Voluntary Action Camden e-bulletin 2nd March 2018

New Courses from VAC

VAC are offering 2 free Health and Safety courses: Health and Safety Essentials and Risk Assessment – places are booking fast.  Also running: Writing Successful Grant Applications and Getting Ready for GDPR.  See the VAC Events section below.

International Women’s Day 2018

Now, more than ever, there’s a strong call-to-action to press forward and progress gender parity, uniting friends, colleagues and communities to think, act and be gender inclusive. Details at  International Women’s Day website.
Message from MEWSo on International Women’s Day.
Torriano Meeting House, 4th March at 3pm, New Factory of the Eccentric Actor celebrates with performance, readings, tea and cake – details.
Solace Women’s Aid International Women’s Day Event, 200 Women #StandTogether, 8th March 6.30 – 8.30. Book at Eventbrite.

Camden Carers Centre AGM Tues 20 March 3.30 – 5.30pm

The Annual General Meeting of Camden Carers Centre is an opportunity to meet staff, trustees and other carers. Come along to hear about Camden Carers Service plans for the next three years.
All are welcome to attend, booking is non-essential, however if you can contact info@camdencarers.org.uk or call 020 7428 8950

Volunteer Managers’ Forum and Coffee Morning

Join VCC for a Volunteer Managers’ Forum and Coffee Morning on Wednesday 14th March, 10am-12.30pm in Camden to discuss all things volunteer management with volunteer managers in Camden, and beyond. The topics will be varied, and can be anything related to managing volunteers – and will be decided by you on the day. Details and booking at Eventbrite.

Camden Family Members Reference Group

A group for all carers of an adult with a learning disability in Camden
Wednesday 21 March 2018 10:30am – 12:30pm followed by a light lunch
Camden Carers Service, Charlie Ratchford, Belmont Street, NW1
We welcome carers of young people age 14+
More details / RSVP contact: philippar@centre404.org.uk Tel: 020 7697 1336

Camden Patient Participation Groups (CPPG)

Read the latest newsletter here.

Sense Activities in Camden

Sense, the national charity that supports people who are deafblind, have sensory impairments or complex needs, to enjoy independent lives, are running activities in and around Camden.  If you know anyone who might benefit, contact Taylor Huxster taylor.huxster@sense.org.uk or find out more here.

Volunteer Centre Camden is offering one-to-one volunteer management support  sessions to ten organisations.

VCC have 10 places available and these will be allocated on a first come first served basis. To check if your organisation is eligible, please check the funders website here to see if your address is in their area of benefit. Book a session by emailing Rupal at rupal@volunteercentrecamden.org.uk.

Beyond Words Book Club

Elfrida Rathbone Camden are hosting a weekly club for young adults aged 16+ with learning disabilities to meet up, discuss picture books about important life events and transitions and do some creative activities. Every Monday, 3.30 – 5.00pm (term-time). Contact Rosanna to join: rosanna@elfridacamden.org.uk

Camden Disability Action

Catch up with the latest news from Camden Disability Action.

Commissioner perspectives on working with the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector

An interesting Kings Fund report giving an insight into various perspectives of commissioners when working with voluntary sector.  Read the report on the Kings Fund website.

See the Funding pages on VAC’s website for all the latest information.

Clarion Futures –  Community Grants Programme until Monday 9th April

Clarion is the largest housing group in the country. Through its Community Grants Programme – managed by Groundwork – it awards grants of between £1,000 and £5,000 to charities, community organisations and voluntary groups for projects which primarily benefit its residents.
To get updated information on how to apply and to see the criteria, please visit  Clarion Community Grants Programme or contact Katie McNie– Groundwork info@groundwork.org.uk

Building a Stronger Britain Together Programme

A Home Office funded scheme which supports projects delivering:
· Increased sense of belonging and civic participation at the local level
· More resilient communities
· Fewer people holding attitudes, beliefs & feelings that oppose shared values
The programme aims to help groups who work to create more resilient communities to expand their reach and influence.
Website: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/building-a-stronger-britain-together
Please contact Nyree Moore (nyree.moore@camden.gov.uk / 07771572976)

BBC Children in Need Small Grants

Grants of up to £10,000 (per year, for up to three years) are available to not for profit organisations working to support children and young people who are experiencing disadvantage.  The deadline for applications is Thurs 1st March.  Go to the BBC Children in Need website for full details.

Camden Giving

Camden Giving have published the timetable for the various grants programmes they will be offering over the coming 12 months. There are 6 programmes in total. You can view the full timetable here.

