The Newsletter for Tower Hamlets Voluntary & Community OrganisationsIssue 2 •Summer 2013

The Sparrow

INSIDE THIS ISSUE...Representation and Influence

“Not Just Surviving butThriving in Tower Hamlets”

VCS Commissioning Consortium

Tower Hamlets Council for Voluntary Service

Meet the ESF Community Grants Team

Go Ethical for discounted goods and services

Training for your staff and volunteers

THCVS is an independent membership organisation for voluntary, community faith and social enterprise organisations in the borough of Tower Hamlets.

We’re not part of Tower Hamlets Council.

Or any other public sector or government body. We are an independent, registered charity funded from a mix of sources (including the council) and we’re here to support and represent our members - local voluntary and community organisations.

And we don’t find volunteers for organisations.

We provide direct advice, training and support to the staff, volunteers and trustees of voluntary and community organisations. (Volunteer Centre Tower Hamlets can help help your organisaiton to find volunteers, or can help to match up individuals with voluntary placements)

A NEW FRAMEWORK FOR VCS REPRESENTATION

On 25 June 2013, the Tower Hamlets Partnership endorsed the framework for the voluntary and community sector representation on partnership boards and sub-groups. The underpinning principle of the framework is that it is essential for the VCS to be in partnership strategic working groups and decision making bodies to contribute to the development of policy, strategy and priorities. The framework makes provision for two VCS representatives and a substitute to partnership boards or working groups.

OBLIGATIONS OF THE SECTOR

It also sets out the VCS obligations to appoint the representatives in a fair and transparent way, and to provide them with relevant induction and training for the role. VCS representatives are expected to undertake their roles very seriously and represent the sector strategically, not their own organisations. They will be expected to have a good grasp of the agenda issues and be fully briefed, if

necessary. This is an opportunity for the VCS to demonstrate its expertise and shape the agenda by presenting the sector’s evidence of service needs, user experience and case studies of innovative services and projects.

WHO SHOULD PAY FOR REPRESENTATION?

One issue that comes up fairly often is that voluntary sector staff members are not paid for their representative roles or to attend forums, meetings and consultations. It is argued that this is over and above their day job. I think that’s missing the point. Advocacy, representation and influence should be a key part of our work.

Representationand influence

We are Tower Hamlets Council for Voluntary Service

“line managers, trustees or management committees have to start prioritising these

activities, include them in staff work plans and embed them in all our organisations’culture”

The articles in The Sparrow give a flavour of the kind of things we are up to at the moment. To find out more turn to the inside back page for the contact details of our helpful team!

TO FIND OUT MORE...

by Khadiru Mahdi, THCVS CEO

I agree that in our very busy jobs we have to prioritise between front line service delivery and attending forum meetings etc. My advice is that line managers, trustees or management committees have to start prioritising these activities, include them in staff work plans and embed them in all our organisations’ culture. The increasing level of partnership working and the move to co-production and commissioning make a strong business case for us all to engage with the representation and influence agenda. In fact, the question for any VCS organisation not yet engaged in this is - why not?

VCS STRATEGY UPDATE

The Voluntary and Community Sector Strategy has been finalised by the Third Sector Advisory Board (TSAB) and the documents should be ratified by the Tower Hamlets Partnership in September 2013. The aim of the strategy is to “support the voluntary and community sector’s role in achieving One Tower Hamlets

and providing excellent services which will improve the quality of life of local people.”

The strategic objectives are:

• VCS shaping strategy and services

• Building strong community leadership and social capital

• VCS resilience and financial sustainability

• Strategic commissioning and co-production

• Monitoring, evaluating and demonstrating impact.

I presented the strategy to the governing body of the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), the Community Safety Partnership (CSP) and Tower Hamlets Housing Forum Executive in July 2013 and received positive responses.

The Strategy and Action Plan are now going through the Council’s internal decision making processes before being submitted to the Tower Hamlets Partnership for ratification.

