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INSIDE THIS ISSUE...It’s not too late to start preparing for GDPRpage: 4-5

Member Spotlight on Brawlers Boxingpage: 6-7

Untangling the threads; the compact, new grants, and community commissioningpage: 8-9

Spring 2018 | Issue 10

The Magazine for Members of Tower Hamlets Council for Voluntary ServiceSparrowThe

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PROCUREMENT INFO FOR 3rd SECTOR

What does the council buy?The council buys a vast range of supplies and services to deliver some of its core services to its residents that make a difference to people’s lives in many ways, ranging from social care, education, housing, landscaping to waste collection.

Partnership and Consortium BuildingSmall businesses sometimes struggle to sell to a big buyer. This can be overcome by building partnerships or becoming part of a consortium in order to win contracts.

Partnerships and Consortia usually share the common goal, of working together to provide what is required. You may also be able to sub-contract a part of the contract.

HINT Beware – they also share the risks

Can you bid for our contracts?Yes – in many cases, anyone can, but you have to show you are capable of it.

All our purchases up to £100k value are managed through the ProActis Supplier Portal –

https://supplierlive.proactisp2p.com/Account/Login

All opportunities above £100k are advertised via the LBTH website, www.towerhamlets.gov.uk and managed via our e-procurement system –

https://procontract.due-north.com/register

HINT Follow the links and register your company now.

Supply Ethical Chain Code of ConductLBTH is committed to ensuring that working conditions in Council’s supply chain are safe, that workers are treated with dignity and respect, and that manufacturing processes are environmentally responsible.

The Supply Chain Code of Conduct sets out the main social value principles and practices that is expected from our suppliers when dealing with the Council.

HINT For a copy of the Code of Conduct and charter visit the council’s website

Third Sector & ProcurementLBTH recognises the vital role played by Third Sector in the community and is keen on supporting all Third Sector Organisation’s (TSOs) in their development as they deliver programmes. It also recognises that the move from Grants to Commissioning may present some problems.

The Tower Hamlets Council for Voluntary Service (THCVS) was created to aid and support local TSO’s.

You can speak to the team at THCVS about procurement and commissioning.

Cover image: photograph by Ken Greenway - An archway on Ackroyd Drive Green Link, designed by @Ketones 6000. Source: Instagram @fothcp

For more information visit LBTH procurement pages or email corporate procurement team:

by Zamil Ahmed Head of Procurement at London Borough of Tower Hamlets

You can sign up to our e-bulletin at: thcvs.org.uk/join-our-bulletin

We have prepared this guidance to provide you with some background information on the role of the

corporate procurement team within the Council along with details of where we publish our contract opportunities.

We are developing a suite of support to help you bid for public sector contracts. In the meantime, I would encourage you to visit the procurement pages of the councils website, where we have published detailed guidance and answers to frequently asked questions.

https://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/lgnl/business/tenders_and_contract/tenders_and_contracts.aspxprocurement@towerhamlets.gov.uk

ello and welcome to the Spring 2018 edition of the Sparrow – although it doesn’t feel very Spring-like at the moment, writing this as I am after a period of freezing weather and snow, and one of the coldest spells of weather in 25 years!

This is my first edition of the Sparrow for over a year, since I returned from maternity leave in January 2018. It will also be my last Sparrow for another year, as I began my second period of maternity leave in March. I had planned to start maternity leave in May but baby number two has arrived early catching us all by surprise. I will be returning back to work again in May 2019. Damian Brady is our new interim CEO, many of you will know him as he joins us from Toynbee Hall. If you haven’t met Damian yet you’ll get plenty of opportunities to in the next few months, particularly at our conference in the summer.

Since coming back to work I have been struck by just how much there is going on in the sector at the moment, and how much is being asked of the VCS. The council’s emphasis on co-production, which although a generally positive move, is asking a lot of the sector’s time in helping to shape services; and the move away from mainstream grants and towards commissioning is a significant change for the VCS and one that will take time and resources to adapt to.

Some of these strands of work, and how they all fit together are explained on pages 8-9 - a short guide to current council programmes like co-production, grants policy, the Compact and community commissioning.

Of all these changes, it is the move away from mainstream grants and to a smaller grants fund and commissioned services that will present numerous challenges for the sector, and we will be running events to find out your concerns so we can feed these

back to the council, and also to provide you with help during the commissioning process.

