Press releases
Easy-read Good Trustee Guide to support people with learning disabilities on charities’ trustee boards
A new easy-read guide to trusteeship published today will help people with learning disabilities to become charity trustees. The National Council for Voluntary Organisations has translated its best-selling Good Trustee Guide into easy-read format in order to provide information about a trustee's role and best practice guidance to people with learning disabilities.
By making the information contained in the Good Trustee Guide accessible, NCVO hopes to help charities improve the diversity of their governance structure and increase the effectiveness of their trustee board. Increasing board diversity is a key recommendation of the new draft Charity Governance Code.
Charities welcome new grants standards
Charities have welcomed substantial changes to the government's planned 'anti-lobbying clause', announced today.
New Charity Commission board members – NCVO reaction
Commenting on the three new appointments to the Charity Commission board, Sir Stuart Etherington, chief executive of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, which represents charities, said:
The new appointees have substantial professional backgrounds, with decades of experience at senior levels in complex organisations.
Read more: New Charity Commission board members – NCVO reaction
NCVO welcomes new ACEVO chief executive
Welcoming the appointment of Vicky Browning as chief executive of Acevo, Sir Stuart Etherington, chief executive of NCVO, said:
I am delighted that ACEVO have appointed Vicky as their new chief executive.
Major overhaul for charity governance code
A consultation has opened today on a significant new version of the charity sector governance code.
The code, a tool to help charities strengthen and develop their governance, was originally created in 2005.
This major overhaul, launched at the start of Trustees Week 2016, sees new and more detailed guidance included in the code, with an enhanced focus on delivering organisational purpose and direction.
Those with an interest in charity governance are being asked to feed back their views on the code. The consultation runs until Friday 3 February 2017.
National Citizen Service should work more closely with local charities, says NCVO
The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), which represents charities and volunteering, has welcomed the government's announcement that the National Citizen Service (NCS) will be given a royal charter along with measures to enhance its accountability. NCS has provided positive experiences for many young people and helped them develop important skills.
However, NCVO said that NCS could still do more to work with local charities to ensure it reaches its potential as a starting point for life-long volunteering.
Read more: National Citizen Service should work more closely with local charities, says NCVO
Leading charities commit to put donors in control of fundraising
New recommendations would mean charities would not call members of the public without clear permission.
Plus donors will always have a way to opt out of phone calls and letters under proposals published today.
New proposals published today would put donors in control of their relationships with charities.
Read more: Leading charities commit to put donors in control of fundraising
Minister for Civil Society move to DCMS
Commenting on the transfer of the role of minister for civil society from the Cabinet Office to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Sir Stuart Etherington, chief executive of NCVO, which represents charities and volunteering, said:
We have always championed charities and the remarkable things they do for our society to every part of government. Charitable giving, volunteering and social action are part of the social and cultural heritage of Britain. Charities contribute to economic growth and run high quality, user-oriented public services. They can play an important role in delivering the ambitious social justice programme that Theresa May set out in her first speech as prime minister.
Peter Kellner set to be new chair of NCVO
The renowned journalist and political commentator Peter Kellner is set to become the new chair of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, the representative body for charities, community groups and volunteering, it was announced today.
Mr Kellner succeeds Martyn Lewis, who has served as chair of NCVO for the last six years.
His appointment follows a competitive process led by NCVO’s president, Tanni Grey-Thompson.
The appointment, for a three-year term, is subject to ratification at NCVO’s annual general meeting in November.
Brexit implications – briefing from NCVO
Implications for charities and community groups from the Brexit referendum include political uncertainty, slow progress on government policy change, and potential financial challenges, according to a new briefing from NCVO.
