Kevin Nunan

Highlights: VCS Engagement Feedback from Camden Council; VAC Survey; Ageing Better in Camden: St Pancras and Somerstown Community Action Project; Prince’s Trust Team Programme; The Lab Project at Kingsgate Workshops; New Evelyn Oldfield Unit Research for Action and Influence Course; Consultations launched into voluntary sector role in health and care; Volunteer Management Training; LivingWell Day at KTCC; Made of Money training; plus news, funding, events, jobs, volunteering and more.

NEWS

VCS Engagement Feedback from Camden Council
A message from Fiona McKeith.”Thank you for taking the time to respond to the engagement paper ‘Camden Council and Camden’s Voluntary and Community Sector: Investing in a Sustainable Strategic Relationship’.
One hundred and six people from eighty-four organisations responded to the paper at several events.
You can now view an overview of responses to the paper here, as well as a spreadsheet showing all the comments made at the Senate House and drop-in events, and notes of the discussion held at the VCS Strategic Forum.
Next steps: We will use the feedback generated by the engagement paper to inform a single synthesised proposal which will be formally consulted on in autumn 2015. A consultation document clearly explaining the proposed option will support this process.
The consultation process will run for six weeks. Recommendations will then be sent to the Council’s December Cabinet for a decision.”
You can read VAC’s original response on behalf of the sector on the VAC website.

Help Us Help You – Complete the VAC Survey
VAC provides a range of services and support to the voluntary and community sector and social enterprises in Camden. With further cuts and policy changes anticipated in Camden the knock on effect to local organisations is going to be challenging.
We would appreciate it if you could complete our short questionnaire to help VAC understand what support or services you are likely to need from VAC over the next couple of years and how we can help best advocate on your behalf for the sector.
The survey consists of 13 short questions and shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes to complete. You can also opt to keep your responses anonymous if you prefer to do so.
You can complete the survey via the following Survey Monkey link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/5ZLH8M6
Or on our website, at: https://vac.org.uk/influence/surveys-and-polls/survey-what-support-do-you-need-from-vac/
All completed surveys will be entered into a prize draw for a £20.00 cash prize!

Ageing Better in Camden: St Pancras and Somerstown Community Action Project
A briefing meeting for interested organisations was held on 10th August. If you would like the powerpoint from that meeting, please contact Judy Harrington on judy.harrington@ageukcamden.org.uk.
This project aims to:
· Build a group of active and involved older people working together to improve their lives and their community
· Create an environment where older participants are less lonely and socially isolated
· Improve the lives and community of people living in St Pancras and Somerstown.
The ITT documentation will be published w/b 28th September 2015
The deadline for submission will be 19th November 2pm.
There will be an interview for applications shortlisting, with a panel consisting of older people and Ageing Better in Camden Strategic Board members or appointees, the fortnight beginning 30th November 2015.
The successful organisation will be informed by the end of December 2015, with a project start date of 1st April 2016.
If any of you want any support working up a partnership bid, or looking at working in partnership, Kevin Nunan at VAC is able to provide support. Please email him on knunan@vac.org.uk
Please contact Judy Harrington judy.harrington@ageukcamden.org.uk or Corinna Hyman Corinna.hyman@ageukcamden.org.uk

Prince’s Trust Team Programme
The next Prince’s Trust TEAM Programme at Canalside Activity Centre is starting on 21/09/15.
For 16-25 years old; Unemployed or not in education or training; Available to attend a 12 week course full time
Team is a 12-week personal development course that will help you to develop your employability skills and to move into education, employment or training.
· Get a nationally recognised qualification: “Certificate in Employment, TEAMWORK AND Community Skills”( Entry Level 3, Level 1 or 2)
· Enrol as a student at LCBT college
· Five-day team-building residential
· Two-week work experience placement
· Community project and team challenges
· A better chance of moving into a job, education or training
· The chance to make a difference in your community – and big boost to your confidence!
For information, please do not hesitate to contact Mustapha Elmsioui mustapha.elmsioui@epiccic.org.uk

The Lab Project at Kingsgate Workshop Trust 14th – 21st August
The Lab Project is a month long series of Arts-Science events on the theme of Multisensory perception in art. The overall project is called The Lab Project a is the culmination of a research and development process that has involved multidisciplinary knowledge exchange and interactive workshops.

New Evelyn Oldfield Unit Research for Action and Influence Course 2015-16
Accredited London Region Open College Network, Level 3
Are you interested in working towards a qualification whilst gaining some useful and practical skills in research and presentation skills? Then this course is for you.
Starting from October, we will run 22 half-day sessions spread over 9 months. We will support RMCO representatives to gain the skills and confidence to be able to research issues of refugee and migrant communities including education, training and employment, welfare and social concerns.
The course will be structured around a series of formal training sessions together with self-led personal projects and optional course visits.
The training is free. Participants will benefit from mentor support, tutorials and one to one support from the tutor.
Eligibility and how to apply:
This is a course for refugees and migrants only. Applicants must be active in a refugee or migrant community organisation working in London (this can be paid or voluntary). English levels have to be sufficient to manage independent report writing. Applicants will be selected based on their likelihood to have most impact on their communities and commitment to the course.
Please contact Alexandra, EOU administrator on 020 7697 4100 / Alexandra@evelynoldfield.co.uk for further information and/ or to request an application form.

NHS England: Consultations launched into voluntary sector role in health and care
Two new consultations will help to determine the future of voluntary sector involvement in health and care.
As part of the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) review, respondents from the voluntary and health and social care sectors will give their views on the current state of partnership working, and how closer collaboration could be fostered.
The second consultation will also seek views on the role and effectiveness of the government’s current ‘voluntary sector investment partnership’ suite of grants.
Commissioned by the Department of Health, NHS England, and Public Health England, the VCSE review is overseen by its advisory group of representatives including those from the voluntary sector.
Both consultations will remain open until Friday 6 November and are available to complete below:
Link to the consultation: VCSE Review – Discussion Paper on the Voluntary Sector Investment Programme
Link the the consultation: VCSE Review – Discussion paper on the challenges and solutions to better investment in and partnership with the VCSE sector

National News
NAVCA response to Third Party Campaigning review
“In response to the Review of Third Party Campaigning we would like to reiterate our opposition to the Act as we have done throughout its entire Parliamentary passage. It creates unnecessary red tape for charities and community groups and discourages the healthy discourse that democracy needs.
The Act also gives the impression that some politicians do not like charities.
The Government has failed to explain or demonstrate the threat to democracy the act intends to deal with.
In a climate of austerity the Government needs to consider the proportionality of this legislation and how much it has cost the Electoral Commission to regulate.
We also call for a simplification of the guidance (which currently comprises an overwhelming 133 pages of information).
“This act is a dog’s dinner. Its origins were in the lobbying scandals involving MPs but it was used to attack charity campaigning. Although the Government is trying to improve it – and Lord Hodgson is a good person to try and do this – they would be better just scrapping it entirely.”
Kids Company Folds
Kids Company has been wound up. The saga says much about government and the public’s lack of knowledge of charities. A staff member tells what it was like to work there. Another ex staff member gives a better picture of the situation than most journalists have managed.
Former Charity Commissioner Satirizes Current Political Ignorance of Charity Campaigning
Andrew Purkis casts a humourous eye over charity campaigning in Civil Society magazine.

Volunteer Management Training
VCC’s Measuring The Impact of Your Volunteering Programme training course will give you practical, user-friendly tools to help you do just that.
Measuring The Impact Of Your Volunteering Programme For Beginners
Thursday 1st October 10am-1pm @ The Wellcome Trust in Euston
You will receive a copy of the NCVO measuring impact toolkit (£35) to take away. With that in mind, free places will be £35+booking fee and the rest will be £94+booking fee.
To book your place and to find our more information have a look at Eventbrite.

LivingWell Day at KTCC
Wednesday 2nd September 2015 10am – 4pm Free
Relax at Kentish Town Community Centre this September with a free day of activities to feed mind and body.
FREE crèche for Under 5s, meditation, yoga and much more!
– Meditation for Beginners 10.30am and 4pm
– Five Ways to Well-Being 11.15am
Explore 5 ways to improve your wellbeing with one of Voluntary Action Camden‘s Mental Health Champions
– Yoga for Beginners 12pm
– Lunch + Talk on Nutrition 1pm
– Vital Dance + Development 2.15pm
– Art + Music Session 2pm
– Sleep Talk 3.15pm
Tips on getting a good night’s sleep by one of Voluntary Action Camden‘s Mental Health Champions.
This day is open to carers, parents or guardians with young children, and anyone who suffers from anxiety or stress. Drop-ins welcome.
The centre is wheelchair accessible. If you require additional on-site assistance please ring 020 7482 3212
The creche will operate on a first come first served basis between 10am-1pm. To register your interest or to help out on the day please email isabelle@ktcc.org.uk. More information on the KTCC website.

Want to get involved with study on immigration?
The aim of this study is to assess the people’s views on immigration. The study is looking for:
1) Native Britons who currently live in LONDON (born and raised in the UK; have not lived outside of UK for an extended time)
2) Recent Immigrants who currently live in LONDON (from any country; in the UK for 5 YEARS OR LESS; have not previously lived in the UK).
Provide your opinions on immigration
Read a short article about immigration and answer some question about the article
Answer some general questions about your community (where you live) and yourself (personal opinions, demographics). This study is online and will take about 20-25 minutes to complete.
As thanks, participants will be given a £10 e-voucher (Amazon) or have the option of donating their payment to UNICEF UK. For additional information about the study and to determine eligibility please contact Naledi Hollbruegge at k.n.hollbruegge@qmul.ac.uk

Age UK Camden shortlisted for two prestigious awards
Age UK Camden has been shortlisted for two awards, one is for volunteering and UK wide, the other for marketing is Europe-wide. Firstly Geraldine McCarthy is “in the frame” for the Third Sector Awards 2015 in the Volunteer Manager of the Year category. The winners will be announced at a prestigious black tie dinner on 24th September. More here: http://www.thirdsectorexcellenceawards.com/shortlist-2015
Secondly, Opening Doors London (ODL), the ground-breaking regional Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) service based at Age UK Camden, has been shortlisted for the European Diversity Awards for Marketing Campaign of the Year. Winners will be announced at the ceremony on 30th September. More here: http://europeandiversityawards.com/shortlist-2015/
Requests for more information to Jo Bartlett-Hubbard please.

Free Furniture to Camden Groups
A local firm is giving away 6 desks and chairs, mini fridges and filing cabinets.
To be collected by the end of August.
Contact Tara Ansari :tara762003@yahoo.co.uk

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

Camden Carers Centre, Camden Society, SHAK, Age Uk Camden, Voiceability, Camden Hub, Stroke and Aphasia Minorities Support Group 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.

£1m Available for Charities Working to Support and Encourage Youth Social Action.
The money is provided by a combination of the Pears Foundation, UK Community Foundations (UKCF) and the government, and the fund will eventually make £1.77m available. £1.26m is available nationally.
Applications will close on August 28. There is no minimum and maximum size of grant available.
For more information and to apply go to https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-youth-social-action-fund-expressions-of-interest

The Jack Petchey Foundation small grants for youth programmes
The Small Grants Fund allows those organisations who are running the Achievement Award Scheme well, to apply for a small grant of up to £750 to enhance their work with young people.
Please note that you must already be running the Achievement Award in your school or club, AND you must have recently nominated a Leader Award winner too. For more information on this see How to Apply.

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

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

Made of Money
Tues 22nd & Wed 23rd September2015
Award-winning financial education project, offered as two day facilitator training
We’ll equip you to deliver flexible content around savings, credit, debt, communication,
coping with consumer culture, and children & money
Sliding costs from £100 to £350; in-house trainings also available
100% of trained facilitators would recommend Made of Money to other organisations
Made of Money is a project of Quaker Social Action (QSA) www.quakersocialaction.org.uk/madeofmoney

Camden People First will be having a green space event on 17th August
This event will share knowledge and experiences on Disability hate and mate crime, in efforts to bring awareness, educate and help put a stop to disability hate and mate crime; especially within the local community.
The event will be held in Harrington Square Gardens on 17th August from 11am to 3pm, and we aim to have stalls set up from local service providers. The event is aimed at service users as well as the local community and general public.

Promoting Change Training
Our enthusiastic trainers have designed this course specifically for professionals across Camden and Islington, and will focus on guiding and supporting learning opportunities by challenging you, reinforcing involvement and maintaining an energetic pace throughout the programme.
By attending the course you will:
· Gain an insight into the key health promotion messages for smoking, healthy eating, physical activity and alcohol consumption
· Understand how to effectively raise the topic of health behaviours in your conversations
· Learn how to effectively shape behaviours to support a healthy lifestyle and encourage independence
· Explore the best way to put these skills and strategies into practice within the context of your own role
Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis so don’t delay – take the next step in your professional development and confirm your place today: http://promotingchangetraining.eventbrite.com
Contact Paula Prince at Whittington Health NHS for dates or for more information:
Email: paula.prince@nhs.net Telephone: 0207 527 1189. Free. I day. 7, 10 or 30 September.