There will also be support on commissioning provided by the council, and as a starter, Zamil Ahmed, Head of Procurement at the council, has drafted some key pointers on procurement, on the opposite page.

We also have a resource on GDPR, written by Fredrick Osuji of Clear Communication, and information on our newest member of staff, Peter Vittles, on the inside back cover.

There seems to be so much going on in the sector this Spring. We have run a huge number of events in March to look at some of these issues, and more will follow over the rest of the year. We appreciate how difficult it can be to come along to many of these events so if you do want to talk to me directly you can email me at kirsty@thcvs.org.uk or call me on 020 8980 8427.

I want to pass on my thanks to Gemma Cossins who so ably stepped into the CEO role whilst I was on maternity leave. It was much easier to be looking after a baby, and not be distracted by work, knowing that everything was in such capable hands! Gemma has written a really excellent blog on her experiences as CEO, which she has summarised for us on page 10. It is well worth a read!

Lastly I want to wish Damian the best of luck for the next year and a bit. He’s very familiar with the borough and we’re glad to welcome him to the team. Kirsty, CEO

FIND OUT MORE... The articles in The Sparrow give a flavour of the kind of things we are up to at the moment. Turn to the inside back page for more about our team.

We are an independent membership organisation for voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise organisations in the borough of Tower Hamlets.

Tower Hamlets Council for Voluntary Service

We are not part of Tower Hamlets Council:Or any other public sector or government body. We are an independent, registered charity funded from a mix of sources (including the council) and we’re here to support and represent our members - local voluntary and community organisations.

And we don’t find volunteers for organisations:We provide direct advice, training and support to the staff, volunteers and trustees of voluntary and community organisations. Volunteer Centre Tower Hamlets - www.vcth.org.uk - can help your organisation to find volunteers.

H

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The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is coming into force on the 25th May 2018 and will mean changes in how organisations handle people’s data. The EU has created this in order to ensure an equally high standard of data protection across the EU and give individuals protection over their data in an increasingly data-driven world.

But what about Brexit? Because this legislation was passed in 2016, compliance with the GDPR is part of UK law and remains mandatory.

It's not too late to start preparing for GDPR Fredrick Osuji

GDPR Advisor@ClearComm

For the UK information regulator’s guidance on GDPR for organisations see: ico.org.uk/for-organisations/4 5

The new legal jargon is rather confusing. Here are some definitions to understand the GDPR better:

What is 'Data Protection'?Data Protection is the protection of personal data. The GDPR gives individuals more control over how their data is used, stored, processed, shared and deleted. It puts burden of proof on organisations to show that they’re collecting and holding data for the reasons they say they are and only as long as they need it.

Who are 'Data Subjects'? For the purpose of the GDPR application, a ‘data subject’ is a living person.

What is 'Personal Data'?Any piece of information which leads to the identification of an individual is ‘personal data’.

Now there are two conditions to fulfil. Firstly, the person must be alive. Secondly, the information must be able to be used in identifying an individual.

There are two ways to identify an individual from pieces of data:

1. Directly: Name, E-mail Address, Postal Address, Telephone Number, Date of Birth, Photograph and Video Recording such as CCTV footage are some of the ways in which you can directly identify someone.

2. Indirectly: Bank details (account number), National Insurance Number, Employee Reference Number, Membership Number or other numerical values, symbolic or alphabetic characters which are assigned to a person and therefore, can ultimately lead to the identification of that individual. The best way to describe indirect identification is to assume you were to look at a piece of information which does not directly identify someone but could use it against a system of records. This will be considered as a piece of personal data regardless of what effort you have made to decipher the data and relate it to an individual.

What wil be different? The below sections are just a few things that will be different under the GDPR:

Legal Basis of Processing

Under GDPR organisations must establish a basis for process-ing the data you’re asking for. There are different legal basis in which an organisation can process, so we will look at a few:

Consent

Consent gives organisations legal basis for processing, provided the individual gives explicit consent to their data being processed for a stated purpose. Establishing a basis with a positive opt-in and clear statements on how the data will be used and shared gives individuals clarity, so they can consent or object to their data being used in a particular way. Consent may be withdrawn at any time. A record stating consent as the basis for holding information must:

• Be clear;• Be unambiguous;• Be specific;• Not be a condition to signing up for a service i.e.

coercion;• Be positive - the data subject must make a positive

action to opt in;• Be granular – consent must be obtained for the different

marketing/products provided, as well as the channels they can be marketed to. One size doesn’t fit all.