Healthy Minds Programme with Mind in Camden

There is a full programme of activities taking place at the Living Centre as part of the Healthy Minds programme. Full details on the VAC training calendar.

How Do You Write a Successful Grant Application?

How Do You Write a Successful Grant Application?
Find out the secrets by coming along to a practical workshop and learn about all of the dos and don’ts!
Part 1 will be focusing on how to write the application – Wednesday 14th March, 2pm to 5pm
Part 2 will be focusing on how to work out the cost of the service, how to draw up a budget and produce a cash flow. Wednesday 21st March, 2pm to 5pm
at the Mary Ward Centre, 42, Queen Square, London WC1N 3AQ. Book at  Eventbrite.
Contact Simone Hensby shensby@vac.org.uk. 020 7284 6555

Health and Safety Essentials

Voluntary Action Camden 14 March 2018
Do you have responsibilities for health and safety where you work? Do you want to know your rights when it comes to health and safety? Come along to the ‘Health and Safety Essentials’ training at Voluntary Action Camden and learn about your rights and how to enforce them. You get a certificate at the end of the course.
The training is ideal for people new to health and safety or those wanting to refresh their knowledge. The course also covers all the requirements for running a community group safely. In particular, migrant workers or recent arrivals in the UK will gain important knowledge about their rights. Book here

Basic Risk Assessment Course

Voluntary Action Camden 21 March 2018
Do you want to know how to carry out a risk assessment? Do you have responsibility for managing health & safety where you work? This 3-hour basic risk assessment training could be what you are looking for. The course is ideal for:
• People with health and safety responsibilities in voluntary sector organisations
• Staff and volunteers of community groups
• Recent arrivals and migrant workers who want to know the basics of risk assessment
If you run a community group or local charity the course covers all you need to know about carrying risk assessments. Book at eventbrite

Voluntary Action Camden working in partnership with Mary Ward Centre.

Governance in the Voluntary and Community Sector

VAC and Mary Ward offer this short course for members of governing bodies or anybody who is interested in developing the knowledge and skills required to be a member of a governing body in the voluntary or community sector. With the knowledge gained from this course you can become an effective participant in the governance of new and existing organisations. Full details on the Mary Ward Centre website.

Get Ready for GDPR: A Practical Workshop for Camden Community Groups

We will be announcing a further date in March soon.

More details on the VAC website: https://vac.org.uk/events/

Free Courses at West Euston Partnership

Interview Skills
Every Monday from 26th Feb to 26th March (5 sessions) 10.30am – 12.15pm
H-pod, Cumberland Market (next to Regents Park Practice), London NW1
You will learn new techniques, take part in mock interviews, role playing games and confidence building exercises.
To take part, you must be: unemployed or working less than 16 hours a week and able to attend ALL five sessions
Employer Engagement Workshop hosted by Women Like Us
Thursday 8th March at West Euston Partnership, 10am – 2pm
This is a FREE workshop for Employment Advisers who broker jobs on behalf of their clients. The workshop will equip participants with new skills to help source and create jobs for those who can’t work full-time. It is ideal for Advisers who work with parents, people with disabilities, older people, people with long term health conditions, unpaid carers or people who need to balance work / life.
For more information please contact, Poornima Kirloskar-Saini – poornima@womenlikeus.org.uk

Celebrating Refugee Women’s Activism

8th March, 6.30 – 9pm. The panel invites you to explore the side of the refugee crisis with hope and high esteem of a better future, not only for refugee women but for our communities to live in peace and harmony.
Looking at the impact of conflicts and war on women, with reference to the experiences of refugee women from Congo, Algeria, Iran, Yemen and Lybia, attendees will have the opportunity to learn and ask questions about how we can work together towards justice, human rights and participation for women who seek sanctuary in the UK. Book at Eventbrite

Free Sports and Fencing at Handyside Sports Hall

Sundays, Boys and Girls 12 – 16 years from 1 – 2.30pm.  At Handyside Sports Pitch. Free
Contact Mus Turay: 07500 421944 or email info@protouchsa.co.uk

Money Skills for people with English as a Second Language – London

Practise your spoken English and learn how to improve your money management skills with these practical workshops, which will also offer you valuable tips about saving money. You will learn about bills and budgeting, banking in the UK, Welfare Benefits and Payslips.
And for those who don’t need to practice their English we also run Money Skills interactive courses, with tips and useful information about increasing your income.
Mary Ward Legal Centre is running these workshops in partnership with community organisations around Camden and beyond.
To find out more email: Financial.capability@marywardlegal.org.uk

