Voluntary Action Camden e-bulletin 27th January 2017

VAC AGM; Camden Council Adult Social Care Consultation; Women’s Voices – In Celebration of International Women’s Day 2017; Alara Wholefoods annual Winter Wassail Party; UCLH Find and Treat Team; The Company at the Winch; Free Family Activities at the British Library + funding jobs, volunteers, events, training, offers and resources.

Monday 13th February 2017 5.30 pm to 8 pm. at Arlington Conference Centre, 220 Arlington Road, London NW1
The future of health and social care services is of interest to many Camden residents. The contribution of the voluntary and community sector to the delivery of health and social care services is changing and the sector in turn relies heavily on the input and support of local residents and communities. All these elements are key to the future quality of life in Camden.
At the AGM on Monday 13th February VAC will be hosting a debate on “The Future of Health and Social Care and the Role of the Voluntary and Community Sector”. This will be a broad ranging debate looking at traditional models of service delivery through to community provided, co-produced support and the role of informal community networks. The debate will also look at the role of volunteering in providing support and as a route to paid employment.
Guest speakers are Doctor Caz Sayer, the Chair of the Camden Clinical Commissioning Group and Cllr Georgia Gould, the Cabinet member for Young People, Adults and Health. The debate will also look at what is happening elsewhere in London and the UK. The contribution of the speakers will be followed by a discussion chaired by Sue Wilby, the Chair of VAC. There will be an opportunity for you to contribute to the discussion and ask questions. Refreshments will follow with an opportunity to meet up with old and make new friends.
To book, please follow this link: https://vac-agm-2017.eventbrite.co.uk
For more information, or if you have any specific requirements (e.g., diet, BSL interpreter), please email info@vac.org.uk or call 020 7284 6550.

Camden Council Adult Social Care Consultation
LB Camden are consulting on proposed changes to day services and to financial contributions policy. These specific proposals are part of the development of our new adult social care strategy, which will be published later this year.
There is a further meeting on Monday 30 January, from 11am to 1pm, at Council offices at 5 Pancras Square, to talk you through the two consultations and to hear your views about how these proposals in particular may impact on your members and service users. Councillor Gould will be attending and there will also be an opportunity to ask questions.
If you are able to attend the event, please rsvp to ASCChanges@camden.gov.uk and let us know if you require assistance when you attend this event.

Women’s Voices – In Celebration of International Women’s Day 2017
Does your charity support women? We’re offering you the chance to get free communications and campaigns advice from some of the most talented women from media and advertising on International Women’s Day.
8 March 2017 4.15pm – 7.15pm at Starcom, 63 Turnmill Street, London, EC1M 5RR
Women’s Voices event will bring together 25 charities that support, campaign and advocate for women and girls (and those who identify as women and girls) with 25 highly skilled teams of women from across the creative and media industry for an afternoon of brainstorming and advice. The aim? To make a difference to your marketing and communications. Full details at the Media Trust Website.

Alara Wholefoods annual Winter Wassail Party in Kings Cross Friday 10th February
Featuring live music, delicious free food, an apple pie bake-off and a spectacular inner city bonfire. There are also great volunteer opportunities for the night. More details here.

UCLH Find and Treat Team Offering Services to Migrant Groups
Find and Treat is a specialist outreach team that work alongside over 200 NHS and third sector front-line services to tackle TB among homeless people, drug or alcohol users, vulnerable migrants and people who have been in prison.
Recently we have expanded our services to include a range of other things and can offer services to migrant, refugee and other organisations and can offer:
~ Flu vaccinations
~ Pneumonia vaccinations
~ Latent TB testing for those who fit the criteria
If you would like to get in touch with the team to learn more contact Jasmine Pervez jasmine.pervez@nhs.net

