Category: Newsletter

See the Presentations from the VAC AGM;Camden set out the relationship with the 23 Strategic Partners; Workshop: How Do You Write a Successful Grant Application?; Local Budget; Health and Safety Training; Camden International Women’s Day event; Ageing Better in Camden Concerns and Gaps Scheme; Give it a Go! Open Day for Women; Crowdfunding Workshops; Camden Adult Community Learning Service Health & well-being event; Volunteer Centre Camden AGM; Mental Health Forum; One year on – NCIA ‘witness seminar’; + funding jobs, volunteers, events, training, offers and resources.

There has been a lot of discussion nationally on high level ambitions to involve more volunteers in public services for instance by creating a volunteer ‘help force’. After a collaboration with a think tank but little consultation the government has just issued six new guidance documents “to help public sector commissioners embed volunteering and social action in public services”
The six pieces of guidance are:
~ A description of social action;
~ Making the case for social action in the public sector;
~ Leadership and culture change to enable social action;
~ Commissioning for social action;
~ Creating the conditions for social action;
~ Enabling social action methodology.
All can be found here.
The Full story and links to the guidance in Civil Society.

Catch up on the Presentations from the VAC AGM
Our AGM this hear looked at the future of health and social care. You can view the presentations of the guest speakers; Doctor Caz Sayer, the Chair of the Camden Clinical Commissioning Group and Cllr Georgia Gould, the Cabinet member for Young People, Adults and Health. View on the VAC site.

Camden set out the relationship with the 23 Strategic Partners
In the February issue of Camden Magazine the council sets out the future of its 7 year relationship with the 23 strategic partners. There is also news of the new N1 centre to be run by Dragon Hall and Somali Youth Development Resource Centre. You can read the article here.

Workshop: How Do You Write a Successful Grant Application?
Saturday, February 25 @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm or Wednesday, March 15 @ 2:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Mary Ward Centre, 42 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3AQ United Kingdom
Find out the secrets of writing funding applications by coming along to a practical workshop and learn about all of the dos and don’ts! Organised by VAC.
The sessions are for Camden based groups only and will focus on providing support for voluntary and community organisations with income of less than £100,000 a year. You can bring along a grant application that you are working on, or would like to work on. Following the workshop, you will also be offered one to one support to complete the application.
“We were successful to the tune of twenty thee thousand pound over two years from the Active Communities Fund. VACs involvement was a real benefit, particularly the one to one support. It was excellent”.Community Organisation NW5.
For further details contact Simone Hensby shensy@vac.org.uk. 020 7284 6555
Full details at the VAC website

Local Budget
There will be a budget debate at Camden council on the 27th February. Details will be available here. Cllr Theo Blackwell has written a long article setting out some of the difficulties that lie ahead.

Health and Safety Training 21st March 10.00 – 1.00.
Learn about your rights and how to enforce them. You get a certificate at the end of the course.
You will learn about:
~ The main UK health and safety laws
~ Who is responsible for health and safety at work
~ Who enforces health and safety
~ Basic risk assessment
~ Sources of information and support
The training is ideal for people new to health and safety or those wanting to refresh their knowledge. The course also covers all the requirements for running a community group safely. In particular, migrant workers or recent arrivals in the UK will gain important knowledge about their rights.
Working in a safe environment is a basic human right. Find out how to be safe and avoid ill health at work. Organised by VAC and London Hazards. To book please follow this link

Camden International Women’s Day event Women in the arts, media and creative industries
Wednesday 8 March 2017 11am to 3pm.
Book free places for this exciting forthcoming event, which will focus on women in the arts, media and creative industries and routes into training and employment in these fields.
Following last year’s hugely successful event in Camden, which focused on women in science, technology, engineering and maths, we are now celebrating the creative sector and looking at barriers to entry and achievement in the creative and arts fields. Details and booking at Eventbrite

Ageing Better in Camden invites you to the launch of Concerns and Gaps Scheme (CAG)
Monday 20th March 2017 10.30am-1pm
At Age UK Camden, Tavis House, 1-6 Tavistock Square WC1H 9NA
At this free event we will be launching CAG – a method for collecting evidence of concerns and gaps in services from staff working with older people and older people themselves across Camden.
Speaker: Jamie Spencer, Prevention & Wellbeing Service Manager from London Borough of Camden’s Adult Social Care team,
This event is for anyone involved or working with older people in Camden, for those with an interest in joining up services and working in partnership to influence change.
Please RSVP to ageingbetterincamden@ageukcamden.org.uk or call 020 7239 0400.

Give it a Go! Open Day for Women
To celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8th 2017 we’re offering a range of free sports and physical activity taster sessions to women across Camden. Free classes on offer range from Zumba to Boot Camp to Hatha Yoga, and there will be free access to the gym and pools at several leisure centres. To book your free session or find out more about the day, please email one of the leisure providers directly using the email addresses below. Alternatively, come along on the day to one of the participating centres and staff will be on hand to help you out.
~ Central YMCA 112 Great Russell Street, WC1B 3NQ – contact Sayed.Hamaki@YMCA.co.uk
~ Better (Oasis Sports Centre 32 Endell Street, WC2H 9AG. Swiss Cottage Leisure Centre Adelaide Road, NW3 3NF. Kentish Town Sports Centre Grafton Road, NW5 3DU. Pancras Square Leisure Centre 5 Pancras Square, N1C 4AG) – contact dominic.norton@gll.org
~ The Armoury 25 Pond Street, NW3 2PN – contact receptionarmoury@jubileehalltrust.org
On the day, women will also be able to pick up 3 free activity passes for participating leisure centres. . For more information about Give it a Go! please contact laura.stoll@islington.gov.uk.

Ageing Better in Camden (ABC) is seeking a Programme Evaluator.
ABC is a partnership of older people and agencies in Camden working closely together to tackle the social isolation and loneliness that many older people in the Borough experience. Camden’s diverse communities are at the heart of the Ageing Better in Camden approach. The programme will run from July 2015 – June 2021, and £4.5M has been successfully secured from the Big Lottery Fund.
The programme evaluation is essential to understanding and assessing the success of our programme locally; expanding understanding regarding what works in preventing and treating social isolation and in contributing to the national programme and its evaluation. This is a high profile initiative which aims to create systemic change, and is a significant opportunity to work with our partnership to evaluate its impact.
This contract will run from July 2017 – June 2021. The ITT sets out the requirements for bidding for this contract. Bidders will respond to these documents with their propositions. ABC will then evaluate the propositions before announcing the preferred bidder in May 2017. The ITT is available on http://www.ageingbetterincamden.org.uk/news-and-events/

Crowdfunding Workshops
14th March 3.00 – 5.00pm find out about crowdfunding and what it can do for you with VAC and our new Crowdfuning partners Hubbub.
21st March 3.00 – 5.00pm work on your own crowdfunding proposal and get support and help from a crowdfunding expert. Details to follow soon on the VAC events page https://vac.org.uk/events/

Camden Adult Community Learning Service Health & well-being event – Get Involved
At St Pancras and Somers Town Living Centre Ossulston Street side, NW1 1DF
Tuesday 28 March from 10:00 – 1:00
The event is for our current adult community learners, many of whom experience disadvantage and a range of barriers to getting involved in activities to improve their and their family’s health and well-being.
We hope that the event will provide information and an opportunity to get involved in interactive activities to give a taste of what’s available in Camden for adults (our learners are typically in the 30 – 60+ age range) and families. For example:
– Activities/exhibitions in local galleries, museums
– Physical activities: organised walks; gardening; exercise; sport; mindfulness
– Health: healthy cooking/eating; weight management; health checks; oral health; mental health
– Informal learning & leisure opportunities: choirs; art and craft; engaging with nature, the environment,
– Opportunities to give back: volunteering; charity work; community involvement
We want learners to leave with ideas and plans to get involved in activities over the Easter break and into the summer that are free or low cost.
If you would like your organisation to be involved, contact Bola at
adultlearning@camden.gov.uk by Monday 6 March at the latest.

Volunteer Centre Camden AGM and 50th Birthday Celebrations
It’s that time of year again when we gather for Volunteer Centre Camden’s Annual General Meeting.
However as it’s 2017, and we are officially 50 years old, we are also kicking off our 50th birthday celebrations with drinks and nibbles after the AGM.
This is your chance to hear about what we’ve been up to this year, as well as what volunteering will look like in 2067. Book your place on Eventbrite.

Mental Health Forum
For users of mental health services, carers, community and voluntary groups and Camden councillors
Chair: Cllr Georgia Gould, Cabinet Member for Young People, Adults and Health
Main Agenda Items:
Findings and outcomes from Camden’s review of forums
Opportunities for engagement in Camden
Thursday 9th March 2017 from 6.00pm to 8.00pm
At Charlie Ratchford Resource Centre, Belmont Street, London NW1 8HF
If you need help to travel to and from the forum, or to take part, then please contact Paul Kent by Telephone: 0207 974 6921 Email paul.kent@camden.gov.uk

One year on – NCIA ‘witness seminar’ Friday 10th March 1-5pm
London Welsh Centre, 157-163 Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1X 8UE
NCIA has closed! But long live the spirit of NCIA present! As promised we are having a ‘one year on’ witness seminar to see where the issues we have been fighting so hard for have now got to.
Themes (from): Independence, voice, dissent, public space, insiders & outsiders, campaigning, civil society, volunteering, activism, citizen action, democracy, space between state and market , radical action, critical perspectives. etc
Issues (from): migrants and refugees, women, youth work, regeneration, welfare benefits, poverty, austerity, privatisation of public space, xenopobia, etc
If you, colleagues or collaborators would like to come to the event, put the date in your diary now and drop an email to ausgesucht@yahoo.co.uk

Camden Carers Service
Camden Carers Service (CCS) offers advice, support and activities for family and other unpaid carers across the borough.
Help is just a phone call away on 020 7428 8950 or email info@camdencarers.org.uk – read more about our services at www.camdencs.org.uk or www.facebook.com

Camden Patient Participation Group – Elections and News
Don’t forget to nominate yourself to the CPPEG elections. Full details here. Find out more and read the latest Camden Patient Participation Group Newsletter here.

Healthwatch Camden
View the latest news and views from Healthwatch Camden here.

Camden Capacity Building Bulletin
The February Capacity Building Bulletin is available here.

Ageing Better in Camden
Read the Ageing Better in Camden Newsletter Spring Edition 2017 here

SHAK, Kentish Town Community Centre, Colindale Community Trust, Camden CCG, Opening Doors London, The Kids Network , NHS Community Navigators, VAC, Kings Cross Construction Centre and Camden PA are recruiting. See Jobs and Volunteers section below.

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

Disability in the News
An article on disabled children in England found that they were ‘finding it increasingly hard to access council care’. Since 2004 the number of children with disabilities has risen by 50% but fewer appear to qualify for council help, according to National Children’s Bureau.
As part of Disability at Work Week, the Guardian featured an article on “Disability discrimination: your legal rights”
The Guardian is beginning a video investigation into the impact of cuts on disabled people and is looking for people to tell their story. The debate often focuses on the elderly, ignoring the fact that a third of all social care users are disabled and over one million disabled people are now without the support they need. Find out more and share your story here.

BBC Arabic Festival 2017
The BBC Arabic Festival screens short films and documentaries about the dramatic social and political changes taking place in the Arab world today. Now in our third year, we present a bold and diverse range of films from across the Middle East, by Arab and non-Arab, professional and first-time filmmakers. The unique and timely programme also includes special talk series and exclusive presentations by award-winning filmmakers.
The festival takes place at the iconic art-deco BBC Radio Theatre in central London from Friday 24 March to Thursday 30 March 2017. The Festival culminates with our televised Awards Ceremony with special guest artists from the Arab world. Visit the BBC Arabic Festival website for more details.

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

UCL Grand Challenges Small Grants Scheme
Closing date: 9am, Monday, 22 May 2017
Up to £4,000 available for a wide range of research-informed, societally relevant, cross-disciplinary activities undertaken from 1 August 2017 to 31 July 2018
Up to £6,000 is available for proposals that address the GCSC Priority Theme of Urban Mobility, with additional funding from the UCL Transport Institute. Further details
Proposals must address a Priority Theme relating to one of the six UCL Grand Challenges – Global Health; Justice and Equality; Tranformative Tech; Human Wellbeing; Cultural Understanding; Sustainable Cities
Applications must be led by UCL academic staff members (honorary researchers included) at postdoctoral level (or equivalent) or above. Full details here.

Camden Community Festival Fund 2017 – Deadline 28th February
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/

Team London small grants programme now open for applications – deadline 8th February
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.

Bid for Better scheme 2017 – Deadline 2nd March
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

Health and Safety Training 21st March 10.00 – 1.00.
Learn about your rights and how to enforce them. You get a certificate at the end of the course.
You will learn about:
~ The main UK health and safety laws
~ Who is responsible for health and safety at work
~ Basic risk assessment
~ Sources of information and support
The training is ideal for people new to health and safety or those wanting to refresh their knowledge. The course also covers all the requirements for running a community group safely. In particular, migrant workers or recent arrivals in the UK will gain important knowledge about their rights.
Working in a safe environment is a basic human right. Find out how to be safe and avoid ill health at work. Organised by VAC and London Hazards. To book please follow this link

How Do You Write a Successful Grant Application?
Saturday, February 25 @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm or Wednesday, March 15 @ 2:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Mary Ward Centre, 42 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3AQ United Kingdom
Find out the secrets of writing funding applications by coming along to a practical workshop and learn about all of the dos and don’ts!
The sessions are for Camden based groups only and will focus on providing support for voluntary and community organisations with income of less than £100,000 a year. You can bring along a grant application that you are working on, or would like to work on. Following the workshop, you will also be offered one to one support to complete the application.
“We were successful to the tune of twenty thee thousand pound over two years from the Active Communities Fund. VACs involvement was a real benefit, particularly the one to one support. It was excellent”.Community Organisation NW5.
For further details contact Simone Hensby shensy@vac.org.uk. 020 7284 6555
Full details at the VAC website

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.

Crowdfunding
14th March find out about crowdfunding and what it can do for you with VAC and our new Crowdfuning partners Hubbub.
21st March work on your own crowdfunding proposal and get support and help from a crowdfunding expert. Mainly for Camden based groups with an income of under £100k. Details to follow soon on the VAC events page https://vac.org.uk/events/

Sustainability and Transformation Plans
Friday 17th March 2017 10.30 am – 2.00 pm Lunch at 1.00 pm
At Age UK London, Tavis House, 1-6 Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9NA
Sustainability and transformation plans (STPs) are five year plans for the future of health and care services in local areas. NHS organisations have come together with local authorities and other partners to develop the plans in 44 areas of the country. STPs represent a very significant change to the planning of health and care services in England.
Please book your place early Email: zghods@ageuklondon.org.uk or call on 0207 820 6781

Spare Tyre presents Safe – Take risk away, and what’s left?
At New Diorama Theatre. Wednesday 15 – Saturday 18 March 2017
With a diverse cast of mainly local older people and people with learning disabilities, Safe is part of Spare Tyre’s 40th birthday celebrations. The show follows a theatre company as they attempt to stage a play. An interruption by a Health & Safety Officer sets off a spiral into absurdity. Details here.

Camden Youth Theatre are holding auditions
Monday 27 February at 7pm
Diorama Arts Studios, 201 Drummond Street, NW1 3FE
How to book an audition: Please email Rose at arts@fitzroviacentre.org
The auditions are very informal in a group setting, and nothing needs to be prepared in advance. They are open to anyone aged 13-19 and no acting experience is necessary.

