Business & Links

Links to business is a bit of a theme for this week. I attended a Business in the Community , south-east regional event at Starbucks in Guildford on Wednesday morning . The event was “United Futures”- linking youth organisations and business together. I had been invited to the national launch in London back in the summer, because of our work on our pre-existing local  “4x4Scheme”. The Starbucks event was useful for business contacts, and I have already followed up an important offer,  and spoken to a potential trustee.

Our Trustee meeting on Wednesday evening went well,  with a new earlier start time of 6.00pm and a finish at 8.10pm. The budget was approved and so too, continuing the business theme, the launch of a new initiative called Communilab, which is a virtual  problem solving network that links Communities- Universities- Local Authorities and Business together. Great thanks to Nigel Biggs one of our Trustees for doing this. We also described the  dramatic increase in Member Benefits that our volunteer Adviser, Shelagh West has negotiated, and finally Trustees approved a re- branding..so losing the cross-keys badge below.

Earlier in the week I met with a colleagues from Surrey CC Youth Support Service about running a conference for youth workers (statutory and voluntary about social enterprise, and Thursday was our first workshop for young people about How To set up in self-employment/business, though despite great efforts from all concerned numbers attending were disappointing.

Friday morning has seen a meeting with colleagues from our national organisation (NCVYS ) and our sister organisations in East and West Sussex. I am sure these cross- border links will be prove valuable – Surrey – Sussex is a 2.2 mill population sub-region.

But the best news of all is that our 15 month grand-daughter (7 weeks premature and heart stopped twice) can sit up by herself now, and the snow is going. Hurrah!

Mike

Blogging in the snow

I mentioned that we had moved to Cloud computing last week and the practical value of this is shown by the fact that we can access emails and shared data files on desktop or laptops remotely, enabling home working, as today, rather than doing battle with the elements, and always losing. Indeed Monday and Tuesday this week were affected by lousy starts to the day because of snow (Monday) and traffic chaos on the A3 (Tuesday) affecting my usual 7.45 am start in the office. So I could get used to this home working. Saw the film Quartet last weekend; highly recommended. Ah yes! Work….

Well a prosaic week, dominated by getting papers out for trustee meetings (main and sub committee). 

We have also been promoting our workshop next Thursday for disadvantaged young people about How To set up in business. We have put a lot of effort into this and now have 8 young people, and 2 support workers attending which is great. Self-employment and social enterprise is definitely a way forward for many young people.

I went to the opening of the B free Youth Café’s new coffee shop on Wednesday afternoon. The building work and equipment were funded by the Leader of Surrey CC, David Hodge, from his Leader’s Fund . The opening was packed with young people and guests, including David Hodge. Congratulations to all, especially Andy Gill, youth manager there. Useful conversation too with one of SCC’s Youth Support Service commissioners.

Very good meeting last evening with our Uniformed Organisations at which we agreed to re-submit our Armed Forces bid, following advice and encouragement from the MoD. Shelagh West gave a compelling summary of the Members Benefits we can now offer (see website) including insurance. One practical example of this is that we are re-branding and had some 22 designs offered to us, free of charge. The problem now comes to select the best one!

Stay safe,

Mike

CX on Cloud 9

Happy New Year to you, and happy days too, for we have successfully moved our technology into the Cloud (no longer server based) and now use up to date, and very fast software “in the cloud”. The company that we used is called Cloud 9, and we have negotiated a Members benefits discount with them. Indeed, I am about to meet with a major insurance company with whom we may  also be giving “preferred supplier” status as yet another discounted member benefit. The significance of the IT package is that we can access all our data in the office, from home, or by phone/tablet, so we become independent of office location. Clever stuff.

I am also looking at our current structure and revising job descriptions and roles as our Youth Development Worker, Marie Silvester is leaving us at the end of this month, after 3 years with us. She has run the highly successful “Youth work the basics” course and we wish her well in the future – she is joining the West Berkshire Training Consortium.  

Our sister organisation The Youth Consortium has been granted permission by the Wates Family Trust to use their grant funding to purchase some support services from us, including some of my time, and, subject to our Trustees agreement this will be very mutually beneficial.

The social enterprise is moving on and setting up happening. The deal on the  premises in Leatherhead is  being closed off. The next step will be to recriuit the (NEET) staff and establish the training plans.

