A very different Volunteers Week

20th May 2020

Volunteers Week 2020 will take place from the 1st-7th June. At TSL Kirklees, we recognise the exceptional work that our volunteers do, and believe that they deserve to be thanked.

Normally we’d have events and visit organisations to thank volunteers. However, following advice from NCVO, we will be doing everything virtually. We will also be focusing on thanking volunteers, rather than having a celebration.

Every day of Volunteers Week, we will be sharing quotes, stories, photos and videos on different themes. These include:

• Monday 1st June: Being Neighbourly. Thanking everyone who has checked in on a neighbour.
• Tuesday 2nd June: Communities in Action. A thank you to all those volunteers who are helping out in their local community with shopping, delivering prescriptions, dog walking and other activities.
• Wednesday 3rd June: Helping from Home. Thanking those who are helping a charity from home. This includes writing letters to the elderly, telephoning isolated people and other activities.
• Thursday 4th June: Clap for our Co-ordinators! Recognising the Volunteer Managers and Co-ordinators, and how they’ve had to adapt to keep volunteering services running.
• Friday 5th June: Businesses Giving Back. Thanking employers who have supported volunteering over the last year, and those businesses that have helped out during COVID-19.
• Saturday 6th June: Volunteering on Hold. Thanking all volunteers who have contributed so much over the last year, including those who are currently unable to volunteer due to COVID-19 restrictions.
• Sunday 7th June: Being Thankful. A thank you to past, present and future volunteers. This crisis has highlighted how important volunteers are, and will continue to be in the future.

Please join us and share your stories. Tag us on Facebook @vkirklees or @Thirdsectorleaderskirklees, or send us a tweet @vckirklees or @tslkirklees

Don’t forget to use the following tag and copy us in so we can share #VolunteersWeek or #VolunteersWeekKirklees. We look forward to sharing all your good news stories!

If you have any questions, ideas or requests please let us know email at volunteer@tslkirklees.org.uk

Introducing the #NeverMoreNeeded campaign

20th May 2020

At TSL Kirklees, we value the importance of the not-for-profit sector, and the fantastic work that some of the local charities and organisations do in our area.

That is why we are backing the #NeverMoreNeeded campaign, which aims to drawn attention to the efforts of charities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We will be promoting the work of local organisations, our members and our partners. If you are part of a local charity/organisation, let us know what you are up to and we will share it on our platform!

Contact comms@tslkirklees.org.uk if you want to send us your news.

For more information about #NeverMoreNeeded, follow the links below.

• #NeverMoreNeeded campaign aims to raise awareness of charity work
• Making a powerful case for the not-for-profit sector

Gaining new skills and qualifications

19th May 2020

Looking to expand your skills and knowledge? Kirklees College is running some free online training courses in Health and Social Care. These courses include a CACHE Level 2 Certificate.

• Awareness of Mental Health Problems
• Understanding of Autism
• Principles of Dementia Care
• Understanding Behaviour That Challenges.
• Understanding of Children’s Mental Health

If you would like to take part in any of these courses, then please enrol here before 21st May.

In addition, Kirklees College is also running 40 different online CPD courses. They start from £30 per course and you can study in your own time and at your own pace. You will also earn a CPD Certificate upon the completion of the course. These include:

• Understanding Leadership
• Health and Safety
• Risk Assessment
• Mental Health Awareness
• Performance Management

For more information, visit the Kirklees College website.

COVID19: You Can Apply for Business Rate Grants for Community Buildings!

19th May 2020

Northfield Hall successfully secures a £25,000 grant!

We know that for many of you have lost major sources of income because your premises and community buildings are currently closed and that this is a big issue, and we have been looking into this and lobbying on your behalf.  In the meantime, one of our members – Andi Briggs from Ashbrow Partnering Together, has had success with his application for Northfield Hall, which is a large multi-purpose community building in Sheepridge, Huddersfield.

