sally Walker-Cousins, Chairperson of Serenity House and Peter Heneghan, Executive Director of Serenity House, with the Big Lottery confirmation letter


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Voscur Training and LearningVoscur training and learning aims to improve skills and support our members to improve the quality of their service.

Our course programme has developed this year in response to requests from our members. We have run accredited courses in health and safety and first aid and other new courses such as developing business plans and identifying and managing risk, an introduction to communications and the media and effective minute taking.

This year we have run 33 courses, some of which have been in partnership with Volunteering Bristol, Business in the Community, Avon and Bristol Law Centre, National Council for Voluntary Organisations and Equality South West to offer legal training and vital support for the sector.

Evaluation

Three months after training sessions have taken place we ask people to feedback on how useful the learning has been to them and also to their organisation’s performance. 100% of people said that they would attend Voscur training again.

Volunteer Managers’ training

Volunteering Bristol and Voscur have supported 112 volunteer managers from 97 organisations by offering low cost training and support through networking. We have also worked with six individuals to deliver a peer support Action Learning set.

Working together we have developed five new courses for volunteer managers and delivered a total of nine courses. As a result of these courses, volunteer managers have identified improved skills and are better able to support volunteers within their organisations.

“Attending the Speaking with Confidence course was a real catalyst of change for me; the trainers were truly inspiring and by the end of the day I knew that I was holding myself back. As a result of the course I started delivering training and was able to apply (and get) my dream job in Learning and Development, I wouldn’t have done any of this without the Voscur team!”

Emily Proom – United Housing Association


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In house training

This year we delivered 13 in house training sessions for nine organisations. Training included: Time management, Roles and responsibilities of trustees, Get your voice heard, Fundraising and Equalities training. Our in house training offers a useful service to organisations wishing to train their whole staff/board on a specific topic.

Skills Audit

Working with the Learning Curve we have improved and redesigned our skills audit to make it easier to use. Since its re-launch, 123 organisations have downloaded it and several organisations attended a training session to find out more. If you would like to download a copy for your organisation please go to www.voscur.org/training/learning#audits

Trainers’ and Consultants’ Directory

Voscur has a new combined Trainers and Consultants’ on-line Directory so that members and others looking for these services can quickly access contact details.

“I have found Voscur and Volunteering Bristol training I’ve attended in the last year enormously useful. The support, friends and good networks I have made have encouraged me and the clear knowledge I have gained has increased my confidence. I, and the organisations I work for, are much better equipped to offer high-quality volunteering placements”.

Lorna Muffet – Arnos Vale Cemetery Trust.

“I learnt a massive amount and it inspired me to set goals and take more time for myself.”

Participant on Time Management for Voluntary Action North Somerset

Equalities and Inclusion

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Equalities work this year has included supporting Voscur’s members through the economic downturn and working with partners to ensure that equalities issues are considered on a strategic level.

We responded to areas of need – we produced training resources, fed views into consultations and promoted equalities good practice activities.

Training

Voscur worked with Equality South West to deliver a session introducing Voscur members to the Equality Bill. It is essential that Voscur members are equipped to carry out necessary amendments to their equality and diversity policies, procedures and projects. Other training included ‘Improving Diversity in your Volunteer team’ which we designed based on the good practice booklet Voscur and Volunteering Bristol produced in 2009.

Pacesetters

Voscur was contracted by the NHS under its national Pacesetters programme to develop and run a series of Train the Trainer sessions, aiming to reduce barriers for Gypsy and Traveller communities accessing health services.

We worked with, and supported, members of Gypsy and Traveller communities to deliver the sessions which were attended by a wide range of health professionals. Many attendees committed to improving their working practices. They aimed to share their learning with colleagues and to use the accompanying Train the Trainer packs designed and produced by Voscur.

An outcome of this work has been the skills gained by Gypsy and Traveller community reps who gave presentations on the impact of key issues on their communities; prior to these sessions many had never spoken in public. Some are now attending training and events to present on Gypsy and Traveller awareness and needs.

Safeguarding the sector

A core element of our work was to respond to members struggling in the recession.

Voscur worked with agencies and consultants who could provide specialist knowledge, such as Social Enterprise Works, Ethical Property Foundation and City of Bristol College. A key area of our offer was to link groups with partners that would assist in their strategic planning.