Camden Ageing Network Meeting
Councillor Larraine Revah Camden’s Champion for Older people invites you to attend the Camden Ageing Network 2-4pm on 9th September 2015 in The Council Chamber, Camden Town Hall, Judd Street, WC1
The meeting provides an opportunity for you to hear and ask questions about many new projects and initiatives
The meeting will include update from
• Camden’s older peoples commissioner
• Age UK Camden on new projects and initiatives in Camden for older citizens
• Kilburn Older Voices Exchange presents what KOVE is currently doing with Ageing Better Camden and to show their new film A Nice Cup of Tea.
• Community Programmes: provision for local adults at the British Museum
Plus more to be confirmed. Please call: 0207 974 1459 if you require further information

Training from HEAR
Supporting LGBT+ Asylum Seekers and Refugees – 10 September 2015
10am to 1pm (arrival from 9.30am). Voluntary Action Islington/LVSC, 200a Pentonville Road, N1 9JP (close to Kings Cross station). Trainer: Jess McIntyre, Reach Out.
This training develops themes and topics from other popular HEAR training on supporting refugees and asylum seekers and on supporting LGB people and Trans Awareness, and reflects HEAR’s commitment to training on more complex intersectional topics. This training is for anybody that may work with or support asylum seekers or refugees. Learn, in a supportive and open learning environment, how to provide safe spaces for vulnerable people with complex needs.
Trans Awareness – 7 October 2015
10am-1pm (arrival from 9.30am) Roots and Shoots, Walnut Tree Walk, Kennington, SE11 6DN (near Lambeth North tube station). Trainer: Lee Gale. This training is back by popular demand!
This workshop will be an interactive session that aims to increase your understanding of identities and language used in Trans communities, to increase your confidence when supporting Trans people and create awareness of Trans people’s experiences. You will have the opportunity to ask questions and explore these topics in a friendly and supportive environment. This training is organised in partnership with HEAR’s London for All partners LVSC.
Gender Recognition Act – 4 November 2015
10am-1pm (arrival from 9.30am) Fitzrovia Community Centre, 6 Foley Street, W1W 6DL (Central London, West End, close Googe Street and Tottenham Court Road). Trainer: Lee Gale.
Whatever your type of service or beneficiary group you will at some point find that trans people are included amongst those who need your service or support. As well as a broader awareness of trans issues, it is important to be aware of the relevant equalities legislation. The Gender Recognition Act 2004 (GRA) is a very important piece of legislation for the rights of trans people in the UK. It enables many trans people to get legal recognition of their affirmed gender and allows them to change their birth certificate to reflect this, giving privacy rights and dignity to people in the UK. This session for London voluntary and community organisations and groups aims to give a brief introduction to the current European situation for legal recognition of trans people, what the GRA covers and who it protects, and how to make sure that you and your organisation comply with this legislation and the law. This training is organised in partnership with HEAR’s London for All partners LVSC. To book your place please email the HEAR Coordinator: hear@reap.org.uk stating your name, organisation, organisation postcode, and whether you have any access or dietary requirements or book online.

Street Step Employability Academy
Street Step is an employability charity that supports 16-24 year olds to get into work, education or training. Our programme provides an opportunity to develop skills, gain qualifications, and get fit through dance and fitness – all while having fun. All of this is happening at the Platform (Hornsey Road Baths, 2 Tiltman Place, off Hornsey Road, London, N7 7EE).
Our Academy has a rolling intake, meaning a young person can join when it’s right for them. Street Step Academy includes:
~ Employability skills and work placements
~ Employability and healthy living qualifications
~ Maths and English qualifications
~ Dance fitness, fun and friends!
~ In-work support once you’ve found a job
You can find out more and get in touch by visiting http://www.streetstep.co.uk/london
If you or a young person would like to learn more about us, come and join us at the Street Step Social. It will run Monday – Thursday at 1:30.
We also run FREE dance fitness classes every Wednesday at 2:30!
For more information – kate.harrison@streetstep.co.uk or 07580 995477

Camden Summer programme 2015
Camden Council has put together an action-packed schedule of activities for all the family to enjoy. There are dozens of free and low cost events across the borough to get involved in.
From BMX to free swimming sessions for residents, there’s something sporty for everyone.
If you’re looking for inspiration, you can Discover a new world with one of the many exhibitions and talks taking place at libraries, museums and galleries, or soak in the atmosphere at community festivals, screenings and live performances with friends and family to Discover a new delight.
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Camden this year, you can also Discover Camden 50 with a range of special events. So, whether you want to keep the kids entertained during the holidays, or just explore more of what’s on offer near you, the summer programme offers everything you need this sunny season.
Check out LoveCamden.org/discover for full details of events and activities
Follow @LoveCamden on Twitter for the latest updates
For more details on Camden 50, log on to Camden.gov.uk/camden50

Tennis for blind and partially sighted people
Liven up your Friday evenings – come and play sound ball tennis at The Globe Tennis Club
190A Haverstock Hill, NW3 2AL behind Belsize Park tube station [Northern line] Buses C11, 168 and 268
We can meet and guide people to the tennis club from Belsize Park tube station, Hampstead Heath Overground station or nearest bus stops.
Every other Friday: 14th and 28th August; 11th and 25th September and so on… From 6pm to 8pm
Sessions are FREE. Equipment and coaching provided. Please wear tennis or tennis-like footwear.
Sessions followed by a social get-together.
Want to know more? Phone Rosemary on 07980 328 959 or email: Rosemary@somerstown.org.uk

Free English Classes
Would you like to speak English better? Then come to our free classes.
Every Monday 6pm-8pm at The Evelyn Oldfield Unit, Resource for London, 356 Holloway Road, N7 6PA
Please contact Alexandra for more information on 0207 697 4105 alexandra@evelynoldfield.co.uk

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

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

Volunteer Role and VAC to Update Website and Database
This role is ideally suited to someone who wants to learn how to edit and update a website using WordPress. It is also suited to anyone looking to gain some experience of volunteering in an office environment with a view to finding or returning to employment. No prior experience is necessary or required as training will be given.
Role Title: Website and Data Entry Volunteer
Responsible to: ICT Training and Communications Support Worker
Salary Scale: Voluntary position
Hours: 1-2 days per week – max 14 hours/week (Tuesday & Wednesday)
Location: VAC, 293 – 299 Kentish Town Road, London NW5 2TJ.
Role Purpose
~ To keep the VAC website up-to-date with the latest funding opportunities as they relate to the local Camden Voluntary and Community Sector.
~ To update and maintain information on the organisation database, as and when required.
~ To provide other data-entry and administrative assistance to the ICT training and communication support worker and other staff, as and when required.
To apply please forward a CV and cover letter to alexcharles@vac.org.uk more details at www.vac.org.uk

Camden Carers Centre seeks Time for Change Young Adult Carer Project Worker
We are looking to appoint a Young Adult Carer (YAC) Project Worker as part of our exiting 2 year Time for Change project. This worker will take a lead role in identifying YACS from all communities throughout Camden, to develop meaningful and ongoing relationships with appropriate agencies, to raise awareness of needs and rights of YACS resulting in YACS being referred for support.
We are looking for someone with excellent communication and organisational skills and the ability to prioritise their workload. This role would suit someone who can work on their own initiative, whist still being part of a friendly and supportive team. Experience in a similar role would be an advantage, but we are also interested in applicants with transferable skills and a positive attitude.
You must have excellent communication skills and knowledge of issues that impact on carers. It is essential that you are able to work with people from local diverse communities and an enhanced DBS check will be essential.
Salary: £28,280.00 p.a. pro rata x 21 hours per week in year 1 x 14 hours per week in year 2
An application pack can be downloaded by from our website, please visit www.camdencs.org.uk/get-involved or by emailing info@camdencarers.org.uk.
Closing date: Midnight, Sunday 23rd August 2015. Interviews: Thursday 3rd September 2015
For more information about the job please call Caroline Allouf Support & Information Service Manager on 020 7428 8956 or email caroline@camdencarers.org.uk

The Camden Society needs your help this August
Each August, the Camden Society organises the Great Escape, a week-long activity holiday for people with learning disabilities and autism. To make the Great Escape happen, we need your help! We are looking for volunteers who can help with setting up and taking down the campsite at either end of the holiday and help with preparations in Kentish Town on Sunday 16th August. This is a fantastic opportunity to help make someone’s holiday happen by giving a few hours of your time and we hope have a lot of fun in the process. If you would like to know more, please contact Kate. whittle@thecamdensociety.co.uk or call 020 7485 8177.

Age UK Camden PSIC is seeking 3 posts:
Personal Health Budgets Direct Payments Support Worker (17.5 hours per week) 12 Months Fixed Term Contract
Local Government Scale SO1 £28,845-£31,323pa pro rata for 17.5 hours £14,422.50-£15,661.50 plus 6% contributory pension.
Direct Payments Support Worker 2 Posts
35 hours per week, Fixed Term Contract for 9 months and 3 Months
Local Government Scale SO1 £28,845-£31,323pa plus 6% contributory pension.
Personalization Service In Camden (PSIC) is a subsidiary of Age UK Camden. It is a new venture, having been set up following the collapse of the previous provider of Direct Payments support to under 65’s in Camden.
If you are interested in the above vacancy please see the application pack including the full job description and person specification at the following link to our web site www.ageukcamden.org.uk or email jobs@ageukcamden.org.uk
The closing date for receipt of completed application forms is 9am on Monday 17 August and interviews will be held on Monday, 24th August 2015.

SHAK seeks P/T Employment & Learning Worker
21hrs per week. Salary: £27,300 pa (pro rata)
Shack (South Hempstead and Wilbur Community Partnership) is a charity based on the iconic Alexandra and Airworthy estate in the Wilbur ward of Camden NW London. Our mission is to increase local community confidence and support disadvantaged young people and adults by increasing their life opportunities. We do this by identifying and meeting local needs with a range of opportunities in areas of lifelong learning, youth activities, community involvement, employment support, advice and guidance, volunteering, events etc.
The post holder will be working at “The SHELL Centrex”, a community learning centre on the Alexandra and Ainsworth estate in NW London Camden Borough, Kilburn ward. The centre was established in 2003 and has good reputation of engaging successfully with the local community especially disadvantaged groups.
Email your CV and a covering letter explaining how you feel you meet the job profile criteria to: johnboyle@shakonline.co.uk
Closing date: 5 pm on 17th August 2015. Interviews held during the week beginning August 24th.

Camden Hub seeks Project Assistant
Be an instrumental part of an innovative project tackling mental ill health in Camden within the Bengali, Black, and Irish communities. We are looking for people who take initiative, can think creatively, and, most importantly, are confident to engage with people. If you are from any of these communities, then your grassroots knowledge, insights and network will be invaluable.
We put people first and will be connecting with them on their terms, wherever they feel most comfortable: clubs or cafes, mosques or churches, college or university, at home or on the go. Having identified people and places, you’ll help to run “mutual learning sessions”. These informal meetups will allow each community to come up with their own original ideas for raising mental health awareness and reducing stigma. Harnessing this energy and insight, you’ll then go on to co produce (together) the most popular and exciting ones.
What you’ll do
~ Investigate and identify where people come together, eg, social clubs, cafes, parent groups, and places of worship;
~ Make contact and create relationships;
~ Meet with individuals and groups. Have informal discussions and “mutual learning workshops” to gain insights and ideas.
~ Later in the project, run “codesign & coproduction sessions” where you’ll help to follow through on ideas people have had, eg, produce a film, create a leaflet, run a popup music studio at schools
You can be involved in a big way: meeting with lots of people, helping to surface many ideas and then helping to see them through.
Or, you may prefer to engage with just one or two groups of people: perhaps you are well situated to meet up with your local barber shop, pub, or youth club, where you’re confident you can get people talking and creating ideas.
Contact Kumar from Camden Hub (camdenhub.org.uk) on 020 7278 4437 or kumar.grant@hcct.org.uk.

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

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

The Francis Crick Institute, 2015 Winter Workshops Call for Proposals
The Francis Crick Institute will be a world leading centre for biomedical research. Due to open in the King’s Cross area of London in 2016, the Crick is a partnership between Cancer Research UK, the Medical Research Council, the Wellcome Trust, University College London (UCL), King’s College London and Imperial College London.
In the run-up to the festive season, the Crick’s Communications and Engagement team is looking to deliver a programme of engaging and creative workshops with schools and community groups. It is envisaged that the project will bring the community together and allow people to explore science in a fun and accessible way, drawing links between creativity, art and science.
We invite proposals from companies or individuals to develop and deliver the following:
~ An arts-based workshop that can be delivered to local community and primary school groups. Participants should be able to create tangible objects, which can be taken home or incorporated into a collaborative piece for display.
The workshops will be delivered between mid-November and mid-December
A maximum of 10 workshops will be delivered in venues specified by the Crick. Groups will be recruited in September.
Each workshop should last no longer than 60 minutes (given the target age range we envision them being shorter than this).
The workshop should be tailored to Years 1 – 2 (5 – 7 year olds) and be easily modifiable to family groups.
The Crick will be responsible for recruiting our target primary schools and community groups.
The workshops will be delivered at the participating schools and community centres. All will take place in the Kings Cross and Euston area, within one mile of the Crick.
In some instances, two workshops will be delivered on the same day at the same school.
The workshop should relate to an aspect of biology and/or biomedical research, and highlight the importance of creativity in scientific discovery.
The workshop should be delivered by the applicant, although the Crick is able to provide some support. For example we can provide volunteers to help with the delivery and assist with the scientific content.
Applicants are welcome to submit proposals for new workshop ideas, or for workshops that have been run in the past. If the latter is the case please include in your application any outputs from previous projects, such as photographs or evaluative findings.
A fee of up to £3000 is available for the successful applicant to cover development time, materials, travel costs and delivery of the workshops.
Please provide in your application:
A description of the workshop
The scientific content to be explored
Ideas for evaluation of the workshop
A detailed budget. Please include your costs per workshop, based on travelling to schools/community groups in Euston and Kings Cross and delivering the workshop 10 times to groups of up to 30.
The deadline for proposals is 5pm Wednesday 26 Aug 2015.
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to interview at our offices in Euston, London during the week commencing 31 August 2015.
For further information or to submit a proposal, please contact Melanie Davies at the Francis Crick Institute: melanie.davies@crick.ac.uk, or 0207 611 2213.

