Update on Project Southchurch
Update on Project Southchurch
News
This is where we’ll post third sector news and important updates that are useful for your organisation.
More than 5,000 charity jobs have been lost due to the pandemic, research shows
Content from Third Sector
More than 5,000 charity workers have already been made redundant due to Covid-19, with arts and health charities taking the biggest hit, new research shows.
The New Philanthropy Capital redundancy monitor collates publicly announced national charity redundancies as a result of the crisis.
The charity think tank hopes to identify which areas are finding it toughest to maintain a fully staffed team as pandemic-related pressures mount up.
The launch of the online tool follows a recent NPC analysis that Britain’s largest charities still face a daunting financial black hole, even with the government help they’ve received, and despite the difficult cost-cutting decisions already made.
The tool shows that more than 3,800 redundancies were made in July alone, with health charities and the arts facing the biggest challenges to keep serving their beneficiaries.
NPC hopes that philanthropists will be able to use the redundancy monitor to target their giving, and allow policy makers to better understand where the sector is really struggling.
Tom Collinge, policy manager at NPC, said the findings were particularly worrying for cancer research and theatres:
“We designed this redundancy monitor to track where the sector is hurting the most. So far, it looks like health charities and the arts are taking the biggest hit, especially cancer research and theatres,”
“We will continue to monitor as new information becomes available, but if this trend continues it will mean less pioneering research which could undermine the fight against cancer, and a major hit to the cultural life of the nation.”
In July, Third Sector reported that Cancer Research UK plans to reduce the size of its workforce by almost a quarter as a result of a predicted £300m drop in income over the next three years.
The charity’s three-year strategy also revealed it would have to reduce its spending on research by £150m over the next four to five years.
A number of other major charities have announced in recent weeks that they are anticipating having to make significant redundancies because of the pandemic, including the National Trust, which is cutting up to 1,200 jobs, Oxfam, the British Heart Foundation and the RSPCA.
Seven in 10 charities could make redundancies in next year, poll indicates
Content from Third Sector
A third of charities believe they will need to make redundancies over the next year but the figure could be far higher, new research indicates.
Research carried out by the charity leaders body Acevo and the Centre for Mental Health shows 33 per cent of the 85 charities surveyed said they expected to have to make job cuts in the next 12 months.
But a further 36 per cent of respondents said they were unsure if they would have to make redundancies, meaning at worst almost seven in 10 charities could be cutting jobs over the next year.
The results come from polling that the two organisations have been carrying out each month with 85 charities in England and Wales since the coronavirus pandemic began to affect the voluntary sector.
Charities were asked about potential redundancies for the first time in the latest poll.
Kristiana Wrixon, head of policy at Acevo, said:
“It appears that the huge number of redundancy announcements we have seen over the last few weeks are just the tip of the iceberg.
“The Chancellor has said he wants to protect as many jobs as possible, but with only three in 10 respondents saying they do not think they will make redundancies over the next 12 months, it is clear a lot more support is required to protect jobs so that charities can be there for all of us as we feel the impact of what is predicted to be the biggest global economic crisis for almost 100 years.”
The data was collected between 28 July and 3 August.
Webinar Facebook Fundraising – 13 August 2020
As organizations like yours race to adapt activities in response to an increased need for your services, we wanted to share a few ways Facebook may be useful in your efforts. In this webinar you will learn: – Ways to fundraise on Facebook and Instagram – How to access Facebook and Instagram Fundraising Tools – Recommended Best Practices We look forward to having you join our session. The Facebook Social Good Team
https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/2528316401501719824
Charities should ‘review constitutions’ before government act expires, legal expert advises
Content from Third Sector
Charities should take advantage of relaxed laws around board and general meetings, or enact compliance measures, as soon as possible to ensure there are no future governance issues when the provisions end next month, a legal expert has advised.
Speaking to Third Sector, Nicola Evans, charities counsel at the law firm BDP Pitmans, warned organisations must not “bank on the government deciding to extend the 30 September deadline” for postponing AGMs and relaxing rules around general meetings.
The Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 received royal assent on 25 June this year, as part of the government’s emergency response to Covid-19.
The act allows some charities to hold board and members meetings virtually, even if the organisations’ constitutions do not permit it, and includes a relaxing of some corporate governance laws to help organisations deal with the challenges of meeting during the coronavirus pandemic.
It applies to charitable companies, charitable incorporated organisations and community benefit societies, but not to unincorporated organisations.
As well as letting members to attend meetings virtually, flexibility under the act allows for meetings that do not have to be held in a specific physical location, even if a charity’s governing document says that they should be.
It also permits votes to be placed electronically or in a way different from that set out in that charity’s constitution.
In addition, any organisation that was required by its constitution to hold an AGM during the crisis would be able to postpone the meeting until as late as September if necessary.
In June, Third Sector reported that the Charity Commission had updated its guidance after the act received royal assent.
“Coronavirus is having a major impact on charity events and the government’s health advice may lead to some charities having no choice but to decide to cancel or postpone their AGMs and other critical meetings… [temporary changes] make it lawful for charitable companies and charitable incorporated organisations to postpone members’ meetings or to hold them remotely, even if this is not allowed by the charitable company’s articles of association or the CIO’s constitution”
Charity Commission
Some charities that have clauses in their governing documents that allow them to meet virtually or over the phone, are advised to record any decisions made in this way “to demonstrate good governance of your charity”.
