Highlights: Council Consultation with Voluntary and Community Sector; Celebrate Ageing Better in Camden; Camden Disability Action (CDA) Launch Event; Ready to Supply the City; Camden Consultations; Kentish Fleet Festival; Green News in Camden; Carers’ Week 2014; Black & Minority Ethnic Organisations Networking & skill-sharing event; Camden Wellbeing Open Day; Community Evening View at the British Museum; First Thursday London; Camden Long Term Conditions Reference Group; Kentish Town Festival; Celebrating National Carers Week; Personal Budgets and Direct Payments – Carers Meeting; Taking a deep breath: Cleaning up London’s air; Accessible Leisure Centre Guide; plus news, funding, events, jobs, volunteering and more.
NEWS
Council Consultation with Voluntary and Community Sector
Camden Council launched an eight week engagement on Tuesday 19th May at Senate House. The event was attended by over 60 representatives from Camden’s sector. 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
The council is also organising with VAC a series of evening and lunch-time drop-in sessions across the borough the week of the 8th June.
Five informal ‘drop in’ sessions have been arranged to enable staff and trustees of VCS organisations to explore the options in the engagement paper ‘Investing in a Sustainable Strategic Relationship’ further. These run for a week from June 8th at various locations across Camden. Staff from both Camden Council and Voluntary Action Camden will be available, no ned to book please just turn up.
· West Euston Partnership Monday 8th in the evening so 5.30 to 7.30pm
· VAC: Tuesday 9th Lunchtime 12-2pm
· VAC Thursday 11th evening 5.30-7.30pm
· Holborn Library Training Room Wednesday 10th June lunchtime 12-2pm
· Abbey Community Centre Friday 12th lunch time 12-2pm
Celebrate Ageing Better in Camden
Come and celebrate how far Ageing Better in Camden has come and meet the organisations who will be running projects for older people as part of the new Ageing Better in Camden programme. Find out more, and tell us your views.
Tea and coffee available from 3:45pm
Tuesday 2nd June 2015 from 4pm-6.30pm Near Euston Station
This is a free event, but please RSVP to Corinna.hyman@ageukcamden.org.uk or Julia.shelley@ageukcamden.org.uk or 020 7239 0400, to book your place.
Camden Disability Action (CDA) Launch Event Wednesday, 27 May 2015, 5:30pm to 7:30pm
The Camden Centre, Camden Town Hall, Judd Street, London WC1H 9JE
An event to tell you about CDA the new user led organisation to represent deaf and disabled people in Camden. It will not be a discussion about the closure of DISC or the past but a focus on the way forward with the following Agenda.
• Why is CDA needed and what will its role be?
• Progress made so far to charitable status and what becoming a member will mean to you
• All your questions answered
• Becoming a member
Voluntary Action Camden is helping to organise this event on behalf of CDA.
To book a place please contact Ricky or Monica at VAC.
E-mail: acharles@vac.org.uk Fax: 020 7284 6551 Telephone: 020 7284 6553. Typetalk: 18001-020 7284 6555
This meeting will be fully accessible, but please let us know your access requirements when you book.
Ready to Supply the City
Do you want to supply the City?
Monday 1st June 2015 09:15am – 11.00am at Camden Council, 5 Pancras Square, N1C 4A
East London Business Place (ELBP) cordially invites you to the “Ready to Supply the City” launch in partnership with Camden Council.
The project will facilitate introductions between local suppliers and City businesses and their 1st and 2nd tier supply chains. If you require help, there will be one to one business support, workshops and seminars to enable appropriate micro, small and medium enterprises to get ready to supply the City.
Refreshments will be provided at the event, and this is also a great opportunity to network, so don’t forget your business cards
Places are limited and offered on a first come, first served basis only. Please RSVP by return to: mohammed.alom@elbp.co.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.
Kentish Fleet Festival Sat 23rd & Sun 24th May
This weekend Kentish Town is host to the Kentish Fleet Festival with a vast range of events from crochet & knitting classes to jazz dance in the afternoon and music in the evening. There should be something for everyone. All listed on their website:
Arts, Music and Family events celebrating the undercurrent of creativity in Kentish Town
http://kentishfleetfestival.co.uk/
Green News in Camden
Project Dirt now has a monthly newsletter of all things green in Camden. You can view the newsletter online. To get your own copy, sign up for Project Dirt and subscribe.
