The secret to successful tender submissions lies in how well you can sell your service, The Borders Care Learning Network is holding two free workshops to support Third Sector managers and board members produce more effective tender submissions, the workshops will help to develop your understanding of the processes, language, terminology and documentation involved in tendering.

Through discussion, debate and a Q&A session participants will enhance their awareness of procurement at Scottish Borders Council and the tender process with participants sharing their own experiences and issues. The workshops will also cover consortiums and community benefit clauses.

To find out more and to book a place at the workshops

Email: training@bvccf.org.uk

Tel: 01896 75790

Wednesday 26th June, Langlee Complex 9am – 4.30pm

This training is for employers and managers and is delivered through blended learning, prior to attending the training you will need to complete the Mentally Healthy Workplace online course which includes good practice in promoting positive mental health and wellbeing. It also offers practical examples of how to support employees experiencing mental health problems.

Training Flyer

The Just Enterprise Marketing & Market Research workshops are offered FREE of charge to members/employees of third sector/social economy organisations however delegate places are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

Marketing –  9.30am – 12.30pm

Only 10% of social enterprises have dedicated marketing personnel. That is why it is important than non-marketing managers learn how to practically and effectively market the organisation – in what little time they have available. This workshop will focus on practical skills to market your organisation. As a result your organisation could gain a higher profile, communicate more effectively and gain a better understanding of  what customers think of you.

The workshop will cover:

• Introduction to the principles and practice of Marketing
• How to connect with customers
• Communication: one simple tool to give your communication impact

Market Research:  A Beginner’s Guide – 1.30pm -4.30pm

Aimed at individuals in social enterprises who are non-research practitioners but who may need to undertake basic market research within their role, this could be in relation to business planning and management, funding applications or assessing the demand for new products and services. The workshop will provide an introduction to market research including:

• What is market research and why do we do it?
• Different approaches and tools
• Tips and techniques
• Working with external researchers

Venue: Tweed Horizons, Newtown St Boswells

Date: Tuesday 7th May 2013

Time: Marketing 09:30 – 12:30/ Market Research 13:30 – 16:30

Training for Care Workers

Training for Care Sector Managers

The Social Enterprise Academy is delighted to announce a few changes to the final programmes of our Developing Leaders for Social Enterprise project here in the Borders, this project is part-financed by the Scottish Government and the European Community Scottish Borders Leader 2007-13 Programme and the first change is that we have removed the £95 fee for the two day Partnership for Enterprise programme being held at Tweed Horizons on the 10th  and 11th of April enabling you to access this learning programme at no cost to you or your organisation. Why would you participate in this programme? Quite simply, in current economic times funders and  are now more risk averse and are therefore more likely to direct funding towards established organisations and organisations that are working collaboratively with others. Are you already working with both local and national organisations? This programme can help you consider ways to improve both efficiencies and outcomes in your current work. Are you considering partnership working in order to tender for particular services? The Partnership for Enterprise programme will make sure you’re well placed to use your networks and assets in collaboration with others and will give you an insight into, your organisation’s current situation and what that could mean for partnerships, the opportunities and challenges of working more closely with other organisations, practical issues such as asset building, tendering and intellectual property and how to prepare for an enterprise partnership.

We are also scheduling our popular Preparing for the Procurement Process programme the following month which will take the tendering process highlighted in the Partnership for Enterprise programme to the next level, after attending both of these programmes you will be confident and knowledgeable about the steps your organisation needs to take to develop the reach and scope of your services through successful public sector procurement. The Preparing for the Procurement Process programme is delivered over 2 days and will help you to Identify key success factors by considering a number of case studies, drawing up a plan to strengthen key areas in your own organisation; Analyse the factors influencing public sector organisations when they contract products and services; Assess your products and services in terms of efficiency, best value and added value and familiarise yourself with the processes and requirements involved in tendering for contracts.

We are now accepting bookings for the Partnership for Enterprise programme and our online booking form can be accessed here

To reserve your place on the Preparing for the Procurement Process programme please email annie@theacademy-ssea.org

Should you require further information or wish to have an informal chat around your or your organisations needs please do not hesitate to get in touch.

As funders look for more partnership working we all need to be ready and capable of working  with both local and national organisations particularly if we want our work to continue reaching our clients and customers; we often think that partnership working is simple, all you need to do is decide what you want to do together and get going. This is so not the case, there is so much more involved in successful partnership working, issues that both, or all parties need to consider together before they begin to source funding. Do you want to know more? Do you want to extend the reach of your services by working in partnership with a national organisation?

Then the Social Enterprise Academy’s  Partnership for Enterprise programme is the best place to start and if you have existing or potential partners, get them to come along too!

As funders look for more partnership working we all need to be ready and capable of working  with both local and national organisations particularly if we want our work to continue reaching our clients and customers; we often think that partnership working is simple, all you need to do is decide what you want to do together and get going. This is so not the case, there is so much more involved in successful partnership working, issues that both, or all parties need to consider together before they begin to source funding. Do you want to know more? Do you want to extend the reach of your services by working in partnership with a national organisation?

Then the Social Enterprise Academy’s  Partnership for Enterprise programme is the best place to start and if you have existing or potential partners, get them to come along too!

Are you interested in training and resources that will support you to increase the participation of Young People? Do you work with young people who would benefit from training in meeting, decision-making skills?

Youth Borders is offering a residential event for all youth committees across the Borders in March, we want young people to really influence and develop their youth organisations and to know how they can go about it.

If you are a youth worker who would like to be able to take a group of young people on the residential weekend and would like training, let us know if you wish to book a place on the course below.

This practical workshop will:

•  Explore ways to encourage young people’s involvement in decision making and enable you to deliver Bored Meetings?
• Identify creative ways of sharing ideas
• Provide you with a Bored Meetings? And Keep it Real pack to support your work
• Provide practical participation resources and exercises for use within your group

With Bored Meetings? Participants will learn how to deliver activities that help young people think about:

• roles and decision-making processes
• barriers to taking part in meetings
• assertiveness, communication and listening skills
• the skills of taking part in meetings

With Keep it Real Participants will learn how to deliver activities that support young people to:

• contribute their ideas and express their opinions using fun activities
• learn how to prioritise and negotiate with their peers
• reflect on their youth group experiences and evaluate activities

“The activities in Bored Meetings are a fun way of encouraging young people to get involved and make their voices heard”

Suitable for: Youth workers, full-time, part-time and volunteers working with young people.

To reserve a place please contact Jemma Laidlaw at Youth Borders

Jemma@youthborders.org.uk

The date are to be confirmed (late Feb/early March, but registering interest can help us get the best date for you and the best date for the residential for young people in your organisation

Healthy Working Lives in partnership with The Suzy Lamplugh Trust are hosting a free workshop to explore the issues of Safer Lone Working and Personal Safety at Work.  This workshop will help individuals and organisations reduce their specific risks and improve the safety of their staff through proactive, practical strategies.

The event will be held at Eildon Mill, Tweedbank Drive, Tweedbank, Galashiels TD1 3RS on Tuesday 15th January, 2013 from 10am  until 4pm  with lunch provided.

Workshop flyer