Voluntary Action Camden e-Bulletin 25th September 2015

Camden Council consultation; Streets of London music project; Silver Sunday; Psychological Therapies: The Way Ahead for Camden’s BMER Communities; New Evelyn Oldfield Women’s Project – Consultation; Caring, Survival & Justice vs. the Tyranny of the Market; CPU Conference – ‘Love & Loss’ – Why Grief Matter; My Mind is Free; Cook Together, Eat Together; Budding Builders from Construction Youth Trust; + jobs, volunteers, events, training, offers and resources.

Camden Council and Camden’s Voluntary and Community Sector Consultation – Next Steps

On Wednesday we publicized the launch of the council’s consultation with the sector. In case you missed it the consultation can be found here. The proposals can be found in a downloadable document here. VAC is working with the sector to look at ways to help the sector feedback views to the council – further details coming soon. You can also give your views directly to the council via an online questionnaire.The main points of the proposals are:

• Rent support ended and all to pay market rent.
• Rent support may be phased out over three years at the council’s discretion.
• There will be two main programmes; Inequalities and Community Impact.
• All resources will be focused on 8 areas of the borough.
• Inequalities to be addressed are: age,disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation, or the needs of socially marginalised groups.
• Strategic partners will have to address at least one inequality group in one of the 8 areas.
• Strategic partners have to be prepared to work in partnership, share information and be able to bring in external funding.
• Community Impact Initiatives could focus on one theme, one area or both. The council envision about 3 such initiatives happening at any one time.
• To take part you will have to be a registered charity and company limited by guarantee with a track record in Camden.
• Infrastructure support to be reviewed in the light of a forthcoming London Councils and London Funders report.

Proposed timetable is

• December 2015 – Council Cabinet decision on these proposals and on VCS Investment budget reductions
• End of January 2016 – Launch of the Strategic Partners Fund application process
• April 2016 – Deadline for Strategic Partners Fund applications
• May 2016 – Award decisions
• January 2017 – New funding arrangements in place

Interim Arrangements

Organisations currently in receipt of Communities Centres funding, Open Spaces for Young People funding, and those currently benefiting from Rent Relief will have these funding arrangements extended for the nine months up to 31 December 2016 at current levels of funding. An equalities assessment is being undertaken in relation to the investment application process. This will identify key equalities groups who are currently funded by the Council to deliver projects and who may be at risk due to that funding ending in March 2016. These will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

The proposals have been very warmly received in today’s Guardian.

Streets of London music project for people with mental health issues Autumn ’15 -Spring ’16
Band workshops
Wednesdays 12-2pm at Fitzrovia Centre Foley street W1W 6DN
– guided walk on London’s rich music history and eclectic community for inspiration
– performance opportunities
– recording studio experience
The project is free and no personal budget is required.
No previous experience necessary. All welcome
E: lucia@upbeatmusic.org T: 07762151783 W: http://www.upbeatmusic.org

Silver Sunday
Celebrating older Londoners
4 October 2015 12 noon – 4pm at City Hall
Bring your family and friends for fun, food,singing, dancing, quizzes and more.
To get free tickets call 020 7983 4904 or email linda.kiff@london.gov.uk

Psychological Therapies: The Way Ahead for Camden’s BMER Communities
Wednesday 7th October 1:30pm to 4:30pm
Come and tell us your views on how psychological therapies services should best meet the needs of BMER communities in future
This event is hosted by London Borough of Camden’s Mental Health Commissioners and Voluntary Action Camden. It is aimed at Camden BMER community members and Camden voluntary and community sector organisations working with BMER groups
Tea and coffee will be provided. Venue St Pancras Hospital, Conference Hall.
To reserve your place please email: mentalhealthteam@vac.org.uk. Spaces are limited

New Evelyn Oldfield Women’s Project – Consultation
Please take 10 minutes to fill in this consultation. We are responding to requests to build a new women’s project. We would like to further explore the ideas you have given us so far and have designed this survey as such. We take all of your opinions on board.
Your responses will be confidential and you can choose whether to give your name and organisation.
Anyone can fill in the survey.
If you have any questions, contact Sarah or Alexandra – sarah@evelynoldfield.co.uk / alexandra@evelynoldfield.co.uk.