The Company at the Winch – Support to Young People Starting in Business
At The Company we support young people aged between 18 and 25 from the borough of Camden, who want to set up their own business. We have supported a range of initiatives, from premium streetwear to basketball workshops and from Caribbean food to fashion photography.
We offer support for up to 3 years. The beginning of The Company programme consists of 121 support with the Programme Coordinator (Joe Oxley) to help you to decide on and focus your idea into something realistic. Then, there is an Accelerator Learning Programme that involves attendance to business and personal development workshops over the course of 8 -10 weeks. These are delivered here in the Company Hub Work Space (here at The Winch) by both the Programme Coordinator and business experts. Contact Joe Oxley– Joe@thewinch.org at The Winch 21 Winchester Rd NW3 3NR – 0207 586 7831 / 07539 576 203

Free Family Activities at the British Library January – March 2017
Living in the Map Saturday 28 January
10.30 – 12.00 and 13.00 – 14.30
Create a giant 3D map using sculpture and drawing, and transform the Learning Centre into a city of roads and houses.
Family Day: Festival of Maps Saturday 25 February 12.00 – 16.00
Join us for a fun and creative family day inspired by our exhibition, Maps and the 20th Century
Play on Words Saturday 25 March 10.30 – 12.00 and 13.00 – 14.30
Play with words and performance in this creative workshop. Families will have the chance to print, collage, write and make. Details: www.bl.uk/events/family-events
learning@bl.uk T +44 (0)20 7412 7797. The British Library 96 Euston Road London NW1 2DB

‘I am London’ postcard exhibition at Working Men’s College
Learner across all subject areas were encourage to submit a postcard on the theme of ‘I am London’. The ‘I am London’ postcard exhibition is open until 10 February and the next exhibition ‘WMC Studio’ will be open from 21 February until 29 March, with a private view on 2 March.
Working Men’s College, 44 Crowndale Road.

Need a Photocopier?
The Fitzrovia Chapel have a Canon 3580 in good working order. The annual costs are around £150. Free to a good home – preferably a community organisation in Camden. You will need to arrange collection. Contact Sarah Boud at sarah.boud@fitzroviachapel.org.

Camden Patient Participation Group Newsletter
You can read the latest Camden Patient Participation Group Newsletter here.

Elfrida Rathbone Camden, The Kids Network, Hampstead Wells and Campden Trust, Camden Giving, Refugee Therapy Centre, Culpeper Community Garden, Sante Refugee Mental Health Project , VAC, Kings Cross Construction Centre and Camden PA are recruiting. See Jobs and Volunteers section below.

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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

Locality launches campaign against ‘counterproductive’ commissioning practices
Locality has called current commissioning trends “counterproductive” and “inefficient”, and has launched a campaign to keep commissioning local.
The Keep it Local campaign and accompanying report is calling for locally-commissioned and delivered public services which provide “substantially better outcomes and value than standardised, one-size-fits-all services”. Full details Civil Society

Corporates: DOs and DON’Ts of Volunteering in the Community
Dominic Pinkney, CEO of Volunteer Centre Camden has words of advice for corporates getting involved in volunteering.

What next for the voluntary sector in 2017?
Duncan Shrubsole, Director of Policy, Partnerships and Communications shares his views on how the voluntary sector can mobilise behind a changing political landscape in 2017.

Tinder for cities: how tech is making urban planning more inclusive
Having a say in what your city or neighbourhood should be like is often complicated, time-consuming and full of confusing jargon. A new wave of digital tools are trying to make the process transparent and interactive. Full story in the Guardian.

Andrew Purkis: We must not overplay the role of volunteers in social care
Andrew Purkis says that some of the challenges facing social care cannot be solved with a new approach to volunteering. Full story in Civil Society

NHS transformation plans are beset by infighting
Negotiations on reforms must be built on trust, otherwise there is little chance of escaping the relentless cycle of crisis management and short-term fixes Full story in the Guardian

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

Camden Community Festival Fund 2017
Camden Council is supporting this grants programme in recognition of the contribution made by community festivals and events to strengthening Camden communities and in developing a rich culture and economy within the borough.
The fund is to sustain and develop Camden’s rich culture, its strong communities and dynamic partnerships by supporting quality, creative events, projects and activities. This year the fund is managed by Voluntary Action Camden (VAC).
For more information and for a copy of the application forms & guidelines please go to : https://vac.org.uk/camden-community-festival-fund/

