- Establishing a community group safely and legally requires considering legal structure, compliance with relevant legislation, and ensuring safety of volunteers and participants.
- There are many types of legal structures for community groups, from informal to formal. Fact sheets can help determine the best initial structure.
- Compliance involves health and safety, safeguarding, data protection, equality and diversity, and activity-specific rules. Getting public liability insurance is also essential.
- The Royal Voluntary Service can provide guidance, support establishing a group, seed funding, and helping the group become a branch volunteer program. Other charities also offer resources and support for new community groups.
At Pathway we are dedicated to Safeguarding our staff and learners. Please feel free to read through and if you would like more information about this policy or Pathway Group please feel free to get in touch.
At Pathway we are dedicated to Safeguarding our staff and learners. Please feel free to read through and if you would like more information about this policy or Pathway Group please feel free to get in touch.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) refers to the voluntary efforts undertaken by businesses to address social and environmental issues in their operations and within the communities in which they operate. These efforts can include initiatives such as philanthropy, volunteerism, sustainable practices, and community engagement.
NGOs, or non-governmental organizations, play a critical role in promoting and implementing CSR activities. Many NGOs work to promote sustainable practices, protect human rights, and improve living conditions in communities around the world.
There are many NGOs that specialize in CSR, and the top ones will vary depending on the region, industry and focus area. Some examples of top NGO that focus on CSR are:
Nityango.org
Amnesty International
International Labour Organization
Save the Children
Greenpeace
World Wildlife Fund
The Nature Conservancy
CSR for NGO refers to the ways in which NGOs can work with businesses to promote and implement CSR activities. This can include partnerships, collaborations, or campaigns to raise awareness about social and environmental issues.
Some examples of CSR activities that NGO's and businesses can do together are:
Partnering on sustainable procurement practices
Implementing programs to empower communities through job creation and livelihood training
Collaborating to protect natural resources
Working together to ensure human rights are protected throughout supply chains
Corporations can support NGO's CSR efforts in various ways:
Monetary donations
Providing in-kind donations of goods or services
Employee volunteer opportunities
Supporting NGO programs and campaigns
Collaboration in community development initiatives
Overall, CSR is an important aspect of business operations, and NGOs play a critical role in promoting and implementing CSR activities. Businesses can support NGO's efforts by collaborating and contributing resources to make an impactful change.
From the Chicago Tribune, November 27, 1994Should We License Par.docxbudbarber38650
From the Chicago Tribune, November 27, 1994
Should We License Parents?
November 27, 1994|By Dr. Jack C. Westman. Dr. Jack C. Westman is a professor in the psychiatry department of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is the author of "Licensing Parents: Can We Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect?" (Plenum, $27.95).
Three weeks ago our attention was riveted on Union, S.C. The people of Union rallied to search for two abducted children and then mourned their deaths at the hands of their mother. We watched intently as that community united to protect its children.
In spite of the tragic ending of that episode, we saw how an entire community was galvanized to assist two children in distress. The pleas of the family on national television evoked a powerful empathy for the parents and children. We must not forget these strong feelings because in the three weeks since the event in South Carolina, 63 children have been murdered by their parents elsewhere in the United States.
The South Carolina tragedy is a wakeup call for our nation. We must wake up to the fact that we have an epidemic of child abuse and neglect. Three children are murdered by their parents every day in the United States. In 1992, the U.S. Advisory Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect declared that the neglect and abuse of our children is a national emergency.
The neglect and abuse of children affects us all. The National Commission on Children reported to the President and Congress that a critical number of parents are failing to fulfill their basic child raising responsibilities. The Commission linked our society's problems-educational, health, safety and economic-to the damage caused to children by the neglect and abuse of incompetent parents.
How can we respond? Our own failings as parents and our own potential for violence make us reluctant to judge parents as incompetent. Fortunately, that judgment really is not difficult.
The signs of child neglect and abuse by incompetent parents are apparent to anyone. A parent's murder of a child is the most extreme form. More commonly, incompetent parents are unable to manage their own lives. They pursue their own urges and damage their children by either neglecting or tyrannizing them. Their incompetence results from their own personalities, addictions, life events, socioeconomic disadvantage or a combination of these factors. Even if we were to eliminate poverty and discrimination, we still would have incompetent parents.
Incompetent parents, although few in number, are the sources of our habitual criminal and welfare dependency problems. About 4 percent of parents from all socioeconomic classes are incompetent. Some 3.6 million children have been neglected and abused by them. Many of these children become dangerous or dependent teenagers and adults who are increasing in numbers to drain public funds and erode the productivity of our workforce.
