Issue 39 - 27 January 2011

The Office for the Community and Voluntary Sector moves from the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) to the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) on 1 February 2011. The shift follows a State Services Commission review of the institutional and Vote arrangements for the community and voluntary sector, and brings the portfolio together into one Crown agency, rather than split between MSD and DIA.

The OCVS functions, funding and most staff transfer to DIA on 1 February, however Iris Webster will remain at MSD in a new Senior Advisor Risk position with Work and Income.  Acting OCVS Director, Alison McDonald will resume her Principal Advisor position with MSD and Caroline Bridgland from DIA will be the new Acting Director of the OCVS.  Caroline will be familiar to many of you through her previous role as Private Secretary in the Community and Voluntary Sector Minister's office, and various roles at DIA.

Permanent arrangements to fill vacant OCVS roles will be made once other senior positions at DIA are filled. The OCVS move coincides with the amalgamation of the National Library and Archives NZ with Internal Affairs, and the transfer to DIA of the functions of the Government Chief Information Officer and leadership for the Directions and Priorities for Government ICT, so much broader changes are also underway at DIA. 

New contact information

• The OCVS will be based in the new Policy, Regulatory & Ethnic Affairs branch (PREA) at Level 10, 46 Waring Taylor Street, Wellington
  (report to level 1 reception if visiting)
• The main OCVS phone number will be 04 495 7200
• Staff emails will be firstname.lastname@dia.govt.nz or ocvs@dia.govt.nz
• The new postal address is:
  Office for the Community and Voluntary Sector, PO Box 805, Wellington 6140.

Redirects will be in place should you use our old contacts, but if we don't respond in a timely manner, please try an alternative contact method in case something goes awry.

There are no changes to website urls for www.ocvs.govt.nz, www.goodpracticeparticipate.govt.nz, or www.goodpracticefunding.govt.nz

» Read the Minister's announcement of the transfer

» See the Cabinet paper and minute about the review 

Prime Minister John Key's announcement in December that Hekia Parata was to be appointed a Minister in Cabinet, included a new associate minister role for the community and voluntary sector portfolio.

Ms Parata's new role as Associate Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector followed discussions with Community and Voluntary Sector Minister, the Hon. Tariana Turia, who requested an associate in this portfolio. It was no longer considered necessary to have an associate in Mrs Turia's Disability Issues portfolio.

Ms Parata took over the Ethnic Affairs and Women's Affairs portfolios previously held by Pansy Wong and is also Associate Minister for ACC and of Energy and Resources.

» See more about the community and voluntary sector portfolio on the Beehive website

In December, the Kia tutahi Standing Together Steering Group published a revised version of the relationship agreement on the OCVS website, together with a summary of its response to the feedback received.

Thank you to those who commented on the revised version. Steering group members also had very useful conversations around how to give effect to the principles of the agreement with members of umbrella and national organisations and government officials.

The Steering Group meets in early February to consider your responses and agree its recommendations to the Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector.

» View the revised proposed Agreement on the OCVS website

» See the steering group's response to feedback

The latest Quarterly Generosity Indicators (up to June 2010) were released in December and include additional insight about the one million people who volunteered in the June quarter.  The report compares characteristics and behaviours of people who volunteered for or through an organisation with ‘the average person'.

Compared to ‘the average person', the estimated 1,035,000 people who volunteered in the June 2010 quarter were:

Lifestyle and attitudes

• 26 percent more likely to have a busy social life
• 20 percent more likely to go the gym at least twice a week
• 20 percent more likely to agree that they would be lost without their mobile phone
• 35 percent more likely to agree that their paid work is more than just a job.

Consumer preferences

• 44 percent more likely to have at least one cup of fresh coffee per day
• 47 percent more likely to have eaten packet sweets in the past week
• 26 percent more likely to have eaten a chocolate bar in the past week
• 23 percent more likely to buy New Zealand made products
• 20 percent more likely to check country of origin labelling on products.

The September 2010 Quarterly Generosity Indicators report will be available in late February, with a full year of data featuring more in-depth analysis in April - to coincide with the Philanthropy through the Looking Glass conference. 

As more detail on the behaviours of givers becomes available, this has potential to help community groups target who, where and how they recruit and engage prospective supporters. The Office for the Community and Voluntary Sector, in association with the Generosity Hub, commissions Nielsen Media Research to collect quarterly data on giving and volunteering in New Zealand.

» Check the latest data on the OCVS website

» See the previous Quarterly Generosity Indicators (March qtr 2010)

Nearly 100 public servants and their community stakeholders attended December's Good Practice in Action seminar on the new Code of Funding Practice.