Caring, Survival & Justice vs. the Tyranny of the Market
Saturday 14 November – Sun 15 November
international women’s conference which the Global Women’s Strike is organising with others, including WinVisible
Venue Wac Arts, Hampstead Old Town Hall, 213 Haverstock Hill, London NW3 4QP. Full wheelchair access
Tel 020 7482 2496 email: gws@globalwomenstrike.net web: www.globalwomenstrike.net

CPU Conference – ‘Love & Loss’ – Why Grief Matters
Camden Psychotherapy Unit
Saturday, 3 October 2015 from 09:00 to 18:00
In celebration of Freud’s ground-breaking paper, Mourning and Melancholia, this event will focus on ways of exploring loss and the emotional price paid when loss goes unacknowledged or unresolved. We will address these ideas from the perspectives of psychoanalysis, the arts, philosophy and politics. Talks by:
Ronald Britton psychoanalyst, former president of the British Psychoanalytic Society.
Chaired by David Bell psychoanalyst, former president of the British Psychoanalytic Society.
Giles Fraser priest, philosopher and journalist, columnist in the Guardian and frequent contributor to BBC Radio 4.
Chaired by Margot Waddell psychoanalyst and consultant child psychotherapist.
Special screening of ‘Truly, Madly, Deeply’
followed by a conversation with
Juliet Stevenson, Olivier Award winning and BAFTA nominated stage and screen actor.
Hugh Brody, film director, anthropologist, writer and lecturer.
Full details and booking information at Eventbrite. There are a number of Low Price Tickets at £40 for students, trainees, candidates and those on low income

My Mind is Free at Resource for London 12th October 2015
To raise awareness of World Anti-Slavery Day the Rah Rah Theatre Company has produced a play to stimulate discussion about the injustice of human trafficking within the UK. There are approximately 30 million slaves globally, with about 13,000 in the UK. They include women forced into prostitution, ‘imprisoned’ domestic staff and some workers in fields, on building sites and fishing boats.
My Mind is Free tells the stories of some of the people who have fallen into modern day slavery based on research with anti-trafficking charities. The play is inspired by true life stories. Each performance will have a speaker from an anti-trafficking charity so the audience can find out more about what to do if they think somebody is being trafficked.
My Mind is Free will be performed at Resource for London on Monday 12th of October 2015 at 4pm. Ticket Price: £5 / £2.50 concessions. Tickets are available online here

Pay As You Go Police
The Camden New Journal reports that Hampstead residents are planning to use their own money to pay for extra police officers to patrol their streets. Proposals have been put forward to “crowdsource” £200,000 a year to pay for a team of officers dedicated to policing the leafy streets in the north of the borough.

Cook Together, Eat Together
Cook Together, Eat Together is an introduction to healthy eating for people with learning disabilities where you can learn the positive benefits of eating healthily and add good habits to your life style!
~ Learn how to select healthy foods and their groups.
~ Improve your diet.
~ Understand the benefits of drinking water and keeping hydrated.
~ Prepare and cook healthy nutritious foods.
~ Plan meals to fit your budget.
There will be three eight week courses run over the next year, the first starting on Monday 28th September in Kentish Town from 4pm – 7pm which will be focusing on over 35’s helping to manage pre-existing health conditions.
For more information, contact Laura Murphy on 020 7485 8177 or via email at laura.murphy@thecamdensociety.co.uk

Budding Builders from Construction Youth Trust
Budding Builders is a Construction Youth Trust programme which helps to remove barriers to employment by providing young people with an opportunity to learn new, demand-led skills in a variety of different trades; offer CSCS card training and support; and clear progression routes into work or further training.
We have an upcoming course in Camden starting the 26th of October, in partnership with Kings Cross Construction Skills Centre. The aim is to target young women who are considering the industry as a career. The course will provide an introduction to the trades, raise awareness about the industry, support and advise the women with future plans and opportunities. We pride ourselves on making the industry accessible to all and inspire people to go beyond our short courses. The course will be led by an experienced female carpenter and we will have female guest speakers to talk to our budding female operatives.
The success of our projects depends on the partnerships we create. We are seeking organisations that would like to refer women onto our Oct course and organisations who would like to act as our community practical partner for our 2016 projects. Please get in contact with Nicola Mason on 0207 467 9540 or nicola.mason@constructionyouth.org.uk

Free training, outings and events for unpaid carers in Camden
For a full list of events of carers in Camden please visit the Camden Carers website.