Step Forward - www.step-forward.org • Bromley by Bow Centre - www.bbbc.org.uk • Praxis - www.praxis.org.uk • Rainbow Hamlets - http://rainbowhamlets.wordpress.com/ • Positive East - www.positiveeast.org.uk • Community Options - www.community-options.org.uk

The Sparrow - Issue 2

Strategy Group

Integrated Care

JSNA Group

Community Engagement

REPRESENTATIVE

Jennifer Fear, CEOStep Forward

Zoe Portlock, Director of Services, Bromley by Bow Centre

Jack Gilbert, Chair Rainbow Hamlets

Khadiru Mahdi, CEO THCVS

REPRESENTATIVE

Abdirashid GulaidSupport Services Manager, MIND Tower Hamlets & Newham

Kat Miao Yu, Health & Social Care Development Worker, Praxis

Steve Worrall, Deputy Director, Positive East

Jack Gilbert, Chair Rainbow Hamlets

SUBSTITUTE

Rahima Rahman, Team Leader, Age UK East London

Rahima Rahman, Team Leader, Age UK East London

Jennifer Fear, CEO, Step Forward

SPOTLIGHT: HEALTH & WELLBEING FORUM

The VCS Health & Wellbeing Steering Group and Forum have been very active for about a year, guided by its Chair, Rahima Rahman (Age UK) and Vice Chair, Myra Garrett (BowHaven). Some of its activities include:

• An Open Space Event to look at how the statutory and voluntary sector can best work together in the new health and social care landscape. This successful event, attended by representatives from the VCS, Public Health, and the local authority reaffirmed the need for strong collaboration, including co-production, effective communication and sharing of knowledge and information.

• Consultation and contribution to the development of the Health & Wellbeing Strategy

• Consultion on and contribution to developing the tender brief for the new Healthwatch

• Having regular meetings with Deborah Cohen, Service Head Commissioning and Strategy, Adults Health and Wellbeing.

The Forum is represented on the Health & Wellbeing Board by Sharon Hanooman (Social Action for Health) and has successfully negotiated for representatives on its sub-boards as follows:

For more info on the Health & Wellbeing Forum please visit: www.thcvs.org.uk/Forums.aspx

I joined Tower Hamlets CVS in March 2013 after working as an administrator at Voice4Change England, a BME VCS infrastructure organisation. I previously worked for the Hackney Local Involvement Network (now Healthwatch Hackney) and the Liberal Democrat Party. I am interested in race, culture and gender and in 2008 graduated from the School of Oriental and African Studies with a BA in Indian and Chinese History. In my spare time I enjoy travelling, cooking, and painting.

At the CVS I work part-time as an administrator on the European Social Fund (ESF) project, a project that provides support to local

organisations which have been provided a small grant to help people get back into employment, I also support the Health and Wellbeing Forum.

I enjoy my role at the CVS as it offers variety and an opportunity to learn and use different skills. I was recently awarded a level 3 NVQ certificate in Business and Administration and in long term hope to improve my skills in areas such as HR, communications and business management.

I feel I am playing an integral role in supporting the community by carrying out back office duties which are essential to the smooth running of the project and CVS.

COMMUNITY GRANTS:

gemma.cossins@thcvs.org.uk or 020 8980 8427

If you have a query or would like some support from our Development Officer, contact Gemma at

RushenaAdmin & Information Officer (ESF TA)rushena.miah@thcvs.org.uk • 020 8980 1806

Hi there, I’m Shoomi and I joined THCVS in March this year as the Technical Assistance Advisor supporting organisations who received the Mayor’s ESF Community Grant. I come from a Project Management background working at the community grassroots level and therefore feel well placed in understanding the everyday struggles of VCS organisations, such as funding constraints, staffing needs and the invaluable contribution that volunteers make.

Whilst working in the voluntary sector I had the good fortune of studying for my Masters in Human Rights and Cultural Diversity. I have

always had a passion to contribute positively to the welfare of others and I believe that the voluntary sector plays a huge part in giving and facilitating a voice for a large but often overlooked section of society.

I am thoroughly enjoying my role so far, and have had the pleasure of meeting some unique individuals and fantastic organisations. If your organisation is an ESF Community Grants recipient or would like information or support with applying for future ESF Community Grants then please get in touch with me via the contact details above.