Carers’ Week 2014
Monday 8th to Sunday 14th June is Carers’ Week in Camden with events all around the borough. For full details contact Camden Carers Centre; 020 7428 8950 or email: info@camdencs.org.uk or go to www.camdencs.org.uk/carers-week
Black & Minority Ethnic Organisations Networking & skill-sharing event
Wednesday 10th June, 11am-1pm
We’d like to invite BME organisations in Camden to meet up for an informal event:
Kindly hosted by Zeena Nahi at the Somali Community Centre, 1-2 Lismore Circus, Gospel Oak, NW5 4QF
This will be a chance to get to know each other better and think about ways to work together in the future.
For more information, contact Shadin 020 7424 9990 shadin@volunteercentrecamden.org.uk
Camden Wellbeing Open Day
Tuesday 2nd June 12.30-5.30pm (lunch at 12.30pm)
Join us and learn what’s on offer for your wellbeing here in Camden
Here at The Hub, we work with an exciting and eclectic network of partners (like you) who we encourage to use our centre to give individuals access to rich and diverse opportunities both inside the centre and out in the community. For example, Geoff is eager to get fit, we help him to join a gym plus he takes part in yoga classes at The Hub, run by our partners.
Join us on Tuesday 2 June to find out more about the range of opportunities available across the borough – there will be talks from Camden’s ‘approved provider’ partners, free taster sessions of The Hub’s holistic therapies and activities, stalls, and a hearty (and free!) lunch for all. Let’s create connections.
The Hub, 8 Fairhazel Gardens, NW6 3SG
Find us here: www.camdenhub.org.uk/contact
RSVP to abigail.darton@hcct.org.uk
Community Evening View at the British Museum
Saturday 27th June 2015, 6.20pm – 9pm.
Camden community and voluntary sector group members are invited to an exclusive Community Evening View at the British Museum Both special exhibitions will be open that evening – Defining beauty: the body in ancient Greek art and the BP exhibition Indigenous Australia: enduring civilisation.
To book your free tickets* email hbahra@britishmuseum.org before Monday 8th June stating:
· Name of your group or organisation:
· Number of tickets required for each exhibition**
o Defining Beauty (maximum of 20 tickets)
o Indigenous Australia (maximum of 10 tickets)
· Preferred entry time for each exhibition between 6.20pm – 8.10pm:
· Postal address to send tickets to:
Tickets to this preview are limited and distributed on a first-come first-served basis. Group numbers may be limited due to demand.
Requests for tickets must be made by the group leader and only one request per organisation.
It may be difficult to view both exhibitions on the same evening so please issue group members with a ticket for one exhibition only.
Ancient World! Family Discovery Day at the British Museum Saturday 20th June 2015 12.00 – 16.00.
Families can join us for a huge day of free and fabulous creative and “historical” activities. Make, see, touch, sign, learn, watch and laugh. Actors from Deafinitely Theatre, skeletons from the Grant Museum, artists from the October Gallery and many more will be on hand to take families on a historic voyage of exploration.
This event is fully accessible for families with deaf children and parents.
First Thursday London – June- Making an Impact
Thursday, June 4, 2015 from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Making an Impact- and evidencing the difference your organisation makes.
We’ve got Rose Maguire, a senior consultant from the New Economics Foundation, urging us to get our act together about Impact Measurement.
Rosemary has extensive experience in providing clients, including local authorities, NHS organisations, national and local charities with bespoke outcome measurement frameworks and evaluations of their work. Rosemary is a skilled researcher, combining the academic rigor of quantitative analysis with strong qualitative research skills.
The 2nd July sees us visiting Happy Computers to be hosted by the award winning Henry, who will be challenging us to become better employers, not least because that makes us better organisations
Sign up for First Thursday here. Or find out more on the First Thursday website.
Camden Long Term Conditions Reference Group
Camden CCG are looking for members of the public to be involved in a reference group for planning for services for people with Long Term Conditions.
