Highlights: VAC Response to Council’s Engagement Process; Free Beach Party Invites for Volunteers; ‘Celebrating Parents – Resilience in Camden’ fun day; The M&S Energy Community Energy Fund; Open Meeting of CBUG – Camden Borough User Group; Learning Disability Awareness training session 5th August; plus news, funding, events, jobs, volunteering and more.
NEWS
VAC Response to Council’s Engagement Process
A Response from VAC to: ‘Camden Council and Camden’s Voluntary and Community Sector. Investing in a Sustainable Strategic Relationship’.
You can read the response on the VAC website.
Free Beach Party Invites for Volunteers
Thirty Camden volunteers are invited to attend the Camden50 Summer Party at the Roundhouse Beach on Monday 3 August 2015. If you would like a Free Ticket please email frances.connelly@camden.gov.uk by 24 July. First come first served! More info about the event here: http://camden50.co.uk/events/camden50-summer-party/
‘Celebrating Parents – Resilience in Camden’ fun day for families on Saturday, October 24th from 1 – 5 pm at Haverstock School.
Every year we have our Celebrating Parents (in its 10th year) event during Parents week and we invite the Mayor and the Cabinet member for Children Schools and Families. This year the event will be slightly different as we are looking at ‘Resilience in Camden’.
Everyone’s lives have ups and downs. Resilience is the ability to bounce back when faced with challenges in your life. Resilience also comes from supportive relationships with family members, peers and communities that help people cope.
Camden Council is exploring new ways to better serve its residents. The new Resilient Families Programme aims to support families early enough to prevent problems escalating by focusing on what families need to be resilient, giving support in the right way, at the right time, empowering them to improve their own situation by developing community networks, unlocking alternative community resources and relooking at the role of public services. Schools, health, police and the voluntary and community sector are key partners.
If you would like a stall at the event please complete the booking form attached and return it to David Robinson at david.robinson@camden.gov.uk
Camden New Town Community Festival
Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th July 2015. Bringing our community together in Camden Square Gardens. Entertainment for people of all ages from diverse cultures.
Activities: Green corner; Healthy living tent; Live Music; Dance Performance; Jazz, Folk & Poetry in the Garden; Bring a poem for the Poetry Wall. Saturday 18th 4.00pm – 8.30pm
Sunday 19th July 2015 Family Day 12noon – 6:30 pm
To book a stall, volunteer or make donations; contact the Festival
Office on: 0207 267 9586 or email: festival.mlcc@yahoo.co.uk
National News
Charities lost out on £300m of rate relief last year
NCVO have calculated that Local Authorities are now giving out only 12.5% of the discretionary rate relief available. Charities are pressing the government to raise the mandatory rate relief to 100%. Full story in Civil Society magazine.
Charities Under Attack (Again)
It’s Scams Awareness Month and The Chartered Trading Standards Institute warn that 4 million people are scammed each year, up 25% since 2013 and an unknown number are victims of rogue traders. Scammers are targeting the elderly and desperate. However, the Government have announced that they will be introducing legislation “to protect the vulnerable from aggressive fundraisers and rogue charities” instead. This follows weeks of tabloid attacks on charities including personal attacks on named charity staff in the Daily Mail. The Sun has now attacked the Alzheimer’s Disease Society for employing staff. You can read the response in the Guardian. Though an anonymous director of fundraising admits to doubts about the methods used by the very small number of national charities that are employing commercial fundraisers and who may be damaging the sector as a whole’s reputation.
As the sector comes under attack an article in the Huffington Post calls on the sector to get more political.
Healthwatch Camden
Latest Information DIgest is on the Healthwatch Camden website.
Catch up with the latest Camden news and what’s happening on Our Blog
The Camden Capacity Building Bulletin is produced monthly, targeting the community and voluntary sector in Camden. It provides up to date/recently live information and news on funding and training. To access the latest information please follow the Link www.camden.gov.uk/cbbulletin
Irish Elderly Advice Network, Age Uk Camden, and Camden PA are recruiting. See Jobs and Volunteers section below.
Camden Shares. The website for exchanges in Camden. www.camdenshares.org.uk
You can join in on Facebook. Like us if you like us.
Follow all the Camden Voluntary Sector news on OneCamden on Twitter.
You can read more about all of these stories on our news page at www.vac.org.uk/new
FUNDING NEWS
See the Funding pages on VAC’s website for all the latest information.
The M&S Energy Community Energy Fund.
If you’re a not for private profit organisation that wants to use renewable energy to provide community benefits, this is your chance to try to secure funding. Whether you’re a community energy group, a sports club or simply an organisation that wants to have a positive impact on the environment, we want to hear from you.