• Give the data subject the opportunity to opt out.

There are multiple bases for processing data. See the Information Commissioner’s Office guidance on GDPR for the full list and implications of each basis .

Data Subject's Rights

The GDPR gives a data subject different sets of rights:

• Right to be informed;• Right of access;• Right to rectification;• Right to erasure;• Right to restrict processing; • Right to data portability;• Right to object and• Right in relation to automatic decision making

and profiling.

Let us look at the ‘Right of Access’, this right gives data subjects the right to know what an organisation holds about them, why their data is held and how it is processed. This is known as a ‘Subject Access Request’ (SAR). Organisations are obliged to provide an unedited copy of what they hold

You can contact Clear Comm via their website: clearcomm.org

on that data subjects. This includes, and is not limited to internal and external e-mails, notes on the CRM/Database, Whom their data is shared with and why, all existing and/or previous contracts and an explanation of all abbreviation an organisation might use.

Under current Data Protection regulations, a SAR must be completed within 40 days (inclusive of weekends and public holidays) and an organisation may charge up to £10 to fulfil a SAR. Under the GDPR, a SAR must be completed within one calendar month and the data subject cannot be charged a fee.

What do we do if we suffer a data breach

Under the GDPR, the “destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure of, or access to” people’s data will be a data protection breach. It will be mandatory to report a personal data breach to the ICO within 72 hours, if the breach is likely to negatively impact the person or cause harm. In addition to reporting to the ICO, the organisation must inform the data subjects without delay. The ICO recommends keeping a log of potential breaches.

Data Protection Officers

Under ICO guidance, there is the recommendation to have a Data Protection Officer (DPO). Your DPO will act as an independent intermediary between your organisation and the ICO, they will ensure compliance of GDPR in your organisation, they will be the point of contact for employees and customers and they will report to the board / senior management team. There must be no conflict of interest, so this rules out board members, senior managers, trustees, non-execs. A high level of expertise will be required, however the ICO have not outlined exactly what expertise means or looks like.

So, what can my organisation do?Just a few tips to ensure you are taking the right steps to compliance:

• Read the ICO’s guidance on GDPR and make use of their free tools and resources;

• Provide training for all members of staff during the onboarding processes, as well as regular training;

• Provide adequate security for your data, including electronic data, hard copy, data leaving the organisation (password protected) and data being shared with you;

I hope this article helps you understand your obligations under the GDPR and helps you plan your next steps. If you want to talk more and takes things a step further, contact us at Clear Comm. The website of the Information Commissioner’s Office provides a simple and easy to use guide at ico.org.uk

You can always contact THCVS to discuss the changes to the law, how it may affect you, and where you can get help with a particular problem.

part of the Kingston Smith Group

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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Brawlers Boxing

duduzile@thcvs.org.uk or 020 8980 8427

6 7Want your organisation to feature in the ‘Spotlight’?

We love to showcase our members work, the challenges you face and what you are passionate about. To arrange an interview call 020 8980 8427 or shadique.gani@thcvs.org.uk

to help make this vision come true. The organisation is in its own right, a community boxing club dedicated to supporting young people, based in the heart of east London.

“When I started Brawlers Boxing, I was 21, learning about the world I lived in, and trying to understand the environment and society that I grew up in. It was ever-changing, ever growing and filled with successes and challenges. “

“I had always been interested in creating change; I want my work to matter, my efforts to matter. Not with recognition but with outcomes. I want to be able to create a change which is reciprocal, residual, and which has a lasting benefit. I truly do believe each individual in our community has the capacity to be an asset to society. And I believe in order to nurture those individuals, we have to break down the bureaucracies and methods we currently have, we have to ask our communities and speak to them, be on the ground and let them direct us. We have to be open to being wrong, be open to listening and be open to accepting. This is the only avenue through which we can effectively nurture these leaders and I guess that’s why I do what I do.”