Headway North London
Read the latest news from Headway North London

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 Psychotherapy Unit, Abbey Community Centre, Helen Bamber Foundation, Age UK Camden, Calthorpe Project 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

Shadow Ministers for Disabled People and Civil Society Appointed
Debbie Abrahams has been appointed as the shadow minister for Disabled People. Anna Turley, MP for Redcar, gets the shadow Civil Society brief, within the Cabinet Office remit, covering the voluntary and community sector. Civil Society News gives some background on Anna and the appointment

How Many Charities Are There?
Pinning down the exact number of charities (in the country or in a borough) is a tricky task – let alone counting the number of unregistered voluntary and community groups. Civil Society Magazine have an interesting article that attempts to reach a credible estimate. For a summary of key third sector statistics NFP Synergy have produced a fact sheet, though it repeats the lower (wrong) number of charities.

Latest Attack on the Sector from the Right Come from the FT and Sun
Civil Society reports that the Financial Times has joined the list of newspapers to attack the sector, calling on the government to force charities to merge and to limit the funding an individual organisation can receive. With almost comic irony the FT points out that there are 581 charities seeking to cure cancer and proposes they merge. Next week we expect to read that they have noticed that there are 581 organisations (in just one square mile) all lending money and that they too will have to merge.
The Sun’s article on Thursday has been criticized as ‘plain wrong’.

Fundraising review
Public disquiet at fundraising practices by a handful of national charities has led to fresh proposals for the regulation of fundraising. NAVCA have responded by pointing out that: “This scandal has involved a small number of large charities behaving badly. The report makes a useful contribution to putting things right, but I think it should have made a sharper distinction between these misbehaving charities and the vast majority of small local charities that work hard and with integrity to retain the trust of their supporters.”

Large charities bidding ‘for someone else’s work’ is wiping out the women’s sector
Women’s Aid CEO is reported in Civil Society as saying that the sector needed to address the problem that local authority contracts were being awarded to larger charities offering cheaper but fewer services than existing grass roots organisations.
“It’s really easy for large charities to come in and take a contract because it is the acceptable face of the charity sector, compared with a woman who is an abuse survivor and who has built up services since the 1980s,” she said.
Neate said the growth ambitions of large charities was an “uncomfortable topic” for the sector in general.
“Why is it that we have allowed ourselves to get into a situation where bidding competitively for someone else’s existing work is completely unquestioned?” she said.

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

Free Sport
About FreeSport – FreeSport is part of the Mayor’s Sports Legacy Programme, enabling organisations and community groups to apply for grants between £400 and £1,500 to run free sports activities for Londoners. We fund activities of all kinds of activities from football or rugby to circus or ‘chairobics’!
Projects must:
· Provide a minimum of 8 hours activity, with 70% of participants taking part in at least six hours.
· Ensure that 10% of participants consider themselves to have an impairment, disability or need assistance to take part in activities.
· Aim for 20% of participants being inactive (not done any physical exercise for four weeks) prior to taking part in the sessions.
We offer guidance and support to applicants about how they can deliver these targets. FreeSport aims to inspire people of all ages and abilities to try a new sport, but also to inspire organisations to run sports sessions more regularly.
How to apply – It’s a straight forward process and we have lots of information for those who may never have applied for a grant before. Applications open until 26 October 2015 – Midday. FreeSport activities must take place between the 15 January 2016 and 15 April 2016.
To find out more about FreeSport, you can visit: www.london.gov.uk/freesport

Mishcon Green Fund now open to projects in London
Through the Mishcon Green Fund we will provide grants up to £2,000 per project to initiatives that have a positive environmental impact and which are situated within London. There is a total of £15,000 available in the pot for 2015.
All applications need to be submitted by midnight on Sunday, 11th October 2015. Before applying please read the application guidelines and criteria here, there are some tips for answering the questions in there too.
Please note this grant is available for non-formal community groups, charities and not-for-profit organisations in London. It’s not open for profit making entities.
Please use the online application form.
If you’re having any problems or questions, please email us on mishcongreenfund@projectdirt.com.

