Monday 15 November 2010

Innovation

I guess the theme of a busy week is about innovation.

I had a meeting on Monday with Business in the Community about the scope for building closer links between businesses and the voluntary sector. This was very positive indeed, and we will be receiving BITC’s project/volunteer request form so that we can log the needs of member organizations with them. In essence they are saying “tell us what you want and we’ll probably be able to deliver it”.

I have just met with Yvonne Hignell of Halow about her idea of building what we’re calling a “4X4” model of a small group (4) member organisations to have a partnership with like minded organizations in the business sector that can contribute particular business skills to the group of voluntary organisations.

In similar vein, I was at the Surrey Youth Consortium’s awayday yesterday when another visiting speaker from the New Economics Foundation mentioned “Camden Shares” – being a website for the vol sector in Camden enabling spare capacity (meeting rooms, training places, minibuses etc etc) to be logged and utilized by others. I think this is a great idea.

Another great idea is to further develop the borough based job clubs for unemployed people.

My own short report on social impact bonds has now been circulated widely, and is to be discussed with Surrey CC on 2 Dec.

We had our well attended AGM on Wednesday evening, when we marked the retirement of our long standing Treasurer Alan McMichael, and had great presentations from Ed Baker of Surrey Community Action about Social Enterprises, and from Becky Bowden of Surrey SATRO about volunteering. The AGM approved us becoming a company limited by guarantee, whilst remaining a charity. This completes the putting in of our “concrete foundations” (Pqasso and incorporation) and we can now concentrate on external affairs.

David Hypher and I also met with Garath Symonds of Surrey CC to “keep in touch” about the developments in thinking about the youth service re-organisation- the details of which are now going to his Cabinet in early December. But I guess there will be a preview in some way at the Surrey Compact event on 17 Nov (in Epsom) when the County Council’s Chief Executive will be explaining about the impact of cuts, and the commissioners of all main services from the sector (Including Garath) will be available to engage in discussion about the implications for each service area. To book contact anneb@surreyca.org.uk

Off to Horsham now to meet with WSCVYS about the Progress training project.

Personal disclosure: England v Australia rugby on Saturday afternoon.

Trivial Pursuit: continuing the rugby  theme…
a)      Last week’s question: The haka is only performed by the All Blacks, but Samoa, Fiji and Tonga all have their own versions.
b)       This week: why is Waltzing Matilda so named?

Have fun!
Mike

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