An overwhelming number took advantage of the support offered to consider how they might collaborate, or work more effectively in partnership with others. The impact was that 100 groups benefited from this opportunity; including one group who received substantial funding via Channel 4’s ‘Secret Millionaire’ programme, having been signposted by Voscur.

“I was reluctant to release my staff team for this training today as we had to close down the department; now I’m so glad I did, it has been completely worthwhile. There are so many changes we will now make as a result of what we’ve learned.”

Health Service department Manager

“The training – one of the best training sessions I have attended, I want to go and share it with my team. It was so interactive, and I felt very welcomed, so informative having the use of experts. I have learnt so much.”

Health Service Manager

Equalities and Inclusion

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Equalities Action Group

The process of establishing equalities partners on the Bristol Partnership and reviving the Equalities Action Group (EAG) was an ongoing commitment which Voscur did not allow to slide off the agenda.

We worked with reps from Voscur equalities membership and partners from public sector agencies to establish structures for an effective and influential equalities voice at strategic levels in the city. The aim is to develop an EAG that is productive in supporting and scrutinising strategic practices and policy.

“It would’ve been devastating if we had lost it all [our funding] because we know this [project] works. Now we can look forward to rolling out a best practice package to other communities so that teenage parents across the city can benefit.”

Hartcliffe and Withywood Teenage Parents’ Project

Deana Stone (front left) and others from the Hartcliffe and Withywood Teenage Parents’ Project, with Secret Millionaire, Dawn Gibbins (centre)

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Representation and Networking

Networks – Empowering CommunitiesVoscur received funding from Equality South West through its ‘Empowering Communities’ scheme which enabled us to run two network events. The events gave members the opportunity to debate issues of equalities and community cohesion and to discuss ways in which equalities could influence both strategic and neighbourhood decisions.

Views were fed in to the process towards re-launching the Equalities Action Group. Members also discussed the Bristol 20:20 Plan, the work of Neighbourhood Partnerships and had the opportunity to promote their own work.

Beyond Survival – BME Strategy ChampionThe National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) selected Voscur to be part of their BME (Black Minority Ethnic) Strategy Champion programme. Working with NCVO and other agencies across the country, we have identified strategies for strengthening the position of BME groups in the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Sector.

As a response to this, the second phase of the work in 2010 – 2011 will enable us to share this expertise and knowledge, and also provide one-to-one support for groups which support BME communities.

Representation With over 400 members working across every area of Bristol, Voscur members make a huge contribution to the city.

Voscur supports representatives to the Bristol Partnership (the Local Strategic Partnership) and its five themed partnership boards (Children & Young people, Health and Wellbeing, Prosperous and Ambitious, Safer Bristol and Thriving Neighbourhoods) to ensure that the views and concerns of the Voluntary Community sector (VCS) are part of strategic decision making in Bristol.

With the impact of the recession being felt across the city, reps have championed the importance of the VCS organisations that deliver

Voscur has worked in partnership with Clinks, the organisation that supports offenders and their families, to pilot a Criminal Justice Network


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services to those most in need. The expertise and knowledge that VCS reps contribute has been recognised and appreciated by other members on the Bristol Partnership.

Keeping the VCS informedTo make sure that Voscur members can raise issues or concerns with the reps and find out what issues they are discussing, we produced over 20 reps’ video reports. By using social media channels such as You Tube, Twitter and Facebook in addition to the Voscur website and Thrive! magazine, we have kept the VCS informed and involved faster. In the past year reps video reports have been viewed nearly 1000 times.

NetworkingBeing informed of the issues that affect you and your organisation and learning from other people’s experience are essential parts of creating a thriving Voluntary and Community Sector in Bristol. In 2009/10 Voscur has continued to support a number of specialist networks offering support to our members.

In addition to the established Children and Young People’s Network we have continued to work in partnership with others to develop new networks. The Community Buildings Network (CBN), run with Bristol City Council has provided a forum for those involved with running community venues in Bristol. The CBN has met in different venues around Bristol, highlighting some of the 100 plus venues that make up the CBN.

The Network has helped to raise awareness of important policy issues affecting community buildings, such as the Council’s draft Asset Transfer Policy as well as highlighting available resources to support their work such as promotion and marketing advice from the ‘Visit Bristol’ tourism and conference office.