Andi had looked into the details of the government’s Small Business Grant Fund and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund guidance and believes that all community, voluntary and charitable organisations who:

1. had a rates bill before 11th March 2020 (even if they get Charitable Rate Relief and don’t actually pay anything.)
2. have a rateable value of less than £51,000
3. received either Small Business Rates Relief (SBRR) or Rural Rates Relief (RRR)
4. or who would have received the Expanded Retail Discount (which covers retail, hospitality and leisure)

are eligible for business rate relief and a grant of either £10,000 or £25,000.  The guidance also mentions clubs and club houses and charity shops.  (The only exception may be church buildings, depending on whether they have a rateable value and receive a rates bill.)

Andi has managed to secure a Business Rate Grant of £25,000 for the centre, which  is registered for business rates and receives a bill, but doesn’t pay anything because it also receives 100% Charitable Rate Relief.  On his application, Andi stressed the ‘assembly and leisure’ and ‘public halls’ criteria.

In addition, the Government has recently announced further discretionary funding so that local authorities can:

‘prioritise businesses in shared spaces, regular market traders, small charity properties that would meet the criteria for Small Business Rates Relief, and bed and breakfasts that pay council tax rather than business rates.

‘Businesses must be small, under 50 employees, and they must also be able to demonstrate that they have seen a significant drop of income due to Coronavirus restriction measures.’

We would encourage all local third sector organisations to apply for this support.

Please get in touch if you need help with doing this.

val@tslkirklees.org.uk

Guidance for the grant funding schemes (with relevant sections highlighted).

Guidance the the Expanded Retail Discount scheme (with relevant sections highlighted).

Links to Kirklees Council’s Coronavirus: Support for Businesses and Self-employed page with relevant information and details on how to apply.

Free Marketing Support from Local Experts

18th May 2020

Several of the experts who were due to speak at our cancelled Marketing Conference in April are offering free virtual support on topics such as marketing plans, PR and social media.

Rich Sutcliffe from social enterprise, Agency for Good is running a series of free webinars aimed at third sector organisations called, Demystifying Marketing.  They are on Tuesday and Thursdays at 10am, starting next week. You can choose from:

• Simplifying and demystifying marketing on 26th May
• Build understanding and connection with your message on 28th May
• PR: the basics of securing media coverage for your organisation on 2nd June
• Digital marketing simplified on 4th June
• Getting customers to come to you through Google on 9th June
• Don’t press the boost button – a simple guide to creating a Facebook Ad on 11th June
• Using marketing data for impact on 16th June

Find out more and book

Agency for Good also offer 6 hours of free marketing help to local third sector organisations who need it.

Find out more

Janet Bebb and Esther Orridge from Social Progress are accredited Facebook She Means Business trainers and they’ll be taking part in 2 lunchtime expert Q&A sessions on:

• Wednesday 20th May
• Wednesday 3rd June

Find out more and book

Janet is also a trainer for the Leeds City Region initiatives, Digital Enterprise and AD:Venture who offer free business support and training to organisations in West Yorkshire and Harrogate (including Kirklees) with an ambition to grow (which can include third sector organisations).

Read more here

Kirklees Visual Impairment Network value their Volunteers

11th May 2020

Kirklees Visual Impairment Network (KVIN) is a user led organisation that runs drop in sessions throughout Kirklees for people with visual impairments. Their aim is to enhance the lives of visually impaired people through promoting the benefits of peer support and the use of technology to aid independence. KVIN have recently received the Kirklees Volunteering Quality Award – demonstrating they value their Volunteers and follow national good practice. During COVID-19 they have had to adapt their service and our providing support by telephone and email.

Claire Drake, Volunteer and Event Co-ordinator at KVIN commented:

“It was a simple and supportive process. Becky took the time to work through the framework and offer advice on where we could adapt our approach for the best possible practice. Putting together the portfolio and being assessed was a positive process for me, I could see all the work I had been doing and what I had achieved. Hearing volunteers experiences and how it all made a difference was the icing on the cake! Thanks to the team at Volunteering Kirklees.”

