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Llais Sir Benfro

Pembrokeshire Association of Voluntary Services Cymdeithas Gwasanaethau Gwirrfoddol Sir Benfro 36 - 38 High Street, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, 36 - 38 Y Stryd Fawr, Hwlffordd, Sir Benfro, SA61 2DA Tel: 01437 769422 Fax/Ffacs: 01437 769431

Contents Foreword 2

News from the 3 Board Policy Engagement 5 Third Sector Support Including Funding Information 10 Volunteering 20

Issue / Rhif 67 Autumn/Hydref 2015

Pembrokeshire Voice

Deadline for next edition is: 07 December 2015

Email copy to: enquiries@pavs.org.uk

SAVE THESE DATES………………… TUESDAY 17TH NOVEMBER 2015 PAVS’ FUNDING FAIR QUEEN’S HALL NARBERTH 10am—3pm Just drop in or join us for the whole day—there will be updates on European Funding; Heritage Lottery Funding; the Funding Code of Practice and the Rural Development Plan Check out the details with PAVS for the one hour training session on ‘Getting to know Crowdfunding’

FRIDAY 4TH DECEMBER 2015 PAVS’ ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING CRUNDALE VILLAGE HALL CRUNDALE HAVERFORDWEST 10.30 am—1.00pm

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Since the Spring edition of the newsletter, there have been quite a few changes to the PAVS team, with 6 members of staff being made redundant at the end of March when three European funded projects came to an end. Very sadly, Mike Beckett (a valued member of the C2.0 team) died very suddenly just before the end of March, which served as a sharp reminder to us all that life is all too short. Our thoughts remain with his family at this very sad time. The greatest impact of the reduction in staff has been the withdrawal of all ICT support services for third sector organisations. The new national digital inclusion programme – Digital Communities – managed by the Wales Co-operative Centre specifically excludes ICT support for voluntary and community groups. This is the first time in 12 years that PAVS has not been able to offer this service and it leaves a massive gap in the market. We continue to work with local partners to reinstate the “digital development” service for the benefit of Pembrokeshire groups. The reduction in staffing has also impacted on the Learning & Development team. However, the Board has designated reserves so that PAVS can continue to deliver front-line funding, governance and development support services. The team is also generating income by administering grant schemes on behalf of private and public sector partners, thus ensuring that money flows into the sector through small grants. It is pleasing to report that, despite these difficulties, PAVS and its volunteer centre, Volunteering Pembrokeshire, continue to deliver a wide range of services to support voluntary and community groups and volunteers in Pembrokeshire, and that good progress is being made towards meeting the Welsh Government key performance indicators for the current year. Thanks must go to whole staff team for their incredible hard work in difficult times. Unfortunately, the future promises to be no easier than the present. A recent report submitted to the Minister for Communities & Tackling Poverty makes eight recommendations relating to the Third Sector Infrastructure Partnership, which includes PAVS. We welcome the majority of the recommendations, which seek to bring clarity to the respective roles of the national and local Infrastructure partners and to introduce innovative service delivery models that make best use of technology. However, the recommendations include the strongest steer yet towards establishing regional structures in readiness for – and in advance of - Local Government reform. We have also been advised to plan for core funding reductions of 5%, 10% and 20% in 2016-2017 and for an overall reduction of 40% over the next four years. These issues were top of the agenda for a recent meeting of Board members and senior staff from the four County Voluntary Councils across Mid & West Wales. There was broad support for the creation of a regional entity as a mechanism for sharing expertise and generating income. However, all four CVCs remain completely committed to supporting locally based voluntary and community groups, social enterprises and volunteers, and to maintaining a visible presence within our communities. A response to the recommendations needs to be submitted by the end of the month. We’ll keep you informed of progress. Talking of working locally, PAVS is delighted to report excellent progress towards working more closely with town and community councils to develop an “area based” approach to community leadership, citizen engagement and service delivery. The first joint meeting of the Voluntary Sector Liaison Group and the Town & Community Council Liaison Forum took place recently, and all parties agreed that it had been extremely worthwhile. A draft Charter has now been published which sets out the way that Pembrokeshire County Council will work with Town & Community Councils in future. The Charter is currently out for consultation and further information is included later in this newsletter.

Foreword

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The work on area forums/area boards is being taken forward by PAVS, PLANED and Pembrokeshire County Council and it is hoped that a pilot programme will be supported by the Pembrokeshire Local Action Group, Arwain Sir Benfro. We believe that much can be achieved by community associations (participatory democracy) working closely with Town & Community Councils and County Councillors (representative democracy). This approach fits very well with the aspirations of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act; the Social Services & Well-being (Wales) Act and the forthcoming Environment (Wales) Act – three major pieces of legislation that promise to transform the way that citizens and communities are involved in decision making and public service delivery. PAVS very much looks forward to working with PLANED, Town & Community Councils and Local Service Board partners on developing the area-based model. This year’s Pembrokeshire Funding Fair on 17

th November is not to be missed. This event

brings together a wide range of funders and offers an interesting programme of workshops and information sessions on the theme of sustainable funding, fundraising and income generation. More information is included in the front page article – put the date in your diary now! Another date for the diary is the PAVS Annual General Meeting, which takes place on Friday 4

th December. We look forward to seeing you there.

This newsletter includes the usual mix of interesting and informative articles – we hope you enjoy the read! ————–—————————————————————————————————————————

It is with great regret that we announce the resignation of Robin Mogg from the PAVS Board. After a good deal of thought, Robin arrived at what he described as a “very difficult decision” to step down from the Board mid-term due to increased work commitments. PAVS Chair, John Gossage, said: “Since his election, Robin has made a significant contribution to the work of the Board. His astute business sense, combined with a good understanding of the third sector and personal experience of volunteering in the community, made him the ideal Trustee. He will be sorely missed. On behalf of the Board, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Robin for all his hard work over the years and to wish him well for the future.” After due consideration, Board members decided to leave the vacancy open until the AGM in December. If you are interested in standing for election to the PAVS Board, please contact PAVS’ Senior Administrative Officer, Sue James-Davies, for further information. As reported in the Foreword, Board members attended a very positive meeting of the Voluntary Sector Liaison Group and Town & Community Councils Joint Forum. The meeting considered the volunteering policy developed by the Pembrokeshire County Council Cultural Services Department and the draft Charter, which is now out for consultation. There was genuine interest in building a much closer working relationship between the Town & Community Councils (represented by One Voice Wales and PALC – Pembrokeshire Association of Local Councils) and the third sector, represented by PAVS. We look forward to the next meeting with interest.

