More Effective Campaigning

Bournemouth VCS Voice

Boscombe Link, 3-5 Palmerston Road, Bournemouth BH1 4HN 01202 466130

www.bournemouthcvs.org.uk Company No: 4024662 Charity No: 1081381

Giving Voice to the Voluntary and Community Sector in Bournemouth

Page 2 - Spotlight on Volunteering

Hannah Pateman - Bournemouth CAB

Page 3 - Local Focus

Dorset Race Equality Council

Page 4 - Good News

Dates for your diary and news from BCVS

New BCVS Membership Year

Our new membership year begins on 1st April. If you would like more information on the many

benefits of membership or how to become a member please contact Romany Meehan by

phone on 01202 466130 or by email at: romany.meehan@bournemouthcvs.org.uk

Issue 8Issue 8

Spring 2014Spring 2014

Many beneficial changes are brought about by the

successful campaigning work of voluntary and

community organisations. On 7th February we

worked in partnership with Poole CVS and the Sheila

McKechnie Foundation to hold an Introduction to

Campaigning Workshop. The event was fully booked

and our guest speakers were Tobias Ellwood MP for

Bournemouth East and Andy Martin, Deputy Editor

of News at the Bournemouth Echo. Tobias and Andy

gave presentations on how voluntary and community

organisations can engage with MPs and the media to

have their work enhanced, recognised and

publicised. They also offered advice on the tools and

methods of contact available as well as providing a

Q&A session for delegates seeking advice on

making their work more effective. Tobias Ellwood MP and Andy Martin

Spotlight on Volunteering

Hannah Pateman Bournemouth Citizens

Advice Bureau

In this issue we spoke with Hannah Pateman, a 21 year old volunteer with Bournemouth Citizens Advice Bureau. Hannah is a second year law student at Bournemouth University and wants to special-ise in personal injury law. Hannah decided to do some voluntary work at Bournemouth CAB so she could get a feel for dealing with people on an individual basis and to learn about the issues affecting the local community. After researching Bournemouth CAB online she contacted them to offer her time and within three weeks Hannah was volunteering with them as a Gateway Assessor. Bournemouth CAB help local people with a variety of issues such as debt, benefits, relationships and housing. Hannah’s role involves giving information to clients in order to help them resolve their problems and give them guidance on the first steps to take. If people need further assistance she will book them an appointment with one of the expert advisers. She also compiles data to identify recurring problems which may be affecting people both locally and nationally. This allows

the Bureau as a whole to campaign against these problems. Their most recent campaign is to ensure the system which assesses whether persons are sick or disabled is fit for purpose and does not continue to let down vulnerable members of society.

“Volunteering motivates me to aim higher. I want to bring

justice to members of my local community”

Hannah particularly enjoys speaking with members of the local community and seeing how policies and laws affect the Bournemouth area and residents. She would recommend volunteering to everyone as a way of learning new skills, making a positive impact on your local community, feeling good about yourself and helping other people. She has recently begun blogging on behalf of Bournemouth CAB to publicise the work they do and to show the positive effect of volunteering. To date Bournemouth CAB has helped almost 15,000 local residents and are hoping to raise that number even more. As well as offering 1:1 appointments with advisers at a number of advice clinics across the town they have a helpline for telephone assessments. You can reach this by calling 08444 111444. For more information go to the Bournemouth CAB website: www.bournemouthcab.co.uk or follow them on Twitter: @bournemouthcab

Volunteer Centre Bournemouth

We have 323 volunteer opportunities for

people of all ages currently available with local voluntary organisations. If you would like any further information, or if you need volunteers to help your organisation, please contact Amy Dowling, Volunteer Centre Broker on 01202 466130 (9.30am - 2pm) or send an email to: volunteeradmin@bournemouthcvs.org.uk

Local Focus

Dorset Race Equality Council

Dorset Race Equality Council (DREC) is an independent and impartial membership body working to inform and educate communities and professionals around Dorset regarding race and ethnic relations and inequalities as well as promoting diversity and eliminating discrimination. Their work impacts on two main audiences; firstly on ethnic minority communities, bigger and smaller community groups, local charities, individuals, young people and the overall general public. Secondly, the work impacts on various public sector organisa-tions such as local councils, health service providers and the police as well as those working in the private sector ie local businesses. With both of these audiences DREC aims to raise awareness of race and ethnic equality issues, challenge prejudice and disadvantage and promote the importance of a diverse society. Through reaching out to the general public they inform ethnic individuals of their rights, promote values of equality and diversity and also provide community based case work and advocacy to support victims of racial discrimination. Some of their work also concentrates on influencing policy and combatting racial discrimination and racial violence.