Involvement could be in the form of:
~ Online surveys
~ Telephone surveys
~ Focus groups for discussing particular issues or conditions
~ Being part of the project team for a particular Long Term Condition
~ Be interviewed to tell your story in more detail (case study).
We have a rewards and recognition policy to compensate you for your time.
If you would like to be part of this group, please email LTCinfo@camdenccg.nhs.uk
Kentish Town Festival is back on Saturday 6th June 1pm-6.30pm
Join us on Saturday 6th June as Kentish Town is filled with colourful rhythms and sounds!
There will be live music, food & drink, sports tournament, bake-off, dance & crafts workshops, children’s area and much more. The festival’s Urban Jungle parade starts at 2pm. Free, open to all.
There will be a general volunteers’ meeting on Tuesday 2nd June between 5.30-7pm for anyone interested in helping out on the day. Email Isabelle@ktcc.org.uk for more information or visit www.ktcc.org.uk/events/kentish-town-festival-2015 for details of the event.
Celebrating National Carers Week
Friday 12th June 2015 10am-1pm
10am —Registration, Tea & Coffee
10am-12pm—Henna painting
10.30am-12.30pm— Head & shoulder massage
11am-12pm Health Clinic With Ezra Burnette (Women & Health)
12pm-1pm Lunch & Evaluation
At Great Croft Resource Centre. For more information please contact:
Age UK Camden, Cromer Street, WC1H 8LF. Centre Manager, Abul Choudhury: abul.Choudhury@ageukcamden.org.uk Tel: 020 7278 5090
Personal Budgets and Direct Payments – Carers Meeting
Wednesday 3rd June 2015 10:30am – 1pm at Centre 404, 404 Camden Road, N7 0SJ
Do you find direct payments, personal budgets and financial assessments confusing and complicated?
Come along to our meeting to find out about:
– What a personal budget is and how it works
– What a direct payment is and how it works
– What choices are available
– How financial assessments are done (to be confirmed)
This meeting will be about direct payments and personal budgets for people with learning disabilities.
For more information contact Beth on: beths@centre404.org.uk tel: 020 7697 1336
Taking a deep breath: Cleaning up London’s air
Tuesday 7th July 2015 16:30 – 21:00 (including drinks + canapes)
St Bride Foundation, Bridge Lane, London, EC4Y 8EQ
London continues to suffer the effects of poor air quality leading to around 4,300 early deaths per year. With ClientEarth’s recent win at the Supreme Court over the UK Government’s failure to meet legal limits for air pollution and the Mayor’s announcement of an Ultra Low Emission Zone, change is in the air. However more still needs to be done to protect our health and that of all Londoners.
The event will include short presentations by fantastic speakers followed by workshops and networking and drinks. We have designed the evening so that you get the greatest opportunity to contribute your ideas and make useful connections.
Please confirm your attendance here. Contact Sam Jelliman s.jelliman@lsx.org.uk 02072349400 for information
Accessible Leisure Centre Guide
A guide to accessible leisure centre facilities has been produced by Camden council.
You can also download a copy from the website: www.camden.gov.uk/disabilitysport
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
Age Uk Camden, Hopscotch Asian Women’s Centre, Mary Ward Legal Centre, The Working Men’s College, IKWRO, One Housing, VAC, CRI, 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.
Skipton Building Society Grassroots Giving 2015 Now Open
Skipton Building Society launched its award-winning Grassroots Giving programme in 2013 to help celebrate its 160th anniversary. That year we gave away 160 pots of £500 to deserving community-based organisations across the UK. This year 162 £500 awards will be made. Note that this is aimed at small community groups and excludes registered charities. Skipton have also published some useful resources. Full details and FAQ here.
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.
Vote for Kentish Town City Farm in Jewson’s Building Better Communities competition – your vote will help them win funding.
The Origin Housing Community Grants Programme
The 2015/16 programme is now open, with the first deadline being Monday 29 June.
Everything you need to apply can be found online here: http://www.originhousing.org.uk/communitygrants.aspx
We welcome all applications for projects that will benefit our residents and customers, and fit into one or more of the following themes:
Building Stronger Communities
Gardening Food and Environmental
Celebrating Heritage
Origin anticipate spending all the budget in this first round. The deadline is 29 June.
