Community groups need to be aware of changes to public entertainment licensing that come into effect this April.Only those activities which the council has resolved to license are affected.

RoWAN is a waste awareness charity based in Highland whose aim is to help people cut their waste.

From 1st January existing charitable companies and charitable industrial and provident societies will also be able to apply to OSCR to convert to SCIO form.

Dates for log sales and 10th december for Christmas trees

Groups are being encouraged to take part in this historic event by building and lighting one or more beacons on Monday 4th June 2012.

Big Lottery have now agreed to consider applications from projects which are located outside eligible areas.

Public agencies are supporting an Autism Alert Card Event being held at 2 pm on 24 August at 2pm in the Recreational Hall, Raigmore Hospital, Inverness. Each partner organisation will have a stall with their own information displayed with application forms for the card.

The Caithness Volunteer Centre is still located in Telford House Wick.  It is no longer called Volunteering Highland and has new contact details. 
We are able to provide Voluntary Groups and individuals wishing to volunteer with the following services:

Voluntary Arts Scotland is currently recruiting people to become a Arts Ambassador

Voluntary Arts Scotland aims to promote participation in the arts and crafts across the U.K

The new Scottish Government contract for Business Support services for Enterprising Third Sector Organisations has been secured by the Just Enterprise consortium

This is a programme for communities of less than 300 who are looking to set up and run a community-owned rural shop

The Scottish Government has provided funding to the Development Trust Association Scotland (DTAS) to establish COSS.  Building on a previous pilot phase, COSS will offer support and advice to both communities and local authorities to explore and advance the effective transfer of local authority assets to community ownership.

The scheme - The programme aims to support communities to come together around a space or place that matters to them, helping those spaces and places be better used, and the communities to improve the environment and to work together to be healthier and more active. The kinds of projects they might fund include parks and community gardens, outdoor play areas, allotments and community centres or meeting spaces.

Two Caithness Projects successful in securing Climate Challenge fund awards

Volunteering Highland is promoting volunteering awards in Caithness

A new disclosure scheme to improve the protection of Scotland’s most vulnerable groups went live on February 28,

Excellent Office space for rent at Telford House, Williamson Street, Wick

Scottish Charity Awards open for entries

VOLUNTARY organisations using the Social Return on Investment (SROI) model can too easily inflate the results to make their work look good.

Remember VAT rise from January 2011

Rise in national minimum wage for October 2010

Lloyds foundation awards over £300,000 in Scotland

ACAS guidance on snow and getting to work

New fund for Queen’s Diamond Jubilee

Wick memorial Garden bulb planting

Legislation will introduce charges for playing recorded music in public venues from 2011, but charities are given an extra year to prepare.

The Caithness Partnership has secured funds from Scottish Natural Heritage and the Highland Leader Programme to operate a Caithness Environment Fund.

Application Form: Caithness_Environmental_Fund_Application_Form.doc

CVG Column July 2010

CVG Column June 2010

The Flexible Training Opportunities programme gives Scottish businesses (1-50 employees) the opportunity to apply for up to £500* towards employee training costs.

CVG_newsletter_July_2010_1.pdf

CAITHNESS_VOLUNTARY_GROUP_NEWSLETTER_May_2010_1.pdfCAITHNESS_VOLUNTARY_GROUP_NEWSLETTER_May_2010_1.pdf

CVG_newsletter_march_2010.pdf

CAITHNESS_VOLUNTARY_GROUP_NEWSLETTER_January_2010_1.pdf

Caithness Voluntary Group has been working with Social Enterprise Academy to deliver a range of courses in the county.

Community groups in Caithness will be able to find out whether they can apply for funding from BBC Children In Need by coming along to a presentation in Wick next week.

A funding pot of £40,000 is now available for environmental projects in Caithness over the next three years.

Caithness voluntary Group offers support to groups on a range of issues.