London Councils Grants Programme Consultation 2017 – 2021
This consultation exercise will help London Councils decide whether the grants programme should continue past March 2017 and if it does what the priorities of the programme should be from 1 April 2017.
The consultation will also inform London Councils’ decisions on any future budget and allocation of resources to projects that deliver the priorities.
This consultation will also inform an equalities impact assessment. The Equality Act 2010 requires public bodies to tackle disadvantage and discrimination[i].Particular groups are covered against discrimination as they have protected characteristics. As such London Councils must must have due regard to effects of these decisions on the nine protected equalities groups. See more at the London Councils website.

Contribute to the new Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA)
The Joint Strategic Needs Assessment is being updated, and to ensure that the JSNA represents the voice of residents and local communities there is a process for the Voluntary and Community Sector to contribute information. One of the methods identified for obtaining data from the VCS is a Call for Evidence, which is asking organisations to submit any information they have on local needs and services. Please follow the link for the proforma for the Call for Evidence.

Take part in the Camden future libraries consultation
Camden Council has launched a future libraries consultation to review how savings of £800,000 could be made in the delivery of library services across the borough. Although there is less money available, this is a good opportunity to have your say on how future spending should be prioritised in order to create a modern library service that best supports all library users. Get involved by completing the survey online at camden.gov.uk/futurelibraries or pick up a copy from your local library. The consultation closes on Tuesday 6 October 2015.

Improving musculoskeletal services in Camden
Camden CCG would like to get to know what people think of the current services and what they feel could be improved. To complete the survey please click on the following Link: https://feedback.camdenccg.nhs.uk/strategy-and-planning/copy-of-copy-of-improving-musculoskeletal-services
Patients and carers have until the 31st July to complete the survey.
Musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders describe a variety of conditions that affect the muscles, bones and joints in many different parts of the body. Musculoskeletal services include trauma, orthopaedics, rheumatology, and pain management, as well as rehabilitation services such as physiotherapy, podiatry and orthotics.

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). The draft NHS 111/OOH service specification can be read here: http://www.camdenccg.nhs.uk/website/about/service-specification.htm
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

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.

Highlights: Ageing Better in Camden meeting about St Pancras and Somerstown; The Francis Crick Institute, 2015 Winter Workshops Call for Proposals; Want to get involved with study on immigration?; Promoting Change Training; Family Fun day; Camden Ageing Network Meeting; Camden People First Event; Highgate Day Centre Open Day; Free Furniture offer; plus news, funding, events, jobs, volunteering and more.

NEWS

Ageing Better in Camden meeting about St Pancras and Somerstown Community Action Project
Ageing Better in Camden is holding a briefing and discussion meeting on Monday 10th August, 3:30 – 5:30 pm to look at the St Pancras and Somerstown Community Action Project Specification. This project aims to:
~ Build a group of active and involved older people working together to improve their lives and their community
~ Create an environment where older participants are less lonely and socially isolated
~ Improve the lives and community of people living in St Pancras and Somerstown.
The ITT documentation will be published in September 2015 and the project is due to start 1st April 2016 and the contract is for 2 years. The value of the contract is £93,000. If you want to attend the meeting or have more information on the project please contact Julia Shelley 02072390400 on Julia.shelley@ageukcamden.org.uk

Queen’s Crescent Summer Festival 2015
Saturday 8th August 12pm-5pm
QC Summer Festival is back for its’ 14th year with the theme ‘Family and Healthy Living’!
International food, family entertainment, fairground rides, fun activities for all.
QCCA, 45 Ashdown Crescent, LONDON NW5 4QE Tel: 020 7267 6635

National News
Top Recruitment Agency Alarmed at Persistent Politicised Attacks on Sector
In a hard hitting article, Trashing the Charity Sector, Charity People warn that the sector needs to start pushing back: “We need to see a concerted campaign to both defend the charity sector from misleading and inaccurate attacks on its work, and to promote the work that it does to keep the wheels on the civil society bus. Unless we start to see some kind of push back from the sector, it will continue to make it a challenging environment to bring talented trustees, staff and volunteers into. We rely on people prepared to give their time and expertise to organisations that they would have traditionally been proud of. Trash that excellent reputation and we risk losing the very people who have the ability to transform it.”
With Friends Like These (again)
As if on cue William Shawcross the Chief Charity Commissioner has given an interview to the Times (you will have to pay to read it) in which he is very critical of the sector. Shawcross is a former Times Journalist whose own wife thinks he’s never had a real job in his life. Civil Society lists his many gaffes, hostility to the sector, lack of knowledge of the sector and concludes that William Shawcross has spoken out too stridently, and too often. SCVO have gone further and called on him to resign.
Petition to Improve the Charity Commission Website
Recently changes have made it difficult to navigate the Charity Commission website. Charity solicitors, Withers, have finally run out of patience and started a petition to persuade the Charity Commission to fix the problems.
If You Sup With the Devil…
Kids Company has been all over the news. They were reliant on corporates and the great and good for funding, as well as our fickle media for publicity. It has all gone wrong suddenly. Much has been written about them but little is worth reading. One exception is Gaby Hinsliff’s article in the Guardian.

The Francis Crick Institute, 2015 Winter Workshops Call for Proposals
In the run-up to the festive season, the Crick’s Communications and Engagement team is looking to deliver a programme of engaging and creative workshops with schools and community groups. It is envisaged that the project will bring the community together and allow people to explore science in a fun and accessible way, drawing links between creativity, art and science. Full details in the final section below.

Want to get involved with study on immigration?
The aim of this study is to assess the people’s views on immigration. The study is looking for:
1) Native Britons who currently live in LONDON (born and raised in the UK; have not lived outside of UK for an extended time)
2) Recent Immigrants who currently live in LONDON (from any country; in the UK for 5 YEARS OR LESS; have not previously lived in the UK).
Provide your opinions on immigration
Read a short article about immigration and answer some question about the article
Answer some general questions about your community (where you live) and yourself (personal opinions, demographics). This study is online and will take about 20-25 minutes to complete.
As thanks, participants will be given a £10 e-voucher (Amazon) or have the option of donating their payment to UNICEF UK. For additional information about the study and to determine eligibility please contact Naledi Hollbruegge at k.n.hollbruegge@qmul.ac.uk

Promoting Change Training
Our enthusiastic trainers have designed this course specifically for professionals across Camden and Islington, and will focus on guiding and supporting learning opportunities by challenging you, reinforcing involvement and maintaining an energetic pace throughout the programme.
By attending the course you will:
· Gain an insight into the key health promotion messages for smoking, healthy eating, physical activity and alcohol consumption
· Understand how to effectively raise the topic of health behaviours in your conversations
· Learn how to effectively shape behaviours to support a healthy lifestyle and encourage independence
· Explore the best way to put these skills and strategies into practice within the context of your own role
Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis so don’t delay – take the next step in your professional development and confirm your place today: http://promotingchangetraining.eventbrite.com
Contact Paula Prince at Whittington Health NHS for dates or for more information:
Email: paula.prince@nhs.net Telephone: 0207 527 1189. Free. I day. 7, 10 or 30 September.

Family Fun Day Thursday 13th August 2015 12:00 – 4:00pm
Sidings Community Centre, 150 Brassey Road, London NW6 2BA
Photography competition – see camden.gov.uk/50photos
Free Health Checks – Please check web link for eligibility – http://www.healthycamden.com/community
Free raffle with your chance to win 3-month leisure passes
• Bouncy castle, face painting, games and craft activities
• Sports activities including exercise taster sessions
• Energy efficiency advice
• Come and find out more about the Tenants and Residents Association (TRA);
• Free lunch and a fruit and vegetable goodie bag
For more information visit camden.gov.uk/familyfunday

Camden Ageing Network Meeting
Councillor Larraine Revah Camden’s Champion for Older people invites you to attend the Camden Ageing Network 2-4pm on 9th September 2015 in The Council Chamber, Camden Town Hall, Judd Street, WC1
The meeting provides an opportunity for you to hear and ask questions about many new projects and initiatives
The meeting will include update from
• Camden’s older peoples commissioner
• Age UK Camden on new projects and initiatives in Camden for older citizens
• Kilburn Older Voices Exchange presents what KOVE is currently doing with Ageing Better Camden and to show their new film A Nice Cup of Tea.
• Community Programmes: provision for local adults at the British Museum
Plus more to be confirmed. Please call: 0207 974 1459 if you require further information

Camden People First will be having a green space event on 17th August
This event will share knowledge and experiences on Disability hate and mate crime, in efforts to bring awareness, educate and help put a stop to disability hate and mate crime; especially within the local community.
The event will be held in Harrington Square Gardens on 17th August from 11am to 3pm, and we aim to have stalls set up from local service providers. The event is aimed at service users as well as the local community and general public. I

VAC Response to Council’s Engagement Process
VAC has responded 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 Furniture to Camden Groups
A local firm is giving away 6 desks and chairs, mini fridges and filing cabinets.
To be collected by the end of August.
Contact Tara Ansari :tara762003@yahoo.co.uk

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

Camden Carers Centre, Camden Society, SHAK, Age Uk Camden, Voiceability, Camden Hub, Stroke and Aphasia Minorities Support Group 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.

£1m Available for Charities Working to Support and Encourage Youth Social Action.
The money is provided by a combination of the Pears Foundation, UK Community Foundations (UKCF) and the government, and the fund will eventually make £1.77m available. £1.26m is available nationally.
Applications will close on August 28. There is no minimum and maximum size of grant available.
For more information and to apply go to https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-youth-social-action-fund-expressions-of-interest

The Jack Petchey Foundation small grants for youth programmes
The Small Grants Fund allows those organisations who are running the Achievement Award Scheme well, to apply for a small grant of up to £750 to enhance their work with young people.
Please note that you must already be running the Achievement Award in your school or club, AND you must have recently nominated a Leader Award winner too. For more information on this see How to Apply.

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

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

Training from HEAR
Supporting LGBT+ Asylum Seekers and Refugees – 10 September 2015
10am to 1pm (arrival from 9.30am). Voluntary Action Islington/LVSC, 200a Pentonville Road, N1 9JP (close to Kings Cross station). Trainer: Jess McIntyre, Reach Out.
This training develops themes and topics from other popular HEAR training on supporting refugees and asylum seekers and on supporting LGB people and Trans Awareness, and reflects HEAR’s commitment to training on more complex intersectional topics. This training is for anybody that may work with or support asylum seekers or refugees. Learn, in a supportive and open learning environment, how to provide safe spaces for vulnerable people with complex needs.
Deaf Awareness Workshop – 16 September 2015
10am-1pm (arrival from 9.30am) Canada Water Culture Space (Canada Water Library), 21 Surrey Quays Road, SE16 7AR (immediately adjacent Canada Water Jubilee line and London Overground station). Trainers: Community ID.
An exciting opportunity to take part in a free half day training on Deaf Awareness led by deaf people from the Community ID team. Learn about the different and sometimes confusing terminology around hearing impairment, deaf culture, tips on working with deaf people and those with different levels of hearing impairment, and how to work with BSL interpreters. A supportive environment where you can learn and ask questions with those who have direct experience of deafness.
Trans Awareness – 7 October 2015
10am-1pm (arrival from 9.30am) Roots and Shoots, Walnut Tree Walk, Kennington, SE11 6DN (near Lambeth North tube station). Trainer: Lee Gale. This training is back by popular demand!
This workshop will be an interactive session that aims to increase your understanding of identities and language used in Trans communities, to increase your confidence when supporting Trans people and create awareness of Trans people’s experiences. You will have the opportunity to ask questions and explore these topics in a friendly and supportive environment. This training is organised in partnership with HEAR’s London for All partners LVSC.
Gender Recognition Act – 4 November 2015
10am-1pm (arrival from 9.30am) Fitzrovia Community Centre, 6 Foley Street, W1W 6DL (Central London, West End, close Googe Street and Tottenham Court Road). Trainer: Lee Gale.
Whatever your type of service or beneficiary group you will at some point find that trans people are included amongst those who need your service or support. As well as a broader awareness of trans issues, it is important to be aware of the relevant equalities legislation. The Gender Recognition Act 2004 (GRA) is a very important piece of legislation for the rights of trans people in the UK. It enables many trans people to get legal recognition of their affirmed gender and allows them to change their birth certificate to reflect this, giving privacy rights and dignity to people in the UK. This session for London voluntary and community organisations and groups aims to give a brief introduction to the current European situation for legal recognition of trans people, what the GRA covers and who it protects, and how to make sure that you and your organisation comply with this legislation and the law. This training is organised in partnership with HEAR’s London for All partners LVSC. To book your place please email the HEAR Coordinator: hear@reap.org.uk stating your name, organisation, organisation postcode, and whether you have any access or dietary requirements or book online.