Our existing protective services for children have failed because they set standards for pare.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) refers to the voluntary efforts undertaken by businesses to address social and environmental issues in their operations and within the communities in which they operate. These efforts can include initiatives such as philanthropy, volunteerism, sustainable practices, and community engagement.
NGOs, or non-governmental organizations, play a critical role in promoting and implementing CSR activities. Many NGOs work to promote sustainable practices, protect human rights, and improve living conditions in communities around the world.
There are many NGOs that specialize in CSR, and the top ones will vary depending on the region, industry and focus area. Some examples of top NGO that focus on CSR are:
Nityango.org
Amnesty International
International Labour Organization
Save the Children
Greenpeace
World Wildlife Fund
The Nature Conservancy
CSR for NGO refers to the ways in which NGOs can work with businesses to promote and implement CSR activities. This can include partnerships, collaborations, or campaigns to raise awareness about social and environmental issues.
Some examples of CSR activities that NGO's and businesses can do together are:
Partnering on sustainable procurement practices
Implementing programs to empower communities through job creation and livelihood training
Collaborating to protect natural resources
Working together to ensure human rights are protected throughout supply chains
Corporations can support NGO's CSR efforts in various ways:
Monetary donations
Providing in-kind donations of goods or services
Employee volunteer opportunities
Supporting NGO programs and campaigns
Collaboration in community development initiatives
Overall, CSR is an important aspect of business operations, and NGOs play a critical role in promoting and implementing CSR activities. Businesses can support NGO's efforts by collaborating and contributing resources to make an impactful change.
From the Chicago Tribune, November 27, 1994Should We License Par.docxbudbarber38650
From the Chicago Tribune, November 27, 1994
Should We License Parents?
November 27, 1994|By Dr. Jack C. Westman. Dr. Jack C. Westman is a professor in the psychiatry department of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is the author of "Licensing Parents: Can We Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect?" (Plenum, $27.95).
Three weeks ago our attention was riveted on Union, S.C. The people of Union rallied to search for two abducted children and then mourned their deaths at the hands of their mother. We watched intently as that community united to protect its children.
In spite of the tragic ending of that episode, we saw how an entire community was galvanized to assist two children in distress. The pleas of the family on national television evoked a powerful empathy for the parents and children. We must not forget these strong feelings because in the three weeks since the event in South Carolina, 63 children have been murdered by their parents elsewhere in the United States.
The South Carolina tragedy is a wakeup call for our nation. We must wake up to the fact that we have an epidemic of child abuse and neglect. Three children are murdered by their parents every day in the United States. In 1992, the U.S. Advisory Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect declared that the neglect and abuse of our children is a national emergency.
The neglect and abuse of children affects us all. The National Commission on Children reported to the President and Congress that a critical number of parents are failing to fulfill their basic child raising responsibilities. The Commission linked our society's problems-educational, health, safety and economic-to the damage caused to children by the neglect and abuse of incompetent parents.
How can we respond? Our own failings as parents and our own potential for violence make us reluctant to judge parents as incompetent. Fortunately, that judgment really is not difficult.
The signs of child neglect and abuse by incompetent parents are apparent to anyone. A parent's murder of a child is the most extreme form. More commonly, incompetent parents are unable to manage their own lives. They pursue their own urges and damage their children by either neglecting or tyrannizing them. Their incompetence results from their own personalities, addictions, life events, socioeconomic disadvantage or a combination of these factors. Even if we were to eliminate poverty and discrimination, we still would have incompetent parents.
Incompetent parents, although few in number, are the sources of our habitual criminal and welfare dependency problems. About 4 percent of parents from all socioeconomic classes are incompetent. Some 3.6 million children have been neglected and abused by them. Many of these children become dangerous or dependent teenagers and adults who are increasing in numbers to drain public funds and erode the productivity of our workforce.
Our existing protective services for children have failed because they set standards for pare.
Unlocking your community potential with digital
- By Steve Haines – Neighbourly
The pace of technology is moving fast and there are endless opportunities to use it to help connect people, gain new sources of support and resources, and tell your story to engage supporters. But small charities and community groups are often benefiting least from these opportunities. This workshop will showcase the best of these technologies, draw together case studies, helpful advice and tips, and help you get the most out of these new tools to deliver greater impact.
