Good Governance Award

Data Protection is a legal responsibility for organisations - Here are some quick tips for getting things right. https://tfn.scot/opinion/a-stitch-in-time-can-save-a-fine

A stitch in time can save a fine - TFN From a data protection perspective, there are several challenges and danger areas particular to the voluntary sector

Responding to requests for home and hybrid working: Requests for home and hybrid working - Acas How employers should respond to requests for working from home and hybrid working.

What we crave right now is certainty, so how do we lead in uncertain times. Great insights on being a CARER from Jon Pratlett. http://www.jonpratlett.com/blog/

Blog - Leading with the Brain in Mind Jon Pratlett has over 3 decades of experience, coupled with extensive study and on the ground action, supporting leaders and their teams steward their organisations to transform to their desired state.

Here is a really helpful checklist for charities that employ people and are thinking about whether people will actually come back to the office. https://brodies.com/insights/employment-and-immigration/moving-to-a-remote-or-hybrid-working-model-an-employers-checklist/

Moving to a remote or hybrid working model: an employer's checklist | Brodies LLP A checklist of the practical implications for employers to consider if moving to a remote or hybrid working model

GetLocalSupport.org - Find volunteers near you GetLocalSupport.org connects vulnerable people with thousands of volunteers volunteers approved by volunteer organisations.

YOU ARE INVITED TO A DISCOVERY WORKSHOP
Tuesday 23rd February 2021 9.00 – 13.00

The past 12 months have seen Dundee’s third sector offer Dundee’s people phenomenal support.
The ongoing impact of the pandemic will mean many challenges still to face, with new and better ways of working needed.

Dundee Third Sector Interface wants enable its members to have successful and sustainable futures.
But to do this, we must understand more about your organisation and the communities you support.

The Service Design Academy will facilitate a fully interactive and online 3.5 hour session to discover what you need from the Third Sector Interface.
It’ll be a collaborative, fast paced and fun session – and it’s essential your voice is heard!

Spaces are limited so please book your place today by contacting [email protected]
You’ll then be sent a Joining Journey to practice on our online collaborative platform and a zoom link with passcode.

Insurance #3 Two points to remember about your insurance cover. 1 there is a duty of disclosure, You need to inform your insurer of any change that will effect the risk covered, this includes carrying out your activities on different premises (such as home working), carry out activities in a different way or carrying out different activities.
2 There is a duty to be responsible, this means regular risk assesments must be carried out and in place for all risks covered to show that risks have been assessed and monitored. These risks may include things like data protection and safeguarding as well as health and safety and premises if these are covered by your policy.

Insurance #2 Making sure the insurance you have in place covers what you need it to cover. This link to the Association of British Insurers provides some broad COVID19 advice. http://www.abi.org.uk/products-and-issues/topics-and-issues/coronavirus-hub/business-insurance/

Business Insurance ABI The spread of Coronavirus is unprecedented in modern times, and insurers understand this is an incredibly difficult time for families and businesses.

Insurance is a hot topic right now. Insurers are revising their policy wording so do check what you are covered for, particularly when you come to renew. Check out this list of ten potential claims that employers could be faced with this year. http://www.personneltoday.com/hr/top-10-covid-tribunal-claims/

Top 10 Covid-related claims employers could face in 2021 - Personnel Today The Government’s furlough scheme, large-scale redundancies, safe working concerns and the rise of flexible working will have a big impact on employment tribunals for years to come. We highlight 10 employment tribunal claims related to the coronavirus pandemic that employers could face in 2021 and ...

This month we need to get ready for changes in the way disclosure works. From the 30th November convictions for minor offences will have a time limit for disclosure, and convictions given before the age of 12 will not normally need to be disclosed.

This month you will need to review and/or revise your policies and procedures for disclosure and employing offenders. Volunteer Scotland are offering guidance with this via their online sessions. https://www.volunteerscotland.net/for-organisations/disclosure-services/disclosures-latest/vsds-virtual-drop-in-sessions/

VSDS Virtual drop-in sessions Volunteer Scotland Disclosure Services are looking at alternative ways to communicate with you. While we're not working in our office, we don't have a telephone helpline so we're giving you the opportunity to try online video chat with one of our Training and Compliance Officers.