Home Office’s Building a Stronger Britain Together Opens for 2017 Funding
The four-year Building a Stronger Britain Together (BSBT) programme was established last September by the Home Office to help deliver a key strand of the Government’s Counter-Extremism Strategy.
The Building a Stronger Britain Together Programme offers both grant funding and in-kind support to civil society and community organisations that are working to create more resilient communities, to stand up to extremism in all its forms and to offer vulnerable individuals a positive alternative, regardless of race, faith, sexuality, age, and gender.
There is a fixed amount of funding available. Applications will be considered on a first-come-first-served basis.
The Fund offers the following:
In-kind support up to a value of £75,000.
Grants of between either £1,000 and £14,999 or £15,000 and £50,000.
See the website for full details and how to apply.

Team London small grants programme now open for applications
This year we will support organisations who are either aiming to recruit more volunteers in the 59+-69+ age-group, or for organisations that work with older people to be able to recruit more volunteers so that more services can be provided. The grants will be for between £5k and £10k for a 12 month project.
Find out more and apply here: https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/volunteering/effective-community-engagement/team-london-small-grants

Community Action Project for older people in the West Euston/Regents Park
Ageing Better in Camden is planning to commission a Community Action Project for older people in the West Euston/Regents Park area from October 2017- October 2019. We are looking for an organisation that will run activities for older people led by and chosen by older people, it will give older people a voice and stronger role in influencing the communities they live in. The funding available for this is £90k.
If you want to talk about this further, please contact Corinna.hyman@ageukcamden.org.uk. We are also planning an information meeting regarding the project on Thursday 2nd February. Please register your intention to attend by 31 January 2017.

Bid for Better scheme 2017
The Bid for Better scheme awards grants of up to £400 towards activities or equipment to:
If you would like to apply for up to £400 for your project or idea then we will ask you to complete an application form giving us as much detail as possible. You can apply online.
or you can request a form by post or email by contacting the PPI team: ppi@tavi-port.nhs.uk
The closing date for applications is Thursday 2nd March 2017.
To be considered for funding you must be a Member of the Trust. If you are not a member already it is really easy to join via the Trust website. web: www.tavistockandportman.nhs.uk
If you have questions or need help contact by telephone on 020 8938 2068 or email or you can pop into the PPI office on the ground floor of the Tavistock Centre, 120 Belsize Lane, London NW3 5BA

Heritage Lottery Young Roots
Grants from £10,000 to £50,000
Apply for a grant of £10,000-£50,000 to help young people aged 11 to 25 to explore their heritage, from green spaces, museums, and historic sites to language, local memories and youth culture. Full details at https://www.hlf.org.uk/looking-funding/our-grant-programmes/young-roots

ILM Certificate in Team Leadership
New Year’s Resolution for 2017?
Want to improve leadership skills?
Want to get your first job as a leader?
Then the ILM Certificate in Team Leadership is for you.
Help is available from the Mary Ward Centre’s bursary fund to meet the costs of fees and travel. This course is FREE for those in receipt of JSA/ESA or unemployed and in receipt of UC or another income related benefit.
This is a first step in the Institute of Leadership and Management’s qualifications programme. The course helps to boost your performance as a team member and enable you to gain recognition of your abilities to lead a team. You will learn core leadership and management skills, how to put them into practice and be more effective and confident as a team leader.
To find out more visit the Mary Ward web site www.marywardcentre.ac.uk or contact Rahul.miah@marywardcentre.ac.uk.

Governance in the Voluntary and Community Sector
18 May 2017 – 22 June 2017 6 Thursday evenings 17:30-20:30 in Camden
A short course for members of governing bodies or anybody who is interested in developing the
knowledge and skills required to be a member of a governing body in the voluntary or community sector. With the knowledge gained from this course you can become an effective participant in the governance of new and existing organisations. Full details at the Mary Ward website.