“[trustees should] check their governing document and see if they can make amendments themselves to facilitate changes as to how or when meetings are held”
Charity Commission
The guidance applies to any AGMs that were due to be held between 26 March and 21 August, temporarily overriding the timing requirements in a charity’s governing documents.
However, the measures under the act expire on September 30, unless the government believes an extension is necessary.
Evans is concerned that charities who have not yet made use of these provisions should check and review their constitutions as soon as possible:
“There are so many unknowns at the moment, including how long we will need social distancing and where or when any wider lockdown may be put in place.
“We also cannot bank on the government deciding to extend the 30 September deadline for postponing AGMs and relaxing the usual rules for general meetings.
“Charities that can take advantage of these provisions should review their constitutions now to see if they need more flexibility in there to help them operate in the months ahead.
“If so, they can take the opportunity to put changes to the members now in compliance with the relaxed regime. If they wait, the risk is that they lose that chance and give themselves governance problems further down the line.”
Nicola Evans, Charities Counsel, BDP Pitmans
Accessibility in Design
During the Learning Technologies Summer Forum 2020 our Project Lead, Emma Wardall, attended a webinar on making online learning accessible to all. Although the focus was on learning, the lessons within this webinar could be applied to any online form of communication.
Below, you can find the presentation from this webinar as well as some useful documents and links:
- PRESENTATION – Learning Experiences for All – A beginner’s guide to Accessibility
- Accessibility Checklist
- Accessibility Posters
- Dos and don’ts for making posters accessible
- Fonts which are best for people with Dyslexia
- Dyslexia friendly style guide
- Check if the contrast between background and font is easy to read
- Free screen reading software from NV Access
- Guidelines for adding subtitles to videos
- Adding image descriptions to Twitter for people who use screen readers
Effects of Covid19 on Cyber risk webinar
Gallagher held a webinar to discuss the effects of coronavirus lockdown on cyber risk, and have given us permission to share the recording of this webinar to our membership as the contents may be very important to your organisation.
“This is a really down to earth, useful, and somewhat scary webinar about cyber risks (not just Covid related) which have increased a lot with home working, and an interesting insight into the dark web.
“I’d really recommend spending an hour watching it, it has certainly changed my view of the risks out there.”
John Capel, Account Executive, Charity & Healthcare Division, Gallagher
Johnty who is on the webinar has offered a 30 minute no obligation review by video conference free of charge if this would help you.
Talking Risk Webinar: The Impact of COVID-19 on Cyber Risk
Free Covid and Risk Management Workshop
Free online workshop for charities and community groups
11.00am on 30th July 2020
Tim Larden, Ladbrook Insurance
As we emerge from the country-wide lockdown and more charity and voluntary groups are returning back to full operation, we know that groups understandably, facing increasing uncertainty. Some groups entirely ceased activities during the lockdown while others stepped in to provide new support to the vulnerable in their communities. Other groups had to immediately adapt, with remote working and other factors changing the way that services were delivered. In some cases, buildings remain closed or have been closed for some time.
This unique set of circumstances has bought new risks to the fore in the third sector. We will look at how to manage some of these risks and why risk management at this point in time, is more important than ever. How do groups operate safely as we emerge from lockdown. What are your responsibilities?
The session is led by Tim Larden of Ladbrook Insurance. Tim has 20 years of experience working in the insurance sector and runs Ladbrook, an award winning, specialist insurance brokerage that only works with clients in the third sector.
To book a place please contact sarah@maldoncvs.org.uk
To help guide the session, feel free to provide areas or questions you would like more information on in advance.
Risk Assessing from a Coronavirus Perspective
Luke from BHIB Insurance has provided a number of useful links for charities and community groups who are risk assessing from a coronavirus perspective.
Luke is available for free online training if you require additional support – email hello@bhibcharities.co.uk to find out more.
Useful Links
Risk Assessments
Cyber Security/Remote Meetings
- Risk management guidance for charities and voluntary organisations
- Cyber insurance for charities: why it is so important
- How to volunteer during coronavirus: a complete guide
- Why you need employers liability insurance for volunteers
Volunteering
- Why you need employers liability insurance for volunteers
- How to volunteer during coronavirus: a complete guide
Coronavirus
- Coronavirus action plan for charities
- What are the implications for charities of cancelling or pausing insurance during the coronavirus lockdown
- Coronavirus updates for charities, voluntary organisations, and community groups
Generic Insurance
- What types of insurance should I consider for my charity>
- Our guide to insuring a charity fundraising event
Mental Health and Volunteering
Governance and Trustees
- What are the implications for charities of cancelling or pausing insurance during the coronavirus lockdown?
- What types of insurance should I consider for my charity?
- Our guide to insuring a charity fundraising event
Marketing and Communications
World-leading study into long-term health impacts of COVID-19 launched by UKRI and NIHR
Content originally from Medical Research Council
Today, UKRI and NIHR are announcing £8.4 million funding for one of the world’s largest studies into the long-term physical and mental health impacts of coronavirus on hospitalised patients. Results from the UK-wide study will inform the development of new and better measures to treat and rehabilitate patients hospitalised with COVID-19.
Around 10,000 patients are expected to take part in the ground-breaking new study, led by the NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre, a partnership between the University of Leicester and the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust. The Post-HOSPitalisation COVID-19 (PHOSP-COVID) study will draw on expertise from a consortium of leading researchers and doctors from across the UK.
Read the full news article on the UKRI website.