Voluntary Action Camden e-bulletin 12th April 2019

MECC Healthy Hero Award: Deadline 15th April

Have you already done the training and have a story about having a conversation with a resident and used MECC techniques in the conversation?
Fill out the short online survey here: https://survs.com/survey/122jlfcwkt
Guidance here: https://www.camdenmecc.org.uk/help-and-support

National Volunteers’ Week Small Grants

Small grants of £500 – £1000 to organisations to develop additional activities around reward and recognition of volunteering in their locality throughout June 2019.
deadline: Friday 26th April. Find our more and apply here.

Made of Money – Two Day Facilitator Training

Wed 10th and Thurs 11th July
Help people on low income talk about money and its impact on their lives. It is designed to improve people’s confidence, communication and control around money through interactive activities, discussions and resources.
Learn from experienced facilitators the best way to deliver financial education workshops and one-to-ones. This is NOT money/debt advisor training.
More information and to book: http://tinyurl.com/y6he828q
Or contact: Mostofa – mostofauddin@qsa.org.uk or 0208 983 5046

Association of Chairs Beacon Programme

Are you a Chair / Vice Chair of a charity with an income under £1m? Get support and update your knowledge and skills through the Association of Chairs’ free Beacon Programme.
The programme is based around four modules – Being an Effective Chair, Strengthening your Organisation, Managing Relationships and Board Dynamics, Developing an Effective Board.   Register here to access this support – http://bit.ly/joinBeacon

Social Prescribing Learning Network

Thursday 25th April 2-4pm at Voluntary Action Camden, Charlie Ratchford Centre, Belmont Street, London NW1
The new Social Prescribing Learning Network will share the opportunities and learning arising from referrals in to community based activities and services in Camden. Network events will support a practical design and problem solving approach to benefit members. Looking at needs / demand, referral challenges, and how vcs activities and services can be resourced.
The first Network event will focus on activities which are in demand: barriers to access, and opportunities for activity design and development. The themes are:
• Good neighbours, befriending and home visiting type services.
• Volunteering: high demand for services delivered by volunteers; the role of time banks and similar’ sharing’ initiatives.
We want to hear from as many providers of these activities as possible, and from groups with ideas for development that meets emerging need.  rsvp at Eventbrite or contact Donna:  dturnbull@vac.org.uk

The voices of Camden’s deaf and disabled people

Are you a Deaf or Disabled resident or employee in Camden? ⁦‪Camden Disability Action‬⁩ wants to find out what matters to you. Take the survey here.

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

Henry Smith Holiday Grants for Children

Apply for a grant of between,£500 – £2,500, to go towards a day trip or a longer holiday up to 7 days. Priority will be give to trips for disadvantaged/disabled children, living in the most deprived areas. Find out more at the website.

GLA Funding Opportunities

A list of funding opportunties from the GLA from sports to arts to community inclusion including dates of related seminars.  Click here for the full list.

Young Camden Foundation Summer Opportunities Fund

Through the YCF Summer Opportunities Fund, YCF will award grants of up to £5,000 to support voluntary organisations in Camden deliver activities for young people. You can view the full details here Deadline 3rd May.

Rosa’s ‘Voices from the Frontline’ Opens for Applications

£500 and £5,000 for women’s sector voluntary and community organisations in the UK to pay for increasing the skills, capacity, credibility and effectiveness of women to challenge gender inequality and promote awareness and change.
Webinar on 30 April (12.30pm to 13.30pm)
Deadline for applications is 14 May (5pm). Full details here.

Camden Giving Kings Cross Fund

Camden Giving’s KX Fund aims to increase:
~ Social Cohesion
~ Employment opportunities
~ Quality and access to natural environments
Full details at Camden Giving.  closing date midnight, 17 April

The HS2 Camden Fund

The Camden Fund aims to strengthen the sense of place and alleviate the disruption of the development of HS2 on local people. Aims:
1. A Happier and Healthier Camden
2. A Better Connected Camden
3. A Stronger Voluntary and Community Sector
Applicants can submit applications at any point until midnight on the 14th May 2020. Full details at Camden Giving.

Healthy Minds Programme with Mind in Camden

The latest Healthy Minds community programme is now available.  A range of activities are available from VAC, Mary Ward, Mind in Camden, BWA, Good Gym, the Round House and more.  Find out what’s on and how to book.

Safeguarding Courses from VAC in 2019

Safeguarding Advance: Developing knowledge and understanding.

Wednesday 8th May 2019, 9.45am – 2.30pm (Includes lunch)
If you work frequently with children and their families, it is essential that your organisation has up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding legislation and child protection procedures. This Advanced course is designed to develop existing understanding of the safeguarding process through a variety of written text, case studies and interactive exercises.
Suitable for anyone who has attended safeguarding training previously and would like to update their knowledge and skills further, including volunteers and workers of all levels.  Covering:
~ Department for Education’s updated statutory guidance
~ Myth Busting & Social Care
~ Awareness of current issues / Understanding emerging forms of abuse.
~ Safeguarding awareness and assessing need: Race, culture, gender, ability.
~ Safeguarding in Camden, thresholds and the role of professionals.
~ Safeguarding checklist: what you should have in place
To find out more information or to book your place please email Dianne Carlton-Ogunyemi at: dogunyemi@vac.org.uk

