Dear Colleague,

Last week LVSC co-hosted an debate on the recently published Change for Good report and the implications of the recommendations for voluntary sector infrastructure in London.

London Funders, GLV and LVSC invited their members to the event to hear from NAVCA Chief Executive Neil Cleeveley and Justin Davis Smith NCVO who sat on the independent Commission on the future of local infrastructure. Delegates heard how NCVO and NAVCA are planning road shows around the country to talk more to the sector. In the afternoon London Funders and City Bridge Trust pledged their commitment to continuing the dialogue with the sector to determine what London's infrastructure could look like.

LVSC and GLV are committed to championing members views with commissioners, independent funders and the business community. Members asked LVSC and GLV to undertake to share innovative models of good practice where the VCS is already working collaboratively and examples of infrastructure organisations in London who have already implemented change to better support their beneficiaries locally.

I'm delighted to announce that Gregory Donovan, LVSC/United Way London trustee has so far raised £1,920 for us by running the London Marathon last Sunday. Gregory's company RBC Capital has pledged to 100% match fund up to £2,000. We are very grateful to Gregory and indeed to all his supporters for pledging to give to LVSC. If you would like to join them, donate via Virgin MoneyGiving. We'd love your support.

Warm regards,

Eithne

Eithne Rynne
CEO

Policy Pick of the Month

Lisa Greensill LVSC Head of Policy and Sector Support's pick of the month news items.

Grant-makers face 'Big Decisions' as a result of 'seismic shift' in commissioning

A new report from the New Philanthropy Capital (NPC) claims that charities and funders face difficult decisions due to the significant changes the VCSE sector has experienced in public service commissioning. 'Times of Change: Briefing on public sector commissioning', original prepared for the Henry Smith Charity, says commissioning contracts for charities have grown by £6.5bn in a decade while grant funding has shrunk by £2.2bn. Read the report.

Andy Ludlow Awards

The annual awards to celebrate and reward organisations that demonstrate innovative and creative solutions for tackling homelessness in the capital have been launched. They are sponsored by the London Housing Foundation, the London boroughs and Shelter and run by London Councils. Inside Housing magazine is the media partner. Guidance notes and application form.

Call for evidence into addressing complex needs

The Department for Communities and Local Government has published the final report of a Ministerial Working Group which looked into the gaps in services for homeless individuals with complex, multiple needs. This group frequently rebound between a number of public services (physical and mental health, substance abuse, housing and offending) without receiving the holistic support they need to address all of their issues. The report contains a call for evidence this particular cohort and how services could be re-structured to better meet their needs and we encourage all organisations with an interest in this area to respond to the online survey by the deadline of 21st May.

• Respond to the survey
• Report

Esmee Fairbairn announce new funding guidelines

The independent funder,The Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, has announced new guidelines for funding. Its core priorities are the Arts, Children and Young People, Environment and Social Change and the Foundation aims to 'unlock and enable potential, back the unorthodox and unfashionable, build collective networks and catalyse system change'. Read the details.

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Roundup of news, views and manifestos from across the sector - visit LVSC's Election Central.	Nehal Depani, Policy and Project  Manager (Employment & Skills)	PEACe HR Services 2015. Download our service (PDF)

LVSC News and Updates

June price increase for PEACe HR policy documents and guides

PEACe produces over 70 HR model policies, guidance documents, and template contracts in partnership with Russell-Cooke Solicitors. These documents are updated twice a year with changes to employment law, so you can be confident that anything you download will be up to date.
As of 1st June 2015 all these policy documents and guides will be subject to a modest price increase - our first since 2011. If you would like to buy ahead of the price increase, visit the PEACe website.

Update on the European Structural and Investment Fund (ESIF) in London

London has been awarded around €750m of European Social Fund (ESF) and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to invest in boosting jobs and growth in London, with an additional €37m for the Youth Employment Initiative in Inner London.
The deadline for the direct call for ESF funding has now passed.  There will be lots of opportunities for the sector through the Opt -In programmes in the coming months.  
The first of these is the Building Better Opportunities programme from the Big Lottery fund - likely to be launched in early June.  There is also The Department of Work and Pensions and Skills Funding Agency programmes hopefully launching around the same time. Applicants will not need to bring their own match for these programmes.

