The Key Debate: Volunteering, workfare or something else - the shape of things to come?
As the role of volunteering in civil society becomes a key plank of economic policy and a component of welfare reform we ask the questions:
What is volunteering, what is it becoming and how do we feel the sector should respond?
“The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope.”
Networking Opportunities – Opportunities for organisations to showcase their work and find out what else is going on in the sector in their area, across the city and nation wide.
Open Space - an opportunity for voluntary sector organisations to run workshops to inform, showcase, provoke a discussion, or get others involved in a campaign.
Workshops (to be chosen on the day)
Foodbanks – A necessary evil or a curse?
Foodbanks have become a political hot potato. What are the practical problems associated with running foodbanks and what are the needs they are meeting? Who should be running foodbanks and should they be paid for out of public funds? This workshop will consist of a ten minute talk followed by a lively discussion.
Having fun with evaluation
Evaluation doesn’t have to be difficult, it can be an opportunity for staff and users of services to learn together, improve services and can even be enjoyable. This workshop will cover a recent evaluation process in Manchester, how it was carried out, how people were involved and what it found.
The role of community transport
This workshop will explore how community transport can enhance the services the third sector deliver, improving access for people with disabilities or who don’t have public transport, reducing social isolation, and offering opportunities for advertising.
Individual Electoral Registration – 'Your vote matters - make sure you're in'
The workshop will focus on the change (form 10 June) from household to individual electoral registration; the impact of this change (from a resident and a public policy perspective); and how the voluntary sector can help by communicating the change and encouraging as many people as possible to register.
Everything you always wanted to know about sexual orientation monitoring... but were afraid to ask
This workshop aims to encourage VCS organisations to take the lead in implementing sexual orientation monitoring by highlighting the benefits for organisations, staff and service users. They’ll be advice on minimising risks when starting to carry out sexual orientation monitoring and opportunities to think about how to put it in place in your organisation.
The Equality Act 2010 has consolidated UK equality law and set out a public equality duty to ensure that all public sector organisations take into account the needs of people with protected characteristics when designing and delivering services. Monitoring for protected characteristics, including sexual orientation, is essential if organisations are to prove that they are meeting these requirements.