Bridgend Association of Voluntary Organisations

News

On this page you will find the latest edition of BAVO's Newsletter and up to date information on a range of issues that affect the voluntary sector and may be particularly relevant to your organisation.

Keep coming back to check for updates.

Community Focussed School Fund 08/09 - Bridgend

The 08/09 grant deadline has been set for June 13th. The fund is open to community and voluntary groups working in partnership with a local school/schools. Visit our funding page to download further information.

WAG Consultation event on its proposals to change the NHS structure in Wales: Bridgend - June 12th at 9 am

For more information or to reserve your free place at the above event, contact the Community Health Council, Bridgend on 01656 657909

A summary of the consultation document from WAG follows:

On the 2nd of April 2008 the Welsh Assembly Government announced some proposals about changes that may be made to the NHS in Wales. There is a consultation period ending on the 25th of June 2008 which gives the public a chance to give their opinion about these proposed changes.

Currently in Wales, health services are provided through Local Health Boards (LHBs) (who arrange the contracts for healthcare services), and NHS Trusts (who provide healthcare services).

These major changes are proposed:

1. The number of Local Health Boards will be reduced from twenty-two to eight.

2. The number of NHS Trusts in Wales will be reduced from ten to nine.

3. The responsibility of providing community health services will be transferred from NHS Trusts to Local health Boards. Therefore, it is proposed that Local Health Boards will be in charge of both primary and community based health services for example GP services, and NHS Trusts will concentrate on providing general and specialist hospital services.

4. Currently the NHS Trusts get their funding through the Local Health Boards. It is now proposed that funding for NHS Trusts should either come directly from the Welsh Assembly Government, or via a new National Board that would need to be established.

5. NHS bodies also require a range of support services including, estates, legal, procurement, information services and many others. Currently, the management of these services is shared between many NHS organisations. As it has been proposed that NHS Trusts should focus on patient care services, other organisations will be put in charge of support services.

You now have the chance to give your opinion on these changes; one way you can do this is by sending a letter or email to your local CHC. on: office@bridgendchc.org.uk

If you would like more information on the proposals to change the structure of the NHS in Wales, a full document can be downloaded at:

http://new.wales.gov.uk/consultations/currentconsultation/healandsoccarecurrcons/nhswales/?lang=en

 

Poster to Show NHS Priorities for Patients

For the first time, patients in Wales will be able to clearly see what the Welsh Assembly Government's main priorities are for the NHS over the coming year.

A poster will be distributed to healthcare settings such as hospitals, GPs surgeries, dentists, opticians, pharmacies and other public buildings like local libraries and social services departments to help inform patients of what the NHS will focus on in 2008-09.

Every year, the Assembly Government sets comprehensive priorities and targets for the NHS in an effort to continually improve care for patients and the working environment for staff.

Edwina Hart said: "The Welsh Assembly Government's significant investment in more staff and new buildings and equipment in recent years is paying off."

"New hospitals, GPs surgeries and other buildings and state-of-the-art equipment are helping to improve patient care and dramatically reduce waiting times. As a result, by the end of next year, no patient should wait more than 26 weeks from primary care referral to treatment, including waiting for diagnostic tests and therapies."

"I believe that patients should be able to clearly see and understand what we are doing to improve access to care and treatment in Wales and what the priorities are for the coming year for the NHS."

The poster can be downloaded here

Advice following recent suicides in Bridgend County Borough

You'll be aware of all the recent publicity regarding the very sad instances of young people appearing to have taken, or attempted to take, their own lives. If you have any concerns in relation to young people that you know, you can download information sheets from the following links on the BCBC website:

Suicide advice for parents and teachers.

Suicide advice for friends.

Support from The Samaritans or email jo@samaritans.org

FOR FURTHER SUPPORT CONTACT:

 

All Wales Child Protection Procedures

The new All Wales Child Protection Procedures are now available, hopefully hard copies will be available from BAVO soon. To download a copy visit resources and downloads page.

 

WCVA Third Sector Manifesto

BAVO sent a copy of the recently launched WCVA 'Third Sector Manifesto' to all election candidates and party leaders within Bridgend County Borough. We invited them to share their views on how they might work with BAVO, and support the sector should they be elected. To download a copy of the manifesto. Click here.

 

Latest BAVO Newsletter

Download the latest edition of the BAVO Newsletter.

The next newsletter distribution is 27th May 2008.

 

Latest WCVA National Supplement

Click here for the latest national supplement from WCVA.

 

New Plain Language Constitution for Community Groups  

A new plain language constitution has been produced by the Welsh Office of the Charity Commission in partnership with WCVA, BAVO and other other Welsh CVC's. It is designed to meet the needs of small groups who are looking to formally establish themselves with the minimum of fuss. It is based on the participants' combined experience of community development and charity law, together with many years of working with governing documents and community groups. The constitution is only 600 words long and covers all the requirements needed for a well run group. It has been designed primarily for groups with an income of less than £5000 a year (below the charity registration threshold), which don't need to be incorporated.

The model constitution can be downloaded here.

 

New Service Offered to BAVO Members

A group's most important document is its constitution but with so many small organisations not having an office base, keeping this document safe, when committee members or Trustees come and go, can be a big problem.

BAVO is now offering a new free service to members  - we can safeguard your original, signed and dated constitution, keeping it on file in BAVO's main office. We can also provide a scanned electronic copy for you so that you have a convenient copy when required.  Members can either bring a disc in, or we can provide one at cost, either way you can feel confident the original is being kept safe.

If you would like to discuss this service further, please contact Pat Lindsay, Information Officer on 01656 810400.

 

Online Forum

New Networking Opportunity - After having spoken with many of you about using different methods to engage you in debate, we have decided to add a 'Forum' section to the website. Have a look at the top menu bar to find your way to our forum.

Here you can start a debate, or ask for advice or indeed share good practice amongst yourselves, the Forum space is interactive allowing you to talk to a range of people. Registering is quick and easy, have a look and let us know what you think.

 

Voluntary Sector Partnership Council

In pursuit of its intention to work effectively with the voluntary sector, as laid down in Chapter 3 of the Voluntary Sector Scheme, the Assembly has established a Voluntary Sector Partnership Council

For general information on the VSPC visit :

http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/housingandcommunity/voluntarysector/partnership/?lang=en

What is a Voluntary Sector partnership?

A partnership means that the voluntary sector:

  • has an equal say with the Assembly about the arrangements by which the Assembly and the voluntary sector will work together
  • will contribute at a formative stage in informing the development of policy and programmes across the Assembly and has its proposals assessed against the same criteria as the public sector
  • contributes its views on the procedures for the administration of resources and priorities for the distribution of resources for the voluntary sector
  • has access to its own information, training, and capacity building services and resources
  • has opportunities to lead in those areas where it is best placed to do so

This Council consists of eleven Assembly Members and twenty-four representatives appointed from the voluntary sector.

A review of the Scheme has recently been completed and an Action Plan developed - see below.

Voluntary Sector Partnership Council - Review of the Voluntary Sector Scheme - WAG Response to Commissions recommendations (pdf 116K)

Voluntary Sector Partnership Council - Proposals for a Strategic Action Plan (pdf 86K)

You can view other Voluntary Sector documents on the Welsh Assembly Government website.

 

Valid XHTML 1.0 Transitional Valid CSS!