FreeSport offers grants up to £1500
FreeSport – part of the Mayor of London’s sport legacy programme – enables organisations and community groups of all shapes and sizes to apply for grants of up to £1,500 to run free sports activities for Londoners.
The next round of funding opens on 15 April 2015.
FreeSport is about inspiring people of all ages and abilities to try a new sport or activity, but importantly, it’s also about inspiring organisations who may never have done anything sporty before, and to spark their interest to run regular sport sessions. In previous FreeSport rounds we have funded a huge variety of activities ranging from traditional sports like football or rugby through to circus skills and ‘chairobics’
Applications are straight forward and we have lots of information to guide applicants who may never have applied for a grant before.
For more information on the FreeSport grant, you can visit the website which is: www.London.gov.uk/freesport
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.
Mental Health First Aid Training Thursday 4th June and Thursday 11th June 2015
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is a nationally approved two-day course, designed for anyone without specialist mental health training. The course promotes awareness of mental health issues, and trains non-mental health professionals to recognise those affected by mental health problems and to offer initial help and guidance towards professional support. This can lead to improved outcomes for those affected, their families, friends, colleagues and employers.
Participants will receive a copy of the MHFA manual and certificate on completion of the course.
To book your place please go to: https://vac.org.uk/event/mental-health-first-aid-mhfa-2-day-course/
If you have any questions please contact the Mental Health Team on: mentalhealthteam@vac.org.uk or call 020 7284 6550.
OTHER EVENTS
Fundraising Masterclass
29th May 2015, 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm at London Voluntary Service Council
Are you worried about your fundraising? Would you like to know more about the different types of fundraising and which ones might be best for you?
Come to our Fundraising Masterclass by Peter Rosenvinge (Worshipful Company of Marketors).
This event is for London based voluntary & Community sector organisations who need help with their fundraising.
The event aims to:
~ Give an overview of the different types of fundraising
~ Suggest which types of fundraising are best suited to different causes
~ Give an opportunity for participants to ask practical questions about their own situation
~ Participants will be able to ask the speaker for one free follow up consultation/advisory meeting about their charity
For more information and booking go to www.lvsc.org.uk
Age UK London, Advice UK and London Council course: Strategic Planning
Free training course targeted at small older people’s organisations, pensioners’ fora and action groups
Reply/booking to zghods@ageuklondon.org.uk or 0207 820 6781
This workshop will give forums/groups more confidence in their strategic planning
to help strengthen fundraising opportunities
Thursday 28th May 2015; 10.30am – 2.00 pm (Lunch at 1.15pm)
At Age UK London, 21 St Georges Road, London SE1 6ES Tube Station: Elephant and Castle
This workshop will help you to build capacity in governance and strategic planning; explore and set up new
structures to strengthen your organisation which will play a key role in your fundraising plans.
Action Learning Workshop for Older People’s Organisations
Older Londoners and Pension Reform
30th June 2015, 10:00-1:30pm
Salvation Army Community Church, 1 Princess Street, London SE1 6HH
Light Lunch will be served
Please confirm your attendance by registering here: https://olderlondonersandpensionreform.eventbrite.co.uk or emailing Janinealdridge@ageuklondon.org.uk or Telephone 020 7091 2594
Creating Connections 10
Monday 15th June, 6–8pm in the Front Quad Pavilion at University College London.
In celebration of our tenth event, Creating Connections 10 is taking Creativity and Collaboration as its twin themes. As with all previous Creating Connections, the aim of the event is to bring UCL’s academic staff and postgraduate researchers together with representatives of the community and voluntary sector (with a healthy sprinkling of arts, heritage and cultural organisations), to find areas of common interest and projects they can collaborate on. The evening is a mix of themed discussions in small groups with more informal networking.
Find out more and book your place by Monday 8th June
Directory of Social Change Charity Fair
30th June and 1st July, Holloway Road
Whatever your role in the sector, there is training for you here: Charityfair has 64 workshops, from only £35, covering a huge variety of topics including fundraising, management & leadership, marketing, governance, personal development, legal & finance, wellbeing, campaigning & lobbying and organisational support.