Strengthening and promoting good commu-nity relations between persons of different racial groups is core to their values and activities. In 2013 DREC initiated a project with Bournemouth and Poole College Arts and Design School students around positive images relating to Dorset’s diverse commu-nities, celebrating cultures with a hint of anti-racism messages. The students did extensive research on the topic of racism and multicultural integration and came up with stunning graphics which were turned into an exhibition. In January 2014 DREC launched the “Positive Images” exhibition which beautifully illustrates the message of ‘One Dorset, One Community and One People’. DREC will be touring around Dorset in 2014 with the exhibition so there will be an opportunity for everyone to see the artwork created by the students.

DREC also co-ordinate a regular Diversity Forum in partnership with Bournemouth CVS and Poole CVS which aims to build the capability of diversity groups and organisations within the voluntary and community sector and to promote their effective involvement in the development of policies, planning and delivery of services. Dates for future Diversity Forums and further information on all the valuable work being undertaken by DREC can be found on their website: www.dorsetrec.org.uk or alternatively you can email them at: enquiries@dorsetrec.org.uk

Dorset Race Equality Council CEO,

Adnan Chaudry (left) with the Mayor of

Bournemouth (right) at a Kick Racism

Out of Football Event

Artwork from the ‘One Dorset, One

Community and One People’ exhibition

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

WHAT WHERE WHEN

Children & Young People Forum Friends Meeting House, Boscombe 6th March 10am - 12.30pm

Funding Applications Training East Cliff Church, Holdenhurst Road 13th March 10am - 1pm

Being a Charity Trustee Training St Michaels Church, Poole Road 26th March 6.30pm - 9pm

Safeguarding Children Refresher First Point Plus, Wimborne Road 31st March 5.45pm - 9pm

Criminal Justice Forum St Michaels Church, Poole Road 1st April 2pm - 4pm

Good Governance Training Community Links Room, Poole College 9th May 10am - 12pm

Children & Young People Forum Friends Meeting House, Boscombe 5th June 10am - 12.30pm

Intro to Lottery Funding Training Moordown Community Centre 8th July 10am - 1pm

If you have some news to share or if you would like further information on anything in this newsletter please email

contactus@bournemouthcvs.org.uk or telephone 01202 466130

There is some office space available to rent at Boscombe Link. BCHA are the building managers and terms are £1k per annum per desk with all rates included. Please contact Kim Bartlett at BCHA by email at kimbartlett@bcha.org.uk for more information.

NEWS FROM BOURNEMOUTH CVS

NEWS FROM THE VCS

Hospital Radio Bedside are cele-brating a record year for request collecting and fundraising events. 7,470 music requests were collected from patients in 2013, averaging 622 a month. They also raised £8,921 to help keep the station broadcasting.

A new young children’s soft play group has been set up at the Heatherlands Centre after they received funding from Synergy Housing and East Dorset Council

Lewis-Manning received a glowing report from a recent Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection at the hos-pice, with 100% compliance across all standards, and has also announced plans for a large recruitment drive.

Slades Farm Community Garden have begun work on their new pond. More fruit trees and bushes have been planted and the bug hotel is thriving.

130 professionals from across Dorset attended a conference to raise aware-ness of Human Trafficking. It was organised by BCHA, Purple Teardrop Campaign and Soroptimist of Poole.

Body Positive Dorset’s new HIV Education Program has flourished since inception in October 2013. A range of learning solutions has been designed & extremely positive feedback received from diverse audiences.

The Cherry Tree Nursery has received a donation of £9,000 from the Dorset Golf and Country Club. This is the largest donation of this kind received by Cherry Tree. The money will be used to start phase 3 of the Sustainable Building Replacement Programme to replace the old porta-cabin volunteer office with a new one.

Diverse Abilities Plus recently welcomed volunteer teams from LV= and Bournemouth University to revamp their Smithers, Barnabas and Langside facilities. As well as sprucing up the gardens the chicken coop and run were repaired