The seminar invited funding partners to examine their practices and consider how they can use the Code to enhance their processes, with many attendees going away thinking of improvements that could be made.

Powerpoints of the case studies are available online, and we hope to add video of some in the coming weeks.  The presentations were:

• Ministry of Social Development's Family & Community Services and Ngāti Awa Social and Health Services on the High Trust Contract
• SPARC on their Regional Sport Trust investment programme
• Department of Conservation and the Yellow-Eyed Penguin Trust
  funded from the Biodiversity Fund
• Ministry of Health and Te Pou on Faiva Ora - the National Pasifika Disability Plan
• Ministry of Social Development, Work & Income and Interactionz on a
  long-term contract to deliver services to people with disabilities
• Ministry for the Environment funding a non-profit through the Waste Minimisation Fund
• Department of Internal Affairs case study on outcome-focused grants: Porirua Living Without Violence

» See all the Powerpoint presentations in one place

» View the Code of Funding Practice at www.goodpracticefunding.govt.nz

OCVS Analyst, James King has been accepted to be part of New Zealand's delegation for the Young Core Leaders of Civil Society Groups Development Program run by the Japanese Government. The programme aims to build understanding about civil society and capability in non-profit organisations in both countries.

In October 2010, the Office for Disability Issues and the OCVS hosted the Japanese delegation in New Zealand, when they visited with a wide range of community social services and government agencies. This was one of three streams of Japanese delegates to other countries, and was specifically focussed on the disability sector.

The programme organisers encouraged James to apply, given his knowledge of the non-profit sector gained through his role as OCVS researcher, and also his community background in youth social services via roles on a number of non-profit boards at Victoria University, focussed around chaplaincy/pastoral support and accommodation.  

The Japanese government covers all core costs for the trip, which will see James travelling to Japan from 8-22 February 2011. 

» Read more about the Young Core Leaders of Civil Society Groups Development Program 

The OCVS programme of 90-minute seminars focused on different aspects of community engagement will continue in 2011.  Topics to be covered early in the year include engaging with Maori (in conjunction with Te Puni Kokiri), and collaborative governance featuring a Land and Water Forum case study.  Invitations for these events will be sent out in February, with details also posted on the OCVS website.

A disability-themed seminar is planned, with other seminar topics yet to be confirmed.  If there are specific engagement topics that interest you, please e-mail ocvs@msd.govt.nz (or ocvs@dia.govt.nz after 1 Feb 2011) with your suggestions.

In the meantime, you can see previous engagement seminar presentations on the OCVS website or visit www.goodpracticeparticipate.govt.nz for general guidance on engaging stakeholders.

» See previous engagement seminar presentations

If you have news or major activities related to community and voluntary sector issues, you are welcome to send a brief description to us at ocvs@msd.govt.nz (or ocvs@dia.govt.nz after 1 Feb 2011) for inclusion in our email updates.

The first release of official institutional sector accounts (ISA) for the years ended March

1999 to 2008 analyse income, saving, and other transactions by economic sector.

The six sectors are:

• non-financial corporations (sector 1)
• financial corporations (sector 2)
• general government (sector 3)
• private non-profit organisations serving households (sector 4)
• households (sector 5)
• rest of the world (sector 6).

Published by Statistics NZ in mid-December 2010, the ISA contains partial data on the non-profit sector. Non-profit institutions serving households (NPISH) include most human, health and social services, but exclude non-profit financial and non-financial corporations. These non-profit institutions represent approximately 48% of the GDP of the wider non-profit sector as defined in the Non-profit Institutions Satellite Account: 2004, (Statistics NZ 2007).

Even though NPISH is only a partial view of the wider non-profit sector, it still provides useful information. Table 10 of the release shows between 1999 and 2008:

• an increase in salaries and wages (compensation of employees) of over $1 billion,
  from $1.575b in 1999 to $2.596b in 2008
• a 31.7% increase in GDP (total services for own use),
  from $1.538b in 1999 to $2.027b in 2008
• an increase of contract and grant income of  $1.191 billion,
  from $1.519b in 1999 to $2.747b in 2008.
  This includes private donations, grants and contracts, as well as government grants and contracts.
• Significant growth in savings (income minus expenses in a financial year),
  from -$78m in 1999 to $807m in 2008

These statistics show a growing and more financially stable NPISH sector over the 1999-2008 period. The significant growth in ‘miscellaneous current transfers' has driven the growth in the NPISH sector. We can conclude from these figures that in total, the NPISH sector is employing more people and creating financial surpluses, a good sign that many organisations are in a more financially viable position than in 1999.