Foreword

News from The Board

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Sue Leonard Chief Officer

John Gossage Chairman

Five Board members took part in a regional leadership meeting on 12

th October, which

brought together senior staff and trustees from the four CVCs in Mid & West Wales. This meeting provided an opportunity to contribute to the mid-term review of the Regional Memorandum of Understanding which was signed in 2012 by the four CVC Chairs. In addition, the meeting considered four key issues, namely the creation of a regional entity; cost savings; income generation and maintaining a visible “high street” presence. The event provided an excellent opportunity to shape a regional response to the recommendations in the recent report to the Minister for Communities & Tackling Poverty referred to earlier in this newsletter. The Board continues to monitor the risks to the Association through the risk register presented at each meeting. One of the key risks identified is that of a rising pension deficit and the Board has organised a meeting with the Dyfed Pension Scheme managers. Work is ongoing to restructure the organisation and to identify new income generation opportunities, which do not conflict with our members’ interests. The Board remains committed to supporting local voluntary and community groups and to securing a sustainable future for PAVS.

News from the Board

There is office space available to rent from PAVS at their premises at 36/38 High Street, Haverfordwest. —please contact Sue James-Davies, PAVS’ Senior Administrative Officer for more information on costs. Contact details below. We have two offices available, one large office one on the second floor of the building, that will accommodate five/six desks and storage and a smaller 4 desk one on the first floor. Whilst there is no lift, we do have meeting rooms available on the fully accessible ground floor for clients/visitors who cannot use the stairs. Room or individual desk space can be rented at very reasonable rates which include heating, lighting and all cleaning and waste disposal. Tenants can put in their own telephone line/number if they wish, or use PAVS telephone system at a small additional charge. It is a lovely family atmosphere at PAVS’ offices and if you would like to discuss the possibility of renting either very short term or longer term, then please contact me and we can see how we can help you.

Email: sue.james-davies@pavs.org.uk or telephone 01437 769422

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Policy Engagement

Community Voice Projects update Stronger Communities: Better Services is an exciting and diverse portfolio of projects funded by Big Lottery Wales through its Community Voice programme. Its aim is to build robust and sustainable communities which are better able to contribute to the design of the services they need. The programme is nearing its half-way stage and has made great strides in engaging hard-to-reach participants in a variety of activities, whilst developing new links with service providers such as Pembrokeshire County Council and Hywel Dda University Health Board. Recent work has included: An ‘Ageless Art’ exhibition by Community members from Pembroke Dock and surrounding villages working with members of the VC Gallery to create artwork through photography, outreach visits, and personal memories of the Town’s history. The fascinating exhibition took place with almost 100 people viewing artwork based on the intrinsic stories of the group members and of historical moments of Pembroke Dock. The group also created a film exhibit which demonstrated their artistic journey that had been achieved throughout the project. This has been supported by Age Cymru Pembrokeshire’s Community Ages Together project.

An exciting new initiative in St Davids in the form of a Memory Café which launched on 2nd September 2015, at Oriel y Parc Visitor Centre. The aim is to provide a venue for people who have dementia and their carers to enjoy refreshments, musical entertainment and a wide range of activities to suit everyone, all of which are free. Initially the aim is to hold the café on the first Wednesday of the month, possibly increasing the frequency of the event if there is enough demand. The community bus will pick up clients around the St Davids’ peninsula from Croesgoch to Penycwm. In an excellent example of partnership working, many public and third sector organisations joined forces to develop the idea, including PLANED’s Clywed project.

Since January, Pembrokeshire People First’s ‘The BIG Idea’ project has run drop-in sessions facilitating visits from public sector organisations – the fire service, trading standards, disability sports development office, the carer’s strategy co- ordinator and Dwr Cymru. They have also held an Open Day on employment and volunteering bringing together PPF members with ‘experts’ in the field – Job Centre Plus, Career Wales, PAVS, Frame, The Shaw Trust and Remploy.

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All of this work has been focussed on building the skills, confidence and knowledge of drop-in members. At this stage they are interested in raising members’ awareness of the public sector and its role in their lives; and developing members’ self- confidence and encouraging assertiveness. As an example of the difference drop-in sessions have made, a young woman, ‘E’, with Down’s Syndrome and limited speech started attending drop-in earlier this year. At first she was extremely quiet and looked to her support worker to answer any questions addressed to her. Now E fully participates in all activities, asks and answers questions, helps in the kitchen, loves to dance and has made a good friend who she meets regularly outside of drop-in. Between October 2014 and March 2015 Disability Wales/Wales Council of the Blind’s Planning Together project successfully delivered a 4-part programme of training to disabled people. The programme covered Disability Equality, Knowing & Using Your Rights, Digital Inclusion and Getting Involved in Improving Services. Some participants also attended a 2-part train-the-trainer programme called Pass It On. The programme has enabled participants to develop their knowledge of disability issues and pass the information on to others. A second round of training is now being put in place for a different group of disabled people. Covering a similar range of issues but from a slightly different perspective, the programme will run from late autumn through to summer 2016. During this period they will also be seeking to develop work with commissioning teams, offering support to enable officers to engage effectively with disabled citizens. Pembrokeshire County Council’s Housing department has been working with Pembrokeshire Care Society’s Homelessness and Young People Participation Project. The project worked with young people, exploring issues behind homelessness and evaluating housing-related services. A successful event was held with staff from the Council’s Housing team. The young volunteers explored housing stigmas and their understanding of the Housing service in a ‘Q and A’ session. The volunteers prepared their questions and service recommendations. They based their points on direct experiences of homelessness services and housing-related rumours. The event was a success, receiving exceptional feedback from both the young peo-ple and the Housing staff themselves.