Free courses to expand your learning!

5th May 2020

SR2 ‘How to’ Workshops: A variety of workshops, including

• Eat Well and Save Pounds with Bev: Learn about batch cooking, budget cooking and how to reduce food waste.
• Nature Drawing Series with Audrey: Learn drawing techniques for landscapes, roads, rivers and more.
• Sew Simple Series with Gill: Tips on how to improve your sewing technique and making practical items.
• Song Writing Series with Rachel: Learn how about lyrics, rhythms and how to story tell through music.

CLW Mental Health Child & Adolescent: Two part course focusing on how to promote good mental health amongst young people.

• Group 4: (Part 1) Wed 27th May, 3-5pm & (Part 2) Fri 29th May, 1-3pm
• Group 5: (Part 1) Wed 3rd June, 10am-12pm & (Part 2) Fri 5th June, 10am-12pm

LAB Wellbeing: Virtual course starting on the 20th May and running for 12 sessions over 6 weeks. Aims to help participants take the first steps to a more positive future.

English for Everyone Course: To practice new language skills and connect with others.

• English For Everyone: Julie (07753 194636) julie.communityskills@gmail.com
• Drama & Film: Steve (01484 510268) esrkerr@btinternet.com
• Staying Well & Healthy: Shama (07869 031720) shama.syed@hotmail.co.uk

How CLW are helping to keep projects going

5th May 2020

• Nature’s Footprints ‘Time for You’: Nature’s Footprints set up a community project working to support families, with a particular focus on mums under pressure .’Time for You’ has grown and many happy relationships have developed.
• COVID-19 and the subsequent restrictions have placed enormous pressure on individuals and families. Supported by Community Learning Works, ‘Time For You’ has delivered fortnightly packs of crafting materials, worksheets, activities and games. They have kept in touch via WhatsApp and Facebook groups, and shared photos and tips.
• There is space to offload, encourage, build up, support, laugh, inspire, create, craft, chat, advise and more. Many of the members say the groups are helping each other to see it through. Here are a few words from members who have said that the space has had a positive impact on their life:

• Growing Works: Growing Works is a local charity promoting positive mental wellbeing for people/families with complex needs, or mental health challenges. They provide outdoor therapeutic activity, inclusive and creative opportunities for physical activity which promote good health in communities.
• During lockdown, they have been staying connected to their participants and volunteers, and extending their reach to new families and communities. These activities are being supported through funding from Community Learning Works, and National Lottery.
• These activities include staying connected through text, call or message on ongoing basis; vulnerable adults twice weekly, families fortnightly;
• Encouraging connection to outdoors by use of social media. Activities are tailored to the general public, vulnerable adults or families with needs. They are promoted via open and closed Facebook groups, Twitter and Instagram.
• They have also been encouraging engagement with the natural environment within isolation guidelines.
• Providing activity and wellbeing packs tailored to participant groups. These are posted out to vulnerable groups and available on website. These include ID charts, simple activities, small items such as herbal tea, wildflower seeds to be sown in derelict ground. If the postal service becomes unreliable, they will seek volunteer support to hand deliver.