- By Phil Waters – I Love Nature
In this workshop you’ll learn how to create playful and physically active adventures using only string and rope. Enlisted as special agents on a mission of a peculiar kind, you’ll learn how to create temporary playgrounds and experiences on a budget with simple and accessible resources.
- By Heather Thomas
This interactive workshop is structured so that you walk away with a rough plan to meet your funding needs. We’ll explore how your organisational strategy impacts your funding outlook, how to pitch your project to specific audiences, how to identify prospective donors and potential sources of funding.
Community Food Projects
Maria Devereaux – Sustain
Growing, making, selling sharing. Why set up a community food project and what’s best for your neighbourhood.
Phil Waters
Exploring risk in play and what makes a child friendly community. Urban design, architecture, landscape architecture, planning and land development play essential roles in ensuring a sustainable physical and built environment.
- Juliet Rose - Eden Communities -
A practical and playful session to explore how we can
creatively engage with people in thinking about the future
of the places where we live. This session will involve small
group activity - designing, making, chit chat and cake
- Anne-Marie Culhane, Artist and community activist -
Be inspired by award-winning projects that engage
communities creatively and explore how similar projects
could work in your communities.
Slides from a presentation designed to help you map your community business on a page, whether established or just an idea. This supports the talk given by Power to Change at the Eden Project, as part of the Big Lunch Extras programme.
A presentation about the power of community celebrations, supporting the talk given by Sue Hill at the Eden Project, as part of the Big Lunch Extras programme. Born and raised in Cornwall, Sue has travelled the world, making theatre in unlikely places with Kneehigh and WildWorks, from Cyprus to Kensington Palace, via Soweto. With her brother, Pete Hill, she has made many large scale earth sculptures including the Mudmaid and Giant at Heligan and Eve at Eden. Find out more about Big Lunch Extras at www.biglunchextras.com
A presentation demonstrating how communities can tackle loneliness. This supports the workshop given by Tracey Robbins as part of the Big Lunch Extras programme. Find out more about Big Lunch Extras at www.biglunchextras.com
Communities are only as strong and vibrant as the people who live in them. So when you come across extraordinary people doing remarkable things, and those actions spread like a friendly virus to others, you end up with something quite magical and powerful: Extraordinary Communities.
The pages of this book celebrate projects and ideas big and small, some simple some not so simple. Some require time, commitment and tenacity. All are driven by a passion and a belief in doing something good. These are ordinary people who chatted in pubs, cafes or at the school gates and asked – ‘What if…?’ ‘We really need a…’ or ‘Why don’t we…?’ And then – this is the extraordinary bit – they did it.
This presentation, created by Syed Faiz ul Hassan, explores the profound influence of media on public perception and behavior. It delves into the evolution of media from oral traditions to modern digital and social media platforms. Key topics include the role of media in information propagation, socialization, crisis awareness, globalization, and education. The presentation also examines media influence through agenda setting, propaganda, and manipulative techniques used by advertisers and marketers. Furthermore, it highlights the impact of surveillance enabled by media technologies on personal behavior and preferences. Through this comprehensive overview, the presentation aims to shed light on how media shapes collective consciousness and public opinion.
Have you ever wondered how search works while visiting an e-commerce site, internal website, or searching through other types of online resources? Look no further than this informative session on the ways that taxonomies help end-users navigate the internet! Hear from taxonomists and other information professionals who have first-hand experience creating and working with taxonomies that aid in navigation, search, and discovery across a range of disciplines.
Sharpen existing tools or get a new toolbox? Contemporary cluster initiatives...Orkestra
UIIN Conference, Madrid, 27-29 May 2024
James Wilson, Orkestra and Deusto Business School
Emily Wise, Lund University
Madeline Smith, The Glasgow School of Art
Acorn Recovery: Restore IT infra within minutesIP ServerOne
Introducing Acorn Recovery as a Service, a simple, fast, and secure managed disaster recovery (DRaaS) by IP ServerOne. A DR solution that helps restore your IT infra within minutes.
0x01 - Newton's Third Law: Static vs. Dynamic AbusersOWASP Beja
f you offer a service on the web, odds are that someone will abuse it. Be it an API, a SaaS, a PaaS, or even a static website, someone somewhere will try to figure out a way to use it to their own needs. In this talk we'll compare measures that are effective against static attackers and how to battle a dynamic attacker who adapts to your counter-measures.
About the Speaker
===============
Diogo Sousa, Engineering Manager @ Canonical
An opinionated individual with an interest in cryptography and its intersection with secure software development.