For more details about Stronger Communities: Better Services contact: alan.wilkinson@pavs.org.uk, louise.wilkinson@pavs.org.uk or

michelle.copeman@pavs.org.uk

Policy Engagement

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Small Workplace Health Award The Small Workplace Health Award is the national mark of quality for health and well-being aimed at organisations employing fewer than 50 people. The award has been developed to target the key preventable ill-health issues in the workplace, which will also help to increase organisational performance and productivity. It is a developmental process, based on good practice and improvement and it can be used to support the creation of activities that promote the health and well-being of employees. Three levels of award can be achieved, reflecting the range of actions that an organisation is taking to promote the health and well-being of its staff. The modules that make up each level are stand-alone and it is recommended that organisations view them as developmental stages to be achieved over time. Wales is currently the only country in the UK to have an independently verified and structured system for validating the extensive work undertaken by employers to improve the health and well-being of their staff. In addition to raising awareness among employees of a range of health issues and improving attendance, working on the award can support staff involvement and communication, and develop an open and learning culture in an organisation. Organisations that have worked through the awards positively describe the contribution that the award plays to strengthening core business. The support offered on behalf of Public Health Wales is free and includes the following:

Addressing a senior manager /Board meeting on the benefits of the award

Attending an internal health & well-being group

Advising & commenting on policies

Providing links to, and evidence-based information on, specialist issues

Sharing ideas and best practice from other organisations

Supporting you through assessment.

For more information and support contact:

Rhian Parry, Workplace Health Practitioner

01792 607400 or 07583 064406 rhian.parry@wales.nhs.uk

Policy Engagement

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Getting ready for the Social Services & Well-being (Wales) Act 2015 The Social Services & Well-being (Wales) Act will be implemented from April 2016 and Welsh Government are currently finalising the regulations and guidance that will underpin the Act. Members of the Mid & West Wales Health & Social Care Collaborative are working hard to get ready for the introduction of the Act, through a range of work streams looking at issues such as information, advice and assistance; prevention and early intervention; integrated assessment; workforce development; and promoting and supporting the development of social enterprises. There is also a lot of planning activity taking place locally and nationally. Every effort is being made to involve service users in the process, making use of existing engagement mechanisms such as Community Voice, Carer and Older People Forums, Health Board events, etc. The Care Council for Wales has recently introduced a new Information & Learning Hub to help organisations implement the legislation and embed new working practices. Currently, the on-line Hub includes an awareness training pack; an e-leaflet on the changes the Act will introduce; a video statement from the Minister for Health & Social Services, and many other useful sources of information. The Hub is being updated all the time with resources, updates to the legislation and the latest news about the Act, events and the national training programme. It is also possible to sign up for the regular bulletin, which helps keep people up-to-date on developments via e-mail. Plans are in hand to introduce a range of new learning materials aimed at people delivering care; a guide to resources around the principles of the Act; and four core training modules based on introduction and general functions, assessing and meeting the needs of individuals, looked after and accommodated children, and safeguarding. Organisations that have any useful materials to add to the Hub are invited to contact the Care Council for Wales – e-mail b.paget@btinternet.com for more details. The on-line Hub can be accessed at www.ccwales.org.uk/getting-in-on-the-act-hub Shared Purpose: Shared Future Welsh Government is currently consulting about statutory guidance for the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. The Act sets out to improve the long-term social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being of Wales. This new law will mean that public bodies must act in a sustainable way, and the Act has profound implications for public services, communities, and for the third sector in Wales. The draft statutory guidance will be used to explain how the Act will affect public bodies who are subject to its provisions. The main purpose of the guidance is to help public bodies to respond positively to the duties and powers they now have under the Act. The consultation closes on 16

th November 2015. Responses can be submitted by e-mail to

Policy Engagement

Sue Leonard (PAVS) is the third sector representative for the Hywel Dda area on the Mid & West Wales Health & Social Care Collaborative; the Integrated Services Pro-gramme Board and the Prevention/Early Intervention workstream. Sue can be con-tacted on sue.leonard@pavs.org.uk or by phone on 01437 769422.

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FGActWales@wales.gsi.gov.uk or via the on-line form accessed at http://gov.wales/consultations (click on the People & Communities link on the right hand side of the page) or by post to the Climate Change and Natural Resources Policy Division, Welsh Government, Crown Buildings, Cathays Park, Cardiff CF10 3NQ. Later this year, there will be a separate Welsh Government consultation about how we measure progress towards the Wales We Want through new national indicators. For more information … A guide to the Well-being of Future Generations Act is available from: http://gov.wales/docs/dsjlg/publications/150623-guide-to-the-fg-act-en.pdf WCVA is running a free webinar on Tuesday 3

rd November from 1.00pm – 2.00pm to give

third sector organisations an opportunity to engage directly with Welsh Government on both the statutory guidance and the national indicators. E-mail eventsadmin@wcva.org.uk to book a place on the webinar. Cynnal Cymru will be delivering a workshop about the implications of the Act for third sector organisations at WCVA’s annual conference, which takes place on Thursday 26

th November

in Llandudno. Further details will be published on the WCVA’s website at www.wcva.org.uk What we are doing locally … Pembrokeshire Local Service Board members are starting work towards becoming a Public Service Board and publishing a Well-being Plan for Pembrokeshire, as required under the new Act. Membership of the LSB has been extended to include statutory invitees under the Act and other public service bodies have also been invited to attend. Members received a comprehensive presentation on the implications of the Act at their September meeting. It is intended that the Pembrokeshire LSB will provide a joint response to the statutory guidance consultation. If you have any views on the new Act that you would like PAVS to feed into the LSB, please contact PAVS’ Chief Officer, Sue Leonard, at sue.leonard@pavs.org.uk. Charter between Pembrokeshire County Council and Town & Community Councils Pembrokeshire County Council has recently launched a public consultation on a draft Charter, which sets out a framework for joint working between Pembrokeshire County Council and Town & Community Councils (T&CCs) for the benefit of Pembrokeshire communities. Pembrokeshire County Council pledged to develop a draft Charter following the public engagement events held earlier this year, when members of the public told Council Officers that there was scope for better joint working between the Local Authority and T&CCs. Town and Community Councils: Town and Community Councils are statutory organisations. Pembrokeshire currently has nine Town Councils and one City Council, which serve the area's larger settlements, and 67 Community Councils, which serve the more rural areas. Each Council is made up of elected members or, in some cases, co-opted members. Members serve a four year term and have to agree to a Code of Conduct. Town and Community Councils serve their community by exercising a range of powers and duties, with the aim of improving the quality of life in their area. Town and Community Councils can make an additional charge (on top of Council Tax) for facilities and services in their areas. At present Town and Community Councils in Pembrokeshire raise a total of £1.4m. Visit www.pembstcc.org.uk for further information about Town and Community Councils and their activities, including agendas for and minutes of meetings.