More information and booking at www.charityfair.org.uk
Citywise Employability Training
Following the success of the 1st Deloitte Employability training day another team have asked to work with Citywise volunteers to provide training in employability skills for unemployed volunteers aged 50+.
This will be held on Friday 29th May 10.45am – 4pm and will provide one to one support to help improve employability skills.
We are planning two sessions to run concurrently: Preparing for Interview and CV clinic
In order for the day to be successful and for the volunteers to be able to structure their support to your individual needs we are asking volunteers to provide their CV in advance and some information about what type of paid employment they are looking for.
For more information or to book a place contact: Sue King: sue.king@volunteeringmatters.org.uk; Citywise@volunteeringmatters.org.uk; 020 3780 5910
LGBT Inclusion Conference at Camden Working Men’s College
Tuesday, 16 June 2015 from 09:30 to 15:30
One day conference aimed at senior Equality and Diversity Managers within the Further Education sector to disseminate findings of WMC LGBT project, The Humane Selfie, Life Gets Better Together, and share good practice.
Further details about the ECU Funded project at WMC can be found on this link http://www.wmcollege.ac.uk/pages/equality.aspx
Lunch and refreshment provided. Book your free place at Eventbrite.
Big Lottery “Building Better Opportunities” Fund
This is a new fund for employability opening on 2 June 2015. It will be a two stage application process with very tight deadlines. (There will probably be a second round after that with a deadline in November.) This fund comes from the EU but it is not match funded – that is you receive the whole amount needed for the project.
It is not known how much organisations will be expected to apply for – but it will almost certainly be £500,000 or more and with a partnership including at least two other boroughs from the nine central London boroughs. It will be expected that partnerships will include the public sector and the VCS and could include businesses as well.
There will be a meeting for Camden VCS groups that would be interested in joining a partnership or partnerships to apply for this funding. The Council may well not have the resources to be the lead organisation in a partnership but staff are willing to facilitate the process. EU funded projects require a lot of work and very detailed reporting and this funding is probably best suited to organisations that already support residents into employment or significantly increase their chances of getting work.
Thursday 28 May 2015 at 3.15 for a prompt start at 3.30. The meeting will end at 5pm.
Committee Room 4 in the Old Town Hall, Judd Street.
For more information or to book a place contact frances.connelly@camden.gov.uk or call 020 7974 6457.
The Training and Development Service at the London Borough of Camden announce the launch of the new Care Act e-learning training platform, MeLearning.
The courses available through the platform have been especially designed for the needs of Adult Social Care practitioners. They provide you with the opportunity to strengthen your knowledge of the Care Act, and count towards your CPD
You can take advantage of the wide variety of modules on separate aspects of the Care Act available through the platform, to ensure your knowledge is up to date. The courses can be accessed free of charge by all Council employees, as well as members of partner organisations.
To access the courses, visit
https://camden.melearning.university/course_centre
If you experience any problems, please do not hesitate to contact us at TDSOnline@camden.gov.uk
or by calling 020 7974 3701/ 020 7974 2821.
We also provide bespoke, on site Safeguarding adults awareness training sessions. If you have members of staff who require the Basic Awareness safeguarding adults course (Level II), our Safeguarding adults training officer, Jacqui Robertson, can come to your institution and deliver the session.
The Safeguarding adults, and MCA and DoLS training sessions are fully subsidized, and are offered free of charge to all members of staff who provide services for adults at risk in Camden.
Train to Campaign offers low-cost, high quality campaign training workshops in central London to help you make a real impact.
Campaigning Essentials is a half day introduction to the core principles of effective campaigning. Whether you are new to campaigning, or have never had formal training in the basic building blocks of a good campaign, this workshop is for you.
Campaigning Essentials
Wed 3rd June 2015 | 1.15 – 5pm
Other upcoming workshops:
Perfect your campaign elevator pitch
Tue 23rd June 2015 | 1.15 – 5pm
How to influence and lobby Parliament
Thu 16th July 2015 | 1.15 – 5pm
For information about other upcoming campaign training workshops visit www.traintocampaign.london
St Pancras Rehabilitation Unit Open Day & Camden Community Services Disability Awareness Event
Tuesday 26th May 2015 between 1:30pm and 4:30pm, St Pancras Hospital South Wing
St Pancras Rehabilitation Unit acts as a pivotal part of the transition and support for patients in their recovery journey back home from UCLH, the Royal Free, the Whittington and other acute hospitals. We are keen that the unit is seen as a local resource which our whole community is proud and as such I am delighted to invite you to our joint event on Tuesday the 26th May 2015.
