Lancashire BME Pact Trustee Vacancy

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Created on Thursday, 02 February 2012 11:29

Written by Mariyam Khan

Trustee Vacancy

WHAT do Trustees do?

• They make sure that the charity does what it says it does
• They make sure that the charity uses funds properly
• They give some time to make sure that others get the help they need 

 WHAT qualifications do I need?
 You don’t need any formal qualifications! All you need is common sense and a willingness to make a difference

 HOW much time will it take?
 A minimum of 3 hours a month but you can do more if you want to.

 IS there a lot of paperwork?

• Some at the beginning but we will do most of it
• You will get papers to read to tell you what’s happening

 WILL I get training? 
 Yes, we provide training for all our trustees

 HOW much will it cost? Nothing! You can’t get paid for being a trustee but you can get out of pocket expenses like travel costs.

So What’s Stopping You?
3 Things

• You must be over 18
• You must not be disqualified as a company director
• You must not be convicted of an offence involving dishonesty or deception.

Other than that you’re good to go!

How do I get more information?

Contact Sally Sutton, Project Manager for an informal chat
E-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  Telephone :01254 398959

TWO NEW MEMBERS

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Created on Thursday, 02 February 2012 11:24

Written by Mariyam Khan

• French Community Integration
• Shadows & Rainbows Partnerships

As well as offering support to these new members we will also add their voice to the 70 or so others when speaking up for the needs of the BME Communities inLancashireto be met. We will also facilitate events where you can all meet together to share good practice and to form partnerships for the future.

Open for All? The Changing Nature of Equality under Big Society & Localism

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Created on Wednesday, 19 October 2011 13:12

Written by Alison Alcroft

The North West Infrastructure Partnership commissioned the Centre for Local Economic Strategies and the Centre for Local Policy Studies to research the impact of current policy on equalities and the specialist organisations that deliver to some of our most marginalised communities. The research process lasted eight months, included 15 issue-specific focus groups, and involved over two hundred and fifty voluntary and community sector organisations from across the North West and looked at:

• The equalities impact of policy agendas around localism, big society, welfare, health, and economic growth;
• The socio-economic implications of a reduced focus on equality;
• The values of equalities focused voluntary and community sector organisations;
• The applicability of impacts and implications to the North West.

This innovative and exciting research provides an evidence base around some of the challenges that current policy brings for our communities and provides a comprehensive report on areas that need improvement moving forward, advocating for the urgent need for a social justice framework. The executive summary can be viewed/downloaded by visiting http://www.vsnw.org.uk/files/Final%20Executive%20Summary%20Oct'11.pdf and the full report will be available shortly.

National Community Activists Network

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Created on Thursday, 22 September 2011 11:25

Written by Alison Alcroft

Is Choice all it's cracked up to be?

The Coalition government picked up where the Labour government left off in making ‘choice’ a big issue – apparently it is all we have been waiting for in our communities – rich or poor, black or white, the answer to the evils of public services can all be eradicated if we all have ‘choice’.

It is of course very compelling: if we have choice we can literally judge the services that are provided to us by where and when we exercise our choice – if we don’t like our children’s school, move them – (better still set up your own!) If you don’t like your local hospital, why not have the operation at a better place 500 miles away? 

Some of these things really work for me on a personal level, but I am in a privileged position, I can access information, my family and I can be mobile and I understand many of the systems.  But just because it works for me on occasions does not make it right.  It has to work for the common good, it has to bet truly fair – not ‘fair’ in the way the coalition define it.

As well as providing people with more personalised services, the current government believe choice also creates improves quality through competition - another equation that I am uncomfortable with.  I can see how competition has improved quality in some areas – but in others it is completely divisive.  In the world of public services it could lead to money being spent on advertising and marketing to gain market share rather than on good front-line delivery – surely not ideal in anybody’s book.

The reality is whatever lengths the Government go to, some of us will have more choice than others.  We will need to have, and should agitate for, support for people to make the most of the choice that exists, people who can interpret data, make sense of complex information, and most importantly, people who are independent in the advice they give – not someone with a financial interest in how you exercise your choice.