tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15591863167919491012024-02-08T02:08:01.003-08:00HVA Director's BlogStevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633863722720301492noreply@blogger.comBlogger121125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1559186316791949101.post-88838428659297289902009-01-29T12:30:00.001-08:002009-01-29T12:56:34.839-08:00Downturn and CrunchOh what a week it has been! The recession is really starting to bite; judging by the number of casework issues coming my way. They include how to manage a redundancy how to manage a reduction in hours and a rather complex employment matter which will take some thinking about. We have done a piece in the Newsletter asking groups to record for us how the downturn is affecting them and what support they need and I review the responses so far. Not good.<br /><br />I get a couple of phone calls from colleagues saying that they read about some comments I had made in Third Sector magazine. Then I went in search of said magazine to see what I had actually been quoted as saying. It is on the issue of small grants and their importance - an issue I have been working on with Kevin (Chief Exec of NAVCA). Onwards to a liaison meeting with the District Council - who I had just criticised in Third Sector magazine. It is a good exchange of views which I hope sets the tone for the future. There is a bit of a gap between us on one issue which I hope we can narrow soon.<br /><br />Well, in these economically depressed (and depressing) times and to those Local Government colleagues with whom we work and liaise I dedicate the following <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eih67rlGNhU">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eih67rlGNhU</a>Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633863722720301492noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1559186316791949101.post-52958892341585382632009-01-13T03:38:00.000-08:002009-01-13T03:57:49.733-08:00The Point of No Return (I wish)In the Chinese calender there is a a sumbol signifying particular points in the calender (the year of the rat, year of the monkey etc). In our world too certain week assume the same symbolic importance and this week had been designated as the week of the Monitoring return. The more funders you have the more reports you have to submit describing the work you do. These have lots of internal uses and help us to review progress but sometimes you never know if anyone reads them. So this week seems heavy on the admin. We are also in AGM mode (16th February @ Horntye Sports Centre) and the need to issue papers and produce an annual report has occupied our collective minds. Oh and a little milestone was achieved last week the planning application for Jackson Hall - HVA's new home after 2010 was approved at last weeks Planning Committee. There were a couple of routine conditions, to do with construction timings, disabled access & parking, and prior approval of external materials to be used. This is obviously a key milestone, and it looks like, after years of effort, a long term home for HVA and the sector is going to be created. That's all I have to report really apart from to say that "Slumdog Millionaire" is a fine, fine film and probably deserving of everything it is tipped for. Go see - nice soundtrack too sort of a fusion between Bollywood, Bhangra and late 90's dance music.<br /><a href="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=cwdnwsg-Ow0">http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=cwdnwsg-Ow0</a><br /><a href="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=vHUQht1HRmY&feature=PlayList&p=EE44B22B10AF8653&index=0&playnext=1"></a>Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633863722720301492noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1559186316791949101.post-47408266053033019642009-01-06T06:33:00.000-08:002009-01-06T07:19:42.926-08:00Grants and FundingMaddy the dog and I did an excellent impression of Torville and Dean as we braved the freeze on our morning run accross Hastings Country Park. I go into work later today as last night I was attending a meeting of the Hastings Borough Council Cabinet which was considering a report on the support to the voluntary sector including a recommendation to cut the small grants element which has been a resource (some would say a 'lifeline') to a range of small community groups for years. There is talk of efficiency savings in the air but the only reason advanced by the Council for cutting the scheme was the cost of administering it being disproportionate to the amount of money involved. We put in a last minute offer to administer the scheme for free for the next 2 years thus reducing the Councils costs to nil. Strangely this was not taken up. Other puzzling features of the report include a bewildering approach to Full Cost Recovery which was advanced by the Council as its new funding approach. In reality, this has meant that the Council have failed to include even an inflationary increase for groups in the second year of funding. Makes you wonder sometimes. All in all it has been a weird old process the transition towards the commissioning process which has arrived at virtually the same results as the old grant aid regime. As one of Chrisopher Colombus's crew might have asked at the end of their journey in 1492 "Did we really have to go all the way round just to end up where we started?"Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633863722720301492noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1559186316791949101.post-15188625107529673292009-01-05T09:45:00.000-08:002009-01-06T07:16:17.570-08:00Step It UpIt’s been a good old while since the last blog entry so I will attempt a catch up – although I can’t guarantee this is in any kind of chronological order. About a year and a half ago when I started on this health and fitness malarkey I said to a number of family members and friends that I would run a marathon before my 50th birthday. Friends and family proceeded to virtually wet themselves with laughter but on the 15th December I did it! 26 miles 385 yards and raised almost £1,000 for charity into the bargain.