VAC’s Mental Health Training Programme for BMER groups
Are you a BMER group or do you work with BMER communities?
For more information about our any of our courses, please go to https://vac.org.uk/events/category/health-mental-health/. Mental Health First Aid and Youth Mental Health First Aid training courses are 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. Contact mentalhealthteam@vac.org.uk

Camden Disability Action Annual General Meeting
To be held on Wednesday 15th February 2017
2 – 5 PM (refreshments and registration from 2.00 pm)
At Wellcome Trust, 215 Euston Road, London NW1 2BE
Guest speakers include Councillor Georgia Gould (Camden Council’s Cabinet Member for Young People, Adults and Health).
Refreshements and finger buffet will be provided
To book contact Anju Bhatt via email abhatt@vac.org.uk or telephone 020 7284 6550.

Role of the Voluntary Community Sector in the future Sustainable and Transformation Plan
30th of January 2017 12noon-1pm
We would like to invite voluntary, community and social enterprise sector partners to join us for an NHS England webinar for a national update on Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STPs).
The webinar will include:
~ An update on the STP process so far;
~ Opportunities being developed at national level for involvement of voluntary, community and social enterprise sector partners in STPs;
~ Examples of how the VCS has been involved in plans to date;
~ Questions and discussion.
For more information on STPs please see https://www.england.nhs.uk/stps/
To join the webinar please contact Jonathan Leahy via email: Jonathan.leahy@nhs.net and Jonathan will provide you with the joining instructions for the webinar.

FREE Sporting Activities for people with sensory impairment and complex needs
Sporting Sense Project will continue all the way through 2017 and we have some great opportunities lined up for you and the people you work with and support.
Free Climbing Sessions:
Free Yoga classes:
Free Multi-sports sessions:
Strictly through booking in advance. These sessions are specifically aimed at people with higher support needs. Those who may find participation difficult at times even within adaptive and inclusive activities; held in a fully accessible building with a fantastic sensory room.
Taylor Huxster, Regional Sports Coordinator – London. Direct line: 020 7014 9365 ext9365. Mob: 07876 870943. I only work on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Reception: 0300 330 9250

Global Citizenship in a post-Brexit world
Tue 7 February 2017 19:30 – 21:00
The UCL Global Citizenship Programme is delighted to welcome Keir Starmer MP to deliver its annual lecture. Book at Eventbrite

Rewired: the Brain, Art, and Innovation
Rewired features leading London-based neuroscience clinicians and researchers, tech innovators, and artists and is produced by and in aid of Movement for Hope.
The event aims to raise public awareness of neurological conditions using artistic collaborations and cutting-edge research.
This event is supported by UCL, Imanova and Alzheimer’s Research UK Dementia Network. UCL Departments involved include the Department of Brain Repair and Rehabilitation and the Leonard Wolfson Experimental Neurology Centre.
Friday 10th March, 2017, 19:00 – 21:00 GMT at the Ondaatje Theatre, Royal Geographical Society, 1 Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AR
Tickets and Booking General Admission: £12. Concession: £10 at Eventbrite
For further enquiries please contact emma.biondetti@movementforhope.org

Age Friendly Museums Network Cross-sector Conference
Thursday 16th February 2017
9.30 – 16.30 at the British Museum, London
Book your free place through Eventbrite
Join us to explore current age friendly thinking and practice in museums developed through cross sector collaborations.
Themes will include: Creativity and ageing; Demographic change and its potential impact; The value of partnerships between practitioners from different sectors; How museums can support age friendly communities; Innovative use of collections; Working with those living with dementia & stroke survivors

HR Support in Camden
Caroline Jepson, VAC’s HR Advisor, provides free HR advice and support to Camden voluntary organisations employing staff. Get in touch to discuss your HR consultancy needs, from recruitment to redundancy and everything in-between.
VAC’s HR support aims to help trustees and managers understand employment law and to have robust HR procedures that reflect good practice so fewer workplace issues arise, and HR crises are averted or managed effectively. Caroline normally works Thursdays but is available on other days by arrangement. Call 020 7284 6551 or email cjepson@vac.org.uk.
Also, the Communities and Third Sector team at Camden Council are offering Camden voluntary and community groups a series of HR training workshops. See below for full details.