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

Training Opportunities for Disabled People

Camden Disability Action is offering training opportunities for disabled people living or working in Camden As part of CDA’s Big Lottery funded ‘It’s Our Camden Too’ programme, CDA will be offering training on:
~ Disability Awareness
~ Disability Equality and the Law, and
~ How to Run Your Own Campaign
The training is free to attend. For more information contact: training@camdendisabilityaction.org.uk

Arts workshops for young people and older community members (May to September)

CSKX Studios has secured funding from Arts Council England to run a series of sensory arts workshops for young people and older community members across Kentish Town.  Workshops will be happening at local sites and have  been devised in collaboration with North London Cares, Free Space Project at Kentish Town Health Centre and Queens Crescent Community Association.
We would like to hear from both groups and individuals interested in taking part.
To register interest and receive more information email Leo Smith: info@cskx.org  020 8001 5357 / www.cskx.org

Making Every Contact Count

The session will equip participants with a range of specific MECC skills that will enable them to deliver MECC confidently and consistently well. It covers:
~ Opportunities we have to have helpful conversations
~ Communication skills to raise an issue
~ Behaviour change techniques
~ Delivering brief advice and brief interventions
~ Signposting and helpful online resources
Sign up at the MECC website.

Future Changemakers- Information Session

25th of April 2019, 1,45 to 3.30pm. Camden Giving are running an information session for YCF members. This session provides an opportunity to find out more about the Future Changemakers grant and ask any questions you may have regarding the grant.
At LABS Camden – Atrium, The Stables Market, Chalk Farm Rd, Camden Town, London NW1 8AH. Please RSVP by18th of April.

Design Ideas for Somers Town Festival

The British Library are giving up the Library’s Piazza to all things Somers Town and are partnering with Central St Martin around ‘decorating’ the Piazza for the Somers Town Festival.
Workshops with Local groups interested in getting involved.
• Thursday 18th April 12pm-8pm  The British Library’s Foyle Suite
• Tuesday 23rd April
RSVP Amber Perrier 07796315369/ 02074127250 email Amber.Perrier@bl.uk

IT Advice Sessions at The New Greenwood Centre

Every Wednesday between 10am and 12pm in the IT Suite at the Greenwood Centre Camden Adult Education Service will deliver IT/computer drop in sessions  specifically designed for people that maybe have a specific IT issue or wish to know how to use their own gadgets better.
37 Greenwood Place, Kentish Town, London NW5 1LB

Camden Intergenerational Network

Wednesday 8th May 2.15pm for tea or coffee, meeting 2.30pm – 5.00pm.
At Age UK Camden, Tavis House, 1-6 Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9NA.
if you have any questions, would like to join the Network, or know someone who would, please contact Lydia.Shellien-Walker@AgeUKCamden.org.uk.

Maiden Lane Community Centre Jobs and Training Fair

17 April 2019 – 12-5PM At The London Irish Centre
50-52 Camden Square, London NW1 9XB
Please contact Naz if you would like a stall to  promote job, training or volunteer opportunities. nazrul@maidenlanecommunitycentre.org tel: 020 7267 9586

VAC seeks Treasurer

If you would like to lead on financial oversight and strategy at Camden’s umbrella organisation for the voluntary sector we would love to hear from you.  In the first instance contact Kevin Nunan, Interim Executive Director, for further information: knunan@vac.org.uk

Lived Experience Advisory Group (LEAG) members needed

The Loneliness and Social Isolation in Mental Health Network is a new research network that brings together many different relative perspectives on the topic. The Network is intended to speed up the pace of research on loneliness and social isolation in mental health.
Interested in applying? Please contact Ellie Pearce at: ellie.pearce@ucl.ac.uk for more information. Deadline 23 April.

Volunteer with VAC and develop experience and skills in public health

VAC provide training, and work opportunities for Camden volunteers who can commit 2 hours per week.
We offer free Royal Society of Public Health (RSPH) training to volunteer Health Advocates for Community Links, part of a new Care Navigation and Social Prescribing service in Camden. Community Links Health Advocates signpost residents to community based activities and help with formal referrals where community based activities are needed alongside clinical care.
Contact: Mandira Manandhar, Community Links Co-ordinator (Mon, Tues and Thurs) 020 7284 6550/6573 or email: mmanandhar@vac.org.uk

VAC is recruiting volunteers to help us in our new building in Chalk Farm

VAC has recently moved to a new home at Charlie Ratchford Centre, Belmont Street, NW1. We are sharing the building with Camden Carers and Camden Disability Action.  It is a very busy building with lots of visitors and events.
We are recruiting volunteer receptionists to be the first point of contact for visitors. I You will be an important member of the VAC team of volunteers and staff and will have access to training and ongoing support.
Contact Kevin Nunan at VAC on 020 7284 6557 or knunan@vac.org.uk

Need a Meeting Room near Chalk Farm – special rates for Camden network events?

VAC now has 3 new rooms to hire out for Events/Training, etc. at our new base in the Charlie Ratchford Centre in Chalk Farm.
There is a large room for up to 60 people, ideal for large events.
The training room can hold up to 20 people comfortably for training/workshops
The Lounge is a open area for anything that is not confidential and can hold up to 20 people. Smartboard, level access throughout, reasonable prices.
Rates and full details on the VAC website. Special rates for Camden networks.

Our mailing address is:
Charlie Ratchford Centre, Belmont Street, London, NW1 8HF

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