Our funding will be awarded to renewable energy projects in Great Britain who can demonstrate they have the support of their local community.
To take part, simply complete the online application form by Wednesday 29th July.
Cabinet Office launches £20m Local Sustainability Fund after long delay
The Office for Civil Society has announced the launch of its £20m Local Sustainability Fund, which will give grants of between £20,000 and £100,000 to around 250 small and medium-sized organisations.
However the fund has taken 15 months to deliver, is half the size it was originally expected to be, and faces criticism over a “ridiculously short” application window.
The £20m fund will be delivered through the Big Lottery Fund and will be available to around 250 high-impact charities and social enterprises. Charities interested in applying can do so through an online diagnostic tool, and must do so by 26 July.
Charities will also be eligible for support from local businesses, with the OCS saying that all grant recipients expected to establish a “strong volunteering relationship with a local businsses”. Full story in Civil Society.
The Good Neighbourhood Fund
Grants of between £5,000 and £10,000 per year over two years, are available to support work benefitting people aged 18 or over in the following areas: Health and/or Wellbeing and Inclusion
Proposals must promote or encourage integration and/or inclusion through project delivery. This could include:
~ Health and wellbeing projects that bring people of different backgrounds, faiths, gender, cultures, sexuality, ages together through the group’s work
~ Projects with a health/wellbeing focus that are actively tackling issues such as exclusion and isolation
Funding is available for projects, or core funding for organisations whose work fits with the fund themes, and funding is available to continue existing work, and/or for new work or pilots.
Income Threshold: Organisations must have an average annual income of less than £200,000
Priority will be given to:
~ Small organisations working to support a defined local community
~ Resident or user led groups
~ Organisations demonstrating a clear understanding of the needs of their community
~ Work which shows innovation for either the organisation and/or sector
~ Organisations which are able to provide volunteering/engagement opportunities for MyLotto24 staff
Deadline: 5pm, Monday 7th September 2015. Full details at London Community Foundation
Building Better Opportunities
Building Better Opportunities brings together money from the Big Lottery Fund and the European Social Fund 2014-2020 to provide joint investment in local projects that tackle poverty and promote social inclusion.
The programmes in London include support for economically inactive and long term unemployed women from BAME communities, as well as for those with caring responsibilities. It also includes an intermediate labour market (ILM) programme for people with disabilities who have spent long periods out of work.
In addition to the Project Outlines, additional information for each of these programmes can be found here on the London Enterprise Panel’s website.
Assessment of applications to the Big Lottery Fund will include consideration of how well applications address the information published in the additional information documents as well as in the Project Outlines.
The Big Lottery Fund Project Outlines can be accessed here.
While details about the application process can be found here.
The deadline for applications is 12 Noon on Monday 3rd August.
Crowdfunding?
Don’t forget that there is a dedicated page on Spacehive just for Camden projects. And set up costs are free to Camden groups. Find out more at Spacehive Camden.
Don’t forget to sign up to Funding Central for free email funding alerts. Go to www.fundingcentral.org.uk/
VAC EVENTS
VAC has a full programme of courses coming up: Click here to find out more. All courses are £25 for members (unless otherwise stated).
Mental health courses and workshops from VAC
To book your place, please go to https://vac.org.uk/events/category/health-mental-health/. Click on the course you are interested in and follow the instructions to book your place and pay by card (if applicable). The charge for our Mental Health First Aid and Youth Mental Health First Aid training courses is heavily subsidised at only £25 per person. All other mental health workshops are free.
Please note that VAC can only accept bookings from organisations based in Camden or which serve Camden residents. Places are limited on each course to a maximum of two people per organisation.
If you have any queries about our training, please contact us on our new email address: mentalhealthteam@vac.org.uk.
OTHER EVENTS
Silence Makes Violence, 24th July 2015
Uncovering the mental health issues caused by emotional abuse
Mental health issues such as depression and anxiety are overlooked or go unnoticed. Domestic violence is commonly associated with visible physical abuse. But what about the silent violence? Mental and emotional abuse remains hidden. It’s time to uncover the mask.
Bring awareness to mental health issues. Help women recognize the signs of emotional abuse
13:00-16:00pm Refreshments at 13:00 workshop begins at 13:30
Workshop funded by Finsbury Park Ward of Islington
MIDDLE EASTERN WOMEN & SOCIETY ORGANISATION
Workshop location: 86 Durham Rd. London N7 7Dt Email: office@mewso.org
Open Meeting of CBUG – Camden Borough User Group
Supporting mental health service user involvement in the borough of Camden. Do you/ have you used mental health services in Camden? What’s Good? Bad? Missing? Come along and tell us your experiences
A chance to influence how treatment is delivered in Camden. Anyone in Camden with a mental health history or current experience is welcome Open CBUG meeting.
