£500 awards from Community Voices to help empower communities

Very often a great idea or a success story can make all the difference. Help to inspire others by sharing your story of how digital media has helped your community with us.

Are Mashable’s Best non-profits all American?

I might be wrong (please prove me so) but all the organisations nominated on Mashable’s Best non-profit use of social media appear to be non UK. I can only see American based non-profits on the current nominations?

Are we so far behind that UK based non-profits don’t get a look in? Surely there must be great examples out there worthy of nomination.

If so let’s hear about you both here and on Mashable as a nomination.

Twitter Retweet feature is launched

Twitter has just begun the rollout of Project Retweet, Twitter’s official integration of the retweet. Retweeting is when a user reshares interesting tweets from his or her friends using the RT syntax (e.g. “RT @mashable”).

According to Twitter, the rollout is occurring in phases, much like the Twitter Lists rollout. We will update this post with screenshots and an update on how it works momentarily.

[UPDATED]: Here are some screenshots of the new retweeting feature, courtesy of Marketing Shindig (@marketwire on Twitter):

Source: Mashable.com

Free Association for Research in the Voluntary and Community Sector

Here is some information about ARVAC to help you decide if you might want join – membership is now free, but you would need to apply to be registered on its list of members.

ARVAC was established in 1978. It is a membership organisation and acts as a resource for people interested in research in or on community organisations.

Blogging and other social media within the voluntary sector.

Blogs are fast becoming one of the standard web based technologies that we use to communicate with clients. They allow us to talk about whatever we want and to engage people in discussion. They are quick and easy to set up and don’t cost anything other than time.

So why isn’t the voluntary sector utilising blogs more?

Making information more accessible – a guide.

How To Make Information Accessible: a guide to producing easy read documents

The internet combats isolation – new report

A recent study has suggested that the internet is not making people more isolated, as some have argued.

Volunteers are not protected by the Disability Discrimination Act

Volunteers are not protected by the Disability Discrimination Act as they are not covered by the term “occupation”, the Employment Appeal Tribunal has ruled..

Conference on Teamwork at Sheffield Cathedral on 27 November 2009

Conference on Teamwork at Sheffield Cathedral on 27 November 2009.  We hope that the range of expert speakers who are kindly giving us their time and their thoughts will spark discussions and debate about how teamwork can be created and sustained. As well as the speaker sessions (each with brief questions at the end), there will also be morning and afternoon discussion panel sessions at which the speakers have agreed to answer questions.

IT in the Community Conference – Sunderland 1&2 December

Digital technology has become part of the fabric of everyday life offering endless opportunities in business, communication, education, entertainment and healthcare. While the majority of the population is reaping the benefits that digital technology brings, a significant part of society is not due to lack of skill, access or understanding.

£500,000 funding from The Youth of Today to create youth leadership opportunities

The Reaching Out scheme is for third sector organisations wishing to build their capacity and create youth leadership opportunities across England. There will be eight grants distributed from the £500,000 funding pot, ranging from £10,000 to £50,000.

Are the dire predictions for the 3rd sector true?

The worst effects of the recession are yet to come for charities, commentators have warned after a turbulent few weeks in the voluntary sector.

Unity Trust Bank to triple lending to charities.

Social lender Unity Trust Bank expects to almost triple its lending to charities and social enterprises in 2009 compared with the previous year.

Free Community Development workshops – Yorkshire

Yorkshire and Humber Community Development Network and the Regional Forum have joined forces to offer 4 half day events around the region to get community development practitioners up to speed with changes in the region and what it means for your practice.

How would YOU spend a £3,000 Innovation Voucher?

The Innovation Vouchers Scheme makes it possible for ‘SMEs’ in our region to win vouchers worth £3,000. The vouchers can be ’spent’ at Yorkshire’s universities and other academic institutions, purchasing knowledge and expertise which will help the businesses to innovate, compete and succeed.

Job vacancy – Team Administrator, Foundation Housing, Leeds

Foundation Housing is a registered charity delivering housing and related support to a range of disadvantaged customer groups. We currently have the following vacancy.

Team Administrator (12 month contract)

18.5 hours

£17160 – £19126 pa

Ref: FL034

To provide an administration service to the Leeds Team.

Closing date: 23 November 2009. We will write to you shortly after the closing date to inform you of the outcome of your application.

Please download an application pack from our website – http://www.foundationuk.org – and e mail it to us as instructed.

 

Witness Seminar: The Voluntary Sector in 1980s Britain

This witness seminar will bring together a number of prominent figures of the 1980s to consider the ways in which the voluntary sector interacted with, and was shaped by, the Thatcher governments. By bringing together key individuals from this period we hope to provoke a round table discussion that will allow contemporaries to discuss their contribution and reflect upon their experiences, and thereby produce a response that is perhaps not captured in the surviving written record of the era.

Engaging technologies events in Manchester – 10th & 11th Nov

Next week is an unrepeatable opportunity for local authorities and other service providers to absorb the emerging imperatives of ePetitions and eParticipation

Website in a Day – 15th December, Leeds

Website in a Day Workshop on 15th December in Leeds.

Electroville are running a Website in a Day workshop for voluntary organisations.

It is free for those on their Improving Reach programme but is open to all at a cost of £100 + VAT.

Full details here

 

SEYHs Alex Sobel living on Social Enterprise – Day 2

Well it’s day two of the challenge and so far so good. Yesterday I took a slow and steady start to the challenge by buying an Observer from the Co-op Store on Harrogate Rd in Moortown and then read it while my son took a nap in the back of the car. The Observer is published by a Social Enterprise as the Guardian Media Group is itself a wholly owned subsidiary of the Scott Trust and the only newspaper group in the UK without a proprietor, the Scott Trust also has a charitable foundation funded by the Guardian’s trading activity.

