Protecting vulnerable people from harm must be a
non-negotiable priority for the entire charity sector, Civil
Society Minister has said.
The Minister said it is vital that all charity employees and
volunteers are able to spot warning signs of unacceptable
behaviour, bullying and harassment and know how to handle and
report concerns.
She has announced that Government and The National Lottery
Community Fund are investing £1.2 million to develop new training
to improve charities’ knowledge of safeguarding requirements. The
National Council for Voluntary Organisations will bring together
a partnership of organisations to develop the high-quality
training.
Minister for Civil Society said:
This funding will support employees, volunteers and members of
the public to have confidence in handling and reporting
concerns. And that means charity leaders must take a zero
tolerance approach to misconduct and make sure proper
protections are in place.
Safeguarding is one of my key priorities. This training will
make a huge difference ensuring charities, big or small, know
their responsibilities, how to report concerns and have easily
accessible advice to hand.
The training is part of a package of measures that comes 6 months
after the launch of the Civil Society Strategy.
The Strategy - the first of its kind - set out a vision for how
government, the public, social and private sectors can work
together to support thriving communities and build a fairer
society.
The Minister has also announced:
Five organisations across England will receive a share of
£250,000 of government funding to help tackle barriers to
volunteering in later life. The Age-Friendly and Inclusive
Volunteering Fund, launched in partnership with the Centre for
Ageing Better, will develop new ways to encourage older people to
take part in voluntary and community activity. The government
recognises the importance of tackling barriers to volunteering.
The winning areas are:
Age UK Oxfordshire will use £53,340 to provide group support for
bereaved people to help them feel confident about moving into
volunteering, to improve wellbeing and combat loneliness.
Kent Coast Volunteering (£52,698) will target vulnerable and
isolated older people in Thanet, East Kent to help them overcome
physical and emotional barriers to volunteering.
Hastings Voluntary Action (£54,189) will reach out to BAME
groups, refugees and asylum seekers to encourage them to
volunteer.
Age UK North Craven (£56,611) will target older people in rural
areas of Craven District of North Yorkshire to get involved in a
community good-neighbour initiative.
Sustain (£55,332) will lead a London-wide project that will build
on existing successful community food growing projects and target
areas that have high levels of diversity and deprivation.
A further £144,000 is being invested to increase the number of
places available to young people from disadvantaged areas in
uniformed youth groups. Scouts will receive £130,000 to work with
the National Autistic Society to develop resources about autism
and support adult volunteers and parents. The funding will also
extend a current scheme providing resources for adult volunteers
in areas of deprivation.
The Jewish Lads and Girls Brigade will receive £14,056 to create
a new curriculum based around character building and resilience.
added:
The funding for these projects will make a real difference in
our communities, breaking down barriers to volunteering for
those who might otherwise miss out and giving more young people
the chance to learn important skills and build friendships
through youth groups.
Six months after the launch of our Civil Society Strategy we
remain absolutely committed to supporting the sector, improving
lives and creating a fairer society.