The remaining 52% of the non-profit sector (by GDP contribution) will be highlighted in the next, Non-profit Institutions Satellite Account, which Statistics NZ will begin developing later in 2011.

» Read the report on Statistics NZ's website

If you've returned to your community organisation in 2011 brimming with energy, enthusiasm and new ideas, and need additional funding to make things happen - the following opportunities might help.

Creative NZ's contestable funding guide

This annual guide on how to apply for Creative NZ contestable funding is now available online. In 2009/10, Creative NZ invested $33.7 million in the arts through a variety of grants and investment programmes - an increase of $800,000 on the previous year. These programmes are detailed in the 2011 Contestable Funding Guide Ngā Pūtea.

New to this year's guide is the Arts Development Investment (Toi Uru Kahikatea) programme, which complements the new Arts Leadership Investment (Toi Tōtara Haemata) programme. These programmes replace the contestable Arts Investment and Sector Investment programmes and the programme for recurrently-funded organisations.

» Download the funding guide

» See closing dates

For museums, galleries, iwi groups

Strategic Project Grants are about thinking strategically and working collaboratively. They have been developed to support projects with long-term outcomes that benefit museums, galleries, iwi groups, their taonga, and their communities.

The Museum of NZ Te Papa Tongarewa welcomes applications from organisations of all sizes and stages of development, as well as collaborative applications from groups of organisations. There are two funding rounds each year - October and April. The next closing date is 20 April 2011.  Applications must not exceed $5,000. 

» See for details about this funding

The Making a Difference Fund

The Making a Difference Fund is part of the Campaign to Improve Attitudes and Behaviour towards Disabled People.  Applications for the first funding round for community projects in New Zealand are due by 28 February 2011.

The fund prioritises projects that are collaborative, have support from across the community, and have a well-thought-out plan to effect local change.

» More details are available on the Office for Disability Issues website

Community Response Fund

More than $7.5 million was allocated to 131 community organisations in the fifth round of funding announced late last year. Applications for the final round close on 25 February 2011.

The Community Response Fund provides funding "for critical social services which are experiencing severe financial difficulty and are unable to maintain the level of their services as a direct result of the impact of the economic downturn on their non-government funding" or for social services "experiencing significantly increased demand for their services from families, children, young or older people because of the economic downturn."   

» Learn more about applying for the Community Response Fund

Quality Services & Innovation Fund

Fourteen Community Response Model Regional Forums will use the Quality Services and Innovation Fund to support their drive for better results for families in their areas.

This Fund, totalling $90.5 million spread over four years, encourages community services to work closely together and develop new innovative ways to improve the efficiency of services and effective support to children, young people and families.

Two types of funding will be available: capability funding and capacity funding.

The Fund has been designed to recognise the different stages of development and readiness of communities.

For example:

• some communities and groups of community organisations will have proposals or ideas that simply require funding to make them happen
• others may already have ideas or plans, but not developed proposals and may require some funding to assist them in developing these
• others may have identified a need for capability building in their community but need a greater level of direct assistance to identify what the exact needs are and how they might best be addressed.

» Find out more about this fund from Family & Community Services at MSD

Funding Information Service and other funding

The Funding Information Service can help non-profit community organisations identify alternative or additional sources of funding.

» See additional funding leads and information online

» See info on Fundraising courses (16-17 & 23-24 Feb) - Wellington & Auckland

A new website, www.contractmapping.govt.nz, now gives anyone easy access to information about the social services that the government funds in their community.

On the Contract Mapping website you will find information on the contracts between the Ministry of Social Development and social sector service organisations. You'll see where the money goes - who gets it and for what, how much they get and where you can find them. Some provider details will remain veiled for security reasons.

Over time, more government agencies such as the Ministeries of Justice, Health, Education and Te Puni Kokiri will add their contract data to the website to provide a broad picture of social service funding in the community.

Using technology to provide this level of detail is a first, and reflects a Government focus on transparency and accountability (two of the seven core codes in the new Code of Funding Practice).

Finding out exactly what services are funded is now a few clicks away. This online tool will mean communities can immediately identify what services are funded in their area, as well as gaps and overlaps. It will also help inform Government policy and funding decisions.

» Go to the Contract Mapping website

» Read the Minister for Social Development and Employment's announcement

Growing the pie: Increasing the level of cultural philanthropy in Aotearoa New Zealand is the report of the Cultural Philanthropy Taskforce to the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, the Hon. Christopher Finlayson.  It was published in December 2010, following 15 months of meetings, investigation of best practice in philanthropy around the world, and consultation with Aotearoa New Zealand organisations and individuals.

