Following the publication of the House of Lords Select Committee on Charities report in March 2017 (Stronger Charities for a Stronger Society), CAS has decided to bring the report to life in a practical way here in Suffolk: “Stronger charities for a stronger Suffolk” conference on Wednesday 7 February 2018.
Are you tired of hearing that volunteers are FREE?
Recommendation 28 from the report:
“Funders need to be more receptive to requests for resources for volunteer managers and coordinators especially for charities that have a strong volunteer base.”
One of the conference workshops will look at what can we do in Suffolk to ensure that funders and commissioners understand the real cost of effectively managing volunteers.
Recommendation 29 from the report:
“Scope for further effort by government to allow people to incorporate volunteering into their lives by encouraging employers to have greater flexibility enabling employees time off for charitable work.”
Another conference workshop will explore “employer supported volunteering”, with active case studies from Suffolk businesses and charities. The government says that many employers already have impressive volunteering schemes – is this your experience in Suffolk?
The conference will give delegates practical tips, actions and support. We will ensure everyone leaves having gained knowledge of the report and what it means to the VCSE sector. We will look at how we can all apply it in Suffolk, ensuring that a robust, resilient and sustainable sector thrives in its contribution to the communities we serve.
Keynote speakers and workshop leads include:
- The Baroness Scott of Needham Market
- Karl Wilding (Director of Policy, NCVO)
- Cllr Colin Noble (Leader, Suffolk County Council)
- MacBank (Digital Skills)
- Larking Gowen (Financial challenges)
- Alex Till (Chief Executive, Menta)
- Matt Woor (Social Media Channel Manager, Suffolk County Council)
- Ann Osborn (Project Manager, Rural Coffee Caravan Project)
- Sue Lowe (Office for Civil Society)