<br /><br />In my original game plan I had visions of maybe running the London marathon in 2010 or 2011 when I would reach the half century. But then out of nowhere came an event which changed all my plans. In 1908 a marathon was run in Hastings as part of the interest created by the Olympic Games. Eric Hardwick tireless organiser of the Hastings half marathon had a dream to recreate the event. So I had the prospect of competing in a race, in my home town, that would only be run once in every 100 years. That seemed to good to miss so I accelerated my training, ate loads of pasta and took part. It was a really interesting experience which is kind of difficult to describe in words as I write this. Tough certainly, but a real sense of solidarity with other participants and an enormous sense of relief/achievement when it was all over. What struck me was the fact that marathon running is as much a mental as a physical challenge. When it was all done I had a long bath and then it was off to the Jenny Lind pub to take part in a charity quiz night Lorna had organised as part of the fundraising effort. Unfortunately I had peaked early and our team came nearly last but there you go.<br /><br />What else, the bid writing tailed off just before Xmas I missed the team Christmas meal which was a shame. Coldplay at the O2 arena were excellent and I managed to avoid the viruses and flu bugs which everyone seemed to be coming down with.<br /><br />Oh and a happy new year to all our readers and as for the video link – this song is the one I associate with running more than any other – it is the first song of the marathon play-list I run to on my ipod and will forever be associated in my mind with pounding the streets of Hastings, Battle Ninfield, Catsfield, Tenterden, Bexhill St Leonards and back to Hastings…<br /><br /><a href="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=9R4FsV1qLCE">http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=9R4FsV1qLCE</a>Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633863722720301492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1559186316791949101.post-89490582472326752162008-12-12T07:38:00.000-08:002008-12-12T08:18:43.829-08:00I don't need no pressure onToday 12 December conspired to be a real day of deadlines with us bashing out expressions of interest for the new Area Based Grants initiative. There has been much work for Jill and I which occurred at the same time as the preparation stage for the Annual Review which also needs to be submitted and loads of other things. As if that wasn't enough through my home letter box on Tuesday came an almighty crash as a large package almost knocked the dog out. 'Twas the long lost dissertation from my university student who I tutored at an early stage. Good to see it finally submitted but it is, well long and will require a detailed read. The university are keen for a quick marking turn around as they seem to break for Christmas just after bonfire night - so it looks like Saturday will be spent working. And Sunday the 100th Anniversary Marathon is finally here - not before time really as it is really starting to get cold and I am a bit sick of pasta and those Carbo-Gel things.<br /><br />Last week Hastings Voluntary Action won - FOR THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW - the inter-agency quiz championshipwhich is run each Xmas to raise funds for a local youth drop in centre. Only by a single point though. I can't claim to have added much to the effort - although I was on the team - and bow to the general knowledge of others who really proved their worth more than I did. I think the only meaningful things I contributed was knowing the name of the goal-keeper who broke his neck during an FA cup final and naming the first Elvis Costello album. Strange thing General Knowledge isn't it? facts which stick in your mind but which serve no apparent purpose. For example, I know that the B-52s come from Athens Georgia which is the same town which REM come from. Quite how this fact will ever be useful I know not but there it is lodged in my brain forever. In contrast, remembering the 4 digits for the cash-point and not confusing them with the burglar alarm code (as I did 2 days ago) is beyond me.<br /><br />What else, employment issues loom large again as I advise a group who are about to become an employer for the first time having achieved their first substantial funding award. I try and go through the things they will need to have in place without making it seem too daunting. This morning was a meeting of the regeneration company wherre I was reappointed to the board as one of their independant directors. There's me representing the Voluntary Sector and two business people representing the views of local commerce. Actually its been really interesting and I've learnt a lot about how these huge capital building programmes actually work from the inside. All in all its just like running a voluntary organisation but with far far more noughts!!<br /><br />Anyway enough rambling - off for the weekend and as for the lyric reference what else <a href="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=xtrEN-YKLBM">http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=xtrEN-YKLBM</a>Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633863722720301492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1559186316791949101.post-47194573702148919222008-12-05T08:41:00.001-08:002008-12-05T08:41:54.710-08:00All Over the PlaceThe title hear refers to the amount of cross county travel I have been doing rather than the state of my mind (I hope). A few things have been developing and the commissions are finally published from Hastings Borough Council so we can submit Working Neighbourhoods proposals soon. Actually commissioning has been at the forefront of our minds and we have recently submitted to the Borough Council for what used to be our "core grant" which is now a commission crossing 2 specific service areas. The PCT were in monitoring mode too which meant a lot of paperwork to be submitted.