Every charity has their own personalised 'charity registration' logo to help show the public you're entered on the Scottish Charity Register.

You can download free of charge from your charity's entry on the Scottish Charity Register.

More info: https://bit.ly/3gsKd87

The Scottish Government are inviting eligible groups to develop projects to improve and promote their local place and communities. Grants of £500 to £5000 are available for making small scale local improvements and supporting localised responses in town and settlement centres. https://www.scotlandstowns.org/scotland_loves_local_fund_application_form_and_guidance

Scotland Loves Local Fund: Application Form and Guidance The go-to body for Scotland's towns

Good Governance Award updated their business hours.

Supporting communities to #ShiftThePower - Corra The Coronavirus Response Fund is now open to community groups and charities working in Scotland. Groups can apply for grants up to £10,000. The purpose of the fund is...

Response, Recovery & Resilience Fund | National Emergencies Trust | Foundation Scotland Reassurance on supporting communities, charities and social enterprises following the impact of Coronavirus Foundation Scotland appreciate that the Coronavirus situation will have a big impact on communities. We know that charities, local organisations and social enterprises will play a critical sup...

Face covering exemption scheme Dundee Volunteer and Voluntary Action is working in partnership with Dundee City Council on a scheme to support people who are exempt from having...

Working with BEM groups? There is funding available through Comic Relief to improve vital capacity to Black Minority Ethnic community groups across Scotland. https://scvo.org.uk/support/coronavirus/funding/independent/a0R3z00000JdpySEAR/next-step-initiative-comic-relief-grant-programme

Next Step Initiative - Comic Relief Grant Programme – SCVO Next Step Initiative (NSI) in its partnership with Comic Relief to provide financial support and improved vital capacity to Black Minority Ethnic community groups across Scotland. This grant programme is in recognition of the disproportionate impact that Covid-19 has had on Black and Asian communiti...

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/health-and-safety-webinar-with-qa-session-tickets-112960694478

Health and Safety Webinar with Q&A session As we come out of lockdown keeping staff, volunteers and people who use your services safe is key. Here is an expert in the field to help

We've created a padlet with links to loads of advice and guidance to help us return to our workplaces. Here: https://padlet.com/david1256/c7birzkd6ldhez1f

Coming out of Covid - Advice Hub Made with magic

Our Webinar on "coming out of lockdown" is already fully booked, - we don't want to anyone disappointed so we will repeat it next wednesday for anyone who missed out... We have had to quickly adapt to the new normal of lockdown, and now we need to get ourselves ready to go back to work. What are the things we need to know, what questions should we be asking, and how can we plan and adapt what we do so that we stay safe as we reopen? We are hosting a webinar so that we can explore this together on June 9th at 2pm.
Book your place at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/copy-of-coming-out-of-lockdown-what-you-need-to-know-webinar-tickets-107700525170

Copy of Coming out of lockdown – what you need to know Webinar Coming out of lockdown – what you need to know

(Digital) Connections are Key - Corra Adjusting to the new normal takes time, but it feels like now we’re getting into a stride, that we are almost getting used to all this weirdness. I find days...

If you’re reading this it means you’re a wonderful human 👋🏽😀
Now then folks whilst it’s great that the lockdown rules have eased slightly, continued change can be really unsettling. Remember to give yourself space to process how you’re feeling and be kind to yourself❤️
And if you feel you need to, reach out💯

FIND A PENUMBRA SERVICE👇🏼
http://www.penumbra.org.uk/service-locations/



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We have had to quickly adapt to the new normal of lockdown, and now we need to get ourselves ready to go back to work. What are the things we need to know, what questions should we be asking, and how can we plan and adapt what we do so that we stay safe as we reopen? We are hosting a webinar so that we can explore this together on June 9th at 2pm.
Book your place at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/coming-out-of-lockdown-what-you-need-to-know-webinar-tickets-106933182026
David Baker looks after the Good Governance Award programme. He has worked in the third sector for over 30 years and has experience of Governance, Fundraising, Managing (both people and processes), Finance, and perhaps most crucial of all – handling change!
He is available for one to one consultancy appointments. To book yours contact him on [email protected]