This year, in response to the needs of our members, Voscur has worked in partnership with Clinks – the organisation that supports offenders and their families, to pilot a Criminal Justice Network to improve coordination between organisations and agencies involved in this field. Fifty people attended the first of a series of meetings and identified priorities for future work including developing a Criminal Justice section of the Voscur directory, more information about the commissioning of Criminal Justice services and further networking opportunities. Voscur is working with partners to respond to these priorities.

“Thanks to you and your VCS colleagues for your commitment, expertise and determination to help Bristol deliver high quality children and young people’s services”

Annie Hudson, Strategic Director for Children, Young People and Skills, Bristol City Council.

The Bristol Compact

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After successful fundraising on behalf of the Bristol Compact Steering Group, Louise Clark was appointed in April 2009 to the brand new role of Compact Liaison Officer.

Working under the Bristol Compact Steering Group and based at Voscur, Louise’s role was to raise the profile of the broad range of local Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector organisations with commissioners, and identify an increased number of organisations from which to commission services.

Achievements during the year were: the provision of a series of well-attended training events to support Bristol’s VCSE sector’s engagement in commissioning processes; the establishment of relationships with commissioners in Bristol City Council, NHS Bristol and other public sector agencies, and developing Compact guidance documents to help commissioners and VCSE organisations.

Louise was also able to advocate on behalf of VCSE organisations when specific processes were not in line with Compact guidance.

Louise moved on to other things during the year and the post was covered by Ariaf Hussain, a secondment from Bristol City Council’s Community Development team. As the year ended the new Compact Liaison Officer, Mark Hubbard, took up the post.


Neighbourhood PartnershipsVoscur’s work has helped to strengthen the Voluntary and Community sector’s contribution to Neighbourhood Partnerships, helping more people in Bristol to ‘influence decisions’ that affect them.

As the 14 Neighbourhood Partnerships have become more established and new decision making powers and budgets were devolved, we have helped provide information, advice and support to local residents and voluntary and community groups and those who would like to become more involved in the Neighbourhood Partnerships.

The Neighbourhood Partnership Residents’ Forum (NPRF) has facilitated information sharing and learning between the 14 Neighbourhood Partnerships. 149 residents have attended these meetings in 2009/10. Over 90% of those surveyed who have attended a NPRF said that they found them to be beneficial (with over 60% finding them ‘very beneficial’). The monthly Neighbourhood Partnership e-bulletin has helped inform even more people about what Neighbourhood Partnerships are, what they are doing and how they can get involved. There are now over 950 recipients of the NP e-bulletin.

Quotes from Neighbourhood Partnership Residents Forum (NPRF) attendees:

“One of the most useful things was meeting with people from other neighbourhoods as all Neighbourhood Partnerships seem to be proceeding differently”

“I felt I’ve learnt more than at other meetings I have attended”

Children and Young People

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Children and Young People’s NetworkVoscur Children and Young People’s Network has a membership of 268 Voluntary and Community Sector groups that work with children, young people and families. The Network members have been kept informed of national and local policy, legislation, events, training and funding through the monthly Children and Young People’s ebulletin.

Children and Young People’s Network meetings also keep organisations informed of key strategies and provide an opportunity for members to influence and input into strategies and action plans that improve outcomes for children and young people in Bristol.

Network meetings this year focused on teenage pregnancy, Children’s Centres, the re-specification of youth provision, 14-19 Strategy, Children’s Workforce Strategy and Children’s Trust Governance arrangements. The last two meetings have been held jointly with the Care Forum.

Over the last year, there has been a drive to increase influence and representation on Strategic Boards. This has resulted in the election of new Voluntary and Community Sector Representatives on the ten Locality Partnerships; these are joint representatives, who are supported by Voscur and the Care Forum. We have continued to support representatives on the other Strategic Boards such as the Children’s Trust Board, the workstreams and associated Partnership Boards.

This year, Voscur ran free Children’s Workforce training as part of the Children’s Workforce Development Partners’ Programme funded by the Children’s Workforce Development Council. This included; Bristol e-Procurement System training and four Child Protection Level 1 training courses particularly for young people’s organisations. These proved to be very popular, with a total of 82 members attending.

The future plans for the Children and Young People’s Network will need to ensure that Voluntary and Community Sector organisations continue to receive the required support and influencing opportunities, so that outcomes for children, young people and families are achieved.