Policy Engagement

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Draft Charter: the draft Charter has been put together with the aim of improving communication and cooperation between Pembrokeshire County Council and town and community councils in Pembrokeshire. Similar charters have been agreed between county councils and town and community councils in many other areas. More information about the draft Charter and the consultation can be found on the Pembrokeshire County Council website at www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk – follow the links for Have Your Say – Consultations. You can give your views by completing a short online response form, or printing off a hard copy of the response form and returning it to Pembrokeshire County Council, County Hall, Haverfordwest. If you would like further information or clarification, please phone Pembrokeshire County Council on 01437 764551 or e-mail enquiries@pembrokeshire.gov.uk PAVS will be submitting a response to the consultation. If you would like us to include your views, please let us know what they are – contact PAVS Chief Officer Sue Leonard on sue.leonard@pavs.org.uk or by phone on 01437 769422.

Shop window at the Show a success for groups Over twenty different voluntary and community groups had a presence in the Community Zone at the Pembrokeshire County Show this year. Many of the organisations involved had never had the chance to be at the show before and welcomed the opportunity to advertise their projects and activities, with many promoting new services, raising awareness, or encouraging people to volunteer. In the marquee itself there were seventeen stands which organisations shared or had on a time share basis, but everyone agreed it was very worthwhile. Many of the groups had collection tins, raffles, quizzes or activities on their stand. It is estimated at least £200 was raised and at least 2 volunteers were recruited. Over the 3 days more than 2,000 visitors engaged with the different groups and projects. The Community Zone was coordinated by PAVS (Pembrokeshire Association of Voluntary Services), and funded by South Hook LNG Terminal as part of the Company’s Community engagement activities. “The Community Zone, at the Pembrokeshire Show, was a real success this year, there were more stands and 29% more visitors through the marquee”, said Co-ordinator Louise Wilkinson.

Cllr Keith Lewis, Louise Wilkinson of PAVS and Carol Lewis of South Hook LNG are joined by Paul Davies AM, Cllr Alison Lee, Tegryn Jones Chief Executive of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority,

Christopher Salmon Police & Crime Commissioner and representatives of the exhibiting Community and Voluntary organisations.

Third Sector Support

Policy Engagement

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Third Sector Support

Commenting on South Hook LNG’s support of the Community Zone, Mariam Dalziel PR Manager, congratulated PAVS and the numerous community organisations involved. “We are so pleased to have been able to support such a strong presence of community and voluntary organisations at this year’s Show. Not only has it given the various organisations an opportunity to raise awareness, but provided the community a means through which to access valuable support.” The Community Zone was opened (along with its neighbour – the Learning Zone) on the first morning of the Show by Councillor Keith Lewis (Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Communities and the Economy) who invited stall holders, and some special guests, to enjoy a networking breakfast. The breakfast had been made by the staff and volunteers at the Transition Café (a surplus food project), part of Transition Bro Gwaun, based in Fishguard. While at the show we also met this young lady who is raising money for Ward 10 at Withybush Hospital.

To date Elly has raised over £3,000.00 with her flag

Elly Neville, the Ward 10 Flag and Louise Wilkinson from PAVS

Funding News Launch of Pembrokeshire Funding Portal - the latest funding search technology brought

to you by PAVS!

PAVS is excited to announce the launch of a new funding search portal for third sector groups in Pembrokeshire. This searchable resource brings you information about local, regional and national funding sources and a PAVS Funding Advice Service which is even more responsive and tailored to the needs of your group than ever before! The PAVS Learning and Development Team is looking forward to this new approach which will be delivered within each county area in Wales and is the result of lengthy discussions and trial work with all CVCs across Wales, WCVA and the Grants Database provider. At PAVS we have always been passionate about capacity building for the sector but the previous grant software licence meant that it could only be used by our staff team. This new approach means that, even with just a small amount of funding knowledge, you can get stuck in to funding information first hand.

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Third Sector Support

Groups who are unsure about running their own searches will still be able to ask PAVS staff to support them with this, but it is hoped that some of our Development Officer time will be freed up to focus on in-depth sustainable funding and fundraising support to the sector. Over the coming months the PAVS Learning and Development Team will be running short drop-in sessions for groups to come along and familiarise themselves with the Funding Portal. If you are keen to get started then you can access the Pembrokeshire Funding Portal through the PAVS Funding pages here: www.pavs.org.uk/funding/index.htm Every new user will need to register on the site and once that is set up, then you can access it any time. If you have any queries or to register an interest in attending a Funding Portal orientation session please contact Lorna Livock on (01437) 769 422 or e-mail lorna.livock@pavs.org.uk

Funding Events Pembrokeshire Funding Fair 2015 Once again we are looking forward to welcoming a range of local and national funders to the Pembrokeshire Funding Fair 2015 on Tuesday 17 November at the Queens Hall, Narberth from 10am – 3pm. Come along and find out more about these different funding sources and the support available to your group. The theme is Making the Most of Money and there will be presentations from a range of speakers on topics linked to the main theme, including an update on European Funding from the Wales Council for Voluntary Action. Further information will be posted on the PAVS website as we approach the event date. If you would like to book a place then visit EventBrite www.eventbrite.co.uk/ and search for “Pembrokeshire Funding Fair”. If you have any issues with booking on then contact PAVS for guidance on (01437) 769 422. We look forward to seeing you on the day!

