News

£10 million funding boost to tackle economic inactivity in East Wales

Thu, 02 Jul 2009

Click here to watch John Griffiths, Deputy Minister for Skills, announce the expansion of Gateway and ILM into Regional Competitiveness and Employment areas.

Two projects investing over £40 million to help economically inactive people back into the labour market and into learning will receive a £10 million boost, John Griffiths, Deputy Minister for Skills has announced.

The funding boost for WCVA's Engagement Gateway and North Wales Intermediate Labour Market (ILM) projects will enable the schemes to be rolled out to support people in East Wales.

Campaign to urge use of sustainable transport

Wed, 01 Jul 2009

Sustrans' annual Change Your World week takes place from 29 June to 4 July. The campaign asks people to give up one of their usual car trips during the week in favour of walking, cycling, using public transport or car-sharing instead.

Change Your World is Sustrans campaign to motivate everyone to think differently about the way they travel, and to get out more on foot, by bike and on public transport.

Wales - Qualifications Made Easy Event 2009

Thu, 18 Jun 2009

Tuesday 14 July 2009
Miskin Manor Country Hotel & Health Club

Free conferences offer opportunity to learn about engaging with the Assembly

Mon, 08 Jun 2009

Two conferences being held in July will look at how civil society has been engaging with the National Assembly for Wales since it gained more powers in 2007 and offer a chance to learn more about how to influence decision makers. The free of charge events are being organised by Tomorrows Wales and take place on Monday 13 July in Llandudno and Thursday 16 July in Cardiff.

Gateway and ILM set for East Wales launch

Thu, 04 Jun 2009

Two WCVA schemes that are making over £40m of European funds available to organisations working in Convergence areas of Wales are being extended to the Regional Competitiveness and Employment areas of East Wales.

The Engagement Gateway and Intermediate Labour Market (ILM) schemes have recently been given the go-ahead to roll out the programme in Flintshire, Wrexham, Powys, Monmouthshire, Newport, Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan.

WCVA launches new feature on its funding website

Wed, 03 Jun 2009

WCVA has launched a new online resource which will help Wales 30,000 voluntary groups access up-to-date information on funding sources and options to keep achieving - and hopefully exceeding their fundraising targets.

Every year the third sector in Wales raises a phenomenal £1.2 billion. The Wales Third Sector Funding Portal is a one-stop shop for funding advice and opportunities and can be accessed by visiting WCVAs Sustainable Funding Cymru website

The Future Jobs Fund a third sector bid

Mon, 01 Jun 2009

WCVA is considering a bid to the Future Jobs Fund on behalf of the third sector, subject to Board approval and a risk analysis. Please read on to find out more about the Fund and how third sector organisations can get involved.

Volunteers who make life better receive recognition

Mon, 01 Jun 2009

A pensioner and a couple who have turned life around for the residents of two different South Wales housing estates are to receive national recognition for years of giving up their free time.

A 14-year-old eco warrior, a former teacher who works on a voluntary basis more than most people work when they are paid to for the RSPCA and a group of volunteers who support people with visual impairment despite all being either totally blind or partially sighted themselves - are among the 2009 Wales Volunteers of the Year.

A hairdresser who thinks green, lives green, shops green and works green, a group of residents who took over the last local shop in their village rather than see it lost forever, and a team of volunteers helping to rehabilitate sex offenders are also among the award winners.

Countdown to Copenhagen

Mon, 01 Jun 2009

In December this year, the Worlds decision makers will meet at a climate change summit called COP 15 in Copenhagen to decide on what should be done to tackle climate change across the world.

They will try to agree the best way forward for the world to work together to tackle climate change.

Have your say

The Welsh Assembly Government wants the young people of Wales to be able to have their say on what they think should be done to tackle climate change.

Tackling child poverty in Wales launching the Joint Agreement

Sat, 30 May 2009

Tackling child poverty is an issue that concerns us all but we can all do something to help eradicate it. The Welsh Assembly Government, for its part, believes that a strong partnership approach is needed to eradicate child poverty and improve the life chances of our children and young people. And they recognise that it is not just about the Government - tackling child poverty requires a commitment from a host of organisations across Wales to provide quality services and to ensure that all children and young people benefit from their action and get a chance to fully participate in community life.

