NVSC - Newham Voluntary Sector Consortium
June 13, 2007
Live Life!
Newham Council will be launching Live Life! at the Mayors Town Show over the weekend of the 14th and 15th July.
Live Life! will build on the Big Sunday event held last year at ExCel and the aim is to have events throughout the year.
Live Life! is a programme and campaign to encourage people to make the most of their community - whether it be sport, leisure or employment opportunities - the intention will be to create an active, healthy and prosperous community.
Unlike Big Sunday where there was little or no participation in the event, by the Third Sector, Live Life! is positively recognising the contributions that the Voluntary, Community and Faith sectors make to the people of Newham. There are probably more people accessing our services than anyone else's - across the sectors we work with communities who would never access mainstream provision.
Live Life! will inform the Council and other stakeholders what we do, but will also inform them of where the gaps in provision are. This is planning for the future and the sectors need to use this opportunity to highlight the needs.
This is your opportunity to get involved right from the start - but you need to be quick as space is limited and we have less than 2 months to plan our participation in the launch.
What can you do? Well the choice is yours really. There will be static stalls which can be used either to display information, hold an activity, recruit new members etc. These stalls will be limited and there will quite clearly be a need to have a variety of providers. Alternatively you could have the freedom to roam and distribute information and speak to people if that is more appropriate.
Alternatively there will be lots of entertainment, including a community stage. So if you feel the desire to showcase your services in a more public way - this is for you.
You can also participate as part of a larger planned programme - for example if you have budding clothes designers within your organisation why not join in the Fashion Show?
Really, its that flexible! Whatever you want to do we will work with the organisers to try and make it happen - as long as its legal!
Unfortunately There is no additional money available for the event - although there may be help with dressing your stall etc.
What to do next? There is an expression of interest form included in this mailout, which will also be available on our website, simply fill it in and send it back and we will do our very best to make sure you can get involved.
Don't worry if you can't get organised by the 14th of July - there will be events happening throughout the year.
Remember it is up to you to show just how great the sectors are - there will be an expected audience of 50k - this is an amazing opportunity for us to make a real statement - we are here, we deliver and we are part of Newham.
Sarah Ruiz - Director
ENGLISH HERITAGE
Funding for voluntary organisations to support activities which promote the conservation, understanding and enjoyment of the historic environment in England. Projects should address specific, priorities, for example, the promotion of the cultural diversity of England's heritage or the encouragement of greater access to the heritage to those traditionally omitted from cultural activities.
It is anticipated that applications will be invited autumn 2007, for projects starting in April 2008. Emphasis is on supporting new initiatives and those projects which make the most effective use of voluntary effort.
For full details, contact:
23 Savile Row
London W1S 2ET
Tel: 020 7973 3288
E-mail:
guy.braithwaite@english-heritage.org.uk
Website:
www.english-heritage.org.uk
GoForIt GRANTS
The GoForIt grants programme has now been re-launched and calling all Newham residents and organisations!
Grants of up to £2,012 are on offer to bring YOUR good ideas to life to build a community fit to host the 2012 Games. If you've got a good idea to improve your community, we can help make it happen with a Go for it grant.
For an Application Form and Guidance Notes please visit the Newham Council website at:
newham.gov.uk/Services/CouncilFunding/AboutUs/GoForItGrants2007 or telephone
020 8430 2433.
THE HEDLEY FOUNDATION
The Hedley Foundation is a grant making Trust that's main aim is to assist and encourage development and change.
Its main funding objective is currently young people and their education, training, health and welfare.
Most of its grants do not exceed £5000 and are likely to go to charities where they can best make an impact. They will fund capital costs or requests that are of a one off nature, but the Trustees sometimes agree to help fund the introduction of new and innovative projects with a series of up to 3 annual grants. Revenue costs will not be funded.