North Camden Early Years Network

Thu 8 March 2018, 1 – 3, Belsize Community Library, Antrim Grove, NW3
Following the success of our first meeting, North Camden Zone and the Camden Sure Start Integrated Early Years Service are organising the second meeting of the North Camden Early Years Network. The meeting will focus on vulnerable families and their challenges in accessing services and explore ideas around how organisations can mitigate these challenges.
Sign up at Eventbrite

Financial capability – Train the trainer – London

Gain the financial capability skills and knowledge to better support your clients, with this practical and fun training from the QSA Made of Money Project.
2 day course – London 19th & 20th March and 23rd & 24th May (other dates available on our websites)
If you support clients on a low income, this practical course will enable you to run our award winning financial capability course, as well as gain the skills and knowledge to incorporate financial education into your existing work.
Find out more at the Quaker Social Action website.

Free Making Every Contact Count (MECC) training for voluntary sector staff

If you work in Camden or Islington, you can access this FREE training to help you to signpost and support your clients to get the help they need earlier.
MECC training is about helping you to spot those opportunities in the thousands of conversations that you are already having with residents locally, having the confidence and skills to raise issues appropriately, and help you to signpost to further support.
MECC training is available free to voluntary sector organisations in Camden.
New training dates have recently been released:  https://www.camdenmecc.org.uk/courses
We offer bespoke MECC training for your teams and can deliver the training at your office, and tailor the training to suit your team’s needs. To book a bespoke session please contact mecc@islington.gov.uk

The Hampstead, Wells and Campden Trust

Trust Case Worker/Development Worker
part time – 20 hours per week salary equivalent to £30,000 p.a. for a full time equivalent of 35 hours
A role for an experienced part time Case Worker/Development Worker to effect the Trust’s grant making in North Camden for individuals in need including administering small additional pensions for older people; to promote awareness of the Trust’s grant making among voluntary and public sector agencies in the area; and to advise the Trust on development of its grant making policy.
For further information see the Trust’s website (www.hwct.org.uk) and contact Sheila Taylor, Director and Clerk to the Trustees, The Hampstead Wells & Campden Trust, 62 Rosslyn Hill, London, NW3 1ND, tel: 020 7435 1570, email: sheila@hwct.co.uk  Closing date  6th March 2018

Sante Project

Looking for Befrienders for vulnerable asylum seekers.  Do you have two hours a week to visit with someone, have a coffee and listen to their problems?  Can you do casework and report back to supervisor?  Opportunities to learn Asylum Law, Mental Health issues and what it means to Advocate for someone.  Service users are scattered throughout London so you may need to travel and attend Training.  Languages useful but not essential.
Apply to: Ruth Appleton, Co-ordinator, 020 7482 2903 or go to our website www.santeproject.org.uk and complete the Volunteer Application form online.

History Pin seeks Marketing & Project Coordinator 60%

Start Date: April 2018
Fixed term contract until end of November 2018, with possibility for extension
£24,000 – £26,000, Mon – Fri, some evening / weekend work may be required
Place of Work: Historypin, London Please see this link for full details.

LAWRS seeks Spanish Speaking Counsellor and Psychotherapist

We are looking for motivated individuals to join our growing team.
Spanish Speaking Counsellor and Psychotherapist 2 days (14 hours) per week
£28,050 (pro-rata). Fixed term to March 2019 – with possibility of extension
We are seeking Spanish speaking Counsellor/Psychotherapist for LAWRS’ Counselling and Psychotherapy project which offers a women-centred, culturally specific service in Spanish and Portuguese for Latin American women survivors of violence against women and girls (VAWG).
Contact Amanda Odelius, Administrator, for the application pack either by post (Tindlemanor, 52-54 Featherstone Street, London EC1Y 8RT) or email (amanda@lawrs.org.uk)

Youth Safety in Camden

Camden Council has launched a Youth Safety Taskforce to help young people stay safe in Camden and examine the underlying causes of youth violence.
Camden has seen an eight per cent rise in knife crime with injuries in the last year, according to the latest official crime figures, with young people often the victims of violent crime. The Camden Youth Safety Taskforce has been set up to help us understand, prevent and ultimately reduce violence amongst young people, including knife crime, in the borough.
We are keen to hear from young people themselves, young adults, local parents and professionals who work with young people, as well as residents.
Have your say in the Online Survey
Closes 5 Mar 2018. Contact shane.fitzgerald@camden.gov.uk 020 7974 4444

Our mailing address is:
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