Rethink Mental Illness Mental Health First Aid courses
FREE to anyone who either lives, works, studies or volunteers in Camden or Islington
Mental Health First Aid (Adult)
This course equips participants in the same way as a physical first aid course, teaching participants how to give initial support to someone experiencing a mental health problem until professional treatment can be accessed.
Youth Mental Health First Aid
This course delivers the same principals as the adult course, but is for anyone who lives or works with young people (11-18). It will also cover other topics specific to young people that include child, adolescent and family psychosis, bullying and promoting protective factors and good parenting.
Participants will receive a certificate and manual upon successful completion of the course.
If you have any further questions you can contact the Rethink Mental Illness Mental Health Promotion Team on training@rethink.org
You can book online at www.rethink.org/camdenislingtontraining. Courses run from 9.30am to 5pm

Camden Safeguarding Children Board Annual Conference: Child Sexual Abuse
This conference is aimed at multiagency professionals who work with children and young people.
The day aims to raise awareness and equip frontline professionals with the tools and confidence to deal with Child Sexual Abuse.
The Conference will cover:
Children’s Commissioners Report on Child Sexual Abuse
Strategies for preventing CSA in Camden
Links between Child Sexual Abuse and Child Sexual Exploitation
NHS England’s proposal for ‘Child’s House Model’
Best Practice models for helping abused children get back on track NSPCC film a survivor’s account
Speakers will include:
The Children’s Commissioner
Metropolitan Police Service
Camden’s Designated Doctor for Safeguarding
NSPCC
Thursday 9th February 2017 09:30 – 16:00
The London Irish Centre, 50-52 Camden Square, London NW1 9XB
Contact Jerrie Andrews, Jerrie.Andrews@camden.gov.uk

Highlight Cancer – free training for hairdressers, barbers & others
Talk Cancer workshops will run each month for ten months, the first of which is taking place on 25th January 13:00-16:30. Workshops are for anyone in roles such as the above (or similar) based in Camden, and neighbouring boroughs.
Spaces can be booked for free at Eventbrite. For queries contact priya.yoganathan@nhs.net

Recovery College
Recovery College Spring term starts 4 January 2017. If you would like to find out more about the courses take a look at the Recovery College Spring 2017 course guide.

True Honour Awards 2017 Ceremony
6-9pm Tuesday 7th March 2017, The University of Law, 2 Bunhill Row, London EC1Y 4TY
Book at eventbrite. Nominations are opne: True Honour Award nominations

Do You Need Health and Safety Training?
VAC and London Hazards are planning health and safety training for community groups in Camden.
The training is free. To find out more contact Kevin – knunan@vac.org.uk

Free HR training workshops for Camden voluntary and community groups
Free and will take place between 9.45 and 1pm at the Town Hall Judd Street.
The workshops are for managers and trustees of voluntary and community groups based in Camden.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/staff-appraisals-registration-27067569830
Managing Sickness Absence Thursday 9th February 2017
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/managing-sickness-absence-registration-27067617974
Managing Restructure Wednesday 15th March 2017
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/managing-a-restructure-registration-27067674142
Managing Difficult Conversations at Work Wednesday 12th April 2017
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/managing-difficult-conversations-at-work-registration-27067711253
The workshops will be run by Shirley Briggs. Shirley is an independent HR consultant. Her background is in social housing where she worked as a HR manager for a number of large housing associations. She is also a trained workplace mediator.