The Edge Fund
The Edge Fund support work run by and for communities facing discrimination and injustice. We fund work carried out by individuals and grassroots groups in Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England that find it difficult to get funding elsewhere. Specifically, we fund work that challenges abuses of power and aims to change society by bringing an end to the systems that cause injustice. While applicants may be working on short term reforms, ​we are looking for applicants that ultimately aim to end or replace these systems with a just alternative, rather than trying to improve or reform them.
To apply for a grant of up to £3,000 you need to answer 5 questions in no more than 2 pages. The deadline for applications is 5pm Sunday 25 October. Read more.

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’s Mental Health Training Programme for BMER groups
Are you a BMER group or do you work with BMER communities? If so, then our Mental Health Training Programme is for you! Our next courses are as follows:
• Mental Health First Aid (two-day course: 22nd and 29th October)
• Stigma and Mental Health (half-day workshop: 2nd November)
• Youth Mental Health First Aid (two-day course: 12th and 19th November)
• Introduction to Mental Health Awareness (one day workshop: 9th December)
• Mental Health First Aid (two-day course: 9th and 16th February 2016)
For more information about our any of our courses, 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 working with BMER communities based in Camden, or which serve Camden BMER residents. Places are limited on each course to a maximum of two people per organisation. If you have any queries, please contact us on our team email address: mentalhealthteam@vac.org.uk

VAC has a full programme of courses coming up: Click here to find out more. All courses are £25 for members (unless otherwise stated).

Camden Physical Disabilities Forum
Tuesday 29th September 2015, from 6 to 7:30 pm at Charlie Ratchford Resource Centre, Belmont St, London NW1 8HF.
Former and new forum participants are invited to help shape the agenda for the meeting. Do you have any suggestions of topics for discussion, information or decision for the coming meeting? If so, please let Valeria know no later than Friday 4th September. email Valeria.CarrizoCollie@camden.gov.uk

Opening Doors London Annual Information Fair
Drop in between 2:00pm and 6:30pm on Thursday 15th October 2014
Tavis House, 1-6 Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9NA
This is a chance for our older LGBT community to attend an information fair focused on Planning Ahead.
Book your free ticket here: https://odlfair.eventbrite.co.uk
• Key Note Talk at 2pm
• Information Stalls from 3.30pm
• Workshops
• Meditation Session
• Play Reading
• Panel Discussion
• Legal Advice
These activities will be delivered by a variety of community partners that support the LGBT Community.
Contact Kate Hancock kate.hancock@ageukcamden.org.uk or 020 7239 0400.

Camden Family Members Reference Group
Carers and mental health looking after yourself and the person you care for
Wednesday 30th September 2015 10:30am – 1pm
Centre 404, 404 Camden Road, N7 0SJ
The Family Members’ Reference Group is a group for all carers of an adult with a learning disability in.
For more information contact Beth on: beths@centre404.org.uk tel: 020 7697 1336

Outcome launch and day of celebration for women of the LGBT community
Outcome, the LGBT service of Islington Mind Open day 13th October, 11:45 – 15:45
Tasters from our activities (including head massage and ear acupuncture)
Focus group for ideas for a future women only group.
Poetry reading and other entertainments. Free lunch
Join us at 35 Ashley Road, N19 3AG
RSVP: sigal.avni@islingtonmind.org.uk

ArchWay With Words ‘Festival of Superstar Authors & Spellbinding Speakers’ 10th- 18th October with a spectacular line-up headed by Joan Bakewell.
Novelists include Esther Freud, Tracy Chevalier, Matt Baylis, Penny Hancock, Ben Okri and Jake Arnott. There’s also a feast of non-fiction with biographies, histories of London, a guide to cracking cryptic clues, an oral history project and the marvellous ‘London Sound Survey’.
Live poetry readings feature some of the greatest exponents and the comedian Phill Jupitus performs a comedy set as ‘Porky Poet’ and also presents his book about Breakfast Radio.
Science is well represented with a talk from the mathematician and pre-eminent cryptographer Dr Simon Singh, who is bringing his original Enigma Machine and demystifying the famously complex equipment. Other scientists include Dr Sophie Scott the ‘laughter neuroscientist’ and Professor Peck of the British Antarctic Survey, both with fabulously entertaining and informative talks.
Programmes and tickets are available online: http://www.archwaywithwords.com/
and the library at Archway: Hamlyn House, Highgate Hill, N19. Tel: 020 7527 7820