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PAVS Funding events 2015/16 We run an ongoing programme of funding theme events which include a selection of funding surgeries. Keep an eye out on the PAVS website for details of these as they are confirmed, or sign up to the Pembrokeshire Trustee Network to make sure that you receive dates and details. If there is anything specific that you would like to see on the programme, then do get in touch. *** Regular funding updates are distributed through the Pembrokeshire Trustee Network, please contact the Learning and Development Team to be included on this list. E-mail development@pavs.org.uk ***

Fundraising snippets The Review of Fundraising Self Regulation On 23

rd September 2015, the Review of Fundraising Self Regulation led by Sir Stuart

Etherington, CEO of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), was published. It has recommended a large number of changes to the way in which fundraising should be regulated. The Fundraising Standards Board (FRSB) will continue to regulate charity fundraising and the Government response to the recommendations within the report will follow. There were a number of recommendations in the report including:

That the FRSB should be replaced by a new regulator, the “Fundraising Regulator”, who will also take responsibility for the Code of Fundraising Practice. The scheme would be universal and funded by a levy from charities with a voluntary income of £100,000 and over;

That a new Fundraising Preference Service should be established to enable the public to easily opt out of relevant charity communications.

It has been recognised that there is a real need to tackle issues around the general public’s confidence in fundraising to ensure that groups are not negatively affected. The Institute of Fundraising has also just updated its Code of Fundraising Practice with 19 fundamental changes. For now, the FRSB will continue to deliver the current regulatory system, addressing public complaints and completing current investigations, as well as dealing with any further allegations of poor practice which might arise. Website: www.frsb.org.uk/ Website: www.institute-of-fundraising.org.uk/code-of-fundraising-practice/code-changes/

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Funding snippets Petplan Charitable Trust’s Welfare Grants open for UK Applications The Petplan Charitable Trust is currently accepting applications to its annual Welfare Grants scheme from UK registered charities. Welfare grants are offered once a year to UK registered charities to promote the health and welfare of animals, such as dogs, cats, horses and rabbits, in the UK.

Third Sector Support

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Applications are currently being accepted for the following funding: One major welfare grant of up to £20,000 towards an innovative project to improve

animal care and welfare. Up to £40,000 to be distributed for general grants of between £5,000 and £7,500. This

can include items such as neutering, kennelling costs and veterinary fees. Up to £40,000 to be distributed for general grants of up to £5,000. This can include items

such as neutering, kennelling costs and veterinary fees. Grants to assist with vehicle purchase.

The deadline for applications is 4th December 2015. Website: www.petplantrust.org/articles.php?id=41

__________________________ Big Lottery Fund’s People and Places (Wales) – Change to Criteria The Big Lottery Fund is making two changes to the criteria of its People and Places Fund and will issue revised application forms and guidance notes. The People and Places programme funds capital and revenue projects that encourage co-ordinated action by people who want to make their communities better places to live. Public sector as well as voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations can apply for three levels of grants (£5,001-£250,000; £250,001-£500,000; £500,001 - £1 million) to support local and regional projects throughout Wales that focus on:

Revitalising communities

Improving community relationships

Enhancing local environments, community services and buildings From 5 October 2015, the following changes to the programme's eligibility criteria came into effect:

Projects will be able to apply for up to five years (instead of three years) funding. Projects above £500,000 will no longer need to provide evidence that they are

innovative in design. All other programme eligibility criteria will remain the same. Revised application forms and guidance notes are now available on the Big Lottery Fund website. Applications can be made at any time. Look out for further changes which will be made to the programme in 2016. Website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/ Millennium Stadium Charitable Trust opens to applications in Wales Grants for voluntary organisations in Wales in support of sport, the arts, the community and the environment. Grants of up to £2,500 are available for not-for-profit organisations in Wales that have a remit to serve their local community or town. Funding is available for projects in the following four areas; Sport, The Arts, The Environment and The Community. The deadline for applications is 30 November 2015 (12 noon). Website: www.millenniumstadiumtrust.org.uk/

Third Sector Support

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Lloyds Bank Foundation - move to grant rounds For many years the Foundation has operated a rolling approach to receiving funding requests from charities to provide flexibility around the timing of applications and decisions. This approach has recently been reviewed and it has been agreed to change to a grant rounds approach with fixed deadlines. The different implications have been considered and it is believed that this will help improve the service:

All charities will get a decision within six months of registering an enquiry

For enquiries that lead to full applications clear deadlines for decisions will be provided A clear indication of the chances that a funding enquiry will be successful will be

provided, including level of enquiries by region and approval rates.

The Foundation believes that the change will help them to:

Better understand the nature of the demand and need for support

Encourage better targeting of the support provided

Improve the distribution of funding across the range of transition points supported

Use resources better

How will it change the way the Foundation works? The Foundation recognises the value that it places on people and in visiting charities seeking funding to meet with staff, trustees and beneficiaries to inform its funding decisions. The switch to a grant rounds approach will mean that fewer charities are visited in the course of deciding who to fund. Under the new strategy they are further developing this relationship based approach to grant making and this will mean they develop a much deeper relationship with funded charities going forward. The change will free up time to achieve this objective. Visit the Eligibility Guidance and FAQ’s page for more details. Website: www.lloydsbankfoundation.org.uk/how-to-apply/eligibility-guidance Website: www.lloydsbankfoundation.org.uk/how-to-apply/funding-faqs Comic Relief, Grants strategy update The external environment for the voluntary sector in the UK continues to change. Internationally, the Sustainable Development Goals will be ratified in September 2015. Comic Relief is taking this opportunity to look at evolving their grants strategy. A revised strategy will be launched in early 2016. Website: www.comicrelief.com/ Funding for small UK grants, through Comic Relief, up to £10,000 remain available through the UK Community Foundation network. Website: www.cfiw.org.uk/eng/home Covenant Fund The Armed Forces Covenant is supported by the Community Covenant and the Corporate Covenant. The Community Covenant encourages local communities to support the Armed Forces community in their area and promote public understanding and awareness. The Corporate Covenant is a public pledge from businesses and other organisations who wish to demonstrate their support for the Armed Forces community.

