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REGIONAL BME POLICY PARTNERSHIP OFFICER

BECON is seeking an individual with drive, passion and vision to work on a Policy Partnership Project with key regional organisations in the Third Sector for more information please go to the Jobs page


Clore Foundation and V4CE

Last chance to apply for BAME Fellowship in Close Social Leadership Programme
An Office of the Third Sector Fellowship for a Fellow from BAME backgrounds is one of five Specialist Fellowships available through the Clore Social Leadership Programme, established by the Clore Duffield Foundation.

The leadership programme identifies and develops emerging talent in the third sector and is seeking applications for its first group of Fellows, including the Fellowship for applicants from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds funded by the Office of the Third Sector.

The Clore Duffield Foundation will contribute £1.5 million to the new Programme over its first three years.

Vandna Gohil, the Director of Voice4Change England, a national policy voice for the Black and Minority Ethnic Third Sector, commented: "We are delighted that the Office of the Third Sector is funding the creation of a specialist BME Fellow as part of the excellent Clore Social Leadership Programme.
The deadline for completed applications is 30 June 2009. Interviews will be held between 7 September and 2 October 2009. Full details are available at: www.cloresocialleadership.org.uk.  

For more information please click here to download the full article

The Clore Duffield Foundation
The Clore Foundation was founded in 1964 by the late Sir Charles Clore, one of Britain’s most successful post-war businessmen and one of the most generous philanthropists of his day. After Sir Charles’ death in 1979, his daughter, Vivien Duffield, assumed the Chairmanship of the Foundation and created her own Foundation in 1987 with the aim of continuing and consolidating her family’s history of philanthropy. The two Foundations were merged in 2000 to become the Clore Duffield Foundation (CDF). The Foundation is chaired by Dame Vivien Duffield DBE and concentrates its support on arts education, museum and gallery education, cultural leadership training and health and social care.
The Clore Social Leadership Programme is modelled on the influential Clore Leadership Programme for the cultural sector, which was founded in 2004, with the aim of helping to train and develop a new generation of leaders in the arts in the UK. Fellows have been selected annually from the cultural sector and beyond, to undertake an individually tailored programme of tuition, research, mentoring and secondment designed to develop their leadership skills, knowledge and experience.

Voice4Change England
Voice4Change England (V4CE) is a national policy body dedicated to strengthening the Black and Minority Ethnic Third Sector as a positive force for change and building a thriving future. It provides co-ordinated policy advocacy for BME groups at local, regional, and national levels to all types of policy-makers. You can learn more about V4CE and its current activities from www.voice4change-england.co.uk  
Please contact Martin Ball on 020-7843 6131.

Voice 4 Channge England (V4CE)
Does your MP value the BME Third Sector?
 
V4CE has launched a Valuing the BME Third Sector campaign to increase recognition of the vital contribution made by BME Third Sector organisations to civil society and we need your support in promoting this to MPs.
 
V4C believe that the BME Third Sector does a fantastic job in delivering services that meet the needs of marginalised communities and build equality. Yet this contribution often goes unnoticed and frequently unappreciated. Therefore, Early Day Motion 620 Voice4Change has been put down by Alun Michael MP in the House of Commons to raise awareness of the role of the Sector and to highlight some of the crucial issues it faces.
 
To help V4CE develop the campaign outside Parliament individuals and organisations need to contact their local MP to request they support the EDM. Guidance on contacting your local MP is available. Through this EDM lobbying V4CE aims to raise the profile of the excellent work being done by organisations delivering services that met the needs of disadvantaged communities.
 

 

 Cabinet Office Investment in regional voice

The Cabinet Office announced £1.5m funding for Third Sector regional networks. This is £1m from OTS for 2009-11, and £500K from Capacitybuilders for 2009-10.
Voice4Change England are working on a response and the following is BECON's comments. BECON believes it is good news that funding to the networks is to continue but disappointing that it is only for two years with a drop in the second year.
BECON (Black Minority Ethnic Community Organisations Network) the regional infrastructure organisation for the Black Minority Ethnic (BME) voluntary and community sector in the North East of England welcomes the announcement by Government to continue to invest in regional infrastructure organisations. However the news is somewhat overshadowed by the fact that the allocation of funding is a reduction in current funding allocations to regional infrastructure organisations.
 