Women making a difference: Social Action in Islington.
Children and Young People’s Voluntary Sector Forum – CYPVSF
Tuesday, 3 November 2015 from 09:30 to 14:00
Women have been at the helm of social change and tackling injustice. In Islington women have been at the forefront of the strong, vibrant and innovative voluntary sector in Islington, challenging our politicians, creating new opportunities and developing and defending crucial services.
As we experience further political change and immense challenges that impact on the lives of children and young people, this work becomes even more essential.
Islington Children and Young People’s Voluntary Sector Forum are hosting this Conference to illustrate and highlight the remarkable impact women have had on our borough and beyond, and the difference that their passion, dedication and commitment has made to the environment and lives of children and young people in Islington.
Keynote speaker will be Shami Chakrabarti, Director of Liberty and there will be
A full buffet lunch will be provided. Early registration is advised due to limited places.

Half day Pension Credit Workshop
To discover how your organisation can make a difference to the lives of older people who are missing out on their entitlements.
Tuesday 27th October at Age UK, Tavis House, Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9NA
From: 10.30 am (registration from 10.00) – 1.00 pm (followed by lunch and networking)
The Workshop will provide:
· A brief history of Pension Credit
· Resources available to organisations
· Guest speakers describing different approaches that organisations use to encourage take-up
· Interactive discussion and learning
· An opportunity to pledge activity to improve the lives of older people.
A more detailed agenda and directions to the venue will be available nearer the time.
Don’t miss out – reserve your place today by emailing AGEACTION.ALLIANCE@DWP.GSI.GOV.UK
Workshop places are limited. Attendance is on the understanding that following the event organisations will actively promote Pension Credit take-up among older people you are in contact with.

Volunteering Fairs
Autumn is one of the most popular times of the year for people wanting to start volunteering.
Wednesday 7th October 6.30-8pm at the Wellcome Collection
Wednesday 21st October 12-2pm at the Working Men’s College
To book your place and to find our more information have a look at Eventbrite

Measuring The Impact Of Your Volunteering Programme For Beginners
Thursday 1st October 10am-1pm at 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.

Outcome’s, Islington Mind LGBT service, annual Open Day
29th of September 11:00 – 15:30.
This is an opportunity to visit the service that we offer every Tuesday to our LGBT community.
Our guests will be offered tasters from our activities and therapies (such as art and animation workshops, ear acupuncture and head massage and open doors to our counsellor and to ‘Mind Scape’, LGBT paranoia and beliefs support group, facilitators) and MSH Wellbeing – will also offer taster therapies on this event.
Information about Outcome and the services that we offer will be available all day.
We will serve the most popular best curry (known as Outcome Curry) in town (for £3) at 1:00 in our dining area and at 14:30 will close the day with raffles.
Please RSVP to sigal.avni@islington.mind.org.uk

Royal Albert Hall Friendship Matinee 9th October 3pm
The Music of Bond with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Tickets only £5 for members and users of voluntary and community groups and carers. Book online at www.royalalberthall.com or tel: 020 7589 8212.

A celebration for World Mental Health Day
October 9th at St Pancras Hospital
VoiceAbility and VAC are supporting the Camden Borough User Group (CBUG) to hold an event to celebrate World Mental Health Day. It will be at the conference Hall, St Pancras Hospital on the 9th October between 11am and 4pm.
If you or anyone you support would be interested in attending, then please print off the attached flyer and spread the word. The event will have a social focus with hot food, music, speakers, performance, stalls and more.
We are also holding a photography competition and all entries will be displayed on the day, there is a flyer attached about this too.
For any further details please contact us at by email or by phone on:
camdenuserinvolvement@voiceability.org Telephone: 020 3355 7113

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

Abbey Community Centre in Kilburn is currently recruiting to two vacancies
Centre Operations Manager, full time (35 hours per week). Salary £27,877. Application deadline: Monday 28th September 9am.
Older Men’s Activities (CHAPS project) Coordinator, part time (21 hours per week). Actual salary £15,124. Deadline: Wednesday 7th October 9am.
Both post holders will enjoy 6 weeks annual leave, plus 8 bank holidays (pro rata for part time).
For more information please see www.abbeycc-kilburn.org.uk

Camden Psychotherapy Unit seeks Administration Assistant
The post is £10 per hour for 10 hours per week. Working hours can be flexible according the post holder’s circumstances.
Please send your CV & covering letter via the ‘Apply’ button on the Timewise Jobs website.