Street Step Employability Academy
Street Step is an employability charity that supports 16-24 year olds to get into work, education or training. Our programme provides an opportunity to develop skills, gain qualifications, and get fit through dance and fitness – all while having fun. All of this is happening at the Platform (Hornsey Road Baths, 2 Tiltman Place, off Hornsey Road, London, N7 7EE).
Our Academy has a rolling intake, meaning a young person can join when it’s right for them. Street Step Academy includes:
~ Employability skills and work placements
~ Employability and healthy living qualifications
~ Maths and English qualifications
~ Dance fitness, fun and friends!
~ In-work support once you’ve found a job
You can find out more and get in touch by visiting http://www.streetstep.co.uk/london
If you or a young person would like to learn more about us, come and join us at the Street Step Social. It will run Monday – Thursday at 1:30.
We also run FREE dance fitness classes every Wednesday at 2:30!
For more information – kate.harrison@streetstep.co.uk or 07580 995477

Camden Summer programme 2015
Camden Council has put together an action-packed schedule of activities for all the family to enjoy. There are dozens of free and low cost events across the borough to get involved in.
From BMX to free swimming sessions for residents, there’s something sporty for everyone.
If you’re looking for inspiration, you can Discover a new world with one of the many exhibitions and talks taking place at libraries, museums and galleries, or soak in the atmosphere at community festivals, screenings and live performances with friends and family to Discover a new delight.
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Camden this year, you can also Discover Camden 50 with a range of special events. So, whether you want to keep the kids entertained during the holidays, or just explore more of what’s on offer near you, the summer programme offers everything you need this sunny season.
Check out LoveCamden.org/discover for full details of events and activities
Follow @LoveCamden on Twitter for the latest updates
For more details on Camden 50, log on to Camden.gov.uk/camden50

Tennis for blind and partially sighted people
Liven up your Friday evenings – come and play sound ball tennis at The Globe Tennis Club
190A Haverstock Hill, NW3 2AL behind Belsize Park tube station [Northern line] Buses C11, 168 and 268
We can meet and guide people to the tennis club from Belsize Park tube station, Hampstead Heath Overground station or nearest bus stops.
Every other Friday: 14th and 28th August; 11th and 25th September and so on… From 6pm to 8pm
Sessions are FREE. Equipment and coaching provided. Please wear tennis or tennis-like footwear.
Sessions followed by a social get-together.
Want to know more? Phone Rosemary on 07980 328 959 or email: Rosemary@somerstown.org.uk

Camden Clinical Commissioning Group
The next CPPEG open meeting is on Monday 10th August (St Pancras Hospital, Conference Hall).
The presentations at the open meeting are as follows:
Presentation 1: Developing commissioning intentions for 2015/16
Presenter: Melody Woolcock, Assistant Director of Commissioning, Camden CCG
Presentation 2: NHS 111 /Out-of-hours engagement & procurement update
Presenter: Ebun Eno—Amooquaye, Project Manager NHS 111, Camden CCG
Presentation 3: Supporting people & families living with Dementia
Presenter: Tracey McDermott, Dementia Befriending Service Coordinator – Age UK Camden & Philip Darby, Strategic Commissioner, Camden Council/Camden CCG (presenter subject to change)
To RSVP you can contact Edith Raie Senior CPPEG administrator by
Email: edith.raie@camdenccg.nhs.uk or Telephone: 020 3688 2044

Free English Classes
Would you like to speak English better? Then come to our free classes.
Every Monday 6pm-8pm at The Evelyn Oldfield Unit, Resource for London, 356 Holloway Road, N7 6PA
Please contact Alexandra for more information on 0207 697 4105 alexandra@evelynoldfield.co.uk

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

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

Camden Carers Centre seeks Time for Change Young Adult Carer Project Worker
We are looking to appoint a Young Adult Carer (YAC) Project Worker as part of our exiting 2 year Time for Change project. This worker will take a lead role in identifying YACS from all communities throughout Camden, to develop meaningful and ongoing relationships with appropriate agencies, to raise awareness of needs and rights of YACS resulting in YACS being referred for support.
We are looking for someone with excellent communication and organisational skills and the ability to prioritise their workload. This role would suit someone who can work on their own initiative, whist still being part of a friendly and supportive team. Experience in a similar role would be an advantage, but we are also interested in applicants with transferable skills and a positive attitude.
You must have excellent communication skills and knowledge of issues that impact on carers. It is essential that you are able to work with people from local diverse communities and an enhanced DBS check will be essential.
Salary: £28,280.00 p.a. pro rata x 21 hours per week in year 1 x 14 hours per week in year 2
An application pack can be downloaded by from our website, please visit www.camdencs.org.uk/get-involved or by emailing info@camdencarers.org.uk.
Closing date: Midnight, Sunday 23rd August 2015. Interviews: Thursday 3rd September 2015
For more information about the job please call Caroline Allouf Support & Information Service Manager on 020 7428 8956 or email caroline@camdencarers.org.uk

The Camden Society needs your help this August
Each August, the Camden Society organises the Great Escape, a week-long activity holiday for people with learning disabilities and autism. To make the Great Escape happen, we need your help! We are looking for volunteers who can help with setting up and taking down the campsite at either end of the holiday and help with preparations in Knish Town on Sunday 9 and Sunday 16 August. This is a fantastic opportunity to help make someone’s holiday happen by giving a few hours of your time and we hope have a lot of fun in the process. If you would like to know more, please contact Kate. whittle@thecamdensociety.co.uk or call 020 7485 8177.

Age UK Camden PSIC is seeking 3 posts:
Personal Health Budgets Direct Payments Support Worker (17.5 hours per week) 12 Months Fixed Term Contract
Local Government Scale SO1 £28,845-£31,323pa pro rata for 17.5 hours £14,422.50-£15,661.50 plus 6% contributory pension.
Direct Payments Support Worker 2 Posts
35 hours per week, Fixed Term Contract for 9 months and 3 Months
Local Government Scale SO1 £28,845-£31,323pa plus 6% contributory pension.
Personalization Service In Camden (PSIC) is a subsidiary of Age UK Camden. It is a new venture, having been set up following the collapse of the previous provider of Direct Payments support to under 65’s in Camden.
If you are interested in the above vacancy please see the application pack including the full job description and person specification at the following link to our web site www.ageukcamden.org.uk or email jobs@ageukcamden.org.uk
The closing date for receipt of completed application forms is 9am on Monday 17 August and interviews will be held on Monday, 24th August 2015.

SHAK seeks P/T Employment & Learning Worker
21hrs per week. Salary: £27,300 pa (pro rata)
Shack (South Hempstead and Wilbur Community Partnership) is a charity based on the iconic Alexandra and Airworthy estate in the Wilbur ward of Camden NW London. Our mission is to increase local community confidence and support disadvantaged young people and adults by increasing their life opportunities. We do this by identifying and meeting local needs with a range of opportunities in areas of lifelong learning, youth activities, community involvement, employment support, advice and guidance, volunteering, events etc.
The post holder will be working at “The SHELL Centrex”, a community learning centre on the Alexandra and Ainsworth estate in NW London Camden Borough, Kilburn ward. The centre was established in 2003 and has good reputation of engaging successfully with the local community especially disadvantaged groups.
Email your CV and a covering letter explaining how you feel you meet the job profile criteria to: johnboyle@shakonline.co.uk
Closing date: 5 pm on 17th August 2015. Interviews held during the week beginning August 24th.

Two Opportunities for User Involvement from Voiceability
We are looking for service users to join a strategic service user involvement team who will input into shaping service delivery in Camden.
Mental health or substance use service users will play a key part in monitoring the performance of service providers, and in deciding which organisations provide services in Camden.
Applications are encouraged from as wide a range as possible of drug, alcohol or mental health service users in Camden.
In particular, there is an opportunity now for drug service users to apply to be on the tender panel for applications wanting to provide drug treatment services in Camden. We need to receive applications for this opportunity by Wednesday 5th August.
If you would like to apply to be a strategic service user involvement representative, please email camdenuserinvolvement@voiceability.org or phone 020 3355 7113 to tell us a little about:
• The skills you can bring to the role
• Why you want to do this
• Your lived experience and services you may have accessed
• If you are interested in tendering, contract monitoring, or both.

Camden Hub seeks Project Assistant
Be an instrumental part of an innovative project tackling mental ill health in Camden within the Bengali, Black, and Irish communities. We are looking for people who take initiative, can think creatively, and, most importantly, are confident to engage with people. If you are from any of these communities, then your grassroots knowledge, insights and network will be invaluable.
We put people first and will be connecting with them on their terms, wherever they feel most comfortable: clubs or cafes, mosques or churches, college or university, at home or on the go. Having identified people and places, you’ll help to run “mutual learning sessions”. These informal meetups will allow each community to come up with their own original ideas for raising mental health awareness and reducing stigma. Harnessing this energy and insight, you’ll then go on to co produce (together) the most popular and exciting ones.
What you’ll do
~ Investigate and identify where people come together, eg, social clubs, cafes, parent groups, and places of worship;
~ Make contact and create relationships;
~ Meet with individuals and groups. Have informal discussions and “mutual learning workshops” to gain insights and ideas.
~ Later in the project, run “codesign & coproduction sessions” where you’ll help to follow through on ideas people have had, eg, produce a film, create a leaflet, run a popup music studio at schools
You can be involved in a big way: meeting with lots of people, helping to surface many ideas and then helping to see them through.
Or, you may prefer to engage with just one or two groups of people: perhaps you are well situated to meet up with your local barber shop, pub, or youth club, where you’re confident you can get people talking and creating ideas.
Contact Kumar from Camden Hub (camdenhub.org.uk) on 020 7278 4437 or kumar.grant@hcct.org.uk.

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

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

The Francis Crick Institute, 2015 Winter Workshops Call for Proposals
The Francis Crick Institute will be a world leading centre for biomedical research. Due to open in the King’s Cross area of London in 2016, the Crick is a partnership between Cancer Research UK, the Medical Research Council, the Wellcome Trust, University College London (UCL), King’s College London and Imperial College London.
In the run-up to the festive season, the Crick’s Communications and Engagement team is looking to deliver a programme of engaging and creative workshops with schools and community groups. It is envisaged that the project will bring the community together and allow people to explore science in a fun and accessible way, drawing links between creativity, art and science.
We invite proposals from companies or individuals to develop and deliver the following:
~ An arts-based workshop that can be delivered to local community and primary school groups. Participants should be able to create tangible objects, which can be taken home or incorporated into a collaborative piece for display.
The workshops will be delivered between mid-November and mid-December
A maximum of 10 workshops will be delivered in venues specified by the Crick. Groups will be recruited in September.
Each workshop should last no longer than 60 minutes (given the target age range we envision them being shorter than this).
The workshop should be tailored to Years 1 – 2 (5 – 7 year olds) and be easily modifiable to family groups.
The Crick will be responsible for recruiting our target primary schools and community groups.
The workshops will be delivered at the participating schools and community centres. All will take place in the Kings Cross and Euston area, within one mile of the Crick.
In some instances, two workshops will be delivered on the same day at the same school.
The workshop should relate to an aspect of biology and/or biomedical research, and highlight the importance of creativity in scientific discovery.
The workshop should be delivered by the applicant, although the Crick is able to provide some support. For example we can provide volunteers to help with the delivery and assist with the scientific content.
Applicants are welcome to submit proposals for new workshop ideas, or for workshops that have been run in the past. If the latter is the case please include in your application any outputs from previous projects, such as photographs or evaluative findings.
A fee of up to £3000 is available for the successful applicant to cover development time, materials, travel costs and delivery of the workshops.
Please provide in your application:
A description of the workshop
The scientific content to be explored
Ideas for evaluation of the workshop
A detailed budget. Please include your costs per workshop, based on travelling to schools/community groups in Euston and Kings Cross and delivering the workshop 10 times to groups of up to 30.
The deadline for proposals is 5pm Wednesday 26 Aug 2015.
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to interview at our offices in Euston, London during the week commencing 31 August 2015.
For further information or to submit a proposal, please contact Melanie Davies at the Francis Crick Institute: melanie.davies@crick.ac.uk, or 0207 611 2213.

London Councils Grants Programme Consultation 2017 – 2021
This consultation exercise will help London Councils decide whether the grants programme should continue past March 2017 and if it does what the priorities of the programme should be from 1 April 2017.
The consultation will also inform London Councils’ decisions on any future budget and allocation of resources to projects that deliver the priorities.
This consultation will also inform an equalities impact assessment. The Equality Act 2010 requires public bodies to tackle disadvantage and discrimination[i].Particular groups are covered against discrimination as they have protected characteristics. As such London Councils must must have due regard to effects of these decisions on the nine protected equalities groups. See more at the London Councils website.

Contribute to the new Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA)
The Joint Strategic Needs Assessment is being updated, and to ensure that the JSNA represents the voice of residents and local communities there is a process for the Voluntary and Community Sector to contribute information. One of the methods identified for obtaining data from the VCS is a Call for Evidence, which is asking organisations to submit any information they have on local needs and services. Please follow the link for the proforma for the Call for Evidence.

Take part in the Camden future libraries consultation
Camden Council has launched a future libraries consultation to review how savings of £800,000 could be made in the delivery of library services across the borough. Although there is less money available, this is a good opportunity to have your say on how future spending should be prioritised in order to create a modern library service that best supports all library users. Get involved by completing the survey online at camden.gov.uk/futurelibraries or pick up a copy from your local library. The consultation closes on Tuesday 6 October 2015.

Improving musculoskeletal services in Camden
Camden CCG would like to get to know what people think of the current services and what they feel could be improved. To complete the survey please click on the following Link: https://feedback.camdenccg.nhs.uk/strategy-and-planning/copy-of-copy-of-improving-musculoskeletal-services
Patients and carers have until the 31st July to complete the survey.
Musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders describe a variety of conditions that affect the muscles, bones and joints in many different parts of the body. Musculoskeletal services include trauma, orthopaedics, rheumatology, and pain management, as well as rehabilitation services such as physiotherapy, podiatry and orthotics.

