Personnel and Volunteers

A Cultural Workforce Survey has been launched by the National Campaign for the Arts to gather data from everyone who works in the cultural sector, including board members/trustees and volunteers. Expected to be repeated annually, they will build evidence about employment in the sector and to understand challenges and potential for change.

Complete the survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PYXWVMS - no closing date given.

(Source: Voluntary Arts England newsletter)

An interim report has been published by the Volunteer Rights Inquiry, set up by Volunteering England following a number of high profile cases of volunteers being poorly treated by organisations.

Skills Third Sector has launched a consultation on developing a National Skills Strategy as a crucial tool for supporting a skilled workforce.

Consultation events around England have already started but continue in September. There is also an online questionnaire, closing date 1st October.

See http://www.skills-thirdsector.org.uk/research_policy/skills_strategy_consultation/.

A 'Charter for Strengthening Relations Between Paid Staff and Volunteers' has been developed by Wales Council for Voluntary Action and Wales Trades Union Congress. It sets out the key principles on which volunteering is organised and how good relations between paid staff and volunteers are built.

The Government Equalities Office has confirmed that the Equality Act, which brings together nine separate pieces of legislation into one single Act, will be introduced from October as planned by the previous government. There is still doubt over elements of the legislation which hadn't originally been included in this stage of implementation, such as requiring employers to publish the comparative pay of men and women.

KnowHow NonProfit, the learning site from the Centre for Charity Effectiveness, has a new home for its multimedia content, 'Voices from the sector'. Opinions and advice from "voluntary sector thought leaders" and others at http://www.knowhownonprofit.org/help/voices-from-the-sector/.

Volunteer Friendly Award, a "simple, user-friendly quality standard" to support, recognise and reward groups across Scotland who are good at involving volunteers, has a new website at http://www.volunteerfriendly.org.uk.

The standard has been developed by Volunteer Centre Dundee, which has been funded to spread it wider.

A work shadowing day between civil servants and charity workers, 'A Day in the Life' is organised by NCVO's Forum for Change and Compact Voice. Following a pilot in September 2009, more government departments are involved with the latest round.

It is open to all voluntary and community sector staff in England but will be particularly relevant to those who have regular contact with government departments and are looking to improve how they work with, and influence, civil servants.