To request an activity and wellbeing pack, click here

For more information about an activity and wellbeing pack, click here

• Support 2 Recovery (S2R): S2R Create Space is an independent Kirklees mental health charity offering a range of well-being, creative and outdoor workshops.
• At the beginning on the COVID-19 crisis, they suspended face-to-face sessions and immediately moved to online classes and workshops. They offer live sessions on Facebook, which are then available to view at leisure on their website.
• Workshop topics include making cosmetics from natural products, weaving and stitching workshops, and outdoor activities like making birdfeeders. They are also running a 50 Day Nature Challenge on social media, where each day, they share simple activities and tasks to try at home, either in the garden, or out and about where possible.
• Many people who are isolating are vulnerable, and need support to maintain their wellbeing. Some may not have internet access, or the confidence, skills and equipment for digital connection. So, funded by Third Sector Leaders and Community Learning Works, S2R have put together some physical packs, for vulnerable individuals who do not have internet access, or are unable to access social media. There are 6 bi-weekly packs, which can be emailed or posted as hard copies.
• Each pack has a different theme and contents, all designed to keep people safe but occupied whilst isolating or social distancing. Each pack has hints and tips on healthy living, and various activities that can be done at home, or safely outside – for example, craft activities and materials to make things like friendship bracelets. S2R has signed an information agreement with the Council in order to receive referrals; they follow strict infection control guidelines when preparing paper packs.
• S2R are also planning new online workshops including cooking with a community foodworker; sewing, drawing and music sessions.

• Grow to School: Grow to School works to grow food in community and school settings across Kirklees. Normally, they would grow with over 5000 people in these settings. However, these activities have now been curtailed during lockdown. Children and families are missing their sessions and they have come up with an innovative approach to enthuse and engage them in different ways.
• Schools and community hubs provide vital support for communities and their closure has resulted in further isolation for the vulnerable and marginalised. By using existing networks, they will create a new and vital community of food growers across Kirklees.
• The Growing Together Kirklees project aims to work in some of the 10-20% most deprived areas, where people have poor access to fresh food and diets suffer as a result. The situation is worsened now, as many who usually benefit from free school meals and lunch clubs are unable to access these crucial sources of nutrition.
• GtK will help people spend time nurturing and growing vegetables, fruit and flowers at home, on windowsills, in yards and gardens, providing an opportunity to spend time outdoors together. Gardening has benefits for mental and physical health and has the potential to support and improve family relationships.
• The project is receiving funding from Community Learning Works and Thriving Kirklees to buy seeds, plant pots and other materials to create growing packs for growing at home, including where to go for further information and support.

• Community Skill Centre: A small community organisation at Hillhouse Community Centre are delivering courses and workshops in creative new ways to keep supporting their learners– many of whom are refugees and asylum seekers. Sessions help to improve English language skills and boost wellbeing through enjoyable activities. All are delivered via Zoom with phone, WhatsApp and text support.
• They are also running a Health and Wellbeing course, which gives advice on staying safe and well during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Film and Drama: Will be including viewings and commentaries of film and song clips online and via YouTube.
• Participants will receive script dialogues to practise English language skills and improve confidence.

• English for Everyone: Help to improve English language skills with news, culture and current affairs, wellbeing activities, hobbies, interests and peer support.

• Proper Job Theatre Company: Was found through its partnership with Community Learning Works. Proper Job has developed a highly successful Skill Swap group – a learning group which is led by its members who share skills and learn together drawing on community resources. Proper Job also deliver weekly Feel Good Friday and Motivation Monday groups to support people to start and end the week with a positive mindset, also funded by CLW. These groups have transferred their activities online during lockdown; with activities such as WhatsApp walks, exercise and music sessions providing a much needed and valued source of support and motivation for people at a difficult time. They have also produced a Corona Crisis Cookbook of simple, healthy affordable recipes made from store cupboard and easy to source ingredients.

Image attributes: JillWellington via Pixabay 

How to participate in #GivingTuesdayNow

4th May 2020

#GivingTuesdayNow is a new global day of giving and unity that will take place on May 5, 2020.

People around the world will be given the opportunity to come together and show their generosity, particularly during these unprecedented times.

All acts of generosity and kindness are welcomed and are not restricted to fundraising. Here’s how your organisation can participate in #GivingTuesdayNow.

● Share good news stories. Both from your organisation and other stories that inspire you. Check out GivingTuesday’s social channels for examples. Showcase all the good happening in your community.
● Thank your supporters – host a virtual thank you, or add to a virtual donor wall
● 24 hours of gratitude – post once an hour about things your organisation is grateful for.
● Amplify others – fundraise for another organisation, create a Facebook album to share your partners’ work.
● Go live – share how your organisation has been responding to COVID-19 and how it’s impacted your work.

