Bellowhead!

Delighted that our new Workforce development and HR adviser has stated with us - Natasha Parkin, who is a fully qualified CIPD person. Her role is to develop our services in relation to three workforces: adult volunteers( setting up youth clubs,volunteering,links to businesses/corporates)  young people (DoE, volunteering,apprentices, National Citizenship Service,) and youth workers (qualifications, CPD and arranging workshops). She will also be producing standardised templates on HR matters which member organisations can draw upon.The consequence of having  a team of five now is that we've re-arranged the office, and  bought new desks that wehad to assemble them ourselves - well, Kate and Su did! (Kate actually reads instruction booklets!).

We are also now working on our first e-bulletin to West Sussex voluntary youth sector, but taking it slowly because we want to get it right- we have inputs from SPARK(East Sussex cvys) and East Grinstead CVS amongst others.

I have opened up a line of communication to West Sussex CC about West Sussex issues - we have received legacy funding to undertake this leadership role - and I am keen to meet up with WSCC senior managers about the implications of the SEND agenda for example.

I'm also doing a fair amount of work for the Consortium about funding bids and more strategic developments. Interesting to hear about developments of partnerships, even mutuals in other local authority areas between statutory and voluntary sectors and business
 My personal highspot of the week was seeing the incomparable Bellowhead at GLive on Wednesday-huge fun! It will be All Black this week-end  I fear....