To apply you must be a registered charity, applications must be received at least three weeks in advance to be considered by the next Trustees meeting. In total Trustees meet six times per year, the next meetings are 25th July, 3rd October, 28th November.
www.hedleyfoundation.org.uk
Corrine Hutcheson
After 3 years working for NVSC Corrine Hutcheson is leaving. She is taking up a new post of Community Involvement Co-ordinator for East Potential - part of the East Thames Housing group on June the 4th.
During her time with us Corrine has been responsible for the sectors, she has organised the sector meetings - ensuring that you always have the most up to date information and has provided one to one support to numerous groups. Corrine was also responsible for the sectors input at 2 successful Funding Fairs and Big Sunday.
Corrine will still be based in Newham, so we will still see her around and I am sure she will help us all to have a greater understanding of how East Thames works - and who knows there may be opportunities for the sectors to work in partnership with them.
I am sure that you will join us in wishing Corrine all the very best and to thank her for her valued contribution to the development of the sectors and NVSC.
Women in Newham Together
The month of March was a very busy time for the Faith Sector at NVSC when it held four women's multi-faith events at different locations across the borough called 'Women In Newham Together.' The events were organised in partnership with local organisations that all shared an interest in bringing women from different communities together, and ensuring there is an equal access to services for all women.
A large number of organisations participated at each event, including those that gave advice on healthy eating; information on volunteering; and also activities for the elderly to name a few. A free health check MOT proved popular at each event, as did the free beauty consultation, free Tai Chi demonstration, and refreshments!
Conflict and Change held workshops on peace and mediation, which for some provided the opportunity to speak to a woman from another community for the first time. The workshops are being continued, and it is hoped a version of the whole event will also be repeated in partnership with more local groups in the near future.
A full report has been put together on the Women's events and is available upon request, please contact NVSC. The report can also be downloaded from the NVSC website at www.nvsc.org.uk
The women's events came out of the action plans put together at NVSC's multi-faith conference in 2004. Another action plan focused on bringing young people together through the medium of music.
The 'Manor Park Community Music Project' has just been launched with its first event being held at St Barnabas Church on Saturday 30th July. The aim of the event is to introduce the project and to invite the local communities to participate by sharing their musical talent and traditions with one another. It is hoped that the project will lead to the composition of a piece of music that draws together all the different musical traditions and instruments. To attend the event, or for more information please contact James Ramsay on 020 8471 2656 or jamesaramsay@surefish.co.uk
Change Up
Over the past month, the ChangeUp partners have been working on developing programmes of support to the Voluntary, Community and Faith (VCF) sector in 'Moving from grants to commissioning and procurement'.
Questionnaire on Tendering for Public Service
Through funding from ChangeUp, NVSC, The Renewal Programme and Aston-Mansfield Community Involvement Unit are carrying out a survey to determine what barriers there may be for groups to tender to deliver public services. Please go to:
newhamchangeup.info/questionnaire if you have not already done so, complete the questionnaire and return it to Amy White, Community Development Officer, Aston-Mansfield Community Involvement Unit, Durning Hall, Earlham Grove, London, E7 9AB.
We will collate all the information gathered and produce a report outlining the main concerns, barriers and issues faced by groups. Following on from this, support packages will be developed to better equip groups to feel more confident about entering into the commissioning process. If you know of other groups that may be interested in completing the questionnaire please do forward it to them.
Learning Events on Choosing Quality Systems and Full Cost Recovery
We have had two successful training events in April and May and due to the high demand are running two further learning days:
Find out about quality systems for your organisation
One identified prerequisite for tendering for work are for organisations to have quality systems in place. To help organisations choose the best system for them, the Newham ChangeUp Partnership is running the following event:
'Choosing a Quality System'
Wednesday, 13th June 2007
9.45 - 16.15 hrs.
St. Johns Church
Stratford, E15
This course will give you an overview of quality systems and the different quality standards and models available.
Do you want to develop specialist skills & knowledge in Full Cost Recovery?
Leading funders and Local Authorities are in the process of adopting the principles of Full Cost Recovery and are encouraging organisations to submit bids using full cost recovery principle.