Coming out of lockdown – what you need to know Webinar Coming out of lockdown – what you need to know

Looking for Funding? There are a number of places where you can get funding to keep going through the COVID19 crisis, and places where you can get funding to respond to the particular needs at this time. However many funding applications are turned down for simple reasons that are easily solved:
When writing a funding application check these three things:
1 Carefully read through the application guidance. If the funder wants to see signed accounts, make sure the copy you send is signed, if the fund is for grants from £10K to £50K, make sure your application falls into this range, if the funder wants to support charities and you are a CIC then find a different funder...
2 Write your application to make it absolutely clear what you are going to do and how it will make a difference. It may be a brilliant idea, but unless you can make the case that it will actually change someones life it is unlikely to be funded.
3 During COVID19 most funders are looking to be as helpful as possible, some funders are wanting to support the sector so that we can keep going, other funders are looking to support new responses to help people through this time. Be honest - if you want to keep doing what you do find a funder that will support your core costs, if you are doing something new to help people now, you will need to show how it is different as well as how it is helping.
and finally - before you press send, get someone to check your application.

Furlough Scheme: two additional points - While an employee is on furlough they are not allowed to work for the employer. They may volunteer if the volunteering has absolutely nothing to do with their paid work, but the Treasury direction is more explicit in saying the furloughed worker "must cease all work in relation to their employment."
Some training, as long as it is relevant to the work usually done, and is agreed by the employer may be permitted.

Secondly, it is essential that a written communication has been made to the employee, confirming they have been furloughed. (employer and employee agreed in writing...) This letter needs to be kept on file (as any legal document) for 5 years.

Furlough Scheme: If you employ staff who are on furlough, there are a number of important revisions to the advice and guidance, so you need to:
work out 80% of your employees wages. This includes NI and Pension contributions, so use the online calculator to help you. (NB The online calculator works from actual days and not working days)
Get the information you need before you log on as the claim process is time limited to 30 minutes.
Furloughed workers need to have had their information sent by RTI to HMRC before March 19th.
If you are funded (grant funding) from local government for salary costs, then you are expected to redeploy staff and not furlough them.
Foriegn nationals are elegible to be furloughed.
employees who had been made redundant since 28th Feb can be reemployed and placed on Furlough.
Furlough is instead of other payments such as Sick Pay, so the dates cannot cover dates when the employee is on SSP

If your AGM was planned during the COVID19 lockdown, can you simply switch to an online meeting? http://thirdforcenews.org.uk/blogs/virtual-agms-for-third-sector-organisations?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Weekly%20Third%20Force%20News%20-%20management&utm_content=Weekly%20Third%20Force%20News%20-%20management+CID_545ebc3b72b63738e81ae0b4f858b1d8&utm_source=Email%20marketing%20software&utm_term=Virtual%20AGMs%20for%20third%20sector%20organisations

Virtual AGMs for third sector organisations Gillian Harkness gives her technical tips to ensure your online AGM is legally compliant

Staying safe online! Just as we were getting used to using Zoom to work and meet online, we are told that it is not as secure as we had thought. If you use Zoom in your charity then you need to be aware that it is not suitable for anything that might disclose personal data. SCVO have published some really helpful advice here:https://scvo.org.uk/p/37150/2020/04/02/new-world-same-rules-safeguarding-and-privacy

New world, same rules: safeguarding and privacy – SCVO SCVO digital are helping charities think about how they look after privacy and confidentiality as they move their services online

Latest advice from ICO about data protection while you respond to the COVID19 crisis. https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/news-and-events/blog-community-groups-and-covid-19/

Blog: Community groups and COVID-19: what you need to know about data protection As COVID-19 continues to sweep across the UK, more and more people are driven to help the most vulnerable in our communities. Church groups, neighbourhood and residents associations are being set up to support the work of existing community groups, services and charities. Often, these groups need to...