<br /><br />Apart from that we had a well attended seminar at which the Community Network launched its new constitution and electoral arrangements for the future. Well received too, with many who had previously been on the edge of the representational process keen to regiater their intention. At a county level Speak Up (the County wide Voluntary Sector forum) is gathering pace and bringing some shape to the whole issue of VCS representation. One of the key bodies we relate to is the East Sussex STrategic Partnership which met this week in the rather grand Council Chamber in Bexhill. I was told that Bexhill was the model on which the Dad's Army town of Walmington on Sea was based. It did have that kind of feel to it too. The ESSP reviews the Local Area Agreement and comes up with a model for the distribution of the reward money if any is received as partof this process. The Compact Review results are presented concisely by my colleague (another Steve) from Age Concern. There is much praise for the fact that East Sussex won a commendation at the recent Compact awards - I use this opportunity to request that partners consider engraining the compact within the culture of their organisation by including a reference to it in their standing orders or governance documents. I give a pledge that HVA will change its mem and arts at our next AGM to reflect our continuing commitment to partnership and the compact. I then dash back to the office to ask Pauline (our financial administrator and expert on our constitution) how I actually do this! It is more complex than you think - so much for me and my big mouth. What else. I must pass on some sad news which is that we learnt of the sudden death of John Appleyard the chair of the Hastings Seniors Forum and involved with much else besides. John was a fan of HVA and gave a lot of his time to voluntary activity at a Borough and County level. He will be much missed and I pen a tribute to appear in the next newsletter.<br /><br />What else any spare moment seems to be spent pounding the streets of our fair Town in preparation for the 100th anniversary Hastings Marathon. I am running this for the unit where my grandson Jacob had his operation. There is a small charity which supports parents whilst their children are having major heart surgery. I ran 15 miles last weekend and this Sunday we go for 20. People have been kind pledging money and if you want to join them feel free to leave a comment here or email me at <a href="mailto:steve@hvauk.org">steve@hvauk.org</a>Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633863722720301492noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1559186316791949101.post-73718272412493447402008-11-14T06:18:00.000-08:002008-11-14T10:18:46.666-08:00Education Education EducationWell whats been going on?<br /><br />No less a figure than Kevin Curley - the Chief Executive of NAVCA has joined the HVA Facebook group and thinks it may be the first of its type in the entire Country. To think when I first knew Kevin he was unaware of what an ipod was (and used words like Gramophone and "Home Service") and here he is now a pioneer of New Media with Facebook and podcasts to his name.<br /><br />Yesterday I was asked to attend a joint meeting with a funder and a group with a very good project but one which is facing some compliance issues. We offer support and may be asked to become more formally involved but we shall see. If I am honest the week has gone with a bit of a blur with lots going on - I have been a stranger to my desk so this Friday is a bit of an admin catch up. The Board papers have to go out and there are lots of them this time as there are some decisions about the CVS Partnership structure the new premises and the agreement of HVA Environmental and Public Interest Disclosure (whistleblowing) policies to be agreed.<br /><br />This morning it is a meeting of the LSP Learning and Skills Theme Group where we talk education reform and learning. We are keen to get training for community activists seriously addressed so I attend these quarterly meetings to sniff out some opportunities. We take an update on the serious issues affecting education in Hastings. Much change is afoot with a federation structure for local secondary schools and an Academy in the offing. Things need to change as 4 local schools have 30% or less GCSE attainment (5 A-C grades including English and Maths). The Government have recently issued an edict that any school not achieving 30% by 2011 will be listed for closure - so the stakes are fairly high. At the meeting I meet a manager of Job Centre Plus who tells me he enjoyed reading the blog so only appropriate that he should now feature in it!<br /><br />So another week ends and seeing as I have spent part of the day talking about education here is a classic video to start the weekend<br /><br /><a href="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=d0y3jCbDv08&feature=related">http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=d0y3jCbDv08&feature=related</a>Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633863722720301492noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1559186316791949101.post-30367132599065476522008-11-11T07:29:00.000-08:002008-11-11T07:46:34.397-08:00Art for Arts Sake...Money for God's sakeToday I wake feeling a bit sore from yesterdays efforts. I ran the first ever Bexhill Half Marathon which would have been lovely on a summers day but given the rain and appalling wind felt like running the wrong way in a wind tunnel. It is all good preparation for the big one on December 14th the 26 miles of which I have ludicrously agreed to run to raise funding for the St Thomas's childrens surgical unit where Jacob had his heart operation. I creep into work to catch up with a Fran who has just returned from travels in China. Thereafter it is a whole succession of meetings and then some preparation for a big members meeting of the Arts Forum in the evening at which I have agreed to act as their independant chair. They face some financial challenges and the Committee needed to bring their membership up to date with their plans. We have been adivsing together with a business coach who is helping them cut coat according to cloth as it were. As ever artistic people find creative ways of raising money and an auction and fundraising event are planned. The committee, on realising the extent of the problem have worked tirelessly to get on top of it and I wish them success with this little video.