Read full article here

Free Human Rights Training for the Voluntary Sector in West Yorkshire

JUST West Yorkshire in partnership with the British Institute of Human Rights will be delivering free training to Third sector organisations on how they can use human rights (including the Human Rights Act) to ensure a rights-based approach to service delivery.

Why aren’t there more social enterprises delivering ICT support?

“Why aren’t there loads more social enterprises delivering ICT support and services in the UK?” asks Julie Harris of COSMIC.

From where I’m sitting right now its a no-brainer. And its a really effective way to address digital inclusion (and social inclusion) issues. If we have strong, successful and socially-focussed ICT support social enterprises, then we can provide excellent support for organisations across a broad-spectrum. These organisations will in turn harness the power of ICT to change peoples’ lives. Isn’t this what Digital Britain is crying out for?

Julie’s full posting plus multiple comments can be read at http://unltdworld.com/blog/view.php?id=159

Microsoft Office Accounting coming to an end.

Microsoft has begun telling UK customers that it will end sales of its Office Accounting product, according to a ZDNet report.

Co-operatives YH Fast Forward event. Sheffield 26 Nov.

Co-operatives Yorkshire and the Humber are pleased to announce its major annual event, Fast Forward 2009.

Thursday 26 November, 12.30pm-4pm, Aizlewood Mill, Nursery Street , Sheffield S3 8GG

SEYH inaugural Social Enterprise Conference.

Social Enterprise Yorkshire and the Humber as the regional representative body for Social Enterprise will be holding its inaugural conference on December 3rd at Pontefract Racecourse where we expect between 250 and 300 delegates.

Doodle is a doddle and great for organising meetings.

Got a board meeting to arrange? Trying to find a free date and time for a number of people from various places?

Doodle have got this one sussed. I love it and use it regularly. It is so easy to use and gives you a quick overview of everyone’s availability on selected dates and times. And it’s free.

So if you are regularly organising meetings and don’t know about this yet check it out at www.doodle.com

ICT FAQ cards answer your questions.

The ICT Champions have produced a set of ICT Answers in a Box which answers 50 of the most frequently asked questions about ICT.

The answers use plain English to explain how to approach a problem and they are written for staff and volunteers from the third sector. It is especially useful for people who provide support to other organisations as it provides non-technical top tips and signposts to key online resources.

Order your cards here

Getting the most out of your website – 1 day workshop

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR WEBSITE

Date: 01 Dec 2009
Time: 0930 – 1600

Is your website looking a little tired and uninspiring? Is it doing everything you hoped it would do? If your website is in need of an update then this course is for you. By the end of the day you will:

• Have explored multiple Web 2.0 options
• Understand how these can enhance your website
• Know how these can help you achieve your organisation’s aims
• Have developed a plan to update your website.

Trainer: Electroville

Venue: VAK offices, Huddersfield

Cost: Free to VCS Kirklees – there may be a charge for organisations attending who are based outside of Kirklees.

For further information and Booking form , contact Michelle Richardson on 01484 518457

Rural Action Yorkshire – Job Opportunity

Rural Action Yorkshire is looking for an Officer to support the development and delivery of a new York & North Yorkshire Rural Access to Opportunities programme, specifically the Rural Development Delegated Fund.

Improving Support website for 3rd sector orgs.

Improving Support brings together practical resources and information online, for all those providing support to third sector organisations.

Funded by Capacitybuilders, the website provides a gateway to the widest range of tools, information and support, creating an easily accessible community for the exchange of resources, ideas, advice and learning.

Visit www.improvingsupport.org.uk to register and to find out more.

Lifelong Learning UK consultation

Between 16th November and 4th December Lifelong Learning UK will be consulting on the draft Standards including their scope and content, as well as the type, size and content of proposed qualifications based on the new Standards.

If you belong to an organisation or are part of a network we would encourage you to facilitate your own event to consult on the draft National Occupational Standards. There will be materials available from w/c 9th November to assist you with this. You can express interest in organising one of these events via the event booking form available on the Lifelong Learning UK website.

COSMIC USB wrist band promotes a Social Enterprise in the SW

Yay.  I am the first winner of a COSMIC USB memory stick wrist band. Can you see how happy I am? And no surprise. To start the week with a free 2Gb memory stick wrist band. Great. If you would like to avail yourself of one of these and to find out more about what COSMIC do (they are a social enterprise in the SW providing ICT services – rather like Electroville in Y&H) then go to their website at www.cosmic.org.uk

Thanks Julie and Andy.

Simon

Making the internet secure for community centre users

I’ve been asked recently on a number of occasions how a particular VCO who is offering internet access to the public or for their members keep it secure. They are obviously keen that people using their computers to surf the net are not using it to access undesirable sites.

Facebook for voluntary organisations?

Are you a voluntary sector organisation and successfully use Facebook to help you to achieve your goals? If so please comment here. Let me know who  you are and how you use Facebook to help your organisation.

Thanks

Simon

Funding in the Bradford District

bfunded is a service designed to help everyone involved in the business and voluntary sectors of the Bradford District to find funds to achieve their vision.

http://bfunded.org.uk/

Yorkshire Community Cash Giveaway

Yorkshire Evening Post reveals community cash up for grabs.

The paper has announced its £50,000 Community Cash Giveaway is open to applications from local groups, clubs, charities and organisations.

Nominate an outstanding learner.

Nominations are now open for the Adult Learners’ Week Awards 2010, giving adult learners the chance to be recognised for their outstanding learning achievements.

Housebound linked into Capital’s Carol Concerts

Community Network, the telephone conference charity that links isolated people together on the telephone, is offering housebound people the opportunity of taking part in two Christmas carol concerts via the telephone – FREE of charge.