Transcript KEY INFORMATION round-up

North Lanarkshire Voluntary Sector Partnership Group
KEY INFORMATION ROUND-UP
FEBRUARY-MARCH 2015
 North Lanarkshire Voluntary Sector
Conference 2015 scheduled for Tuesday 2
June 2015 at Jim Foley Centre, Craigneuk
 Hosted by VANL on behalf of the local
Voluntary Sector Partnership Group
 Opportunity for organisations to network
and discuss key sectoral issues
 Theme of ‘Valuing the Voluntary Sector’
 Contact VANL on 01236 748011 or e-mail
[email protected] to book places
 Four year ‘Change Plan’ period of
Reshaping Care for Older People
concludes in March 2015
 Health and Social Care Integration agenda
commences in April 2015
 Investment in Community Capacity
Building and Carer Support continued
 Locality Partnership Development
Programme and Thematic leads
re-defined to focus on Integration
 Voluntary Sector Children and Families
Network operational as sub-group of
Voluntary Sector Partnership Group
 VANL Early Years Development Officer
supporting local organisations to link to
Early Years Collaborative
 Approach approved for voluntary sector in
two locality areas to support children and
families affected by drug or alcohol misuse
in 2015-16
 Contact VANL on 01236 748011 for further
or direction to relevant staff member
 Successful Third Sector Employability
Network meets quarterly with new
membership welcomed
 Network has produced a comprehensive
report responding to new North
Lanarkshire Employability Strategy
 Report details how voluntary sector can
contribute to partnership employability
objectives over coming period
 Contact Michelle Thomson at VANL on
01236 748011 for further information
 Voluntary Action Scotland release report
‘Finding Local Solutions to National Issues’
 Explores impacts of welfare reform and
role for voluntary sector in alleviating the
negative impacts for those affected
 Crucial role for Third Sector Interfaces in
being a conduit for voluntary sector
 Full report can be downloaded from
Voluntary Action Scotland website at
www.vascotland.org
 Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill
explores new ways for communities to take
ownership and do things for themselves
 Bill is expected to be given Royal Assent in
2015 following period of consultation
 Includes new legislation on how
communities take on land and buildings
 Proposals for increased community
involvement in Community Planning
 Briefing available at www.vascotland.org/
news/community-empowerment-bill-briefing
 Volunteers’ Week takes place from 1-7
June 2015
 UK’s annual national week for celebrating,
recognising and rewarding the contribution
of people who volunteer
 Estimated 74% of adults in North
Lanarkshire volunteer informally at least
once each year
 Contact VANL on 01698 358866 for details
of local festivities being organised for
Volunteers’ Week 2015
 Legislation commenced in 2012 obliging
UK employers to enrol all staff for pensions
 Introduced on phased basis between
2012-2018 (largest companies first)
 Period for employers with 49 or less staff
auto enrolling is 1 June 2015 to 1 April
2018 (with various staging dates)
 Cost implication for local voluntary sector
organisations recognised by local
Voluntary Sector Partnership Group
 Francis Fallan MBE awarded honorary
lifetime presidency of VANL on his
retirement from Board of Directors
v
 Francis was a founding member and Chair
of VANL over a six year period
 Special presentation made to Francis at
VANL Annual General Meeting of Friday
20 February 2015
 June Vallance has been appointed as new
Chair of VANL
 Applications open for a new Scottish
Government scheme to help charities with
payment of water and sewerage charges
 Open to registered charities and
Community Amateur Sports Clubs
 Organisations with income of less than
£200,000 no longer need to pay water or
sewerage charges and reduced rate for
groups earning less than £300,000
 Visit www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/BusinessIndustry/waterindustryscot/watercharges
for further information