Sandra MeadowsVCS rep on the Bristol Safeguarding Children Board and Workforce Strategy Group

Fran HarrisonChildren and Young People’s Trust Board and Bristol Youth Links Project Board

“Discussions very useful, great to have an opportunity to voice our opinions”

Aimee Mukherjee, Voscur Children and Young People’s Network Meeting

Safeguarding the Sector

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ICT supportVoscur’s Green ICT1 project has been running since a survey in October 2009 allowed us to calculate the ICT carbon footprint2 of the Bristol Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise sector using a method developed by the Carbon Trust3 for Bristol City Council.

Our aim was to help to reduce the environmental impact of the Voluntary sector in this area, while saving groups money and improving efficiency. The project allowed us to set up ICT forums to answer questions and a Green ICT section for the website where we have promoted ideas and strategies for “greening” your ICT (500 unique page views since October 2009 and growing).

Voscur ran two surgeries for groups to find out about Green ICT resources and learn how to use the solutions database developed by Connecting Bristol, and offered one to one support sessions to follow up in this area. We have also developed a Green ICT pack downloadable from our website.

Our work with Volunteering Bristol has been effective in creating a “social network” for volunteer organisers in Bristol. If you work managing volunteers in Bristol you now have access to a growing network of 30 professional volunteer managers with a library of resources including: latest news, a diary of events and training, photos, videos and newsletters plus special interest groups for development and discussion of particular topics of interest.

We have continued to develop our website and database, and have over 10,000 contacts in the Voluntary, Statutory and wider areas that have an impact on our work. Our website deals with nearly 4000 requests a day – the content is constantly changing. We are also tweeting4 to over 100 followers and have a growing Facebook community too.

Jargon busting references:

1. ICT – Information and Communications Technology.

2. Carbon footprint – the total set of greenhouse gases emissions

caused by an organisation, event or product

3. The Carbon Trust UK – specialist support to help cut carbon

emissions: www.carbontrust.com

4. Tweeting – Twitter is a text based social networking and

microblogging service.

“We have reduced our IT related power usage to a fifth of its previous level using Green ICT solutions”

Anthony Kennedy of CSV Environment

Information Services

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Getting the correct information at the right time is essential for Voscur members. Voscur’s information service helps promote our work, and that of our members, and is a valuable source of information on current national and local government policy affecting the sector.

To help keep our members informed, our information is provided in many ways – face to face, over the phone, printed, online through our website and through social media channels such as Twitter, Facebook and You Tube.

Thrive!

The Voscur newsletter, Thrive!, reflects our aim of supporting a thriving Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector in Bristol. The all colour magazine includes information on members’ activities, good practice, legal updates from Avon and Bristol Law Centre, and a regular Volunteering Bristol feature.

E-bulletins

Our weekly Voscur e-bulletin promotes voluntary and community sector events across the city and offers timely and relevant information on a weekly basis to over 945 subscribers.

We launched our Neighbourhood Partnerships e-bulletin in 2009, which now goes out to over 1140 subscribers. Our targeted Children and Young People’s monthly e-bulletin is a source of information to Bristol’s children and young people’s groups and reaches 313 subscribers.

Our information services were enhanced this year by the addition of the Voluntary Value e-bulletin, a partnership arrangement with South West Forum to promote and disseminate information about European Social Fund programmes.

Website

The Voscur website continues to be well used and relevant, now attracting an average of 23,000 unique page visits per week. It is continually updated to include the most recent and relevant information to support and strengthen Bristol’s Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector. Voscur is aware of the positive impact of an accessible, effective and interactive website which is easily navigable. As well as news features and pages for each area of Voscur’s work there is a jobs page, a noticeboard and a diary where members can promote their activities.

Voscur’s Training and Learning opportunities are promoted through our website and those wishing to book places can do so via the website.

Visit: www.voscur.org

A huge thank you for all the articles in Thrive! magazine about carers in Carers’ Week – fantastic. Much appreciated by all of us at The Carers’ Centre.