The report also draws on the extensive experience and expertise of Taskforce members and includes six key recommendations to boost the level of private philanthropy in Aotearoa New Zealand - to supplement, not replace, government funding of cultural activities.

The Taskforce recommendations are to:

• develop a fundraising capability building initiative to mentor and advise cultural organisations on a one-to-one basis
• promote knowledge and awareness of the recently introduced tax incentives
• introduce Gift Aid to boost private giving
• explore the workability of a cultural gifting scheme
• recognise and value the generosity of philanthropists
• reward with matched government funding, cultural organisations that succeed in increasing their levels of income derived from private giving.

» Download the cultural philanthropy report

2011 is being specially marked by the United Nations as the 10^th Anniversary of International Year of Volunteers (IYV+10).

Ten years ago, in 2001, the International Year of Volunteers celebrated the effort and commitment of tens of millions of volunteers who strive to make a difference. This year, the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) and more than 40 major international volunteer-based organisations will engage the will, positive energy and innovation of millions of people towards realising the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) through the achievement of community-centered objectives.

"Volunteers take action in many areas and in all societies. Volunteers don't wait for others to solve their problems for them - they engage with their own knowledge and capacities and play an essential role as active citizens shaping their societies," says Flavia Pansieri, the Executive Coordinator of United Nations Volunteers (UNV).

"For this international year, we're focusing on what really matters: protecting volunteers, promoting the work they're doing, and recognising the real impact they have on communities across the globe", says International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Secretary General, Bekele Geleta.

Dr. Kang Hyun Lee, President of the International Association of Volunteer Effort (IAVE), says, "Volunteering is a fundamental building block of civil society. It brings to life the noblest aspirations of humankind - the pursuit of peace, freedom, opportunity, safety, and justice for all people".

With the right support and infrastructure, volunteer efforts are a true complementary component of any institutional peace, development and humanitarian effort. In marking this year, volunteer-based organisations will not only promote and recognise the diversity of volunteerism initiatives worldwide, but also call on governments, UN entities and civil society actors to engage in creating an enabling environment to support volunteerism. 

Awareness of the importance and far-reaching impact of volunteering has risen following events such as the Canterbury and Haiti earthquakes, the Australian floods, and other recent crises and natural disasters.

As part of IYV+10, New Zealand will join the rest of the world in reflecting on what has been achieved in the decade since 2001 and what needs to happen to raise the bar for volunteering into the future.

Kiwi volunteering highlights during 2011 will include the national Volunteering Conference in May, Volunteer Awareness Week in June, the Rugby World Cup 2011, more new research insights about volunteers from the Quarterly Giving Indicators, the continuation of VNZ's development project for management of volunteers, plus a range of other events and activities being planned by a range of volunteer-involving organisations.

» Watch the OCVS and Volunteering NZ websites for more news as IYV+10 progresses

» See UN information on IYV+10 (PDF)

VolunteerNet is New Zealand's fastest growing volunteer network, with almost 2,000 volunteers already registered. It's an interactive website connecting people looking for volunteering opportunities with event organisers.

A perfect match for event volunteers and event organisers, VolunteerNet is an interactive website that makes it easy for you to get involved with event volunteering, and also makes it easy for event organisers to get in touch with keen, willing volunteers to boost the capability and capacity of their events.

A bit like an internet dating website for events, interested people can register as volunteers and then search for event opportunities that match their lifestyle according to their location, skills and experience. Event organisers can search and advertise for volunteers who have the expertise they need.

VolunteerNet is encouraging event organisers to get on board and start tapping into this excellent, free resource to enhance your event management toolkit.

It's a free service for all - both volunteers and event organisers. VolunteerNet is for all types of events, big or small, including sport and recreational events, arts and cultural events, festivals, conferences, trade shows, fundraising events and special interest events.

VolunteerNet aims to build a network of experienced and enthusiastic volunteers across New Zealand and you can part of it by registering to volunteer, or by registering your event today.

» Visit www.volunteernet.org.nz now

Neighbours Day Aotearoa 2011 will be a fun day to celebrate and get to know our neighbours.   

The first Neighbours Day was held by LIFEWISE in Auckland in 2009.  Building on the huge interest from this day, LIFEWISE, Inspiring Communities and Methodist Missions Aotearoa are organising a national celebration - Neighbours Day Aotearoa to be held on 26-27 March 2011. Organisers hope this will be the first of an annual celebration.  