For more information, see this pack.

Image attributes: 272447 via Pixabay

How to use social media to help your organisation grow

29th April 2020

Got time? Learn basic emergency training skills

29th April 2020

DDC Training are offering free emergency and health and safety videos for voluntary groups.

Published regularly on their Facebook page, the videos provide in-depth and important information on topics such as first aid and performing CPR.

To access the tutorials, visit www.facebook.com/DDCTrainingWY/

Image attributes: JamesRein via Pixabay

Kirklees Citizens Advice & Law Centre: Still Open for Advice & Support

21st April 2020

A message from TSL Kirklees Member, Kirklees Citizens Advice and Law Centre (KCALC)

KCALC is still open and available to support people with advice.  Staff are working from home and and will call or email clients back.  There are 3 ways to get in touch:

• Via the website www.kcalc.org.uk and Contact Us form
• Via referral from professionals, council staff, Councillors, MPs offices, and partner agencies: referral@kcalc.org.uk
• Via the Citizens Advice call centre – 0344 848 970.  Calls are handled centrally and then passed to the relevant local Citizens Advice.Specialist services:
  Full details of all services can be found on the KCALC website and they can be accessed as above with enquiries being passed to specialist teams as appropriate.  These include:
  • Debt
  • Housing – we are focusing our resources on homelessness, and our housing team can be contacted direct on 01924 663541.  Other general housing queries should be directed to Fusion Housing.
  • Community Care
  • Discrimination
  • Asylum – we are ONLY giving advice on asylum issues, i.e. NOT other immigration advice.
  • EU Settlement Scheme
  • Employment – our direct advice number is 01924 868147.

Emotional support for volunteers

15th April 2020

Aspire Creating Communities in partnership with TSL Kirklees, has launched its ‘OpenEars for Volunteers’ programme, in a bid to help volunteers during this stressful time.

Volunteers who need emotional support can can fill out a short form, and a member of the team will respond to you as soon as they can.

If you would like to contact OpenEars, please send an email openears@tslkirklees.org.uk. You can also find out more information online here.

To download this flyer as a pdf, click here

Say Hello To The TSL Kirklees Migration Team!

14th April 2020

The TSL Kirklees Migration Team can now be contacted on Facebook and have their own Facebook group for partners/service providers!

We hope to develop the page into an interactive forum including useful information and news for our partners, customers and volunteers. Please check our page/group regularly for updates and news.

TSL Kirklees Migration Team Facebook page

TSL Kirklees Migration Team Facebook group

Covid19: Access to services for refugees/asylum seekers

14th April 2020

TSL Kirklees’ Migration Team are continuing to run a number of virtual and remote versions of their services to help refugees/asylum seekers to get the help and support they need.

These include:

1. TW4E: A new telephone contact support service for registered users. A Telephone Welcome Mentor will befriend and support refugees/asylum seekers during in the COVID-19. They will be provide with support to access help for the people you support who are most in need.
2. COVID-19 Information: The #KirkleesWelcomes blog has COVID-19 information in different languages. Click here to find out more
3. Meet, Try, Learn: Currently closed, however the team will be providing activities and packs for vulnerable people in Kirklees. Please note these are to support mental health and wellbeing, and not food packs.
4. Facebook: The Kirklees Migration Team can now be contacted on Facebook and have their own Facebook group for partners/service providers!Kirklees Migration Team Facebook pageKirklees Migration Team Facebook group

For more information, visit welcometokirklees.blog  or contact Christina Simpkin on 07825 547938 / 01484 519053.

Covid19: Third Sector Resilience Survey

14th April 2020

Tell us how you’re doing and what support you need…

At TSL Kirklees, we’re working hard behind the scenes to support you and make sure that you have all the help you need.  We want you to continue to offer your vital services and survive the current challenges of our communities being in lockdown.

