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From this page you can download helpful articles. These are in PDF format. If you don’t have a PDF reader, you can download one here for free.
- Leadership
- Policy and Strategy
- People
- Partnerships and Resources
- Processes
- Customer Results
- People Results
- Society Results
- Key Perfomance Results
Leadership
What is in a constitution (PDF)
A model constitution (PDF)
What is a trustee (PDF)
Role of a Chairperson (PDF)
Role of a Company Secretary (PDF)
Role of Treasurer (PDF)
Welcoming Social Enterprise into Health and Social Care (PDF)
Other resources can be found on the following website links:
Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators www.icsa.org.uk - examples include:
- Model role description for a Charity Trustee
- Model role description for a Chair of the Board of Trustees
- Model role description for a Secretary
- Model role description for a Treasurer
Companies House www.companieshouse.gov.uk guidance booklet includes:
- Directors and Secretaries Guide
Co-active www.co-active.org.uk - examples include:
- Directors’ briefing on Directors’ responsibilities
- Directors’ briefing on leadership
- Directors’ briefing on the role of the Company Secretary
- Social enterprise briefing on democratic management
National Association for Voluntary and Community Action (NAVCA) www.navca.org.uk examples includes:
- NAVCA’s learning and development policy
Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) www.scvo.org.uk examples includes:
- Vision and purpose
- Equal opportunities policy
The Governance Hub www.governancehub.org.uk examples include:
- Good Governance: a code for the voluntary and community sector (full document, also summary)
- A-Z of Good Governance
- Code of Governance toolkit
- Living Values training pack
- Governance and Organisational Structures
The Charity Commission www.charity-commission.gov.uk examples include:
- The Essential Trustee – what you need to know
Manchester Progressive Enterprise Network www.mpen.org.uk examples include:
- Briefing paper on accountability in community enterprises
Policy and Strategy
What policies should you have in place? (PDF)
Writing a Performance Improvement Policy (PDF)
Template Performance Improvement Policy (PDF)
Business Plan Guidance Notes (PDF)
Marketing Information Sheet (PDF)
Other resources can be found on the following website links:
The Performance Hub www.performancehub.org.uk examples include:
- ‘Achieve More’ issue 2 on strategic thinking and planning
- ‘Achieve More’ issue 8 on translating strategy into practical operational plans
- Adventures in Strategy 1: renewing your strategy
- Adventures in Strategy 2: involving users – a sound strategy?
- Adventures in Strategy 5: imagining the future – using visions and scenarios
Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) www.scvo.org.uk examples include:
- How to plan
- Strategic and business planning
- Quality in organisational development
Social Enterprise London www.sel.org.uk examples include:
- Social enterprise business plan template
Social Firms UK www.socialfirms.co.uk examples include:
- Business plan guide (2 parts)
Business Link www.businesslink.gov.uk examples include:
- Business plans – how to prepare them
Forth Sector www.forthsector.org.uk examples include:
- A business plan guide to developing a social enterprise
Manchester Progressive Enterprise Network www.mpen.org.uk examples include:
- How to write a community enterprise business plan – background
- How to write a community enterprise business plan – layout
- Sample business plan
Scottish Enterprise www.scottish-enterprise.com examples include:
- Draft business plan
Co-active www.co-active.org.uk examples include:
- Directors’ briefing on SWOT analysis
- Directors’ briefing on writing a business plan
- Social enterprise briefing on planning techniques
- Start-up briefing on sample business planning format
- Start-up briefing on writing a business plan
People
Duties of a Company Secretary (PDF)
Employee Welfare (PDF)
Grievances and Disciplinary Procedures (PDF)
Job Description and Person Specification (PDF)
Recruitment and Selection (PDF)
Other resources can be found on the following website links:
Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators www.icsa.org.uk examples include:
- Model code of conduct for Charity Trustees
- Specimen induction pack for Charity Trustees
Business Link www.businesslink.gov.uk has a number of resources and interactive tools on various aspects of employing people
Voluntary Action Leeds www.VAL.org.uk examples include:
- Trustees’ induction pack
The Charity Commission www.charity-commission.gov.uk examples include:
- Trustee recruitment, selection and induction
Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) www.scvo.org.uk examples include:
- Disciplinary rules and procedures
- Grievance procedures
Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA) www.wcva.org.uk examples include:
- Good employment code
- Good governance code
ACAS www.acas.org.uk examples include:
- Summaries of their advisory booklets, handbooks and advice leaflets
- E-learning package on bullying and harassment
- E-learning package on disciplinary and grievance procedures
- E-learning package on information and consultation
- E-learning package on managing absence
Co-active www.co-active.org.uk examples include:
- Directors’ briefing on discipline and grievance issues
- Directors’ briefing on discrimination
- Directors’ briefing on dismissing employees
- Directors’ briefing on redundancy
Partnerships and Resources
Stakeholder analysis (PDF)
Other Player Analysis Table (word doc)
Financial Management and Accountability (PDF)
Opening a Bank or Building Society Account (PDF)
Financial forecast planning (PDF)
Other resources can be found on the following website links:
Companies House www.companieshouse.gov.uk guidance booklets examples include:
- Accounts and Accounting Reference Dates
- Auditors
The Performance Hub www.performancehub.org.uk examples include:
- Adventures in Strategy 3: steering through the funding environment
- Adventures in Strategy 4: compete or collaborate?
