Thursday, 15 December 2016

PQASSO Essentials - Quality Assurance Pilot for Small Organisations launches today

PQASSO Essentials is intended to help smaller, third sector groups and organisations that:
·         May never have reviewed their whole group or organisation and that want to do a basic ’health check‘ to know which areas they need to develop and strengthen
·         Want to start to introduce and embed quality and continuous improvement in their work
·         Need a framework to support the development of their group or organisation, and 
·         Want to be more effective and efficient in how they work.
PQASSO Essentials will help a group or organisation improve two really key areas – governance (the function performed by the Board or management committee) and how risks of all sorts are identified and managed.
Good governance is about ensuring that Board or management committee members understand their roles and responsibilities, that they ensure the group or organisation is meeting all relevant legal and regulatory requirements, and that there is a plan for the intended work or activities. They will also oversee the finances of the organisation and ensure there are effective financial controls in place and a budget that is monitored regularly.
For small groups or organisations the situation sometimes arises where a group of initial founders then become Board or management committee members. They will need to review their role, as they may need to become more strategic and less hands on, especially if staff begin to be employed.
Identifying and managing risks of all kinds – however small a group or organisation is, it should identify key risks to it being able to deliver the work it wants to do, to its financial position, to its reputation or to any other area of how it operates. Identifying and managing risk is a key part of the role of Board or management committee members.

PQASSO Essentials has 10 questions which prompt reflection, discussion, action and learning to develop and strengthen a group or organisation: These include asking:  

·         If a written mission exists

·         If legal requirements are being complied with

·         If the Board or management committee has the skills and experience to lead the direction of the organisation

·         If users or beneficiaries have been identified

·         If the organisation is achieving what it set out to do and how it knows whether it’s making a difference.

Through using PQASSO Essentials, a group or organisation will make a judgement about the extent to which it is addressing the 10 questions, and will be prompted to identify actions to implement until they are confident they fully address the questions. Like PQASSO, PQASSO Essentials takes an evidence-based approach to self-assessment.

There is no option of external accreditation for groups or organisations using PQASSO Essentials but it is a starting point that could lead to using the full PQASSO standards, and applying for the PQASSO Quality Mark, over time.
In order to use PQASSO Essentials you will need to register at WCVA’s website

Wednesday, 14 December 2016

community green space project grant funding from TESCO














Community Groups: Apply for a Bags of Help grant

Bags of Help funds local projects that improve the environment. 
Grants of up to £5,000 are available
Please click on the link below for more information
http://www.groundwork.org.uk/Sites/tescocommunityscheme

Tell us your views - Police Community Support Officers

Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) have been working in our communities since 2002. South Wales Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner are considering how best to inform our communities about the valuable contribution they make, and would like to know what members of our communities understand and think about this important role.

They are therefore holding a ‘focus group’ to discuss community understanding of PCSOs in keeping our communities safe and would like to invite members of the community in Merthyr Tydfil and Rhondda Cynon Taff to join them on:

Thursday 5th January 2017
6pm – 7:15pm
at the Voluntary Action Merthyr Tydfil, 89-90 Pontmorlais, High Street, Merthyr Tydfil, CF47 8UH


To book your place on the focus group or for more information please contact either Sophie Rice-Payton on 01656 869366 or email to sophie.rice-payton@south-wales.pnn.police.uk or Sue Poole on 01656 762924 or email to sue.poole@south-wales.pnn.police.uk   

Tuesday, 13 December 2016

How to prepare your annual report - training from the Charity Finance Group hosted by WCVA 26 Jan Cardiff

How to prepare your annual report

26 January 2017         Cardiff

All charities must prepare and submit annual reports and accounts and in the current climate, transparency is key. Based on inspiring case studies from other small charities, this module covers the essentials, from measuring impact, telling your story, and building public trust to preparing for year-end, an audit or independent examination.
This module will give you everything you need to write a first-class annual report, including:

·         Statutory reporting requirements for charities
·         Policies and statements
·         Policies your charity should consider and how they can help your organisation
·         Preparing for year-end; independent examinations (IEs) and audits
·         How to report to donors and funders and get the right messages across
·         Demonstrating impact and telling your story
·         The importance of transparency
·         How to build public trust
Travel Bursaries are available.  To book email training@wcva.org.uk

Wednesday, 7 December 2016

Community Development Fund - open until 31st January



Rownd 4 - Cyfnod ychwanegol ar gyfer cyflwyno 
Datganiad o Ddiddordeb ar agor heddiw 1af o Ragfyr 2016.

Grantiau yw’r rhain sy’n bennaf ar gyfer Grwpiau Gweithredu Lleol 
LEADER a sefydliadau cymunedol eraill.
Bydd y grantiau yn cynnig amrywiaeth eang o gamau ymyrryd sydd
 wedi’u cynllunio i atal a lliniaru yr effeithiau y gall tlodi eu cael mewn
 cymunedau gwledig er mwyn gwella amodau allai arwain at swyddi 
a thwf yn y dyfodol.