ShoomiDevelopment Officer (ESF TA)shoomi.chowdhury@thcvs.org.uk • 020 8980 1806

Meet our new team members

CURRENT PARTNERSHIP MEMBERS: • Shamimara Chowdhury – Manager, Bangladeshi Parents

and Carers Association• Jan Bros –Director, J-Go Training• Jane Evans –Director, Newlon Fusion at John Scurr

Community Centre• Alex Sutton – Deputy Director, Praxis Community Projects• Jack Gilbert – Chair, Rainbow Hamlets• Mike Smith – CEO, Real• Aulad Miah –Youth & Training Co-ordinator, t Hilda’s• Iffat Shahnaz – Borough Director, Social Action for Health• Diane Peters -Director, Streets of Growth• Khadiru Mahdi – CEO, THCVS• Mustafa Ibrahim – Co-ordinator, THSON• Myra Garrett – Federation of Tower Hamlets Tenants and

Residents

COME TOGETHER... AS A VCS COMMISSIONING CONSORTIUM

As part of its Transforming Local Infrastructure (TLI) to improve infrastructure support for local front-line organistions, THCVS has attracted central government funding to develop a voluntary sector-led commissioning consortium for Tower Hamlets. In a climate of insecure grant funding, public contracts offer challenges and opportunities to the voluntary sector. However, the world of commissioning is often intimidating and feels beyond the capacity of many smaller organisations. Yet, across the country many of these organisations are finding that working collaboratively to develop joint-bids is one way of opening up opportunities and beating the big ‘fish’ at their own game.

Initially bringing together a range of small to medium-sized Tower Hamlets organisations, the VCS commissioning consortium will bid for any relevant and appropriate large scale contract opportunities for the sector and cover the whole of Tower Hamlets. Once well established, it may also look to include selected large, national charities with track records of delivering in Tower Hamlets. The aim is to harness wider resources and supply chains as well as new service models and best practice.

This collaborative model could have exciting implications for the way the sector works together in the future. The vision is that together VCS organisations can learn more, progress faster and provide better than they can apart.

The Consortium will embrace organisations across a wide spectrum of service sectors, such as health and wellbeing, children and young people’s services, learning and skills, environmental services, social welfare advice, arts and culture etc.. In this way the consortium will be expressly geared towards providing services that map to the ‘whole person’ agenda. Thus mobilising the full range and breadth of the consortium membership to provide seamless, joined up services, able to meet the wide range of specific needs of individuals and communities.

PROCESS & STRUCTURE

The development of the consortium is being led by the 12 members (see below) of the Consortium Working Group, which emerged at a Stakeholders’ session during the THCVS Voluntary Sector Conference in February 2013. These are all local not-for-profit agencies working to tackle disadvantage and improve quality of life.

A key principle is that the structure and governance of the consortium (and the working group) will protect the diversity and independence of its members, i.e. their own management and accountability structures and unique ways of working. The consortium will be established as a Company Limited by Guarantee and registered charity with the provider organisations making up the clear majority of membership of the consortium’s governing body / board. Once the consortium is established the current working group members will have to apply to join alongside everyone else.

The Sparrow - Issue 2

duduzile@thcvs.org.uk or 020 8980 8427

If you have a query or would like some support from our Partnerships Development Officer, contact Duduzile at

For more information about the Commissioning Consortium email duduzile.moyo@thcvs.org.uk

Duduzile (Dee)Moyo 020 8980 8427

Current Steering Group Members:

A new cooperative offering reduced price

goods & services.Innovative Business Model

The Go Ethical co-operative business model is simple and innovative. They have launched a Market Place website (with a similar look to Amazon or eBay) where all the goods and services sold are supplied by voluntary and community groups and charities.Go Ethical recognise that many local groups have a merchantable service or product to sell but sometimes lack the time, skills or money to market these. So, Go Ethical will provide a ‘route to market’, charging just a small commission, and thereby enabling Tower Hamlets voluntary groups to generate their own unrestricted income from the sales that will be generated.

GO ETHICAL

Reduced prices for all goods & servicesGo Ethical will invite suppliers to offer discounts on their standard prices as all the marketing and sales work will be done on their behalf with no costs incurred.

