IMAGO? You may well ask.
Rather then answer the question please click on the link below.
http://www.imago.community/
The charity has opened a shop on Crescent Road, Tunbridge Wells. Good quality stock: well worth a visit.
IMAGO began life as the Tunbridge Wells Council for Voluntary Service. It then became West Kent CVS and more recently Voluntary Action Within Kent.
Met up with many friends at this evening's official opening.
TYKE IN KENT'S THEOLOGICAL RAMBLINGS
Showing posts with label voluntary sector. Show all posts
Showing posts with label voluntary sector. Show all posts
Thursday, 24 September 2015
Tuesday, 11 December 2012
Rusthall Community and Youth Project
Pleased to see the November minutes of the parish council on-line. Keep up the good work.
One of the items discussed at the November meeting was the withdrawal of funding by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council for Rusthall Community and Youth Project and a request by the Project for the parish council to provide funding. The matter was deferred for further analysis of the Project's costs.
I hope the parish council does support the Project. It has been running for many years and at least two of the parish councillors have been trustees/officers. The leader of the Project, Mike Bassett, was awarded a Civic Medallion by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council in recognition of his sterling service to the Project.
One of the items discussed at the November meeting was the withdrawal of funding by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council for Rusthall Community and Youth Project and a request by the Project for the parish council to provide funding. The matter was deferred for further analysis of the Project's costs.
I hope the parish council does support the Project. It has been running for many years and at least two of the parish councillors have been trustees/officers. The leader of the Project, Mike Bassett, was awarded a Civic Medallion by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council in recognition of his sterling service to the Project.
Saturday, 1 December 2012
Kent County Council's version of localism
The Conservative Party has proclaimed the virtues of community engagement, community involvement and community action wrapping it up in the concept of 'localism' which in turn is part of the Big Society agenda. One of the leading proponents of localism is Greg Clark the MP for Tunbridge Wells.
The theory looks good, however turning theory into reality is somewhat more difficult. Step forward Kent County Council, under the kosh for its poor showing in the primary school performance league tables. The Council is responsible for youth services and as part of its budget reduction measures has decided to reduce funding for the youth service and moved away from a grants process to a commissioning process.
Kent County Council's commissioners rightly are looking for value for money but in so doing are able to influence the way in which the voluntary sector works, by encouraging mergers to reduce administrative costs and by reducing the number of organisations it has to engage with. Money talks, so the voluntary sector is controlled by the policies and decisions taken in County Hall.
A stark example of this is what has happened in Tunbridge Wells. Two organisations have fallen foul of the new commissioning regime and their future work, indeed the very future of the organisations now is in some doubt. At this point I declare an interest: I have been the chairman of both of the organisations, although my involvement ceased a few years ago.
One organisation, Number One Community Trust, put in a bid for funding, was unsuccessful and has been left high and dry. The other, Rusthall Community and Youth project, was put off applying by the 107 pages long notes for guidance.
Both organisations feel aggrieved that funding has been awarded to an organisation based in Ashford which will provide a mobile bus to service youth provision in the areas covered by the two organisations. The real worry is that the cuts in funding could lead to the demise eventually of both organisations, each rooted in and supported by the communities they serve. It makes a mockery of localism and reinforces my belief that when it comes to budgets statutory authorities (with a few exceptions) know the price of everything and the value of nothing,.
The theory looks good, however turning theory into reality is somewhat more difficult. Step forward Kent County Council, under the kosh for its poor showing in the primary school performance league tables. The Council is responsible for youth services and as part of its budget reduction measures has decided to reduce funding for the youth service and moved away from a grants process to a commissioning process.
Kent County Council's commissioners rightly are looking for value for money but in so doing are able to influence the way in which the voluntary sector works, by encouraging mergers to reduce administrative costs and by reducing the number of organisations it has to engage with. Money talks, so the voluntary sector is controlled by the policies and decisions taken in County Hall.
A stark example of this is what has happened in Tunbridge Wells. Two organisations have fallen foul of the new commissioning regime and their future work, indeed the very future of the organisations now is in some doubt. At this point I declare an interest: I have been the chairman of both of the organisations, although my involvement ceased a few years ago.
One organisation, Number One Community Trust, put in a bid for funding, was unsuccessful and has been left high and dry. The other, Rusthall Community and Youth project, was put off applying by the 107 pages long notes for guidance.
Both organisations feel aggrieved that funding has been awarded to an organisation based in Ashford which will provide a mobile bus to service youth provision in the areas covered by the two organisations. The real worry is that the cuts in funding could lead to the demise eventually of both organisations, each rooted in and supported by the communities they serve. It makes a mockery of localism and reinforces my belief that when it comes to budgets statutory authorities (with a few exceptions) know the price of everything and the value of nothing,.
Thursday, 17 May 2012
YUK awards
My regular reader knows that I dislike awards schemes. The irony is that an organisation I chaired in its early days, a few years ago, won the 'charity of the year' award at the Tunbridge Wells Borough Council's Love Where We Live awards ceremony.
http://tunbridgewells.so/my-town/love-where-we-live-awards-ceremony
http://tunbridgewells.so/my-town/love-where-we-live-awards-ceremony
Friday, 1 July 2011
White Elephants or Community Assets?
In Southborough there is a community centre known as Cafe Bliss. It was established by the Better Living in Southborough Society and has been a roaring success. Situated on the main road there is a heavy footfall which undoubtedly helps trade. Location, location, location. Local statutory and voluntary organisations hold surgeries at the premises and there is a thriving youth group. The success of Cafe Bliss owes much to the hard work and commitment of Elaine Lawrence.