Please get in touch if you need urgent help – val@tslkirklees.org.uk and please complete the survey below by the end of the week (1st May).

The results will be shared with us here in Kirklees and will help with our conversations with the Council about the best way to support the sector at this difficult time.

Complete the survey here

If you’d prefer to complete the survey by phone, with a member of our team please email val@tslkirklees.org.uk or Richard Warrington: richard.warrington@val.org.uk

More Details from the Partners, including SEYH, Leeds Community Foundation and Voluntary Action Leeds

The Third Sector in Leeds and the wider Yorkshire and Humber region is playing a critical role in the Covid-19 response. The sector is having to work in different ways, more flexibly and, in some cases, is under real financial pressure, particularly as many revenue streams and fundraising activities have had to be put on hold.

Infrastructure bodies across Leeds are now working together to find out how third sector organisations are adapting, in order to understand the pressures teams are under, and to work to provide the right support.

Together Leeds Community Foundation, Social Enterprise Yorkshire & Humber, Third Sector Leeds, Voluntary Action Leeds and Forum Central are launching this online survey for third sector organisations to have their say.

The survey takes just a few minutes to complete and the information provided will be used by infrastructure bodies, to advocate for the sector’s interests and, wherever possible, to adapt services to meet changing needs.

The team are also looking to do some phone interviews, to gain a detailed account of members’ circumstances.

A follow up to this survey will be available in the coming months as our collective continues to find out how the sector is responding to the new challenges that come about during the emergency and beyond.

Information for Third Sector Organisations on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

14th April 2020

***UPDATE: 22/6/20***

How to Account for Furlough Receipts

We have been advised that organisations need to show furlough receipts as ‘Other Income’ when they prepare their annual accounts for the current year.  These are classed as Government grants, rather than payments that are off-set against salaries and wages, and should not be included in operating income (turnover).  Salaries and wages should be shown in full (paid out), as normal, in Expenditure.

Please make sure you discuss this with and get advice from your accountant, however, this information may help when you are making entries in your accounts now, so that you don’t have to make too many adjustments at your year end.

Also, as the vast majority of organisations have financial accounting periods that ended on 31st March 2020, and the World Health Organisation declared the pandemic on 11th March 2020, the effects of COVID-19 will need to be shown within annual reports as an adjusting event.

Furlough Scheme Information

The Government’s new Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (furlough scheme) is available to all employers to help them retain, and pay their staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here to claim.

Charities and social enterprise that run a PAYE scheme may be eligible. However, the NCVO (the National Council for Voluntary Organisations) states that you cannot apply to the scheme if your employees’ salaries are already covered by grants and contracts that are still being paid to you.

In other words:

1. if you have funding that covers staff wages for services that you’re due to be delivering now (in which case you’ll need to speak to your funder),
2. or if you’re providing services as part of the Covid19 response.

All employers who wish to apply need to have created and started a PAYE payroll scheme on or before 19 March 2020, and have a UK bank account.

Employers can claim for any employees, including those on flexible or zero hours contracts, as long as they were hired before 19th March 2020.

Employers cannot furlough employees who are sick or self-isolating, or who are on unpaid leave (unless they started this leave after 19th March 2020). Statutory Maternity Pay, and Shared Parental Pay, Paternity or Adoption Pay operates as normal.

If you need further help or advice please:

• Take a look at the Government Guidance or take a look at our information page for other sources of information and support.
• Chat to your accountant, lawyer or HR professional (if you have one)
• Please get in touch with us, and we’ll see what we can do to help.
• Speak to our partners: WYCAS, 0113 270 6269, info@wycas.org.uk and/or TSL Kirklees Member, Pay As You Feel Community Accountants, 01484 422384, vicky@solutionsaccountancy.co.uk.

