News & Developments

A local legal advice charity, Derbyshire Law Centre, based in Chesterfield, has been praised by the Legal Aid Agency in a recent review of its Housing and Homeless work done under its legal aid contract with the Agency.  The Law Centre was awarded a rating of Competence Plus (2) in the category of Housing Law as its work was found to demonstrate a high degree of competence.  

The review report stated, ‘Overall, this is a well-run service with a balanced and thoughtful approach to casework. Record-keeping was comprehensive. There was a clear commitment from all caseworkers to promote and protect the rights of clients. Regular appearances at court for clients, under the legal help at court scheme, showed an efficient use of resources’.  The report also felt that ‘caseworkers were really up-to-date with their legal knowledge’.  One case was particularly praised as ‘A superb piece of work showing how a caseworker’s in-depth knowledge of the subject area can turn around a client’s life’.

Derbyshire Law Centre is the only advice agency in Derbyshire that has a legal aid contract in housing, community care and debt across the county. It also provides free specialist legal services in employment, immigration, mortgage repossession and tackling hate and harassment. For free legal advice, please contact the Law Centre on Freephone 0800 707 6990.

www.derbyshirelawcentre.org.uk 

Safe and Sound  is a charity whose new Hub & Spoke project  is  offering a  free service to the voluntary sector in Derbyshire  who wish to  train their workers in identifying and responding to cases of child sexual exploitation   and  provide support and guidance when working with children and young people. 

Safe and Sound  can offer a package of support including:

• Training to raise awareness of CSE, risk indicators, how to work effectively with young people, and how to report concerns and information.
• Advice on how to manage complex cases and engage young people.
• Advice and guidance  on  organisational policies around CSE in line  with  national guidance.
• Guidance on best practice to support victims of CSE and advice on police involvement and the court process. 
• Support agencies in raising awareness of the risk of CSE amongst their young people and with parents/carers and families.

For more information please contact Sarah Brown  Case Advisor 07726 693705 
sarah.brown@safeandsoundgroup.org.uk

NCVO’s recent Financial Sustainability Review highlights how the voluntary sector is responding to significant shifts in policy and resourcing. In parallel there is growing scrutiny of the charity sector and higher expectations around transparency and accountability. At a global level, the UN Sustainable Development Goals will be ratified in September 2015, with commitments for every member government, not just to the world’s poorest people but to tackling rising inequality, including here in the UK.

Given that context, it is felt to be the right time to pause a little and take stock, to ensure Comic Relief are efficient, effective and evolve appropriately as a partner, grant maker and social investor.  Comic Relief won’t be accepting proposals to our UK Main Fund after midday 1 October 2015 although funding for small grants in the UK up to £10,000 remains available through UK Community Foundations. Comic Relief will be making some gradual changes, which will be communicated more widely in early 2016.

Heart Research UK is now accepting applications for its autumn grant round, which closes on 31 August.

Community and voluntary organisations, registered charities, and other not-for-profit organisations based and working in the UK may apply for grants of up to £5,000 and up to £10,000. The charity is looking to fund new, original and innovative projects that actively promote heart health and help to reduce the risks of heart disease in specific groups or communities. Projects can address a variety of issues including healthy eating, physical activity and smoking cessation - with the key focus of improving heart health.

heartresearch.org.uk/grants

The Big Lottery Fund, in collaboration with a wide range of organisations, has established the new £30 million Help Through Crisis programme to fund projects that draw on the strengths and personal experience of people facing hardship crisis so that they can overcome immediate difficulties and be ready for opportunities and challenges ahead.

The funding is intended for voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations to provide immediate support to individuals currently living in crisis or at risk of crisis as a result of hardship, as well as to provide tailored support, advice and advocacy to enable people to address difficulties and be in a better position to their improve circumstances in the future.

www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/global-content/programmes/england/help-through-crisis 

The aim is to support and guide you in taking steps towards improving the health and well-being of your business and staff.  Workers can help you to identify any key health and well-being issues within your business and then help you work towards finding simple and effective solutions.

Whether it's helping you improve your staff's mental well-being or helping to get your workplace active they can offer as much, or as little, help as you need. The free programme is aimed at all businesses (including charities) across Derbyshire whether a small, medium or large organisation.

Find out more about Healthy Workplaces Derbyshire or 
or email: healthyworkplaces@derbyshire.gov.uk
Tel: 01629 537021 / 01629 537662

Members of DCC Cabinet agreed to consult on new proposals, 

• Continuing to offer flexible one-to-one support for families without the need for an assessment but reduce the maximum number of hours provided from 80 to 40 a year.
• Continuing to offer families a short break grant instead of one-to-one support up to a limit of £400 − instead of £800 - a year. This could not be used to fund family holidays.
• Implementing the changes for all families from 1 April 2016 or making the changes for new users from 1 April 2016 but allow existing users to drop to 60 hours and £600 in the first year and then 40 hours and £400 in April 2017.

The consultation will take place in the summer and early autumn.  Families will be able to take part by completing an online survey once the consultation is live on the DCC website.  Families who need support filling in the questionnaire can Call Derbyshire on 01629 533365 where an operator can fill out the questionnaire or send a paper copy.

No decisions will be taken until DCC have had the chance to speak to families.

For 2016 the Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales will be switching to a Grant Rounds approach from its existing rolling enquiries.  They believe this will help applicants by providing fixed deadlines for applications and decisions and will ensure that all enquiries receive a full decision within six months of submitting a funding enquiry.

If you require a funding decision before March 2016 you will need to have submitted an Expression of Interest Form via their website by midnight on Friday 28 August. The Foundation will ensure all enquiries receive a decision by the end of the year. 

The Foundation will be closed to new funding requests during September 2015 and will re-open on Monday 5 October.  Three grant rounds will operate in 2016 with decisions at the end of March, July and November.  Detailed timetables will be published on the website to provide clear guidance on the deadlines for each round. www.lloydsbankfoundation.org.uk/how-to-apply/eligibility-guidance  If you have any questions, please email: enquiries@lloydsbankfoundation.org.uk 

If you are aged 16-25, unemployed and interested in a career in Facilities Services, you could:

• Gain valuable work experience and a have a guaranteed interview at the end of the programme
• Get training in Health & Safety, Customer Care and Infection Control
• Develop effective teamwork and communication skills
• Get 6 months support after the programme to help you move into further training or employment
• Please note that we are looking for young people that are committed and work ready

The course is free and the programme doesn't affect any benefits. Reasonable travel expenses (buses, trains, trams, mileage) are reimbursed throughout the programme but not for the Taster Day. Childcare will be paid for.

Programme runs 21 September—16 October. For more information and to gain a place on the Taster Day on 2 September 2015: Telephone Amy on: 07436 797 253 or Email amy.shepherd@princes-trust.org.uk