TW3

Before texting was invented TW3 existed – “That was the Week that Was” – named after a TV  satirical comedy/news  programme.

SO the TW3 week kicked off with a Monday afternoon Local Committee(Reigate)  and then an evening one (Epsom) , getting home at 11.00pm – I was there to explain /promote our running of the SCC Small Grants programme (see website).  A big effort, but necessary.

Then on Tuesday morning it was our Management and Finance Trustees, with our external auditor reviewing the Annual Report and Accounts (2012/13) which we are trying to complete earlier this year. We are producing a separate Impact report too.  We discussed a possible new Chairman, and also whether, as we have failed to recruit a Youth Work Adviser (after 2 ads) we should further morph the post into something more akin  to a workforce development and HR post, and I think we will – especially after Wednesday’s discussion. The afternoon was at County Hall with my Chairman, the independent Chair of The Youth Consortium, and  SCC’s Assistant Director for Young People - a private meeting – but I can only observe that it was very positive, indeed exciting.

This was followed on Wednesday by another great session – the second of our Big Assist workshops, at which we concluded that there is scope for the “voluntary youth sector family” to develop more bilateral offers “within the family”  (payroll, web design, mentoring etc etc) AND , more interestingly a shared multi-lateral approach to three services “within the family”:  property facilities management, HR,  and training and development. We also discussed the future of the chief executive role (much needed). So we have a very positive offer to make to our Trustees on 23 July. Whilst I would not claim that cost sharing , bulk purchasing or shared services are innovative, I do think that the total concept is a bold (and necessary ) one for the vol. youth sector.  This was followed that evening  by attending our sister organisation’s AGM in West Sussex- they are closing down- and we want to offer support to their members IF it is wanted, and IF our Trustees so agree. There is quite a lot of water to go under the bridge on this yet.  So – home at 10.00pm. BUT a defining day.

Thursday was an interesting Child and Adolescent mental Health Board ..amazingly 6% of all 0-16 year olds will experience bereavement, and  a great presentation by CAHMS Young Advisers. SCC is re-commissioning mental health services that are co-funded by NHS (CCGs and SCC). And this (Friday)  evening is a gentle evening in the Bishop of Guildford’s summer garden marquee event for the voluntary sector organisations of which he is Patron, including us. 

Next week is a (much deserved?) HOLIDAY! (so no blogs for a while).

   Mike

Open For Business

We signed off an agreement with Surrey County Council last Friday lunchtime whereby we have undertaken to administer the SCC Youth Small Grants Scheme for them . The grant scheme is a pot of £220,000 that is available for small organisations (like sports clubs, scouts, guides etc ) that have a turnover of less than £100,000 and are NOT contracted to deliver youth work to SCC . Grants are available for between £500 and £5,000 max. Details are on our website.

SO having signed on Friday , we were open for business with the Small Grants scheme on Tuesday morning! Fast track implementation!

Kate Peters and I are visiting nearly every Local Committee of Surrey CC (ie 11) and went to the Mole Valley one on Wednesday. (In a former life I co - wrote the original terms of reference for SCC’s Local C’tees, and have been to all 11 Committees many  times).  A sense of deja vu crept over me in the Pipprook Council Chamber….the cost of democracy as petitions were heard and good citizens pleaded for parking restrictions and so on. LOTS of process..little product. Why aren’t issues resolved by talking to local people at ground level earlier?

We are very busy with our new website due to be launched next week, with a much more contemporary look and feel.

Met with YES+ yesterday, being an organisation that works with young offenders, using reformed, trained, ex criminals as the facilitators doing the work. Point of meeting was to start building a grant bid for the Consortium to train up voluntary sector youth workers in identifying/assisting young people at risk, and then to work with those young people directly in one specific borough – probably Spelthorne. Very encouraging.  Also met with someone who is keen to come and work with us, and a possible new Chairman to succeed David Hypher. Lots of possibilities.

Grandchildren staying with us tonight and Saturday night (aged 5 and 3) so back to work for a rest next Monday! Enjoy the rugby on Saturday evening- great first half against Argentina last week – my man is Kvesic(7) ..makes all the difference to the team…to have…… a bridgebuilder/connector.

Mike

COMMUNILAB is GO!