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.

Free Family Activities at the British Library January – March 2017
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

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

Recovery College
Recovery College Spring term has started. 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

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.
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

Kentish Town Community Centre seeks Youth Projects Coordinator
£19,819 (Pro rata, 14hrs per week) Closing Date: 17th March 2017
We are looking for someone with a passion for working with young people and who has the right enthusiasm and experience to provide coordination support in our core youth projects .They should have excellent communication skills, be highly organised and able to work as part of a team and under their own motivation. The successful applicant will have experience of working in an administrative role and this role will include working across various youth projects, supporting the Youth Services Manager and youth staff team in the planning, delivery and monitoring of the service. The successful applicant will have good experience of internal and external communications including publicity, supporting staff members with the administration of youth activities, multi agency working; a belief in the potential of young people and the ability to build a rapport with young people and external organisations. The successful applicant will also have a sound understanding of safeguarding practices.
All posts are subject to an enhanced DBS check. Please apply by visiting www.ktcc.org.uk or contact the Youth Services Manager Halima@ktcc.org.uk

The CCT is looking for a CEO
Colindale Communities Trust (CCT) have an exciting opportunity for an entrepreneurial, hands-on, imaginative and highly resourceful CEO to grow the organisation and steer their strategic direction towards fully meeting the needs of current and future communities in Colindale.
Working closely with the Chair and other Trustees the CEO will be responsible for helping the organisation develop new opportunities while delivering the Business Plan to improve the lives of people in Colindale. This position requires a strategic influencer with strong leadership, governance, sound financial management skills as well as being able to generate new partnership opportunities, projects and new income streams.
If you feel you have the imagination and drive to meet the large challenges required for this post an application pack and full details can be here

Camden CCG seeks Member Relations Manager
Camden CCG is a clinically-led organisation, made up of 35 general practice members. Our vision is to work with the people of Camden to achieve the best health for all. This role is focused on supporting opportunities for our member practices to be involved in CCG plans and services.
We’re looking for someone with genuine enthusiasm for engaging with healthcare professionals. The role includes running excellent member meetings, coordinating visits to practices, and developing engaging website and newsletter content.
The closing date is Sunday 5 March. Full details and how to apply here.
For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Francesca McNeil –Francesca.mcneil@camdenccg.nhs.uk

Opening Doors London seeks Social Opportunities Facilitator
£15.49/hour This is a rolling vacancy and applications will be considered as they are received.
Opening Doors London is the largest provider of information and support services with and for older Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans*people in the United Kingdom. We aim to ensure that older LGBT* people live happier, healthier and independent lives free from prejudice and discrimination. Everything we do is informed by the lived experience of LGBT* older people.
ODL currently provides over 40 social opportunities each month. This role will involve working alongside the team to provide support to existing groups and activities as well as developing new initiatives to meet the needs of our members.
You will be responsible for setting up and managing activities [such as arranging venues and speakers], recruiting and supporting volunteers and providing local marketing.
If you are interested in being one of our LGBT* sessional team, please see the application pack including the full job description and person specification at the following link in our website www.ageukcamden.org.uk / www.openingdoorslondon.org.uk or email HR@openingdoorslondon.org.uk

Voluntary Acton camden – Trustee Vacancies
Voluntary Action Camden (VAC) is seeking two new trustees to join its existing board. VAC supports individuals and groups to get involved in civil society and develops ways of sharing good practice and resources. We are looking for individuals who have an enthusiastic appreciation and understanding of Camden’s community sector and who want to see the sector thrive in the coming years. We are particularly interested in individuals with fundraising and marketing experience. If you would like more information, then please go to our website where you’ll find details of the job role and how to apply, together with more information about VAC’s strategic objectives and the work we do. If you would like an informal discussion before applying, please contac Simone Hensby shensby@vac.org.uk

Community Navigator
These innovative posts involve supporting people to become less lonely and to develop more social contact. The successful applicant will join a team of community navigators employed by Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust and will support people with enduring depression or anxiety who use mental health services in Camden, Islington or Barnet. These posts are part of a nationally-funded research study. The post holder will feedback to the research team and contribute to developing and evaluating this programme.
The role will require flexibility to meet people at mutually convenient times and to support them in going to community activities. The total amount of work for each post will average out at one day per week: post holders will be paid at this rate on an annualized hours basis. The post is until the end of February 2018, to start in April 2017 or as soon as possible thereafter. Any experience of working in services which support people with mental health problems, or voluntary sector community experience, are both assets for this work.
You can find more information about this post on the NHS jobs website: https://www.jobs.nhs.uk/xi/vacancy/9f27c8ce53a7d619995f3edb43ad7bb5/?vac_ref=914513220

SHAK seeks Wellbeing and Employment development worker
South Hampstead and Kilburn Community Partnership £26-27000 p.a
Lead an innovative Wellbeing project enabling residents to lead new health initiatives and expand their employment and progression horizons.
Full details at https://www.charityjob.co.uk/jobs/wellbeing-and-employment-development-worker/490402?tsId=8

SHAK seeks Community Engagement Manager
South Hampstead and Kilburn Community Partnership Salary Circa £30,000
Community Engagement Manager required to launch and lead an innovative Lottery funded project and manage other social engagement projects.
Full detials at https://www.charityjob.co.uk/jobs/view/490253?tsId=8

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.

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/

Changes to adult social care Consultations
The council are consulting on two specific proposals: day centres and financial contributions. Both consultations will run until 9 April 2017:
Financial contributions (paying for care):
Monday 6 February, 10am to 12 noon. Kingsgate Community Centre, 107 Kingsgate Rd, London NW6 2JH
Tuesday 14 February, 10am to 12 noon. Queen’s Crescent Community Centre, 45 Ashdown Crescent, NW5 4QE
Thursday 23 February, 1pm to 3pm. Great Croft Resource Centre, Cromer Street, WC1H 8LF
Day centres and services:
Friday 10 March, 10am to 12 noon. Henderson Court Resource Centre, 102 Fitzjohn’s Ave, NW3 6NS
Full details in the Healthwatch Camden website.

The Abbey Community Centre has rooms for Hire
We have various sized rooms to rent which would suit community groups looking to run meetings, classes, workshops & supervised recreational activities. Sorry, but we don’t cater for birthday parties, social functions or wedding receptions.
Office space for hire
We have fully furnished desk & office space available too, for short or long term rent from just £77 per week, ideal for a community project to share the fantastic atmosphere.
For more information on availability, rates and to arrange a visit to view the rooms please give us a call on 020 7624 8378 or email reception: reception@abbeycc-kilburn.org.uk & see our website:
http://abbeycc-kilburn.org.uk/index.php/room-hire/main-hall/

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.

VAC AGM; Camden Disability Action Annual General Meeting; London Sustainability Exchange challenge; Camden Restart Party; Hampstead Neighbourhood Forum CIL Survey 2017; Somers Town Big Local seeks LTO; Spare Tyre presents Safe; Camden Youth Theatre auditions; Race Equality Foundation Event; Camden Carers Service+ funding jobs, volunteers, events, training, offers and resources.

Voluntary Action Camden’s AGM; “The Future of Health and Social Care”
Monday 13th February 5.30 – 8 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.
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. Promo video.

“The Future of Health and Social Care Services for Disabled People in Camden”
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.

Are you worried about air pollution, flooding, anti-social behaviour, food poverty, or health and wellbeing?
Perhaps you have an idea for greening your neighbourhood and need expert help to make it happen?
The London Sustainability Exchange is working with the UCL Engineering Exchange to support communities in developing ideas to solve local challenges with natural solutions. For example check out this mobile parklet or vertical rain garden in London Bridge.
If you have an idea you think could make a difference, or a challenge you want to solve and you want support to develop your ideas please get in touch.
We will be holding a forum event on 28th February 6-9pm at the Institute of Education where community groups will be matched up with green infrastructure experts.
We would prefer you to complete an application before attending the event. Please do so by Friday 17th February if you want to be matched with an expert. Click here for the application form.
Need more inspiration? Click here to read more on our website.

Camden Restart Party at the Kentish Town Community Centre
Learn to repair your own electronics to get more use out of them and reduce waste. Details here.

Hampstead Neighbourhood Forum CIL Survey 2017
Are you a Hampstead resident? Which Hampstead projects would you like to fund? A year ago, the neighbourhood forum asked how you would like Camden to spend more than £700,000 that has been allocated for infrastructure projects in Hampstead. Funds have now been earmarked for the top projects you selected, but a substantial amount is still available for other uses. Have your say on additional projects here.

The Somers Town Big Local are looking for an area organisation to act as their Locally Trusted Organisation.
Somers Town Big Local is the Lottery funded endowment of £1m to be spent on community projects over ten years. A locally trusted organisation is the organisation chosen by the ST Big Local partnership to administer and account for the distribution of the funding, and/or deliver activities or services on behalf of the ST Big Local partnership.
More about Local Trust/Big Local and LTOs can be found here
http://localtrust.org.uk/library/programme-guidance/locally-trusted-organisations/
For more information about the benefits of becoming Somers Town Local’s LTO email info@somerstownfutures.co.uk. Deadline for expression of interest is February 17.

Spare Tyre presents Safe – Take risk away, and what’s left?
At New Diorama Theatre. Wednesday 15 – Saturday 18 March 2017
With a diverse cast of mainly local older people and people with learning disabilities, Safe is part of Spare Tyre’s 40th birthday celebrations. The show follows a theatre company as they attempt to stage a play. An interruption by a Health & Safety Officer sets off a spiral into absurdity. Details here.

Camden Youth Theatre are holding auditions
Monday 27 February at 7pm
Diorama Arts Studios, 201 Drummond Street, NW1 3FE
How to book an audition: Please email Rose at arts@fitzroviacentre.org
The auditions are very informal in a group setting, and nothing needs to be prepared in advance. They are open to anyone aged 13-19 and no acting experience is necessary.

Developments in Health and Social Care
Thursday 16th February, 12:30 – 16:00pm at Race Equality Foundation in Kentish Town.
This free event will bring you up to speed on the big developments in health and social care. We will hear about the VCSE Review of how health and social care should be supporting the voluntary sector
Register on line at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/voluntary-sector-in-health-and-social-care-whats-new-tickets-30854589909

Camden Carers Service
Camden Carers Service (CCS) offers advice, support and activities for family and other unpaid carers across the borough.
Help is just a phone call away on 020 7428 8950 or email info@camdencarers.org.uk – read more about our services at www.camdencs.org.uk or www.facebook.com

Camden Patient Participation Group – Elections and News
Don’t forget to nominate yourself to the CPPEG elections. Full details here. Find out more and read the latest Camden Patient Participation Group Newsletter here.

Healthwatch Camden
View the latest news and views from Healthwatch Camden here.

Camden Capacity Building Bulletin
The February Capacity Building Bulletin is available here.

Exploring LGBTQ histories at the British Museum
A special event as part of OUTing the Past in the Great Court and BP Lecture Theatre
Sunday 19 February 2017, 11.00–16.00, Free, just drop in. Full details online.

The Abbey Community Centre has rooms for Hire
Various sizes to suit community groups looking to run meetings, workshops & supervised recreational activities and desk space available. No birthday parties, social functions or wedding receptions.
For more information on availability and rates and to arrange a visit to view the rooms please give us a call on 020 7624 8378 or email reception: reception@abbeycc-kilburn.org.uk & see our website:
http://abbeycc-kilburn.org.uk/index.php/room-hire/main-hall/

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

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

Charities call for the same tax concessions as businesses, ahead of Budget
A coalition of nine charity infrastructure bodies has written to the Chancellor Philip Hammond calling for a range of measures to match tax concessions being giving to the private sector.
One of these is increasing business rates relief to 100 per cent. The letter, which was coordinated by the Charity Finance Group (CFG) ahead of next month’s Budget, says that businesses have benefited from a £6.7bn rates cut which will see some businesses paying no rates at all. Businesses now get more favourable treatment on National Insurance, as well as the long standing problem of VAT – which is irrecoverable by charities and costs the sector £1.5bn a year. Details in Civil Society. The demands are contained in a letter that urges the government to deal with the sector in a more strategic way as opposed to the distribution of £0.5bn of libor fines that have been distributed by the treasury in a completely opaque way to a handful of charities. Full story in Third Sector.

Minister tries again to revive Social Value Act
The minister for civil society has announced that there will be another review of the Social Value Act.
Speaking at Social Enterprise UK’s Social Value Summit earlier this week, Rob Wilson said that a review will be looking at the next stage for the act and will involve roundtable discussions with “those leading the way on social value”.
Wilson said: “The Social Value Act all gives us an opportunity to collectively make things better. It gives public sector organisations the chance to achieve so much more with tax payers’ money.”
He added: “Sometimes they, and commissioners, need a bit of help so we want to work with you to explore the next phase of implementing the Social Value Act and deliver even more benefit.
“My priority is two-fold, first a public sector that is a catalyst for innovation and gets much more social-impact for every single pound that we spend. Second, a small charity and social enterprise sector that is thriving, competing effectively and being recognised for the additional benefits and huge impact that they both deliver.” Full story at Civil Society.

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

Camden Community Festival Fund 2017 – Deadline 28th February
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/

Veolia’s Recycling Fund for Communities
Boost your green project with up to £1000
Your project could receive a cash boost of up to £1,000, as well as access to materials, equipment and even people to help you get it off the ground.
Apply APPLY BY 30TH APRIL 2017.
1. Get inspired and upload your project
2. Promote your project and attract support from your local community
3. Get funded and see your project come to life
www.spacehive.com/movement/veolia

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 – deadline 8th February
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.

Bid for Better scheme 2017 – Deadline 2nd March
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

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

Wild Bunch Club
Valentines club night – on Tuesday February 14th 2017. £5
For further info contact us at The Elfrida Society on 020 7359 7443, or e-mail siren@elfrida.com

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.

Free Family Activities at the British Library January – March 2017
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

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

Recovery College
Recovery College Spring term has started. 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

Opening Doors London seeks Social Opportunities Facilitator
£15.49/hour This is a rolling vacancy and applications will be considered as they are received.
Opening Doors London is the largest provider of information and support services with and for older Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans*people in the United Kingdom. We aim to ensure that older LGBT* people live happier, healthier and independent lives free from prejudice and discrimination. Everything we do is informed by the lived experience of LGBT* older people.
ODL currently provides over 40 social opportunities each month. This role will involve working alongside the team to provide support to existing groups and activities as well as developing new initiatives to meet the needs of our members.
You will be responsible for setting up and managing activities [such as arranging venues and speakers], recruiting and supporting volunteers and providing local marketing.
If you are interested in being one of our LGBT* sessional team, please see the application pack including the full job description and person specification at the following link in our website www.ageukcamden.org.uk / www.openingdoorslondon.org.uk or email HR@openingdoorslondon.org.uk

Voluntary Acton camden – Trustee Vacancies
Voluntary Action Camden (VAC) is seeking two new trustees to join its existing board. VAC supports individuals and groups to get involved in civil society and develops ways of sharing good practice and resources. We are looking for individuals who have an enthusiastic appreciation and understanding of Camden’s community sector and who want to see the sector thrive in the coming years. We are particularly interested in individuals with fundraising and marketing experience. If you would like more information, then please go to our website where you’ll find details of the job role and how to apply, together with more information about VAC’s strategic objectives and the work we do. If you would like an informal discussion before applying, please contac Simone Hensby shensby@vac.org.uk

Community Navigator
These innovative posts involve supporting people to become less lonely and to develop more social contact. The successful applicant will join a team of community navigators employed by Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust and will support people with enduring depression or anxiety who use mental health services in Camden, Islington or Barnet. These posts are part of a nationally-funded research study. The post holder will feedback to the research team and contribute to developing and evaluating this programme.
The role will require flexibility to meet people at mutually convenient times and to support them in going to community activities. The total amount of work for each post will average out at one day per week: post holders will be paid at this rate on an annualized hours basis. The post is until the end of February 2018, to start in April 2017 or as soon as possible thereafter. Any experience of working in services which support people with mental health problems, or voluntary sector community experience, are both assets for this work.
You can find more information about this post on the NHS jobs website: https://www.jobs.nhs.uk/xi/vacancy/9f27c8ce53a7d619995f3edb43ad7bb5/?vac_ref=914513220

Volunteer Centre Camden are recruiting a part-time finance assistant
The role is 4 hours a week (very flexible), £24,000 pro rata and has an immediate start.
Check out all of the details and apply on the Indeed website.

