Events & Training Directory 07-08

1. FREE TRAINING* *£10 refundable deposit required Nuneaton & Bedworth Council for Voluntary Service Events & Training Directory 07-08 High quality training making a real difference to your organisation

2. Our Approach 2 The NBCVS training programme is a rolling series of events to ensure voluntary & community sector organisations across Nuneaton & Bedworth have the knowledge, information & support for their sustainable development. OUR APPROACH Our approach to training aims to deliver exactly what you need & want. The trainers have significant experience both working within & supporting voluntary & community sector organisations in the 'real' world, which enables them to design courses & deliver them in a way appropriate & applicable to the environment in which you work. Our emphasis is on learning that reflects real situations, allowing participants to learn valuable skills that can be easily applied to their own organisations. We use innovative techniques, providing fresh & effective ideas, that can help solve some of the more complex problems organisations face. The programme itself has been based upon the results of a Training Needs Analysis & also requests from the organisations we support. Information fed back by Community Workers within NBCVS as to types of capacity building support given to groups was also used as an initial indication of needs that exist in the Borough. SMALLER GROUPS, MORE PERSONAL ATTENTION We train in small groups (usually no more than 10 places per course) on a friendly & informal basis. This enables us to adopt a hands-on approach, dealing with individuals & their specific needs. This creates a relaxing atmosphere & a comfortable learning environment, so attendees feel more confident about asking questions & discussing issues, enabling them to enhance their learning experience. WHO SHOULD ATTEND? Paid staff, volunteers, managers, management committee members of voluntary & community sector organisations. We also welcome attendees from public service agencies. ADDED VALUE Our training programme is delivered locally, with all course materials & refreshments provided (lunch is provided on full day courses only). The courses are provided free of charge*, unless otherwise stated, due to the valuable contribution of The Coalfields Regeneration Trust. * £10 returnable deposit to be paid on booking.

3. Contents 3 DEVELOPMENT FINANCES FUNDING Most organisations at some point or other experience problems in efficiently managing their finances. Courses in this section include understanding basic financial processes & the principles of full cost recovery. End of Year Accounts p4 Basic Bookkeeping p7 Full Cost Recovery p8 When it comes to playing the funding game many organisations find the rules confusing, which is why NBCVS have arranged a number of funding briefings, as well as a special course on how to write successful bids. Big Lottery Fund: Family Learning Funding briefing p4 Lloyds TBS Foundation: Funding briefing p5 Children in Need: Funding briefing p5 Income Generation: Writing Successful Funding Bids p6 Events in this section include essential tools, techniques & understanding to aid your organisation’s development, covering subjects like governance to minute taking skills. Community Buildings Action Group p4 Management Committees: Good Governance p5 Income Generation: Thinking about community enterprise p6 Minute Taking p6 Demonstrating Quality p7 Income Generation: From ideas to earning p7 Meaningful & Creative AGMs p8

4. April – May 2007 4 Big Lottery Fund: Family Learning Funding briefing Community Buildings Action Group End of Year Accounts Date: Wednesday 4th April Time: 1.30 – 4.15 Venue: Nuneaton Club for Young People, Avenue Road Big Lottery Fund has launched this programme to help parents to understand more about how their children learn, & encourages adults & children to learn as a family. They are particularly interested in hearing from projects where learning isn’t about qualifications & those that will help families who have not been involved in learning together before; imaginative projects that meet local needs & remove the barriers to learning. Applications are welcomed from voluntary/community groups & statutory bodies; this event gives the opportunity to discover more about the programme & demystify the application process. Date: Wednesday 25th April Time: 2.00 - 4.30 Venue: tbc This facilitated networking event is aimed at groups who are looking at accommodation options, open to groups wherever they are on their journey, from those who are just beginning to think about owning & running a community facility, to those who are further along in the process & may already have plans drawn up & funding in place. We hope the group formed from this session will be an active network, sharing ideas, tips & advice to make the most of their plans. The sessions will be facilitated to ensure everyone gets the most they can, the facilitator will offer advice from their experience supporting similar projects. Date: Wednesday 9th May Time: 9.30 – 3.00 Venue: tbc Voluntary management committee members have a responsibility to report on the finances of their organisation. Veronica Ledbrook, Community Accountancy Manager from North Warwickshire Council for Voluntary Service, will be leading this training session on the basics of producing your end of year accounts, as well as some of the new regulations in force for charities, including SORP 2005. The course is suitable for charities and smaller voluntary & community organisations who want to develop good practice in handling their finances.