This is an opportunity for you, colleagues and members of the local community to learn more about the first class rehabilitation our clinical staff provide at St Pancras Rehabilitation Unit. If you are free to attend please reply to Kathryn Ford, lead for Equalities and Diversities in Camden email kathrynford@nhs.net or telephone 020 3317 3776 by 7th May 2015 so she can confirm catering arrangements.
Theatro Technis proudly presents latest production “OH, DEMOCRACY”
A musical adaptation of Aristophanes’ “THE KNIGHTS” by Keith Murphy, George Eugeniou and Marco Aponte.
Back in 424 BC, when ARISTOPHANES wrote “THE KNIGHTS” it poked fun at the political leaders in Athens, the like of leather merchant Kleon, who put his own personal gains above the city’s interest. Now almost 2500 years later it is as relevant as ever.
Opens: 26th May 7.30pm
The play runs until 6th June, Sunday Matinees 5pm, no shows on Mondays
Tickets: £10/concession £8
26 Crowndale Road London NW1 1TT
Tel: 020 7387 6617 fax: 020 73832545
Email: info@theatrotechnis.com website: www.theatrotechnis.com
Camden People’s Theatre present Stand Up and Down
A man tries to get out of a personal predicament by going into comedy. Things go well for a while – but soon he’s finding it harder to make people laugh. Might this be to do with something inside himself? At a drop-in centre for people with psychological problems, he starts to see himself and society in a different way…
The Stand Up and Down raises awareness of mental health as a social issue. One in four people will be affected by psychological problems at some point in their life. Des Marshall writer, Harry Meacher director sees theatre as a creative way of addressing these concerns.
Tue 9 Jun 2015 – Sun 21 Jun 2015, 7.30pm and 4pm on Sundays at Camden People’s Theatre, 58 – 60 Hampstead Road, NW1 2PY, Tickets: £12 / 10.
Box Office – 0207 419 4841 www.cptheatre.co.uk
Learn to Build a Website
Free introductory sessions at West Euston Partnership or St Luke’s Community Centre. Various dates in May, June. Contact Jed Keenan on 07950963069 or email jed.keenan@aliteracyprogramme.org. Further information and booking at www.eliteracyprogramme.org
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
Big Advice Day, June 16th, London – completely free 1:1 advice sessions with expert advisors
Big Advice Day is a day of free support for small charities as part of Small Charity Week 2015. The day consists of 1:1 hour long sessions with expert advisors; you choose the topics you’re interested in and we’ll match you to suitable advisors. We have advisors with expertise across a whole range of subjects
The day is completely free to attend includes refreshments. You can attend in person or access advice via phone or Skype. Those attending on the day will also benefit from a range of free workshops.
If you would like to attend Big Advice Day and you are a registered charity with a turnover of under £1.5m per year then sign up here by 18th May.
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
Certitude seeks Travel Buddy Camden
Hourly rate: £8.61 Working hours: flexible
At Certitude, we believe everyone has the right to a good life including people with learning disabilities or mental health needs. As a leading London provider of personalised support, we work alongside people, their families, friends and carers to identify what a good life means to them and then help them achieve it.
We are looking for enthusiastic individuals, to act as a Travel Buddy to provide support to other people with lived experience, by assisting them in using public transport, attending medical appointments, or attending a social activity that can help in their recovery. You will also work closely with Community Development Work Team in Camden, and have the opportunity for personal development
For more information and the application pack, please click here
Please note that a DBS check will be required for this role
Closing date: 30 May 2015 Interview date: week commencing 1 June 2015
Candidates should be available to start immediately
MEWSO seeks Arabic and/or Kurdish speaking counsellor
MEWSO is a growing registered charity set up in 2010 to address the needs of women in Middle Eastern communities in the absence of priority placed on their needs within the community organisations mainly run by male and elder members of the communities.