Grace Wiltshire, The Princess Royal Trust Carers Centre

Supporting Voluntary & Community Action December 2009 & January 2010

Inside Voscur’s Magazine

Bumper Recession Support Edition

Protection for your Organisation

Freebies and Resources

New Advice Services Available

10 New Year Resolutions for a Thriving Third Sector

Green Pages

Cycling City

Changing Face of 14-19 Education

Training and Learning

Imag

e: C

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ive

Kid

s In

tern

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Thrive Dec09-Jan10 - vis1.indd 1 23/11/2009 11:15

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Voscur Board Members 2009/10Joanna Holmes (Chair from June 2009) Barton Hill Settlement

Paul Hazelden (Vice Chair) Crisis Centre Ministries

Tara Mistry (Vice Chair)

Ian Steele (Treasurer)

Max Beseke Citizen’s Advice Bureau

Mobs Timi Biu Bristol Partnership Against Racial Harassment

Robin Corser Langford Global Accessible Holiday Service

Heather Malcolm (from October 2009) Bristol LGB Forum

John Pendlington Children’s Scrapstore

Red Cottam (Chair until June 2009)

Clare Hall (until October 2009) Eco Adventure Sports

Fran Harrison (until October 2009) Fairbridge West

Voscur Representatives in 2009/10Bristol Partnership Executive Board Wendy Stephenson – Voscur

Safer Bristol Partnership Board Alex Raikes – Support Against Racist Incidents

Health and Wellbeing Partnership Board Sally Gapper – North Bristol Advice Centre

Prosperous and Ambitious Partnership Board Elaine Flint – Social Enterprise Works

Thriving Neighbourhoods Partnership Board Simon Bale – Churches Council for Industry and Social Responsibility

Children and Young People’s Partnership Board Fran Harrison – Fairbridge West

The Compact Steering Group Wendy Stephenson – Voscur Paul Madine – Volunteering Bristol

Workstream groups

14-19 Education and Skills Trevor Jones – Young Bristol

Prevention and Early Intervention Dom Wood – 1625 Independent People

Joanna Holmes – Barton Hill Settlement

Raising Attainment John Pendlington – Children’s Scrapstore

Other Children and Young People’s Strategic Groups

Bristol Safeguarding Children Board Sandra Meadows – Play and early Years Training Unit

Early Childhood Services Strategic Partnership Amy Halls – Play and Early Years Training Unit

Flexible Learning Group (14-19) Troy Transka – The Basement Studio

Parent Services Advisory Board Hannah Wilcox – YWCA

Voscur Board, Reps and Staff

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Voscur Board, Reps and Staff

Youth Stakeholder Strategy Group / Bristol Youth Links Board Fran Harrison – Fairbridge West

Jo Stallard – BREAD Youth Project

Locality Governance Boards

There are joint voluntary sector reps on the 10 Locality Governance Executive Boards. They meet once a term and oversee extended school partnership and multi-agency work for the Locality Partnerships.

Visit: www.voscur.org/networks/children/reps

Other Partnerships

Bristol Green Capital Group Henry Lawes – Fairbridge West

Bristol Older People’s Partnership Debbie Clark – Bristol Care and Repair Lindsay Hay – Bristol Care and Repair

Voscur StaffWendy Stephenson Chief Executive

Ruth Pitter Equalities Manager

Rebecca McDougall Resources Manager

Matthew Symonds Participation Manager

Sophie Bayley Workforce Development Coordinator

Sean Kenny ICT Development Worker

Asma Ahmad Children and Young People’s Organisations Development Worker

Eva Pollard Funding Advisor

Hannah Parker Neighbourhood Learning Coordinator

Compact Liaison Officers: Louise Clark (May – November 2009) Ariaf Hussain (interim secondment) (November – April 2009)

Lucy Fletcher Administration Support – Events and Training

Elizabeth Gorman Change Up Administrator

Stephanie Guirten Administration Support (Participation and Ebulletins)

Yassin Mohamud Clerical Assistant

Denise Martin Administration Support (Membership and Finance)

Emma Rice Administrator (Equalities/Children and Young People)

Polly Stewart Administrator to the Chief Executive

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Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 March 2010

Restricted (£) Unrestricted (£) Total 2010 (£) Total 2009 (£)

Income

Grants & commissions 165,198 264,850 430,048 515,589

Lead body grants 103,274 - 103,274 100,276

Fees receivable:

Training programme 1,516 15,782 17,298 13,490

Facilitiation 8,975 8,975 11,304

Other income:

