Regional Forum News

VCS quarterly confidence survey for Yorkshire and the Humber

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The Regional Forum has published its latest VCS quarterly confidence survey. Despite increasing concern about economic conditions within the VCS, over a third of organisations are planning to expand their services and 81% expect to collaborate more over the next year. VCS Quarterly Confidence Survey

All Inclusive? Third sector involvement in regional and sub-regional policymaking

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Regions and sub-regions play an important, if often unseen, role in policymaking. Influential decisions linked to regeneration, planning, housing, economic development and the allocation of European funding are all taken at these levels by a complex web of quangos and partnerships. This report considers the third sector's role as a key stakeholder in decision-making at the regional and sub-regional level, with a particular focus on economic development. To view and download the full report free of charge visit: http://www.ippr.org/publicationsandreports/publication.asp?id=684

Health of the 'VCS' survey 2009/10

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The Regional Forum has completed its initial analysis of the results gathered from the 2009 Health of the Sector survey. As well as giving a breakdown of the type of work organisations do the survey also asked if the organisations had experienced any changes in the demand for their services and in terms of size and finance. The results show that a significant number of the respondents had experienced a growth in the demand for services but that rate of growth was not matched in rises in staff or volunteers. Many organisations expected to grow in the next financial year although at the time of the survey around 15% of those who took part were still unsure about what was going to happen to their organisation. The survey results can be viewed by clicking on the link below. Surevy Results

Regional revamp requires reps rethink!

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The VCS Leaders Advisory Group Its all change in the regions! The Regional Assembly will cease to operate and the new regional arrangements start in April 2009. These new arrangements involve a Regional Board made up of local authority leaders and 8 members of the Board of Yorkshire Forward. Under this will be functional boards on things like skills and regeneration / housing. In addition the city regions are developing their work. So what does it all mean for the voluntary sector? Unlike the Assembly, where the non local authority sector had a number of representatives, the new bodies are working out their relationship to other sectors. But the issues these bodies will be tackling will have a profound impact on people and communities - and thats where the voluntary and community sector comes in. The sector works in all these areas so its involvement can make important links between local need and strategy, and between on the ground intelligence about what works and policy making. The Regional Forum with colleagues from the sector in the sub regions wants to make sure that the sectors contribution to the region can continue in positive ways. This is why the Forum is pleased to be setting up the VCS Leaders Advisory Group. Gil Chimon, Chair of The Regional Forum, in welcomed the Group: The Leaders Group will help to make sure the sector has a positive working relationship with the new structures in the region The Advisory Group will bring together sector leaders who have an understanding of strategic issues, a wide range of experience and who can offer their expertise and knowledge of communities to support decision making at the regional and other levels. We hoped the Group will make links across geography and theme and be able to help the sector have a coordinated message. We want members of the Group to come from all parts of the region, be operating at different levels (not just regional) and bring an active commitment to the positive contribution of the sector to Yorkshire and the Humber. The new Group will be recruited through application and interview. It will be accountable to the vcs through the Regional Forums democratic membership structures. There will be a strong requirement will to report to the sector. If you are interested in joining the Leaders Advisory Group please look at the advert and download the information pack and application on http://www.regionalforum.org.uk/job_tender_opportunities.php?id=64

Government launches real help for volunteers, charities and social enterprises

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Government today pledged £42.5 million to help volunteers, charities and social enterprises deliver extra real help to those that need it most, during the global economic downturn. The action plan for the third sector, published by Minister for the Cabinet Office Liam Byrne, sets out a targeted package of support that includes measures to help hundreds of voluntary organisations, charities, and social enterprises step up advice, support and volunteering in the areas that need it most across the country. The plan, which has been designed together with third sector leaders over the last three months, builds on the wide range of measures the Government has put in place to support people through the economic downturn, and on the Governments long term commitment to voluntary organisations and social enterprises. For more information visit: http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/third_sector/real_help_for_communities.aspx

Nearly 50,000 charities, voluntary groups and social enterprises have their say on public sector support

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 00:00:00 +0000

nitial results from one of the biggest surveys of its kind ever conducted, are published today. Nearly 50,000 charity, social enterprise and voluntary organisations took part in the National Survey of Third Sector Organisation and first findings show that when local public sector bodies work with them, it can have a really positive effect on their success. First results show that 58% of those who had direct dealings with local government bodies said that they had a positive or very positive effect on their success. However, over half of all respondents (51%) said they felt public sector bodies had no overall influence on their success, meaning public sector bodies have more to do to improve their contact and support to their local third sector. Initial results from one of the biggest surveys of its kind ever conducted, are published today. Nearly 50,000 charity, social enterprise and voluntary organisations took part in the National Survey of Third Sector Organisation and first findings show that when local public sector bodies work with them, it can have a really positive effect on their success. First results show that 58% of those who had direct dealings with local government bodies said that they had a positive or very positive effect on their success. However, over half of all respondents (51%) said they felt public sector bodies had no overall influence on their success, meaning public sector bodies have more to do to improve their contact and support to their local third sector. For more information visit: http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/third_sector/news/news_stories/090128_nstso.aspx

Regional GVA tops £87bn

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Gross Value Added (GVA) for Yorkshire and The Humber totalled £87.4bn in 2007, compared to £82.9bn in 2006, an annual increase of £4.5bn or 5.5 per cent. GVA per head rose from £16,114 in 2006 to £16,880 in 2007, an increase of 4.8 per cent. These figures come from the regional and sub-regional GVA estimates, published by ONS on 12th December. The data showed that the increase in Yorkshire and The Humber was smaller than in the UK as a whole, where headline GVA grew by 6.0 per cent and the per head figure increased by 5.3 per cent. GVA for industries within each region have been restored to the release, after their absence from the December 2007 publication. The proportion of GVA in Yorkshire and The Humber that comes from Real Estate, Renting and Business Activities increased from 13 per cent in 1991 to 19 per cent in 2006. However, this proportion is still smaller than all other English regions except the North East.

Third Sector Research centre contracts sealed

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Birmingham University and Southampton University have been jointly awarded a five-year contract to run the new £10.25m Third Sector Research Centre. The two universities will work with voluntary sector representative organisations including umbrella body the NCVO, chief executives body ACEVO and the Social Enterprise Coalition. "We want to have all the major sector-wide agencies involved because we are committed to research that is valuable to the sector and can be disseminated across it," said Pete Alcock, who has been appointed director of the centre. He will relinquish his role as head of the school of social sciences at Birmingham University to take up the new position on 1 September. John Mohan, professor of social policy at Southampton University, has been appointed his deputy. The Economic and Social Research Council and the Office of the Third Sector will each contribute £5m towards the centre, with the Barrow Cadbury Trust adding £250,000. The centre will publish an annual 'state of the sector' report showing what research is being undertaken each year.