News

You need a Flu Friend

H1N1 swine flu continues to spread across the UK, with an increasing number of cases daily. This rate of transmission is likely to increase still further. It is therefore vitally important that everyone chooses their own flu friends as soon as possible.

Flu friends are relatives, neighbours and friends who will collect medicines, food and other important supplies for you (including antiviral drugs) if you contract swine flu. People with swine flu should stay home, so having a support network to purchase your essentials is very important. They will form a vital lifeline for you if you do fall ill.

The best people to serve as flu friends are neighbours, friends and relatives who live near you, people who could easily collect antiviral medications for you, and who you would be happy to share your personal health details with. Of course, your flu friends could fall ill themselves. You should therefore have more than one, up to about three or four is recommended.

In addition, you could consider yourself becoming a flu friend to a vulnerable individual such as an elderly or disabled person who lives alone in your area.

If you cannot identify a flu friend, local groups are setting up flu friend networks. Community groups, faith groups and voluntary organisations are all involved, phone the local council for details or visit the following websites:

Everyone should take the following steps as soon as possible:

1. Identify your flu friends and check that they are happy to help you.
2. Complete the flu friend form as soon as possible and keep it in a safe place e.g. on the fridge or by the phone. NHS Swine Flu leaflet
3. Think about neighbours who may live alone or family members that might need help and offer to be their flu friend.

You will need the first and last name from your flu friend in order to collect antiviral medication from a pharmacy or antiviral collection point on their behalf. You and your flu friend will be given the details of the pharmacy or antiviral collection point which is where the flu friend will need to collect the antiviral medication.

Public Health Director Melanie Sirotkin says 'As swine flu hits Tameside and Glossop it is hugely important for people to support one another. People with the flu should stay indoors, so they will need other people for the provision of both anti-viral drugs and basic supplies like food and drink. The best way for people to build up that support is to identify their flu friends as soon as they can with the forms which will be available from a variety of public places. If you can identify a vulnerable person in your community and volunteer as their flu friend, you will be a massive help both to them and the community as a whole.'

For more on Swine flu see our Swine Flu information page

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How is the credit crunch affecting voluntary and community organisations locally?

Tony Okotie, Director at T3SC, is keen to hear how the credit crunch is affecting voluntary and community organisations working in Tameside. It will help us to ensure that we can tailor our services appropriately, and to help us build a picture to inform strategic partners and to advocate for increased resources for the sector.

If you have any specific examples, thoughts or comments, please let Tony know: 0161 339 4985 or tony.okotie@t3sc.org

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Surviving the recession: Resources
 
'The economic downturn is creating difficulties for local third sector organisations as demands for services rise whilst funding gets tighter. NAVCA need to be able to help our members in their vital role of supporting their local third sector.' Kevin Curley, Chief Executive of NAVCA

Below are a list of the resources available nationally for voluntary and community organisations.

Locally, T3SC is keen to hear from organisations about how you are being affected/likely to be affected by the recession, so we can tailor support to assist you through these difficult times. So please get in touch.

Free Health Checks for your organisation
We have recently launched a new Free Health Checks which are a really good way of checking your organisations’ health?

Then why not getting in touch with T3SC for a free organisational health check!
Contact Naomi or Ruth on 0161 339 4985 or email naomi.creed@t3sc.org  

NAVCA recession help webpages
NAVCA (National Association of Voluntary and Community Action) has launched dedicated webpages to assist local infrastructure organisations to be better prepared to support their local third sector to avoid the worst aspects of the recession. The pages allow visitors to see how NAVCA is providing recession support, find out how other organisations can help them, get data about how the recession is impacting on the third sector and provides a selection of the best available resources all in one place, making it easy for visitors.
The webpages can be viewed at www.navca.org.uk/recession  

Fundraising HealthCheck
Fundraising HealthCheck is a FREE, confidential diagnostic tool to help you understand the impact of the recession on your fundraising portfolio.
Armed with your net income and/or your investment budget, you can use Fundraising HealthCheck to generate customised reports that provide:
• A prognosis for each area of your fundraising, based on past experience and current trends
• Practical advice and guidance on how to survive and thrive during the economic downturn
www.fundraisinghealthcheck.org

