An evaluation by the think-tank Demos finds that mentoring programmes can offer direct, positive outcomes – including on aspirations, a sense of agency, and soft skills – for both mentors and mentees. It finds that two-thirds of mentors surveyed believed that their experience had given them extra professional and ‘soft’ skills. When those who felt it was ‘too early to say’ were discounted, this figure grew to 90 per cent.

These projects will also make it easier for organisations to forge better links with local businesses, develop stronger partnerships with local public sector bodies and for people to volunteer. Minister for Civil Society Nick Hurd said: "This fund is not designed to support 'business as usual' - it's about making things better for the frontline. It's about supporting organisations with innovative business plans who want to play their part in modernising the landscape of local infrastructure.

A failure to treat people with mental health problems and get them back into work is costing the government, employers and society £67bn a year. A think-tank has revealed that a lack of understanding and support in the workplace and gaps in services have led to mental health problems becoming one of society’s costliest issues. New Philanthropy Capital (NPC), which works with charities and funders, says rising unemployment and a tough economic environment is making it even harder for people with mental health problems to find work.

Over £9 million has been awarded in the first window the Social Action Fund which is managed by The Social Investment Business on behalf of the Cabinet Office. Sixteen social action projects in England have had grants ranging from £100,000 to £2 million from the Fund to provide teaching support, increase citizenship awareness, improve green spaces in cities, and provide services to homeless people, disadvantaged young people and local communities.

Britain’s largest union, Unite, today urged MPs to oppose the Welfare Reform Bill, warning that it will hit low paid working people, push over 200,000 thousand children into poverty and leave some families with as little as 62p per person per day to live on. The move comes as MPs consider amendments made by the House of Lords to the Bill, including the controversial cap on benefits.

Skills – Third Sector has announced that new advanced apprenticeships in campaigning, fundraising and volunteer management have been approved by the National Apprenticeships Service for funding by the Skills Funding Agency. This means that third sector employers can now get help towards the training costs of apprenticeships in these professions. Keith Mogford, chief executive of Skills – Third Sector, sais: “This news represents the culmination of a lot of hard work on the part of Skills – Third Sector and partners in the sector. I hope that the new apprenticeship frameworks are sought out by employers, as they should be.”

CFDG has published Managing risk in charities: Lessons from the past decade and a look into the future today at its Risk Conference 2012. Based on research by Paul Bennett and Tim Gage, two researchers from Cass Business School, this paper explores themes in the development of risk management in the sector and makes recommendations for improving practice. The research was based on 10 years of findings from the CFDG/PKF Risk Surveys, focus groups with senior finance professionals in the sector and interviews with a case study identified as demonstrating good practice.

The College of Social Work celebrates its launch today, with a strong defence of the profession in the face of unprecedented change. Social work is going through unprecedented change. The profession urgently needs a College through which to take control of its standards, speak with a strong voice to policy makers and promote excellence in practice for the profession and the people that it serves.

Labour Shadow Ministers Gareth Thomas MP (Charities) Sharon Hodgson MP (Children and Families), Karen Buck MP (Education) and Chris Williamson MP (Communities and Local Government) hosted a summit of charity and voluntary sector groups to discuss the impact of the Government’s policies on children’s charities and the services they provide today.

Age UK’s new Care in Crisis 2012 report shows that this year spending on older people’s social care in England has fallen half a billion pounds short of even maintaining the inadequate levels of provision in place when the Coalition came to power. In order to maintain the same levels of service as in 2010, Age UK’s projections show that Government ought to be spending £7.8 billion this year. In fact councils have only budgeted £7.3 billion in the face of substantial reductions in central government funding.

A new coalition is being launched today to build a Scotland-wide debate about the constitutional future of the country. Alison Elliot, Convener, SCVO, said: "We need to shift the debate on the future of Scotland from powers, legality and timing to consider what we want Scotland to look like in the future, how we could do things differently and how to engage more people in this historic discussion. So far we have only heard from those who have a fixed idea of the result they want in the referendum and who seek to narrow the debate. This coalition will build a wide reaching, transparent discussion about the future of our country that considers people's aspirations and the challenges they face."

Blackbaud has announced today that Blackbaud Merchant Services is now available to all UK customers using its The Raiser’s Edge product, offering not-for-profits an integrated payment and donation processing solution. The Blackbaud Merchant Services rates are 2.75%, plus 25p per transaction for Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, and 3.5% plus 25p per transaction for American Express.

Today, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has announced confirmed funding of £15.5m for four heritage projects in London, Stirling, Penzance and Birmingham. The projects are: completing the World Conservation and Exhibitions Centre at the British Museum (£10m); telling the story of the Battle of Bannockburn through state-of-the-art 3D technology (£3.94m); rejuvenating Porthcurno Museum in Penzance, once the world’s largest cable station £1.4m);

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