Hello

Don't despair summer holidays are almost over but we’ve prepared a scintillating autumn events programme for you to to look forward to - from pre-party conference networking to campaigning futures e-seminar check out our events programme below.

Over the last couple of months we’ve also been busy with a variety of activities that you’ve fantastically supported and got involved with. We held our first ever e-seminar which was a great success, and can still be viewed on the e-seminar page on the forum. And our ‘Would like to meet’ mentoring and buddying schemes will also be relaunched in September so keep a look out on the forum for more information.

We’re delighted that our membership continues to grow and that last week we welcomed our 900th member to the Forum for Change! We really value input from all of our members on any topics on the forum, and many thanks to all those who have replied to our questions on future planning for the forum it really is much appreciated.

We look forward to seeing you at an event in the near future or hearing from you on the forum.

Autumn events programme

Get the most out of Party Conference
Free networking event
13 September 4-6
Portcullis House

Don't miss your opportunity pre meet with peers and hear tips from Brian Lamb, OBE and John Lehal, Managing Director of Insight Public Affairs to make sure you make an impact at conference this autumn.

This networking event is sponsored by Insight Public Affairs, would be ideal for any solo campaigners or policy workers within their organisation. If you would like to attend, please contact Sasha on sasha.daly@ncvo-vol.org.uk. Spaces are limited so do get in quick!

Campaigning using the law
Free joint event with Bates Wells & Braithwaite
14 October 2-5.30

Public Law Toolkit - From challenging cuts using public law and the Compact, to how to use Freedom of Information and Judicial review this free half day seminar explores how to use legal challenges in your campaigning work. Speakers include:

- Rosamund McCarthy (BWB) on the interface with charities law/Charity Commission
- Melanie Carter (BWB) on using public law
in the courts to campaign/challenge (including the basics of public law/human rights law)
- Oliver Reichardt, Compact Advocacy, on challenging funding cuts and the Compact
- Selman Ansari (BWB) on public law and challenging funding cuts
- Rupert Earle (BWB) on using the Freedom of Information Act for purposes of challenge/campaigning
- Phil Michaels (formerly of Friends of the Earth) with a personal account of using public law to further FOE ends and using public law for campaigning purposes

For further information or to register your interest, please email Mona Rahman at seminars@bwbllp.com quoting reference ‘Public Law Toolkit’.

If you are interested in any of these areas we've set a group on the Forum http://www.forumforchange.org.uk/group/legalcampaigning

Campaigning futures
Free e-seminar with NCVO's Foresight team
28 October 10-12
on the Forum for Change

From co-creation to mass participation: how will you be campaigning in 5 years’ time?
What will the future of campaigning look like in five years time?

As a follow-up to the booked-out seminar, Campaigning Futures: What will campaigning look like in 5 years’ time, we’ll be running a companion e-seminar on the same day.

Co-facilitated by NCVO’s Campaigning Effectiveness and Third Sector Foresight teams, this event will be a great opportunity to access new video presentations, talk to other forward-thinking campaigners, and quiz our invited experts on what the future holds for campaigning.

• The rise of social media and citizen journalism
• Fast changing expectations of participation
• “Controlling the message” in a viral communications era

Amy Sample Ward, Global Community Development Manager for NetSquared, will be online to answer your questions, with other speakers to be confirmed.

Save the date in your diary now or join the group now to recieve updates on the e-seminar.

A day in the life - workshadowing scheme

We have now matched all possible matches of participants on the ‘A Day in the Life’ work shadowing scheme. So this month over 400 people working in the voluntary and community sector and government departments will share a work shadowing day. We look forward to reporting back on the experiences; watch this space!

NCVO's Campaigns Conference

We are currently planning next January's Campaigns Conference and would love to hear from you to help shape the day. Please get in touch with us if you have any suggestions for topics you'd like to see covered or new skills you'd like to learn. Ideas so far include - fundraising and campaigning, using social media effectively in your campaigns, future planning, influencing devolved government and the EU, assessing your impact and telling people about it....

We'd also like to hear about what type of format you prefer from workshops, openspace, key note speakers, networking time to virtual e-seminars....

Email campaigning@ncvo-vol.org.uk with your suggestions by the end of September.

As we enter Party Conference season don't forget we have a range of free resources to help you navigate your way through the new political context - from setting the context to working with the Coalition Government in practice.

Our New Political Landscape e-seminar may be over but you can still access all the short films and conversations that took place back in early August in the group or look through the presentations from the first event we ran back in July. If you are not yet a member you will need to register on the site first (don't worry it's free).

Make sure to check out the most popular presentation by far the National Housing Federation's Chloe Hardy highlighting the interesting work they have been doing around mapping language and framing messages.

To bring about social change you need understand power. In the context of a challenging funding environment and the workings of the Coalition Government, it is ever-more crucial to understand the different sources of power and how we can use power to seek the changes we wish to see in the world.

Our new pdf guide explores the sources of power you may have and identifies possible routes to change.

'A brilliant survey and explanation of a massive and complex issue, with real efforts to get to the ‘so what’ for voluntary organisations in the UK. Deserves to be widely read and above all, put into practice.' Duncan Green, Oxfam UK

Are you working to influencing change and want a resource to explain effective campaigning to your board?

This short guide outlines both what is required by the law and what is good practice in the development and implementation of effective campaigns. It’s relevant whether you are involved in a large organisation looking at the strategic overview or in a small organisation and are more directly involved in the day-to-day delivery of activities.

"I would encourage all trustees to read this accessible guide which demystifies the law and gives helpful examples. Written by a long in the tooth campaigner whose wisdom and hands – on experience shines through. After reading this, not only will you stay the right side of the law but you will also have fun. The guide inspires you to campaign and gives you the confidence and tools to deliver maximum impact.” Rosamund McCarthy, Partner Bates Wells and Braithwaite

In Focus guides

Don't forget we have a range of free guides that cover specific areas of the influencing process in more detail, including:

• Policy development (PDF, 283Kb)
• Influencing devolved governments (PDF, 155Kb)
• Making sense of the external environment (PDF, 225Kb)
• Building your evidence base (PDF, 283Kb)
• Commissioning research (PDF, 305Kb)
• Involving people that matter (PDF, 551Kb)

Contact us if you would prefer a hard copy forumforchange@ncvo-vol.org.uk or call 020 7520 2465.

Coming soon

New on the louder blog - tips on making your campaign work, your actions and recruiting supporters new on the louder blog from 38 degree's Hannah Lownsbrough.

As you will knowwe are sadly coming towards the end of our three year Big Lottery Fundproject at the Forum for Change. At present the project ends in March 2011; we are currently planning for the future of the services provided as part of the Forum for Change.

We think it’s really important that you are involved in shaping our future planning, and there is some information which would really inform our future development and planning that we can only get by asking you!

Many thanks to all who have already replied, if you haven’t yet I hope it will be possible for you to take a few minutes to answer the questions below, it would be invaluable to us. Responses before 8 September would be ideal, please reply to: sasha.daly@ncvo-vol.org.uk

1.Who are your supporters that you represent through your policy and campaigning work? (e.g. numbers and types of supporters)

2.How has the engagement you’ve had with our work helped you in your role and in turn helped your supporters?

3.Would you pay a yearly membership fee to be a member of the forum? This would include continued access to services such as seminars, networking, briefings, newsletters, career development, and training.