It is for this reason that the Welsh Assembly Government has launched a joint agreement on child poverty, and invited public and voluntary sector organisations in Wales to sign up.

BBC Children in Need Launches New Grant Programme

Sat, 30 May 2009

BBC Children in Need announced the launch of a new grant programme, Fun and Friendship, which will focus on disabled young people aged 12-18 years old living in the UK.

The £3 million grants programme, Fun and Friendship, was set up following commissioned research revealing a significant lack of opportunity for independent socialising for disabled young people, often leading to feelings of loneliness and isolation. BBC Children in Need are targeting organisations that can provide these opportunities for friendship, and identify and address the barriers disabled young people face as teenagers growing up.

BBC Children in Need intends to award up to 12 three-year grants of up to £300,000 each. The Fun and Friendship grants programme is in addition to BBC Children in Needs general grants.

Accounting and reporting by charities SORP

Fri, 29 May 2009

Wednesday 1 July 2009, Carmarthen
This course is aimed at volunteers and paid staff such as finance officers, directors, fundraisers, and trustees who need to ensure the accounts of their organisation are both accurate and an effective fund-raising tool.

The recession is biting, so what is the impact on volunteering?

Mon, 25 May 2009

In difficult times there are many different demands on people. For some, redundancy provides the opportunity to do some voluntary work, which they have wanted to do, but never had the time. For others, volunteering is a way of building self-confidence and skills to re-enter the job market. Some volunteers will find they need to do less, so they can take a part time job to make ends meet. Volunteering in communities which experience large-scale job losses can increase or decrease. Organisations that meet peoples needs often find that demand increases when a recession hits.

Volunteering Wales 2009

Thu, 21 May 2009

Thursday 21 May sees Minister for Social Justice and Local Government Dr Brian Gibbons, launch Volunteering Wales a campaign to encourage more people in Wales to get involved in volunteering and more organisations to provide quality volunteering experiences.

Week of celebrations marks work of Waless volunteers

Wed, 20 May 2009

1 - 7 June, 2009 Volunteers Week 25th birthday
Week of celebrations marks work of Waless volunteers

Wales is preparing to play its part in the 25th anniversary of a week-long national celebration of the people who make life better for others by giving up their free time.

Wales third sector consultation event on Future Jobs Fund - 27 May

Mon, 18 May 2009

On Wednesday 27 May, WCVA is holding a consultation meeting about a major UK Government initiative to create 7,000 new jobs in Wales.

The Future Jobs Fund is a UK-wide programme which has been set up to create jobs for long-term unemployed people, particularly aged 18-24, and is encouraging bids from social enterprises and voluntary organisations.

Assembly invests £405,000 to get young people volunteering

Fri, 15 May 2009

The Welsh Assembly Government is investing £405,000 in a scheme aimed at making volunteering a natural activity for young people.

Announcing the award for the GwirVol initiative, Minister for Social Justice and Local Government Dr Brian Gibbons said it was hoped the programme would put youth volunteering on the map and make it a key development for the countrys social and economic future.

EU manifesto gets WCVA backing

Fri, 15 May 2009

WCVA is throwing its support behind a manifesto pressing the European Union to use the current economic climate to recognise the role played by civil society by agreeing to a range of proposals.

Conference to help third sector weather the recession

Wed, 13 May 2009

A conference aimed at steering Waless voluntary organisations through the recession is taking place in Cardiff this week.

Umbrella body Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA) is giving its members the opportunity to listen to advice on survival from some of the third sectors most influential figures.

They will also be able to quiz Welsh Assembly Government and key public sector agency officials on how they intend to fulfil commitments on sector support and funding made in more prosperous times.

Looking for funding?

Wed, 13 May 2009

Visit www.sustainablefundingcymru.org.uk home of the Wales funding portal a new one-stop shop for funding advice and opportunities.