If the enthusiasm for Neighbours Day Aotearoa so far is any indication, there will be runs on baking supplies, coffee, tea and sausages nationwide in the lead up to the event.

Neighbours Day Aotearoa is about building caring communities for all New Zealanders, starting with those we live nearest to.  Whether you live in a house, flat, apartment building, or on a farm, virtually everyone has someone to call a next door neighbour.

» Find out more and register your interest at www.neighboursday.org.nz/

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is the first human rights convention of the 21st century. Its development was groundbreaking as a partnership approach was used - where disabled people and their organisations took a fully participative role, alongside governments, in writing the text of the Convention.

New Zealand signed the Convention on 30 March 2007 and ratified it on 26 September 2008. The Convention is a significant document because it affirms that persons with disabilities have the same rights as everyone else - the right to live a life equal to that of any other person.

The Convention gives voice, visibility and legitimacy to disabled people and their issues in New Zealand and the rest of the world.  Disabled people whose governments have signed and ratified the Convention will see their country as making an international commitment to value the lives of citizens living with disability.

Article 33 of the Convention says that states should establish a framework, including one or more independent mechanisms, to "promote, protect and monitor" progress in implementation of the Convention.  The Ombudsmen have been asked to bring their independence from government to monitoring and reporting on implementation of the Convention. 

The Ombudsmen will use existing powers under the Ombudsmen Act 1975, to:

• continue to investigate complaints about state sector agencies, which relate to implementation of the Convention
• use its own motion powers to investigate the conduct of state sector agencies in implementing the Convention.

The Ombudsmen are currently scoping this new role in collaboration with the Human Rights Commission and disabled people's organisations. 

» To learn more about the extent of the Ombudsmen's role, telephone 0800-802-602 or visit www.ombudsmen.parliament.nz 

