Recent News

Skillsmart Retail (the Sector Skills Council for Retail) and retail sector charity Retail Trust are encouraging charity shop staff to apply for 10 management training scholarships worth nearly £2,000 each. The places at the Oxford Summer School have been made available exclusively to independent shops for the first time this year, "in a bid to help the high street during tough times" say the funders.

The management development programme will be held at Keble College at the University of Oxford from 21 to 27 August, and offers valuable training for would be retail leaders. It is run by the British Shops and Stores Association (bssa) and includes exercises, lectures and tutorials led by retail experts, presentations from leading retail figures, team-building events and social activities. It covers key skills such as how to manage people, money, marketing, merchandise and retail space.

Anne Seaman, Chief Executive of Skillsmart Retail said: "The Oxford Summer School is the ideal course for ambitious independent managers. It provides a broad insight into the retail world, which retailers can take back and help their businesses grow. I would encourage all charity store workers to get their applications in as soon as possible to that they don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity."

Rebecca Sanders, an area manager for Cancer Research UK, who won a scholarship last year, said: "I would recommend this course to any retailer. I left feeling confident and ready to move forward with a clear definition of how to drive business forward and it was the most memorable and impacting week I have ever had both on a personal and business level."

The bursaries are available to all retail employees in companies employing 1,000 people or fewer.

www.skillsmartretail.com/oxfordsummerschool

The Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) has announced a £3.8 million training programme for staff and volunteers working with young people in charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprises in England. The funding is part of the new Integrated Working Initiative which CWDC is encouraging volunteers and professionals to support, by committing themselves to integrated working to help ensure the best possible support for children and young people across England.

CWDC is making available free resources and tools as part of the initiative on a new 'Integrated Working' microsite.

An estimated 70% of all work with young people is provided by third sector organisations: 35,000 charities, their staff and over 5 million volunteers make up the voluntary sector workforce working with children and young people.

A survey commissioned by CWDC has found that 77% of parents and 72% of the public think that children and young people would benefit if professionals and volunteers in all sectors, including the third sector, delivering services to children, (from scout and guide leaders to play and youth workers, care workers and teachers), worked together in a more integrated way.

Indeed, the survey found that 20% of respondents said that third sector organisations the Scouts or Guides had had the most positive impact on their childhood, ahead of religious groups (14%).

Simon Carter from the Scout Association said: "It's no surprise to us that the time spent in Scouting is cited by adults as having a positive impact on their young lives. Scouting provides young people with the opportunity to try over 200 activities. We are able to provide these adventurous activities by working with a wide range of partner organisations. For us working with others is our default position rather than an afterthought".

Deirdre Quill, Director of Integrated Workforce at CWDC, said: "The voluntary sector contributes immensely to the health, education and wellbeing of children and young people across England... We are urging all voluntary sector organisations that provide services to children and young people, their staff and volunteers, to commit to integrated working by talking to each other more, sharing information more effectively, and engaging with integrated working tools that will help them put each child at the centre of all services."

The survey was conducted by ICM which interviewed a random sample of 1,758 adults aged 18+ in England from its online panel between 29 and 31 January 2010.

www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/alltogetherbetter