Chairing Through Coivd
Being a Chair During The Pandemic
There has been much written about the effect of Covid working on staff employed by VCFSE bodies; similarly there have been many words written about service users. The financial effects of Covid have exercised researchers, policy makers, lobbyists and politicians. One area of work has attracted little comment – the role of chair.
The role of chair can be difficult at the best of times. When things go well and there is complete harmony, adequate resources, an agreed shared vision and contended service users there is no better role within a charity. Indeed, when one of these broad areas is not functioning as well as it could, it can be argued that the role becomes even more interesting, as the chair can use their skills to address the issue. However, when a pandemic strikes and the majority of the risk register suddenly goes red, then the role of the chair is very difficult indeed. And, to undertake the role in an unpaid capacity (with plenty of potential personal downsides) takes a very special person indeed.
The Association of Chairs published a landmark report in April 2021.
From a response of more than 700 chairs it is reported that the workload has, for some, turned into a full time job. Many report that relationships with the head of paid services (CEO) are better than they were but, for a significant minority (8% - which is not a lot but each case is significant as it affects individuals as well as operations,) they are not.
Chairs have had to cope with encorporating new technology into their role, as well as developing new ways of co-ordinating and chairing meetings. The ability to read nonverbal signals by attending physical meetings is, as for all, reduced.
The report indicated that a large number of operations do not have a training budget specifically for chairs. This may be because chairs are unwilling to deplete resources to increase their own skills.
Despite all of the issues that have arisen during the pandemic the overwhelming majority of chairs (83%) report that their motivation is at least as good as it was when the pandemic burst onto the scene.
We are approaching Volunteers Week. Ensure that your chair has a shout out of thanks. Where would you be without them?
Gendered Intelligence Professional Development Training
Introduction to Trans Awareness
Gendered Intelligence in light of the current pandemic are offering online professional development training.
They are offering sessions on an “introduction to Trans Awareness”
What ‘trans’ is about?
Gaining confidence to approach situations involving a trans client, student or colleague?
Information about what your organisation might need to comply with Equalities law?
They provide half day sessions, enabling proffesionals to broaden their understanding of issues faced by trans people. The session is based around interactive exercises, encouraging participants to get involved in thinking through what trans means and ways to achieve equality and inclusivity in practice.
More information available here.
The Baobab Foundation Report
‘Digging Deeper Report: Insights on tailored funding to organisations led by black people and communities experiencing racial injustice in 2020’
As stated in a previous article, The Baobab Foundation has been set up in response to the Black Lives Matter movement and the stark inequalities further exposed by the global pandemic. The foundation aims to reestablish how black and ethnic minoirty-led VCSE organisations are funded and expose how the funding landscape has “enabled” or “limited” the work of these organisations.
Their report spoke to 26 respondents from 19 organisations.
Findings:
Rise in funding but exposure of limitaitions of support that would bring about systemic change, proportional investment
Focus on emergency response, not long-term solutions to tackle racial injustice
Some funders are putting social change as a priority, but more needs to be done to “integrate a racial and intersectional lens across funder strategies”
Thoughts:
Baobab do not use acronyms, as they regard them as an oversimplification of the lived experiences of individuals
Need to use ‘Intersectional approach’ as a framework to understand inequalities. Intersectionality which considers the various plethora of contexts and backgrounds that contribute to a persons lived experience, needs to be taken into account to build knowledge and resistance.
Funder Progress:
Increased availability & flexability of funding
“Shift towards participatory funding models”- including funders listening to experts on racial injustice
Investment into “lived experience funders and organisations”
Community issues now:
Progress remains limited, due to inhibted long-term and scaled flexible investment:
Funding doesn’t go beyond March 2021
Funding has failed geographical and intersectional disparities across UK
Groups still struggling with historic underinvestment
Moving towards an anti-racist & intersectional funding approach:
Funders need to be explicit about racial inequities
Understanding that racial injustice spans many social change strategies
Funders need to increase equity and transparency
Funders need to adopt risk-taking behaviour to generate innovations
Funders need to consciously work with groups outside of London
Trauma-informed approach to reduce harm in funding process needed
Call to Action to Funders:
Long-term and flexible funding (5+ years)
Address dispairites for groups outside of London
Build strategic partnerhships with organisations led by black people and communities experiencing racial injustice
Use “transforamtive policies and practices”
Adopt a trauma-informed approach across funding
Full report here.
Brief report here.
The Greater Manchester Bereavement Service
The Greater Manchester Bereavement Service offers support for those who have been bereaved or affected by death. From April 1st 2021, it joined forces with the Greater Manchester Suicide Bereavement Information Service and merged, delivered by Six Degrees Social Enterprise.
Dedicated suicide bearevment support is still available and dedicated practitioners are sill there to offer appropriate help.