It’s been a great week!! Meeting at Canary Wharf on Wednesday with a national bank to finalise their sponsorship of COMMUNILAB, being the virtual learning network that will bring together community - university- local authority and business perspectives. The meeting was very positive, indeed serendipitous as one of the bank’s participants lives down the road in Burpham, thereby exemplifying our point exactly that COMMUNILAB enables employers to demonstrate support for their employees in their home context. Indebted to our Trustee Nigel Biggs whose idea this is – great generosity of spirit.

Very useful strategic discussion on Monday with the Assistant CEO  of Surrey & Borders NHS Trust about the Consortium bid for grant-making trust  funding to train voluntary sector youth workers in how to identify and respond appropriately to mental health issues amongst young people. Really promising long term links established. Surrey Police Crime Commissioner has indeed become a Partner organisation of ours and we welcome them.

The Surrey CC local prevention grants are being made – the £2.5mill -  and I met with a very angry and frustrated bidder on Tuesday to hear his views, which was useful as yesterday I had a one to one meeting with Surrey CC’s top manger for services to young people, which is my most private discussion I’m afraid. All good for Surrey Youth Focus though.

Signing off our agreement with Business in the Community today whereby we undertake to help them source volunteering opportunities/corporate awayday projects amongst our members in return for a fee.

Off today to meet with my fellow directors of the social enterprise now that we have our office base in Leatherhead; we need to progress matters quickly now to recruit staff and get trading. Then meeting with Surrey CC commissioner to sign contract for us to undertake the admin of their Youth Small Grants scheme (£200,000) in respect of which we have been cranking up by….Recruiting Su Freeman as our Events and Marketing Manger so that Kate has the time to organise the small grants scheme, for which of course we get a fee. Delighted that Su has joined us – her background is in sports marketing/events organising, but sorry that Shelagh West has decided to discontinue her volunteering with us as business adviser and we wish her well, especially with controlling her new puppy – a full time occupation!

And finally – don’t forget Argentina v. England on Sat evening (BBC 2) . If you have to ask, you can’t be a regular reader. Gearing up for 2015!  

Enjoy the sun!

Mike

Of long term partnerships & networks

Excellent meeting this morning at the office of the Surrey Police Crime Commissioner, and very promising opportunities for close partnership working. Meeting shortly too with company behind the highly successful “Wearesurge” website.

Our own revamped website is progressing well with a view to launch in early June, so that we can promote Surrey CC ‘s Youth Small grants programme as and when our role is finally agreed in a contract. Talking of contracts we are up to Canary Wharf next week to meet with the CSR people from a national bank that have agreed to sponsor COMMUNILAB (and Surrey Police Commissioner ‘s office will also join).

We have finished the Draft Annual Report and Accounts and met with our external examiner – auditor- on Thursday who gave very useful advice about a number of strategic issues. Otherwise, this short week has been taken up with interviews and appointments – more later.

Also finished the  bid for training youth workers about mental health issues, just in time for a network meeting with Surrey and Borders NHS Trust  next week. Interesting too that Surrey Young Carers have an excellent draft report out- “Surrey Young Carers Health Survey Report 2012” in which, no surprise, the principal wellbeing issues relates to mental health. So we are all on the same page.

Looks like a sunny weekend and we have our oldest friends coming down from Scotland – my friend from school (50 years ago) and his wife, who, before we were married,  flat shared with my wife on trendy Portobello Rd in the early 1970s and who met at our engagement party. Long term partnerships in all senses!

Mike

The Doors Closed

Work has been a curate’s egg this week – the not so good has been drafting the Annual Report/Accounts for 2012/13 which we’re trying to get done earlier so that it goes to Trustees on 23 July and AGM on 17 September, and, though boring, it is done! Next step is to write the Impact Report – the pop one page summary, which our volunteer business adviser, Shelagh West will do as she is brilliant at promotion.

I am hearing the results of Surrey CC’s Local Prevention Framework grant award decisions as the “mini –competitions” (Dragon’s Den) take place. No surprises thus far, but I think some missed opportunities. It remains my view that the procurement process has again been flawed, with “keep card close to chest” competition through BRAVO,  and yet a hope for collaboration and innovation with more smaller youth organisations being awarded contracts resulting in an entirely  “schizophrenic” process.

The rest was good. We are currently (Thursday and Friday ) interviewing for two part time posts: a new Events and marketing person, and a Youth Work adviser being a re-framing of a vacant youth development worker post. “Encouraging” is all I can say at present – results next week.

Met with colleagues from the Cabinet Office and The Challenge Network (members of ours) on Monday. The National Citizenship Scheme is an important priority for the Cabinet Office and in Surrey The Challenge Network have already signed up 815 young people to go on their summer programme against their contractual target of 900. They are pitching to schools and getting a good response, though need projects for young volunteers to do – we will be assisting them.