Tuesday 21st July 2015, 11am St Pancras Hospital Conference Centre, 4 St Pancras Way, NW1 0PE
Topics this month:
~ Smoking Cessation policy at Camden & Islington NHS
~ Recovery College
Contact Dan or Alex on: 020 3355 7113 or 07776 769 315 Or email dan.slee@voiceability.org
Learning Disability Awareness training session on 5th August 2015.
Training runs from 1pm – 5pm at the Camden Training and Development Service at the Crowndale Centre.
The training is delivered by Training people, a group of adults from Camden who are experts about what it’s like to live with a learning disability, because they are people with learning disabilities.
Training People have several years of experience delivering training in Camden, working with social care workers, NHS staff, third sector staff and volunteers, as well as council employees.
Designed and delivered entirely by people with learning disability, this training looks at how attitudes and barriers in society can affect people with a learning disability and ways to overcome these things together. Through a series of interactive exercises participants will explore effective communication, empowering support and the importance of choice and control.
This training is recommended for any staff who work with people with a learning disability, either as a main part of their job or who may come into contact with people with a learning disability from time to time.
For more information on the course (not bookings) email sarah@advocacyproject.org.uk or call 07946 505 064.
To make a booking contact Camden Training and Development Service at tdsonline@camden.gov.uk or visit http://www.camdentds.co.uk
Women’s Resource Centre Training Events:
Making the Case: Equalities And Human Rights
Monday 27 July
This training will help you increase your knowledge of the pieces of current human rights and equalities documents that are referred to in the UK, raise your awareness of how they are relevant to your service users and give you the skills to use them to make the case for your organisation and the services you provide.
This training covers: The Equalities Act 2010, the Public Sector Equality Duty 2011, CEDAW and using Judicial Review.
This course is funded and specific groups can attend for free. This training is FREE and open to all Voluntary and Community organisations and Social Enterprises based in London.
To register: http://thewomensresourcecentre.org.uk/events/making-the-case-equalities-and-human-rights-7/
Making Tracks: Improving Employability Support for People with Physical Disabilities and HIV
Tuesday 22nd July 10.30am-12.30pm at the Hopscotch Asian Women’s Centre, 50- 52 Hampstead Road, NW1
We would like to steer an initiative to develop an effective employment network to support those people with Physical Disabilities/HIV into employment.
We know there are several organisations that support, represent and advocate for disabled people in the borough. If you are a member of one of these groups, we would like to take this opportunity to begin to coordinate our work. We would also like to hear from Employers, Service Users and Camden Residents that have Physical Disabilities/HIV.
For further details or to RSVP, contact Nikki at Hopscotch
Tel: 020 7388 8198 EMAIL: nikki.mcnaught@hopscotchawc.org.uk
Crick Update
If you’re local to the Crick, come along to the next Community Update – Tues 21st July, Somers Town Community Association, rsvp to info@crick.ac.uk
The Spark 2015: A Free week of discussion, workshops, film, poetry music 20 – 26 July
All looking at how we can build positive change here in the UK and around the world
Find out more & register at www.thesparkspace.org
This free-to-attend week of events takes place at the Brady Arts Centre, Whitechapel, London, from 20th – 26th July. Each day runs from 10am – 9pm.
There will be sessions on a wide range of topics from ‘How gentrification affects communities and what we can do about it’, to ‘The Colonial Past & Present and the fight for our future’, ‘How to make your own short film… on your mobile!’, to ‘Write your own spoken word poetry,’ to ‘Stop and Search training for young people’, and many, many more. Full timetable & register at www.thesparkspace.org/timetable
Disability Awareness Training from YPFI
We can train you or your organisation in Disability Awareness, help you make your service accessible for people with disabilities, or support you to set up your own Youth Participation group. The training is delivered by young disabled people from Camden and surrounding boroughs.
YPFI aims to stay in contact with organisations who receive their training to build enduring and positive relationships. By delivering these training programs we hope to improve the lives of disabled people and increase inclusion in London. Find out more at the Elfrida Rathbone YPFI website or come to the Free Taster Day on Friday 10th July at Kentish Town Community Centre from 10am-1pm.
You are invited to join us to find out more about what we offer, speak to organisations who have received the training we run and take part in activities designed to raise awareness of disability, inclusion and accessibility.