This presentation by Morris Kleiner (University of Minnesota), was made during the discussion “Competition and Regulation in Professions and Occupations” held at the Working Party No. 2 on Competition and Regulation on 10 June 2024. More papers and presentations on the topic can be found out at oe.cd/crps.
This presentation was uploaded with the author’s consent.
3. Don’t get bogged down! Start easy
Before deciding what type of group you want to be imagine your future and what you
aspire your group to be. However, don’t sink in the process! Many groups change
their structure as they evolve
There are many types of legal structure that move from informal to very formal
structures. Fact sheets listed on the website detailed in the final slide will help you
understand which structure is right for you to start with.
What is are ‘Not for Profit Organisations’:
A few examples
TYPES OF GROUP STRUCTURE
Charitable Organisations
Unincorporated Associations
Charitable Trusts
Community Interest Organisations
Charitable Companies
Social Enterprises
Community Interest Companies
Cooperatives
Community Benefit Society
4. Being Safe and Legal = compliance
There are numerous pieces of legislation that apply to community groups which you
need to be aware of when starting a community group. From requiring consent to
take pictures, from having a music licence when playing music, from complying with
food safety laws when preparing cooked food. There is what often feels like a ‘sea’ of
bureaucracy to swim through!
However there are many handbooks, website, factsheets that will help you navigate
your way through compliance requirements to ensure you are established safely and
legally
Safely for you, your volunteers and your participants
If you find yourself drowning in the paperwork, step back, ask advice from your
community networks, your local CVS, us or visit a local Shed, Community Group or
charity local to you that has established recently!
Most importantly just get on and do it!
COMPLIANCE IN THE COMMUNITY
5. Health and Safety
When you run a community group, you have a legal duty to look after your own health and
safety, and that of people around you, such as volunteers, participants and general public.
It is about working together as a group to make sure you have done everything you can to
prevent avoidable accidents and protect people from harm.
There is formal legislation that sets out health and safety requirements in law is the Health
and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
This governs legal health and safety requirements for any organisation including your
community group that uses any paid workers, volunteers or controls any premises. It
contains specific requirements aimed at protecting people who are doing paid work or
volunteering.
Your group will be subject to the requirements of the Act, and failing to meet them could
be a criminal offence. The Health and Safety Executive also “strongly recommend” that
organisations make sure their volunteers are protected in the same ways as any employee.
www.hse.gov.uk
COMPLIANCE IN THE COMMUNITY
6. Health and Safety
When running community groups its important we provide, “as far as is reasonably
practicable”:
• safe equipment; For example you run a coffee morning. You may check the spout for
the hot water to check it doesn’t
• safe substances; For example CoSHH safe storage of toxic substances
• necessary information, instruction, supervision and training;Fo example ensuring
volunteers using gardening equipment are shown the manual and trained to use
• a safe workplace (inclusive of volunteer workspace); For example if you are delivering
a street party and there is a hole in the road, barrier it off to ensure no one trips or falls
over it
• a safe environment for volunteers, participants and the general public;
It is really important we assess the risks of our community activity and note those within a
written document. The HSE website have many template risk assessments that are very
useful as templates. www.hse.gov.uk
COMPLIANCE IN THE COMMUNITY
7. Safeguarding
What does safeguarding mean?
As community groups it is our duty to ensure that children or young people, and
vulnerable adults or adults at risk of harm, should never experience abuse of any
kind.
Safeguarding helps us
Protect children and young people and vulnerable adults or adults at risk of harm
who engage with our community activities.
Provide employees and volunteers with the overarching principles that guide the
approach to safeguarding
Disclosing and reporting abuse
Your role as a community group working with children or vulnerable adults is to be
alert to signs or patterns of abuse and raise any suspicions. The easiest way to do this
is with your local Adult safeguarding board OR your Children's and Young People
Safeguarding Board
COMPLIANCE IN THE COMMUNITY
8. Criminal Record Checks
This is the process government has established for providing information to
employers and organisations about whether an individual is suitable for particular
types of work. The check type depends on whether you live in England or Wales,
Scotland or Northern Ireland.
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) / Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Access
NI (northern Ireland)
You must provide checks on employee or volunteer roles that deliver to either
children or vulnerable adults/adults at risk. There are certain conditions on activities
so its really important you visit the relevant website to understand whether your
volunteer roles require criminal records checks:
www.gov.uk/dbs
www.justice-ni.gov.uk
www.mygov.scot/pvg-scheme
COMPLIANCE IN THE COMMUNITY
9. Data Protection and Confidential Information
When we delivery our activities we want to be sure everyone's personal data stays
confidential. An example of personal , names, addresses telephone numbers and email
addresses
It is very important to minimise the risk of inappropriate use or disclosure of personal
information.