In Showfields, Tunbridge Wells there is the Number One Community Centre. For various reasons the cafe has not been a success in recent years, the community does not engage with the centre and it has proved difficult to establish a vibrant community group.
The TN2 community centre in Sherwood is well located close to the shops and is quite busy. Unfortunately the layout of the building is appalling and this acts as a severe limitation on the activities which can be undertaken.
A problem common to Number One and TN2 is the degree of 'ownership' by the local communities. The communities do not have control of the centres, although it is not for want of trying by the local authorities to develop community engagement and participation.
One vibrant community in Tunbridge Wells has a thriving community group, the Rusthall Village Association. Rusthall has a recently formed parish council, a lunch club for older people and the long-standing Rusthall Youth and Community Project. The lunch club is held at one of the church halls and the youth project uses the local library outbuilding and a mobile hut it purchased and erected.
The two church halls and the Rusthall Club (a workingmens' club) are venues for community activities. The church halls are used by a variety of organisations.
The local housing association has built sheltered accommodation in Rusthall which should be open this September. Part of the building is a 'community facility', including a cafe. It will be interesting to see which local voluntary organisations make use of the facilities and the extent of public usage. One can but hope it will be successful. Given the nature of of the Rusthall community it could do well. My main concern is the effect it might have on the viability of other venues.
In Showfields, Tunbridge Wells there is the Number One Community Centre. For various reasons the cafe has not been a success in recent years, the community does not engage with the centre and it has proved difficult to establish a vibrant community group.
The TN2 community centre in Sherwood is well located close to the shops and is quite busy. Unfortunately the layout of the building is appalling and this acts as a severe limitation on the activities which can be undertaken.
A problem common to Number One and TN2 is the degree of 'ownership' by the local communities. The communities do not have control of the centres, although it is not for want of trying by the local authorities to develop community engagement and participation.
One vibrant community in Tunbridge Wells has a thriving community group, the Rusthall Village Association. Rusthall has a recently formed parish council, a lunch club for older people and the long-standing Rusthall Youth and Community Project. The lunch club is held at one of the church halls and the youth project uses the local library outbuilding and a mobile hut it purchased and erected.
The two church halls and the Rusthall Club (a workingmens' club) are venues for community activities. The church halls are used by a variety of organisations.
The local housing association has built sheltered accommodation in Rusthall which should be open this September. Part of the building is a 'community facility', including a cafe. It will be interesting to see which local voluntary organisations make use of the facilities and the extent of public usage. One can but hope it will be successful. Given the nature of of the Rusthall community it could do well. My main concern is the effect it might have on the viability of other venues.
Sunday, 2 January 2011
The State and Big Society
This link will take you to a recent report in The Guardian concerning the financial pressures on the voluntary sector. It shows just how dependent the sector has become on the State: indeed almost an arm of the State.
I have been issuing warnings about this for years - might as well have been talking to myself!
The Labour government was only too pleased to annex the sector into the State through not only providing funding for services but also by various other inter-meddling strategies.
I have been issuing warnings about this for years - might as well have been talking to myself!
The Labour government was only too pleased to annex the sector into the State through not only providing funding for services but also by various other inter-meddling strategies.
The Church and Big Society
The Archbishop of Canterbury has been sounding off again about the Big Society and the input of faith groups to this meaningless concept - meaningless in that it can mean anything.
In Kent there existed an organisation by the name of Church in Society. My avid reader will recall that the organisation was closed down by the Dioceses of Canterbury and Rochester last year. The new Bishop of Rochester has an interest in social justice matters.
I said at the time Church in Society was dissolved that it was short-sighted, indeed a disgrace. Anglican chickens are coming home to roost.
All this has to be set in the context of the Big Society concept of moving State activities which are, however tenuously, under democratic control to voluntary organisations which are not . A further issue is the extent to which voluntary organisations 'chase the funding' so becoming agents of the State in thrall to commissioners of services.
In Kent there existed an organisation by the name of Church in Society. My avid reader will recall that the organisation was closed down by the Dioceses of Canterbury and Rochester last year. The new Bishop of Rochester has an interest in social justice matters.
I said at the time Church in Society was dissolved that it was short-sighted, indeed a disgrace. Anglican chickens are coming home to roost.
All this has to be set in the context of the Big Society concept of moving State activities which are, however tenuously, under democratic control to voluntary organisations which are not . A further issue is the extent to which voluntary organisations 'chase the funding' so becoming agents of the State in thrall to commissioners of services.
Saturday, 13 November 2010
Kent Travels
For the past month I have been touring Kent on a bus promoting the work of voluntary sector organisations and volunteers. The bus has been to all the district council areas in Kent. What has impressed me has been the welcome and goodwill we have received from residents across the county: from Dartford to Dover and Sheerness to Tunbridge Wells.
The voluntary sector is expected by central government to play a major role in delivering the localism and Big Society agendas. Councils for voluntary service and volunteer centres have a crucial role to play: the former as a catalyst to connect front-line charities and community groups to government agencies, the latter to recruit and place volunteers.
The government should be encouraging local authorities to ensure there are sustainable CVSs and VCs across the country. Without them the localism and Big Society agendas will flounder.
The voluntary sector is expected by central government to play a major role in delivering the localism and Big Society agendas. Councils for voluntary service and volunteer centres have a crucial role to play: the former as a catalyst to connect front-line charities and community groups to government agencies, the latter to recruit and place volunteers.
The government should be encouraging local authorities to ensure there are sustainable CVSs and VCs across the country. Without them the localism and Big Society agendas will flounder.
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