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The Covenant Fund has £10 million each year to support the Armed Forces Covenant by funding projects which address specific priorities. There are two funding routes: • small grants, for applications up to a maximum of £20,000 and • large grants, for applications of between £20,001 and £500,000 The next deadline for the small grants programme is noon on Thursday 17 December 2015 and further deadlines will be announced in 2016. For more information visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covenant-fund-guidance-on-how-to-apply Exciting News about the Sport Wales Grant Application Process From 26

th October 2015, the way you apply for a Sport Wales Community Chest and

Development Grant will be changing. Applications will have to be made online, via the Sport Wales website, rather than using the existing paper/pdf based application forms. The new online process will, amongst other things, improve the applicant experience and allow Sport Wales to manage grant pro-grammes more efficiently. Please regularly check the funding pages on the Sport Wales website http://sport.wales/funding--support.aspx for the announcement of the Go Live date.

Grow Wild Funding Organisations and community groups across Wales are being invited to apply for funding of £1,000 to £4,000 from Grow Wild to create inspiring spaces. Supported by the Big Lottery Fund and led by Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Grow Wild motivates communities, friends, neighbours and individuals to come together to transform local spaces by sowing, growing and enjoying UK native wild flowers. Over the next year, Grow Wild has more than £200,000 to award to not-for-profit groups who put forward creative ideas that revamp communal spaces. Grow Wild is looking for projects that use native wild flowers and plants innovatively to bring colour and wildlife to their local area. They should offer volunteering opportunities to young people aged 12-25 and also to over 25s. Projects should also think creatively about sharing stories, photos and activities from their spaces. Over 2014-15, Grow Wild has built a network of over 150 projects including; the reimagining of a train station entrance an interactive tour of planted spaces, a sensory garden for people with disabilities; as well as projects involving streetscapes, woodlands, housing estates and murals. Applications for 2016 funding must be received by 1 December 2015. Successful groups will be notified in February 2016 ready to start their project in March and finish by October 2015. Website: www.growwilduk.com/community-projects/application-guidance

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SwansAid Applications Open Applications for SwansAid are once again open, with a total of up to £25,000 worth of grants available. If your organisation or charity supports and encourages children, young people and disabled people to get involved in sport, you could be in with a chance of being awarded funds. Twice a season, SwansAid awards one large grant of £10,000, as well as six smaller grants of up to £2,000, not to mention sports kits for an array of teams. Since its introduction in September 2013, SwansAid has become the Community Trust’s grant giving pot and has supported a range of charities, groups and community organisations across South West Wales. If your group operates within Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Carmarthen, and you work with children, young people or disabled people, then you may be eligible to apply. The deadline for this round of applications is 5pm, November 20

th 2015.

Website: www.swansacademy.co.uk/swans-community-trust-swans-aid-grants. Community Foundation in Wales With an increasing portfolio of grant schemes it is always worth checking the Community Foundation in Wales’ website to see if there is anything new available. www.cfiw.org.uk/eng/home

Funding Deadlines BBC Children in Need – Main Grant Programme – 15

th Jan 2016

BBC Children in Need – Small Grants Programme – 1st December 2015

**For the most up to date funding news please visit the PAVS website at www.pavs.org.uk**

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REACH out to your local community Pembrokeshire College has successfully won their bid for Big Lottery Funding as part of the People and Places fund. The ‘Reach’ project (to be co-ordinated by the College’s Adult Community learning department) will provide £250,000 over 3 years to aid the delivery of community courses across Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion. It will enable courses to be offered for subsidised rates or in some cases for free and will support the costs for hiring community venues and ensure those who usually would not be able to access courses can do so. The project is aimed at those with health issues, mental health, are unemployed and over 55’s. The project is designed to deliver courses to motivate, increase wellbeing, confidence and skillset for enjoyment or to help find employment. Engaging with local support charities and agencies and working closely with Learning Pembrokeshire and Dysgu Bro Ceredigion the project will offer a wide range of subjects from First Aid, to IT and arts and crafts.

For more information visit the website: http://reach.pembrokeshire.ac.uk or call

01437 753139 community@pembrokeshire.ac.uk _______________________________

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Third Sector Support

Local training for voluntary and community groups PAVS has now published its Autumn programme of courses, workshops and events – visit www.pavs.org.uk/training/index.htm for full details. As part of the programme, PAVS is pleased to be working with Citizens Advice to deliver FREE Discrimination Awareness Training on 29

th October. The training will be useful for

people and organisations who provide generalist and specialist advice and want to increase their knowledge about effective ways to challenge discrimination. Participants will receive a comprehensive Information Pack and will be guided through information on:

• The Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Equality Duty • Current Case Law • Case studies from the Pan Wales Discrimination Advice Services

The session will run from 9.30am until 12.30pm and will be repeated between 1.30pm and 4.30pm, booking is essential. Top Tips for charitable giving The Charity Commission has published some top tips you can follow to make sure your money is going to the good cause you want to help:

1. If giving to a charity, check the charity’s name and registration number against the online charity search tool which you can find on the Charity Commission’s website

2. Fundraisers need a licence from the local authority (or the police in London) to collect in a public place. Check that they have this. If the collection is in a privately owned place, check that they have the owner’s permission.

3. When approached by collectors, check whether they are wearing a proper ID badge and that any collection tin is sealed.

4. If in doubt, ask the collector for more information - a genuine fundraiser should be happy to answer questions and explain more about the work of the charity.

5. Genuine fundraising materials should feature the charity’s name, registered name and a landline contact number. Be wary of those that list only a mobile number.

6. Make sure when you give to radio and television appeals that the process is secure. Ofcom lists the rules for radio and television charity appeals on its website.

7. Take care when responding to emails or clicking links to a charity’s website to ensure that they are genuine. Instead, search online for your chosen charity to check you have the right web address.

8. Carefully review collection bags for clothing and household goods to ascertain whether they are from a genuine charity.

9. After making these checks, if you think that a collection or appeal is not legitimate, report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 and inform the Charity Commission.

10.Don’t be pressurised to give to a collection immediately. If in any doubt, donate directly to charity.