Our “How to” workshop for young  people on how to set up in self-employment/ business on 24 January is now quorate, but we still have spaces for any young person who has a business idea but needs help in setting up. Contact Kate Peters: Kate.peters@surreyyouthfocus.org.uk

However a disappointment has been not being awarded an Armed Forces community covenant grant, save for £3,000 for a resource directory and swap-shop.

I have booked in to two marathon charity walks this year – the (Guildford) Y to (redhill) Y in March and the Surrey Cre Trust “3 Peaks" in September, so I am starting ny Sussex Downs training walks this weekend which is why it’s due to snow on Saturday! Saw Jack Reacher (film) with eldest son – Tom Cruise – great action movie. Definitely cautiously optimistic about 2013 – lots more to say next week! 

Mike

In the Deep Midwinter...

It’s been a very promising week, despite the cold.

The Young Surrey – Strategic Review 2012-13 has attracted a lot of very positive comment, and has I think achieved the objective of underpinning Surrey Youth Focus’ leadership role with an evidence base.

Moreover I met yesterday with Surrey CC’s Head of Youth Support Services to discuss a shared response to it, and agreed we would develop in effect a resource pack for voluntary sector  youth workers, and joint training about the key issues – mental health and wellbeing, homelessness and employability. However the principal issue identified for young people generally however was about issues arising from relationships with friends and then within the family setting. The Surrey experience is confirmed by a useful, if slightly depressing report by Childline that is at:  http://www.nspcc.org.uk/news-and-views/our-news/child-protection-news/12-12-04-childline-report/saying-the-unsayable-pdf_wdf93130.pdf

The free workshop (24 Jan) for young people interested in self-employment/ setting up in business (see website) is gradually attracting participants – it takes a while to get out there. It takes a considerable cultural shift for youth workers to see that part of their role in future must surely be to encourage/enable young people into what some call the enterprise economy. I have also agreed with Surrey CC that they will organise a workshop for youth workers on Social Enterprise next year, as they are receiving so many approaches about it. Meanwhile, I have been meeting with a funding organisation that can provide cheap loans to young people wanting to fund a business start-up.  

We have also been working on a proposal to create a virtual network between community organisations, university, local authorities and business which we’ll be launching early in the New Year – very exciting and innovative – the idea of one of our Trustees.

We’re meeting in the New Year with Unity UK a major insurance company with whom to do a deal for Members about discounted insurance rates for youth clubs/activities.

Also met with Surrey CC this week to discuss the future of the Small Grants Scheme which we may possibly be undertaking to run for SCC in 2013/14,  which we would welcome, and do well.

We’re waiting to hear about the Armed Forces Community Covenant bid…Meanwhile to end on a high note..do see the brilliant newsletter produced by the Leatherhead Youth Project and called One Eighty – it is massively impressive, and can be found at :  online here,

Christmas Reflections to follow next week..enjoy the shopping??!!

Mike

Paint It Black

Obviously, I have to start with the great England win over the All Blacks last Saturday at Twickenham, which I had hinted at in last week’s blog by saying that I thought England were learning/ improving. Perseverance and leadership – for the England captain Chris Robshaw may not be a 7 (open side flanker), but he is a leader. There must be a management/ leadership case study there.

My cautious optimism is not dented by the Autumn Statement, though it should be noted that local authorities will be facing more cuts, and whilst housing benefits have not been withdrawn from young people, it is very clear that there will be continued pressure on welfare benefits. 

It was right to have warned in the “Young Surrey –strategic review” of the continuation of the austerity beyond 2015, and  that we should all look to other funding sources, which in practice means trading/social enterprise, and linking to corporates /business. The self– interest and sheer gall of some corporates is reflected in the Starbucks episode – the next Ratners?- and by the findings of the Treasury Select C’tee who are doing a great job in unmasking the duplicities of corporate tax avoidance.

 As if to demonstrate an alignment of theory into practice, our long awaited Surrey Youth Enterprise CiC has now been registered at Companies House and we can now move to get premises, recruit staff (unemployed young people) and get trading.

The first Surrey Youth Enterprise workshops for young people(aged 16-24) wanting to learn about How To set up in self- employment/social enterprise is set for 24 January and we look forward to working with up to 15 young entrepreneurs. Details are on our website – to book just contact Kate Peters . I met with a funder this week who will offer young people start up loans from £500- £5,000 at 6%.

Meanwhile, our thinking about a business network is proceeding apace and will be put to Trustees in early January.