SHAK seeks Wellbeing and Employment development worker
South Hampstead and Kilburn Community Partnership £26-27000 p.a
Lead an innovative Wellbeing project enabling residents to lead new health initiatives and expand their employment and progression horizons.
Full details at https://www.charityjob.co.uk/jobs/wellbeing-and-employment-development-worker/490402?tsId=8

SHAK seeks Community Engagement Manager
South Hampstead and Kilburn Community Partnership Salary Circa £30,000
Community Engagement Manager required to launch and lead an innovative Lottery funded project and manage other social engagement projects.
Full detials at https://www.charityjob.co.uk/jobs/view/490253?tsId=8

Clean Break seeks Female Catering Volunteers
We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to assist the Catering Team with preparation and serving of nutritious food to our service users, maintaining Health & Safety and kitchen hygiene Standards.
Food Preparation – catering for daily lunches and internal and external events, with tasks including prepping, cooking, dishing up and serving, washing up and cleaning up kitchen. Ingredients will be cooked, frozen, tinned to create healthily meat and vegetation dishes. Assist with quarterly blitz of kitchen-deep clean of equipment and kitchen space.
This role would suit someone who enjoys cooking and working as part of a team
A basic level of cooking knowledge and ability to follow instruction is essential
Long or short term commitment from now – July 2017 with availability Monday-Thursday
Weekdays 11.00am-2.30pm (Tuesdays 11.00-3pm) Some flexibility
Cv, interview, reference, trial period, DBS
The post is open to women only (exempt under the Equality Act 2010 Schedule 9, Part 1)
Contact Samantha McNeil, Samantha.McNeil@cleanbreak.org.uk, 020 7482 8600 or 020 7482 8621

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.

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/

Changes to adult social care Consultations
The council are consulting on two specific proposals: day centres and financial contributions. Both consultations will run until 9 April 2017:
Financial contributions (paying for care):
Monday 6 February, 10am to 12 noon. Kingsgate Community Centre, 107 Kingsgate Rd, London NW6 2JH
Tuesday 14 February, 10am to 12 noon. Queen’s Crescent Community Centre, 45 Ashdown Crescent, NW5 4QE
Thursday 23 February, 1pm to 3pm. Great Croft Resource Centre, Cromer Street, WC1H 8LF
Day centres and services:
Friday 10 March, 10am to 12 noon. Henderson Court Resource Centre, 102 Fitzjohn’s Ave, NW3 6NS
Full details in the Healthwatch Camden website.

Basic computer skills for refugees/asylum seekers
10 computers available, on a fortnightly basis, for an hour and a half at Swiss Cottage Library for refugees/asylum seekers looking to learn basic computer skills. Contact David Ury for information email: david.ury@hotmail.co.uk

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

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.

VAC AGM; Camden Disability Action Annual General Meeting; Council Leader’s letter over US travel ban; Changes to adult social care Consultations; Basic computer skills for refugees/asylum seekers; Wild Bunch Club; RCO Connect; Camden Capacity Building Bulletin; Nominate yourself to the CPPEG elections; Exploring LGBTQ histories; Women’s Health course at the Recovery College + funding jobs, volunteers, events, training, offers and resources.

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.

Council Leader offers support to Camden communities over US travel ban
Camden Council Leader Sarah Hayward has written to community and faith groups to reassure them that hate and division will not be tolerated in Camden. Read the letter.

Voluntary Action Camden’s AGM; “The Future of Health and Social Care”
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.

Changes to adult social care Consultations
The council are consulting on two specific proposals: day centres and financial contributions. Both consultations will run until 9 April 2017:
Financial contributions (paying for care):
Monday 6 February, 10am to 12 noon. Kingsgate Community Centre, 107 Kingsgate Rd, London NW6 2JH
Tuesday 14 February, 10am to 12 noon. Queen’s Crescent Community Centre, 45 Ashdown Crescent, NW5 4QE
Thursday 23 February, 1pm to 3pm. Great Croft Resource Centre, Cromer Street, WC1H 8LF
Day centres and services:
Friday 10 March, 10am to 12 noon. Henderson Court Resource Centre, 102 Fitzjohn’s Ave, NW3 6NS
Full details in the Healthwatch Camden website.

Basic computer skills for refugees/asylum seekers
10 computers available, on a fortnightly basis, for an hour and a half at Swiss Cottage Library for refugees/asylum seekers looking to learn basic computer skills. Contact David Ury for information email: david.ury@hotmail.co.uk

Wild Bunch Club
Valentines club night – on Tuesday February 14th 2017. £5
For further info contact us at The Elfrida Society on 020 7359 7443, or e-mail siren@elfrida.com

RCO Connect January 2017
Strengthening the capacity of London’s Migrant and Refugee Community Organisations. Read the latest edition here.

Camden Capacity Building Bulletin
The February Capacity Building Bulletin is available here.

Camden Patient Participation Group
Nominate yourself to the CPPEG elections. Full details here. Find out more and read the latest Camden Patient Participation Group Newsletter here.

Exploring LGBTQ histories at the British Museum
A special event as part of OUTing the Past in the Great Court and BP Lecture Theatre
Sunday 19 February 2017, 11.00–16.00, Free, just drop in. Full details online.

Women’s Health course at the Recovery College
This course will explore women’s health issues in a safe environment. We will look at and discuss common women’s health issues and how we can better manage them. We will focus on ways, as women, to actively look after our health and we hope that by participating in this course you will gain an awareness of what health checks are available to you and what they involve.
This course is open to women only (trans inclusive) and the tutors will be females.
Wednesday 08 February 10am-1pm
Visit us at: The Recovery College, 4 St Pancras Way (corner Granary Street), London NW1 0PE
Visit our website: www.candi.nhs.uk/recoverycollege Tel: 0203 317 6904

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

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

For The Sake Of Places And Communities Local Government And VCS Must Be Together
John Tizard writes in the Huffington Post that the last few years have not been easy for either local government or the voluntary and commumity sector (VCS). And it is not going to get any better for quite some time.

Keep it Local for better services
Faced with limited choices when it comes to providing quality, cost-effective public services, commissioners are being pushed into inefficient, centralised services and mega contracts in a bid to answer austerity’s challenges.
But there is a better way: Our Keep it Local campaign calls for locally-commissioned and delivered public services which provide substantially better outcomes and value than standardised, one-size-fits-all services.

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

Camden Community Festival Fund 2017 – Deadline 28th February
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/

Veolia’s Recycling Fund for Communities
Boost your green project with up to £1000
Your project could receive a cash boost of up to £1,000, as well as access to materials, equipment and even people to help you get it off the ground.
Apply APPLY BY 30TH APRIL 2017.
1. Get inspired and upload your project
2. Promote your project and attract support from your local community
3. Get funded and see your project come to life
www.spacehive.com/movement/veolia

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 – deadline 8th February
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.

Bid for Better scheme 2017 – Deadline 2nd March
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

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

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.

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

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
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

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

Clean Break seeks Female Catering Volunteers
We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to assist the Catering Team with preparation and serving of nutritious food to our service users, maintaining Health & Safety and kitchen hygiene Standards.
Food Preparation – catering for daily lunches and internal and external events, with tasks including prepping, cooking, dishing up and serving, washing up and cleaning up kitchen. Ingredients will be cooked, frozen, tinned to create healthily meat and vegetation dishes. Assist with quarterly blitz of kitchen-deep clean of equipment and kitchen space.
This role would suit someone who enjoys cooking and working as part of a team
A basic level of cooking knowledge and ability to follow instruction is essential
Long or short term commitment from January – July 2017 with availability Monday-Thursday
Weekdays 11.00am-2.30pm (Tuesdays 11.00-3pm) Some flexibility
Cv, interview, reference, trial period, DBS
The post is open to women only (exempt under the Equality Act 2010 Schedule 9, Part 1)
Contact Samantha McNeil, Samantha.McNeil@cleanbreak.org.uk, 020 7482 8600 or 020 7482 8621

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

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/

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

Camden Community Festival Fund; Camden Council adult social care consultations; ABC Looking for Partners in Gospel Oak/Haverstock; Camden Disability Action AGM; Exciting Opportunity to lead Camden Giving; Counselling service for Arabic, Farsi and Kurdish speaking women; Webinar on VCS and STPs with NHS England; Camden Chinese Community Centre Variety Show; SENSE Sporting Activities; Teckkie Tea Party; Torriano Poetry; Global Citizenship in a post-Brexit world; + funding jobs, volunteers, events, training, offers and resources.

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/

Camden Council adult social care consultations started on Monday 16 January and will end on 9 April 2017.
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.
You are invited to 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 by 25 January and let us know if you require assistance when you attend this event.

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.

The Board of Trustees of Camden Disability Action invite you to the 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.

Exciting Opportunity to lead Camden Giving
Director of Camden Giving Salary £40,000 (pro rata – 3 days per week)
Camden Giving is an exciting, new local fund with the aspiration to make Camden a fairer and more inclusive place to live and work. It will raise and pool donations to support grassroots community initiatives. see ‘Jobs’ section below for details.

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.

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.

Camden Chinese Community Centre Variety Show 22nd January 2017
Chinese New Year Fundraising Variety Show to Welcome the Year of the Rooster
11.00 – 12.00 Chinese food and handicraft stalls
12.00 – 3.00 Variety Show
Camden Centre, Bidborough Street, WC1H 9BT. Adults £5, Children £2 Familiy £12
Tickets are available at the centre in advance and at the door.
020 7388 8883 email silvia.chui@camdenccc.co.uk

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:
This is a great opportunity at an amazing Climbing Centre in Hackney in what was once a former Victorian pumping station.
Free Yoga classes:
After the success of our previous Yoga classes we have decided to extend these sessions which are held in the Studio room at the Pancras Leisure Centre.
Free Multi-sports sessions:
Come along and try a mix of different activities such as football, hockey, goalball, tennis and Cricket.
Free Sports themed Sensory 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

TODAY! Teckkie Tea Party, Friday 20th January
To celebrate the Launch of RecommendMe. Councillor Alison Kelly and Diane Scarrott will say a few words, then an opportunity to use RecommendMe and develop your iPads skills, whilst enjoying all the free tea and cakes you desire. Friday at 4pm at Castlehaven Community Centre!

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.

Kicking off Torriano Poetry 2017
Dempsey & Windle publishing present Eddie Chauncy, Kyle McHale and Dónall Dempsey introduced by Janice Windle. 7.30pm. £5/4 according to pocket. Poets from the floor welcome. Website.

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

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

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.

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

Faulty By Design – The State of Public Service Commissioning
Faults in publc-service commissioning came to a head when the government’s ‘Troubled Families’ initiative hit 99% success rate and most areas that took part found precisely the number of troubled families that central government predicted they would have. Reform’s latest report, Faulty by design. The state of public-service commissioning, published today, seeks to shed light on the successes and failures of the current framework and serves as a case for change from the current system. More info, interviews and full report here.

Who is afraid of the big bad Sustainability and Transformation Plan?
An interesting blog on the development of one Northern Sustainablility and Transformation Plan.

A Shared Society Has To Offer Hope, Opportunity And Social Justice Not Fear, Inequality And Austerity
David Cameron launched his “Big Society” initiative only to let it wither on the vine of government. Through the “Big Society” he wanted an increased role for volunteers, voluntary social action and charities taking over from the state. Over his period in office public sector financial support for the voluntary and community, and wider charity sector was cut as austerity was imposed. Grants were all too often replaced by contracts based on a competitive procurement process. Right of centre politicians denounced charities that spoke up for their beneficiaries and challenged Government policies.
Theresa May a few years later at a time continued austerity has launched her “Shared Society”. Will it fare any better than the “Big Society”? John Tizard, Navca Trustee, writes in the Huffington Post.

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

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:
~ improve patient experience
~ promote mental wellbeing
~ or make our services more accessible.
As well as Trust service users, we would like to encourage bids from external organisations whose service users would be benefitted in any of the above ways and benefit two or more patients or users.
In the past, Bid for Better has awarded funding for projects such as:
~ new toys and games for the children’s waiting room at the Tavistock Centre.
~ a recipe of life cooking session for Congolese parents and their teenage children.
~ cameras for the City and Hackney Community Photography Project to support a project which uses creative approaches to engage with patients who struggle with traditional therapies.
~ an outdoor gazebo ‘chill zone’ for young people at Camden Kaleidoscope.
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

Bright Ideas Fund is open
The Community Business Bright Ideas Fund aims to give your community group the support and tools to start setting up your community business. It will also give your group the early stage finance that you need need to carry out consultation with local people and feasibility studies to develop a community business idea the community wants and needs.
A programme of support and grants of up to £20,000 is available to develop your community business idea. See full details at the Locality website.

Food for London
In 2016/17 the Fund will shine a light on the disconnect between the high levels of food poverty that exist in London and the tonnes of surplus food that is thrown away, sent to anaerobic digestion or is fed to animals. Food for London will provide support to groups and charities who are using creative ways to repurpose surplus food or provide solutions to address hunger and food waste in London. Grants of between £1,000 and £20,000 are available to support work where there is clear evidence of benefit to those experiencing food poverty, disadvantage or isolation in London.
Full details and how to apply are available on the London Community Foundation website.

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

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 and 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

An Evening with Will: his sonnets in old and new versions
Presented by award-winning actress, Eve Pearce (Royal Shakespeare Company, West End productions of ‘Wild Oats’ and ‘Les Liaisons Dangereuses’, Mike Leigh’s ‘Topsy-Turvey’); and award-winning rhyming translator of Victor Hugo Timothy Adès who in his updating of Shakespeare has eschewed the letter E. And all to benefit Torriano Meeting House, the user-funded, grass-roots, volunteer-run arts and community organisation in Kentish Town.
Thursday 26 January, 7 for 7.30pm. £5/£4. Full details here.

Mapping for Change event Tuesday 24th January 1.30pm Kingsgate Resource
KOVE / Mapping for Change event at Kingsgate Resource Centre 1.30pm on Tuesday 24th January
In 2015 Mapping for Change conducted a research study on Finchley Road and local area to ascertain peoples experience of pedestrian access and how the design of the area effects peoples lives and wellbeing. KOVE and other groups of older people including at Abbey Community Centre were involved in the project. Mapping for Change will be presenting their preliminary findings for discussion.
RSVP – Mel Wright KOVE Coordinator melwillwright@gmail.com tel: 07539390786

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

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.

