6 September 2021 – March 2022

A FREE intensive six-month online programme designed for emerging leaders operating in the Migration and Refugee sector who seek to enhance and refine their leadership capabilities and make a real and lasting impact within the sector and the communities they serve.

The programme aims to help build a stronger and connected sector led by a generation of skilled, empowered, and generous social leaders, including leaders with lived experience* of the immigration system, by supporting 120 people to develop their skills and create networks.

This programme is co-designed and co-delivered in partnership with Clore Social Leadership, the Centre for Knowledge Equity and LEx Movement (Lived Experience Leaders Movement hosted by the Centre for Knowledge Equity).

Click here for more information.

Deadline 4th June 2021

There are six award categories available to nominate someone for, these are:

• Positive Role Model – The positive role model award recognises an individual within the community who shows selflessness, drives change and works tirelessly to inspire others.
• Community Organisation – This award applauds groups, charities and voluntary organisations that have made an outstanding contribution to their local community, or nationwide, with diversity as their core focus.
• Lifetime Achiever – This prestigious award honours an individual who has made significant, innovative and cumulatively outstanding contributions to enhancing the practice of equality and diversity, devoting a major portion of their life to their cause.
• Diverse Company of the Year – The Diverse Company Award identifies a large organisation (over 100 employees) that is showing great strides in incorporating diversity and inclusion across their business. Whether that be an employer who has developed and delivered a number of innovative resources, attracted and retained a diverse workforce or is just starting out on their diversity journey. This category is for organisations with a minimum of 100 employees.
• Entrepreneur of Excellence – The Entrepreneur of Excellence Award recognises individuals who have created a viable business, showcasing entrepreneurship and innovation. Whether you’re an entrepreneur from a diverse background, or an entrepreneur with a business that has a specific focus on a strand of diversity, then this awards for you.
• Celebrity of the Year – A celebrity that has a passion for diversity and enhancement for inclusion, using their platform to highlight a specific issue/cause and influencing positive change across the UK.

Click here to find out more.

By Mend:

Every year Muslims all around the world observe fasting for 29 or 30 days. Ramadan is on the ninth month of the Islamic calendar which means the exact dates of Ramadan change every year. In 2021, it is expected that Ramadan will begin on 12th or 13th April 2021 and will end on 11th or 12th May 2021. Muslims can follow different Muslim countries so there can be variation by a day.

The Employment Rights Act 1996 states that every employee has the statutory right to ask to work flexibly after 26 week’s employment service. It is preferable that pre-agreed arrangements are made between the employer and Muslim employee with regards to flexible shift patterns in the month of Ramadan:

• people may prefer to start later in the morning and finish later
• or they may prefer to start earlier and finish earlier
• talk to your employee about their preferences

Click here to find out more.

The Centre for Ageing Better has launched a free library of positive and realistic images of people aged 50 and over.

The first free library showing ‘positive and realistic’ images of older people in a bid to challenge negative and stereotypical views of later life. The images show a more realistic depiction of ageing and old age – to provide alternatives to the commonly used pictures of ‘wrinkly hands’ or walking sticks. 

Click here to find out more.

The King’s Fund have published a new report highlighting the potential role of place-based partnerships in improving health and wellbeing and considering how these opportunities can be realised.

The report sets out a series of principles to help guide local health and care leaders in these efforts and explores how each principle can be applied, with examples of how they are being put into practice.

For more information about the Humber, Coast and Vale ICS and how this work is developing, you can contact Pippa Robson at Sector Support, 07791 040433 pippa@nbforum.org.uk

Click here for the report.

From the Charity Commission:

As Muslims enter the month of Ramadan, the Charity Commission is encouraging donors to take simple steps to ensure their donations reach the intended cause.

Ramadan is a time of huge generosity among British Muslims, with the Muslim Charities Forum estimating that, in previous years, UK donors have given over £130 million to charity during the holy month alone*.

Muslim communities across the UK have continued to support charities close to home and around the world over the past year, so they can continue to play a vital role in strengthening communities and improving lives during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Click here to read the full press release.

The Charity Commission is consulting on draft guidance on responsible investments.

‘Responsible investments’ refers to financial investments that align with a charity’s mission and purpose. The regulator announced the review in January, after an informal listening exercise last year found that the way responsible investment is outlined in its existing guidance does not give all trustees sufficient confidence that they can consider, or that the Commission supports, this approach to investment.

It has now published a draft of updated guidance, supported by refreshed legal analysis, and is asking charities and others to say whether the changes are clear, and make the guidance easier to use.

Click here to read the full press release.

From NVCO:

Volunteers’ Week 1-7 June

After a fallow year in 2020, we’re back and delighted to be taking forward the campaign in England this year, together with our partners that make up the UK Volunteering Forum:

• WCVA (Wales)
• Volunteer Scotland
• Volunteer Now (Northern Ireland).

Updated covid guidance

Let us help you get ready for lockdown easing. Keep an eye on our coronavirus involving volunteers guidance in the coming weeks to help you navigate the relaxing of restrictions carefully and safely.

Mass vaccination and the voluntary sector

We asked 60 organisations about mass vaccination. Here’s what we learned about barriers to mass vaccination and the role of charities and volunteers.

Click here for the full volunteer information from NCVO.