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The Community and Voluntary Sector Forum (CVSF) is this week launching its annual elections campaign and is looking for people active in charities, voluntary groups and social enterprises to be nominated as ‘the voice of the sector' on a wide range of important citywide partnerships.

The CVSF is membership organisation and provides the route through which the views and experiences of communities and voluntary groups are represented in the city; there are currently 74 seats available on 22 different partnerships[i]. 

Sally Hiscock, Chief Officer of the CVSF said: "We have over 550 members, ranging from sports groups to older people's groups, campaigns, housing and health charities, large groups and small ones, all of which provide activities or support to people in Brighton and Hove. The experience of these groups is incredibly beneficial to the boards and partnerships which make decisions which affect us all; they are experts and really know what they are talking about. They rightly deserve their chance to speak and in doing so can ensure that services meet local need and that the community and voluntary sector is involved at every stage".

While most people in the UK vote in general elections, the turnout in 2005 was only 61%[ii], and less than 39%[iii] of local voters turned out for Brighton and Hove's council elections last year. The CVSF is hoping that its own elections will prove more enticing. Ms Hiscock continued: "The right to have our voices heard at these meetings has been hard fought, so these seats are incredibly valuable; this is a real chance to make ‘people power' work.  We know there are hundreds of people out there who would make excellent representatives and we urge them to think about taking on this prestigious challenge'.

Nomination packs are being sent to all CVSF members on 30 June, and the last day on which nominations can be submitted is 28 July. Voting takes place between 8 August and 10 September. 

The CVSF provides support to all its representatives, including a thorough induction session, a representative's resource pack, one to one support and some expenses.

Notes to editors

Full details of the CVSF's election can be seen at www.cvsectorforum.org.uk/elections08. 

[i] A summary of the vacant seats is available on request

[ii] Election 2005: engaging the public in Great Britain. (The Electoral Commission)

[iii] Brighton and Hove City Council Election Results 2007

The second issue of Spoke, the indispensible magazine for all in the community and voluntary sector, is launched next week.

With a focus on funding, it showcases successful fundraising ventures, as well as providing top tips, analysis and comment.

For a sneak preview, see it here!

A fun new event organised by the Community and Voluntary Sector Forum invites charities and community groups to claim their space!

‘Your Space' takes place at the Old Market in Hove on Wednesday 30 April between 4.00 and 7.30pm.  Groups will be able to share their news in ‘Free Space', get together in ‘Shared Space', make their own workshop in ‘Open Space' and enjoy a performance from Studioscape during ‘Show Space'.

The Community Festivals Forum and the Mental Health Network have already claimed their space and are holding networking sessions at the event, while the inaugural meetings of a citywide Art Network and a taster training session run by The Working Together Project will also be running. Attendees can choose which of the sessions to take part in.

Sally Hiscock of the Community and Voluntary Sector Forum says: "This is a brand new event for us so we urge lots of people to come along and try it out; the more people that turn up, the more fun it will be. And as well as the fun side of things, there are lots of carefully constructed workshops to help our members with what they do."

Your Space is free to attend and refreshments will be provided at different intervals during the event.  If you would like to attend, please contact Nicola Chanamuto on (01273) 234041 to book a place.

Want to know more about the thriving voluntary and community sector in Brighton & Hove? Spoke is a new magazine that has been launched to help the hundreds of community groups, charities and other third sector organisations[1] in the Brighton and Hove area. It includes stories about the work of local charities as well as a wealth of information to help them with their work in the community. This includes advice about training, health and safety, useful web pages and funding information.

Thea Allison, Chair of Spoke's Editorial Board, said:

"There are over a thousand charities and community groups in Brighton and Hove who will benefit enormously from having a regular magazine, tailored exactly to their needs.

"Spoke highlights news stories, examines policy documents, and offers a range of practical help and support. It also provides a fantastic opportunity for people to share their own stories and experiences in an arena which is sensitive to their needs and understands the often very difficult or complex messages they need to give".

Although Spoke is a brand new magazine, it has been created by a coalition of local charities and third sector organisations that have provided support to groups in the city for many years. They have pooled their efforts to provide a single magazine that covers a wide range of issues and have been supported by the council's Voluntary Sector Unit, who have also been involved and contributed funds to the project.

Ms Allison continued:

"By working together we can save our limited funds, whilst producing a high quality magazine in larger quantities. We can reach more people without duplicating our efforts. It is a very good example of the benefits that partnership working can bring".

The first issue of Spoke includes news on a new health and safety scheme, a feature on Woodingdean Youth Centre and ‘Spoke's Guide to Health and Safety'.

It is free of charge and will be posted to voluntary groups and charities. It can also be obtained by contacting the Community and Voluntary Sector Forum on (01273) 234000.

NOTES

1. Spoke has been produced by a partnership of groups that support local voluntary and community organisations, including Brighton and Hove Business Community Partnership, The Community and Voluntary Sector Forum, The Federation of Disabled People, SCIP, The Working Together Project and the Council's Voluntary Sector Unit.