Please contact YPFI to book a place and find out more ypfi@elfridacamden.org.uk Tel: 020 7424 1601
Vital Youth and the Hospital Club Foundation present Master The Word, a Spoken Word project aimed at young people 16-24.
#MasterTheWord is a creative development project that uses creative techniques and practical interventions to explore the power of language communication and (self) presentation.
Spoken Word Workshops all 1pm- 4pm Cost: FREE
Week 2: Tues 21st, Weds 22nd & Thurs 23rd July
Week 3: Tues 28th, Weds 29th & Thurs 30th July
Week 4 – Recording days 4th & 5th August
Venue: The Hospital Club, Covent Garden, 24 Endell Street, London WC2H 9HQ
For further information call 020 7245 2269/1 e: vitalyouth@vitalregen.org
As well as creative learning and enhancing their skills, the young people complete the arts award qualification and are supported with progression opportunities into employment, apprenticeships or further training opportunities.
London for All
London for All / LVSC have a full programme of courses available for the voluntary sector. Go to the London for All website for full details.
Camden Carers’ Service
Has a full range of events and activities for unpaid carers in Camden. Find out more on the Camden Carers’ Service website www.camdencs.org.uk/activities
Don’t forget that Camden TDS run a full programme of course which are subsidised or free for voluntary sector partner organisations. There is a link to a list of partner organisations on the home page.
Find more Training Opportunities at www.vac.org.uk
JOBS AND VOLUNTEERS
Stroke and Aphasia Minorities Support Group seeks Volunteers
The Stroke and Aphasia Minorities Support Group is a new group that meets at Charlie Ratchford Resource Centre. The group is looking for a number of volunteers and trustees:
2 Trustees
A Treasurer
A Secretary
A volunteer coordinator
A fundraising volunteer
Ideally you should have some knowledge and/or experience of strokes. For more information and to apply please contact Felix Mboko at minorities.strokeaphasia@gmail.com
Moroccan Women’s Centre seeks Domestic Violence Advocate/Independent Domestic Violence Advocate (IDVA)
Job Share (2 days per week). Up to £27k per annum (pro rata)
Al-Hasaniya Moroccan Women’s Centre is a charity which serves the needs of Moroccan and Arabic-speaking women and their families in Kensington & Chelsea and London-wide.
We are seeking a highly-skilled, well-organised, confident individual able to take on a job share role (2 days per week) working directly with our Arabic-speaking IDVA to support vulnerable women who have experienced recent or historical domestic violence and abuse.
The applicant must demonstrate a very good understanding of domestic violence and its impact on families, particularly within Arabic-speaking communities with at least two years’ experience of working with this or similar client groups.
The applicant must have a degree level of education, be IT literate and fluent in English. Excellent oral and written communication skills and be experienced in working within a multi-agency framework to provide direct and dedicated advocacy support to women within and outside the criminal justice system.
The application pack is available to download from the Al-Hasaniya website
If you require further information please email Esma Dukali at esma@al-hasaniya.org.uk
This role is subject to enhanced DBS check and suitable references and is open to women only under the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, Section 7(2).
The post holder will be based at the Al-Hasaniya centre with some co-location within partnerships based in Westminster, Hammersmith & Fulham and RBKC.
Deadline will be midday, Wednesday 29th July 2015 and we hope to interview the shortlisted candidates on Friday 21st August and/or Monday 24th August.
Age UK Camden seeks Partnership Development Officer, 30 hours per week
Local Government Scale PO1 (£27,563-£29,468pa for 30 hour week)
We require a Partnership Development Officer to: support the engagement of older people in the partnership, to promote asset based mapping and community development and to support our delivery agencies in their work.
Essential requirements: experience of community building; experience of engagement preferably co-production; knowledge of issues affecting older people including isolation; excellent communication and interpersonal skills; ability to deliver successful multi-agency partnership work; highly numerate and literate; ability to innovate and work creatively.
Training, Events and Monitoring Administrator, 21 hours per week; Local Government Scale 5 (£14,195-£15,372pa for 21 hour week)
We require a Training, Events and Monitoring Administrator to provide administrative and communications support to the Ageing Better in Camden programme, and to support our work in monitoring our activities and achievements.
Essential requirements: at least two years’ experience of working in an administration role; excellent IT skills including databases; good verbal and written communication skills, understanding of issues affecting older people including isolation
AUC offers a contributory pension, and a season ticket or bicycle loan facility. The post is based at Tavis House, Tavistock Square with easy access via Euston and Kings Cross main lines or Russell Square tube.
For more details, all documents can be downloaded from our website www.ageukcamden.org.uk or email jobs@ageukcamden.org.uk.