We are also considering developing closer links to The Youth Consortium, and again more about that later.

Our Member benefits continue to grow as part of our offer to members and we are now in talks with an insurance company that will provide a discounted insurance offer to all our member organisations.

Telephone interview with NCVO consultant this week about our bid for consultancy support under the Lottery’s “Big Assist" programme to support infrastructure organisations like us in relation to the really interesting initiatives we’re making. We will hear in January if we are successful. Decision on Armed Forces community covenant bid next week…..

And finally ..just checking you all got the tribute in the title to the Rolling Stones (50th anniversary) who are, remarkably, even older than me..though Mick and I were both at the LSE ..enough!

Have fun

Mike

Collaboration

Collaboration has been a bit of a theme this week, having been to the launch of Surrey CC’s new Homelessness service for young people on Tuesday.  The launch was held at High Ashurst on the top of Box Hill - a very fine new building that sits well in the countryside up there.

This is a superb initiative which locates responsibility for homeless young people with SCC’s Youth Support Service and is based on a collaboration between the County Council, district councils and housing providers. Readers will recall that homelessness was one of the major issues referred to in the “Young Surrey – strategic review 2012/13” on our website (under News).

On Monday I had met with Surrey CAB Consortium about collaborating over a grant bid , and on Wednesday was in London for the AGM of our national body NCVYS who were sharing the occasion with two other organisations - LEAP and UK Youth who held their AGMs separately, but simultaneously. Great panel speeches, notably by Dame Julia Cleverdon (ex BitC) and inspirational talk by Tanni Grey-Thompson, paralympian. Good networking including with Oftsted’s HMI Inspector for Youth Services, who I know.  NCVYS have negotiated a special relationship with an insurance company Unity Uk with whom we willl be partnering locally to give good insurance rates to our Members. I find such events useful for discerning trends, and am pleased that we are on track and ahead of trends, particularly in building links to business. NCVYS have invited us to write a short piece about achievements to go off to the DfE…..

Various funding proposals are coming to a head over the next couple of weeks so we will have to wait patiently (not my strongest suit).

Meanwhile, The Challenge Network (Members – delivering National Citizenship Scheme) have undertaken to find young people to organise the Celebration of Youth…the long awaited social enterprise is being registered….we’ve put a proposal to Guildford FE College to link to their students as a virtual reference group, and for them to put forward a student for our Board of Directors.

We’ve got the flyer ready to launch the Surrey Youth Enterprise “how to" workshop for young people on self-employment - 24 January…and so on – a very positive week!!

I am not even commenting on the rugby this time (against the All Blacks). Question is - are England learning/improving? I think the answer is yes. Advent Sunday..says something about Christmas coming up!

Mike

Melancholy

Those of you who have long experience of working, know that it is near impossible to avoid personal or family events from intruding upon work life. I acknowledge that this shouldn’t be so, but we are only human, and it does. The cause of my melancholy is the decision of the CoE’s General Synod not to approve women bishops. As someone who has been a loyal member of the CoE for 60 of my 63 years (save 3 years at the LSE when I didn’t darken the door of a church) I am absolutely appalled. Most of you will find it baffling that anyone (me) should care so much, but I do, and it goes to the heart of my being. End of venting!

On the work front, the “Young Surrey – strategic review 2012/13” continues to be well – received. It is currently being colour printed at County Hall on a pro bono basis by the Chairman and Lord Lieutenant’s office. It is of course on our website.

On Monday I was in Haslemere for the launch of the “Surrey’s Young Superstars” awards being sponsored by a Guildford law firm and a local travel company to publicise Surrey’s Air Ambulance service. We had the same intention of securing business sponsors for youth awards, but have been beaten to it by about two months, and will now give support to this venture. On Wednesday I chaired the morning session of the West Sussex Council for Voluntary Youth Services’ annual conference, and made some very useful contacts. WSCYS is our sister organisation with whom we are about to sign a Memorandum of Understanding about collaborative work.

Other events have happened this week to develop key projects which I can mention later once further advanced – all are very good.

Meanwhile England lost to Australia last week because the wrong team was chosen. Tomorrow is South Africa (Ouch! Not for the faint-hearted) and the right selections are made (at 6 and 8), but Robshaw is not a 7, and we have no creativity in the backs. I am still available for advice to Twickenham – Alternative England Manager, aka – 

Mike