Support for collaborative working You’ve heard the saying “two heads are better than one”? Well, the saying has never been more true than now for voluntary organisations wanting to make the most of scarce resources in a difficult economic climate. Entering into collaboration with another organisation or a consortium of organisations is a useful way of pooling knowledge, sharing skills and expertise, influencing policy-makers, campaigning on matters of mutual

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concern, improving outcomes for beneficiaries and bidding for contracts or funding. So, “what’s not to like?” you may ask. However, as with any great idea, there are pitfalls and dangers to be avoided, and these are some of the issues you will need to consider when thinking about collaboration:

Is the other organisation’s reputation as good as our own? What if we end up doing most of the work and not getting the right amount of

acknowledgement? How could we make sure that staff working on a joint project aren’t hampered by

competing organisational protocols? What if we want to get out of the collaboration … or the other organisation does? How will we share the costs of a joint venture? Who has the final say; our board or theirs?

All of these concerns can be addressed by clear communication and planning well ahead of time. There are lots of resources you can use if you want to think about working with other organisations. PAVS’ Learning and Development team will be happy to help you and your partner organisations work through your ideas for collaboration, access the many resources that are available, and provide support throughout the process. On 4

th November, as part of Trustees Week 2015, PAVS will be running a

workshop entitled “What Every Committee Member Needs to Know” between 10am and 1pm. Are you a new committee member? Do you have any new committee members on your Board or are there people who have been on the Board for a while but have been so busy that they’ve not yet been able to attend one of our workshops? If the answer to any of these questions is “yes”, this is the workshop for you. Get in touch on 01437 769422 or email development@pavs.org.uk and we’ll be able to give you more information. Quality Assurance for third sector organisations WCVA and NCVO are working together to deliver the PQASSO for Wales project, funded by the Big Lottery. PQASSO (Practical Quality Assurance System for Small Organisations) is a quality standard specifically for third sector organisations. It covers all aspects of an organisation’s work and can be used by small, medium and large organisations who wish to demonstrate the quality of their organisation and its work to beneficiaries, funders, contracting organisations and others. The PQASSO for Wales project aims to strengthen quality in the third sector in Wales by providing mentors to help organisations implement PQASSO. PAVS is supporting the project and two of its development officers have been accepted onto the PQASSO for Wales training programme in October. This means that PAVS will be able to provide organisations in Pembrokeshire with formal mentoring support to achieve the PQASSO standards.

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PAVS is particularly pleased that the PQASSO for Wales project will also provide the opportunity for very small or new organisations to implement PQASSO Essentials. PQASSO Essentials is designed as a stepping stone for small or new organisations who would eventually like to achieve PQASSO at level 1 but who need to “test the water” with an entry level checklist. If you’d like to know more about PQASSO Essentials or the new PQASSO standards, please get in touch on 01437 769422 or at development@pavs.org.uk.

Save resources – save money! Resource Efficient Wales (REW) is a Welsh Government service providing people (domestic, business, community, voluntary and the public sector) with a single point of contact for support on using resources (energy, materials and water) more efficiently. When you call REW they’ll help you with information and guidance on the support you need. They will listen to your requests, explain about the services that are available, and help you find the most appropriate solution for you. If they put you in touch with a service provider, they will arrange to follow up on that service and call you back to assess the outcome. Whether you are a householder, business, community group, voluntary sector, public sector organisation or a charity, REW can provide you with information on saving energy and water and reducing the waste that you produce, or disposing of it more efficiently. Call 0300 123 2020 for more information. You can call during the hours of 9am – 5pm. Your call will be charged at local rate, even from a mobile phone but these may be free minutes from landline or mobile tariff

Latest Volunteering Opportunities Paul Sartori Volunteers required to serve customers and help sort donated clothes and items in the Paul Sartori charity shops around Pembrokeshire. Merchandising and pricing of products is also involved. Shelter Cymru Volunteers needed to help within a busy Housing Support office alongside staff. Tasks include making up client and court files, input information on the database, filing, audio/copy typing, answering the phone PATCH PATCH food bank is looking for volunteer gardeners to help with their vegetable plot in Milford Haven which supplies their food bank facility. Food bank volunteers are also needed at various points in the county.

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Volunteering

The National Trust Stackpole Estate Volunteers are required to help the Head Gardener with routine and general maintenance around the garden and buildings. Many other practical volunteering opportunities are available. The Barnardo's Cymru V-Linx Currently looking for volunteer drivers to assist with transportation of Befriender Volunteers and their disabled service users throughout the county. Service users, together with their Barnardo's Cymru Volunteer, are looking to access local activities and facilities for between 2-4 hours per week and the occasional support of volunteers drivers to assist in their transportation needs. Pembroke 21C Volunteers needed for outdoor volunteering to connect and protect high value nature conservation sites on the Castlemartin peninsula in order to protect biodiversity and build resilience.

Pembrokeshire Autism Friendly Youth Group To help support children with autism and their parents/carers with a range of activities within a social setting. Alzheimer’s Society Try Something New is a project which offers people with dementia and their carers the chance to take part in activity groups in a community education setting. Volunteers are needed to help with practical sessions including arts, crafts, keep fit, local history and gardening. British Red Cross Support at Home volunteers enable people to live as independently as they can at home. Building trusting relationships and helping them to regain their confidence and well-being. Typical tasks include, keeping someone company for a few hours at a time, helping someone rebuild their confidence by supporting them on trips out into the community for example taking them shopping or to a local social group etc. SPPOT If you have an interest in working with dogs and people then this maybe for you. Volunteer Internal verifiers are needed to assess the accredited training courses in the Care and Welfare of Pet Dogs, through Agored Cymru. Pembroke Dock Sunderland Trust Volunteers are required to assist with the basic maintenance of the exterior of our Heritage Centre. Tasks involved would be keeping the paths free from leaves, keeping the hinges on the gates oiled, weeding the paths etc. Friends of East Williamston Jubilee Park Volunteers are needed to help maintain hedges, fences, grassed areas, paths and ditches. All equipment is provided. For more information regarding any of the above volunteering opportunities, contact the Volunteering Pembrokeshire team volunteering@pavs.org.uk or call 01437 769422.