» To learn more about disabled people's rights, visit www.hrc.co.nz

• www.givingforgood.org.nz launched to share stories of generosity
  The Generosity Hub's new site www.givingforgood.org.nz is where anyone can gather and share information about giving. You can offer your stories, feedback knowledge, experience, expertise and support, and Hub members can talk with you directly. You can also access a generosity blog, Facebook page, LinkedIn and Twitter using the key words: ‘giving for good'.
  The Giving for Good website also houses a learning centre packed with material and research from here and overseas on giving. There are links to themany people and organisations working in the generosity space. This includes information onhow to give, how to support people to give, and mechanisms to make giving simple. You will also find more details about the Hub.
• The Positive Ageing website
  The Office for Senior Citizens has worked with central and local government agencies to shift the focus of Positive Ageing Strategy reporting from outputs to outcomes - via more timely and dynamic web-based reporting. Future additions to the site will include a section on ‘how are we doing' (indicators of progress over time for each goal) and additional community actions by NGOs.
  The website currently provides:
  • an introduction to the Positive Ageing Strategy and its 10 goals
  • demographic and other information on older people in New Zealand
  • who's doing what where (actions can be filtered by goal, region and agency)
  • portfolio priorities
• Mission Possible workshop report now available
  This Volunteering NZ report on the Mission Possible youth volunteering workshop outlines what representatives of each participating organisation intended to do to involve more young people as volunteers in their organisations.
• Cross-party constitutional review announced
  In December, it was announced that the Government will conduct a wide-ranging review of New Zealand's constitutional arrangements.  Public consultation will guide the review, and information and education campaigns will be part of the review process. The review will be open to considering issues and perspectives that are raised during public engagement, in addition to those identified in the Terms of Reference.
  » See the Terms of Reference for the review
  » Read one of many media reports
• Human Rights in New Zealand 2010
  This report card from the Human Rights Commission identifies 30 priority areas for action over the next five years to strengthen human rights protections, and better ensure the equality and security of everyone in New Zealand.
  The priority areas involve a major focus on economic, social and cultural rights, covering health, education, equal employment opportunities, social security and housing.  They include:
  • strengthening New Zealand's constitutional and legal framework
  • tackling entrenched inequalities and systemic structural discrimination
  • explicitly and effectively implementing civil and political and economic, social and cultural rights.
• Hear our voices we entreat: NZ's child participation report
  This report from Save the Children was created for the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child. It will be relevant to policy-makers and anyone interested in the rights of children and young people in Aotearoa/New Zealand. The report uses plain language so children and young people can read and get an idea about the research, what happened and what their peers wanted to share. This report gives the opinions of children and young people and sits alongside the previously-released report from non-governmental organisations interested in the rights of children, and the report from the Children's Commissioner.
• Preventing child neglect in New Zealand
  Written by Janine Mardani, this report was released in December by the Children's Commissioner's Office and includes a variety of recommendations. It states that homelessness, parental stress, financial difficulties, transient neighbourhoods, easily available alcohol, socio-economic inequalities, high unemployment and a lack of services, all increase the likelihood of child neglect.
• Welfare Working Group options paper - released in Nov 2010
  To follow up its first report, which looked at the issues facing the current benefit system, the options paper canvasses a wide range of topics and looks at possible ways to improve the benefit system. The Welfare Working Group will present a final report, with recommendationsfor reform of the welfare system, to Government in February 2011.
• Welfare Justice for All - released in Dec 2010
  This report from Welfare Justice - The Alternative Welfare Working Group provides reflections and recommendations as a contribution to the welfare reform debate. It is an initiative of Caritas, The Anglican Church (through its Social Justice Commission) and the Beneficiary Advocacy Federation of NZ, assisted by the work of the Child Poverty Action Group and their forum Rethinking Welfare for the 21st Century.
• 7^th Vulnerability Report
  Each Vulnerability Report produced by the NZ Council of Christian Social Services, provides the latest information from government agencies and a range of community-based organisations. These snapshot quarterly reports are intended to contribute to the development of compassionate policy responses. This seventh Report, released in December, covers the trends experienced in government agencies and community-based organisations in the third quarter of 2010.
• What we are learning about community-led development in Aotearoa NZ
  This first publication from the Inspiring Communities team includes practical tips, lessons and examples about four aspects of community-led development: Community building, Leading in and leaderful communities, Working together in place and Creating and sustaining momentum.
• Auckland Community Summit lays groundwork for future engagement
  More than 300 community leaders came together in December to share their vision and hopes for the future in working with the Auckland Council. The Act Local, Work Regional, Work Together Regional Summit was co-hosted by the Auckland Council and Auckland Community Development Alliance (ACDA) as a starting point for the council's community engagement and to establish the ACDA community development charter as the framework for future engagement.
• Hub of a Community - The Story of Parnell Community Trust
  Published to celebrate 25 years of providing community services, Hub of a Community documents the growth of Parnell Community Trust - from its humble beginnings in Parnell's Knox Church in the 1970s, to its current role managing over 290,000 community contacts across a broad range of services. This informative case study of a social enterprise reflects the values, guiding principles and relationships that characterise so many New Zealand community organisations. Copies of the book are available for purchase.
• Paths of victory
  Funded through the NZ Families Commission Innovative Practice Fund, this publication is a case study of Victory Village. Victory Village is a partnership between Victory Primary School and Victory Community Health Centre that led to the establishment of a physical ‘community hub' at the school. The research report explores the innovative practices and outcomes associated with the convergence of health, education, social and community development goals at Victory Village. It looks at the difference Victory Village is making for families and its community, and how it is making this difference.
• Our Aranui - a community development survey report
  In late 2009, the Aranui Community Trust carried out a survey of every house in the Christchurch suburb of Aranui. Questions were asked about five result areas based around health, education, participation, the physical environment, and social/spiritual capacity. The resulting 2010 report includes a number of recommendations for community action. It makes use of quantitative research for community development and Census data - taking a local services mapping approach, that incorporates network analysis.
• Report on Māori Community Development Act
  This Māori Affairs Select Committee report on the inquiry into the operation of the Māori Community Development Act 1962 and related issues was tabled Parliament in December 2010.
• Presentations from November's NGO-MoH Forum
  The 2010 Health and Disability Sector NGO-Ministry of Health Forum: Connections, Strengths and New Directions was held on 4 November 2010 in Wellington. Slides from the speaker presentations, along with notes from the workshops can be viewed online.
• Living Well Project - update and survey
  The Living Well Project, run by AUT University and community partners, is a Health Research Council funded project exploring how people who experience disability engage in healthy behaviour, such as being physically active and eating healthily. Findings from the study will lead to revised approaches that are more relevant, targeted and acceptable to disabled people. Information relating to 120 healthy eating and physical activity initiatives is included on an online service map.
  If you see gaps or would like to add your programme, click ‘survey' on the website.
  An online discussion forum is also collecting opinions, experiences, thoughts and views on things that make it difficult and/or easier to be physically active and to eat healthily.
  » Register now and join the discussion.
• Work in Progress: 2010
  The annual report on progress with implementing the New Zealand Disability Strategy is now available on the Office for Disability Issues' website.
• Guide to Planning a Street Get-Together
  If you want to get involved in Neighbours Day Aotearoa, but don't know how to start - check out this guide.