MEWSo is currently looking for an Arabic and/or Kurdish speaking counsellor to provide this important service to the more and more clients who come to us for help every week.
As our clients are mainly refugee women from the Middle East who have suffered various traumas, often including domestic violence, it is very important for them to find a safe space to open up and someone to help them dealing with these traumas. For these reasons, the counsellor would need to be a female, and previous experience would be preferable.
We are looking for a sessional worker, days, times and amount of working hours will be discussed and arranged according to the needs and availability of both the counsellor and the clients.
The paying wage would be of £17ph. The position is open from now.
We would be very grateful if you could spread the word and advertise this position to someone you think could be interested.
If interested and you want more information, please contact MEWSo via email or on the phone and visit our website:
www.mewso.org email: office@mewso.org Tel: 07958145666
Bedford House seeks Volunteers
Nahida Chowdhury, the Senior Community Organiser based at Bedford House, Holborn, is looking for local volunteers to work alongside her and learn Community Organising skills. If you want more information or are interested in this opportunity please contact nahida.chowdhury@corganisers.org.uk
Hopscotch seeks Care Supervisor (Maternity Cover)
35 hrs per week (job share may be considered for the right candidates)
12 months, until July 2016 25,034 incl. ILW
Closing date: 11th June 2015
A confident and conscientious Bengali-speaking worker is required to provide supervision support to a challenging and rewarding service within Hopscotch. The Home Care service offers health and personal care to older people, those who are housebound and to adults with disabilities, to help support their independence and improve their quality of life.
We provide a specialist care service, with a particular focus on the South Asian community. Most of our carers are bilingual. This means they speak English and a range of languages including Bengali, Sylheti, Hindi, Urdu, Nepali, Arabic and Somali.
The Care Supervisor will be responsible for the efficient running of the service and making sure that all care plans are delivered accurately at all times. They will be responsible for quality checks, risk assessments and the training and supervision of a team of care workers. The majority of their time will be spent in the field. They will also be required to share responsibility with Care Coordinators for an emergency on-call service.
For an informal discussion about the post, jd and application please contact Melissa McClelland, Homecare Registered Manager at info@hopscotchawc.org.uk
Age UK Camden seeks Programme Manager, (Job-Share)
Local Government Scale PO3 (c. £19.5-21k pa for 19 hour week)
Camden has been selected as one of 14 areas in England to deliver an innovative 6 year programme of support for isolated older people. Ageing Better in Camden is a local partnership of statutory, voluntary and private agencies and older people led by Age UK Camden. We require a dynamic job-share Programme Manager to: monitor recently appointed delivery partners; manage future tendering processes, support and develop the strategic partnership; manage part-time staff arranging support, training and events to delivery partners, older people and volunteers; manage ABC’s relationship with the Big Lottery and its evaluation and support agents.
Essential requirements: experience of working with older people; experience of engagement preferably co-production; knowledge of issues affecting older people including isolation; excellent communication and interpersonal skills; strong programme management skills including monitoring and evaluation and funder reporting; ability to deliver successful multi-agency partnership work; highly numerate and literate; ability to innovate, manage change and be solutions focussed.
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, 1st June 2015; Interviews -18th June 2015. No agencies, no CVs.
Age UK Camden seeks Administrative Assistant
12 Month Contract (subject to review and extension)
Scale 4 £21,120- £23,145 plus 6% contributory pension.
This key position will operate the phone switchboard, responding to information enquiries (via the telephone, email and face to face). The role also involves completing various administrative tasks working with all our departments and the Senior Management Team and ensuring our back of house facilities are fully operational by ordering stock, managing room bookings and general house-keeping on a daily basis.
Essentials include: a general knowledge of issues and services relating to older people and their needs; experience of working on a busy reception; ability to multi-task dealing with competing priorities in a calm and efficient manner; administrative skills; IT literacy; and excellent communication skills.
For further details and an application form visit our website www.ageukcamden.org.uk or email jobs@ageukcamden.org.uk or telephone 020 7239 0400. No CVs, no agencies please.