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Change your life by volunteering with Pembrokeshire CAB

Pembrokeshire Citizens Advice Bureau offers free, impartial, independent and confidential advice on a wide variety of issues.

The charity has two main offices open in Haverfordwest and Pembroke Dock, plus outreach locations operating weekly throughout the county. Recently, Pembrokeshire CAB has extended its reach into the community undertaking work-shops, activities and events to tackle financial and digital exclusion. Our new Digital Welfare project started in January 2015 continuing work carried out by Communities 2.0. CAB is now working in partnership with all the Job Centres in Pembrokeshire delivering services at Job Clubs and local

libraries. The aim is to help unemployed people to develop their Digital skills with sympathetic but focused support. Volunteers are on hand with 1:1 support if users are using the computer for the first time, writing a CV or learning to use the Government job site, Universal Jobmatch. Chelsea joined Pembrokeshire CAB in February 2015 wanting to enhance her admin skills to further her employment prospects. Chelsea says, “My role at CAB includes being part of the digital welfare team. I attend weekly job clubs helping users with any technical issues they may come across when applying for jobs or amending their CVs. I am there to provide any technical support necessary. The skills I have gained from being part of this team include dealing with the public face to face and I have gained so much confidence. I would highly recommend volunteering with CAB to gain or improve any existing skills which can also enhance any job prospects and add to a CV. CAB is a fantastic organisation and a great team. I have gained so much from volunteering but have also given back to the community. I would suggest that anyone looking for experience to boost their work skills apply today.” Pembrokeshire CAB is actively looking to recruit new volunteers to join our fully supervised and supported Digital Welfare and Financial Capability team. Why not make a change in your life like Chelsea has; try something new to help yourself and your community and enjoy being part of team CAB! For a variety of role profiles and an application pack please contact recruitment@pembscab.org.uk 01437 767936 / www.pembrokeshirecab.org.uk

Pembrokeshire YouthBank – Funding for Youth Projects Distributed by Young People

Pembrokeshire Youth Bank is a project that gives small grants of up to £500 to Projects led by young people within Pembrokeshire, to help them turn their ideas into actions. Youth Bank, supported by youth workers from the Children and Young People’s Rights Office, is unique in that young people make all the decisions on how the project is run and promoted. Young people who sit on the grant panel decide which groups should be awarded funding, by matching the application to the criteria set by the young people. There are currently four

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main points of the criteria which are:

Enterprise

Poverty

Charity

Environment Youth Bank is also in the process of looking for additional funding in order to fund a project ‘Thinking Smart - Funding Matters’ which aims to provide members of Youth Bank with additional training in the management of money, with the support once again with adults from Pembrokeshire Youth. After the members have been trained, the plan is to then pass on the training to other young people, as well as successful applicants. Members plan on also receiving and subsequently passing on training to other Youth groups on successfully applying to Youth Bank. If you are interested in being involved with Pembrokeshire Youth Bank, or want to find out about applying for funding for a youth project, please email: dayle.gibby@pembrokeshire.gov.uk or call 01437 776614.

Supporting older people to enable them to remain independent in their own home.

There are many Volunteering opportunities with Age Cymru Pembrokeshire including: Hospital Homecoming Service - Volunteers supporting clients just out of hospital emotionally and practically, i.e. shopping, picking up prescriptions, dog walking, or just calling in for a chat to see if anything is needed. Hospital visiting - Visiting the hospital on a weekly/fortnightly basis to network, give out leaflets and obtain referrals. Care calls – Telephoning the client at home to have a chat and to check all is ok, this helps to relieve the isolation of lonely, housebound older people (calls can be made either from the office or from volunteers’ homes). Fundraising—Volunteers to give ideas, help organise and support events and collection. Carer support – Volunteers sitting with the ‘cared for’ person to give the carer respite to go out or just to have some ‘me’ time. Visiting the clients on a regular basis (maybe once a week) for a cup of tea and a chat, maybe playing games, cards, reminiscing. Office – volunteers who help staff in the office with telephone, data input, filing, collecting outcomes, reception duties etc. Odd Jobs / Bathlift / Home safety – Various small odd jobs, installing bathlifts and demonstrating to the client how to use them (training given).

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Welfare benefits – Visiting the client at home to complete welfare benefit forms i.e. Attendance Allowance, Personal Independence Payments, Pension Credit and Retirement Pension. (Full training will be given). Nail Cutting - Volunteers to visit client in their homes or at community venues (training given) If you have time to spare you can make a huge difference to an older person’s life. Please ring 01437 769972 to find out how to get involved or email: office@acpembs.org.uk / www.acpembs.org.uk

The PAVS Guide to Volunteering for Young People Aged 14-25 Need a community placement for Welsh Baccalaureate? Want to build your self-confidence? Have to have experience to complete a course? Want to enhance your CV/UCAS application? Like to meet new people and try new things? PAVS can help! PAVS’ experienced advisors can discuss your needs and match you with a suitable volunteering opportunity. How to get started with volunteering:

Look for local volunteering opportunities on www.volunteering-wales.net Make an appointment with an advisor at PAVS who will assist you with making a

choice (see some of the types of opportunities below) Volunteering Pembrokeshire also runs an outreach service (by appointment) where

an advisor can meet you at a location convenient to you PAVS has about 500 registered volunteering opportunities at any time in areas including:

Health and Social Care Environment and conservation Sport Office and IT Driving Arts, media and music Retail Advice and counselling Education and literacy Youth work

Millennium Volunteers (MV) MV is a UK-wide scheme, administered in Wales by the Welsh Government which gives recognition to young people aged 14-25 for their volunteering activities:

Certificates awarded for 50, 100 and 200 hours of volunteering 200 hours certificate signed by Welsh Government First Minister Incurred out of pocket expenses can be paid It can help develop your skills, qualifications and job prospects Up to 50 MV hours can be backdated for existing volunteers If you’re volunteering anyway (e.g. D of E) it’s really easy to become a MV as well.

For more information please contact Jean Morris on 01437 769422 or on volunteering@pavs.org.uk

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