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). The draft NHS 111/OOH service specification can be read here: http://www.camdenccg.nhs.uk/website/about/service-specification.htm
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

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.

Highlights: Contribute to the new Joint Strategic Needs Assessment; New Fund Makes £1m Available for Charities Working to Support and Encourage Youth Social Action; Ageing Better in Camden meeting about St Pancras and Somerstown Community Action Project; Deaf Accessible Events at Shuffle Festival; Queen’s Crescent Summer Festival 2015; BBC Disability Season; Tennis for blind and partially sighted people; Camden Summer programme 2015; plus news, funding, events, jobs, volunteering and more.

NEWS

Contribute to the new Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA)
The Joint Strategic Needs Assessment is being updated, and to ensure that the JSNA represents the voice of residents and local communities there is a process for the Voluntary and Community Sector to contribute information. One of the methods identified for obtaining data from the VCS is a Call for Evidence, which is asking organisations to submit any information they have on local needs and services. Please follow the link for the proforma for the Call for Evidence.

New Fund Makes £1m Available for Charities Working to Support and Encourage Youth Social Action.
£1.26m is available nationally. Applications will close on August 28. There is no minimum and maximum size of grant available. See ‘Funding’ section below for full details.

Ageing Better in Camden meeting about St Pancras and Somerstown Community Action Project
Ageing Better in Camden is holding a briefing and discussion meeting on Monday 10th August, 3:30 – 5:30 pm to look at the St Pancras and Somerstown Community Action Project Specification. This project aims to:
~ Build a group of active and involved older people working together to improve their lives and their community
~ Create an environment where older participants are less lonely and socially isolated
~ Improve the lives and community of people living in St Pancras and Somerstown.
The ITT documentation will be published in September 2015 and the project is due to start 1st April 2016 and the contract is for 2 years. The value of the contract is £93,000. If you want to attend the meeting or have more information on the project please contact Julia Shelley 02072390400 on Julia.shelley@ageukcamden.org.uk

Deaf Accessible Events at Shuffle Festival
Saturday 1st August 12pm till late. Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, Southern Grove, London E3 4PX. Deaf Access via BS interpreters and live captioning will be available on Saturday for selected events. More information from deafvisionsuk@gmail.com

BBC Disability Season
The BBC has a season of programmes on disability and has a dedicated website bringing together links to articles, clips and programmes. Go to Defying the Label.

Queen’s Crescent Summer Festival 2015
Saturday 8th August 12pm-5pm
QC Summer Festival is back for its’ 14th year with the theme ‘Family and Healthy Living’!
International food, family entertainment, fairground rides, fun activities for all.
Bring the whole family!
QCCA, 45 Ashdown Crescent, LONDON NW5 4QE Tel: 020 7267 6635

Tennis for blind and partially sighted people
Liven up your Friday evenings – come and play sound ball tennis at The Globe Tennis Club
190A Haverstock Hill, NW3 2AL behind Belsize Park tube station [Northern line] Buses C11, 168 and 268
We can meet and guide people to the tennis club from Belsize Park tube station, Hampstead Heath Overground station or nearest bus stops.
Every other Friday: 31st July; 14th and 28th August; 11th and 25th September and so on… From 6pm to 8pm
Sessions are FREE. Equipment and coaching provided. Please wear tennis or tennis-like footwear.
Sessions followed by a social get-together.
Want to know more? Phone Rosemary on 07980 328 959 or email: Rosemary@somerstown.org.uk

London Councils Grants Programme Consultation 2017 – 2021
This consultation exercise will help London Councils decide whether the grants programme should continue past March 2017 and if it does what the priorities of the programme should be from 1 April 2017.
The consultation will also inform London Councils’ decisions on any future budget and allocation of resources to projects that deliver the priorities.
This consultation will also inform an equalities impact assessment. The Equality Act 2010 requires public bodies to tackle disadvantage and discrimination[i].Particular groups are covered against discrimination as they have protected characteristics. As such London Councils must must have due regard to effects of these decisions on the nine protected equalities groups. See more at the London Councils website.

Summer programme 2015
Camden Council has put together an action-packed schedule of activities for all the family to enjoy. There are dozens of free and low cost events across the borough to get involved in.
From BMX to free swimming sessions for residents, there’s something sporty for everyone.
If you’re looking for inspiration, you can Discover a new world with one of the many exhibitions and talks taking place at libraries, museums and galleries, or soak in the atmosphere at community festivals, screenings and live performances with friends and family to Discover a new delight.
If you fancy broadening your skills, then Discover a new talent with one of our creative and instructional workshops. Or stay close to home and Discover what’s on your doorstep with a free guided walk, or by making the most of the sunshine in one of our stunning parks or open spaces.
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Camden this year, you can also Discover Camden 50 with a range of special events. So, whether you want to keep the kids entertained during the holidays, or just explore more of what’s on offer near you, the summer programme offers everything you need this sunny season.
Check out LoveCamden.org/discover for full details of events and activities
Follow @LoveCamden on Twitter for the latest updates
For more details on Camden 50, log on to Camden.gov.uk/camden50

VAC Response to Council’s Engagement Process
VAC has responded 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.

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

SHAK, Age Uk Camden, Voiceability, Camden Hub, Holborn Community Association, Women and Girls Network, Stroke and Aphasia Minorities Support Group seeks 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.

£1m Available for Charities Working to Support and Encourage Youth Social Action.
The money is provided by a combination of the Pears Foundation, UK Community Foundations (UKCF) and the government, and the fund will eventually make £1.77m available. £1.26m is available nationally.
Applications will close on August 28. There is no minimum and maximum size of grant available.
For more information and to apply go to https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-youth-social-action-fund-expressions-of-interest

The Jack Petchey Foundation small grants for youth programmes
The Small Grants Fund allows those organisations who are running the Achievement Award Scheme well, to apply for a small grant of up to £750 to enhance their work with young people.
Please note that you must already be running the Achievement Award in your school or club, AND you must have recently nominated a Leader Award winner too. For more information on this see How to Apply.

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 businesses”. 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

Camden Clinical Commissioning Group
The next CPPEG open meeting is on Monday 10th August (St Pancras Hospital, Conference Hall).
The presentations at the open meeting are as follows:
Presentation 1: Developing commissioning intentions for 2015/16
Presenter: Melody Woolcock, Assistant Director of Commissioning, Camden CCG
Presentation 2: NHS 111 /Out-of-hours engagement & procurement update
Presenter: Ebun Eno—Amooquaye, Project Manager NHS 111, Camden CCG
Presentation 3: Supporting people & families living with Dementia
Presenter: Tracey McDermott, Dementia Befriending Service Coordinator – Age UK Camden & Philip Darby, Strategic Commissioner, Camden Council/Camden CCG (presenter subject to change)
To RSVP you can contact Edith Raie Senior CPPEG administrator by
Email: edith.raie@camdenccg.nhs.uk or Telephone: 020 3688 2044

Free English Classes
Would you like to speak English better? Then come to our free classes.
Every Monday 6pm-8pm at The Evelyn Oldfield Unit, Resource for London, 356 Holloway Road, N7 6PA
Please contact Alexandra for more information on 0207 697 4105 alexandra@evelynoldfield.co.uk

Disabled Girls Football in Somerstown
There will be girls only football sessions taking place for disabled young girls between the age of 11 and 19 at Somerstown Youth Centre. Beginners and players of all experience and ability levels are welcome, the sessions are free of charge and the coaches will all be female.
Sessions will take place every Saturday from 4:00pm to 5:00pm and the first session and sign up is 1st August.
This is a great opportunity for any girls who are interested in playing football. The session organiser Becki, is also happy to meet any potential players who are nervous to join to discuss the sessions.
Contact Becki directly (becki@somerstown.org.uk) if you have any questions or want to join the sessions.

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.
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

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

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

Age UK Camden PSIC is seeking 3 posts:
Personal Health Budgets Direct Payments Support Worker (17.5 hours per week) 12 Months Fixed Term Contract
Local Government Scale SO1 £28,845-£31,323pa pro rata for 17.5 hours £14,422.50-£15,661.50 plus 6% contributory pension.
Direct Payments Support Worker 2 Posts
35 hours per week, Fixed Term Contract for 9 months and 3 Months
Local Government Scale SO1 £28,845-£31,323pa plus 6% contributory pension.
Personalisation Service In Camden (PSIC) is a subsidiary of Age UK Camden. It is a new venture, having been set up following the collapse of the previous provider of Direct Payments support to under 65’s in Camden.
If you are interested in the above vacancy please see the application pack including the full job description and person specification at the following link to our website www.ageukcamden.org.uk or email jobs@ageukcamden.org.uk.
The closing date for receipt of completed application forms is 9am on Monday 17 August and interviews will be held on Monday, 24th August 2015.

SHAK seeks P/T Employment & Learning Worker
21hrs per week. Salary: £27,300 pa (pro rata)
Shak (South Hampstead and Kilburn Community Partnership) is a charity based on the iconic Alexandra and Ainsworth estate in the Kilburn ward of Camden NW London. Our mission is to increase local community confidence and support disadvantaged young people and adults by increasing their life opportunities. We do this by identifying and meeting local needs with a range of opportunities in areas of lifelong learning, youth activities, community involvement, employment support, advice and guidance, volunteering, events etc.
The post holder will be working at “The SHELL Centre”, a community learning centre on the Alexandra and Ainsworth estate in NW London Camden Borough, Kilburn ward. The centre was established in 2003 and has good reputation of engaging successfully with the local community especially disadvantaged groups.
Email your CV and a covering letter explaining how you feel you meet the job profile criteria to: johnboyle@shakonline.co.uk
Closing date: 5 pm on 17th August 2015. Interviews held during the week beginning August 24th.

Two Opportunities for User Involvement from Voiceability
We are looking for service users to join a strategic service user involvement team who will input into shaping service delivery in Camden.
Mental health or substance use service users will play a key part in monitoring the performance of service providers, and in deciding which organisations provide services in Camden.
Applications are encouraged from as wide a range as possible of drug, alcohol or mental health service users in Camden.
In particular, there is an opportunity now for drug service users to apply to be on the tender panel for applications wanting to provide drug treatment services in Camden. We need to receive applications for this opportunity by Wednesday 5th August.
If you would like to apply to be a strategic service user involvement representative, please email camdenuserinvolvement@voiceability.org or phone 020 3355 7113 to tell us a little about:
• The skills you can bring to the role
• Why you want to do this
• Your lived experience and services you may have accessed
• If you are interested in tendering, contract monitoring, or both.

Camden Hub seeks Project Assistant
Be an instrumental part of an innovative project tackling mental ill health in Camden within the Bengali, Black, and Irish communities. We are looking for people who take initiative, can think creatively, and, most importantly, are confident to engage with people. If you are from any of these communities, then your grassroots knowledge, insights and network will be invaluable.
We put people first and will be connecting with them on their terms, wherever they feel most comfortable: clubs or cafes, mosques or churches, college or university, at home or on the go. Having identified people and places, you’ll help to run “mutual learning sessions”. These informal meetups will allow each community to come up with their own original ideas for raising mental health awareness and reducing stigma. Harnessing this energy and insight, you’ll then go on to co produce (together) the most popular and exciting ones.
What you’ll do
~ Investigate and identify where people come together, eg, social clubs, cafes, parent groups, and places of worship;
~ Make contact and create relationships;
~ Meet with individuals and groups. Have informal discussions and “mutual learning workshops” to gain insights and ideas.
~ Later in the project, run “codesign & coproduction sessions” where you’ll help to follow through on ideas people have had, eg, produce a film, create a leaflet, run a popup music studio at schools
You can be involved in a big way: meeting with lots of people, helping to surface many ideas and then helping to see them through.
Or, you may prefer to engage with just one or two groups of people: perhaps you are well situated to meet up with your local barber shop, pub, or youth club, where you’re confident you can get people talking and creating ideas.
Contact Kumar from Camden Hub (camdenhub.org.uk) on 020 7278 4437 or kumar.grant@hcct.org.uk.

HCA seeks a Fundraising and Income Development Manager
The purpose of the post is to raise at least £50,000, to enable the Holborn Community Association (HCA) to continue and develop its activities, whether through involvement with local businesses or residents, expansion of income from HCA’s activities or otherwise
We expect the successful candidate to present a viable plan for achieving the aims of the project and to develop and implement the plan, in co-ordination with the existing team.
The Job Specs and Application forms are available on our (www.holborncommunity.co.uk) or they can email on admin@holborncommunity.co.uk or call us on 02074052370.
The closing date is Monday 3rd August 10 a.m. with interviews on Thursday 2oth August

Part-Time Advice Worker (female applicants only) (apply by 3rd August 2015)
21 hours per week, £25,500 per annum pro rata
Women and Girls Network (WGN) is recruiting for a highly motivated, organised and experienced Advice Worker to our Advice Service, delivered as part of the Angelou partnership. You will have a proven track record of working within a multi-agency setting, delivering specialist advice and casework support within a feminist, empowering framework for women and girls who are experiencing domestic/sexual violence and abuse. Additionally, you will have a working knowledge, understanding and experienced of civil and criminal remedies and the criminal justice process, specifically in relation to domestic/sexual violence and abuse.
To download application packs please go to http://www.wgn.org.uk/join-us/jobs
Deadline for Applications 12pm, Monday 3rd of August. Interviews will be held week commencing 10th of August.
The above post is exempt under the Equality Act 2010, Schedule 9, Part 1

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

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

Take part in the Camden future libraries consultation
Camden Council has launched a future libraries consultation to review how savings of £800,000 could be made in the delivery of library services across the borough. Although there is less money available, this is a good opportunity to have your say on how future spending should be prioritised in order to create a modern library service that best supports all library users. Get involved by completing the survey online at camden.gov.uk/futurelibraries or pick up a copy from your local library. The consultation closes on Tuesday 6 October 2015.