<br /><a href="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=5ICh235gj0o&feature=related">http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=5ICh235gj0o&feature=related</a>Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633863722720301492noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1559186316791949101.post-38925809179880296372008-11-06T04:30:00.000-08:002008-11-06T04:51:03.782-08:00On again on again...Looking back over the past weeks make me realise what a varied time it has been. We are in the middle of seeking to secure some train to gain funding to resource our staff development programme so we have been revisting our business plan with the help of a local adviser from the Enteprise Centre. It is all fairly general stuff. My casework is throwing up some interesting but complex issues from an organisation with significant financial issues to another in which we are trying to implement some proper systems to record activity so that the group can account to its funders in an effective way. In the meantime I am advising on a few employment law issues. I evaluate with the coordinator of the PULSE project a recent drama production around the issue of youth homelessness which they funded. Actually a good piece of theatyre a cut above a lot of the agit-prop stuff of this type you usually see. I caught the performance at the White Rock and it had a well researched script and was performed by professional actors. Apart from that there is some cover for a colleague on long term sick live so my working life is a little hectic at the moment. Some really good news from the volunteering passport side as another of our students is moving into permanent paid work and is the first person <em>in the entire country</em> to achieve the new Level 3 Certificate in Community Volunteering. That whole area of work was an idea conceived when I was running the Hastings Marathon which is translating into a really classy intervention. I indicated that there is lots to my job including advising Jill (HVAs deputy director) about a new hairstyle. She is preparing for a visit to 11 Downing Street as part of the East Sussex Compact delegation who have been nominated for an award.Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633863722720301492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1559186316791949101.post-13943795105611426712008-10-22T07:39:00.000-07:002008-10-22T07:47:25.089-07:00Nothing if not variedA pretty random day full of appointments. Firstly a discussion and review of our porposed commissioning response to the Borough Council which will need to be in shortly. Thereafter it is an induction visit with the Councils new Community Cohesion Officer where we discuss this important and sensitive area of work and ways of apporaching it in light of recent and tragic events in the Town. Then it is onto a health workshop where we discuss the best way of interfacing the services of the new walk in medical centre planned for the Town and related VCS support services like alcohol drugs and debt counselling. This is a difficult one as GPs have so little time and referall pathways need to be spot on. We make some progress and the convenor of the workshop makies a special trip to HVA to thank us for our involvement later in the day so we must have given good value. <em>I </em> also review a few cases with members of the team who are supporting groups at various critical phases of development. I then call in at a couple of placements where a couple of our volunteering passport students are based. I enjoy a conversation with a group of volunters who run a charity shop about how and why they got involved. I am considering writing up some of these stories for the UN International. Volunteering Day. Tonight I am supposed to be doing a 7 mile run as part of my marathon training but I seem to have picked up some kind of virus on the place back from Greece so how far I actually get may be open to question.Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633863722720301492noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1559186316791949101.post-49340715274641742592008-10-07T11:16:00.000-07:002008-10-07T11:24:51.950-07:00Keep the faithIt has been what you may call a challanging week all round. The economy is in freefall and the bankers and city people all look like the preverbial is about to hit the fan big time. Workwise I am covering the bases and speak at the launch of a local inter-faith forum. I am genuinely touched by the ffort everyone makes to bring this off and meet moslems, christians, buddhists students from the international village with everyone learning and really enjoying the experience. I was a little nervous, being something of a heathen but I talk about the values that underpin all the major faiths - a kind of doctrinal DNA if you will. It seems to be well received. On the work front I am in the middle of a squabble with the local authority and its Director of Regeneration and Planning. We met for a drink and are now squaring up to each other in writing about some transitional funding arrangements which were - or were not - agreed some months ago. I hate this kind of exchange but hope we can focus on the future in a way that is constructive. Actually, the Director in question is someone I rather like and it seems a bit odd to be "at odds" with each other on this one. Anyway despite our frequent allegations of compact breaches and exchange of e-mails I dedicate this rather lovely number from a jazz festival to the spirit of comon sense. I give you...<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89nKf1zCSfc">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89nKf1zCSfc</a>Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633863722720301492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1559186316791949101.post-22462330400555573612008-09-25T08:38:00.000-07:002008-09-25T09:43:36.566-07:00And Off It GoesToday is stage 2 of the looming lottery deadline. I awake to 8 urgent messages on my mobile phone from our property lawyer. He has deeds of transfer leases and partnership agreements for me to review and is worried because his server went down and caused a significant delay. So I spend the day reviewing, raising questions and writing confirmation letters to get everything moving. In the meantime, Glyn our contact at the Borough Council (who incidentally has been brilliant throughout) coordinates planning permissions, architects drawings and suchlike.<br /><br />Apart from that I provide an induction briefing to the Brighton Housing Trust who are envisaging some work in the Hastings area and are launching a training project. I then sit down with one of the mental health bridgebuilder team who is about to embark on a community development degree - then it is a planning meeting about a fund we are seeking to establish to encourage corporate giving. A brief catch up with messages and the most urgent faxes and e-mails and on the practical side a visit to the bank to get petty cash to keep it all ticking over. In recognition of the enormous work undertaken by Glyn I drop off a bottle of wine as a small token of our thanks. On my way the first Death in Vegas album screams out at me to be bought for a mere 85p from the Shelter Charity shop. I listen to its dynamic and diverse beats as I write this.<br /><br />In the meantime it is now 5pm and our lottery plans are now on their way to Newcastle - all should be well as I signed it with my lucky pen!!!<br /><br />Talking of lottery check this out...