5. May – June 2007 5 Lloyds TSB Foundation: Funding briefing Children in Need: Funding briefing Management Committees: Good Governance • Date: Tuesday 15th May • Time: 10.00 – 1.00 • Venue: Volunteer Centre Nuneaton • & Bedworth, Bulkington • The Lloyds TSB Foundation have announced their priorities for funding in the West Midlands for 2007. They are: • Locally deprived areas • Diverse minority communities • Older people • However, they will also continue to support under-funded charitable organisations that improve the lives of local people. • This event has been specially organised to inform local charities on the funding available from the Foundation, application guidelines & project development. • Date: Tuesday 12th June • Time: PM • Venue: tbc • BBC Children in Need supports projects which ‘positively change the lives of disadvantaged children & young people in the UK’. • Grants can help projects working with children up to 18 years of age affected by: • Illness, distress, abuse or neglect • Behavioural of psychological impairment • Living in situations of poverty or deprivation • This event has been specially organised to inform local voluntary & community organisations on the funding available from the fund, application guidelines & project development. Date: Wednesday 13th June Time: 9.30 – 3.00 Venue: tbc This course, aimed at board/committee members, will offer practical advice & tools for committees to build capacity & good practice into the heart of their organisations. The training will look at the Codes of Good Practice, roles & responsibilities of management committee members & at real-life scenarios from participants.

6. July – October 2007 6 Income Generation: Thinking about Community Enterprise Minute Taking Income Generation: Writing Successful Funding Bids Date: Wednesday 11th July Time: 9.30 – 3.00 Venue: tbc This practical course is voluntary & community organisations who want to consider alternative income generation ideas to grants. This may be anything from trading products & services, to contracting with the public & private sector. The course is aimed at those who want to develop ideas, have an income generation idea, or that are in the process of developing an idea & need further support & advice to help them take the first step. This course delivers the highlights of training previously run in partnership with NCVO. Note: there is a follow-up course on 14th November that attendees might also be interested in attending. Date: Wednesday 12th September Time: 9.30 – 1.00 Venue: tbc Effective & accurate minute & note taking is essential for the effective management & organisation of voluntary sector organisations, from minuting committee meetings to taking telephone messages or making notes at training sessions. This is a practical course to develop effective skills in minute & note taking, suitable for board members, volunteers and paid staff. Date: Wednesday 10th October Time: 9.30 – 3.00 Venue: tbc Competition for funding is tough. So what makes the difference between an OK bid & a great bid? How do you help it to go from the bottom to the top of the pile? More importantly, once it is noticed, what must you have in your bid to ensure that you have the best chance possible of being funded? This practical course gives tips & hints from experts from NBCVS, & will also give you the opportunity to see things from a funders perspective with practical activities. Attendees will leave feeling more confident about the funding maze, & opportunities to share their experiences with peers.