Please find here a ‘Social Media Pack’ to help promote the service so that those suffering can be equipped with the suitable support.
Below please find updated contact information:
0161 983 0902 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm)
The Skelton Charity; New Funding Available
New Funding Available
The Skelton Charity administers grants across the North West; the latest deadline for applications is on the 28th May 2021. They usually award grants between £500 and £3,000.
Grants are awarded on the the following basis:
you are a registered charity
your charity is within the correct geographical boundary (Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Blackpool, Blackburn, Warrington and Halton)
for projects or capital expenditure
for good causes
perhaps for needs that have arisen as an impact of Covid-19
You can complete the application form here & access their website for more detailed information.
The Runneymede Response to the Sewell Report
The Sewell Report is a government commissioned publication exploring ‘Race and Ethnic Disparities in the UK’ which was released last week. In summary, it concludes that ‘insitutional racism’ is not prevalent in the UK; the report’s findings and argument have attracted strong criticism from across the country, from academics, journalists and indiviudals alike.
Runnymede, who operate as the UK’s leading independent race equality think tank, have advocated a particularly strong stance against the findings of the Sewell Report. They give several examples of why the findings in the report are not representative of the lived experience of many BME communities. Furthermore, they berate the reports highlighted issues, (such as exploration of the the acronym ‘BAME’ as problematic), and suggest that this also negates BME communities reality.
Runnymede explore the report in the following video:
The Runnymede written response can be found here.
World Health Day 2021
This year’s World Health Day falls in the midst of a global health pandemic. Despite England’s efficient vaccine role out and drastically falling new infection rate, Covid-19 has already and will continue to devastate the lives of many of us.
During VSNW’s Festival of North West Thinking which included a series of online events from October to December last year, we welcomed an array of inspirational speakers discussing different areas- mostly related to the pandemic- and its affect on communities and also the VCSE sector.
In recognition of World Health Day, we want to remind organisations of the powerful words of Farzana Kahn, Director of Healing Justice London, who spoke eloquently during our first event "Covid-19 Recovery: VCSE Leadership Voices Assembly” about ‘health inequalities’.
See some highlights from her opening remarks here:
Further highlights from the event can be seen here.
GM VCSE Leadership Group Economic Vision
The GM VCSE Leadership Group have devised an ‘economic vision’ for Greater Manchester; they hope this vision will guide future conversations in the VCSE, private, statutory sectors and in communities.
The Vision:
They instigate a need to explore alternative approaches to economics by adopting something more progressive.
They propose an inclusive economy that prioritises the needs and interests of all of society and the environment, in contrast with only the interests of corporate power.
They argue that Covid-19 has further exacerbated and harshly exposed the deepening inequalities in Greater Manchester and that now is the opportunity to address these inqualities through empowering communities and society members, organising work and time and combating environmental issues further.
A new, inclusive econonmy
The focus on profit and gain that is currently ingrained in our economic culture prospers at the expense of our happiness & wellbeing. A new, inclusive economy however would be based on the following core values:
Equality & human dignity
Solidarity & community
Autonomy & liberation
Stewardship of environment
Pragmatics:
An inclusive economy would need to encourage community engagement in economics, as opposed to economic development decisions being solely down to professionals & agencies.
Greater social ownership of wealth; through communtity and locally owned businesses etc.
A need for a Green New Deal: secure a fairer society and safe climate by transforming the economy.
Social & mission-led businesses would receive positive noteriety.
Full vision available here
The Liverpool City Region VCFSE Sector Metro Mayor Hustings
VS6 Partnerships are hosting the VCFSE Sector Metro Mayor Husting on the 20th April 2021.
The Hustings is a chance for VCFSE organisations across the Liverpool City Region to ask questions to the candidates, and discuss what is important, not only to your organisation, but also the sector as a whole. This election is of particular importance as the need for a strong leader is of paramount importance as we face a difficult and uncertain future following the pandemic. The sector has shown great strength and resilience throughout the last year. However, going forward we need political support if we are to continue to protect the vulnerable and help our communities.
The Hustings will follow a question-and-answer style structure, with candidates also given the chance to address the sector during their opening statement. In order to organise a broad spectrum of question topics, we ask attendees to please submit potential questions and whether they would be happy to ask them during the event when registering. A selection of questions on the most common question themes will be selected and put to the candidates. We will contact you directly pre-event if your question has been chosen.
Sally Yeoman, Chief Executive of Halton and St Helens VCA, Vice-Chair of VS6 (and also a NAVCA award-winning Chief Exec of the year 2020) will be chairing the event.
Joined by the following party candidates:
Steve Rotheram (Labour)
David Newman (Liberal Democrat)
Gary Cargill (Green)
Jade Marsden (Conservative) - TBC