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

Elfrida Rathbone Camden seeks Part-time Administrative Assistant (short term contract)
Seeking an enthusiastic and organised administrative assistant to work 14 hours (2 days a week) until 31st March 2017. Must be available to start ASAP due to short-term nature of contract.
Salary: £21,119 per annum (pro rata £8,448 inc. inner London weighting)
The successful candidate will have experience of working in a busy office environment and will have excellent communication, IT and keyboard skills. For more information about the role please visit our website: http://www.elfridacamden.org.uk/work-with-us/
To apply please e-mail a covering letter and your current CV to Chris@elfridacamden.org.uk .
There is no closing date for this post. We will review applications on a daily basis and arrange interviews on an ad hoc basis as we are looking for someone who can start asap due to the short-term nature of the contract.

Become a Mentor with The Kids Network
We are excited to announce the launch of our 2017 pilot in partnership with our Champion school in Islington.
The pilot will involve a small scale cohort of volunteers who are:
~ Connected to our vision
~ Interested shaping The Kids Network for the future
~ Have a commitment to making a difference to a child in their local community
What will I do as a volunteer Mentor?
As a Mentor, you will hold weekly sessions with a child aged 8-11 in the community who will be referred through the school.
This will involve meeting the child from their home and spending two to three hours with them outside of their home or school routine.
You will be building confidence, supporting resilience and helping them to manage feelings through a series of fun and positive experiences and activities. Find out more and sign up online.

The Hampstead Wells and Campden Trust seeks Trust Accountant
Hampstead Grant Giving Foundation requires part time Trust Accountant (14 hours per week) Varied and interesting work. Knowledge of SAGE and Excel necessary.
Enquiries to Sheila Taylor 0207 435 1570
Send CV.s by 5th February 2017 to The Hampstead Wells and Campden Trust, 62 Rosslyn Hill, London NW3 1ND or to sheila@hwct.co.uk

Refugee Therapy Centre seeks Sessional Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist/Clinical Psychologist
Sessional, depending on clients need and Centre’s requirements
Deadline: 6pm on Friday 10th February, 2017
The person interested to join our team of intercultural therapists must be a qualified Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist / Clinical Psychologist and be registered as such with ACP, BAP, BPC, or UKCP-CPJA or fully accredited by BACP.
Experience of working with Refugees and Asylum Seekers or other ethnic minorities is desirable.
To apply, please send a copy of your recent CV and a covering letter detailing your suitability for the role to: Refugee Therapy Centre, 1A Leeds Place, Tollington Park, London N4 3RF
We will consider bi-lingual therapists with Arabic, Farsi and Turkish language background.
Suitable candidates are interviewed soon after their application and shortlisting.
For info: http://www.refugeetherapy.org.uk/get-involved/vacancies/child-and-adolescent-psychoanalytic-psychotherapist-clinical-psychologist.aspx or write to: info@refugeetherapy.org.uk

Culpeper Community Garden
This award-winning community garden in the heart of Islington is looking for a part-time support worker to enable vulnerable adults to access the skills and enjoyment of gardening.
One-year contract, £150 p.w. for ten hours shared between Mondays and Thursdays, starting March 2nd.
To apply: please send an email to culpeperrecruit@gmail.com or telephone 0207 833 3951 and we will send an application form and job description. Please return completed applications by email, or post to Culpeper Community Garden, 2 Dignum Street, London N1 0FJ. Deadline for returns is Monday 30 January 2017. Interviews will be held on Wednesday 15 February

Sante Refugee Mental Health Access Project seeks Administrator
Central London Euston location
14 hours – Tuesdays and Wednesdays
(shorter hours may be considered to suit right candidate)
£9.75 an hour (London Living Wage)
If you love organising your own office, are computer and finance literate and are committed to supporting refugees, then we would welcome hearing from you.
Sante provides refugees with volunteer befrienders who advocate for them and help them access essential services such as legal advice, accommodation and friendship.
We need an efficient administrator who can organise us and our information systems to ensure the effective delivery of SANTE’s services and activities.
Click to read the full job description and person specification. To apply send CV plus a covering letter stating in no more than 500 words how you meet the requirements set out on the person specification, to santeproject@msn.com by 5.00 pm on Monday 30th January.

