As you may be aware, earlier this year the City Council launched a competitive tendering process for the contract to provide support to the city's voluntary and community sector for the next three years.
We are delighted to announce that Macc has been awarded this contract.
DBS Manchester at the Gaddum Centre has ended the free DBS checking service currently being offered to referred organisations through Volunteer Centre Manchester.
From October 1, 2013, the charges are as follows:
Volunteer checks £10
Non-Volunteer £15 (plus DBS certificate charges)
ID check £10
This still represents good value for money and DBS Manchester at The Gaddum Centre will, however, continue to train and advise customers on how to complete the application forms and conduct identity checks.
DBS Manchester at the Gaddum Centre are to end the free DBS checking service currently being offered to referred organisations through Volunteer Centre Manchester. To date they have provided over a years’ worth of free DBS checks to qualifying organisations. However, due to funding coming to an end, they can no longer offer the free service.
From October 1, 2013, charges will be as follows:
Volunteer checks £10
Non-Volunteer £15 (plus DBS certificate charges)
ID check £10
Volunteer Infrastructure Project (VIP) aims to work with organisations and individuals to build capacity and ability to support volunteers in delivery of youth work, projects and activities in central district.
People are being urged to nominate community groups and volunteers who have made a genuine difference to their local area.
The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, a unique UK national honour, was created over a decade ago by Her Majesty to mark the Golden Jubilee in 2002 to recognise the outstanding contributions made to local communities by groups of volunteers. It has an equivalent status for voluntary groups as the MBE has for individuals.
The Prince’s Trust Team Programme based at The Manchester College’s Fallowfield site is currently looking for worthwhile projects in the community for its students to complete.
Perhaps there’s a local youth club or community centre in need of refurbishment or an area of land or community garden that could do with a makeover.
Not only will the students plan and carry out the manual work they will also raise the funds needed to purchase any materials/equipment needed.
Back on Track work with some fantastic guys who are on the Probation 'Achieve' project and are currently looking for charitable organisations and voluntary sector agencies who could offer both one day taster session and more substantial 30hour placements. To give these men a positive experience of volunteering and some valuable skills to add to their CV.
The judges, including the Lord Mayor of Manchester, have now met and decided on the shortlisted candidates for the first Spirit of Manchester Award! The nominations reflected all the exciting and diverse work happening in Manchester's voluntary and community sector. We will be making films of all the shortlisted applicants which will be voted on at the awards ceremony to determine the winner.
We are excited that the awards will be presented at the new NOMA building, thank you to the Co-operative who kindly donated the room.
Shortlisted organisations
During the recent bout of hot weather, I somehow managed to come down with a cold. I not only felt ill, I also felt ridiculous: I mean who gets a cold in the middle of a heatwave? As I write this, figures have just been released showing that the country’s economy is slowly starting to grow again after the recession. It’s a similar feeling: I’m being told it’s lovely out there but it feels dreadful. No matter what the economic analysis says, when I look around I see incomes reducing, prices rising, services closing and life generally becoming more difficult.
I've mentioned previously that there's a danger that this blog becomes a series of rants about things I'm angry about. Well not today, at least!
Our State of the Voluntary Sector report shows there are over 3000 voluntary and community groups in Manchester. I don't know them all but I do know a lot of them and one of the great pleasures of my job is that I get to see some of the amazing things happening in groups across Manchester and meet some fantastic people.