Exciting Opportunity to lead Camden Giving
Director of Camden Giving Salary £40,000 (pro rata – 3 days per week)
Camden Giving is an exciting, new local fund with the aspiration to make Camden a fairer and more inclusive place to live and work. It will raise and pool donations to support grassroots community initiatives. It will also establish a shared vision that includes community activism, volunteering, new opportunities to collaborate, goodwill and connections.
We are looking for an enthusiastic and experienced person who excels at working with individuals and organisations. You will also have excellent relationship building skills, experience of project management, identifying and securing income streams from various sources and the setting up a new organisation.
You will be supported by and work closely with the Steering Group. a committed group of people from the public, private and voluntary sectors. The group includes Argent, Business in the Community, Camden Town Unlimited, Camden Council, Hampstead Wells and Campden Trust, East London Business Association, Voluntary Action Camden and local residents.
Visit www.camdengiving.org.uk/jobs to apply. Closing date 23rd 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/

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.

Office Space Wanted in Camden
Space needed for social enterprise providing enterprise skills training and employability skills, supporting startups and running education programmes for children.
If your organisation has space and would like to raise funds by hosting us, please get in touch. Please note leases and complex licence agreements can be avoided, so don’t worry if you can’t provide these.
We are looking for space for 5 to 30 people and could combine more than one smaller location. Perhaps you have an unused social space, bar, hall, office or basement that we could use? It does not need to be pristine! We will redecorate and fit the space, and provide broadband (which we will happily share with you if that’s useful) and everything else that’s needed.
Please contact Jack Wratten on jackwratten@gmail.com or 07711502041

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.

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Camden Giving Job; Winter Weather Update; Camden Transition Town Groups Meeting; post-Christmas debt; Age Friendly Museums Network; Teckkie Tea Party; Camden Community Radio Workshop; dentistry in Camden; Rewired: the Brain, Art, and Innovation; + funding jobs, volunteers, events, training, offers and resources.

January is the month when the bills for all the Christmas spending start dropping through the letterbox, and many people will bury their heads in the sand when it comes to managing their debt, and it is likely to hang over them for many months.
As a voluntary organisation we know that your service users may well approach or talk to you about their money difficulties. If you knew someone with boiler problems you would refer them to a gas engineer specialist so if you know someone in debt why wouldn’t you refer them to a debt advice specialist?
Capitalise is a partnership of voluntary organisations that give free, professional, accredited advice on debt and money management and who are also independent and impartial. This means we can tailor the support for the client based upon their needs and not on targets or bonuses (we do not receive any funding or payment for recommending debt relief options – we are funded by the Money Advice Service), we also understand that everyone’s story is different and that anyone can become indebted and so offer a non-judgmental supporting environment.
To find out more please visit www.capitalise.org.uk, we are also on twitter @CapitaliseLdn

Exciting Opportunity to lead Camden Giving
Director of Camden Giving Salary £40,000 (pro rata – 3 days per week)
Camden Giving is an exciting, new local fund with the aspiration to make Camden a fairer and more inclusive place to live and work. It will raise and pool donations to support grassroots community initiatives. see ‘Jobs’ section below for details.

Winter Weather Update
Get the latest from Camden Council here.
Get advice from the NHS on staying well here.
Get tips on staying warm this winter from Age UK Camden here.

Camden Transition Town Groups Meeting
You’re invited to a meeting of local Transition Town groups- listen in, maybe get involved! Wed 18 Jan at Primrose Hill Community Centre, 29 Hopkinsons Place, London NW1 8TN.

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 and stroke survivors

Teckkie Tea Party, Friday 20th January
To celebrate the Launch of RecommendMe. Councillor Alison Kelly and Diane Scarrott will say a few words, then an opportunity to use RecommendMe and develop your iPads skills, whilst enjoying all the free tea and cakes you desire.
We look forward to welcoming you next Friday at 4pm at Castlehaven Community Centre!

Free Workshop with Camden Community Radio Tomorrow
Learn how to write, record and edit a radio package at our studio in Camden. Tweet us for more info.

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.

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

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

Camden Giving, Refugee Therapy Centre, Culpeper Community Garden, Sante Refugee Mental Health Project, Elfrida Rathbone , VAC, Kings Cross Construction Centre, Age UK Camden and Camden PA are recruiting. See Jobs and Volunteers section below.

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

Big Society become Shared Society
Prime Minister Theresa May has said that a key part of her “shared society” vision for the UK involves “creating an environment in which our charities and social enterprises can thrive”. She pledged to support initiatives such as National Citizen Service, the Points of Light awards to recognise volunteers and supporting the #iwill campaign which was a central part of David Cameron’s big society agenda.
She has also asked Mind CEO to work with “employers and mental health groups to create a new partnership with industry.” She pledged £14M to support mental health (about 20p per person). Full story in Civil Society. The third sector press north of the border was more skeptical of the initiative, with Third Force News calling it a “sham” and warning politicians to “keep off our territory.”

Commissioning (Again)
The Guardian has an excellent article “Fairer UK charity contracts will demand long-term government support” which pinpoints the current commissioning culture as part of the problem. The article says that small charities are losing out and therefore depriving the public sector (and their clients) of local expertise and reach. The article sets out the governments plan to tackle the problems but warns that the plans may take some time and still depend on local commissioners seeing the value of the sector.

The Holocaust and the Antiques Roadshow
This Sunday, BBC One will broadcast a special edition of Antiques Roadshow, focusing on a group of Holocaust survivors and showing objects that help tell their stories. Among the objects featured in this episode are a pair of striped trousers worn in Auschwitz and a gold coin used by a family as vital currency when fleeing over the Pyrenees and a children’s board game from 1938 called Juden Raus. Full details at the Weiner Library website.

How getting to know the community you work in helps strength based social care
An interesting blog post from the Deputy Director, Integrated Commissioning, Adult Social Care, Leeds City Council and Leeds North Clinical Commissioning Group on the value of really getting to know your community and the challenge for staff who live elsewhere in very different places.

Charities and Campaigning still under attack
Attacks by politicians on charities for campaigning continue, the latest being the Prime Minister, Theresa May, attacking the Red Cross as “irresponsible“. NCVO have produced an excellent guide to “How to talk about charities and campaigning” which sets out the positive argument for why charities should campaign and what is allowed within the law. Paul Perkins, a former Charity Commissioner has also written an excellent piece telling the story of how RNIB campaigning lead to a revolution in NHS services to deaf people (the story can be repeated for disability, mental health etc etc).

 

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

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:
~ improve patient experience
~ promote mental wellbeing
~ or make our services more accessible.
As well as Trust service users, we would like to encourage bids from external organisations whose service users would be benefitted in any of the above ways and benefit two or more patients or users.
In the past, Bid for Better has awarded funding for projects such as:
~ new toys and games for the children’s waiting room at the Tavistock Centre.
~ a recipe of life cooking session for Congolese parents and their teenage children.
~ cameras for the City and Hackney Community Photography Project to support a project which uses creative approaches to engage with patients who struggle with traditional therapies.
~ an outdoor gazebo ‘chill zone’ for young people at Camden Kaleidoscope.
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

Bright Ideas Fund is open
The Community Business Bright Ideas Fund aims to give your community group the support and tools to start setting up your community business. It will also give your group the early stage finance that you need need to carry out consultation with local people and feasibility studies to develop a community business idea the community wants and needs.
A programme of support and grants of up to £20,000 is available to develop your community business idea. See full details at the Locality website.

Food for London
In 2016/17 the Fund will shine a light on the disconnect between the high levels of food poverty that exist in London and the tonnes of surplus food that is thrown away, sent to anaerobic digestion or is fed to animals. Food for London will provide support to groups and charities who are using creative ways to repurpose surplus food or provide solutions to address hunger and food waste in London. Grants of between £1,000 and £20,000 are available to support work where there is clear evidence of benefit to those experiencing food poverty, disadvantage or isolation in London.
Full details and how to apply are available on the London Community Foundation website.

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

Book Now: Volunteer Managers’ Training, Forum + Lunch
Join us at our next volunteer management training which will be followed by a networking lunch and volunteer managers’ forum.
The day will kick off with volunteer management training session, ‘How To Support Volunteers With Mental Health Issues’, delivered by Iuliana Dinu from Volunteer Centre Kensington and Chelsea.
The networking lunch and forum will follow the training. Topics will be varied, and can be anything you want to discuss that relates to managing volunteers.
All of this will take place
Wednesday 18th January, 10am-3pm
Kelly Street Congregational Church Hall, Kelly Street, Kentish Town, NW1 8PH
Check out the full details and book your free tickets on Eventbrite.

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 Other Events section 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

Development of Child House
There will be a voluntary sector meeting about the development of Child House (an important new initiative to respond to Child Sexual Abuse) in North-Central London. This is led by MOPAC and NHS England (London region) and funded by the Home Office.
MOPAC and NHS England (London region) have secured funding from the Home Office Police Innovation Fund to introduce two ‘Child Houses’ to London. These will be the first of their kind.
The two Child Houses will be operational from late Summer 2017. It is expected that at each Child House 400 children and young people will be supported each year, with this number likely to grow.
2pm-4pm 18th January 2017 at Resource for London 356 Holloway Road London N7 6PA
Mary Crawford & Leanda Richardson Commissioning workstream leads
Mcrawford481@btinternet.com; leanda.richardson@ntlworld.com

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

Camden Intergenerational Network (CIN) meeting
The next Camden Intergenerational Network (CIN) meeting will be held on Thursday 19th January 2017 at Age UK Camden, Tavis House, 1-6 Tavistock Square WC1H 9NA from 10am-12pm. Anyone with an interest in intergenerational activities is more than welcome to attend and meet others from Camden. Queries to Corinna Gray at ageingbetterincamden@ageukcamden.org.uk You can find out more about CIN at http://www.ageingbetterincamden.org.uk/camden-intergenerational-network/
See ‘other events’ below for details of the next course on intergenerational working on 18th January.

An Evening with Will: his sonnets in old and new versions
Presented by award-winning actress, Eve Pearce (Royal Shakespeare Company, West End productions of ‘Wild Oats’ and ‘Les Liaisons Dangereuses’, Mike Leigh’s ‘Topsy-Turvey’); and award-winning rhyming translator of Victor Hugo Timothy Adès who in his updating of Shakespeare has eschewed the letter E. And all to benefit Torriano Meeting House, the user-funded, grass-roots, volunteer-run arts and community organisation in Kentish Town.
Thursday 26 January, 7 for 7.30pm. £5/£4. Full details here.

Mapping for Change event Tuesday 24th January 1.30pm Kingsgate Resource
KOVE / Mapping for Change event at Kingsgate Resource Centre 1.30pm on Tuesday 24th January
In 2015 Mapping for Change conducted a research study on Finchley Road and local area to ascertain peoples experience of pedestrian access and how the design of the area effects peoples lives and wellbeing. KOVE and other groups of older people including at Abbey Community Centre were involved in the project. Mapping for Change will be presenting their preliminary findings for discussion.
RSVP – Mel Wright KOVE Coordinator melwillwright@gmail.com tel: 07539390786

Free film making course for women starts January 2017
If you are a local woman aged 18 plus who is interested in the arts, media or creative industries and wants to broaden your skills, you can apply now to join our FREE four to five week film-making course, starting January 2017.
http://news.camden.gov.uk/lights-camera-action—film-making-opportunity-for-local-women/

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.

National Theatre Community Programme – Introduction to Performance
Wed 18-Jan – Wed 15-March, 7pm-9pm, £180
A chance to explore different approaches to performance in a safe and supportive environment.
Led by theatre director Michael Bryher, this nine-week course is most suitable for those who have not had any prior training. (£144 Concessions, Bursaries Available)
Apply Now before Sun 18-December https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk

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

An introduction to intergenerational working Wed 18 January 2-17 9.45am – 4.30pm
An intensive one-day training session ideal for people who would like to organise activities or projects which bring together older and younger people, improve their intergenerational practice or make their organisation or service more age-inclusive. Free
Training and Development Centre, Crowndale Centre, 218-220 Eversholt Street, London NW1 1BD
To book your place go to www.camdentds.co.uk, search for the course and request a place.
For queries and to make bookings without an account, please email tdsonline@camden.gov.uk or contact Vanda Carter – vanda.carter@camden.gov.uk / 020 7974 2810.

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

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.

Exciting Opportunity to lead Camden Giving
Director of Camden Giving Salary £40,000 (pro rata – 3 days per week)
Camden Giving is an exciting, new local fund with the aspiration to make Camden a fairer and more inclusive place to live and work. It will raise and pool donations to support grassroots community initiatives. It will also establish a shared vision that includes community activism, volunteering, new opportunities to collaborate, goodwill and connections.
We are looking for an enthusiastic and experienced person who excels at working with individuals and organisations. You will also have excellent relationship building skills, experience of project management, identifying and securing income streams from various sources and the setting up a new organisation.
You will be supported by and work closely with the Steering Group. a committed group of people from the public, private and voluntary sectors. The group includes Argent, Business in the Community, Camden Town Unlimited, Camden Council, Hampstead Wells and Campden Trust, East London Business Association, Voluntary Action Camden and local residents.
Visit www.camdengiving.org.uk/jobs to apply. Closing date 23rd January.

Leighton Education Cookery Tutor, Kentish Town
7 hours per week, term time only £26,342 pro rata (including inner London weighting)
Closing date: 5pm on Friday 13th January 2017
The Cookery Tutor will be responsible for delivering weekly cookery sessions to 16-25 year olds with mild to moderate learning difficulties and autism at The Leighton Education Project. The lessons will support students to develop a range of independent living skills to help them bridge the transition from adolescence to adulthood.
For more information or to apply for this post, please go to http://www2.elfridacamden.org.uk/work-with-us/
You will need to e-mail a completed application form and equal opportunities monitoring form to Rosanna@elfridacamden.org.uk by Friday 13th January 2017.

Age UK Camden Vacancies
Primary Care Navigator
Local Government Scale SO1 £29,133 – £30,830 pa fixed term contract to March 2018 plus weekend allowance plus 6% contributory pension. (This post may be extended subject to funding)
The Navigator will support those aged 60+ with long term conditions and their carers to access timely care and community support services. Close work with GPs and other practice staff is required as is accurate record keeping using IT systems. Through timely intervention and care co-ordination, unnecessary hospital admissions, GP appointments and residential placements will be reduced.
Closing date: Wednesday 18th January 2017 – 5pm
Interview date: Wednesday 25th January 2017
Direct Payments Support Worker (part-time)
Salary S01 £29,133 to £30,830 including LW pro rata for 21 hours/week (actual £17,479.80 to 18,498 pa), initial until September 2017 with possibility of extension
You will promote the direct payments service, and assist in providing support to older people including from BME communities who wish to receive or are receiving direct payments from the London Borough of Camden.
Essential requirements: knowledge and understanding of the main principles of direct payments; understanding of and commitment to the social model of disability; understanding of the issues/needs relating to older people; experience of giving information and advice to individuals and groups; excellent numeracy, case management and communication skills; good initiative; ability to use Microsoft Word and Excel.
Closing date for receipt of completed application forms is 5pm on Monday 16th January 2017. Interviews will be held on Monday 23rd January 2017.
Personal Health Budgets Direct Payments Support Worker
(17.5 hours per week) Fixed Term Contract to 31st March 17 – ideally to start asap
Local Government Scale SO1 £29,133 – £30,830 pro rata for 17.5 hours plus 6% contributory pension.
Personalisation Support In Camden (PSIC) is a subsidiary of Age UK Camden. It is a new venture, which has been set up to provide Direct Payments support to under 65’s in Camden until a new disability user led organisation is established.
You will promote the direct payments service, with particular emphasis on Personal Health Budgets for Mental Health service users and also assist in providing support to disabled people, including those with learning difficulties, under 65 years of age, mental health service users, and parents of Disabled Children who wish to receive or are receiving direct payments from the London Borough of Camden.
Please note that as this post requires someone as soon as possible we will be considering applications as they are received and interviewing on a rolling basis.
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. A secondment may be considered

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/

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.