Getting ready for ESF: Nehal Depani's roundup of support from VSC Assist

If your organisation is intending to bid for ESF, you need to be thinking about partnerships and what skills are needed to deliver an ESF project successfully. As part of LVSC's ESF and Big Lottery funded programme of work, you can access the following:

Sub-regional road shows to introduce organisations to ESF

• 12 May, south London
• 13 May, east London
• 15 May, west London
• 20 May, north London
• 28 May, inner London

A Networking Partnership Event

Running a "Building Partnerships for ESF" event on 8 May with speakers and networking opportunities from across the private, public and voluntary sectors

Training in essential skills for bidding

The following training is confirmed (more dates to be added in the next couple of weeks).  To keep-up-to-date, why not subscribe to regular updates from  Employment and Skills bulletin and follow @nehal_lvsc on Twitter.

• Pricing your services, 11 May
• Managing cashflow, 11 May
• Perfecting your pitch, 19 May
• Evidencing your value and impact, 19 May

Collating/Publishing service online

Collating and publishing expressions of interest for organisations looking for partners for an ESF bid.

Community Voices for Health - event roundup

Over 80 people attended our Community Voices for Health/LVSC Whole Systems Change - co-producing new models in Health & Care event . We had presentations from:

• Healthwatch Central West London & Kensington & Chelsea Social Council - who talked about their whole systems integrated care patient engagement. Download the presentation.
• Dr Sam Everington (Tower Hamlets CCG) explained the new models of care as well as examples of co-production and social prescribing in Bromley by Bow.
• Amanda Coyle from the GLA provided the GLA perspective regarding co-production in health with regard to initiatives like Better Health for London, Well London, etc. Download the presentation.
• Jemma Gilbert from NHS England covered its transformation programme  and the 13 programmes specific to London. Download the presentation.
• Professor Sir David Fish from University College London Partners stressed the importance of prevention and changing the way we regulate healthcare.

Four workshops focused on VCS experiences and good practice with regard to co-production:

1. Co-productive Learning for Better Communication
2. VCS, patient groups and communities in co-production
3. Transformation  Board and the 13 programmes in London
4. Navigating the new NHS health & care system.

More information,other presentations and briefing papers will become available soon. Contact Sandra van der Feen: for more information and subscribe to LVSC's Health bulletin.

Report from Leaders' Summit, 14 April

LVSC hosted a Leaders' Summit on 14 April to bring together lead organisations in VCSE. As forming partnerships will be crucial for many VCSE organisations who want to bid for funds under the forthcoming ESF programme, the aim of the event was to discuss what lead and delivery partners need to do to prepare themselves for partnership.
The discussions from the event have been collated in a report and this is now available on the LVSC's VCS Assist site with supporting presentation slides. These resources make useful reading for all organisations looking to enter into a partnership.

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London For All

London for All is a London Councils' funded project designed to build  the capacity of London's voluntary and community sector. As a partnership project, led by LVSC, it offers: insight and learning from a collective 200 years' experience: and the practical applications of that knowledge.  London for All can strengthen your organisation's knowledge and skills, work more effectively and efficiently, deliver more accessible services to support service users better.

London for All - forging ahead

We are delighted that after 2 years successfully delivering this capacity building project, London Council's has extended the funding for a further year to the end of March 2016 (and in principle until 2017). Two other highlights include:

• HEAR, one of London for All's partners, has published a useful piece of research  -  'The Impact of Funders' Processes and Practices on Voluntary Organisations' Equality Work in London'
• And we have developed a brand new course around Social Impact. The aim of the day is to give you insight into what it is and give you practical information about what you can do within your work to expand the evidence-base you have; and how to share within your organisation as well as to your external audiences. The course is currently full - but please add your name to the waiting list. Social Impact training - 20th May

Changes to London for All  booking procedures

London for All events are free to attend and book up fast - so fast that we always have a long waiting list. Now everyone knows that sometimes, something happens and you have change arrangements for an event you have booked onto. However, in the last six months large numbers of people who managed to secure a place on a London For All event have  failed to turn up and/or let us know by cancelling their booking.This has meant that we have been unable to invited people on the waiting list. So in order to address this, we made two changes to our booking procedures as of 1st April.