Helen Bamber Foundation seeks Welfare & Housing Casework Volunteer
Providing casework and administrative support to the Welfare & Housing Caseworker
Location: Camden, London Minimum 4 month commitment, 2 days per week
The Helen Bamber Foundation provides specialist medical consultation, therapeutic care, legal protection and practical support to survivors of human rights violations, helping men, women and children heal the emotional and physical damage they have suffered through torture, trafficking or other forms of cruelty.
This is an exciting opportunity to join the Welfare & Housing Casework Service, a service aimed at preventing social deprivation and increasing the socio-economic well-being of our client group.
Main Duties & Responsibilities
~ Assisting clients to access asylum support, community care, housing and mainstream benefits, within the remit of prevention of homelessness and destitution
~ Assisting clients to access education, leisure and other opportunities
~ Referring clients internally and externally as appropriate for specialist help with issues that fall outside the remit of the welfare & housing casework service, including health/therapeutic services, referrals to immigration/housing/community care solicitors.
~ Making individual grant applications for clients with welfare and education needs
~ Liaising with statutory bodies (Asylum Support, DWP, local authorities), NHS, solicitors and voluntary agencies to ensure client needs are met
~ Other administrative duties as required, including database management and filing
Please send your CV and short Cover Letter outlining your relevant skills and experience to helen.malpass@helenbamber.org by 7 October 2015. Full job description and person specification available.
Please note that successful candidates will be offered the volunteer position subject to a DBS check and suitable references.

Age UK Camden is Recruiting:
Advice Team Manager – Full-Time – Ref 1
Scale PO2 £33,579-£36,186, plus 6% contributory pension.
Human Resources Manager – Full-Time – Ref 2
Scale S02 £31,323-£32,964 plus 6% contributory pension
Good Neighbours Scheme Co-ordinator – Part-Time (28/35) – Ref 3
Scale S01 £28,845-£30,525 plus 6% contributory pension, pro rata for part-time
The Advice Team Manager post is an exciting opportunity for a dynamic, focussed, creative and multi-tasker to make a real difference to the lives of older people in Camden. You will manage a dedicated and experienced team of staff and volunteers delivering information and advice in person, by phone and on-line. Welfare rights and management experience essential.
Are you an experienced HR professional who enjoys a busy and rewarding environment? Age UK Camden’s Human Resources Manager (with support from a part-time assistant) provides a full HR service from routine recruitment through staff advice and policy review to supporting the occasional restructuring.
The Good Neighbours Scheme Co-ordinator runs a befriending service in the NW3 area with 60 clients and 50 volunteers – assessing isolated mostly home-bound older people, matching and supporting the pairings. You need experience of supervising volunteers and project co-ordination and excellent organisational and inter-personal skills.
Posts 1 and 2 are based in Tavistock Square and post 3 is based in Hampstead. AUC offers a season ticket or bicycle loan facility. Posts 1 and 2 are open to job-share.
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 (all posts): Monday 5th October, 9.30am
Interviews: Ref 1 –27th October; Ref 2 – 22nd October; Ref 3- 26th October.

Calthorpe Project seeks Sports Development Manager
The Calthorpe Project is a vibrant community center and garden working to improve the health and wellbeing of residents in and around Kings Cross.
We are looking for an exceptional person to develop and manage a day to day progamme of sporting activities based on our 5-a-side sports pitch. You will engage community groups, young people and the corporate sector and implement a sustainable income maximization strategy.
Salary £29,838 gross annually for flexible 35 hour week.
Download an application pack from our website: www.calthorpeproject.org.uk
Or request a pack by emailing info@calthorpeproject.org.uk
Completed applications can be returned by post or email:
Louise Gates, Calthorpe Project, 258-274 Grays Inn Rd, WC1X 8LH
Deadline for completed applications-12noon Friday September 25th 2015
Interviews – Friday October 9th

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.
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/

Share your views on Camden’s green spaces
Camden Council has launched a grounds maintenance survey asking people what they value most about Camden’s parks and open spaces. The contract which looks after these areas is due to end in 2017, presenting an opportunity to explore how green spaces across the borough could be maintained differently and achieve financial savings. Share your views by completing the online survey available at camden.gov.uk/greenspaces. The survey will be online until 30 October 2015.

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!

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.