Newsletter/website income 11,534 11,534 12,980

Membership income 14,756 14,756 14,635

Reimbursement of costs 5,500 5,500 2,730

Miscellaneous 1,370 1,370 1,720

Interest receivable 149 149 4,179

Total incoming resources 269,988 322,916 592,904 676,903

Expenditure

Grants payable to partners 51,096 - 51,096 39,238

Staffing & management costs 147,016 249,725 396,741 399,813

Volunteer & activity costs 51,728 35,134 86,862 42,232

Newsletter & directory costs 15,830 13,388 29,218 25,650

Office costs 24,063 52,760 76,823 72,372

Total resources expended 289,733 351,007 640,740 579,305

(Deficit)/surplus for the year before tax and transfers

(19,745) (28,091) (47,836) 97,598

Taxation - - - -

Transfers 2,288 (2,288) - -

Net movement in funds (17,457) (30,379) (47,836) 97,598

Funds at the start of the year 52,194 206,082 258,276 160,678

Funds at the end of the year 34,737 175,703 210,440 258,276

Voscur would like to thank our funders for their support: Bristol City Council: Neighbourhoods; Community Development; Children and Young People’s Services; Safer Stronger Communities. Local Area Agreement – Pump Priming Grant, Community Learning Service, The BIG Lottery Basis Programme, Bristol PCT, Capacitybuilders, Children’s Workforce Development Fund, Department of Health Innovation Fund, South West Forum, Quartet Community Foundation, Take Part, Bristol Partnership – Recession Mitigation Fund.

All of the above results are derived from continuing activities. There were no other recognised gains or losses other than those stated above. Copies of Voscur’s Report and Financial Statements to 31 March 2010 are available on request from the Voscur office.

Supporting Voluntary & Community Action October & November 2009


Hitting the Headlines – Voscur’s Annual Event

Voscur Awards – last chance to nominate

Safeguarding the Sector

Twenty’s Plenty

Social Enterprise Day

Intelligent Commissioning

Funding Opportunities

Social Class – an equality strand?

Power to the People?

Charity Law Updates


“For the last vacancies we had a huge response and

the standard of applicants was very high. We would

definitely use Voscur again.”

Circomedia recommend Voscur’s Website Jobs Page

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Supporting Voluntary & Community Action May and June 2009

!Inside Voscur’s MagazineProject 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

And much more…

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Supporting Voluntary & Community Action December 2009 & January 2010


Bumper Recession Support Edition

Protection for your Organisation

Freebies and Resources

New Advice Services Available

10 New Year Resolutions for a Thriving Third Sector

Green Pages

Cycling City

Changing Face of 14-19 Education


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Issue 6 July / August / September 2009

Supporting Voluntary & Community Action July/August/September 2009

!Inside Voscur’s MagazineNominate for the Voscur Awards

Summer Festivals

Love Parks

Funding Opportunities

Recession Support

Golden Agers’ Tyntesfield Quilt

Bristol Based Nationals

Tackling Age Discrimination

Constitutional Advice


Third Sector Survey

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Supporting Voluntary & Community Action February & March 2010

Inside Voscur’s MagazineWomen Who Make a Difference Awards 2010

LGBT Month

Apprenticeships can help your Organisation

Tender Support Available

Commissioning Concerns

Neighbourhood Committees Demystified

Building Better Partnerships in Criminal Justice

Communities Act for Sustainibility

Skilling Up your Staff


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Supporting Voluntary & Community Action April & May 2010

Inside Voscur’s MagazineA Millionaire comes to town

Election Special – four candidates speak about their vision for the voluntary sector

What makes a good leader?

Making Bristol accessible to all

Bristol Children’s Trust and the role of the voluntary sector

Befriending opportunities with Time2Share

African Initiatives

Update on Big Lottery funding

Bristol e-procurement – are you signed up?

Lower your ICT power usage

Training and learning opportunities

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Voscur’s bi-monthly magazine, Thrive! is sent out to all Voscur members, Bristol City Councillors, Bristol libraries, Sports and Community Centres and other organisations around the city.

The text on the magazine covers is too small to read here, but if you would like to read a back copy of the magazine, please visit: www.voscur.org/magazine or phone the Voscur office for a copy, telephone: 0117 909 9949

Company limited by Guarantee registered in England no. 3918210

Produced by circle-creative.co.uk Printed on 100% recycled paper using vegetable based inks

Voscur Ltd. The CREATE Centre Smeaton Road Bristol BS1 6XN

Tel: 0117 909 9949 Fax: 0117 933 0501 Email: [email protected] Web: www.voscur.org

twitter.com/voscur

tinyurl.com/voscur-facebook

Documents

Voscur Annual Report 2009-2010