The organisations works with young people from different walks of life but mainly those residing within the borough of Tower Hamlets. 42% of children in Tower Hamlets live in poverty which ranks as one of the highest rates of child poverty in the UK. A lot of programmes that work with youth,

Brawlers Boxing is a social enterprise and boxing club located in Shadwell. It offers support to local youths who want to develop the skills and experience required for improving their lives by running a range of free health and fitness services. Brawlers Boxing provides over 400 individuals a year with athletic training, employment guidance, and development opportunities that aims to help them move towards a stable future. Established in 2012 by a group of Muslim youths, Brawlers Boxing is now a recognized supporter of young people and communities in the East End.

Brawlers Boxing started off as a dream Zain had – a vision, actually. Zain believes that every child should have the opportunity for good education. He also believes that, “Young people have the ability to change our world. It is my dream to help achieve that”. Brawlers Boxing is an avenue

look for dramatic change for example, an ex-offender to be completely rehabilitated etc. but that’s not what Brawlers

Boxing is about. It’s about helping them to help themselves.

Zain tells us about a young person called Korim, who suffered a terrible accident and was left in a coma. Korim came out of the coma, but was devastated by what had happened to him. It’s so inspiring to see someone like him get back up and years later win several amateur fights with Brawlers Boxing and one day say to his coach, “I want to get back into studying full time.” Today Korim is in his 3rd year of a 7-year course. It’s not always about taking the young person to their end result, it’s being there on the journey with them until they can figure their course out. Brawlers Boxing aims to bring out the positive energies of these young people; sometimes that energy doesn’t change the world, but it changes their own selves for the better.

Co-founder Abdul Hannan has always had a dream that Brawlers Boxing would one day find its permanent home, in

a physical space, possibly a boxing club of our own. This will undoubtedly allow us to continue working with more young people as well as introducing new initiatives targeting any young people we have yet to engage. Ultimately, the goal is continue to raise aspirations for young people and build the fighting resilience to battle their way out of unstable situations life may throw at them.

Abdul Hannan or ‘Coach H’ as he is known to the young people that regularly attend the classes has achieved some remarkable goals himself having cycled from London to Makkah in 2017 raising money for charitable causes. Coach H has also recently returned from Ghana on behalf of Human Relief Foundation providing aid to and support to locals in the region. Quizzing Abdul on his drive to support others he responds with a quote befitting the legend Muhammad Ali, ‘Service to others is the tax you pay in this world’.

Brawlers Boxing relies heavily on the trade the organisation does at their adult classes so they are able to continue to provide free programmes for young people. For a start, to support the organisation visit their social media platforms to see if you would be interested in participating in their classes. The classes are all taught by trained professionals and their Instagram page has more information. The hashtag #brawlersboxing on Instagram will give you more of an insight to their story.

“We have to be open to being wrong, be open to listening and be open to accepting.”

by Shadique GaniMembership & Events Officer

You can contact Brawlers Boxing via their Instagram: Search ‘Brawlers Boxing’ Coach H is fundraising for Syria SOS: justgiving.com/fundraising/coach-h-syria-sos

e sat down and spoke to Zain Miah, the creator of Brawlers Boxing a

social enterprise in Tower Hamlets, to learn more about the drive behind it.

W

Coach H and Amir Khan

Zain MiahBrawlers Boxing Team

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See www.thcvs.org.uk/help-create-councils-new-grants-programme and visit thcvs.org.uk/projects/community-commissioning for updates and a summary of work done so far.

See www.thcvs.org.uk/compact for updates.

4. Clear arrangements for managing changes to programmes and services

5. An equal and fair society

This principles will inform the development of the council’s new Grants and Community Commissioning programmes (both outlined below). The draft Compact will be presented to the Council’s Cabinet this spring; here’s a shortened link to the meeting page: http://bit.ly/2HZhnMr

In order to be useful, the Compact needs to reflect the interests, needs and concerns of both the voluntary sector and the council. If you have comments or suggestions about how the current draft could be improved, how the text could be clarified, or how the commitments should be implemented and monitored please contact David Freeman, VCS Strategy Manager at Tower Hamlets Council - david.freeman@towerhamlets.gov.uk as soon as possible. We are hoping to do more work to launch and promote the Compact across all sectors after the final document is approved. See www.thcvs.org.uk/compact for updates.