Kings Cross Jobs
You can view a constantly changing range of job vacancies on the Kings Cross website. For the latest news on jobs sign up to job alerts.

Volunteers are needed in GP practices!
Voluntary Action Camden (VAC) would like to hear from you! We are training volunteers to become Community Health Advocates in local GP practices.
• Do you live, work or volunteer in Camden?
• Would you like to support people in your community to improve their health and their access to services that will help them to maintain good health and wellbeing?
• Do you want to develop experience and skills in the field of public health?
• Can you commit at least 2 hours per week?
VAC is offering free Royal Society of Public Health (RSPH) Level 1 training to those who want to volunteer their time to become Community Health Advocates. The RSPH Level 1 training is a two days course, with a 20 question multiple choice test at the end of the second day of training. It could provide a useful skill set and experience for people who may be interested in following a health related career path in the future.
After completing the training, VAC will support local teams of volunteers to act as links between community based services and GPs. You may wish to take advantage of additional opportunities to increase your knowledge, for example smoking cessation, cancer awareness, diabetes etc. In return for your commitment to the project for 2 hours a week we offer support, out of pocket expenses and other professional development opportunities.
For more information, please contact Mandira Manandhar, Health Advocate Volunteer Co-ordinator (Mon, Tues and Thurs) 020 7284 6550/07930669417 or email: mmanandhar@vac.org.uk
Peter Simonson on 020 7284 6550 or email: projectsupport@vac.org.uk
The RSPH training is provided FREE by on the understanding that participants are available to volunteer for the project and able to attend the regular training and support sessions.

Are you looking to employ an assistant to help with your care needs? CamdenPAs can help
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 phone: 020 7278 4437

Find Jobs and Volunteering opportunities at https://www.vac.org.uk/

Free 10 sessions Counselling service for Arabic, Farsi and Kurdish speaking women
Middle Eastern Women and Society Organisation offers counselling to provide support for the complex needs of displaced women from Middle Eastern and North African communities living in London, who are suffering from traumas caused by Civil Wars, regional conflicts and violence. Speaking openly about issues such as domestic violence, sexual orientation and abusive behaviour is uncommon within the target communities and we try to break barriers in order to prevent women from suffering in silence.
MEWSo is aware that your organization may have a high number of women seeking your services leading to waiting lists for one-to-one counselling. We would like to assist you in easing the waiting list by offering you our counselling services. Email MEWSO for the referral form mewsorganisation@gmail.com.

ABC Looking for Partners in Gospel Oak/Haverstock
Ageing Better in Camden is planning to commission a Community Action Project for older people in the Gospel Oak/Haverstock area from October 2017- October 2019. We are looking for an organisation that will run activities for older people led by and chosen by older people, it will give older people a voice and stronger role in influencing the communities they live in. The funding available for this is £90k.
If you want to talk about this further, please contact annabel.collins@ageukcamden.org.uk . We are also planning an open information meeting regarding the project on 8th February 11.00 – 12.30 at Tavis House. Please register your intention to attend by 3rd February 2017.

Community Asset Map for Bangladeshi Elders
Consultants for Ageing Better in Camden are busy creating an asset map for Bangladeshi older people. You can view the presentation about the mapping exercise here. If you have feedback please contact Jaber Khan email Jaberk@safh.org.uk. A summary of the report will be published soon.

Share your views on dentistry in Camden
Healthwatch Camden represents the views of local people and we have the power to influence the delivery and design of local services.
We want to know what you think about dentists in Camden. Please take five minutes to fill in our online survey and have your say: www.tinyurl.com/HWCdental
Whether you visit the dentist regularly or hardly at all, what you say will help us get a better picture of services in Camden and push for improvements. We’ll use the information to create a report about services which will include recommendations to decision makers and service providers.
You can also call us to take the survey over the phone (we’ll call you straight back!) 0203 771 3930.

Camden Consultations
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.