New Trustee Board Member- Circle Steele
We are delighted to welcome Circle Steele as a new trustee board member!
Circle Steele is a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at the Wai Yin Society, which provides support to, and has empowered and worked in partnership with, Chinese individuals and families for 30 years (since 1988). She has extensive experience of working with community-based organisations and feels extremely proud to be a part of one of the largest BME community centres in the Greater Manchester.
She was the first Chinese Youth Leader to win the British Diversity Gold Award for involving Chinese young people in employment, in partnership with Halifax Bank. And she was the Chinese female leader to share that experience of diversity and integration at international conferences in countries such as Sweden and Germany.
She was pleased to receive an invitation from Her Majesty to attend a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in 2008 to acknowledge the contribution she had made to society.
As an Executive Member of various other boards and organisations, she consistently champions cultural diversity on behalf of, and gives a voice to, Chinese and other ethnic minorities in Greater Manchester.
She was nominated as one of the Strong Manchester Women campaigners in the 100th year anniversary of the suffragette movement in 2018.
She has spoken about Wai Yin innovative delivery model and approach to diversity and diversification of services at the House of Lords in 2019.
Circle is currently nominated for the INSPIRE AWARDS as a Woman in Leadership finalist 2020.
We look very forward to working with her!
Vaccine Scam Info Available in Multiple Languages
Sadly, as the UK leads the way in terms of Coronavirus vaccines, some scam artists are using this opportunity to commit fraud. It is vital that information regarding this is widely published, which includes making sure warnings are available in an array of diffierent languages.
The BBC Asian Network has created some fabulous resources exploring vaccine scams in Urdu, Sylheti, Punjabi, Tamil & Gujarati.
For more information and to watch the videos see here.
A 'Northen Big Bang'
The Northern Research Group (NRG), with the Centre for Policy Studies (CPS), has published a report “A Northern Big Bang”. Authored by Jake Berry MP of the Lancashire seat of Rossendale & Darwen since 2010, and Nick King, who is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Policy Studies. Both are originally from the North West.
The report highlights the need for investment in the North of England. The challenge that the authors face is to get the legislative changes needed through a parliament where the majority of members are not from the North. It will be a difficult path for party managers to plot. One would hope that, where possible, there would be cross-party co-operation for the benefit of the region. But, that is beyond the remit of this comment piece. This piece is to offer a number of suggestions that may be of benefit to the process.
The first of these is to acknowledge three sectors of the economy. These are the public sector; private sector and community sector. The omission of the third of these, particularly when referencing the area of the UK which saw the foundation of the World Wide Co-Operative movement does seem bizzarre. The UK Social and Community Enterprise movement is an increasing player in local economies and has the advantage of retaining and circulating surplus income within those economies. Indeed, this is referenced and encouraged in the Social Value (Procurement) Act which has been on the stature book since 2013. As far as this report is concerned it may as well not be there!
The report makes a case for the re-instatement of capital allowances. These were abolished in 1982 yet do have a place for encouraging investment. The report makes it clear that these allowances will need to be geographic specific to have the desired effect in the North. They will encourage investment but, as the overwhelming majority of the community sector does not pay corporation tax (due to governance structures) this proposal will have minimal impact on sector investment. It may be possible to attract investment via leasing agreements where the lessor claims the allowances and discounts the rentals (as was the case when capital allowances were previously in force) but the VAT levied on lease agreements will negate much of the benefit. As the change in capital allowances will require legislation we suggest that the same legislation allows a zero rating of VAT for registered charities; companies limited by guarantee; CIO and CIC operating within the qualifying geographic area.
There is no reference to training and employment readiness – an area of the economy where the community sector has, historically, had great success. There are reports that some 750,000 EU citizens have left the UK during the pandemic. This will leave a huge gap in the workforce. Many of the issues highlighted in the report have led to multi-generational household worklessness. Investment, to tackle this, will be needed in order to address the work force gap. Yes, there will some benefit from internal UK migration. Where this has taken place in the past the effect is less than anticipated.
Finally, there is a reference to potential investment that can be unlocked from DC pension schemes. If this strategy is seen as contrary to well established risk strategies within the pension industry, how will this impact on the personal liability of charity trustees in the event of a pension scheme becoming under funded? Whilst one would hope that this is a hypothetical question it will have to appear on the risk register for community bodies that employ people and introduce an extra layer of professional advice that is currently not needed. The NEST pension scheme is seen as a sensible default option and more than adequate for needs. Care needs to be taken to ensure that this government created scheme delivers the risk level option desired by community directors/trustees. We live and employ in the communities that will be affected by complications arising from this matter.