Developing a New Local Grants ProgrammeTHCVS is helping Tower Hamlets Council to develop a new local grants programme. Phase 1 took place in the last part of 2017 when we gathered experiences and ideas from a range of organisations and individuals, asking them to consider what should be funded with grants, who should be eligible and how the council could improve on past grantmaking processes. The work was conducted through a series of workshops, one

to one meetings and a follow up survey; see www.thcvs.org.uk/help-create-councils-new-grants-programme for a summary of the work.

All the evidence and feedback has been utilised to create a Draft Grants Framework, which will also be taken to the LBTH Cabinet for agreement this spring. Community cohesion and equality and diversity will be cross cutting themes, and the initial grant themes are:

• Innovation• Prevention• Neighbourhood action• Community cohesion• Capacity building• Partnership working Phase 2 of this work will get into a lot more detail. We’ll be looking at how the new grants programme should work, including developing the priorities for each theme and agreeing outcomes for the funding, as well as the grants application process. We want to consider how applications are structured and what questions should be asked, how decisions should be made and who should be involved. To find out more, visit the ‘LBTH Grants Policy’ link at the top of our website and see our ‘events and training’ section for news of upcoming workshops. Please contact me (gemma.Cossins@thcvs.org.uk) if you have any questions, concerns or suggestions too; we want to hear from you about how to get the best feedback from the people you work with so we can make sure everyone’s interests are represented.

Community Commissioning: Successor to the Mainstream GrantTower Hamlets Mainstream Grants, a council grants programme providing about £3m to the VCS every year, will be finishing at the end of March 2019. Instead of grants, the council is planning to commission services to meet the needs of local communities.

The first step in developing the new ‘Community Commissioning’ programme was a series of events, co-facilitated by the New Economics Foundation and Carney Green, that took place in January 2018.

A New Compact for Tower HamletsThe Compact is an agreement that lays out principles and commitments governing how the voluntary and statutory sectors should relate to one another; it isn’t legally binding but it should help both sides to work together and hold one another to account. The previous Tower Hamlets Compact was adopted in 2011 but is now in need of an update, so following a workshop and research last year, a new draft has now been produced by Tower Hamlets Council.

The new document is aligned with the current Voluntary and Community Sector Strategy, and sets out five shared principles which should underpin the relationship between the Council and the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS):

1. Community involvement and voluntary action are essential to the quality of life in the borough

2. Respect and trust between the Council and the VCS

3. Independence of the VCS should be respected

4. Quality services - the public sector and the VCS have distinct but complementary roles

5. Joint working - each sector should be given equal consideration and respect

These principles are reflected in five key outcomes:

1. A strong, diverse and independent VCS

2. Effective and transparent design and development of policies, programmes and public services

3. Responsive and high-quality programmes and services

According to the notes from the workshops, participants suggested that the programme should focus on:

1. Preventative approaches – early intervention could apply to all areas of provision (for example, sports, criminal justice, arts) as well as provide sustainability and value for money

2. Reducing Poverty – including employment and skills work, tackling in-work poverty and increasing prosperity

3. Co-production – an overall focus on co-production with the community at service design and delivery level

4. Empowerment and Community Cohesion – services should work towards cohesion and individual empowerment, including improved understanding and tolerance, active involvement in local communities, decreased isolation and the development of positive relationships

The overall amount of funding available and mechanisms for bidding have not yet been determined, but it’s expected that the tendering process will take place in the summer so that new work is ready to start in April 2019. We’ll put any new information onto our new Community Commissioning page as soon as we receive it.

The work on Community Commissioning is being led by Tower Hamlets Council. The main contact is Elvis Langley elvis.Langley@towerhamlets.gov.uk; call 020 7364 4150 if you have any questions or concerns. Elvis is a former employee of THCVS but has been working at the council on Community Commissioning since January 2018.

Support and Advice from THCVSIf you would like information, advice or support with any of the above, or with the wider development and sustainability of your organisation, please contact me at gemma.cossins@thcvs.org.uk or on 020 8980 8427. THCVS can work with organisations on a one to one basis and we also run a range of training courses. We are particularly keen to work with trustees and can host or visit evening meetings if that’s more convenient.