1. First, we introduced a new policy to give priority booking to organisations without a history of no-show.  This is supplemental to our existing cancellation policy where we charge for no-shows.
2. Second, in order to manage this change, we have set up a new two-stage booking system

Two-Stage Booking System

When you register for a London for All event, you'll receive an acknowledgement email from us with a link in it. Clicking on the link will take you an place to provide us with information about your organisation. Please look out for the email and complete the process as soon as you can. Your booking is not a confirmed place until we have received you information and a member of the team has got back to you to confirm your place. We aim to confirm your registration within a week of your original registration.

Upcoming London for all Events

• Train the Trainer - 05/05/15
• Webinar: Managing Technology Change for Small Organisations - 06/05/15
• Making the Case - Equalities and Human Rights - 11/05/15
• Managing Sickness Absence HR training - 27/05/15
• Fast Track to Successful Fundraising - 23/06/15
• Managing Misconduct HR training - 24/06/15

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London for All building the capacity of London's voluntary and community sector	Follow @LVSCnews on Twitter.	VCS Assist is a programme of free organisational support for London's VCS employment and skills providers.

LVSC Events & Training

Building Partnerships: the core ingredients - a Getting London Ready Workshop

Date: 7th May 2015, 9:30 - 1:00 PM
Venue: Voluntary Action Islington, 200a Pentonville Road, London  N1 9JP
Partnerships between public services and both voluntary and private sector organisations have been a running theme over the last few years - driven by successive government policies to join-up services in order to improve quality and reduce duplication and costs.

Building Partnerships for ESF

Date: 8th May 2015, 9:30- 12:30 PM 
Venue:  Toynbee Hall 28 Commercial Street London, E1 6LS
As part of its VCS Assist programme, LVSC is holding a networking event bringing together delivery and lead organisations from the VCS, private and public sectors. The aim of the event is to encourage partnership building in the run up to the launch of ESF in London.

Pricing Your Services: a Getting London Ready Workshop

Date: 11th May 2015, 9:30 - 12:30 PM
Venue: Voluntary Action Islington, 200a Pentonville Road, London, N1 9JP
This workshop will take you through a process to work out what it costs to deliver your services to one person, using full cost recovery.

Managing Cashflow - essential tools for VCS finance staff: a Getting London Ready Workshop

Date: 11th May 2015, 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Venue: Voluntary Action Islington 200a Pentonville Road London, N1 9JP
This half-day workshop aims to provide participants with an overview of the purposes of developing and using cashflow analysis, the key stages in drafting a cashflow statement, and the basic interpretation of an organisation's or activity cashflow report.

Big Lottery and ESF East London Roadshow: the opportunities for the VCS

Date: 13th May 2015 9:30 AM- 1:00 PM
Venue: Redbridge CVS Forest House 16-20 Clements Road Ilford, IG1 1BA
LVSC has been awarded Programme Development Funding by the Big Lottery Fund to ensure there is widespread awareness amongst VCSE organisations of the forthcoming Big Lottery ESF programme, to publicise opportunities for the sector to access funding under the programme and to develop productive and sustainable relationships between organisations that will lead to high quality applications and services. As part of this programme LVSC, in partnership with Redbridge CVS would like to invite VCSE organisations in East London to our upcoming road show.

Perfecting Your Pitch: a Getting London Ready workshop

Date: 19th May 2015 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Venue: Blackfriars Settlement 1 Rushworth Street London, SE1 0RB
A workshop to help VCS employment and skills providers to refine and perfect their pitch and test it out with a group of funders and larger providers.

Monitoring & Evaluation: evidencing your value and impact - a Getting London Ready Workshop

Date:  19th May 2015 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Venue: Blackfriars Settlement 1 Rushworth Street London, SE1 0RB
This workshop will give valuable tips and knowledge and enable delegates to plan and implement monitoring and evaluation to determine service efficiency and effectiveness and to be able to confidently demonstrate the impact and added value of what you do.

The Big Lottery and ESF North London Road Show: the opportunities for the VCS

Date: 20th May 2015 9:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Venue:  Centre for Enterprise Unit 38, 2nd Floor, 639 High Road Tottenham N17 8AA
LVSC has been awarded Programme Development Funding by the Big Lottery Fund to ensure there is widespread awareness amongst VCSE organisations of the forthcoming Big Lottery ESF programme, to publicise opportunities for the sector to access funding under the programme and to develop productive and sustainable relationships between organisations that will lead to high quality applications and services. As part of this programme LVSC, in partnership with Together North London would like to invite VCSE organisations in North London to our upcoming road show.

