nonprofit digital engagement & communications consultant, social media evangelist, social entrepreneur and philanthropist.
Crisis welcomes committee conclusion on Work Programme
Crisis has welcomed the report of the Work and Pensions Select Committee and its conclusion that the Work Programme is failing to move homeless people closer to work. The Work and Pensions Select Committee report, released today, states that the Work Programme is ‘not reaching the most disadvantaged’, singling out homeless people as one of the groups not receiving the help they need. Leslie Morphy, chief executive of Crisis, said: “The Work Programme has been a huge disappointment for too many homeless people. It has taken them no closer to what they really want: a better life through work.
Cross government reforms hope to benefit charities
A comprehensive package of measures to help the voluntary sector and mutuals compete for contracts to cut reoffending was announced today by the Cabinet Office and the Ministry of Justice. This follows proactive engagement with a range of organisations from the voluntary sector, social enterprises and entrepreneurial staff in Probation Trusts looking to form new mutuals. Many of these measures are being introduced in response to the recommendations set out in social enterprise organisation 3SC’s action plan.
Rise in ethnic ghettos reduces interaction
Almost half of ethnic minority people in England and Wales now live in areas where white British people are in a minority
Public sector told to buy IT through the cloud as G-Cloud iii goes live
Government departments ordered to buy IT products and services through the cloud unless they can prove other options are better value for money
Two appointed to new immigration service
Following the disbanding of the UK Border Agency, two temporary director generals have been announced
MoJ ''turns tide'' on compensation culture
Fees lawyers make from processing basic claims for minor injuries from road accidents will be halved
Web inventor welcomes openness pledges from eight more countries
Eight new countries have been welcomed to the Open Government Partnership by Tim Berners-Lee and UK minister Francis Maude
Sex education must improve and teach children about porn, warns Ofsted
Sex education must be improved in a third of schools examined by Ofsted in a new report which said issues including pornography needed a strong focus
National media briefing: the Mammal Society, Buglife and the Marine Conservation Society; Young Epilepsy; the Stroke Association; and Harry Potter book sold for £150,000 at charity auction
Charities in today's national news
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation increased spend by 5.9 per cent last year
The grant-maker's annual report for 2012 shows it spent £37.6m on grants and social investment, up from £35.5m in 2011
Nesta unveils online directory of UK crowdfunding platforms
CrowdingIn has been written to help charities find suitable crowdfunding websites and includes a filtering system, says Liam Collins, a policy adviser at Nesta
The Co-operative Group and British Gas are among the big winners at the Business Charity Awards
Divisions of the Co-op picked up three prizes and the energy supplier took Business of the Year at last night's ceremony in London
WRVS changes name to Royal Voluntary Service
The older people's charity says the change is to make clear that it does not only support and work with female volunteers
National media briefing: the Mammal Society, Buglife and the Marine Conservation Society; Young Epilepsy; the Stroke Association; and Harry Potter book sold for £150,000 at charity auction
Charities in today's national news
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation increased spend by 5.9 per cent last year
The grant-maker's annual report for 2012 shows it spent £37.6m on grants and social investment, up from £35.5m in 2011
Nesta unveils online directory of UK crowdfunding platforms
CrowdingIn has been written to help charities find suitable crowdfunding websites and includes a filtering system, says Liam Collins, a policy adviser at Nesta
The Co-operative Group and British Gas are among the big winners at the Business Charity Awards
Divisions of the Co-op picked up three prizes and the energy supplier took Business of the Year at last night's ceremony in London
WRVS changes name to Royal Voluntary Service
The older people's charity says the change is to make clear that it does not only support and work with female volunteers
More charity communications and campaigning news, jobs and blogs
Local fundraising training scheme for volunteers offered to other CVSs
The Fundraising Hub, created by the local infrastructure body Voluntary Action Arun and Chichester, has helped volunteers to raise more than £650,000 since 2011
CSV launches volunteer placement scheme to help smaller charities in London measure impact
Beverly Frain, head of employee volunteering, says the scheme will benefit organisations that struggle to capture their impact data
Unite calls for an end to unpaid internships in charities
A report published by the union urges the voluntary sector to pay all interns the minimum wage and stop "exploiting" them
Half of volunteer centres in England lost more than a quarter of their income last year
National Council for Voluntary Organisations' survey shows average annual income was the lowest since 2008, but Justin Davis Smith says picture is "not universally bleak"
WRVS to drop the 'W' from its name, according to report
Women's Royal Voluntary Service, founded in the 1930s to help civilians during and after air raids, will not confirm or deny the change
I'm an experienced charity communications consultant, specialising in social media, digital activism, online fundraising and campaigning.