Improving musculoskeletal services in Camden
Camden CCG would like to get to know what people think of the current services and what they feel could be improved. To complete the survey please click on the following Link: https://feedback.camdenccg.nhs.uk/strategy-and-planning/copy-of-copy-of-improving-musculoskeletal-services
Patients and carers have until the 31st July to complete the survey.
Musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders describe a variety of conditions that affect the muscles, bones and joints in many different parts of the body. Musculoskeletal services include trauma, orthopaedics, rheumatology, and pain management, as well as rehabilitation services such as physiotherapy, podiatry and orthotics.

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). The draft NHS 111/OOH service specification can be read here: http://www.camdenccg.nhs.uk/website/about/service-specification.htm
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

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.

Highlights: Contribute to the new Joint Strategic Needs Assessment; Take part in the Camden future libraries consultation; BSL Access to 111 and 999; Improving musculoskeletal services in Camden; Two Opportunities for User Involvement from Voiceability; The BBC invites you to take part in a science demonstration; Camden Clinical Commissioning Group Open Meeting; Free English Classes; Girls Football in Somerstown; plus news, funding, events, jobs, volunteering and more.

NEWS

Contribute to the new Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA)
The Joint Strategic Needs Assessment is being updated, and to ensure that the JSNA represents the voice of residents and local communities there is a process for the Voluntary and Community Sector to contribute information. One of the methods identified for obtaining data from the VCS is a Call for Evidence, which is asking organisations to submit any information they have on local needs and services. Please follow the link for the proforma for the Call for Evidence.

Take part in the Camden future libraries consultation
Camden Council has launched a future libraries consultation to review how savings of £800,000 could be made in the delivery of library services across the borough. Although there is less money available, this is a good opportunity to have your say on how future spending should be prioritised in order to create a modern library service that best supports all library users. Get involved by completing the survey online at camden.gov.uk/futurelibraries or pick up a copy from your local library. The consultation closes on Tuesday 6 October 2015.

BSL Access to 111 and 999
There is a pilot is underway for the NHS Health Advice line NHS 111 to be accessible with British Sign language (BSL).Full details are available here www.signhealth.org.uk/nhs111-now-bsl/
At the moment there is no BSL service to access emergency services through 999. Deaf people can use texts from mobiles to 999, but the mobiles must be registered in advance. This can be done through this link www.emergencysms.org.uk/registering_your_mobile_phone.php

VAC Response to Council’s Engagement Process
VAC has responded 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.

Improving musculoskeletal services in Camden
Camden CCG would like to get to know what people think of the current services and what they feel could be improved. To complete the survey please click on the following Link: https://feedback.camdenccg.nhs.uk/strategy-and-planning/copy-of-copy-of-improving-musculoskeletal-services
Patients and carers have until the 31st July to complete the survey.
Musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders describe a variety of conditions that affect the muscles, bones and joints in many different parts of the body. Musculoskeletal services include trauma, orthopaedics, rheumatology, and pain management, as well as rehabilitation services such as physiotherapy, podiatry and orthotics.

Two Opportunities for User Involvement from Voiceability
We are looking for service users to join a strategic service user involvement team who will input into shaping service delivery in Camden.
Mental health or substance use service users will play a key part in monitoring the performance of service providers, and in deciding which organisations provide services in Camden.
Applications are encouraged from as wide a range as possible of drug, alcohol or mental health service users in Camden.
In particular, there is an opportunity now for drug service users to apply to be on the tender panel for applications wanting to provide drug treatment services in Camden. We need to receive applications for this opportunity by Wednesday 5th August.
If you would like to apply to be a strategic service user involvement representative, please email camdenuserinvolvement@voiceability.org or phone 020 3355 7113 to tell us a little about:
• The skills you can bring to the role
• Why you want to do this
• Your lived experience and services you may have accessed
• If you are interested in tendering, contract monitoring, or both.

National News
Tabloid attacks on fundraising are an attempt to hamper campaigning, says Bubb
“It is perhaps questionable why this issue is being pursued so vehemently in some papers,” he said. “Surely it couldn’t be anything to do with duffing us up so we feel less able to be robust in our campaigning?” Full story in Civil Society magazine.
One Step Forward and Two Steps Back
The Daily Mail has finally admitted that charities were not to blame for Olive Cooke’s death. However, the Minister for Civil Society, Rob Wilson, has been accused of talking “ill-informed drivel” after he accused RSPB and RSPCA of not delivering services as part of his wider war on charity campaigning. On the other hand he is clearly a supporter of full-cost-recovery as he was found to have claimed 9p for a 350 yard car journey and 60p towards maintenance of his bicycle. Story in Civil Society and the Metro.
Civicus 2015 State of Civil Society Report Published
The report warns that “67 years after the Universal Declaration of Human Rights guaranteed our freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly and association, 6 out of 7 humans live in countries where these freedoms were under threat. And even the most mature democracies are not exempt.” Read the report here.

The BBC invites you to take part in a science demonstration to be broadcast on BBC One.
Working with scientists from King’s College London, the BBC is looking for people over 65 from the London area to take part in a demonstration of how non-strenuous physical activity can benefit our cognitive health (such as our memory and ability to solve problems) in older age.
We want to see how a 10-week program of manageable, fun and surprising physical activity can improve cognition and brain health.
If you are over 65 and don’t currently take part in regular exercise but would like to find out how small changes could benefit your brain, then we would love to hear from you!
To find out more and to apply please email: patricia.reece@bbc.co.uk Or call: 0141 422 6795

Camden Clinical Commissioning Group
The next CPPEG open meeting is on Monday 10th August (St Pancras Hospital, Conference Hall).
The presentations at the open meeting are as follows:
Presentation 1: Developing commissioning intentions for 2015/16
Presenter: Melody Woolcock, Assistant Director of Commissioning, Camden CCG
Presentation 2: NHS 111 /Out-of-hours engagement & procurement update
Presenter: Ebun Eno—Amooquaye, Project Manager NHS 111, Camden CCG
Presentation 3: Supporting people & families living with Dementia
Presenter: Tracey McDermott, Dementia Befriending Service Coordinator – Age UK Camden & Philip Darby, Strategic Commissioner, Camden Council/Camden CCG (presenter subject to change)
To RSVP you can contact Edith Raie Senior CPPEG administrator by
Email: edith.raie@camdenccg.nhs.uk or Telephone: 020 3688 2044

Free English Classes
Would you like to speak English better? Then come to our free classes.
Every Monday 6pm-8pm at The Evelyn Oldfield Unit, Resource for London, 356 Holloway Road, N7 6PA
Please contact Alexandra for more information on 0207 697 4105 alexandra@evelynoldfield.co.uk

Disabled Girls Football in Somerstown
There will be girls only football sessions taking place for disabled young girls between the age of 11 and 19 at Somerstown Youth Centre. Beginners and players of all experience and ability levels are welcome, the sessions are free of charge and the coaches will all be female.
Sessions will take place every Saturday from 4:00pm to 5:00pm and the first session and sign up is 1st August.
This is a great opportunity for any girls who are interested in playing football. The session organiser Becki, is also happy to meet any potential players who are nervous to join to discuss the sessions.
Contact Becki directly (becki@somerstown.org.uk) if you have any questions or want to join the sessions.

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.

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 businesses”. 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

‘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

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.
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

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 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.

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

Home-Start Camden
Are you a parent or do you have parenting experience? Would you like to enhance your skills to offer friendship and support to families with young children? Can you give 3-4 hours weekly, to visit a family with young children who may be going through a difficult time?
Next accredited training course:
Two week course from 15th June to 25th June From 9.45am to 2.30pm. Four days per week Monday – Thursday Certificates awarded & expenses paid
For information pack ring 0207 424 1603 email: info@homestartcamden.org web: www.homestartcamden.org

Camden Hub seeks Project Assistant
Be an instrumental part of an innovative project tackling mental ill health in Camden within the Bengali, Black, and Irish communities. We are looking for people who take initiative, can think creatively, and, most importantly, are confident to engage with people. If you are from any of these communities, then your grassroots knowledge, insights and network will be invaluable.
We put people first and will be connecting with them on their terms, wherever they feel most comfortable: clubs or cafes, mosques or churches, college or university, at home or on the go. Having identified people and places, you’ll help to run “mutual learning sessions”. These informal meetups will allow each community to come up with their own original ideas for raising mental health awareness and reducing stigma. Harnessing this energy and insight, you’ll then go on to co produce (together) the most popular and exciting ones.
What you’ll do
● Investigate and identify where people come together, eg, social clubs, cafes, parent groups, and places of worship;
● Make contact and create relationships;
● Meet with individuals and groups. Have informal discussions and “mutual learning workshops” to gain insights and ideas.
● Later in the project, run “codesign & coproduction sessions” where you’ll help to follow through on ideas people have had, eg, produce a film, create a leaflet, run a popup music studio at schools
You can be involved in a big way: meeting with lots of people, helping to surface many ideas and then helping to see them through.
Or, you may prefer to engage with just one or two groups of people: perhaps you are well situated to meet up with your local barber shop, pub, or youth club, where you’re confident you can get people talking and creating ideas.
Contact Kumar from Camden Hub (camdenhub.org.uk) on 020 7278 4437 or kumar.grant@hcct.org.uk.

HCA seeks a Fundraising and Income Development Manager
The purpose of the post is to raise at least £50,000, to enable the HCA to continue and develop its activities, whether through involvement with local businesses or residents, expansion of income from HCA’s activities or otherwise
We expect the successful candidate to present a viable plan for achieving the aims of the project and to develop and implement the plan, in co-ordination with the existing team.
The Job Specs and Application forms are available on our (www.holborncommunity.co.uk) or they can email on admin@holborncommunity.co.uk or call us on 02074052370.
The closing date is Monday 3rd August 10 a.m. with interviews on Thursday 2oth August

Part-Time Advice Worker (female applicants only) (apply by 3rd August 2015)
21 hours per week, £25,500 per annum pro rata
Women and Girls Network (WGN) is recruiting for a highly motivated, organised and experienced Advice Worker to our Advice Service, delivered as part of the Angelou partnership. You will have a proven track record of working within a multi-agency setting, delivering specialist advice and casework support within a feminist, empowering framework for women and girls who are experiencing domestic/sexual violence and abuse. Additionally, you will have a working knowledge, understanding and experienced of civil and criminal remedies and the criminal justice process, specifically in relation to domestic/sexual violence and abuse.
To download application packs please go to http://www.wgn.org.uk/join-us/jobs
Deadline for Applications 12pm, Monday 3rd of August. Interviews will be held week commencing 10th of August.
The above post is exempt under the Equality Act 2010, Schedule 9, Part 1

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.

To subscribe to this e-bulletin just send an email to info@vac.org.uk with your request, name, organisation and email address

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.

Highlights: VAC Submits Response to Council’s Engagement Process; Camden’s Centre for Independent Living Event for Users; Wild Bunch Club; The Budget; Camden New Town Community Festival; Consultation on Proposals to commission an integrated NHS 111 & GP Out of Hours (111/OOH) service; Learning Disability Awareness training session on 5th August; Be Scams Aware; Capital Spending Opportunity For VCS Organisations in Frognal and Fitzjohns; Open Meeting of CBUG – Camden Borough User Group; Silence Makes Violence, 24th July; plus news, funding, events, jobs, volunteering and more.

NEWS

VAC Submits 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’.
VAC will be submitting a response on behalf of the VCS by the deadline of 12th July 2015. Throughout the engagement period, which ran from the 18th May to the 12th July 2015, VAC worked with the Council’s Third Sector Team to run a series of seminars at which the four funding models put forward were discussed. VAC also held three further meetings for the voluntary and community sector. This work included an analysis of the strategic challenges that we all face in Camden and the fit between the strategic vision and the four options presented. The options were found not to fit well with the strategic vision and work was undertaken to develop a more suitable option, Option Five. You can read the latest draft of the response on the VAC website. The final draft will be available on 12th July 2015.

Camden’s Centre for Independent Living Event for Users
Thursday 16th July, 11am-1pm
Room 11.10, 5 Pancras Square, London N1C 4AG
“Camden’s Centre for Independent Living (CIL) will be based at Greenwood Place – a new community resource centre being built in Kentish Town, due to open in January 2018.
We have engaged and consulted widely in the past which was extremely useful. Building on that, we are now ready to move into the next stage of the project and would like to start thinking about the CIL in more detail. We want the CIL to be user-led.
In partnership with Camden Disability Action, a new umbrella organisation to represent deaf and disabled people in Camden, we would like to invite you to join us at this event to talk about:
• What the CIL space within the new Greenwood building should look like
We will show you the latest copies of the floor plans and ask what you think of them
• What services the CIL should provide
We will ask you what services you think people with disabilities need in Camden today and in the future to be able to live more independently
• How can people with disabilities lead the development of the CIL
We will also be able to tell you more about our timescales for the project.”
Places at this event are limited and we will need to know your name in advance to prepare your visitor badge, so you must book your place by 5pm on Tuesday 14th July by calling Ellie Chesterman on 0207 974 3178 or email: eleanor.chesterman@camden.gov.uk
Please get in touch to discuss any access or communication requirements you may have.
We will send you confirmation of your place by email or by post.

Health and Safety for Marginalized Communities
Wednesday, July 15 @ 10:00 am – 1:00 pm | Free
Last chance! The course will give you Health & Safety essentials. A few spaces left. More information and bookings on the VAC website.