National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) www.ncvo-vol.org.uk examples include:
- Funding and Finance for Voluntary and Community Organisations – 6 part guide
National Association for Voluntary and Community Action (NAVCA) www.navca.org.uk examples include:
- NAVCA’s financial standing orders
Mango www.mango.org.uk examples include:
- Guide to financial management for NGOs
Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) www.scvo.org.uk examples include:
- Setting and overseeing budgets
- Managing contracts
Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA) www.wcva.org.uk has information sheets on various aspects of managing money, and managing assets.
The Charity Commission www.charity-commission.gov.uk examples include:
- Internal Financial Controls for Charities
Business Link www.businesslink.gov.uk examples include:
- Tendering for Government Contracts – a guide for small businesses
- What finance is right for your business?
Co-active www.co-active.org.uk examples include:
- Directors’ briefing on budgeting
- Directors’ briefing on intellectual property
Processes
Process Flowchart (PDF)
Promoting your organisation (PDF)
Other resources can be found on the following website links:
National Association for Voluntary and Community Action (NAVCA) www.navca.org.uk examples include:
- NAVCA’s complaints procedure
Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators www.icsa.org.uk examples include:
- Model conflict of interest policy
- Model declaration of interests form
- Model register of interests
The Charity Commission www.charity-commission.gov.uk examples include:
- A Guide to Conflicts of Interest for Charity Trustees
Charities Evaluation Services (CES) www.ces-vol.org.uk examples include:
- First Steps in Quality
- First Steps in Monitoring and Evaluation
- Practical Monitoring and Evaluation
- Next Steps in Quality – PQASSO in practice
Information Commissioner www.ico.gov.uk examples include:
- Data Protection Act guidance for small businesses
Social Firms UK www.socialfirms.co.uk examples include:
- Social Enterprise Network’s Marketing Communications – a guide for social enterprises
Co-active www.co-active.org.uk examples include:
- Directors’ briefing on email policy
- Directors’ briefing on internet policy
- Directors’ briefing on everyday workplace policies
- Directors’ briefing on filing and records management
- Directors’ briefing on managing change
- Directors’ briefing on planning your marketing
- Directors’ briefing on your firm and the Data Protection Act
- Start-up briefing on marketing your business
Customer Results
How to understand your customers needs (PDF)
A rough guide to getting customer feedback (PDF)
Other resources can be found on the following website links:
Business Link www.businesslink.gov.uk has a number of resources and interactive tools on sales, marketing and customers
Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) www.scvo.org.uk examples include:
- Involving service users
- Annual reports
Manchester Progressive Enterprise Network www.mpen.org.uk examples include:
- Market research for community enterprises
Social Firms UK www.socialfirms.co.uk examples include:
- The importance of branding for social enterprises – guide to the branding process
Development Trusts Association www.dta.org.uk examples include:
- The Press Kit
Co-active www.co-active.org.uk examples include:
- Directors’ briefing on advertising strategy
- Directors’ briefing on building customer loyalty
- Directors’ briefing on creating a brand
- Directors’ briefing on research for your marketing
- Directors’ briefing on your sales strategy
- Directors’ briefing on your website strategy
- Start-up briefing on customer care
- Start-up briefing on researching your market
Scottish Enterprise www.scottish-enterprise.com examples include:
- Fact sheet on branding and promotion
- Fact sheet on marketing basics
- Fact sheet on writing a marketing plan
People Results
Supervision in practice (PDF)
Example volunteer survey (PDF)
Other resources can be found on the following website links:
The widely used Self Perception Inventory can be found on the Belbin website www.belbin.com
Business Link www.businesslink.gov.uk has a number of resources and interactive tools on managing and improving staff performance
The Governance Hub www.governancehub.org.uk examples include:
- Finding and Costing Workforce and Governance Development
- Tending Your Board
National Association for Voluntary and Community Action (NAVCA) www.navca.org.uk examples include:
- NAVCA’s supervision and support policy
- NAVCA’s framework for supervision and support sessions
- NAVCA’s performance appraisal scheme
- NAVCA’s annual appraisal form
Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) www.scvo.org.uk examples include:
- Training paid staff and volunteers
- Managing performance
Co-active www.co-active.org.uk examples include:
- Directors’ briefing on communicating with employees
- Directors’ briefing on motivating employees
- Directors’ briefing on performance appraisals
- Directors’ briefing on personal development plans
- Directors’ briefing on remuneration
- Directors’ briefing on teambuilding
- Directors’ briefing on using training effectively
Society Results
Environment policy guidance notes (PDF)
Writing an environmental policy (PDF)
Key Performance Results
How to produce an Annual Report (PDF)
Guide to social return on investment (PDF)
Charities Evaluation Services (CES) www.ces-vol.org.uk examples include:
- Your Project and its Outcomes
bassac www.bassac.org.uk examples include:
- Changing Places Changing Lives
- ChangeCheck
Social Audit Network www.socialauditnetwork.org.uk examples include:
- One page social accounting framework
Social Firms UK www.socialfirms.co.uk examples include:
- Employment plan template
- Measuring Value Creation in Social Firms – do-it-yourself manual
Social Enterprise Coalition www.socialenterprise.org.uk examples include:
- Impact Measurement
Manchester Progressive Enterprise Network www.mpen.org.uk examples include:
- Social auditing
- Social audit checklist
Co-active www.co-active.org.uk examples include:
- Directors’ briefing on your business and the environment
New Economics Foundation www.neweconomics.org examples include:
- Measuring Real Value: a DIY guide to social return on investment
- The Money Trail: measuring your impact on the local economy using LM3
Development Trusts Association www.dta.org.uk examples include:
- Tell Your Story – community impact mapping