We have invited Rt Hon Jake Berry, to speak at a to be arranged seminar and hope that he will accept the invitation. In the meantime please read the report and let Mr Berry know of your views.
LOCAL: the Lancashire VCFSE sector vision
VSNW are helping to faciliate a conversation across the sector in Lancashire, including Blackpool and Blackburn & Darwen. This year will see significant changes across the region from NHS reconfiguration, withdrawal of EU sibsidies and the ongoing pandemic. LOCAL has been set up with the help of a representative group of Lancashire VCFSE leaders to create a shared vision in time for the upcoming local elections.
LOCAL wants to encourage the input of as many organisations as possibe across the Lancashire 14; this can be done through the online comment forum, or by organisations running their own. The idea is to understand what is important to the sector and how these visions can be achieved. To help kick start the conversation, the leaders have devised some suggested priorities; it is then up to those who want to get involved to discuss what this looks like and if anything has been missed.
Ideally, this 10-week conversation will lead to a significant mandate & the vision can be presented to the hopeful candidates in time for May’s election.
For more information and to participate in the conversation, find tools to run your own events, comms and more, please take a look at the website: www.locallancashire.org.uk
Any queries can be emailed to: vision@locallancashire.org.uk
Follow LOCAL on Twitter to help make some noise about this fantastic opportunity.
Covid-19 Vaccine Comms Pack & Webinar
The Department for Digital, Culture Media & Sport have produced a Covid-19 vaccine comms pack to support VCSE sector organisations communicate correct information about the vaccines.
The pack includes:
Guidance and basic explanations answering “what is a vaccine?”
Comms assets and resources on vaccines they can use and share
Vaccine resources for British Sign Language users
Key messages on Covid-19 Vaccine Scams
Misinformation- assets and copy they can use to tackle misinformation on vaccines
You may also re-watch the recording of the ‘Facts about the Covid vaccines: Live webinar’ from 30th Jan.
Follow @HMGNorth for updates.
North West DWP Update
Below is an update from the Department of Work and Pensions regarding important information, toolkits and links:
· Personal Independence Payment Toolkit has been updated to reflect changes following the UK leaving the EU. This toolkit provides a guide for organisations and people in support roles to help explain PIP and changes to Disability Living Allowance to claimants.
· Guidance has been updated from the 1 January on GOV.UK explaining the rights of benefits and pensions for UK nationals in the EEA or Switzerland and benefits and pensions for EEA and Swiss citizens in the UK
· £7.5 million pound funding to Tackle Loneliness
· Mayday for Men – employer advice on male victims of domestic abuse
· Application for a State Pension Forecast has been updated
· Funding for Community Champions to give COVID 19 vaccine advice
· Changes to Kickstart programme https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/kickstart-scheme
· New legislation to ensure fair treatment for armed forces
· Face coverings exemptions
· Support for offenders - DWP working in partnership with HMPPS, Steering Women Away from Crime, Preventing Prison Leaver Homelessness
· Funding boost to get more Young People into Work
· Support for the Aviation Sector
· Carers Allowance Form has been updated
· Children in Poverty Enquiry - evidence for the enquiry to be submitted by 25thFebruary
· A consultation has been launched, aimed at extending debt solutions and helping vulnerable people in financial distress get a fresh start. The consultation closes on the 25 February 2021.
· This report sets out the key findings from the review by BEIS into how victims of domestic abuse can be supported in the workplace and the actions which government will take as a result
· From 14 January, victims of domestic abuse will be able to access much needed support from thousands of pharmacies across the UK. The government has teamed up with independent pharmacies and Boots to launch a domestic abuse Ask for ANI codeword scheme.
· The Disability Unit in the Cabinet Office has launched a survey to gather views and experiences for the National Strategy of Disabled People. If views are shared by 13 February, they will inform the development of the strategy. The Survey will remain open until 23 April, and views will be used to inform the delivery of the plans.