Untangling the threads; the compact, new grants, and community commissioning by Gemma Cossins

Development Manager

A number of big policy and funding developments at Tower Hamlets Council are set to affect the voluntary and community sector this year. There is still time to shape the way that these policies are implemented - to include your views and the views of the people you work with - in the debate.

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OUR TEAM

Ieuan CareResearch & Communications Officerieuan.care@thcvs.org.uk

Ieuan is responsible for reviewing how we get useful information to the local sector (that’s you). He is also the editor of this magazine.

Hafsa takes care of the day to day administration, booking venues, collating feedback and getting information where it needs to go.

Hafsa AliTeam Administratorhafsa.ali@thcvs.org.uk

Jacqui CockerDevelopment Officerjacqui.cocker@thcvs.org.uk

Jacqui supports organisations with advice and training on good governance, monitoring and evaluation. She is a PQASSO mentor.

OUR NEW STAFF

Sanober IsmailFinance Officersanober.ismail@thcvs.org.uk

Sanober makes sure we keep track of our money.

Gemma CossinsDevelopment Managergemma.cossins@thcvs.org.uk

Gemma gives advice to voluntary and community organisations. Email her to arrange an appointment.

Kirsty CornellChief Executive Officer (Maternity Leave)kirsty.cornell@thcvs.org.uk

Kirsty is on a break with her new baby son, and her firstborn, Daisy. We’re looking forward to welcoming her back in May 2019.

Shadique GaniMembership & Events Officer shadique.gani@thcvs.org.uk

Shadique helps develop our programme of events, and organises our AGM and Conference. He is reviewing how we can improve the member experience at THCVS.

Damian BradyInterim Executive Officer damian.brady@thcvs.org.ukDamian joins the team as the Interim CEO from Toynbee Hall where he was the Chief Operating Officer. You’re welcome to get in touch to introduce yourself or talk about what’s going on in the sector.

Peter Vittles Partnerships Officer peter.vittles@thcvs.org.uk

Hi, I’m Peter. I joined THCVS in January 2018 as the Partnerships Officer, working with Alison and Shadique on our partnerships here at the CVS.

I work mainly on health and wellbeing, and strengthening our ties with voluntary sector groups in the borough. I have worked in various voluntary sector organisations in different parts of London, most recently around south-east London working on equalities, domestic abuse, hate crime and community engagement.

I have recently moved in to Bethnal Green having last lived here when I first came to London, as a student, when I had a part time job at Tesco in Bethnal Green. What has interested me about this borough is the diversity not just of people living here, but a diversity of histories that this has created.

Outside of work, I live with my cat Lola whose hidden talent is that she can catch, and eat, flies with absolute accuracy. I also like growing plants wherever I can find space.

Alison Robert Partnerships Manager alison.robert@thcvs.org.uk

Alison works to develop partnerships and consortia across the local sector.

10 www.thcvs.org.uk/about-tower-hamlets-cvsFollow us on Twitter @THCVS 11You can see the full form of this article by Gemma at: awithby.com/blog

GEMMA’S YEAR IN RETROSPECTIVE Gemma Cossins

Development Manager

1 Stepping Up I was nervous about acting up but it felt like such a great opportunity, and sometimes the only way to find out if you can do something is to try it. It turns out that being in charge is a feeling, as well as a role and a responsibility. It’s a feeling that changes shape, too - sometimes spiky, sometimes heavy, sometimes a brilliant ‘click’ as a plan comes together.

2 ‘Colleague’ has a range of meaningsIn charitable organisations the CEO role sits in the middle of the organisational structure, at the narrowest point of the hourglass between the staff team and the Board. It took me a while to settle into this privileged position and to manage the sudden realisation that the Trustees, previously at one remove, were now a new set of colleagues.

One of the best aspects of the whole year, for me, was the sense of being part of something bigger and of trying to change the system for the better. Suddenly I had a new set of colleagues outside our organisation who I realised were working toward similar aims. I’m excited to see how the work of both THT and the Tower Hamlets Partnership develops over the coming year and I want to do more to analyse and disseminate the policy and plans coming out of these and other structures now I’m back in my Development Manager role.