Wild Bunch Club
Tuesday 14th July at Electrowerkz. 7 – 11pm. Tickets £5 on the door. At 7 Torrens Street. Wheelchair access, over 18s only. Contact Siren 020 7359 7443.

National News
Budget
Civil Society review the Chancellor’s budget and reported that the Budget was silent on key issues facing the sector such as Gift Aid reform, irrecoverable VAT, and the continuing necessity for food banks. NCVO have a round up of the main budget implications for the sector. As well as direct implications there will be implications for many of the sectors users and members. There is more in depth look at some of the implications in this NCVO blog. There is controversy that the Chancellor has renamed the National Minimum Wage to the Living Wage which has left the Living Wage Foundation in an awkward spot: ‘delight’ that the issue is being addressed, but there is silence on a number of issues: questions over how it is calculated, no mention of London, under 25s aren’t covered, what affect will tax credit changes have? Full response at the Living Wage Foundation. In an interesting blog post the Charity Finance Group highlight some issues for the sector (including business rates review) that will not be clarified until later. Not least the proposed right to buy charity assets (otherwise known as Housing Associations Tenants ‘right to buy’) which has thrown up an additional problem for the chancellor (as if confiscation of charity assets wasn’t a big enough problem); that the Housing Association debt will have to be reclassified as Public Sector Net Debt adding about £60 billion to it.
Interestingly, both the Economist and the Spectator were unimpressed. The Economist said “cutting benefits to the very poor while reducing inheritance tax for the wealthy is indefensible.” The spectator says “it is not surprising that the changes overall are regressive – ie, taking much more from poorer households than richer ones. Poorer households have done worse than those in the middle and upper middle parts of the income distribution”.

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

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

Age UK Camden Scoops Four Awards
In the last month, Age UK Camden has won four awards for its work with older people in and around Camden.
1 Age UK Camden was given a prestigious award for using London’s green space to improve the well-being of local residents and its service users. Awarded the runner up prize of £1,000 in the ‘Growing Localities’ Awards, run by the City Bridge Trust with the Corporation of London and Lemos and Crane. The award was for a garden based at Great Croft Resource Centre in Kings Cross.
2 it received Best Innovation in Volunteering by the Age England Association for its work in developing the Corporate Social Responsibility relationships with business partners.
3 Age UK Camden’s regional Opening Doors London service was included in the 2015 Pride Power List honouring those in the LGBT community who have made a significant impact.
4 Age UK Camden’s CEO Gary Jones was invited to become a Fellow of the RSA “in light of (his) outstanding work at Age UK Camden, supporting and providing services to older citizens of Camden.”
More details at www.ageukcamden.org.uk and www.openingdoorslondon.org.uk

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

Be Scams Aware
July is Scams Awareness Month. Learn to spot the signs and protect yourself and others.
Look out for the following warning signals to help you stay safe
• If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is – be wary
• Did you buy a ticket? If not, you can’t win anything
• You shouldn’t have to pay anything to get a prize
• Contacted out of the blue? Be suspicious
• Resist pressure to make an immediate decision – don’t be rushed
• Ignore job adverts that request money in advance
• Never send money to someone you have never met
• If in doubt, don’t reply. Bin it, delete it, or hang up
• Genuine computer firms do not make unsolicited phone calls to help you fix your computer
• If your bank rings you and you suspect a scam, hang up – then either wait five minutes to clear the line, or use another phone to call your bank
• Your bank will never phone or attend your home to collect cash, your pin, payment card or chequebook if you are a victim of fraud. Nor will they ask you to transfer money to a new account for fraud reasons.
More information at : http://news.camden.gov.uk/be-scams-aware/

Capital Spending Opportunity For VCS Organisations in Frognal and Fitzjohns
The Council has received money from a property development in Frognal and Fitzjohns Ward, as a result of Section 106 (S106) obligations on property developers, under Camden’s Planning Guidance. The money is available for capital projects for community facilities. Deadline for proposals is Friday 17th July.
For more information, including LB Camden contact details, see last week’s e-bulletin (scroll to the bottom).

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

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

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.

Camden Economic Growth Fund – supporting Camden residents with mental health conditions and with learning disabilities
Working together with Jobcentre Plus, Camden’s Economic Growth Fund will be soon be opening applications for projects to support Camden residents who are long-term unemployed to access and retain employment, specifically focusing on supporting 1) Camden residents with mental health conditions and 2) Camden residents with learning disabilities.
– Residents with mental health conditions – there will be a strong focus on using Individual Placement Support principles, working with residents with common mental health conditions and those with more severe and enduring conditions and working closely with existing health and employment provision. Up to £150,000 will be available per project.
– Residents with learning disabilities – there will be a particular focus on employer engagement and job carving, with up to £50,000 available.
The application process will open end July, with projects starting in September.
An event with further details of the funding requirements and application process will be held on Friday 17th July, 10am at Camden Old Town Hall (on Judd Street). To book a place, please contact Morelda Nanton (morelda.nanton@camden.gov.uk) before 14th July. Capacity will be limited.

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 Big Lottery Fund has announced a new £45m grant fund to increase the capacity of organisations that support women and girls.
The grant-maker said the scheme, which does not have an official name but is being referred to as the women and girls initiative, will offer grants of between £150,000 and £750,000 to somewhere between 60 and 70 organisations in England over the next three to five years.
The BLF said the fund would support existing projects and new work to increase the provision of services for at-risk girls and women.
It said that projects for women and girls were under pressure because more people were looking for support while the projects themselves were suffering from reduced investment because of cuts.
Expressions of interest must be received by the BLF by 16 July 2015.

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

Free training, outings and events for unpaid carers in Camden, from Friday 10th to Friday 17th July
Friday 10th July
Yoga and relaxation, 1.30 – 2.30pm
‘Crafternoon’ – arts and crafts for older carers of 60+, 1.30 – 4.30pm
Monday 13th
Camden Amblers: easy walking in Camden’s parks and squares, 10.30am – 12.30pm
Tuesday 14th
Camden Carers Voice (CCV) meeting on welfare benefits, 10.30 – 1pm, Argenta House, Aspern grove, NW3
Reel Local film session, 1.30 – 3pm, hosted by Kilburn Older Voices (KOVE)
Male carers’ group, 2 – 4pm
Wednesday 15th
Carers’ group – monthly for all carers, 10.30am – 12pm
Garden Party, 12 – 3pm
Thursday 16th
Mindfulness session, 11am – 1pm
Drama group, 2 – 4pm
Friday 17th
Monthly mental health carers’ group, 10.30am – 12.30pm, Peckwater Resource Centre, 6 Peckwater Street, NW5
020 7428 8950 for more details or to book – except Camden Carers Voice (CCV) meeting and Garden Party – ring Beth Smith on 020 7697 1336, and for Reel Local film session call KOVE on 07539 390 786

Women’s Resource Centre Training Events:
Finance Planning for Your Organisation Workshop
Tuesday 14 July 2015
This training uses practical exercises to focus on your organisation and the financial documents you need. The course will give you the knowledge and tools to understand and develop the following financial information:
· Balance sheet
· Cashflow forecasting
· Profit and loss accounts
· Full cost recovery budget
· Break even point
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/finance-planning-for-your-organisation-2/
Participatory Methods: Monitoring and Evaluation
Friday 17 July
Participants will be introduced to the differences between conventional Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) (with emphasis on gathering and reporting data to funders and policy makers) and Participatory M&E (as a learning process that responds to the need of information and involvement of project implementers and people affected by the projects). They will learn to identify specific ways of facilitating participatory M&E processes, to integrate qualititave and participatory methods and new creative techniques used in participatory M&E.
This course is funded and specific groups can attend for free.These courses are FREE If you are an organisation or project based in London working with those affected by sexual and domestic violence.
To register: http://thewomensresourcecentre.org.uk/events/participatory-methods-monitoring-and-evaluation/
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

Age UK London AstraZeneca Techy Tea Party
14 July, 2pm to 4pm at: Guoman Grosvenor Hotel, 101 Buckingham Palace Rd, London SW1W 0SJ
This is a great opportunity for members of groups, forums and older peoples organisations across London to discover how social media eg Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Skype etc. can help save money, cut costs and work smarter by using these many free resources that are available on the internet. There will be tablet computers available to use on the day.
Booking is via the event brite link http://techyteaastrazeneca.eventbrite.co.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

Older People’s Manifesto for London Mayoral Elections 2016 Consultation Event
Age UK London will be publishing an Older People’s Manifesto ahead of the 2015 London Mayoral Elections and we want to know what you think should be included.
We want to hear about the issues that concern you and you will get the opportunity, through table discussions, to input into the age UK London Mayoral Election 2015 Manifesto.
The Manifesto will only cover issues that are under Mayoral authority.
Thursday 16th July, 14.00pm-16.30pm, at Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church, 235 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, WC2H 8EP (entrance on the A400 between Bucknall Street and Shaftesbury Avenue)
Tea and biscuits will be provided. Entry to this event is free, but you must register online at:
http://mayor2016manifesto.eventbrite.co.uk
For more information or to register offline contact Danny Elliott:
Email: delliott@ageuklondon.org.uk Tel: 020 7820 6778

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 1: Tues 14th, Weds 15th & Thurs 16th July
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

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.

Welfare and Administrator Irish Elderly Advice Network
Job Title – Welfare and Administrator (Maternity cover – September 2015 to March 2016)
Days: Part time, 3 days per week, Salary £14,400 per annum, (Full time equivalent £24,000)
This job includes providing welfare advice to clients, high level administrative support to the Director, two caseworkers and our Board of Trustees, and administrative support for the cultural and community development work of the charity. The job will be mostly based in Camden (in our office in the London Irish Centre) and will also be in Tottenham (in our office in Haringey Irish Centre).
To apply for this role, please send a CV and a covering letter/email to Alice Kennedy, Chair of Irish Elderly Advice Network, at chair@irishelders.org.uk
Closing date is Tuesday 14th July. Interviews will take place in the week of 20th–24th July. Start date is 1st week of September.

Hopscotch Asian Women’s Centre is currently recruiting.
Senior Operations Manager
Hours: 35 hrs per week Salary:£35,340 – £38,154 (depending on experience)
Closing date: 19th July 2015
http://www.charityjob.co.uk/jobs/senior-operations-manager/399674?tsId=8
Care Coordinator
Hours: 35 hrs per week Salary:£23,122
Closing date: 12th July 2015
http://www.charityjob.co.uk/jobs/care-coordinator/399673?tsId=1
Further details and application forms can be found on Charity Jobs, links provided above. Alternatively, contact Ruksana at Hopscotch by email: info@hopscotchawc.org.uk.

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

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

Plan Zheroes – creating Zero Food Waste
Every year the UK Food industry sends 1.6 million tonnes of surplus food to landfill, while there are 4 million people living in food poverty.
Plan Zheroes connects businesses with surplus food to local charities that need it. Using an online map, the businesses and charities can post details of their location and the type of food they offer/ need.
Do you know of any charities that need food, or volunteers who can help with transport?
For more information see www.planzheroes.org, or contact Plan Zheroes at info@planzheroes.org

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.

Highlights: Final Engagement event for Voluntary and Community Organisations Only; Fitzrovia Garden Party; Camden’s Centre for Independent Living Event for Users; supporting Camden residents with mental health conditions and with learning disabilities; Crick Update; Improving Employability Support for People with Physical Disabilities and HIV; Plan Zheroes – creating Zero Food Waste; plus news, funding, events, jobs, volunteering and more.

NEWS

Final Engagement event for Voluntary and Community Organisations Only
Tuesday 7th July 5.30pm – 7.00pm. At VAC offices, 299 Kentish Town Rd, NW5
The Council is seeking VCS views on alternative approaches to developing a new grants programme for the sector. Four options are proposed for comment which range from improving the current mixed-funding model to a more radical collective impact approach, co-ordinating a partnership around a geographic area or a theme. The sector’s views will be used to develop a preferred approach that is likely to be a mix of the options. The engagement document and survey are available here www.camden.gov.uk/vcsengagement
As part of the eight week engagement process, Voluntary Action Camden has organised events for the sector only, with no council officers present, in order to give the sector an opportunity for a full and frank discussion. This is the final one. Please email Ricky/Monica, Building Administrator to book your place.

Fitzrovia Garden Party Featuring live music from Upbeat
July 4th 12-4pmFitzrovia Community Centre, 2 Foley Street, London W1W 6DL http://www.upbeatmusic.org/

Camden’s Centre for Independent Living Event for Users
Thursday 16th July, 11am-1pm
Room 11.10, 5 Pancras Square, London N1C 4AG
“Camden’s Centre for Independent Living (CIL) will be based at Greenwood Place – a new community resource centre being built in Kentish Town, due to open in January 2018.
We have engaged and consulted widely in the past which was extremely useful. Building on that, we are now ready to move into the next stage of the project and would like to start thinking about the CIL in more detail. We want the CIL to be user-led.
In partnership with Camden Disability Action, a new umbrella organisation to represent deaf and disabled people in Camden, we would like to invite you to join us at this event to talk about:
• What the CIL space within the new Greenwood building should look like
We will show you the latest copies of the floor plans and ask what you think of them
• What services the CIL should provide
We will ask you what services you think people with disabilities need in Camden today and in the future to be able to live more independently
• How can people with disabilities lead the development of the CIL
We will also be able to tell you more about our timescales for the project.”
Places at this event are limited and we will need to know your name in advance to prepare your visitor badge, so you must book your place by 5pm on Tuesday 14th July by calling Ellie Chesterman on 0207 974 3178 or email: eleanor.chesterman@camden.gov.uk
Please get in touch to discuss any access or communication requirements you may have.
We will send you confirmation of your place by email or by post.