At a time when the services of the VCS are going to be stretched due to the economic downturn and a national indicator on a thriving third sector has been established to measure the performance of local authorities in supporting locality based VCS organisations we believe that Government has missed out on the opportunity to demonstrate the true value of regional infrastructure organisations.
 

 

The Right to Work for Asylum Seekers

In July 2002 the Government withdrew the right to work for asylum seekers awaiting a decision on their case. This year the British Refugee Council and the national TUC (Trades Union Congress) have launched a national campaign to restore the right to work for asylum seekers in the UK. The Regional Refugee Forum North East is working in partnership with them and the Northern TUC to make our contribution to this campaign.

Sign the petition Please find 10 people to sign their support to it, and return to us at the address shown at the bottom of the petition. For more information please click here

 
To assess the extent of discrimination, two enquiries have been launched. London Mayor Boris Johnson has asked MPA independent member Cindy Butts to lead an enquiry into racism in the Metropolitan Police. Similarly, the Home Minister Jacqui Smith has asked for a nationwide assessment of how black minority communities are treated by police. The Police Minister, Vernon Coaker, is leading the enquiry to assess recruitment and promotion prospects of people from black minority communities.
 
 http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/oct/07/police.race

 

The Public Administration Select Committee recently released reports on involement of the voluntary and community sector in public services. The reports do not find 'compelling evidence' to support the claim that the voluntary and community sector provides public services any differently.

Please click here for more information (press release)
Public Service and VCS Vol 1
Public Service and VCS Vol 2


In 2007 the LSC commissioned the Wood Holmes Group to carry out research and identify recommended approaches to address two of their 2007 Regional Equality and Diversity Impact Measures (EDIMs):

EDIM 1: Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) learners in the North East are far less likely to be learning towards a full Level 2 qualification or above than White learners. More than double the proportion of BME learners in the North East (47%) were taking entry level and Level 1 courses in 2006/7 than the proportion of White learners taking these levels of courses (23%).

EDIM 3: Male learners are less likely to achieve in full Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications than female learners. 86% of female learners taking full Level 2 and 3 qualifications achieved in 2005/6, versus 83% of male learners.

The Wood Holmes Group has submitted their final report to the LSC which includes an Executive Summary and a section on Recommended Approaches. The LSC will be using the findings in their Regional Equality & Diversity planning for 2008.


 


Equalities and Human Rights Commission has released a briefing on the proposed counter-terrorism bill to be debated this week in the parliament. Commenting upon the leagal merit of the bill, the Commission has announced that it would consider judicial review of the proposed bill if enacted by the Parliament. The bill seeks to extend the pre-charge detention of individuals allegedly invovled in terrorism activities from 28 days to 42 days. Further information is available on the Commission's website.
  
  CTBillBrief

North East Working Together to Provide Real Help for People and Businesses
 
Helping people and businesses to access the range of support that’s now available to them in the region is vital at this time.
That’s why One North East, Job Centre Plus, Learning and Skills Council and Business Link North East are working together to ensure that firms and individuals understand who to talk to about getting support and funding.
These key agencies have joined forces to get a clear message of support out across the region and will be giving regular updates on new products and services.
There are three key contact numbers for anyone wanting information, advice or assistance. These are:
For businesses wanting advice and to understand what help and support is available including free business health checks, online business support and access to appropriate finance, Call Business Link on 0845 600 9006 or visit http://www.businesslinknortheast.co.uk
 
For people who are in work, but may be at risk of, or worried about possible redundancy, for free confidential face to face advice on changing jobs and updating skills, Call nextstep on 0800 027 7944 or visit www.nextstepnortheast.org.uk
 
For those who have been made redundant or who are out of work, for free confidential support to get back to work quickly, update skills and help with job search. Call Jobcentre Plus on 0845 606 0234 or visit www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk
 
For more information and for regular updates on behalf of the partner agencies working in the North East, please contact the One North East press office on: 0191 229 6200