Recession advice portal
ACEVO has launched an advice and support web portal to help its members through these challenging times. ‘Recession Support’ has sections on areas such as finance, managing your organisation and CEO development. www.recessionsupport.org.uk

Confidential helpline
Charities Aid Foundation has set up a confidential helpline for charity leaders seriously worried about their financial situation. The freephone ‘Financial Crisis Helpline’ is staff by experienced managers who will talk through your concerns and suggest possible steps you could take. www.cafonline.org/Default.aspx?page=16919

NCVO Recession Resources
Information on recession-proof your organisation and crisis management. www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/downturn.asp

Recession-proof your organisation (article from NVCO)
Leaders should cover all the bases, says NCVO Deputy Chief Executive Ben Kernighan. The recession is going to be challenging for leaders and managers of voluntary and community organisations, and there are a number of areas you need to consider. A good starting point is to ensure you are clear about which of your organisation's activities contribute most to your mission. If you then have to cut or defer activity, you have a clear basis for doing so. Bear in mind that the recession might change the pattern of demand for your services, or put a new slant on your campaigning activity.
 
In these turbulent times, organisations might have to act quickly and decisively. Good systems for receiving information about financial performance will make all the difference. You should also consider ways you can reduce costs - for example, through bulk purchasing schemes and more effective use of technology.

Your organisation may have to consider things it wouldn't normally have to in order to ensure its survival. Diversifying income streams, working in collaboration and merging are some of the options you might have to look at. These are things most organisations should be aware of in any climate, so if the recession forces you to consider them in more detail that could be a good thing.
 
Staff might be anxious about what is happening to the organisation, and transparent and consistent messages about how the organisation is performing will help to alleviate any worries. Recognise the value of your people; retaining and motivating your best people is critical. Don't cut your training budget.
Finally, leaders have to be realists and optimists.

A recession is a great test of your ability to balance these skills. Many managers in the sector are great at this, and their organisations will continue to make a huge contribution to society at a time when the need for our services is going to be greater than ever.
Source: www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/recessionresources/index.asp?id=13254  
 

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T3SC Newsletter and E-Bulletin

T3SC produce a monthly E-Bulletin which is available free to subscribers. Email Hannah Powell to subscribe and make sure the next free issue goes straight to your inbox.

Here is the latest April 09 E-Bulletin

Newsletter
As well as the E-Bulletin we produce a quarterly hard copy newsletter. We welcome contributions to the newsletter from local groups; if you have a story to tell or information you would like to share, please contact us.

If you haven't got your hand on the latest copy here is a PDF of
Spring 09 Newsletter

Guidelines for writing for T3SC

Deadlines:
Autumn 09 Newsletter: 6 August (the newsletter will be with readers the first week of September)
For all the Newsletter and E-Bulletin deadlines 2009

To see archived E-Bulletins go to our
E-Bulletin page.
Please send any articles or ideas to Hannah Powell

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Tameside has a quality service

T3SC is formally recognised as a quality service.
T3SC are celebrating after receiving a quality award from the national body – NAVCA (National Association for Voluntary and Community Action). They are now in the top 1% of the UK’s 350 CVS’ (Council for Voluntary Services).

What does the award mean?
The Quality Award demonstrates the impact the organisation has working with local voluntary and community groups and communities in Tameside. T3SC has been recognised for delivering quality and the standard will be regularly assessed to ensure this standard is maintained.

Tony Okotie, Director of T3SC commented, ’This is a fantastic achievement for the organisation and demonstrates the positive affect we are having in Tameside’s voluntary and community sector. The staff team have worked really hard to evidence the work that we do.’

T3SC have been working towards the award for the last few months and were judged by an inspector who gathered evidence and interviewed staff and stakeholders.

For more information on T3SC receiving the award or for an interview, contact: Tony Okotie, email tony.okotie@t3sc.org , Tel: 0161 339 4985
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Jobs in the voluntary and community sector

T3SC's Jobs page is constantly updated with jobs from the voluntary and community sector. Check it regularly for the latest opportunities.

How to do business with the council

Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council (Tameside M.B.C.) spends approximately £90 million per annum on the provision of goods, services and works. The Council is committed to providing a high quality service to meet both the current and future needs of local people. Suppliers have a key role to play and the Council encourages competition, welcoming bids from both new and existing suppliers.

This guide has been produced to assist suppliers by:

How to do business with the council - suppliers guide

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