Well I never got to see The Doors in the 1960s – I don’t think they came to London when I was a student, though they did go to Paris. Obviously as a good student I have got several Doors CDs, and know all the lyrics….if you’re not keeping up, Ray Manzarek the very distinctive organist died this week…..We have the Hanover Band -very professional small orchestra of 17 players - performing Baroque music (Bach, Handel etc) on original instruments in our parish church this evening. Friends round for wine and supper (in that order)  on Sunday evening….we just need the weather. It was 4C in the car this morning ..ice warning- on 24 May?? Light my fire!

Mike

Bend it Like Beckham!

Bend it like Beckham is always my advice to organisations considering any form of grant bid - in other words to “bend” their service offer to meet the requirements of the grant giving body (getting the ball over the wall) , but beware shooting over the top or wide-mission drift! So the footballing celebrity retires from football..but is still a celebrity..and funding model!

Strange week. Our sister organisation West Sussex Council for Voluntary Services with whom we have a Memorandum of Understanding have formally announced they are closing, subject to approval by their members  at their AGM on 19 June. 

We are likely to be holding discussions with WCVYS but nothing can be assumed or taken for granted – Trustees and members will have strong views all round, as do I of course! Our inner cabinet – Management and Finance commented on our business plan this week , and then signed it off, but there are sensitivities all round..an awareness that this is a key “time of change” year, and colleagues are being cautious. That’s difficult for me as I see strategic opportunities very clearly and expect others to do so too, but those with different thinking and personality styles want to see details and persuasive facts. It really is time I learnt this!

Part of the big picture came together yesterday when we agreed with Surrey Chamber of Commerce to go into partnership appreciating that we are near identical support service organisations – one for businesses the other for voluntary youth organisations. The fruits of this will be in our being able to offer opportunities to businesses to mentor young people, undertake volunteering projects, introductory discounted membership of the Chamber fro our members and so on. My thanks to our volunteer Shelagh West for promoting these ideas.

The Surrey CC Local Prevention Framework grant bid date expired last week and “mini – competitions” (presentations by selected bidders to local councillors, young people et al) have been taking place. Suffice to say, I am hearing mixed reports about the process.

The closing date for our two new posts is today and we’ll shortlist on Monday – interviews on Thursday and Friday and we have some good candidates for both posts (Youth Work adviser and Events and marketing). We need more staff in as we’re so busy ! New website being developed well now and should be ready first week of June for Beta testing.

Off on (religious) retreat this afternoon to Walsingham for the weekend, being the village in north Norfolk which is a place of pilgrimage and a centre for Anglo-Catholicism, and Roman Catholicism - should at the least be peaceful and contemplative.

Have fun,

Mike

A social history perspective on Manchester United

Important to get priorities right this week! We were the second family in our road to get a new fangled TV in 1958, and I remember watching Newsreel of the Munich air crash, following which MU ‘s “Busby Babes” got into the FA Cup Final that year against all the odds, but losing to Bolton – header by Nat Lofthouse at the end was the undoing. I cried- I was 9! So Fergie’s retirement this week is an important event for some of us!

Obviously I have got the full fixture list for the Rugby World Cup in England in summer 2015, and the atmosphere is building already….

Oh yes- work!

Well a quiet week following the Bank Holiday. Surrey Community Action had their annual conference on Tuesday morning – first day back, so it felt a bit odd. I fear too many speakers, ran late,  and I think many of us wanted to hear more about the RAISE survey findings. Pity. Then had to rush to meeting at 2.00 pm at the social enterprise (also in Leatherhead), which is coming on- funds in bank, now need to sign off 3 year lease and get staff.

Otherwise dominated by completing the Business Plan for 2013/14, and starting to write the Annual Report for 2012-13. Also finished a business case for the Consortium to bid to GMTs for funds for mental health training for youth workers that will be discussed at the Consortium Board next Friday.

Bidders for Surrey CC’s Local Prevention Framework grants are waiting to hear if they are required at the next stage - 2 mini-competitions (ie dragons den type presentations) the first of which is Elmbridge next Tuesday, and then Epsom on Wed…….just in time??

Strategically important discussion with colleagues in Sussex this afternoon- more later, and also we have got financial backing and sponsorship from a major bank for our COMMUNILAB idea, so maybe not so quiet this week after all!

Mike