Job Centre Updates:
To help keep customers and colleagues as safe as possible in the latest phase of the pandemic Jobcentre opening hours will be 10am to 2pm beginning on Monday the 18 January 2021. Thus, the job centre is amble to provide safe, essential services for those who are unable to interact with them via the phone or digitally. Phone line opening hours remain as they were. In addition, the Relay UK service and the Video relay service are both still available. Anyone entering a Jobcentre will be required to wear a face covering, unless they are in an exempt category . We will follow the latest government guidance on meeting with others safely and lockdown restrictions .
Health Inequalities in Some of the Most Vulnerable Neighbourhoods
Professor Chris Bentley is a Non-Executive Director at Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust and is also the Chair of the Quality and Safety committee. He is a prominent figure in population health and specialises in health inequalities.
Chris’ recent presentation ‘Place-based approaches to Health Inequalities in the System’s Most Vulnerable Neighbourhoods’ explores how to address some instances of health inequality in Cheshire and Merseyside.
In it’s simplest definition ‘health inequalities’ refers to the health differences across groups and populations which are beyond an individual’s control. However, according to Chris, it is important not to ‘over define’ health inequalities. The current Coronavirus pandemic has accentuated the already prominent disadvantage across certain groups in relation to health, but also housing, food, employment, income etc.
There are certain ways we can intervene:
These segments need to work together to have the greatest impact.
Cheshire and Merseyside have some of the most prolific hospital admissions in its most deprived areas in comparison to the national average. This insight includes admissions that could have been prevented through out of hospital care; this pattern is characteristic of the North West as a region.
Can these emergency admissions be prevented from out of hospital care? And why are some areas able to reduce poor outcomes more successfully than others?
Seemingly, across Cheshire and Merseyside communitiy preventions are not always successful at supporting residents to avoid crises. Chris suggests three ways this can be addressed:
Unwarranted service variation
Community-based interventions and
Service engagement with communities
What is imperative to addressing the excessive hospital admissions in the most deprived neighbourhoods and helping avoidance of crises is bridging the gap betweeen services and communities. There is already a lot of work going on in communities and the health services have often not integrated with the already established and trusted organisations in these communities. Perhaps on a place-basis what we need to do is link primary care networks into these already existing structures, thus harnessing them to bridge the gap between health care and communities.
Systems need to address this issue in order to make a percentage change. Some health systems are already making progress and connecting with communities by working with groups and organisations, however, in others there is still lots of work to be done. This is what the Cheshire and Merseyside partnership will be looking to take forward.
Please watch Chris Bentley’s full presentation. He eloquently explores the above whilst going into more statisitcal detail regarding specific areas of Cheshire and Merseyside.
Greater Manchester Covid Insight Reports
Safely Managing Covid-19: Manchester Population Survey
The impacts of coronavirus across the Greater Manchester population have not been evenly distributed. In order to address the lack of detail in national surveys the Greater Manchester Combined Authority are going to carry out regular research on behalf of their partners, exploring the issues and impacts of Covid-19 across Greater Manchester, including it’s 10 local authorities.
BMG research are using a mixture of monthly online and telephone surveys to collect data from a minimum of 1000 residents in GM, with at least 100 residents in each local authority. Measures are being taken to ensure that respondents reflect the profile of the different areas
Thus far, there have been two surveys:
Survey 1:
Aim: to provide an overview of key issues/barriers/motivations relating to how GM, individual localities and specific parts of the GM population are “living with Covid-19"
Brief Summary of findings:
These groups have been more negatively impacted than others:
Young people, particularly those aged 16-24;
Residents with young children, and particularly those aged 0-4yrs
BME residents overall, but Asian residents in particular;
Muslim residents and those for whom English is not their first language;
Carers, and residents where someone in their household has been told they are at high risk from COVID;
Those with a disability;
Residents that have served in the armed forces;
Those living in the ‘most deprived’ communities of Greater Manchester, among others.
Examples of some of the feelings and concerns due to Covid-19 include:
High levels of worry about the virus, especially amongst those with a disability, children and those in the most deprived neighbourhoods
Worries regarding the economy and future of young people, mental health, education
Many have big concerns affording bills, food, rent, mortgages etc
BAME residents regarded caring for family, those in needs etc a ‘big concern’.
Selection of impacts Covid-19:
Loss of jobs, redundancy (more frequent for 16-24 year olds, students, Asian residents etc), furlough
Many self-employed have seen reduction in work
1 in 14 have used foodbanks (1 in 5 amongst those with children aged 0-4 and ex armed forces).