Closing date – 9:00am Monday, 10th August 2015 Interviews -24th and 25th August 2015.
Are you looking to employ an assistant to help with your care needs? CamdenPAs can help you.
CamdenPAs.org.uk is a new service that makes it easy to find a personal assistant (PA) and puts you in control of your care and support.
If you have care needs, you can employ a PA to help you to live as independently as possible.
PAs can carry out a wide range of tasks, as agreed with you, to help with things such as washing, getting dressed, cooking, and supporting you to go out and about.
CamdenPAs features an online ‘marketplace’ for you to browse through a list of profiles of PAs in the borough. Profiles give details about the services they provide, their skills, experience and personal interests.
You can look through the list to find suitable matches and choose someone you like to help support you.
When you find a match you can contact the PA to arrange an interview and see how you get on. If you like them you can then work out contract details such as hours, duties and wages, and hire them.
If you do not find anyone suitable, you can set up your own a profile describing your requirements and interests, for PAs to look through and contact you.
You can employ a PA whether you receive a direct payment or fund your own care. If you receive direct payments you can get support with the employment from Personalised Support In Camden or AgeUK Camden.
Become a PA
If you’re a PA looking for work or are just starting out, CamdenPAs can help you. As well as helping you finding a job, the site features advice on looking for work, becoming a PA and where to get training.
Why not set up your profile today? Find out more, visit: camdenpas.org.uk or p hone: 020 7278 4437
Socially Responsible Recruiting
A new, award-winning skills matching service that connects employers with skilled and experienced people to do one-off or part-time jobs has launched in Camden, with a strong social benefit ethic.
“There is a very large number of people in Camden who are fantastically skilled and work-ready but are off the radar to employers because they’re not looking for full-time work and aren’t constantly scouring the job ads,” says Jonathan Collie, founder of Trading Times.
These people are highly skilled over 50s, and family carers. Trading Times brings them to you. It’s free to candidates. It costs you only £35, and only when you are connected to the perfect candidates.
Paul Fordham of Abbey Community Centre in Camden said: “”We posted our occasional job opportunity on Trading Times because we at the Abbey Community Centre recognise the value of the flexibility that can come with age. Trading Times offers a tailored means to directly target opportunities at an older group that the vast majority of other job sites simply do not seem to tap.”
Register at https://tradingtimes.org.uk/ and let Trading Times match you with the right local people for your needs.
Find Jobs and Volunteering opportunities at https://www.vac.org.uk/
OFFERS, RESOURCES and ANNOUNCEMENTS
Consultation on Proposals to commission an integrated NHS 111 & GP Out of Hours (111/OOH) service across North Central London
We want to hear about your experiences of the current services and your views and contributions on the proposals and how we can commission the best 111/OOH service for the residents of Camden (inc Barnet, Enfield, Haringey and Islington).
Whether you are a patient resident or a community organisation you can write to us or fill in the questionnaire at the back of the proposal document to:
NHS 111/Out of houses, Communications Department, NEL Commissioning Support Unit, 75 Worship Street, London EC2A 2DU
Or alternatively you can email your comments to feedback@nelcsu.nhs.uk or call the communications team at 0203 688 1615
You can also fill in the questionnaire online at http://www.camdenccg.nhs.uk/about/questionnaire.htm.
For further information about the procurement process or to read the background documents, please take a look at our website at: Camden CCG www.camdenccg.nhs.uk
Free NHS Health Check
Over 6,800 Camden residents had a free NHS Health Check last year – have you had yours?
If you are aged between 40 and 74 years (or 30 to 74 if you are South Asian) you can have a free health check once every five years to assess your risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, stroke and dementia.
A health check can detect potential problems before they do real damage and you can be referred to other services that will support you in changing your life for the better.
If you are Camden resident, and registered with a GP, ask at your local surgery, call 0203 633 2609 / 0800 917 0976, or click on the link below to book an appointment at a place near you.
More information healthycamden.com/healthchecks
Camden Consultations
Various consultations are out at the moment including a consultation on Camden Future Libraries and Camden VCS strategy and changes to early education and childcare and children’s centre services. You can find all Camden consultation on the Wearecamden consultation hub.
FREE VAC Membership for Unfunded Groups: Voluntary Action Camden Small organisations with no paid staff and a turnover of less than £1,500 can now join for FREE. To take advantage of this offer just fill in the membership on the online form here.
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To get discounts on training, room hire and many more benefits click here to join Voluntary Action Camden
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If you have an item for the e-bulletin, please email it to Kevin Nunan, knunan@vac.org.uk with a note of which section you would like it to appear under.