Image attributes: FirmBee via Pixabay

Homeworking Tips & Info

30th March 2020

Policies, Legal Issues, Tools and Good Practice

(with thanks to Sandy Adirondack, freelance governance consultant for the VCS)

Policies

1. Sample Homeworking Policy for Employees
2. Sample Homeworking Policy for Volunteers

ZOOM

The Small Charities Coalition has a page on remote working, with links to these publications by CAST (Centre for Acceleration of Social Technology).

https://tinyurl.com/r93bkxo

• How to stay connected when working remotely (4pp)
• Getting started with Zoom (6pp)
• Getting started with Skype Video (8pp)
• Getting started with Google Hangouts (8pp)
• CAST practical guide to remote meetings (22pp of slides). Includes participation, running the meeting, hand gestures, tools we use, and technical setup

Video calls with Zoom. Co-production Network for Wales, 25 March 2020.

https://tinyurl.com/yxywlqkp

• How to set yourself up to dial in to a Zoom call
• 10 tips for participants in group video calls
• Zoom functions: Where to find what
• Hot tips for new hosts of group video calls

Charity Digital Exchange. Has discounts/offers on products useful for homeworking, including antivirus software and Zoom subscriptions.

https://tinyurl.com/sx98737

ARTICLES

The bullet points are the article headings; words in quotation marks are from the articles.

Working from home during the coronavirus pandemic. Charles Russell Speechlys solicitors, 17 March 2020. Some issues specific to temporary homeworking, starting with trust: “A lack of trust between the homeworker and their manager is the greatest barrier to making homeworking successful.”

https://tinyurl.com/udtb29w

• Practical issues: Trust, supervision, hours of work, communication, social isolation, technology and equipment, stress, training and appraisals, sickness.
• Legal considerations: Health and safety, confidentiality, data protection, other legal issues.

Covid-19 working from home risk assessment. DAC Beechcroft solicitors, 18 March 2020. “Employers need to be mindful that by reducing the risk of infection to Covid-19 they do not expose employees to other, preventable risks.” Looks specifically at occupational stress and work-related upper limb disorders.

https://tinyurl.com/vwgnrys

Cyber risk warning as coronavirus spurs remote working. Pinsent Masons, Out-law News, 17 March 2020.  “Employers should urgently review and bolster if necessary the cybersecurity measurers they have in place.”

https://tinyurl.com/tv7onrh

HR has a critical role in these remote working times. People Management, 17 March 2020. “Remote working does not mean people are sent home to fend for themselves.”

https://tinyurl.com/wt8yv5k

• Structure communication
• Ensure good performance management
• Keep information timely, consistent and honest
• Ensure everyone has equal access to information
• Reach out to people from other organisations

How to work remotely in a time of coronavirus. David Ainsworth, Civil Society, 12 March 2020. Looks at “the technological solutions which enable distributed working, and the adaptations to culture and ways of working that are involved”, based on the experience of a real organisation.

https://tinyurl.com/weypozc

• Hardware
• Software
• Meetings
• Processes
• Culture
• Care

From desk jockey to badass remote worker in a few easy steps. Shelly Palmer, 8 March 2020. Produces a daily newsletter on advertising, marketing and technology – often a welcome diversion from the endless voluntary sector and legal newsletters in my inbox. He starts this article with “The sociology of productive remote working is much more difficult to master than the technology. Said differently, learning to work by yourself is harder than you think it is. Here are a few tips that will unlock your inner badass remote worker skills.” I wish I had read this 40 (!!!) years ago when I went freelance.

https://tinyurl.com/skv9zg4

• General rules – including quit when it’s quitting time
• The tech
• The sociology
• You may never go back

Coping practically and emotionally during the Covid-19 outbreak. Family Lives. Only partly about homeworking, but with practical ideas about how to deal with what is going on around you while you are working (or trying to).

https://tinyurl.com/ubxcvmk

• Advice for families in self isolation
• Managing conflict
• Working from home
• If your child has SEN or a disability
• Managing anxieties and worries