Office Space Wanted in Camden
Space needed for social enterprise providing enterprise skills training and employability skills, supporting startups and running education programmes for children.
If your organisation has space and would like to raise funds by hosting us, please get in touch. Please note leases and complex licence agreements can be avoided, so don’t worry if you can’t provide these.
We are looking for space for 5 to 30 people and could combine more than one smaller location. Perhaps you have an unused social space, bar, hall, office or basement that we could use? It does not need to be pristine! We will redecorate and fit the space, and provide broadband (which we will happily share with you if that’s useful) and everything else that’s needed.
Please contact Jack Wratten on jackwratten@gmail.com or 07711502041

Bus Consultation
TfL are consulting on changes to a number of bus routes and services which will affect Camden residents. Especially routes routes 3, 6, 8, 15, 22, 23, 25, 46, 73, 137, 172, 242, 332, 390, 425, 452, C2, N2, N3, N8, N15, N22 and N73. Details at TfL website.

North Central London Sustainability and Transformation Plan
Camden Council have now held two public meetings about the STP. You can read a summary of the STP here or the full publication here. You can read the Leader of Camden Council’s statement here and Camden CCG statement about the STP here, Campaigners have raised concerns. A major consultation with patients, the public and VCS is expected soon. Navca’s advice for the voluntary sector can be found here. Two notable quotes about STPs are:
“locally, the best source of support for linking with the voluntary sector is frequently the council for voluntary services (CVS)…”
“In many ways, STPs represent a complex ‘workaround’ to the fragmentation and complexity introduced by the Health and Social Care Act”.
You can read Healthwatch Camden’s statement to today’s consultation meeting STP here.

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.

Exciting Opportunity to lead Camden Giving; ILM Certificate in Team Leadership; Development of Child House; Camden Safeguarding Children Board Annual Conference; Community Action Project for older people in the West Euston/Regents Park; Community Asset Map for Bangladeshi Elders; Camden Intergenerational Network (CIN) meeting; An Evening with Will; Mapping for Change; Free film making course for women; HR Support in Camden + funding jobs, volunteers, events, training, offers and resources.

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.

Exciting Opportunity to lead Camden Giving
Director of Camden Giving Salary £40,000 (pro rata – 3 days per week)
Camden Giving is a place based giving initiative; a bottom-up, collaborative approach with the aspiration to make Camden a fairer and more inclusive place to live and work. It will raise and pool donations to support grassroots community initiatives. It will also establish a shared vision that includes community activism, volunteering, new opportunities to collaborate, goodwill and connections.
We are looking for an enthusiastic and experienced person who excels at working with individuals and organisations. You will also have excellent relationship building skills, experience of project management, identifying and securing income streams from various sources and the setting up a new organisation.
You will be supported by and work closely with the Steering Group. a committed group of people from the public, private and voluntary sectors. The group includes Argent, Business in the Community, Camden Town Unlimited, Camden Council, Hampstead Wells and Campden Trust, East London Business Association, Voluntary Action Camden and local residents.
Visit www.camdengiving.org.uk/jobs to apply.

Development of Child House
There will be a voluntary sector meeting about the development of Child House (an important new initiative to respond to Child Sexual Abuse) in North-Central London. This is led by MOPAC and NHS England (London region) and funded by the Home Office.
MOPAC and NHS England (London region) have secured funding from the Home Office Police Innovation Fund to introduce two ‘Child Houses’ to London. These will be the first of their kind.
The two Child Houses will be operational from late Summer 2017. It is expected that at each Child House 400 children and young people will be supported each year, with this number likely to grow.
2pm-4pm 18th January 2017 at Resource for London 356 Holloway Road London N7 6PA
Mary Crawford & Leanda Richardson Commissioning workstream leads
Mcrawford481@btinternet.com; leanda.richardson@ntlworld.com

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

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.

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.

Camden Intergenerational Network (CIN) meeting
The next Camden Intergenerational Network (CIN) meeting will be held on Thursday 19th January 2017 at Age UK Camden, Tavis House, 1-6 Tavistock Square WC1H 9NA from 10am-12pm. Anyone with an interest in intergenerational activities is more than welcome to attend and meet others from Camden. Queries to Corinna Gray at ageingbetterincamden@ageukcamden.org.uk You can find out more about CIN at http://www.ageingbetterincamden.org.uk/camden-intergenerational-network/
See ‘other events’ below for details of the next course on intergenerational working on 18th January.

An Evening with Will: his sonnets in old and new versions
Presented by award-winning actress, Eve Pearce (Royal Shakespeare Company, West End productions of ‘Wild Oats’ and ‘Les Liaisons Dangereuses’, Mike Leigh’s ‘Topsy-Turvey’); and award-winning rhyming translator of Victor Hugo Timothy Adès who in his updating of Shakespeare has eschewed the letter E. And all to benefit Torriano Meeting House, the user-funded, grass-roots, volunteer-run arts and community organisation in Kentish Town.
Thursday 26 January, 7 for 7.30pm. £5/£4. Full details here.

Mapping for Change event Tuesday 24th January 1.30pm Kingsgate Resource
KOVE / Mapping for Change event at Kingsgate Resource Centre 1.30pm on Tuesday 24th January
In 2015 Mapping for Change conducted a research study on Finchley Road and local area to ascertain peoples experience of pedestrian access and how the design of the area effects peoples lives and wellbeing. KOVE and other groups of older people including at Abbey Community Centre were involved in the project. Mapping for Change will be presenting their preliminary findings for discussion.
RSVP – Mel Wright KOVE Coordinator melwillwright@gmail.com tel: 07539390786

Free film making course for women starts January 2017
If you are a local woman aged 18 plus who is interested in the arts, media or creative industries and wants to broaden your skills, you can apply now to join our FREE four to five week film-making course, starting January 2017.
http://news.camden.gov.uk/lights-camera-action—film-making-opportunity-for-local-women/

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 Other Events section below for full details.

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

Elfrida Rathbone , VAC, Kings Cross Construction Centre, Age UK Camden and Camden PA are recruiting. See Jobs and Volunteers section below.

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

Camden Council’s Cabinet outline concerns about the North Central London Sustainability and Transformation Plan
Following discussion by Camden Council’s Cabinet last week (Wednesday December 14), the Leader of the Council, Sarah Hayward, has written to the Convenor of the North Central London Sustainability and Transformation Plan to outline concerns that the council, partners and residents have about the plan. Full statement and letter on the LB Camden website.

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

Working in Barnet or with Barnet Residents? You may be eligible to apply to the The Barnet Giving Fund
Apply by January 13, 2017 for a small grant of £1,000 – £5,000. Grant decisions will be made in March 2017.
Apply for grants under the following themes:
1. Community Links
2. Resilience and independence
Applications from organisations with an annual turn-over of less than £150,000 are very welcome.
Applications are accepted ONLY through the London Community Foundation’s online application portal. Guidelines, access to the application form and application guidance can be found here:
http://www.londoncf.org.uk/grants/available-grants/barnet.aspx

Bid for Better scheme 2017
The Bid for Better scheme awards grants of up to £400 towards activities or equipment to:
~ improve patient experience
~ promote mental wellbeing
~ or make our services more accessible.
As well as Trust service users, we would like to encourage bids from external organisations whose service users would be benefitted in any of the above ways and benefit two or more patients or users.
In the past, Bid for Better has awarded funding for projects such as:
~ new toys and games for the children’s waiting room at the Tavistock Centre.
~ a recipe of life cooking session for Congolese parents and their teenage children.
~ cameras for the City and Hackney Community Photography Project to support a project which uses creative approaches to engage with patients who struggle with traditional therapies.
~ an outdoor gazebo ‘chill zone’ for young people at Camden Kaleidoscope.
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

Bright Ideas Fund is open
The Community Business Bright Ideas Fund aims to give your community group the support and tools to start setting up your community business. It will also give your group the early stage finance that you need need to carry out consultation with local people and feasibility studies to develop a community business idea the community wants and needs.
A programme of support and grants of up to £20,000 is available to develop your community business idea. See full details at the Locality website.

Food for London
In 2016/17 the Fund will shine a light on the disconnect between the high levels of food poverty that exist in London and the tonnes of surplus food that is thrown away, sent to anaerobic digestion or is fed to animals. Food for London will provide support to groups and charities who are using creative ways to repurpose surplus food or provide solutions to address hunger and food waste in London. Grants of between £1,000 and £20,000 are available to support work where there is clear evidence of benefit to those experiencing food poverty, disadvantage or isolation in London.
Full details and how to apply are available on the London Community Foundation website.

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

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.

National Theatre Community Programme – Introduction to Performance
Wed 18-Jan – Wed 15-March, 7pm-9pm, £180
A chance to explore different approaches to performance in a safe and supportive environment.
Led by theatre director Michael Bryher, this nine-week course is most suitable for those who have not had any prior training. (£144 Concessions, Bursaries Available)
Apply Now before Sun 18-December https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk

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

An introduction to intergenerational working Wed 18 January 2-17 9.45am – 4.30pm
An intensive one-day training session ideal for people who would like to organise activities or projects which bring together older and younger people, improve their intergenerational practice or make their organisation or service more age-inclusive. Free
Training and Development Centre, Crowndale Centre, 218-220 Eversholt Street, London NW1 1BD
To book your place go to www.camdentds.co.uk, search for the course and request a place.
For queries and to make bookings without an account, please email tdsonline@camden.gov.uk or contact Vanda Carter – vanda.carter@camden.gov.uk / 020 7974 2810.

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

Leighton Education Cookery Tutor, Kentish Town
7 hours per week, term time only £26,342 pro rata (including inner London weighting)
Closing date: 5pm on Friday 13th January 2017
The Cookery Tutor will be responsible for delivering weekly cookery sessions to 16-25 year olds with mild to moderate learning difficulties and autism at The Leighton Education Project. The lessons will support students to develop a range of independent living skills to help them bridge the transition from adolescence to adulthood.
For more information or to apply for this post, please go to http://www2.elfridacamden.org.uk/work-with-us/
You will need to e-mail a completed application form and equal opportunities monitoring form to Rosanna@elfridacamden.org.uk by Friday 13th January 2017.

Age UK Camden Vacancies
Primary Care Navigator
Local Government Scale SO1 £29,133 – £30,830 pa fixed term contract to March 2018 plus weekend allowance plus 6% contributory pension. (This post may be extended subject to funding)
The Navigator will support those aged 60+ with long term conditions and their carers to access timely care and community support services. Close work with GPs and other practice staff is required as is accurate record keeping using IT systems. Through timely intervention and care co-ordination, unnecessary hospital admissions, GP appointments and residential placements will be reduced.
Closing date: Wednesday 18th January 2017 – 5pm
Interview date: Wednesday 25th January 2017
Direct Payments Support Worker (part-time)
Salary S01 £29,133 to £30,830 including LW pro rata for 21 hours/week (actual £17,479.80 to 18,498 pa), initial until September 2017 with possibility of extension
You will promote the direct payments service, and assist in providing support to older people including from BME communities who wish to receive or are receiving direct payments from the London Borough of Camden.
Essential requirements: knowledge and understanding of the main principles of direct payments; understanding of and commitment to the social model of disability; understanding of the issues/needs relating to older people; experience of giving information and advice to individuals and groups; excellent numeracy, case management and communication skills; good initiative; ability to use Microsoft Word and Excel.
Closing date for receipt of completed application forms is 5pm on Monday 16th January 2017. Interviews will be held on Monday 23rd January 2017.
Personal Health Budgets Direct Payments Support Worker
(17.5 hours per week) Fixed Term Contract to 31st March 17 – ideally to start asap
Local Government Scale SO1 £29,133 – £30,830 pro rata for 17.5 hours plus 6% contributory pension.
Personalisation Support In Camden (PSIC) is a subsidiary of Age UK Camden. It is a new venture, which has been set up to provide Direct Payments support to under 65’s in Camden until a new disability user led organisation is established.
You will promote the direct payments service, with particular emphasis on Personal Health Budgets for Mental Health service users and also assist in providing support to disabled people, including those with learning difficulties, under 65 years of age, mental health service users, and parents of Disabled Children who wish to receive or are receiving direct payments from the London Borough of Camden.
Please note that as this post requires someone as soon as possible we will be considering applications as they are received and interviewing on a rolling basis.
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. A secondment may be considered

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/

Office Space Wanted in Camden
Space needed for social enterprise providing enterprise skills training and employability skills, supporting startups and running education programmes for children.
If your organisation has space and would like to raise funds by hosting us, please get in touch. Please note leases and complex licence agreements can be avoided, so don’t worry if you can’t provide these.
We are looking for space for 5 to 30 people and could combine more than one smaller location. Perhaps you have an unused social space, bar, hall, office or basement that we could use? It does not need to be pristine! We will redecorate and fit the space, and provide broadband (which we will happily share with you if that’s useful) and everything else that’s needed.
Please contact Jack Wratten on jackwratten@gmail.com or 07711502041

Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STPs) Further Update
NCL scrutiny committee held two consultation meetings. Councillors from across the political spectrum from the five north London boroughs expressed the depth of anxiety in councils about the proposals. NHS leaders have warned that full consultation on the plans is impossible. There is an interesting article in Huffington Post on STPs. Councils have warned that there is not enough for primary care funding. And the National Health Executive has warned that requests in the plans for capital exceed the available funds.

Bus Consultation
TfL are consulting on changes to a number of bus routes and services which will affect Camden residents. Especially routes routes 3, 6, 8, 15, 22, 23, 25, 46, 73, 137, 172, 242, 332, 390, 425, 452, C2, N2, N3, N8, N15, N22 and N73. Details at TfL website.

North Central London Sustainability and Transformation Plan
Camden Council have now held two public meetings about the STP. You can read a summary of the STP here or the full publication here. You can read the Leader of Camden Council’s statement here and Camden CCG statement about the STP here, Campaigners have raised concerns. A major consultation with patients, the public and VCS is expected soon. Navca’s advice for the voluntary sector can be found here. Two notable quotes about STPs are:
“locally, the best source of support for linking with the voluntary sector is frequently the council for voluntary services (CVS)…”
“In many ways, STPs represent a complex ‘workaround’ to the fragmentation and complexity introduced by the Health and Social Care Act”.
You can read Healthwatch Camden’s statement to today’s consultation meeting STP here.

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.

Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STPs) Further Update; Camden Intergenerational Network (CIN) meeting; Small charities in crisis but fear not…here comes the government; HR Support from VAC; PPG Newsletter; Cancer training; Wild Bunch Club Christmas Special; Recovery College; Christmas 2016 Volunteering Opportunities + funding jobs, volunteers, events, training, offers and resources.

“Camden Council’s Cabinet last night agreed to the Council’s proposed approach to developing a new adult social care strategy for older people and disabled people in Camden, including a revised savings and investment programme. It also agreed with plans to change how the Council commissions activities and services for these residents during the day, moving to a more neighbourhood based network of support across Council and voluntary sector organisations.
Cabinet agreed on plans to consult on revisions to the current contributions policy to make sure it is fair and in line with the Care Act 2014.. It also approved plans to consult on the development of two specialist centres in the borough – one at Kingsgate resource centre, specialising in services for older people and one at the new Greenwood centre, specialising in services for people with learning disabilities and people with mental ill-health.
These consultations will run in parallel, starting in January, with residents urged to have their say. Read the full statement here.”

Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STPs) Further Update
NCL scrutiny committee held two consultation meetings. Councillors from across the political spectrum from the five north London boroughs expressed the depth of anxiety in councils about the proposals. NHS leaders have warned that full consultation on the plans is impossible. There is an interesting article in Huffington Post on STPs. Councils have warned that there is not enough for primary care funding. And the National Health Executive has warned that requests in the plans for capital exceed the available funds.

Camden Intergenerational Network (CIN) meeting
The next Camden Intergenerational Network (CIN) meeting will be held on Thursday 19th January 2017 at Age UK Camden, Tavis House, 1-6 Tavistock Square WC1H 9NA from 10am-12pm. Anyone with an interest in intergenerational activities is more than welcome to attend and meet others from Camden. If you have any questions, please email Corinna Gray at ageingbetterincamden@ageukcamden.org.uk You can find out more about CIN at http://www.ageingbetterincamden.org.uk/camden-intergenerational-network/

Small charities in crisis but fear not…here comes the government
Toby Blume, Chair of Barnet Giving looks at The excellent ‘Commissioning in Crisis’ report from the Lloyds Bank Foundation which recently set out how ‘broken commissioning threatens the survival of small charities’. And then reviews the governments response – , a programme to help get small charities into the public service supply chain.

HR Support from VAC
Caroline Jepson, VAC’s HR Advisor has a new telephone number – 020 7284 6551. Her e-mail remains the same – cjepson@vac.org.uk. At present, due to funding from Camden, Caroline can provide 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 at the VAC office on Thursdays but, to suit your requirements for one-to-one support, is available on other days by arrangement.
See also the free HR training available to Camden groups listed in this bulletin under Training.

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

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

Wild Bunch Club Christmas Special – Tuesday 20th December 2016 – 7pm-11pm
‘A club night run by people with learning difficulties for everyone’
Electrowerkz in Angel. Something for everyone from 16 DJs in 2 rooms.
For further info contact siren@elfrida.com or ring the Elfrida Society on 020 7359 7443.

Recovery College
Recovery College Spring term starts 4 January 2017. Enrolment opens 16 December.
If you would like to find out more about the courses take a look at the Recovery College Spring 2017 course guide.

Looking for love (stories)
Refugee Week coordinator Counterpoints Arts is looking for love stories about people from different walks of life – immigrants and refugees, young and old, African and Middle Eastern, European and Indian, men and women, gay and straight. The stories will delve beyond the labels of ‘refugee’ and ‘asylum seeker’ to celebrate something that we all share. If you have a suggestion, or for more information, email emily@counterpointsarts.org.uk.

Office Space Wanted in Camden
Space needed for social enterprise providing enterprise skills training and employability skills, supporting startups and running education programmes for children.
If your organisation has space and would like to raise funds by hosting us, please get in touch. Please note leases and complex licence agreements can be avoided, so don’t worry if you can’t provide these.
We are looking for space for 5 to 30 people and could combine more than one smaller location. Perhaps you have an unused social space, bar, hall, office or basement that we could use? It does not need to be pristine! We will redecorate and fit the space, and provide broadband (which we will happily share with you if that’s useful) and everything else that’s needed.
Please contact Jack Wratten on jackwratten@gmail.com or 07711502041

Free HR Courses for Camden Organisations
The Communities and Third Sector team at Camden Council are offering Camden voluntary and community groups a series of HR training workshops. See Other Events section below for full details.

Refugee Therapy Centre, VAC, Kings Cross Construction Centre, Refugee Therapy Centre, Age UK Camden and Camden PA are recruiting. See Jobs and Volunteers section below.

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

NCVO site attempts to address public ignorance of charities
NCVO have started work on a website to try to dispel myths and educate the public about what charities do and how they work. You can view the website at howcharitieswork.com

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

Working in Barnet or with Barnet Residents? You may be eligible to apply to the The Barnet Giving Fund
Apply by January 13, 2017 for a small grant of £1,000 – £5,000. Grant decisions will be made in March 2017.
Apply for grants under the following themes:
1. Community Links
2. Resilience and independence
Applications from organisations with an annual turn-over of less than £150,000 are very welcome.
Applications are accepted ONLY through the London Community Foundation’s online application portal. Guidelines, access to the application form and application guidance can be found here:
http://www.londoncf.org.uk/grants/available-grants/barnet.aspx

Bid for Better scheme 2017
The Bid for Better scheme awards grants of up to £400 towards activities or equipment to:
~ improve patient experience
~ promote mental wellbeing
~ or make our services more accessible.
As well as Trust service users, we would like to encourage bids from external organisations whose service users would be benefitted in any of the above ways and benefit two or more patients or users.
In the past, Bid for Better has awarded funding for projects such as:
~ new toys and games for the children’s waiting room at the Tavistock Centre.
~ a recipe of life cooking session for Congolese parents and their teenage children.
~ cameras for the City and Hackney Community Photography Project to support a project which uses creative approaches to engage with patients who struggle with traditional therapies.
~ an outdoor gazebo ‘chill zone’ for young people at Camden Kaleidoscope.
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

GALAXY Hot Chocolate Fund opens on 7th November
Through the Fund, Galaxy will be donating seventy awards of £300 to warm hearted community projects and people. The fund is open from 7 November to 26th February. For information go to www.galaxyhotchocolate.com

Bright Ideas Fund is open
The Community Business Bright Ideas Fund aims to give your community group the support and tools to start setting up your community business. It will also give your group the early stage finance that you need need to carry out consultation with local people and feasibility studies to develop a community business idea the community wants and needs.
A programme of support and grants of up to £20,000 is available to develop your community business idea. See full details at the Locality website.

Food for London
In 2016/17 the Fund will shine a light on the disconnect between the high levels of food poverty that exist in London and the tonnes of surplus food that is thrown away, sent to anaerobic digestion or is fed to animals. Food for London will provide support to groups and charities who are using creative ways to repurpose surplus food or provide solutions to address hunger and food waste in London. Grants of between £1,000 and £20,000 are available to support work where there is clear evidence of benefit to those experiencing food poverty, disadvantage or isolation in London.
Full details and how to apply are available on the London Community Foundation website.

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

Crossroads Women’s Centre invites children and their mums / dads / nans / carers to a Kids’ Party – Saturday 17 December 2-4pm
with Captain Fantastic 2.30-3.30pm
Entrance and refreshments free.
Party Games, Face Painting, Pizza Snacks, Lucky Dip, Tea & Cake
25 Wolsey Mews, Kentish Town NW5 2DX
Tel: 0207 482 2496 contact@crossroadswomen.net Web: www.crossroadswomen.net

Middle Eastern Women & Society Organisation Celebration Event
Community Celebration: Green Towers Community Centre 7 Plevna Road Edmonton London N9 0BU
Saturday; 17 December 2016, Start: 12.00pm
Food and drink. Traditional Middle Eastern Fashion Show. Lots of entertainment.
Everybody is welcome! For more information please contact 07958145666

St Pancras and Somers Town Living Centre Celebrating Christmas Around the World
Saturday 17th December 12.00 – 3.00pm, 2 Ossulston Street, NW1
Festive fun, crafts, carols and dance performances. hello@thelivingcentre.org 07958 164725

Discover Songwriting – FREE 6-week course starting Tues 10 Jan 2017
Explore lyric writing and melody in this fun and relaxed 6-week course to help express your feelings, boost your confidence and feel good. No experience necessary! There will be song templates in a few different genres to choose from. Over the course you will write and develop lyrics to create your own individual song and have the chance to record it in weeks 5/6.
Each session is 2 hours and will contain a combination of warm-ups, practical exercises, listening, discussion, a little music history and very light theory.
The Kentish Town Health Centre, 2 Bartholomew Road, NW5. Tuesdays from 10.01.17 for 6 weeks.
Group 1: 10am – 12 midday. Group 2: 1pm – 3pm.
Spaces are limited so email ibmuso@gmail.com today to book your free place. Please include which group you’d like to attend and your contact details.

National Theatre Community Programme – Introduction to Performance
Wed 18-Jan – Wed 15-March, 7pm-9pm, £180
A chance to explore different approaches to performance in a safe and supportive environment.
Led by theatre director Michael Bryher, this nine-week course is most suitable for those who have not had any prior training. (£144 Concessions, Bursaries Available)
Apply Now before Sun 18-December https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk

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

An introduction to intergenerational working Wed 18 January 2-17 9.45am – 4.30pm
An intensive one-day training session ideal for people who would like to organise activities or projects which bring together older and younger people, improve their intergenerational practice or make their organisation or service more age-inclusive. Free
Training and Development Centre, Crowndale Centre, 218-220 Eversholt Street, London NW1 1BD
To book your place go to www.camdentds.co.uk, search for the course and request a place.
For queries and to make bookings without an account, please email tdsonline@camden.gov.uk or contact Vanda Carter – vanda.carter@camden.gov.uk / 020 7974 2810.

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.
Managing Misconduct Wednesday 16th November 2016
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/managing-misconduct-registration-27067000126
Handling Workplace Investigations Wednesday 7th December 2016
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/handling-workplace-investigations-registration-27067050276
Staff Appraisals Thursday 12th January 2017
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

Age UK Camden Vacancies
Primary Care Navigator
Local Government Scale SO1 £29,133 – £30,830 pa fixed term contract to March 2018 plus weekend allowance plus 6% contributory pension. (This post may be extended subject to funding)
The Navigator will support those aged 60+ with long term conditions and their carers to access timely care and community support services. Close work with GPs and other practice staff is required as is accurate record keeping using IT systems. Through timely intervention and care co-ordination, unnecessary hospital admissions, GP appointments and residential placements will be reduced.
Closing date: Wednesday 18th January 2017 – 5pm
Interview date: Wednesday 25th January 2017
Direct Payments Support Worker (part-time)
Salary S01 £29,133 to £30,830 including LW pro rata for 21 hours/week (actual £17,479.80 to 18,498 pa), initial until September 2017 with possibility of extension
You will promote the direct payments service, and assist in providing support to older people including from BME communities who wish to receive or are receiving direct payments from the London Borough of Camden.
Essential requirements: knowledge and understanding of the main principles of direct payments; understanding of and commitment to the social model of disability; understanding of the issues/needs relating to older people; experience of giving information and advice to individuals and groups; excellent numeracy, case management and communication skills; good initiative; ability to use Microsoft Word and Excel.
Closing date for receipt of completed application forms is 5pm on Monday 16th January 2017. Interviews will be held on Monday 23rd January 2017.
Personal Health Budgets Direct Payments Support Worker
(17.5 hours per week) Fixed Term Contract to 31st March 17 – ideally to start asap
Local Government Scale SO1 £29,133 – £30,830 pro rata for 17.5 hours plus 6% contributory pension.
Personalisation Support In Camden (PSIC) is a subsidiary of Age UK Camden. It is a new venture, which has been set up to provide Direct Payments support to under 65’s in Camden until a new disability user led organisation is established.
You will promote the direct payments service, with particular emphasis on Personal Health Budgets for Mental Health service users and also assist in providing support to disabled people, including those with learning difficulties, under 65 years of age, mental health service users, and parents of Disabled Children who wish to receive or are receiving direct payments from the London Borough of Camden.
Please note that as this post requires someone as soon as possible we will be considering applications as they are received and interviewing on a rolling basis.
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. A secondment may be considered

Camden Carers Centre Vacancies
Project Manager, Working for Carers Programme
£22,400 per annum (£28,000 FTE) 28 per week
Location: Camden and Central South London locations
Camden Carers Centre has an exciting opportunity for a Project Manager to develop, plan and implement the new Working for Carers programme. This project is jointly funded by the Big Lottery Fund and the European Social Fund.
The post holder will be responsible for developing a comprehensive employment support project for unemployed and economically inactive unpaid carers across Camden, Merton, Richmond, Kingston, Sutton, Wandsworth; Central South London. The project will need to include a range of activities that can be tailored to meet individual carers’ needs, including one-to-one support, peer and group activities and time-limited in-work support to enable sustainable employment. This project will be delivered as part of a wider programme of activity across all London boroughs aimed at developing an effective and replicable service delivery model for employability support services supporting unpaid carers.
Employment Personal Adviser (2 posts)
£20,000 [£25,000 FTE] 28 per week
Location: Chalk Farm
Camden Carers Centre has a fantastic opportunity for 2 Employment Personal Advisers to deliver engaging employment support activities as part of the new Working for Carers programme. This project is jointly funded by the Big Lottery Fund and the European Social Fund.
Your focus will be on delivering engaging activities that enable unemployed and economically inactive unpaid carers aged 25 and over across Camden, Merton, Richmond, Kingston, Sutton, Wandsworth and Central South London to address their personal barriers to entering, returning to or sustaining employment. These tailored activities will include one-to-one support, peer and group activities and time-limited in-work support to enable sustainable employment.
For both posts you can download an application pack from our website: www.camdencs.org.uk. If you have problems downloading the application pack you can request one via email: info@camdencarers.org.uk, or telephone 020 7428 8950. Only applicants who have the right to work in the UK or have a valid visa or work permit for a minimum of six months at the time of application will be considered for the role.
Closing date for applications is midnight on 21st December 2016 with interviews on Friday 6th January 2017 at our offices in Chalk Farm

Christmas 2016 Volunteering Opportunities
Thinking of volunteering over Christmas? Head over to the Volunteer Centre Camden website to see a range of opportunties.

Hopscotch Asian Women’s Centre seeks Bengali speaking Care Coordinator (maternity cover) for the Homecare Service.
Care Coordinator (maternity cover), 21hrs per week (participate in the on call rota) £23, 122 pro rata incl. ILW Closing date: Wednesday 21st December 2016 at 12.00pm
For an informal discussion about the post, please contact Melissa McClelland, Registered Homecare Manager. For all other details and an application pack, please contact Ruksana Begum, HR Administrator: Tel: 020 7388 8198 E-mail: info@hopscotchawc.org.uk : www.hopscotchawc.org.uk

Could you be a volunteer tour guide at Highgate Cemetery?
Whether you love Highgate Cemetery for its beautiful tranquillity, its interesting stories or its spotlight on Victorian history, Highgate Cemetery is a wonderful place to volunteer. Guides needed for weekends and weekdays. No previous experience necessary, full training provided. Apply by Wednesday 14 January to secure a place on a new year training course. Elle Hazlewood
Volunteering Manager, Highgate Cemetery E: elle@highgatecemetery.org T: 020 8347 2474

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.

The Refugee Therapy Centre Seeks Two Posts
Bi-Lingual Psychodynamic Counsellor/Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist
Sessional, depending on the need of clients and Centre requirements
Deadline: 5th January 2016
The person interested to join our team on intercultural therapy must be a qualified Psychoanalytical Psychotherapist resistered with BAP, BCP, or UKCP-CPJA, or Psychodynamic Counsellor ­fully accredited by BACP.
Priority will be given to those fluent in Arabic, Farsi and Turkish language, with some experience of working with refugees, asylum seekers and other minorities.
Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist/ Clinical Psychologist
Sessional, depending on clients need and Centre’s requirements
Deadline: 6pm 5th January 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 your recent CV and covering letter detailing your suitability for the role to:
Refugee Therapy Centre, 1A Leeds Place, Tollington Park, London N4 3RF
Suitable candiadates are interviewed soon after their application and shortlising.
Job pack on http://www.refugeetherapy.org.uk/get-involved/vacancies/bi-lingual-counsellorpsychotherapist.aspx
For further information, please write to: info@refugeetherapy.org.uk.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. *RTC is committed to Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults and will carry out enhance DBS and full pre-employment checks of selected candidates, as well as two references.