1 in 10 have had to borrow money
Reports of more support needed widely spread (finding employment, mental health, monetary, childcare)
Survey 2:
Some questions remained the same from survey 1, comparisons made
Aims to understand concerns and impacts of the virus
Also aims to understand residents feelings towards a second national lockdown and thoughts on vaccinations and mass testing
Highlights:
1 in 5 have had coronavirus (only 2/3 have had a positive test)
1 in 3 have had to self-isolate (only small number aware of financial suppot payment during this time)
Levels of concern have increased
Individual concerns increased such as mental health, finances, impacts on children
1 in 10 couldn’t name any of the key symptoms of coronavirus
9 in 10 follows key guidelines for stopping spread of virus
52% feel it is okay to leave house when self-isolating
Faith in restrictions decreasing
68% would take part in community testing, those who wouldn’t not informed
75% likely to get vaccine
Life satisfaction decreased
The Levelling-up Agenda
Across the UK, there are deep-rooted inequalities reflected in income, skills, living standards and life expectancy. These inequalities are so vast that the UK is recognised as one of the most regionally imbalanced economies in the industrialised world. As the UK embarks on its independence from the EU, tackles climate change and embraces the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR4.0), these trends have the potential to expand divisions further, unless harnessed to provide economic opportunities.
A systemic change is required to ensure that the North West maximises its potential and the “Levelling up Agenda” provides a pathway to success. The Northern Research Group (NRG) is a group of 50 or so Conservative MPs who have big ideas for a “global Britain”, envisaging the North as an attractive landing pad for foreign investors, new business, highly paid jobs and international trade. The government have recognised this with the levelling up fund – a £4.8 billion investment, across the country.
To promote investment, cities, towns and surrounding areas need to be attractive places to work and live. The levelling up fund can support smaller towns to revive local business and rejuvenate a sense of community. This is especially important for rural towns and coastal villages considered “left behind”, in comparison to the development we see in major towns and cities. And, this is where the VCFSE sector has a part to play.
Many community facilities are operated by VCFSE bodies. A large number have suffered from a lack of investment and, in 2020, lacked income to meet day to day expenses – let alone embark on an upgrade. The being a good place to live agenda is one that the sector can lead on.
The North is home to a strong manufacturing base. The manufacturing sector provides a significant portion of the UK economy, contributing over 10% of domestic product, and totalling 44% of the UK’s exports, which translates to a £273 billion contribution to the UK economy. As the world undergoes a fourth industrial revolution, it is vital that the sector receives supportive policy and financial investment via the levelling up fund, in order to innovate and compete globally. If the North has a world-leading manufacturing industry that has embraced IR4.0, the region will see the creation of jobs, new skills and private investment. Again, this is where the VCFSE sector has a part to play.
There are reports that suggest that unemployment, in the UK, has not increased at the project rate resulting from Covid. Undoubtably the furlough scheme has assisted in this. But there are indications that a lot of migrant workers, from the EU, have returned to their country of origin if they have been made redundant or furloughed. This will have an effect on the ability of industry and commerce to “bounce back” when the upturn comes. The VCFSE sector is well placed to reach “the hard to reach” who will likely to be crucial to recovery of the economy. Those engaged in training and job readiness sectors are encouraged to ascertain the skills that will be needed, in the main workforce, going forward. The levelling up fund could be a route towards funding premises improvements to enable this.
The levelling up fund will also support physical connectivity in the North. The region has a number of airports with potential to connect the North on a global scale; however, these airports and surrounding communities require investment to capitalise on their potential. A “hub-and-spoke” approach is being advocated to connect business hubs and demonstrate the ease of connectivity, making the region a more attractive place to do business. There are regular announcements of new logistics parks being planned for the North West. How can sector partners engage with the training requirements for these – or even operate cafes etc for hauliers?
2020 taught us that we are more adaptable and resilient than we thought and accelerated changes to the way we work and live more in one year than had been the case in the previous five years. The North West has the potential to seize opportunities created from agendas such as increased home-working and online shopping to provide the perfect environment for present and future generations to want to live, work and play in.
Andrew Rainsford
VSNW with acknowledgement to Rob Elvin, Squire Patton Boggs, Manchester.