'Full Cost Recovery (FCR) Training Day'
Monday, 4th June 2007
10.00 - 15.30 hrs.
Luke's Community Centre
89 Tarling Road E16 1HN
This course will give you the knowledge, skills and tools to implement FCR in your organisation, and includes a guide and toolkit on cost allocation.
For full course details, see diary on the newhamchangeup.info website. Both courses are free, but places are limited so book ealy, contact Renate at NVSC on 020 8519 9500 or e-mail renate@nvsc.org.uk
Information and supporting documentation for all the above areas of work are accessible through the ChangeUp website. See 2 recent reports on Commissioning and Procurement looking at the range of issues to be addressed if the VCS are to fully
participate in the debate around their involvement in the delivery of public services:
'Procurement, Commissioning and Public Service Delivery: A view from the larger bassac members', a research paper prepared by BASSAC: www.newhamchangeup.info/BASSAC
'Common Themes on commissioning the VCS in selected Local Authorities in Greater London', a Report commissioned by London Councils: www.newhamchangeup.info/LondonCouncils
For more info , contact Renate Ruether-Greaves, ChangeUp Co-ordinator, NVSC.
Structure of the Local Strategic Partnership
The structures of the Local Strategic Partnership family is currently undergoing a review. This is being carried out externally by the Warwick University Business School. They have been carrying out telephone interviews with a cross section of people from across the partnership and there has been a feedback session with stakeholders.
It is clear from the information already gathered that communication across the LSP family is a major issue and one that needs to be remedied. Another issue is the usefulness or not of the Civic Partnership. When the LSP was first set up the Civic Partnership was the ruling body - this changed 2 years ago with the setting up of the Executive Board. This Board has representatives from across the Partnership and has worked well, however it has rather negated the need for the Civic Partnership.
Either there needs to be a new role found for the CP or it needs to be disbanded and other ways found to encourage participation.
The Warwick report should be available at the end of May - it will then be sent to all members of the partnership for discussion.
NVSC has fully participated in the review and have welcomed the moves to improve communication. This is key to the success of the Partnership especially now that, the Executive Board will oversee the Local Area Agreement and everyone needs to be aware of key issues and decisions.
Elizabeth Cuffey - LSP Coordinator has produced a newsletter which will help with communication but until the sectors are fully representative at all levels of the Partnership then we will always be playing catch -up.
LAA update
The sectors now have elected representatives on 4 out of the 6 Local Area Partnership Boards - and we are hopeful that this will improve in the next few weeks.
Your representatives are:
Building Active and Inclusive Communities - Caroline Rouse and Gurdial Bhamra.
Children & Young People - Paul Leslie, Lorraine Cavanagh, Carol Jackson (Deputy) and Cath Dillon (Deputy).
Employment & Enterprise - Colin Zetie and Helen Foster (Deputy).
Health and Wellbeing - Sue McArthey, Maureen Keane, Sahdia Warraich, John Connor and Caroline Grant (Deputy).
We do not as yet have an elected representative on the Making Newham Safer LAPB although Valerie Brown sits on this LAPB. The Environment LAPB has yet to meet.
We have now established regular meetings between the Council Lead officers and the Sector Leads - these meetings take place outside the scheduled meetings and are an informal way of discussing issues that the sector are concerned about. We have found these meetings to be very constructive.
We are also currently mapping service delivery by the sector to enable us to match current services to the LAA. This will hopefully act as a reminder to the Council that the VCF sectors can and should be considered as equal partners in delivering the outputs and outcomes required.
If you would like any further information please don't hesitate to contact Ali Ahmed on 020 8522 5354 or email ali@nvsc.org.uk
WHEELCHAIR ROLLER
15 July 2007
10am Jubilee Walkway - London
The event is being held to raise awareness of the issues surrounding wheelchair using children throughout the UK and to raise vital funds to ensure the valued work of AWC
continues.