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/

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.

Bus Consultation
TfL are consulting on changes to a number of bus routes and services which will affect Camden residents. Especially routes routes 3, 6, 8, 15, 22, 23, 25, 46, 73, 137, 172, 242, 332, 390, 425, 452, C2, N2, N3, N8, N15, N22 and N73. Details at TfL website.

North Central London Sustainability and Transformation Plan
Camden Council have now held two public meetings about the STP. You can read a summary of the STP here or the full publication here. You can read the Leader of Camden Council’s statement here and Camden CCG statement about the STP here, Campaigners have raised concerns. A major consultation with patients, the public and VCS is expected soon. Navca’s advice for the voluntary sector can be found here. Two notable quotes about STPs are:
“locally, the best source of support for linking with the voluntary sector is frequently the council for voluntary services (CVS)…”
“In many ways, STPs represent a complex ‘workaround’ to the fragmentation and complexity introduced by the Health and Social Care Act”.
You can read Healthwatch Camden’s statement to today’s consultation meeting STP here.

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.

National Warning that Commissioning is in Crisis; Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STP) Latest ; Bus Consultation; National Theatre Community Programme; HR Support from VAC; Crossroads Women’s Centre Party; Christmas Markets; PPG Newsletter; Volunteer Centre Camden; Share your views on dentistry; Discover Songwriting; Barnet Giving Fund; Bid for Better; Christmas 2016 Volunteering Opportunities + funding jobs, volunteers, events, training, offers and resources.

Lloyds TSB Foundation are warning that Broken Commissioning Threatens the Survival of Small Charities and warns of widespread closure of small charities. The report warns that we “urgently need common sense reforms to ensure small charities are able to compete for contracts on a level playing field. This isn’t about spending more money, but making better use of the funds that are available”. The Guardian has picked up the story and writes: “Research finds government’s ‘shockingly complicated’ tendering processes threatens the survival of smaller charities. Smaller charities are being shut out of competition for government and council contracts by “shockingly complicated”, bureaucratic and inappropriate processes…”
The future of many smaller charities with priceless local knowledge and connections is being put at risk by their inability to comply with the myriad requirements and paperwork that typifies official tendering, the analysis suggests.” Civil Society also has an article about commissioning in crisis.
Lloyds TSB Foundation have published a thoughtful article about their reasons for sounding the alarm as well as “Championing Small Charities” containing practical suggestions for funders including:
~ Work with local charities to better understand who they work with, the existing services in your area and learn from their expertise about what support is needed
~ Ensure any commissioning involves contract sizes and processes proportionate to what you are trying to achieve to allow small charities to have a fair chance of succeeding
~ Use grants wherever possible
~ Improve transparency in commissioning and supply chains and challenge bad practice
~ Provide core, long term funding for small and local charities

Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STP) Latest
Have Your Say on the Sustainability and Transformation Plans for Camden. The meeting for voluntary and community organisations is on 14th Dec 5–7:30 at the Town Hall, Judd St. Full details at http://bit.ly/2h2234b
You can read Healthwatch Camden’s statement to today’s consultation meeting STP here.

Bus Consultation
TfL are consulting on changes to a number of bus routes and services which will affect Camden residents. Especially routes routes 3, 6, 8, 15, 22, 23, 25, 46, 73, 137, 172, 242, 332, 390, 425, 452, C2, N2, N3, N8, N15, N22 and N73. Details at TfL website.

National Theatre Community Programme – Introduction to Performance
Wed 18-Jan – Wed 15-March, 7pm-9pm, £180
A chance to explore different approaches to performance in a safe and supportive environment.
Led by theatre director Michael Bryher, this nine-week course is most suitable for those who have not had any prior training. (£144 Concessions, Bursaries Available)
Apply Now before Sun 18-December https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk

HR Support from VAC
Caroline Jepson, VAC’s HR Advisor has a new telephone number – 020 7284 6551. Her e-mail remains the same – cjepson@vac.org.uk. At present, due to funding from Camden, Caroline can provide 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 at the VAC office on Thursdays but, to suit your requirements for one-to-one support, is available on other days by arrangement.
See also the free HR training available to Camden groups listed in this bulletin under Training.

Crossroads Women’s Centre invites children and their mums / dads / nans / carers to a Kids’ Party – Saturday 17 December 2-4pm
with Captain Fantastic 2.30-3.30pm
Entrance and refreshments free.
Party Games, Face Painting, Pizza Snacks, Lucky Dip, Tea & Cake
25 Wolsey Mews, Kentish Town NW5 2DX
Tel: 0207 482 2496 contact@crossroadswomen.net Web: www.crossroadswomen.net

Christmas Markets
This weekend there are Christmas Markets everywhere including West Hampstead at West End Green, Queens’ Crescent Market, and Primrose Hill.

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

Volunteer Centre Camden
You can read the latest Volunteer Centre Camden newsletter, including news on the Volunteer Awards and Christmas volunteering here.

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.

Discover Songwriting – FREE 6-week course starting Tues 10 Jan 2017
Explore lyric writing and melody in this fun and relaxed 6-week course to help express your feelings, boost your confidence and feel good. No experience necessary! There will be song templates in a few different genres to choose from. Over the course you will write and develop lyrics to create your own individual song and have the chance to record it in weeks 5/6.
Each session is 2 hours and will contain a combination of warm-ups, practical exercises, listening, discussion, a little music history and very light theory.
The Kentish Town Health Centre, 2 Bartholomew Road, NW5. Tuesdays from 10.01.17 for 6 weeks.
Group 1: 10am – 12 midday. Group 2: 1pm – 3pm.
Spaces are limited so email ibmuso@gmail.com today to book your free place. Please include which group you’d like to attend and your contact details.

Free HR Courses for Camden Organisations
The Communities and Third Sector team at Camden Council are offering Camden voluntary and community groups a series of HR training workshops. See Other Events section below for full details.

Refugee Therapy Centre, VAC, Kings Cross Construction Centre, Refugee Therapy Centre, Age UK Camden and Camden PA are recruiting. See Jobs and Volunteers section below.

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

Advice for Daniel Blake
If you saw I, Daniel Blake and wondered what advice he should have been given, then the advisers at the Zacchaeus 2000 Trust have put their heads together and come up with some answers. Their assessment is revealing. Merely the fact that it took an entire team of knowledgeable and experienced case workers tells you something.

Four human rights and equality watchdogs snubbed by minister for disabled people after raising serious concerns about response to report that found it guilty of “grave or systematic” violations of the UN disability convention
The UN’s committee on the rights of persons with disabilities (CRPD) said last month that the UK government had discriminated against disabled people across three key parts of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). Now the UK’s official independent mechanism (UKIM) for monitoring implementation of the convention – the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland and the Scottish Human Rights Commission – has called on the UK government to “urgently reconsider” its response to the UN report. Read more at Disability News Service.

Standard Article Defends Charity for Business Sake
In an unusual move the Standard has written an article in defence of charity. Not only is that unusual but it is on the city page, written by the business editor. It seems that falling trust across institutions is beginning to alarm the city.

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

Working in Barnet or with Barnet Residents? You may be eligible to apply to the The Barnet Giving Fund
Apply by January 13, 2017 for a small grant of £1,000 – £5,000. Grant decisions will be made in March 2017.
Apply for grants under the following themes:
1. Community Links
2. Resilience and independence
Applications from organisations with an annual turn-over of less than £150,000 are very welcome.
Applications are accepted ONLY through the London Community Foundation’s online application portal. Guidelines, access to the application form and application guidance can be found here:
http://www.londoncf.org.uk/grants/available-grants/barnet.aspx

Bid for Better scheme 2017
The Bid for Better scheme awards grants of up to £400 towards activities or equipment to:
~ improve patient experience
~ promote mental wellbeing
~ or make our services more accessible.
As well as Trust service users, we would like to encourage bids from external organisations whose service users would be benefitted in any of the above ways and benefit two or more patients or users.
In the past, Bid for Better has awarded funding for projects such as:
~ new toys and games for the children’s waiting room at the Tavistock Centre.
~ a recipe of life cooking session for Congolese parents and their teenage children.
~ cameras for the City and Hackney Community Photography Project to support a project which uses creative approaches to engage with patients who struggle with traditional therapies.
~ an outdoor gazebo ‘chill zone’ for young people at Camden Kaleidoscope.
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

GALAXY Hot Chocolate Fund opens on 7th November
Through the Fund, Galaxy will be donating seventy awards of £300 to warm hearted community projects and people. The fund is open from 7 November to 26th February. For information go to www.galaxyhotchocolate.com

Bright Ideas Fund is open
The Community Business Bright Ideas Fund aims to give your community group the support and tools to start setting up your community business. It will also give your group the early stage finance that you need need to carry out consultation with local people and feasibility studies to develop a community business idea the community wants and needs.
A programme of support and grants of up to £20,000 is available to develop your community business idea. See full details at the Locality website.

Food for London
In 2016/17 the Fund will shine a light on the disconnect between the high levels of food poverty that exist in London and the tonnes of surplus food that is thrown away, sent to anaerobic digestion or is fed to animals. Food for London will provide support to groups and charities who are using creative ways to repurpose surplus food or provide solutions to address hunger and food waste in London. Grants of between £1,000 and £20,000 are available to support work where there is clear evidence of benefit to those experiencing food poverty, disadvantage or isolation in London.
Full details and how to apply are available on the London Community Foundation website.

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

CPPEG open meeting Monday 12th December (2-4pm) at St Pancras Hospital
The presentations and presenters for CPPEG open meeting on the 12th December are as follows:
Presentation 1: What are Camden CCG plans for digital communications between patients and General Practices?
Presentation 2: What is the patient experience telling Central and North West (CNWL) NHS Foundation Trust?
Please RSVP: Martin Emery, t Tel: 020 3688 1755 Email: martin.emery@camdenccg.nhs.uk

Middle Eastern Women & Society Organisation Celebration Event
Community Celebration: Green Towers Community Centre 7 Plevna Road Edmonton London N9 0BU
Saturday; 17 December 2016, Start: 12.00pm
Food and drink. Traditional Middle Eastern Fashion Show. Lots of entertainment.
Everybody is welcome! For more information please contact 07958145666

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

St Pancras and Somers Town Living Centre Celebrating Christmas Around the World
Saturday 17th December 12.00 – 3.00pm, 2 Ossulston Street, NW1
Festive fun, crafts, carols and dance performances. hello@thelivingcentre.org 07958 164725

An introduction to intergenerational working Wed 18 January 2-17 9.45am – 4.30pm
An intensive one-day training session ideal for people who would like to organise activities or projects which bring together older and younger people, improve their intergenerational practice or make their organisation or service more age-inclusive. Free
Training and Development Centre, Crowndale Centre, 218-220 Eversholt Street, London NW1 1BD
To book your place go to www.camdentds.co.uk, search for the course and request a place.
For queries and to make bookings without an account, please email tdsonline@camden.gov.uk or contact Vanda Carter – vanda.carter@camden.gov.uk / 020 7974 2810.

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.
Managing Misconduct Wednesday 16th November 2016
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/managing-misconduct-registration-27067000126
Handling Workplace Investigations Wednesday 7th December 2016
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/handling-workplace-investigations-registration-27067050276
Staff Appraisals Thursday 12th January 2017
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

Christmas 2016 Volunteering Opportunities
Thinking of volunteering over Christmas? Head over to the Volunteer Centre Camden website to see a range of opportunties.

Hopscotch Asian Women’s Centre seeks Bengali speaking Care Coordinator (maternity cover) for the Homecare Service.
Care Coordinator (maternity cover), 21hrs per week (participate in the on call rota) £23, 122 pro rata incl. ILW Closing date: Wednesday 21st December 2016 at 12.00pm
For an informal discussion about the post, please contact Melissa McClelland, Registered Homecare Manager. For all other details and an application pack, please contact Ruksana Begum, HR Administrator: Tel: 020 7388 8198 E-mail: info@hopscotchawc.org.uk : www.hopscotchawc.org.uk

Could you be a volunteer tour guide at Highgate Cemetery?
Whether you love Highgate Cemetery for its beautiful tranquillity, its interesting stories or its spotlight on Victorian history, Highgate Cemetery is a wonderful place to volunteer. Guides needed for weekends and weekdays. No previous experience necessary, full training provided. Apply by Wednesday 14 January to secure a place on a new year training course. Elle Hazlewood
Volunteering Manager, Highgate Cemetery E: elle@highgatecemetery.org T: 020 8347 2474

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.

The Refugee Therapy Centre Seeks Two Posts
Bi-Lingual Psychodynamic Counsellor/Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist
Sessional, depending on the need of clients and Centre requirements
Deadline: 5th January 2016
The person interested to join our team on intercultural therapy must be a qualified Psychoanalytical Psychotherapist resistered with BAP, BCP, or UKCP-CPJA, or Psychodynamic Counsellor ­fully accredited by BACP.
Priority will be given to those fluent in Arabic, Farsi and Turkish language, with some experience of working with refugees, asylum seekers and other minorities.
Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist/ Clinical Psychologist
Sessional, depending on clients need and Centre’s requirements
Deadline: 6pm 5th January 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 your recent CV and covering letter detailing your suitability for the role to:
Refugee Therapy Centre, 1A Leeds Place, Tollington Park, London N4 3RF
Suitable candiadates are interviewed soon after their application and shortlising.
Job pack on http://www.refugeetherapy.org.uk/get-involved/vacancies/bi-lingual-counsellorpsychotherapist.aspx
For further information, please write to: info@refugeetherapy.org.uk.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. *RTC is committed to Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults and will carry out enhance DBS and full pre-employment checks of selected candidates, as well as two references.

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/

Moneytalk Camden North – Financial Education Facilitator Training Courses in 2017
Moneytalk Camden North is a project based on the award winning financial literacy resource Made of Money, developed by anti-poverty charity Quaker Social Action. It aims to help groups talk about money and its impact on their lives, as well as learn vital money management skills.
We will train you to use the resources and approach to support your own client groups.
In January (18th & 25th) we are running a 2-day training course aimed specifically at those working with groups using languages other than English.
We will also be running 2-day comprehensive training courses on 9th & 16th March, 11th & 12th July and 4th & 11th October click here to find out more and download a booking form.
Contact: mtcn@qsa.org.uk tel: 020 8983 5047

Counselling Space Needed
Street Talk which is an outreach counselling service for women in street based prostitution and women who have escaped from traffickers. Until recently we had pro bono office space and a counselling space, that has come to an end and we badly need both a space where we can see women for counselling as well as just one room as an office. Contact Pip hockton pippahockton@gmail.com

North Central London Sustainability and Transformation Plan
Camden Council have now held two public meetings about the STP. You can read a summary of the STP here or the full publication here. You can read the Leader of Camden Council’s statement here and Camden CCG statement about the STP here, Campaigners have raised concerns. A major consultation with patients, the public and VCS is expected soon. Navca’s advice for the voluntary sector can be found here. Two notable quotes about STPs are:
“locally, the best source of support for linking with the voluntary sector is frequently the council for voluntary services (CVS)…”
“In many ways, STPs represent a complex ‘workaround’ to the fragmentation and complexity introduced by the Health and Social Care Act”.

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.

Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STP) Update; Camden Young People and Refugees; 25% London; Early Action Insights event on Mental Health; Strategic Partners Event; Report your energy data; HR Support from VAC; CPPEG open meeting; Camden Council’s Transition Support Development Grant; Volunteer Awards Camden; Moneytalk Camden North; Chair of Young Camden Foundation; Christmas 2016 Volunteering Opportunities + funding jobs, volunteers, events, training, offers and resources.

Following the public meetings that the council held on the North London Sustainability and Transformation Plan you can view the presentation slides from the meeting here.
The Cabinet next meets on 14 December and it will consider the Council’s response to the draft North Central London Sustainability and Transformation Plan (NCL STP). You will be able to view the Council’s response on the Camden website in the Council and Democracy pages at http://www.camden.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/council-and-democracy/ closer to the date of the Cabinet meeting.
The full NCL STP draft document and a summary document are available on the Camden website.
If you would like feed in ideas or comments on the draft STP document, please send them to the NCL STP office at nclstpmo@nhs.net.
You can read the views of Healthwatch Camden on the STP here.

Camden Young People and Refugees
A short film about the refugee crisis seen through the eyes of a group of teenagers from Camden as they encounter activists, artists and those directly involved. Featuring Syrian refugee and activist Ahmad al-Rashid, AOI World Illustration award winner Olivier Kugler, the Jewish Museum, ice&fire theatre and campaigner Onjali Rauf who has been organizing aid with her charity Making Herstory.

25% London. Collecting the opinions of 500 young Londoners
Get involved via twitter and facebook @LondonsFuture . More info here.
The pledges will be collated into a photo montage and will be show to key city decision makers to inform their future projects. Any young person who enters is in with the chance of winning £100 or other prizes in our random draw. There is also an online survey for young people to complete.

Early Action Insights event on Mental Health Friday 9th December from 9.30am-12pm
The Early Action Task Force and Big Lottery Fund are hosting an insights event to launch a report looking at how we can act earlier to promote mental health and prevent mental illness.
Join us for a discussion involving practitioners who are pioneering early action in practice, and policymakers working in the field of mental health. The event will be chaired by BLF Chief Executive Dawn Austwick and include presentations from Mancroft Advice Project and Haringey Thinking Space.
More information, and to book a place at Eventbrite.

Strategic Partners Event
Camden held an event for it’s new Strategic Partners on Wednesday. The treasurer of Somali Youth Development Resource Centre gave one of the speeches and welcomed the decision to award the new community building at the Plimsoll building to SYDRC and Dragon Hall.

Report your energy data and receive your green mark of achievement
You can now report your carbon emissions online. CCCA have also updated the criteria of the Marks of Achievement so members who report their energy data and commit to put actions in place to reduce the energy consumption are automatically awarded the Going Green Mark. You can submit your data until 30 December. Follow the link: reporting carbon emissions form.

HR Support from VAC
Caroline Jepson, VAC’s HR Advisor has a new telephone number – 020 7284 6551. Her e-mail remains the same – cjepson@vac.org.uk. At present, due to funding from Camden, Caroline can provide 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 at the VAC office on Thursdays but, to suit your requirements for one-to-one support, is available on other days by arrangement.
See also the free HR training available to Camden groups listed in this bulletin under Training.

CPPEG open meeting Monday 12th December (2-4pm) at St Pancras Hospital
The presentations and presenters for CPPEG open meeting on the 12th December are as follows:
Presentation 1: What are Camden CCG plans for digital communications between patients and General Practices?
Presentation 2: What is the patient experience telling Central and North West (CNWL) NHS Foundation Trust?
Please RSVP: Martin Emery, Deputy Head of Engagement Tel: 020 3688 1755 Email: martin.emery@camdenccg.nhs.uk

Camden Council’s Transition Support Development Grant
Are you affected by rent support transition funding? Have you applied for the Transition Support Development Grant? If you need confidential advice and support on how to take your plans forward contact Kevin or Simone at VAC, email knunan@vac.org.uk or shensby@vac.org.uk 020 7284 6550.

Volunteer Awards Camden
Congratulations to all those who took part and the many award winners, but especially our own volunteer award winner Hasel Hooshier – well done and many thanks to all! VCC facebook page.

Moneytalk Camden North – Financial Education Facilitator Training Courses in 2017
Moneytalk Camden North is a project based on the award winning financial literacy resource Made of Money, developed by anti-poverty charity Quaker Social Action. It aims to help groups talk about money and its impact on their lives, as well as learn vital money management skills.
We will train you to use the resources and approach to support your own client groups.
In January (18th & 25th) we are running a 2-day training course aimed specifically at those working with groups using languages other than English.
We will also be running 2-day comprehensive training courses on 9th & 16th March, 11th & 12th July and 4th & 11th October click here to find out more and download a booking form.
Contact: mtcn@qsa.org.uk tel: 020 8983 5047

Free HR Courses for Camden Organisations
The Communities and Third Sector team at Camden Council are offering Camden voluntary and community groups a series of HR training workshops. See Other Events section below for full details.

Young Camden Foundation, Refugee Therapy Centre, VAC, Hopscotch, Kings Cross Construction Centre, Camden Carers Centre, Refugee Therapy Centre, Manor Gardens, Headway North London, Age UK Camden and Camden PA are recruiting. See Jobs and Volunteers section below.

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

Lloyds Bank Foundation Director Warns Lords Committee that the Value of Small Organisations is being lost
He argues that the bar for the third sector is often set higher than that demanded of other sectors. Small charities in particular face an ill-informed presumption that they’re not good at reporting or measuring their impact.
“Over the years I’ve met countless small charities and I am yet to meet one that isn’t interested in improving impact measurement. But they struggle to find any money to fund formal evaluations, so they focus on measures that relate directly to their day-to-day work. Many use industry-recognised methods, such as the Outcomes Star, that create a different, nuanced conversation with their beneficiaries at the point of “sale”. Most public and private businesses would give their eye teeth for that degree of bespoke customer experience.
From speaking with small and medium-sized charities, we hear their experiences of working with commissioners obsessed with standardising how they measure impact across diverse services. Where accountability for local provision ends up being outsourced to a small charity, commissioners frequently insist on a payment-by-results contract with often damaging effects on the charity’s ability to deliver local services.
Society can’t afford to have these services, or the impact they have on local communities, trivialised in this way. We need to measure impact through the eyes of a person receiving the service: as a good business would its consumers.”
Read the article here.

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

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

GALAXY Hot Chocolate Fund opens on 7th November
Through the Fund, Galaxy will be donating seventy awards of £300 to warm hearted community projects and people. The fund is open from 7 November to 26th February. For information go to www.galaxyhotchocolate.com

Bright Ideas Fund is open
The Community Business Bright Ideas Fund aims to give your community group the support and tools to start setting up your community business. It will also give your group the early stage finance that you need need to carry out consultation with local people and feasibility studies to develop a community business idea the community wants and needs.
A programme of support and grants of up to £20,000 is available to develop your community business idea. See full details at the Locality website.

Food for London
In 2016/17 the Fund will shine a light on the disconnect between the high levels of food poverty that exist in London and the tonnes of surplus food that is thrown away, sent to anaerobic digestion or is fed to animals. Food for London will provide support to groups and charities who are using creative ways to repurpose surplus food or provide solutions to address hunger and food waste in London. Grants of between £1,000 and £20,000 are available to support work where there is clear evidence of benefit to those experiencing food poverty, disadvantage or isolation in London.
Full details and how to apply are available on the London Community Foundation website.

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

The scourge of modern day slavery – Has the Slavery Act 2015 made any difference?
Monday December 5, 2016 from 3:30 to 6:00 Bindmans LLP, 236 Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1X
Join us as we approach Human Rights day 2016. The event is designed to provide insightful information on human trafficking and its issues. The speakers will discuss and explore how the Slavery Act and European legal tools have helped to prevent the causes of human trafficking.
RSVP as soon as possible. Limited seats available.

Middle Eastern Women & Society Organisation Celebration Event
Community Celebration: Green Towers Community Centre 7 Plevna Road Edmonton London N9 0BU
Saturday; 17 December 2016, Start: 12.00pm
Food and drink. Traditional Middle Eastern Fashion Show. Lots of entertainment.
Everybody is welcome! For more information please contact 07958145666

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

St Pancras and Somers Town Living Centre Celebrating Christmas Around the World
Saturday 17th December 12.00 – 3.00pm, 2 Ossulston Street, NW1
Festive fun, crafts, carols and dance performances. hello@thelivingcentre.org 07958 164725

An introduction to intergenerational working
An intensive one-day training session ideal for people who would like to organise activities or projects which bring together older and younger people, improve their intergenerational practice or make their organisation or service more age-inclusive.
Wednesday 18 January 2-17 9.45am – 4.30pm. Free
Training and Development Centre, Crowndale Centre, 218-220 Eversholt Street, London NW1 1BD
To book your place go to www.camdentds.co.uk, search for the course and request a place.
For queries and to make bookings without an account, please email tdsonline@camden.gov.uk or contact Vanda Carter – vanda.carter@camden.gov.uk / 020 7974 2810.

Best practice working with and for older LGBT people workshop
Tuesday 6th December 10.am – 1pm at Lumen Church & Community Centre
Please register your details here https://equalitiesdec16.eventbrite.co.uk – where you will also find more information and the full programme

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.
Managing Misconduct Wednesday 16th November 2016
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/managing-misconduct-registration-27067000126
Handling Workplace Investigations Wednesday 7th December 2016
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/handling-workplace-investigations-registration-27067050276
Staff Appraisals Thursday 12th January 2017
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

Chair of Young Camden Foundation
We are looking for a Chair for our Board of Trustees. If you have strategic and organisational leadership and management experience gained in the private, public or not-for-profit sectors and wish to support our new approach then we would like to hear from you.
Job profile and application form available from the Camden council website.
Please send the completed application form, along with your CV, to david.jaggs@camden.gov.uk before the closing date, which is 5pm on Friday 9 December.
Find out more about the Young Camden Foundation: Email eugene.griffin@camden.gov.uk or david.jaggs@camden.gov.uk. See also John Lyon’s Charity website

Christmas 2016 Volunteering Opportunities
Thinking of volunteering over Christmas? Head over to the Volunteer Centre Camden website to see a range of opportunties.

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.

The Refugee Therapy Centre Seeks Two Posts
Bi-Lingual Psychodynamic Counsellor/Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist
Sessional, depending on the need of clients and Centre requirements
Deadline: 5th January 2016
The person interested to join our team on intercultural therapy must be a qualified Psychoanalytical Psychotherapist resistered with BAP, BCP, or UKCP-CPJA, or Psychodynamic Counsellor ­fully accredited by BACP.
Priority will be given to those fluent in Arabic, Farsi and Turkish language, with some experience of working with refugees, asylum seekers and other minorities.
Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist/ Clinical Psychologist
Sessional, depending on clients need and Centre’s requirements
Deadline: 6pm 5th January 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 your recent CV and covering letter detailing your suitability for the role to:
Refugee Therapy Centre, 1A Leeds Place, Tollington Park, London N4 3RF
Suitable candiadates are interviewed soon after their application and shortlising.
Job pack on http://www.refugeetherapy.org.uk/get-involved/vacancies/bi-lingual-counsellorpsychotherapist.aspx
For further information, please write to: info@refugeetherapy.org.uk.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. *RTC is committed to Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults and will carry out enhance DBS and full pre-employment checks of selected candidates, as well as two references.

Camden Carers Centre seeks Project Manager, Working for Carers Programme
£22,400 per annum (£28,000 FTE) Fixed term to 30 September 2019 28 per week
Working in Camden and Central South London locations
Camden Carers Centre has an exciting opportunity for a Project Manager to develop, plan and implement the new Working for Carers programme. This project is jointly funded by the Big Lottery Fund and the European Social Fund.
The post holder will be responsible for developing a comprehensive employment support project for unemployed and economically inactive unpaid carers across Camden, Merton, Richmond, Kingston, Sutton, Wandsworth; Central South London. The project will need to include a range of activities that can be tailored to meet individual carers’ needs, including one-to-one support, peer and group activities and time-limited in-work support to enable sustainable employment. This project will be delivered as part of a wider programme of activity across all London boroughs aimed at developing an effective and replicable service delivery model for employability support services supporting unpaid carers.
Applicants must be willing to work outside of office hours to manage service delivery at sites across Camden, Merton, Richmond, Kingston, Sutton, Wandsworth (as required) and undergo screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
You can download an application pack from our website: www.camdencs.org.uk. If you have problems downloading the application pack you can request one via email: info@camdencarers.org.uk, or telephone 020 7428 8950
Closing date is 12am 4th December; interviews Monday 12th December at our offices in Chalk Farm

Refugee Therapy Centre seeks Volunteer Administrative Assistant
Accountable to: Fundraising and Office Manager
Flexible Working Hours – minimum of up to 2 days a week
Opening hours: Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 10.00am – 7:00pm including one hour lunch
This is a varied and challenging post, providing secretarial and administrative support to a very busy charity. It is important that the post-holder is flexible, highly self-motivated and able to work to strict deadlines. Due to the nature of the work an appreciation of confidentiality at all times is essential. The successful applicant should be able to work with a wide range of people and have a welcoming disposition. S/he needs to have proven ability in secretarial skills, organisational capacity, IT familiarity, as well as an ability to efficiently time manage.
You will find the Job Pack here: http://www.refugeetherapy.org.uk/get-involved/volunteer.aspx
If you would like to apply as a volunteer, and are able to make a minimum of 6-8 months of committment, please complete the Volunteer Application and Equal Opportunities Form, and together with your CV and covering letter send it to us by post at:
Refugee Therapy Centre, 1A Leeds Place, Tollington Park, London, N4 3RF
For further information about volunteering opportunities, please send an email to info@refugeetherapy.org.uk
RTC is committed to Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults and will carry out enhance DBS and full pre-employment checks of selected candidates, as well as two references.

Hopscotch Asian Women’s Centre seeks Employment Advisor
35 hrs per week 3 year contract £28,183 incl. ILW
For an informal discussion about the post, please contact Isabelle Terrisson, Senior Operations Manager. For all other details and an application pack, please contact Ruksana Begum, HR Administrator: Sunday 4th December 2016 at midnight.
Tel: 020 7388 8198 E-mail: info@hopscotchawc.org.uk Web:www.hopscotchawc.org.uk
Please do not send CVs as they will not be considered.

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/

Counselling Space Needed
Street Talk which is an outreach counselling service for women in street based prostitution and women who have escaped from traffickers. Until recently we had pro bono office space and a counselling space, that has come to an end and we badly need both a space where we can see women for counselling as well as just one room as an office. Contact Pip hockton pippahockton@gmail.com

North Central London Sustainability and Transformation Plan
Camden Council have now held two public meetings about the STP. You can read a summary of the STP here or the full publication here. You can read the Leader of Camden Council’s statement here and Camden CCG statement about the STP here, Campaigners have raised concerns. A major consultation with patients, the public and VCS is expected soon. Navca’s advice for the voluntary sector can be found here. Two notable quotes about STPs are:
“locally, the best source of support for linking with the voluntary sector is frequently the council for voluntary services (CVS)…”
“In many ways, STPs represent a complex ‘workaround’ to the fragmentation and complexity introduced by the Health and Social Care Act”.

Looking for some new office accommodation?
Training Link has some office space available Monday to Wednesday starting in January. Can accommodate two people comfortably. Reasonable inclusive charge. Also suitable for 1-1s and small meetings. We are situated in Somers Town at the back of the British Library. Accessible building and excellent transport links. Interested? Email Peter Lush on director@traininglink.org.uk

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.