London Community Recycling Network is to establish a “Peer-to-Peer Advice Service” to link up individuals and organisations that have a gap in their skills or knowledge base with those that have the experience to fill it.
” Within the sector, quality governance has been creeping up the agenda. “
– David Unwin, Charity Commission
The Network revealed its aim at an event on Tuesday evening celebrating the work of trustees and management committees among voluntary sector recycling groups in the capital.
London CRN chief executive Ben Metz said that for 68% of organisations in the voluntary and community sector, the main support of business is through management boards.
Prior to the formal launch the Network is carrying out a skills audit of members to identify areas of expertise and reveal where more support is needed.
Speaking at the celebratory event at Somerset House in London on Tuesday, Charity Commissioner David Unwin spoke of the importance of filling skills gaps within management boards. He said: “Within the sector, quality governance has been creeping up the agenda, but where can trustees go to get advice? Well, there is a raft of useful publications out there.”
As well as umbrella groups like LCRN, Mr Unwin highlighted the “Good Governance” guide from the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, which is available from the Governance Hub website.
LCRN
London Community Recycling Network, the umbrella group for social enterprise recycling organisations in the capital, now has over 120 members. The Network received 492,592 income in 2005 to support recycling groups in London, with funding sources including the London Development Agency, London Recycling Fund, Association of London Government and lottery funding.
| Related links: |
Mr Metz told letsrecycle.com the community recycling sector was “ramping up its market share disproportionately faster” in providing recycling services for London boroughs at the moment. This was through becoming more mainstream in their approach and innovating with work in new areas, he said.
“We're not growing for the sake of growth,” he said, “it's about identifying a need and addressing that need in our constituency.”
Register for free to comment