<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJReSZKKGNw">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJReSZKKGNw</a>Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633863722720301492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1559186316791949101.post-20376934034986442482008-09-24T12:41:00.001-07:002008-09-24T12:49:49.945-07:00Today's the dayMy working life has been revolving round keeping the general plate spining going and also working to submit a detailed business plan for the Community Asset Transfer project. Well today was the day and I dutifully hand over the plan to Glyn from the council who is our partner on the project. By the end I was pretty sick of the sight of the thing and anyone who menitons service charges rental footage or business rates to me over the next week gets smacked in the mouth. Apart from that I chair a team meeting and advise one of the companies who are bidding for the new medical centre about how to build relationships with voluntary organisations in a coherent fashion. Then onto a discussion about the community bridgebuilder project and then back to the e-mails that could not wait.<br /><br />I decide to celebrate by buying myself a big piece of steak to cook only to find that the butchers/greengrocers ion the Old Town is now closed down. Here in Hastings Old Town we can buy lots of arts and crafts but not, apparently a pork chop! There is now no local butcher which is a shame as my hopes of a steak disappear and the only thing to eat is some vegetarian bolognnaise. I put on some running gear and stride out to the Marina Pavilian and back to the sounds of a new Dubstep podcast I have subscribed to be. Dubstep beiong, of course, the best music to run to as I am discovering. Maybe something about the beat replicating the heart-beat I guess.Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633863722720301492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1559186316791949101.post-33931759476682302742008-08-29T02:56:00.000-07:002008-08-29T03:38:20.076-07:00Hastings Comes to Terms With ItselfMuch of the tone of this blog has been fairly light hearted commenting on happenings in the community sector in Hastings. None of that today, as the whole town is coming to terms with a truly awful incident in which a visiting language student from Qatar was killed over the weekend.<br /><br />There is huge media interest and some of the early reporting was wildly inaccurate. A racist incident in or outside a kebab house led to a chase and then, depending on which report you read, a serious assault or a fatal fall. There is much debate about whether there is a problem with racism in the Town. In terms of the majority of people I would say absolutely not but there is an under-belly of the most awful racism and xenophobia in the Town which shows its ugly face from time to time. When we used to publish BME News I used to get personal racist hate-mail and there is clearly a number of hard-core racists out there. The BNP target Hastings during election periods and at the last election they gained a higher proportion of the vote than during previous times. There is also a lot of grief faced by ethnic workers in fast food outlets and late night garages. A little while ago I called for the kebab houses and fast food outlets to be embraced by the Council's Bar Watch ("banned from one banned from all") to show solidarity with those who run and work in them. This was being 'looked into'.<br /><br />As far as the future is concerned I sometimes think that it is a time for honesty an realism and for the Town to come to terms with what this all means. There is much political denial defending the Town against the media claims made about it which, I guess, is appropriate. But in this there is also a need to face the facts and I am reminded of a comment made about bullying in schools - simply put, it asserted that a school which took a view that bullying "doesn't happen here" simply became a delay to the problem being addressed.<br /><br />Thanks for reading - now watch this...<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mB3pDYTne0">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mB3pDYTne0</a>Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633863722720301492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1559186316791949101.post-2039808902856520102008-08-21T11:40:00.000-07:002008-08-21T11:48:34.987-07:00Van the ManA quick update to say that I have been neglectful of my blog because I am that busy I make the winner of the 100m meters in the Olympics look slow, wasn't he incredible. WOnderful to watch and it just seemed so effortless. ANyway today has been business planning for the new building arranging cover for a colleague who won't be with us for a while, signing off the BASIS bid and attending a meeting nof the Executive Delivery Vehicle the monthly meeting of all the Chief Executives from the main agencies. I find myself in the unusual position of agreeing with Roy Mawford the Borough Councils CHief Executive on a couple of issues. This must mean I am either getting soft or he is. Answerson a postcard please. We also receive our business consultant to help with the planning for the new building. Apart from that I complete a monitoring form for an evbaluation meeting I have next week for one of our projects and generally catch up with people. I also show willing by folding the newletter with colleagues and generally catch up. Adam - who used to work from HVA on the ICT side joins us and is pursuaded to fold for a while.<br /><br />I run the country park this morning to the sounds of a fantastic live album from Van Morrison - I am not generally a huge fan of Van and Man as it were but Nothing can stop us if a wonderful album which you should hear. Here is an extract from the same tour <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SP60n9v2YM">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SP60n9v2YM</a>Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633863722720301492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1559186316791949101.post-39812563364408429342008-08-06T08:58:00.000-07:002008-08-06T09:23:22.901-07:00So Easy (not)It's been a little while since I posted some music for you all to listen to so hear is a track "So Easy" by Royksopp - a Norwegian electronic band (I say band but there are only 2 of them) <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu684V2lB3Q&feature=related">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu684V2lB3Q&feature=related</a>. It has no meaning apart from the fact that this was the music that accompanied my morning run over Hastings Country Park and has been in my head all day. Today we press on with the business plan for the Community Asset Transfer and I make contact with Carl from Barking and Dagenham CVS who is in a similar position to us. ALso going through the Community Strategy refresh process at the LSP Officers group. I also brief the manager of the Towns services for Migrants about the Councils commissioning process and how the advice agencies can strengthen their role. It is a useful discussion.Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633863722720301492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1559186316791949101.post-59485340516851781162008-08-05T08:00:00.001-07:002008-08-05T08:06:41.491-07:00Worth the effortI am a little out of sequence in my chronology but I must tell you about my recent day out with members of the Saxon Mount Youth project. Regular readers of this blog will be aware that for the last 2 years I have run the Hastings marathon to support this initiative providing a youth club for young people with special needs. This time we raised over £500 for young people to choose something they wanted to do. Thjey decided that a day out to Chessington World of Adventures and this was duly planned. Unfortunately it was the only day in a 2 week period during which it chose to absolutely tip dsown with rain. From dawn til dusk without a break. Even the staff were dressed in wet weather gear and looked miserable as they staffed the rides. The young people themselves decided that a little bit of (torrential) rain was not going to spoil their fun and proceeded to act as if it were a summers day. They had a great time and many young people achieved "firsts" - these are little tasks which increase confidence or improve skills in dealing with situations young people find difficult. All in all a really good day and well worth the marathon effort.Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633863722720301492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1559186316791949101.post-76953287468594131952008-08-04T11:00:00.000-07:002008-08-04T11:15:08.056-07:00Getting the message out...There is usually a paralell between how busy I am and how often I get a chance to update the blog. My service to you, dear reader, has been shoddy of late because of the sheer volume of work I am tryiong to wade through at the moment. Highlights recently have included the HVA Board meeting, 2 audits, cover for the Health and Social Care Forum, the reprovisioning of a local day centre (where we have been trying to support VCS tendering) our own relocation proposals. And, of course the day to day round of e-mails faxes and conversations which try and keep the place ticking along in a coherent fashion. We were also trying to fit in a crazy gold challange with the Hastings Trust and an Old Town History Walk but they were victims of our general business and will have to be rescheduled.<br /><br />I also volunteered to assess a Duke of Edinburgh expedition around the countryside near Jevington which took up much of Saturday and Sunday.<br /><br />I have written an article about this blog which now features as part of NAVCA's (our national association) review of good practice. I have always thought about writing up the impact of this blog and some of the effect it could have. So if you are a visitor to this site as a result of reader CIRCULATION then a hearty welcome to you. We have also been meeting with the new providers of a Hate Crime Support Service (supporting victims rather than perpetrators of course). When they visitors one of them mentioned how much he enjoyed reading the blog. You will understand why they were promised our full cooperation and support. Apart from that Jill (HVAs depuity director) is in the midst of producing a BASIS bid to strengthen activity around financial advice and funding support. This build on some of our existing work but rolls out the model accross the whole of East Sussex. Consortium or partnership bids are often the most problematic as they require much discussion and the building of real consensus. For myself I am beginning to complete the business plan for our new building which is going to take some time. We have only recently received the drawings from our architects which will then allow us to see the kind of spaces we are looking at and the kinds of rent they might go for. We are trying to achieve a balance between viability and affordability so the margins will always be tight. This is one call we have to get right so worth putting some time into it.<br /><br />I must close by mentioning an engagement I attended over the weekend which was the official opening of the History House in the Old Town. This new history centre has been developed almost entirely by voluntary effort under the umberella of the Old Town Preservation Society good to see a packed venue for its opening.Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633863722720301492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1559186316791949101.post-20539622423418432042008-07-07T09:53:00.000-07:002008-07-07T10:11:03.658-07:00An UpdateQuite a lot to report on as much is going on at the moment. Another audit takes place and we pass with a good report as our systems and progress seem to be robust. The project has been commended as a "best practice" model and has exceeded its outputs so we were operating from a position of strength. But the word audit is still enough to make one feel uneasy and check the files to make sure everything is in order. It appears that it was and we have a pleasant visit to verify our systems. Apart from that it is to and from to Lewes to keep up to date with the Community Foundation. It is the Annual General Meeting with some good progress to report. From a standin start two and a bit years ago the Foundation have distributed over £300,000 to groups accross Sussex. It is also pleasing that the Foundation has been awarded the major contract to administer the Governments Grassroots Grants and Endowment Challange. Our association with the Sussex Community Foundation has been a good use of my time as I feel we add value to an organisation which ios strategically important for the County.