DS Community
Delegated Services has been working with the community sector since 2016. This was initially with youth sector organisations but then widened to support organisations across the sector. Our advice and resources have been adapted to meet the needs of the sector.
Rachel Barfoot is our Community Lead and a number of members of the team have worked in, or currently work in charity sector organisations. Prior to being appointed by Delegated Services, Rachel worked for over 15 years at a senior level in the charity sector including being the CEO of Arnos Vale Cemetery and Community Ignite (Part of CVS South Gloucestershire’s community sector infrastructure and volunteer support services), Development and Centre Manager for The Withywood Centre a £5.4m sustainable community facility, Board Member of two charities in Knowle West and city wide and volunteer and co-leader of a voluntary community group for ten years in Hartcliffe and Withywood. We understand the challenges that charities currently face and requirements made of them.
Whilst the HSE is the enforcing body and advise on health and safety for the charity sector, due to a lack of resources, the information to the charity sector is not being widely shared or discussed through its support networks in the geographic areas in which we work as strongly as in other sectors. We are passionate about taking lessons and best practice to charity sector organisations and care that volunteers who put their all into running organisations to support others are supported not to be at risk of falling short of their health and safety legal obligations or unknowingly put others at risk.
Our free monthly Community Newsletter is full of useful information and the latest best practice guidance from the Health and Safety sector. You can sign up to receive it here. Please get in touch to explore how we can help you via our online contact form or tel. 01275 795827. We also offer very good value compliance and development training which can be accessed through our Portal here.
Paid for services for the charity sector;
- 1-3 year Support Contract Package where you are allocated a key contact in DS and we act as your “competent person”. The service may include a 24/7 emergency support line, supportive audit or deep dives into high risk areas, alert communications, Bulletin, access to our library of sample draft policies and risk assessments, accident and incident reporting, warning and banning and direct personable support. Packages can be adapted to meet your needs.
- A Supportive Health, Safety and Compliance Audit with optional follow up. (From £1,030+VAT)
- Health Check for small and primarily volunteer lead organisations.(From £256+VAT)
- Resource pack for Volunteer Led organisations £85+VAT
- Safeguarding Check Up – Details here.
- Sample draft policies and risk assessments (Access to our whole library POA or for purchase at £45+VAT each).
- Risk Assessment review.
- Support to comply with Martyn’s Law (Protection of Terrorism Act 2025).
- Risk Management and Emergency Planning Audit and Training
- Incident/Accident reporting service.
- Warning and Banning service.
- Non-Managerial Supervision for Safeguarding Leads.
- Estates Management Deep Dive – Compliance and management audit.
- Fire Risk Assessment (By competent assessors).
- GDPR Audit.
- Organisational Wellbeing advice and a menu of training.
- Category C off site residential and visits/outdoor activities service.
- Training – All statutory training and developmental training in leading health and safety in organisations (particularly good for Trustees, CEO and Operational leads), all aspects of safeguarding and safer recruitment, essential estates management, wellbeing, behaviour management
In addition to our services, we have the expertise of a team of experts who are Network Partners.
- These include specific areas of property compliance such as Asbestos Risk Assessments and Management Plans, Radon Assessments, Legionella Risk Assessments and energy solutions and advice;
- Back office services such as legal advice, digital PR audit, consultancy and training, Occupational Health Assessments, Emergency and ongoing counselling; and people and family support such as behaviour management, de-escalation, arts therapy and parenting.
What others are saying...
Recent News...
In September Delegated Services reported on the advice of the charity commission on Trustee and employee use of social media including a package of advice on cyber security. The Charity Commission has now reported that it is aware of a significant number of serious concerns about activities within charities linked to the conflict in Israel and Gaza. These include charities representing communities across the religious divide, although these to date largely concern allegations of anti-Semitic or hate speech. They have said that charities must be really careful not to allow their premises, events or online content to become forums for hate speech against any community or unlawful extremism. They go on to say that at a time of heightened tensions, people expect charities to lead the way in bringing us together. That does not mean that they must avoid sensitive or controversial issues – charities are free
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