Co-operativeTower Hamlets Co-operative Development Agency is the Go Ethical lead agency. Go Ethical is a registered co-operative so customers and suppliers will be invited to become members and thereby to participate in strategic decision making.

EthicalSuppliers will be required to demonstrate that they meet ‘ethical’ standards in terms of their employment, management, transport and travel policies, environmental and sustainability prac-tices. All the suppliers will need to have good references and also to demonstrate evidence of consistent quality in terms of the goods and services to be supplied. Finally, suppliers will be required to undertake a commitment to deliver promptly.

Transforming Local InfrastructureGo Ethical is part of the TLI programme, managed by THCVS, which assists our sector to operate more efficiently and to enhance self-generated income.

Website PromotionGo ethical will promote the website to over 100,000 customers, including voluntary sector organisations, charities, social enterprises, schools, co-operatives and the Federation of Small Businesses members.

A MARKET PLACE TO SELL YOUR GOODS & SERVICES. Such As...

www.go-ethical.com

To sell via Go Ethical, contact Gregory on gregory@go-ethical.com

AccountsBookkeepingCommunications Computer systemsIT consultancyEvent Management

Fundraising Graphic DesignHRInsurance Legal ServicesMarket Research

Phones / phone systemsOffice ServicesPayrollPremisesPrint ServicesOffice Supplies

TrainingTransportUtilitiesWeb design

GemmaDevelopment Manager gemma.cossins@thcvs.org.uk

RyanAdmin & Information Officerryan.okane@thcvs.org.uk

DeePartnerships & Development Officerduduzile.moyo@thcvs.org.uk

Our Team

Tower Hamlets CVS 15a Old Ford Road London, E2 9PL

www.thcvs.org.uk

KhadiruTHCVS Chief Executive Officerkhadiru.mahdi@thcvs.org.uk

JOIN THCVS TODAY...

AbiodunFinance Managerabiodun.noibi@thcvs.org.uk

Follow us on Twitter @THCVS

For just £30 a year, you will receive 25% discount on all training, free mailings of this newsletter and other member only updates, and a stake in the development of an independent voice for Tower Hamlets voluntary & community sector. Call us on 020 8980 8427 to find out more.

The Sparrow - Issue 2

TrainingTransportUtilitiesWeb design

ShoomiDevelopment Officer (ESF TA)shoomi.chowdhury@thcvs.org.uk

RushenaAdmin & Information Officer (ESF TA)rushena.miah@thcvs.org.uk

SanoberFinance Officersanober.ismail@thcvs.org.uk

SteveProject Coordinator (ESF TA)steve.white@thcvs.org.uk

The Government has awarded us this {TLI} grant through Transforming Local Infrastructure, which is being delivered by Big Fund, the non-Lottery funding arm of the Big Lottery Fund. Transforming Local Infrastructure is providing better support for frontline civil society organisations by transforming local infrastructure services.

THCVS provides high quality, heavily subsidised training and free development support to Tower Hamlets voluntary and community organisations. To find out more, or to book a course visit: www.thcvs.org.uk/training.aspx

Working With Local CommunitiesThur 19th September • 10am-4pmLocation: Island House, E14Trainer: J-Go

Half-day £30 • Full-day £40 • Members receive 25% discount

Fundraising: Making a PlanThur 17th October • 10am-1pmLocation: Account3, Bethnal GreenTrainer: Hackney CVS

Policies & Procedures EssentialsThur 26th September • 10am-4pmLocation: Step Forward, Bethnal GreenTrainer: Leander Neckles

Marketing with Social MediaTuesday 1st October • 10am-4pmLocation: Osmani Centre, WhitechapelTrainer: Kim Donahue

THCVS 2013-14 TRAINING PROGRAMME

SPECIAL OFFER Free membership

for small groups: From August 2013, organisations with

an annual income of less than £25,000

join THCVS for free, and still gain 25%

discount on all our courses!

Courses coming soon: • Demonstrating Outcomes (24th Oct)• Managing for the First Time (19th and 26th Nov)• Safeguarding Policies and Procedures (28th Nov)

See our website, follow @thcvs or sign up to our e-bulletins for more information