<br /><br />What else...of course - the new building. I chair a Team meeting to discuss in detail our requirements and how we might seek to organise ourselves. It is good to have people like Pauline who has long standing experience of managing our own buildings but also James who developed and managed a multi-functional community space. Then it is back to Lewes to spend all of Friday interviewing prospective grants managers. It is a good panel and there were some quality candidates so we have a good discussion about this appointment. It is challenging role and picking new staff members for small organisations where flexibility and versatility are needed is always a challenge.<br /><br />Our Compact meeting takes place with the Council - their formal response will go through the usual process but it was a useful exchange of views. Given that we met for almost 2 hours made it feel like progress could be made but the playing field will still need to be levelled. I thought Jill and I did an OK job of presenting our case but time will tell. This morning I spend some considerable time with one of our member organisations who have some medium to severe compliance issues with part of their funding. They are doing the work, of course, but the systems needed to prove it and comply with a detailed funding agreement need some serious attention. I then have a break and walk the dog before returning to work for an evening session. We are working with Terence Higgins Trust to support them in creating and offering a local 1 hour HIV testing service and it is the first monthly session tonight. It is a pilot which will run for 3 months (3 sessions) and a quick evaluation to see if there is the uptake and/or need for a regular service.Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633863722720301492noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1559186316791949101.post-33641791839706379702008-06-25T12:53:00.000-07:002008-06-25T13:22:50.932-07:00Remember My NameThe lyric reference is from Eminem and is probably unrepeatable. It records the fact that a few posts ago I described a meeting and - fingers moving faster than brain - got someones name wrong. As I enter the Area Management Board this evening I am approached by Jan - who I blogged about for some strange reason as 'Karen' - to correct my abject error. It is one thing to forget someones name but the height of rudeness to call them something entirely different! The only thing I can say in my defence is that I have searched high and low for any lyric references to Jan - not too many available I am afraid. There was a surf duo from the 60's called Jan and Dean but this was the pre video era. The best I can do is Jan Hammer and the theme from Miami Vice (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47XaK4XJxFQ">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47XaK4XJxFQ</a>) it is just so 80's - and not a little camp - but you might enjoy it. Apologies Jan.<br /><br />What else? On Saturday I am in Fairlight to attend the 10th anniversary of the Fairlight Youth Club. Years ago my wife Sue was a youthworker in the area and together we wrote the Lottery bid which provided the funds to open a club and provide a portacabin on the village green for young people of the village. Thinking back, it must have been one of the very first lottery grants after the launch of the National Lottery. Keith HVA's grants officer - and big fish in the world of Fairlight Amauteaur Dramatics - is also there so we all sit on hay bales watching the music.<br /><br />A nice event to attend as there is live music. Two local bands both if which by chance we know provide the soundtrack. The first - four young women who are sisters Sue (my wife) took on an exchange trip to Germany. The second features Terry who plays with his son and provides a good and diverse set. He, along with the mis-named Jan is one of the Area Coordinators for Hastings. I asked them to play "the day we caught the Train" by Ocean Colour Scene - a favourite band of mine but they have to cut the set short to attend a stag do. Can't remember Elvis ever doing that but there you go. Shame, because people were dancing. Anyway just to remind Terry to play this song more often here are the boys themselves doing their trademark number <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uf5gGwGVaTk">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uf5gGwGVaTk</a> enjoy.Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633863722720301492noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1559186316791949101.post-52547725337689594022008-06-16T07:58:00.001-07:002008-06-16T13:36:02.764-07:00An UpdateThe sheer scale of our task in delivering the Community Assets Transfer project becomes clear on Friday. We have the preliminary "scoping" meeting with the Development Trusts Association to begin to develop the fully costed proposal, design brief and planning permission. It is more about establishing a timetable to fit all the pieces of the jigsaw in place - and in time. We had originally conceived of a timetable which meant that we would be submitting towards the end of October (this was thought of as tight but achievable). However, clarification with the Big Lottery reveals that the effective date for submission is now at the end of September which really piles the pressure on. Lots to be done but I have a lot of confidence in project partners so we begin to look at the "whose working on what" elements of the process and feed in our work plans of what we will be doing. As ever, it is the formalities which are time consuming such as a written partnership agreement to describe our respective roles and responsibilities. It will rely on some legal work to be completed at speed which is not always the Borough Council's 'gear of choice' but we shall see.<br /><br />On the recreational side it was a sheer delight to see Jools Holland in concert and jamming with an exceptional group of musicians. It was also a fine evening which permitted a picnic which was great.<br /><br />On the good news/bad news front we will shortly be saying goodbye to Jan who has looked after our health work by supporting the Health and Social Care Forum. Sad that we lose a really effective worker - and member of the winning HVA quiz team. But nice to have played a role in the next stage of someones professional development.<br /><br />Apart from that I co-design an Employment Law training course with Pat our group support worker and generally catch up on issues affecting a couple of the groups we are jointly supporting. We also welcomed Sue to work this morning wearing a medal and a rather proud grin on her face. She did the Race for Life yesterday (5miles in 50 minutes) raising over £300 in the process.