Engagement & relationships

• Strengthening participation: Learning from participants
  Understanding the motivations, triggers, barriers and impacts of participation is critical to designing appropriate policies and mechanisms to encourage and sustain citizen involvement. The UK Pathways through Participation project's latest report outlines some of the emerging issues to contribute to current policy debates, and raises a number of questions that will be further explored in the next stages of the project. It highlights 10 key features of participation from the perspective of the individuals participating, and is intended to give plenty of food for thought to current UK debates on the Big Society.
• Putting citizens at the centre - a short guide for policy-makers
  This short summary from the UK Development Research Centre on Citizenship, Participation and Accountability links to contemporary policy debates on how citizen participation and engagement can contribute to development, strengthen democratic and responsive states, and help to realise human rights. This policy-makers' guide pulls together key findings from research on participation carried out over the last 10 years.

• Shortened English Compact published - with accompanying teeth.
  A renewed Compact - the agreement that governs relations between the Government and civil society organisations in England - has been published by the UK Government and Compact Voice, which represents civil society organisations. The 12-year-old public and voluntary sector partnership agreement has frequently been criticised for lacking teeth, but an accompanying Accountability and Transparency Guide states that the Parliamentary Ombudsman and the Local Government Ombudsman will have the power to investigate and report alleged breaches of the Compact, giving the potential for more effective scrutiny.
  » Read the related news item with links to the Compact material

• ANZSOG publication: The Dilemmas of Engagement
  Politicians and public officials frequently emphasise the need for consultation as an essential element of the deliberative processes underpinning the development of policy, or the implementation of programmes and services.This paper maps out the principal approaches used by governments to consult with and engage affected communities of interest. Prof Jenny Stewart (now at the Australian Defence Force Academy and formerly Professor in the School of Government at the University of Canberra), critically assesses the available literature to identify the ‘good, bad, and the ugly' of engagement, and providesselected case studies.

• Development of AA1000 Stakeholder Engagement Standard nearing completion.
  Following development and revision over several years, a proposed final draft of an international standard for stakeholder engagement is now available for final comment. According to the project website, the revisions have made the new AA1000SES more strategically relevant for engagements across businesses, governments and other organisations - to provide a mechanism for engagement that can be robust at the global level, but flexible enough for local application; and that looks beyond process, to outcomes and impact evaluation. The project has several business sponsors but, at this stage, it is unclear how widely the Standard may be adopted. Editorial comments and feedback on the final draft of the AA1000 Stakeholder Engagement Standard are due by 7 February and can be sent via email to standards@accountability.org

• Fundamental Principles and Policymaking Criteria for Partnerships with Faith-Based and Other Neighborhood Organizations - USA
  This Executive Order from The White House guides US Federal agencies in formulating and developing policies with implications for faith-based and other neighbourhood organisations, to promote compliance with constitutional and other applicable legal principles, and to strengthen their capacity to deliver services effectively to those in need.

• Examples of online surveys spotlighted during January
  Survey Monkey has been showcasing a new example survey a day on their blog throughout January. You can see examples of a Parent Volunteer Survey, Customer Satisfaction Survey Event Session Feedback Survey and Employee Satisfaction Survey, and many more - then you can use their free service to design your own, or subscribe for extra online features.

Well-being & Disability

• UK developing measures of national well-being
  The UK Office for National Statistics is developing new measures of national well-being to cover the quality of life of people in the UK, and environmental and sustainability issues, as well as the economic performance of the country. A consultation on what matters most in people's lives and what is important for measuring well-being is running to 15 April 2011.

• The Official Pursuit of Happiness
  This article is written by ex-President of Harvard University, Derek Bok, whose book The Politics of Happiness questions whether gross domestic product should be the leading indicator of national well-being. Bok finds "strong marriages and close relationships of all kinds, helping others, engaging in civic affairs, and effective, honest, democratic government" tend to be what make people happy.