Big Lottery and ESF Inner London: the opportunities for the VCS

Date:  28th May 2015 9:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Venue: Lambeth Town Hall Brixton Hill London, SW2 1RW
LVSC has been awarded Programme Development Funding by the Big Lottery Fund to ensure there is widespread awareness amongst VCSE organisations of the forthcoming Big Lottery ESF programme, to publicise opportunities for the sector to access funding under the programme and to develop productive and sustainable relationships between organisations that will lead to high quality applications and services.
As part of this programme LVSC, in partnership with Together North London would like to invite VCSE organisations in North London to our upcoming road show.

Health Commissioning Masterclass

Date: 29th May 2015 10:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Venue: Blackfriars Settlement, 1 Rushworth Street London, SE1 ORB
The events aim to build the commercial skills of charities and social enterprises in London and the South East so you can be more successful in bidding for and delivering public service contracts.

Voluntary Sector Workshop on No Recourse to Public Funds

Date:  4th June 2015 9:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Venue: 200a Pentonville Road Kings Cross London, N1 9JP
London for All is delighted to invite you to a FREE half day training workshop for voluntary and community sector organisations who work with children and families  and who have no recourse to public funds (NRPF).

Managing Misconduct

Date: 24th June 2015 10:00 AM -1:30 PM
Venue: 200a Pentonville Road Kings Cross London, N1 9JP
The training will reflect the ACAS Code of Practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures.

LVSC Happy Training

• Training the Non Trainer  13th & 14th May  From &ppound;190
• Building Credibility in the Workplace 15th May  From £140
• Facilitating Groups Effectively 20th & 21st May From £190
• Introduction to Emotional Intelligence 26 May  From £95
• Health and Safety Risk Assessment 29 May  From £95

How to Book: To book onto any of these courses through Happy Training please call 0207 375 7300 or email and we will be able to give more information and book you on.

Notices & Events

Chief Executive Officer - Independent Custody Visiting Association (ICVA)

Full-time, 36.25 hours per week 
ICVA is a Home Office funded organisation set up to promote and support the effective provision of custody visiting nationally. The successful candidate will be responsible for the overall leadership, management, public profile and development of the organisation.  Strong leadership, management and governance skills, ability to think and act strategically, and experience of collaborative and partnership working is essential.  
Further information and the role description can be found at www.icva.org.uk.

No Offence, Unlock Your Future project

Employment provides a significant opportunity to break the cycle of reoffending. This project will focus on identifying and breaking down the barriers to employment for people with convictions, to bring employers and employees together.  
When it comes to recruiting, project supporters add a small, simple key icon discreetly placed on their job advert to indicate that they will consider all applicants on their merit and not their past.  Supporters of the project include Virgin Management Limited, Home Group, Amey Plc and Shaw Trust.  It is free to join - find out more.

Beyond 2015: shaping the future of equality, human rights and social justice portal is now live

The Beyond 2015 project is a conversation about improving equality, human rights and social justice in the UK by working together more effectively across sectors, disciplines and places.  Join the conversation.

Briefing on the Care Act for the voluntary sector working with offenders

Clinks briefing on 'The Care Act (2014) and the voluntary sector working in criminal justice' written in partnership with ACEVO, explains the Care Act (2014) and its relevance to VCOs working with people in prison custody who are resettled back into local communities.

Friends of the Earth offering campaigning skills training

Climate Organisers is a yearlong training and practical action project that allows individuals to gain skills necessary for campaigning and facilitating community groups and supports them in devising their own climate-related campaigns and implementing them together with the local groups. 
Find out more and apply by Monday 3rd May

Human Rights - information to share

​RightsInfo is a new organisation bringing human rights to life using infographics, stories and social media. Adam Wenger, founder of the charity believes "the public debate is based on misinformation and lack of understanding. Laws and judgments are aimed at specialists. This means that most people are ambivalent or negative towards human rights."  Watch Everything you need to know about Human Rights

Women's Aid have produced 'Unpunished' -  a powerful new film. The question it asks is, "in the UK where everyone has the  human right to be protected from violence and abuse and to be heared when they reach out for help, why is it that two women a week in England and Wales are killed by a violent partner or ex-partner?".   The film points out that we all have a role to play in ending domestic violence. Watch Unpunished

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