2. Spoke magazine is a sister publication of the Support for Groups website (www.supportforgroups.org.uk) and has been developed under ChangeUp programme.

[1] Third sector organisations include charities, voluntary groups, community groups and social enterprises.

A conference for CVSF member groups who experience, oppose and resist prejudice, discrimination and social exclusion.

The conference aims to explore and agree actions, through discussions and workshops, which forwards the agenda of communties of interest groups. Headlines for discussion include:

• Potential for and development of and Equality Coalition
• Building an Equalities Compact to strengthen grups and representation
• "People and Place" - the way forward (Reducing Inequality Review), making it work
• New models exploring how consultation could work for your group

The conference takes place on Tuesday 11 March, Hove Town Hall, from 10am to 4pm. For more information, or to book a place, contact Nicola Chanamuto on (01273) 234041 or email nicola@cvsectorforum.org.uk

The very last edition of the Forum's quarterly magazine, Dialogue, is now available online.

A new, monthly email version will be available early next year, when a new, sector wide magazine as part of the Support for Groups project, is also launched.

In the meantime, see the latest, and last Dialogue here.

From house to street to neighbourhood to city, community groups have a valuable role to play in helping residents and communities to have a sense of belonging and strong relationships with each other and with their city.

The Community and Voluntary Sector Forum has organised an event which will look at different ways in which this can be achieved, to: 

• Build relationships and trust and improve community cohesion
• Improve communication and dialogue and develop effective representation
• Value local power and knowledge

An example of the good work, taking place in Portsmouth, who have recently been named a ‘Community Empowerment Champion' (like Brighton and Hove) in the recent Local Government Action Plan on Community Engagement[i], will also be showcased.

The event, ‘Power to the People', takes place on Thursday 8 November, from 6 - 8pm at the Jubilee Library in Brighton. It is free to attend and is open to anyone who works for a community or voluntary group or charity in Brighton and Hove.

For more information or to book a place contact Nicola Chanamuto on (01273) 234041 or email nicola@cvsectorforum.org.uk.  

Ends

Note to editors

1. The Community and Voluntary Sector Forum has over 500 members, all of whom are charities or voluntary groups in the Brighton and Hove area.

1. This event has been organised as part of the Stronger Communities Programme, which brings together organisations and communities to have a meaningful voice on the 2020 Community Partnership (Brighton and Hove's Local Strategic Partnership).

1. By bringing together people who have experience and knowledge of different issues and areas, to work together, the community and voluntary sector has a much stronger voice to help improve the city for the benefit of local people.

[i] See http://www.gnn.gov.uk/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=324098&NewsAreaID=2 for full press release.

Working together to reduce health inequalities in the City.

A city where people are active and healthy is one of Brighton and Hove's aspirations, and an event being organised by the Community and Voluntary Sector Forum (CVSF) aims to tease out a range of priorities to help achieve this. The event, ‘All Well And Good?' which takes place from 6 - 8pm on Tuesday 16 October at St Mary's Church Hall, Kemp Town, will bring together community groups, and others interested in health, to prioritise the key issues.

Part of a series of Stronger Community Programme events, the issues raised at this meeting will be prioritised and worked into a position statement. Members of the CVSF will have further opportunity to comment on them when they go online.

Sally Hiscock, Chief Officer the CVSF said: "These events are vital in pulling together the top campaign messages on a range of issues.  Whatever is discussed here, whether its how to help people stop smoking, stop teenage pregnancies or reduce levels of obesity, the ideas and opinions made will go forward and be used to influence local policy."

The event is free to attend and is open to anyone who works for a community or voluntary group or charity or is involved in health in Brighton and Hove.

For more information or to book a place contact Nicola Chanamuto on (01273) 234041 or email nicola@cvsectorforum.org.uk.  

Note to editors

• The Community and Voluntary Sector Forum has over 500 members, all of whom are charities or voluntary groups in the Brighton and Hove area.
• This event has been organised as part of the Stronger Communities Programme, which brings together organisations and communities to have a meaningful voice on the 2020 Community Partnership (Brighton and Hove's Local Strategic Partnership).
• By bringing together people who have experience and knowledge of different issues and areas, to work together, the community and voluntary sector has a much stronger voice to help improve the city for the benefit of local people.

• Brighton & Hove City Council - Grants to Smaller Organisations
• The Sussex Community Fund
• The Co-operative Community Fund
• BBC Children in Need
• The Scarman Trust
• Heritage Lottery Fund
• The Argus
  

Groups can  come along and book a 10-15mins time slot with the funding organisations to discuss whether their ideas for funding are appropriate for a particular fund. 

It is a great opportunity to come along and make contact with funders and receive valuable information that will help funding applications.

It takes place on Thursday 25 October from 7-9pm at Brighthelm, North Road, Brighton. For more information contact Ann Taylor, Youth Focus, on (01273) 764601