7. November 2007 – February 2008 7 Demonstrating Quality Income Generation: From Ideas to earning Basic Bookkeeping Date: Wednesday 24th October Time: 9.30 – 1.00 Venue: tbc Can you tell your assessment from your evaluation? Your SWOT from your SMARTER? What difference does having a quality assurance system make to your organisation? This basic, introductory course will help you to put the jargon into perspective & help you to realise the potential of quality tools & techniques to help you do better what you do best. The course will cover quality assurance systems, help bust some of the myths around these, & demonstrate the realistic steps that you can take to take away to improve your organisation. Date: Wednesday 14th November Time: 9.30 – 3.00 Venue: tbc This practical course for voluntary & community organisations who want to consider alternative income generation ideas to grants. This course is a follow-up from our earlier course on 11th July, but it also stands alone for those who are further ahead in income generation planning. The course covers in more detail the practicalities of achieving alternative income, from contracting & procurement to actually running a community enterprise. We strongly recommend organisations send 2 representatives so that they may begin to develop plans during the day. Date: Wednesday 9th January Time: 9.30 – 3.00 Venue: tbc Sound financial management is one of the cornerstones of running a successful organisation or project. This means that the organisation practices good record keeping, has financial policies & procedures, knows how to budget & fundraise, & is clear about who is responsible for making financial decisions. Our successful 1 day course returns by popular demand, about basic bookkeeping principles & money management for voluntary & community organisations.

8. February – March 2008 8 Full Cost Recovery Meaningful & Creative AGMs Date: Wednesday 13th February Time: 9.30 – 3.00 Venue: tbc Historically, voluntary & community sector organisations have struggled to secure funding for their overhead costs; this difficulty has been exacerbated by a trend on the part of funders towards funding the direct costs of projects rather than overheads or "core funding". By adopting the principle of full cost recovery, organisations & their funders ensure that the price of grants & contracts reflects the full costs of delivery, including a legitimate portion of overhead costs. This training provides the skills, knowledge & tools essential to reinforcing & using full cost recovery principles. Date: Wednesday 12th March Time: 9.30 – 3.00 Venue: tbc Annual General Meetings (AGMs) are an essential part of letting your members & stakeholders know what your organisation is achieving, however many people are unsure about how to conduct the business of an AGM in the most professional and useful way. This course will bust the myths about how to run a successful (& interesting!) AGM, from the planning to delivery. A fun way to learn • OTHER EVENTS INCLUDE: • Regular surgery sessions carried out by NBCVS development team members: funding advice, organisational development & structure support, capacity building advice. These sessions are advertised in local press & networks. • PQASSO Action Learning Sets take place monthly, alternating between level 1 & level 2 groups. These sessions are by invitation, although please contact us if you are interested in finding out more about quality assurance systems.

9. Booking Form 9 Please reserve a place for: Do you have any special access or support needs that you would like the trainer to be aware of? Do you have any special dietary needs? Will you require nearby parking due to mobility problems? Yes No Where did you hear about this course? Please return this form, with a £10.00 returnable deposit fee to: NBCVS, Admin Dept, 72 High Street, Nuneaton, Warwickshire CV11 5DA Telephone: 024 7638 5765 E-mail: admin@cvsnunbed.co.uk Please make cheques payable to NUNEATON & BEDWORTH CVS

10. Don’t take our word for it… 10 BOOKING INFORMATION By signing up to our courses you are deemed to have agreed to our terms & conditions which will be sent to you with your joining instructions, and are also available on our website. Any deposits/fees must be paid for at the time of booking. Confirmation will be issued on receipt of payment and a completed booking form. A full refund will be made if notice of cancellation is received within 5 working days prior to the course date. Where cancellations are received with less than 5 working days notice or a delegate fails to attend, the deposit will be kept by NBCVS. If a training course is cancelled an alternative date will be planned or a full refund is guaranteed. Places are limited to 2 per organisation unless otherwise agreed. Organisations who operate within Nuneaton and Bedworth will be given priority when booking; if you operate outside of this area then you will be put on a waiting list and informed closer to the event date about availability. Travel directions & joining instructions will be sent with confirmation of booking. Refreshments are included (with lunch provided on full day courses). “ The entire course was enlightening ” “ ” The teaching was excellent “ Informal atmosphere, excellent information, very well presented ” www.cvsnunbed.co.uk Nuneaton & Bedworth Council for Voluntary Service Registered Charity no. 1082948. Company Limited by Guarantee no. 4073751