Round 4 – A Further Expression of Interest window opens
– 1st December 2016

Grants which are primarily aimed at LEADER Local Action Groups and other
community-based organisations.
The grants will offer a wide range of interventions designed to prevent and 
mitigate the impact of poverty in rural communities improving conditions which
 can lead to future jobs and growth.

Learning Disability and Dementia - One day course 1 March in Cardiff

Places Available
To book now please click HERE
  
Course Details:
Title: Learning Disability and Dementia
Date: 1 March in Cardiff
Timings: 9.30 am - 5 pm

About the Course:
A one day course for health and social care staff supporting adults with a learning disability where a diagnosis of dementia is being considered.
This one day course will provide staff supporting adults with a learning disability with the skills to understand the importance of recognising possible signs of the onset of dementia and the need to take a differential diagnosis approach – is it, in fact, dementia or what other possible causes of changes in individuals’ functioning and wellbeing need to be considered? You will then learn practical strategies to ensure that individuals are well supported and their changing care needs are addressed.


Designed for:
This course is designed for health and social care professionals supporting adults with a learning disability in a variety of settings, but especially those working in a supported living environment. In addition, it would be relevant to social workers involved in assessing care needs and others working in a supportive role such as day service staff, support workers and personal assistants etc.

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact 

Inacia Rodrigues
Training Administrator
Learning Disability Wales
Direct Tel: 029 2068 1174


Their training course can also be delivered In-House to a group of staff and tailored to meet your specific needs. Ring 029 2068 1174 for more information.

COMMUNITY WELLBEING WORKSHOP

Voluntary Action Merthyr Tydfil and Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council are working together to develop our understanding of wellbeing in the different communities of Merthyr Tydfil.

We want to understand what things make a difference to people's lives, to see the positive things that people bring to their communities, and to understand people's emotional and social needs.  This will help us design and deliver better services that make a positive contribution to the many aspects of a person's wellbeing.

We welcome and value your input and ask individuals and community groups to have their say by attending this community wellbeing workshop.  The workshop will be held on:

19 December 2016
10am – 12 noon
Voluntary Action Merthyr Tydfil
89-90 High Street
Pontmorlais
Merthyr Tydfil, CF47 8UH

If you can attend, please contact us on 01685 725310 or email wellbeing@merthyr.gov.uk.

We would also like to continue this conversation with community groups in Merthyr Tydfil.

If you would allow us to visit your community group to run a wellbeing workshop at a time and place of your choosing, please contact us on 01685 725310 or email wellbeing@merthyr.gov.uk.

 Yours faithfully

EWAN McWILLIAMS
Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council

Please share the POSTER INVITATION with anyone you think might like to come along


Annwyl Syr/Fadam,

Mae Gweithredu Gwirfoddol Merthyr Tudful a Chyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Merthyr Tudful yn gweithio gyda'n gilydd i ddatblygu ein dealltwriaeth o les yn y gwahanol gymunedau oddi fewn i Ferthyr Tudful.

Rydym yn awyddus i geisio deall y pethau sy’n gwneud gwahaniaeth i fywydau pobl, i weld y pethau cadarnhaol y mae pobl yn rhoi i’w cymunedau, ac i ddeall anghenion emosiynol a chymdeithasol pobl. Bydd hyn yn ein helpu i ddylunio a darparu gwasanaethau gwell sy'n gwneud cyfraniad cadarnhaol i sawl agwedd ar les yr unigolyn.

Rydym yn croesawu ac yn gwerthfawrogi eich mewnbwn ac yn gofyn i unigolion a grwpiau cymunedol i ddweud eu dweud drwy fynychu gweithdy lles cymunedol. Bydd y gweithdy yn cael ei gynnal ar:

Rhagfyr 19, 2016
10yb a 12 hanner dydd
Gweithredu Gwirfoddol Merthyr Tudful
89-90 Stryd Fawr
Pontmorlais
Merthyr Tudful, CF47 8UH

Os gallwch fod yn bresennol, cysylltwch â ni ar 01685 725310 neu e-bostiwch lles@merthyr.gov.uk.

Byddem hefyd yn hoffi i barhau’r sgwrs hon â grwpiau cymunedol ym Merthyr Tudful.

Os ydych yn fodlon caniatáu i ni ymweld â'ch grŵp cymunedol i gynnal gweithdy lles ar adeg ac mewn lle o'ch dewis, cysylltwch â ni ar 01685 725310 neu e-bostiwch lles@merthyr.gov.uk.

Yr eiddoch yn gywir

EWAN McWILLIAMS

Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Merthyr Tudful