News

ivo, a new social networking website, which claims to provide the first-ever national listing of charity volunteers, has being launched.

VCS organisations can search the website, which is designed to match people with community projects relating to their interests, for volunteers by skills and location. The website, which has been launched following the success of the 18-month i-volunteer pilot, also provides a forum where people can share their interests and experiences using blogs and videos.

The second round of the £10million Innovation in Giving Fund has been announced by the Cabinet Office and Nesta, focusing on inspiring innovation in established charities.

Whilst the first round focused on new ideas to increase giving, the second round calls for established charities that want to use their expertise, networks, assets and capabilities to find new ways to engage people in giving.

Following One East Midlands appointment to work in partnership with NAVCA and CLINKS to run four local networks in Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire, as part of the Safer Future Communities programme, we are now looking for groups to join the networks.

Employment levels in the VCS experienced a slight recovery during the final quarter of 2011 according to the latest analysis of the Labour Force Survey, with an additional 36,000 employees entered VCS paid workforce between October and December 2011. This represents an increase of around 5% on the previous quarter and increases the sector's workforce to 759,000 individuals, 2.6% of total UK employment, and follows six consecutive quarters during which employment in the sector either fallen or remained static. Over the past 12 months, the sector's workforce fell by 33,000, a 4% decline.