• World Report on Disability - Share your story: What's disability to you?
  On International Day of Persons with Disabilities (3 Dec), preparations began for the launch of the World Report on Disability on 9 June 2011 in Geneva. This major report, published jointly with the World Bank, will provide evidence on the current situation of people with disabilities, and identify ways of removing barriers to the participation of people with disabilities in their communities. The World Health Organization (WHO) wants to hear from people with disabilities about what can be done to overcome barriers. To start the debate, they asked Faustina Urassa, a woman with disabilities from Tanzania, "What's disability to you?"
  » See her response on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/fX1iN8 or at the World Report website

Volunteering

• Australia developing a National Volunteering Strategy in 2011
  A new Volunteer Advisory Group will provide expert advice to the Australian Government on how to best encourage community service in the lead up to the release of the National Volunteering Strategy, which will be released in 2011 - marking the tenth anniversary of the United Nations International Year of Volunteers. The Strategy will guide Government and the community on increasing volunteering in Australia. It will also assist the Government to create an environment in which volunteering is encouraged, supported and properly recognised.

• Australian research recognises volunteering as a pathway to employment
  The 2010 National Survey of Volunteering Issues, carried out by Volunteering Australia, found that 83% of volunteers say their work as a volunteer increased their sense of belonging to their community. The survey highlights the important role volunteering plays in providing opportunities for people to learn and gain skills useful for paid employment. Eighty percent of respondents say their volunteering provided them with opportunities to learn, and 26% say training they received as part of their voluntary work helped them acquire an accreditation/qualification. Nearly one in five (18%) respondents say they gained skills useful for current or future paid employment. The survey covered other topics relevant to volunteering such as volunteer involvement in decision making of organisations, impact of volunteering on social inclusion, barriers in volunteering, voluntary boards, job satisfaction of volunteers, etc.

• State of the World's Volunteerism report underway
  The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) organisation is preparing the first ever report on the State of the World's Volunteerism. Produced by the United Nations with the assistance of consultants and academics from around the world, the report is set to be launched on International Volunteer Day - 5 December 2011. The Report is expected to address what is meant by volunteerism, why people volunteer their time, the many ways people choose to volunteer and the impact of this engagement.

• Manual on the Measurement of Volunteer Work
  The Center for Civil Society Studies at Johns Hopkins University has produced this official International Labour Organization (ILO) manual, which calls on national statistical agencies to measure the extent and value of volunteer work as part of their regular labour force surveys or other statistical systems. It serves as a companion to the United Nations Hand-book on Nonprofit Institutions, which the Center developed previously in cooperation with the United Nations Statistics Division. The manual will make it possible to portray the full economic weight and impact of the civil society sector around the world, and make more effective use of its resources and talents.

• US statistics on giving and volunteering - in pictures
  These two graphics in the USA Today newspaper illustrate comprehensive statistics on the giving of time and money in America.

• UK Government looks for ways to promote giving and volunteering
  A Giving Green Paper outlines the UK government's initial ideas for building a stronger culture of giving time and money. Proposals include a Community First Fund for local savings schemes in the most deprived areas that provide small grants "well into the future", and a Volunteer Match Fund to double up private donations to voluntary projects. The government is seeking broad discussion on topics in the paper in advance of the White Paper (setting out firm policy) to be published in spring 2011.
  » Download the Green paper
  » Read the official news item

Communities getting on with it

• UK Government launches ‘barrier busting service to help community initiatives
  Britain's Communities and Local Government department has launched a new Barrier Busting website where charities and community groups can ask for help in overcoming bureaucratic obstacles to their work. Barrier Busting lets people setting up or running local community projects submit queries about regulations, such as by-laws or health and safety rules, which hinder them in their work. A team of civil servants at the department will be responsible for helping the groups overcome the problems. Those who log problems on the site will be given an ID number so they can track the progress of their case online. They will also be given the contact details of a civil servant responsible for helping them. The decentralisation minister, said: "Local people often have brilliant ideas and are keen to get involved in making their neighbourhood a better place. Government rules and regulations should be there to support them, not stand in their way."
  » Read the UK Government news release

Check the Events calendar on CommunityNet Aotearoa to see what is happening around the country.  Forthcoming events include:

• International Year of Volunteers +10 (throughout 2011) 
• Resilience in the Pacific conference (16-17 Feb) - Wellington
• Fundraising courses (16-17 & 23-24 Feb) - Wellington & Auckland
• Marketing by Association conference (22 Feb) - Auckland
• 2nd Asia Pacific Outgames Human Rights Conference:
  Strength In Diversity: Connect, Collaborate, Inspire (16-18 March) - Wellington

....and much more.

» View the full CommunityNet Aotearoa events calendar online

Reproduction: You are welcome to reprint, forward or publish stories from this e-newsletter to raise awareness of the topics covered. Acknowledgement of OCVS as the source would be appreciated. (Any queries to ocvs@msd.govt.nz, or ocvs@dia.govt.nz after 1 Feb 2011).

[Issue 39 ends]

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