<br /><br />What else? I guess I should record the fact that another birthday has passed and I am now a whopping 47 years of age!! Nice card from the team though which was much appreciated. A sobering thought to remember that by the time he was my age Mozart had been dead 20 years!During his short life he composed over 600 hundred pieces of music spanning opera, chamber music, symphonies, diverdimenti, sonatos, concertos and a requiem. Here is my favourite Mozart moment from the impeccable Shawshank Redemption. A wonderful aria from the Marriage of Figaro <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAJ2skOJvdY">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAJ2skOJvdY</a> proving - if proof was needed - that beauty can be found in the most unlikely of places.Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633863722720301492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1559186316791949101.post-20686221687761555432008-06-10T07:09:00.000-07:002008-06-25T13:23:37.409-07:00When all the Clowns that you have commissionedThe lyric is from a pretty obscure Bob Dylan track. It took a bit of finding (from the Highway 61 Revisited Album) and is the only one I know of which refers to commissioning or being commissioned. It commemorates the visit to HVA by Jocelyn and Jan from the Borough Council where we talk about their forthcoming commisioning process. It is a good discussion and I sense there is a real wish to make the process as VCS friendly as it can be. Moving from ghrant funding to a more commissioned approach sounds simple but raises quite a few complex issues. Peter (HVA's Funding expert) and I raise a range of issues from VAT to TUPE and some of the unforeseen implications of moving in this direction. It is really useful that the Council are using us to test out their plans before they are decided as we can often - hopefully - offer some useful insights. The other good thing about the meeting is that Jan - without prompting - says how much she enjoys reading the blog. I reply by saying that she will now feature in it. So thanks Jan nice to know that there are real people reading this.<br /><br />Here is Bob Dylan.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8CXskzlr2E&feature=related">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8CXskzlr2E&feature=related</a>Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633863722720301492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1559186316791949101.post-91508255252721154502008-06-10T07:03:00.000-07:002008-06-10T07:07:07.568-07:00The Graduate(s)Officially I am supposed to be on holiday but I come back for a single commitment. This is the “graduation” ceremony for the first cohort of students to achieve their qualifications as a result of participating in an HVA project called the Volunteering Passport. It was a simple idea I had when I was running the marathon actually which was to try and use what is good about the Town – its volunteering and community spirit – to tackle one of its problems (the number of adults with no formal qualifications). From this simple notion we have almost 100 people achieving or working towards a qualification. Anyway, I compare the event, the Mayor gives out the certificate. The vent goes really well and is rather moving as the learners themselves took to the stage to speak about their participation in the project. One person talks about over-coming a serious brain injury, another how volunteering helped to overcome the death of a family member. At the end of the event there is a big photo-call and I am standing next to one of the youthworkers who literally has tears in his eyes. I arrange through Mary at HVA for some "surprise" flowers for Sandra and Jan who have worked hard to support the candidates through this process which they are delighted with.<br /><br />Sometimes in the work I do I sometimes wonder about whether it has an impact. This was a day in which – hand on heart – you could say that you had made a real difference. In the words of Colonel Hannibal SMith from the 1970's TV show The A Team "I love it when a plan comes together".<br /><br />Lyric, what else - as if you couldn't guess but The Graduate <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL6HK1YP9pQ">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL6HK1YP9pQ</a>Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633863722720301492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1559186316791949101.post-55528323493074794952008-06-10T07:01:00.000-07:002008-06-10T07:03:01.961-07:00Audit TimeAn audit of one of our projects takes place. Being funded by numerous funding sources means that we are constantly being monitored and the subject of various compliance visits. This one is extensive but we are given a very clean bill of health. Actually it is a useful opportunity to talk about the fundraising project itself which has – thanks to Peter – been really successful. An investment of £40,000 has realised an inward investment to the Town of over a £1.3 pounds.Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633863722720301492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1559186316791949101.post-47868713068903402382008-06-10T07:00:00.000-07:002008-06-10T07:01:17.416-07:00On the Road AgainI am blogging “out of sequence” as it were as quite a lot has been happening since my last update. My travels take me to Southend to be briefed by the Southend Community Foundation about a fund they have established to encourage local giving. This is helpful because I am seeking to develop something similar for Hastings. I drive over with Alan our volunteer who has an impressive CV as a senior communications expert with the post office as well as a history of editing local and regional newspapers. He brings both a good range of skills and a healthy objective which we will find useful. He also quotes REM songs which puts him a few notches up on the credibility scale as well. We are shown into a hugely impressive building which is the headquarters of one of the Foundations major Donors – part of the Olympus Group which make specialist medical equipment. A building custom designed for the needs of the people who work in it with lots of intelligent little features to make their lives easier and create little designed corners and areas for meetings or conversations to take place. A useful briefing takes place at which we hear about the do’s and don’ts of how they went about developing a local fund. I return to Hastings in time to dash to an AGM of one of our members which I had agreed to chair.Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00633863722720301492noreply@blogger.com0