3 There’s never enough timeLike a lot of people I am a bit of a sucker for the idea of ‘the right moment’; that feeling that you can only really get into writing when everything is just right and you’re sat at a nice clean desk in a quiet space with a cup of coffee and a nice pen. Quite a lot of that feeling is bound up in fear, the fear of starting because it means you’ll have to finish. It’s a need for (and also a fear of) the blank page really - that chance to start feeding your own ideas and personality into the organisation rather than just carrying on ‘as is’.

What I found myself doing instead of all this careful writing and thinking, though, worked just as well – perhaps even better. Pressed for time, I found myself reading policy documents on my phone on the DLR and writing my talking points down on the notes app, planning out projects on the back of agendas and hanging around after meetings to have a word with people rather than crafting persuasive emails. I knew it on an academic level before, but after this year I really believe that sometimes you just have to do the best you can in the time that you have. Creativity comes when it comes and good strategic thinking does not require three colours of highlighter pen.

4 Responsibility and visibility

Being ‘visible’ as CEO is the thing I struggled with the most, and it’s made me realise that visibility as a whole is something I really need to think about more, both for THCVS as an organisation and for our members and networks. As the umbrella body for the sector THCVS has a responsibility to help make the work and impact of the voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise sector in Tower Hamlets more visible overall, especially now we’re gearing up for major changes to local funding.

Digital communication is key to this. Whilst I have been active online for many years I came to the internet at a time when it was important to keep your ‘work self’ and your ‘online self’ separate. My challenge for the year ahead is to get used to the idea of using social media and blogs for work purposes and to bring my ‘whole self’ to work where I can.

Our Development manager Gemma acted up as CEO last year and wrote a blog about her experiences. Here is a

distilled version of her reflections:

Photography by Gemma Cossins awithby.com

1Tower Hamlets CVS | Charity No. 1137143 | Company No. 0725114115a Old Ford Road, London, E2 9PL | 020 8980 8427

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Events &Training Upcoming Events and Training Spring & Summer 2018

For more information and to book you places at events... thcvs.org.uk/training

Face to face support is available at THCVSFree one to one support on how to manage and develop your organisation.

THCVS can help you with a range of issues, including fundraising, business planning,governance and management. Contact our development team for more information. See the inside back page for contact details.

Members receive a 25% discount on courses we charge forNot a member? thcvs.org.uk/membershipSign up now.

THCVS Annual Conference

Our annual THCVS Conference will be taking place this summer. The THCVS Annual 2018 Conference will centre around the theme of Transformation. We will have a range of workshops, discussion, and keynote speakers.

Community Learning Lab

We’ll be exploring how to use asset based approaches to increase up take of pre-diabetes screening. The event will support the development of asset based approaches across the borough.

Training, Employment, and Enterprise Forum

The Forum aims to strengthen employment and enterprise in Tower Hamlets, and to provide a climate in which voluntary sector organisations can be their most effective.

Leadership Forum

The aim of the VCS Leadership Forum is to enhance and strengthen the leadership of the voluntary and community sector and social enterprises in Tower Hamlets. Aimed at Directors, Managers and Coordinators of organisations in the borough, it provides an opportunity for networking and information sharing.

Health & Wellbeing Forum

The Health & Wellbeing Forum will focus on mental health. Elections to the Steering Group of the Health & Wellbeing Forum will take place at the meeting. For further information please see the forum page at thcvs.org.uk/forums

Structures Course; Lifecycle of an Organisation

Our organisational structures course. This course looks at charity law and additional aspects which influence the structure of a charity and lifecycles for different organisations.

Premises Forum

The Premises Forum aims to help local voluntary sector organisations coordinate and meet the challenges of finding spaces to work in London. We are aiming to host one meeting of the Premises Forum for Tower Hamlets across the Spring and Summer.

The Voluntary Sector Picnic

We’re hosting a picnic this summer where everyone is welcome. Come and enjoy music, snacks, and make a memorable afternoon. No work allowed. There might even be sun.

Trustee Training

We’ll be running new training and networking events for trustees over Spring and Summer. Watch this space!

Would you benefit from tailored support to audit your organisation’s compliance with GDPR? Get in touch We’re considering getting expert help for local organisations to audit their information management arrangements ahead of the 25th May. The aim will be to help you take stock of what you’re doing and build an action plan to implement any changes you need to make. If this is of interest to you please email damian.brady@thcvs.org.uk