From April 2013 local Healthwatch replaced the Local Involvement Networks (LINks) as the "consumer voice" in health and social care. It is important that local Healthwatch learns from the experience of the LINks to ensure they become the best they can be, and to prevent "reinventing the wheel". The results of a project to capture this learning are now available
Voluntary Sector North West
St. Thomas Centre
North West Environment Link (NWEL) will submit a joint response and they’d be interested to hear from anyone else who wants to respond
This competition is being run by Media Trust and Big Lottery Fund (BIG) in partnership with Thisis and localpeople community news sites run by Northcliffe Digital. Their aim is to find inspirational images of what people across the country love about their communities.
The merger of NCVO and Volunteering England has been confirmed and will formally take place from 1st January 2013
Sir Michael Heseltine, who authored a report into economic growth published in November 2012, made his comments when speaking at a session of the parliamentary business, innovation and skills select committee
The report highlights that half of local authorities are cutting grant funding to the voluntary sector disproportionately, compared to the amount their own budgets are being reduced
On 1 December 2012 the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) merged to form the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
Community Foundations operating across the North West have endowment match funding available for voluntary sector organisations wishing to endowment build.
This latest edition of the Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion annual research, written by the New Policy Institute for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, was previewed at The State We're In, our recent conference and AGM.
Network for Europe has issued a bulletin which rounds up the latest news with regards to the proposed Structural Fund 2014-2020 regulations
The Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES) is currently seeking examples of projects or organisations that have undertaken activity to increase and broaden their reach into local communities
Regional Voices, of which VSNW is a partner, is pleased to announce that it has been awarded funding from the Department of Health (Innovation, Excellence and Strategic Development Fund) to support voluntary and community sector influence on health and wellbeing boards
The Department for Business Innovation & Skills has published the findings of a research study on European Social Fund delivery with the aim of informing thinking around the next round of programmes
Healthwatch England was formed in April 2013 and is the independent consumer champion for health and social care in England. They have now published a list of local Healthwatch, including those for the North West
The Local Government Chronicle held a webinar to explore the essential elements to ensure local healthwatch organisations are effective in scrutinising local health services and provide a voice for communities. Regional Voices, of which VSNW are a part, are mentioned.
An analysis has been published by NAVCA of the 74 areas that received Transforming Local Infrastructure and provides a national perspective, and allows the sharing of information and ideas
