General

New 'Inspiring Communities' guide launched to help people get involved in community activities

The Department for Communities and Local Government has launched a tips and advice guide designed to help encourage people of all ages and backgrounds to get further involved in local life and bring lasting improvements to their communities. From kick starting local projects, organising community festivals and engaging local businesses, the Inspiring Communities guide offers practical tips for anyone interested in running similar projects. It draws upon real life examples highlighting the experiences and the important and creative contributions made by communities across the country. Visit the website to read more and download the guide:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/newsstories/newsroom/1924587 

Centre for Intergenerational Practice (CIP)

The Centre for Intergenerational Practice (CIP) aims to support the development and promotion of intergenerational practice as a catalyst for social change; the Centre is an initiative of the Beth Johnson Foundation. Through its funding sources and partners, it seeks to provide expert support to develop intergenerational practice across the UK and Europe
The Centre aims to support managers, practitioners and volunteers in the Voluntary and Community Sector, policy makers, and regional and national government to develop more cohesive communities by:
• promoting intergenerational practice as an effective mechanism to improve the understanding and relationships between people of different generations and cultures
• developing the evidence base and understanding of intergenerational practice at national, regional and local levels
• to develop a Learning and Development model to support Local Authorities in progressing their intergenerational programmes and plans in a climate of diminishing financial support
Visit the website to find out more:
http://www.centreforip.org.uk/

Setting up a small charity

The Charity Commission has produced new web resources "for small charities and anyone thinking of setting up a small charity". Most charities have a small income or consider themselves small. Their needs and legal requirements are different than those of larger charities. They can also face different challenges. To make things easier, the Charity Commission has brought guidance and resources relevant to small charities together on a section of their website. There is lots of useful information to look at. Go to:
http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/Charity_requirements_guidance/Specialist_guidance/Small_charities/default.aspx

Proving your worth to Whitehall

In this document produced by New Philanthropy Capital in preparation for the tough Comprehensive Spending Review this autumn, the Treasury has posed a series of 9 questions to government departments to force them to focus on which services are essential and which can be cut. The questions are not designed with charities in mind, but charities should be capable of answering them. Charities are concerned about the prospects for public spending and many are facing cuts already, so it may be useful to read the document and answer the questions which, in effect, will subject the charity to the same scrutiny faced by government spending departments. If charities can successfully answer the questions being asked of Whitehall departments, they could build a stronger case for survival. They might become more resistant to departments looking to make cuts. Their case could be more compelling to local authorities. You can download the document here.

Informing service delivery from community engagement

If you are working at the local community level, "Integrating community engagement and service delivery pointers to good practice" may be worth a browse. This guide from Local Government Improvement and Development (formerly IDeA), aims to help local authorities ensure that the results of their community engagement processes (that is, what people say) are built into their service plans and the ways that they deliver services. It completes the circle of finding out what communities think, feeding back and then acting on it.