Closing date: 9:00am, Monday 1st June 2015
Interviews: Tuesday 9th June 2015
Kentish Town Community Centre is looking for an inspiring Chair of Trustees
Are you looking for a new challenge? Have you got an interest in local issues?
Visit www.ktcc.org.uk/about/current-vacancies for further details on all KTCC opportunities and to apply.
The Soup Kitchen seeks Part-Time Welcomer/Security Person
The Soup Kitchen at the American International Church in the West End requires a Welcomer who also monitors the behaviour of our service users. A part-time post on up to 5 mornings a week. Salary depends on experience.
The ideal candidate will be able to deal firmly but kindly with a wide variety of vulnerable individuals. Some experience of security work highly desirable but not essential.
A rewarding job as part of a small friendly team helping the homeless.
Closing date: 31 May 2015
For more info and a job description, pls go to www.amchurch.co.uk/soup-kitchen/
To be considered, send your CV and a covering letter to Miranda Suit: soupkitchendirector@hotmail.com
Age UK Camden seeks Advice Services Manager
Local Government Scale PO2 £33,579-£36,186, plus 6% contributory pension.
The Advice and Advocacy Manager post is an exciting opportunity for someone with a background in areas such as welfare rights, advocacy or care management , combined with management experience.
The postholder will manage the Age UK Camden (AUC) information, advice, support and advocacy (IAA) services and team. AUC’s IAA services are delivered by a staff and volunteer team in person (from the office, outreach venues, home visits), by phone, and online.
You will: manage staff and, via a deputy, direct the recruitment and management of volunteers; ensure that AUC’s and IAA funders’ targets are met; manage caseloads to ensure equity and challenge within the team; report to multiple funders; uphold the Advice Quality Mark standards lead development and innovation in the IAA team including assisting with funding applications and tenders.
The post is based at our head office in Tavistock Square, Camden. AUC offers a contributory pension, and season ticket or bicycle loan facility.
For further details and an application form visit our website www.ageukcamden.org.uk or email jobs@ageukcamden.org.uk or telephone 020 7239 0400. No CVs, no agencies please.
Closing date: 9:00am Tuesday 26th May 2015 Interviews: Monday 1st June 2015
Mental Health Champions Project – Somali-speaking volunteers wanted
Voluntary Action Camden supports volunteer Mental Health Champions to engage with Camden-based BMER and faith communities. Key aims of the project are to (1) raise awareness of mental health and wellbeing either in the community or in the workplace (2) tackle stigma by starting conversations about mental health in a non-threatening way (e.g by using simple tools such as the Five Ways to Wellbeing) and (3) improve access to mental health services so that people receive help in a timely fashion. Our volunteer Mental Health Champions may be staff or volunteers from community organisations, or individuals interested in improving awareness about mental health.
We are very keen to recruit volunteers or community workers from the Somali community to join the Project. Contact VAC’s Mental Health Team on mentalhealthteam@vac.org.uk if you are interested or would like to know more.
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
Launching Comics in Schools
In partnership with a school in Camden, and with input from various people and organisations.
The site www.comicsinschools.org/ is a multimedia resource using issue-based comics and creative tools to understand and tackle barriers to achievement in schools, and we aim for it to be used in educational settings (across the UK and hopefully Europe) to explore similar issues and themes with young people from an intentionally broad point of view.
The resources, based on the themes and stories in the Meet the Somalis comics, reflect the visual and aural tradition of Somalia in a non-traditional way. They paint a richer and broader picture of issues which can be oversimplified and defined by these statistics and wider public attitudes.
We are quite proud that almost all of the resources have been made by young people.
Nepal Appeal
On Saturday 25 April a massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal. It severely shook the lives of at least 5.3m people and left many homeless. Nepal’s major cities, including the capital Kathmandu, have been badly damaged and rural areas near the epicentre have been completely cut off by avalanches. Find out more and donate at the Disasters Emergency Committee website or at Pasa Puchah guthi UK or for blankets, tents and medicines you can drop your donation off at the Great Nepalese, Eversholt Street, NW1 (next to Euston station) from 11.00-2.30 Monday to Saturday.
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.
———————————
To get discounts on training, room hire and many more benefits click here to join Voluntary Action Camden
———————————
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.