Like everyone who uses or collects data, we have to follow strict rules to comply with the
Data Protection Act 1998.
The key principles are to make sure you dispose of confidential information safely and all
personal information is kept securely, and to treat other people's personal information in
the same way you would want yours handled.
Maintain confidentiality, not disclosing information about beneficiaries/participants to
those outside your group, or those who do not need to know.
Be wary of potential risks. For example, don’t leave a names and address book out in a
community venue.
COMPLIANCE IN THE COMMUNITY
10. Equality and Diversity
It is important to think about equality and diversity in our community work because some
individuals, groups and communities are more likely to face discrimination, harassment and
exclusion in society.
Community groups can ignore or discriminate against particular disadvantaged groups
unintentionally, without realising this is what is happening.
Thinking about what you can do about this will help you create an environment which is as
safe and inclusive as possible for anyone who would like to join and participate in your group
We should promote the positive benefits of our community groups for everyone, regardless
of their race or culture, age, ability, sexual orientation, gender or status.
Discrimination is unlawful when it takes place with one of the following groups (the
‘protected characteristics’):
Age, Disability, Gender & re-assignment, Marriage and Civil partnership, Pregnancy and
Maternity, Race (including ethnic origin, colour, nationality and national origin) Religion of
belief (including philosophical belief), Sex, Sexual orientation.
COMPLIANCE IN THE COMMUNITY
11. Activity specific
There are so many more activity specific compliance areas. Please ensure you review
what additional compliance levels exist for your groups activities.
Things to consider:
• Food health and hygiene
• Employment law
• Event specific compliance
• Permission and consent
• High Risk
‘ie sheds’ and ‘cold cooked food preparation’
COMPLIANCE IN THE COMMUNITY
12. Insurance
It is essential when delivering a community group that you get Public Liability
Insurance
Public Liability Insurance
When you organise an activity or event for your community group you have ‘public
liability’. This means that your group, and you as volunteers running this groups,
could be responsible if any of the following things happen to a member of the public
at your event:
• injury
• damage to their property
• loss of their property
The term ‘public’ applies to employee, volunteers, members, participants and anyone
else attending your events and activities.
If any of the above happen to someone at one of your events/activities, and they
think it was caused by the negligence of your group (or a member or volunteer of
your group) they could make a claim against your group, asking you to pay an amount
of money to them. Insurance protects you!
COMPLIANCE IN THE COMMUNITY
14. “ Voluntary Service cannot be classified or put away in
the right shaped box and tied down with a lid! It resists red
tape and has a ethos entirely of its own”
Lady Reading, founder of Royal Voluntary Service
15. TYPES OF ACTIVITIES YOU CAN DO
Margaret Mead
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens
can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has”
Margaret Mead – Anthropologist
16. 1. Find friends – other volunteer
organisers willing to help establish and
run the group
2. Create your group
3. Sort bank accounts
4. Sort insurance
5. Sort the paperwork
6. Marketing
7. Delivery!
ESTABLISHING YOUR GROUP
20. - Help along the way with telephone, e-mail or 121 guidance and support,
including a workbook which takes you through every step to starting
your group
- The opportunity to sit within RVS as a ‘branch’ volunteer led group
- Provision of free access to the Run a Club website
- Paperwork for your group to be safe and legal
- Seed funding up to £250
- Provision of a community fundraising guide
- Help with promoting your club in your community
WHAT HELP WILL RVS GIVE YOU
21. Wales Voluntary Action - www.wcva.org.uk
Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action - www.nicva.org
Voluntary Action Scotland - www.vascotland.org
National Association for Voluntary and Community Action - www.navca.org.uk
• The above 4 have a lot of information on governance, training, policy and
procedure development but some also have links to help you find your local
Council for voluntary Service ie Leeds Voluntary Action
Royal Voluntary Service if a part of your community group supports over 50
volunteers or participants and is in Britain.
Community Foundations for local grant income - www.ukcommunityfoundations.org
Others very helpful website with templates and factsheets
RunAClub www.runaclub.com or Resource centre www.resourcecentre.org.uk
OTHER CHARITIES WHO CAN HELP
Editor's Notes
Show video
Work through slide. Explain that this is a short summary of the areas which RVS will guide people through. It may be that people will find likeminded others at this meeting to help establish and run a group.