Camden Economic Growth Fund – supporting Camden residents with mental health conditions and with learning disabilities
Working together with Jobcentre Plus, Camden’s Economic Growth Fund will be soon be opening applications for projects to support Camden residents who are long-term unemployed to access and retain employment, specifically focusing on supporting 1) Camden residents with mental health conditions and 2) Camden residents with learning disabilities.
– Residents with mental health conditions – there will be a strong focus on using Individual Placement Support principles, working with residents with common mental health conditions and those with more severe and enduring conditions and working closely with existing health and employment provision. Up to £150,000 will be available per project.
– Residents with learning disabilities – there will be a particular focus on employer engagement and job carving, with up to £50,000 available.
The application process will open end July, with projects starting in September.
An event with further details of the funding requirements and application process will be held on Friday 17th July, 10am at Camden Old Town Hall (on Judd Street). To book a place, please contact Morelda Nanton (morelda.nanton@camden.gov.uk) before 14th July. Capacity will be limited.

National News
Commission attitude to campaigning ‘sullies UK reputation’ round the world, says former Charity Commissioner
The Charity Commission and the Conservative government have “sullied the UK’s reputation for exemplary regulation of civil society” by limiting charities’ right to campaign, a former Commission board member has said.
Andrew Purkis, a former chief executive of several charities, chair of ActionAid UK and a board member of the Commission until 2010, wrote in a blog published yesterday that after attending a meeting of ActionAid charities from around the world, he saw similarities between the attitudes of authorities in the UK and “tin pot governments and their cronies around the world” who attempted to limit charities’ ability to speak out against mistreatment of the poor by the government.
“Smear, threaten, restrain and repress: that’s the formula, and the UK authorities have started to model it since 2012,” Purkis wrote. “A relatively gentle version, compared with some, but unmistakeably from the same stable.”
He said he was particularly concerned by the attitude of William Shawcross, chair of the Commission, who complained about the “politicisation” of charities, and Gwythian Prins, a Commission board member, who said charities should “stick to their knitting” rather than campaigning. Story in Civil Society. Today’s revelations of meddling by government in Kids Company after critical comments by the founder reinforces the point.
Charity Commission report finds high levels of support for things the Charity Commission wants
Directory of Social Change says that “a new report into levels of trust and confidence in the Charity Commission among charities and the public was published this week.
The report concluded that 69% of the public think that the Commission should be funded fully or partly by charities. This is in stark contrast to the view among charities, with 68% of them opposing any such move.
The report also bizarrely claimed that there is ‘universal’ support among charities and the general public for more powers for the Commission, which are laid out in the new Charities (Protection and Social Investment) Bill. This simply isn’t true – especially because the Bill contains many new powers, but the polling question only mentioned two”. Full details here. DSC’s response to charging charities for registration is here.
Even in America there is shock at the growing intolerance in Europe to Refugees and Migrants
A long op-ed piece in the New York Times says “Europe’s current response to refugees shows unmistakable backsliding on that commitment. Immigration has become such a contentious issue that it is tearing apart what remains of the European project and its facade of solidarity.” Full article here.
Greenwood Place Gets a Mention
In a Guardian article on the loss of community, industry and amenity space to luxury home development, Greenwood Place gets a brief mention in a wide-ranging article titled “London, The City that Ate Itself.”

Crick Update
If you’re local to the Crick, come along to our next Community Update – Tues 21st July, Somers Town Community Association, rsvp to info@crick.ac.uk

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

Plan Zheroes – creating Zero Food Waste
Every year the UK Food industry sends 1.6 million tonnes of surplus food to landfill, while there are 4 million people living in food poverty.
Plan Zheroes connects businesses with surplus food to local charities that need it. Using an online map, the businesses and charities can post details of their location and the type of food they offer/ need.
Do you know of any charities that need food, or volunteers who can help with transport?
For more information see www.planzheroes.org, or contact Plan Zheroes at info@planzheroes.org

Employment Support Day Thursday 9 July 2015
Employment opportunities and speed interviews available on the day
Hear success stories from people who have got into work and guest speakers from:
Access to Work
Mental Health Support Scheme
The Recovery College
Other support agencies.
Working can have a positive effect on your mental health wellbeing. With the right support in the right job, you can enjoy a fulfilling and lasting career
Free advice and information on training, in work support, volunteering, employment options and benefits.
Conference Hall, St Pancras Hospital 4 St Pancras Way, London NW1 0PE, 10am to 4pm. Refreshments

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

Hopscotch, The Latin American House’s Menchú Nursery, Street Step, C4, Helios Health, Year Here, Volunteer Centre Camden, 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.

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 Big Lottery Fund has announced a new £45m grant fund to increase the capacity of organisations that support women and girls.
The grant-maker said the scheme, which does not have an official name but is being referred to as the women and girls initiative, will offer grants of between £150,000 and £750,000 to somewhere between 60 and 70 organisations in England over the next three to five years.
The BLF said the fund would support existing projects and new work to increase the provision of services for at-risk girls and women.
It said that projects for women and girls were under pressure because more people were looking for support while the projects themselves were suffering from reduced investment because of cuts.
Expressions of interest must be received by the BLF by 16 July 2015.

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

Money Advice Trust – Innovation Grants Programme Open
The Money Advice Trust Innovation Grants Programme offers grants of up to £30,000 per year for up to three years to charitable organisations in the UK.
Funding is available for projects that demonstrate innovative practice and meet either aim 1 or 2 whilst assisting the Trust in achieving aim 3:
Empower individuals and microbusinesses to tackle their debts and improve financial health.
Support staff in charities across the UK to provide effective debt and/or money advice.
Improve the UK’s money and debt environment through the dissemination of successful innovative practice from funded projects.
The Trust is looking for project proposals that demonstrate how they will support individuals or microbusinesses who are in severe financial hardship, who are financially excluded and/or who are hard to reach to:
Increase their financial literacy.
The deadline for Expressions of Interest is 4 July 2015 (midnight).
Further information is Here

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

Age UK London AstraZeneca Techy Tea Party
14 July, 2pm to 4pm at: Guoman Grosvenor Hotel, 101 Buckingham Palace Rd, London SW1W 0SJ
This is a great opportunity for members of groups, forums and older peoples organisations across London to discover how social media eg Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Skype etc. can help save money, cut costs and work smarter by using these many free resources that are available on the internet. There will be tablet computers available to use on the day.
Booking is via the event brite link http://techyteaastrazeneca.eventbrite.co.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

Learn to do Your Poems Justice
A Workshop with Eve Pearce (LGSM Speech & Drama) Tuesday 7 July 2015, 7pm – 9.30pm
Reduce your stage nerves, project with presence and let your poems speak!
For poets, and anyone wishing to increase their confidence in public speaking. Using your own and other work by well known poets, we will work on:
Breathing – Projection – Posture – Connecting with the audience – Using the imagination – Stage presence
Eve Pearce is a veteran actress who has played leading parts with the RSC and National Theatre and made countless appearances on TV and film. Her first poetry collection ‘Capturing Snowflakes’ (Greenheart Press) was published in 2012, following her pamphlet ‘Woman in Winter’ (Hearing Eye).
Venue: Torriano Meeting House, Torriano Avenue, Kentish Town NW5 2RX
Nearest Tube: Kentish Town; Buses: 134, C2, 390 and 393
Cost: £12, £9 concessions
Doors open: 6.30pm for 7pm start. Please be prompt.
Please bring two copies of a poem you’d like to work on
To book a place: telephone 01424 719570 or email david@socialspider.com

Older People’s Manifesto for London Mayoral Elections 2016 Consultation Event
Age UK London will be publishing an Older People’s Manifesto ahead of the 2015 London Mayoral Elections and we want to know what you think should be included.
We want to hear about the issues that concern you and you will get the opportunity, through table discussions, to input into the age UK London Mayoral Election 2015 Manifesto.
The Manifesto will only cover issues that are under Mayoral authority.
Thursday 16th July, 14.00pm-16.30pm, at Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church, 235 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, WC2H 8EP (entrance on the A400 between Bucknall Street and Shaftesbury Avenue)
Tea and biscuits will be provided. Entry to this event is free, but you must register online at:
http://mayor2016manifesto.eventbrite.co.uk
For more information or to register offline contact Danny Elliott:
Email: delliott@ageuklondon.org.uk Tel: 020 7820 6778

Volunteers And The Law from Volunteer Centre Camden
A half-day session on Tuesday 7 July
The trainer is Mark Restall who has considerable expertise in this area. This is an essential beginners’ level course for everyone with concerns about involving volunteers safely and legally. Book via eventbrite.

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 1: Tues 14th, Weds 15th & Thurs 16th July
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.

Recovery College Courses
Spaces are available on the following courses:
Better Money Management: Margerete Centre, 07/07/2015, 11am – 4pm
Introduction to Anxiety: Working Men’s College, 08/07/2015, 10.30am – 1pm
Introduction to Recovery: Arlington House, 16/07/2015, 10am – 3.30pm
Contact Oyindamola.babalola@candi.nhs.uk or recovery.college@candi.nhs.uk
www.candi.nhs.uk/recoverycollege 4 St Pancras Way, London NW1 0PE Tel: 020 3317 6904/6905

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

Welfare and Administrator Irish Elderly Advice Network
Job Title – Welfare and Administrator (Maternity cover – September 2015 to March 2016)
Days: Part time, 3 days per week, Salary £14,400 per annum, (Full time equivalent £24,000)
This job includes providing welfare advice to clients, high level administrative support to the Director, two caseworkers and our Board of Trustees, and administrative support for the cultural and community development work of the charity. The job will be mostly based in Camden (in our office in the London Irish Centre) and will also be in Tottenham (in our office in Haringey Irish Centre).
To apply for this role, please send a CV and a covering letter/email to Alice Kennedy, Chair of Irish Elderly Advice Network, at chair@irishelders.org.uk
Closing date is Tuesday 14th July. Interviews will take place in the week of 20th–24th July. Start date is 1st week of September.

Hopscotch Asian Women’s Centre is currently recruiting.
Senior Operations Manager
Hours: 35 hrs per week Salary:£35,340 – £38,154 (depending on experience)
Closing date: 19th July 2015
http://www.charityjob.co.uk/jobs/senior-operations-manager/399674?tsId=8
Care Coordinator
Hours: 35 hrs per week Salary:£23,122
Closing date: 12th July 2015
http://www.charityjob.co.uk/jobs/care-coordinator/399673?tsId=1
Further details and application forms can be found on Charity Jobs, links provided above. Alternatively, contact Ruksana at Hopscotch by email: info@hopscotchawc.org.uk.

The Latin American House’s Menchú Nursery is recruiting:
We are looking for a full-time qualified nursery nurse (level 3 or Equivalent) to join our experienced staff team who provide high-quality Bilingual education and care in a unique multicultural environment.
Hours of work: 35hrs per week. £16,653 per year (gross salary), Kilburn, London
Full details of this position are available from: www.casalatina.org.uk/vacancies
Closing date for applications is 17:00 on 10 july 2015. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered. Interviews will be held on 23 july 2015

Ageing Better in Camden Community Connectors
A unique opportunity has arisen to work with C4, a diverse, successful and developing network of community centres in Camden – a great area we are working to make even better.
Are you up for the challenge of playing a key role in establishing and delivering an exciting new Lottery funded project to tackle isolation and loneliness among older people through encouraging their participation and connection to local networks? We are now recruiting five Area Coordinators.
Hours per week: 35. Two year initial contract, potential extension to six years
Salary: £28,845 including Inner London Weighting (SCP 29 NJC scale)
Full DBS (CRB) check will be required
Information pack and application form available on our website:
http://camdenconnect.org.uk/jobs-2/
or by emailing: camdencommunityconnectors@gmail.com
Closing Date: Thursday 9th July 2015 at 10 a.m.
Interviews will be held: 14th to 17th of July 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

Opportunity for capital funding for VCS organisations in Frognal and Fitzjohns Ward
The Council is in receipt of money arising from a property development in Frognal and Fitzjohns Ward, as a result of Section 106 (S106) obligations on property developers, under Camden’s Planning Guidance.
This opportunity relates only to money provided to improve community facilities, it does not relate to S106 money received for other purposes, such as infrastructure and parks and open spaces.
The community building or facility must be one of the following:
• Owned by the organisation
• Occupied on a long-term lease
• Owned by the council
If your voluntary & community sector organisation would like to make a proposal for S106 capital money for community facilities, and your premises and service provision fits these criteria, please contact jeff.hopwood@camden.gov.uk or adam.demosthenous@camden.gov.uk.
A proposal form will be supplied, to easily enable response to the following:
• A brief description of the proposal, including how much money you are seeking – an estimate is fine at this stage
• Any relevant deadlines
The form will also ask for information about:
• How an allocation would ensure that the recipient’s facilities / services are available for the local community
• Whether the organisation or facility has received S106 Community Facilities funding before
• Whether the capital project has any match funding or pledges of match funding
• How the proposal will address Camden Plan priorities and the Council’s investment tests:
o www.camden.gov.uk/camdenplan
o www.camden.gov.uk/ccm/content/council-and-democracy/publications-and-finances/twocolumn/camden-financial-challenge-.en?page=3.
Proposal forms will need to be returned by the 17th July, officers intend to consider the proposals during July and August, and discuss with ward members and relevant Cabinet Members. Decisions are expected to be made by the beginning of September.

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.