There will be two challenge levels, a 14 mile and an 8 mile challenge. If you are not a wheelchair user,
wheelchairs will be at hand to use for the day.
For a registration form contact Jane or Amanda on 0870 121 0053/6
or email:
fundsinfo@wheelchairchildren.org.uk
Deadline for registration is 15 June.
JUST ABOUT MANAGING
19 June 2007
6pm to 8.30pm
The Froud Community Centre
1 Toronto Avenue, E12
An evening training event for
management committee members
If you would like to register your place, please contact:
Amy White at Aston-Mansfield on 020 8536 3826
Deadline for registration is 15 June.
NEWHAM ASIAN Women's PROJECT
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
6 June 2007
6pm
East Ham Town Hall, E6
Register your place by calling 020 8472 0528 or email info@nawp.org
LEARNING DIFFICULTY EQUALITY AND EASY READ AWARENESS TRAINING
14 June 2007
10am - 4pm
You are invited to a User Led Disability Equality Training that People First are offering. This is a free event. Due to the success of the last training People First have decided to offer the training again for those who could not make it the first time and for anyone else interested.
This one day course aims to look at what it means to be a person with learning difficulty and the importance of communication.
For more information or to register your place, please contact Raymond Johnson on 020 7820 6655 or email
reymond@peoplefirstltd.com
ONLINE DIARY
The Online Diary provides a common access point for available learning and other events for and by Voluntary, Community and Faith groups in Newham.
It can currently be accessed through NVSC website www.nvsc.org.uk
Profile DOVE Women's Association
DOVE Women's Association was set up in July 2006 as a community group. It was an idea of one woman who had worked and managed various voluntary organisations for years. DOVE was set up to bridge the gap in local services where most women would not access services due to various reasons. Women are most often a marginalised group. Most women frequently have complex needs and tend to fall through the gaps in service provision. DOVE team recognised this gap and decided to work with a system where workers will follow through all service users to ensure they have every opportunity to access services.
DOVE exists to Promote and Protect the Physical and Mental Health of Women and Young Children.
Mission Statement
To Identify and bring together all women of diverse communities and occupations and provide opportunities for them to help themselves and others grow personally and professionally through leadership, education, networking, support and national recognition.
Aim
To promote full participation, equality and economic self-sufficiency for all women, and to create better conditions for women through the provision of services.
Project
Dove works to empower women to access and use services available to them.
DOVE Services:
Provide confidential counselling, support and temporary accommodation for women and children experiencing domestic violence.
Provide Drug/Alcohol/Mental Health Advice, Information and support.
Provide greater access for employment
Significantly enhance the professional and personal development of women.
Encourage women and girls to acquire training and advanced education, and use their occupational capacities and intelligence for the advantage of others as well as themselves.
Promote friendship, cooperation and understanding amongst women.
Service Provision
DOVE is available to all women living within The London Borough of Newham. Our Refuge is accessible to any woman living in the UK who meets the required criteria.
DOVE provides written information, one-to-one consultation, and presentations to keep other organisations and professionals informed of the range of services available and how they may be able to provide their services to women.
DOVE also provides training to organisations and other professionals on issues effecting women so they will be able to provide an efficient and effective services for women.
DOVE provides an outreach worker who visits BME groups and churches encouraging women experiencing domestic violence to seek and assess services. Due to labelling and isolation, most women experiencing domestic violence within certain communities refuse to access services e.g. refuge for support and safety. Through effective goal setting, the team co-ordinate the level of service input to appropriately meet the service user's needs at a pace with which they can cope. The team maintain a co-ordinating role to support a person through referral and maintenance in service provision. This is particularly needed as some service users may have history of poor treatment by other services and might be reluctant to use services.
DOVE works with volunteers and provides training and supervised work experience.
Joint (Partnership) work
The key to success lies in building working relationships with professionals, organisations and individuals developing effective pathways to good service provision. DOVE Women's Association Management and the team devote time to meet with other organisations to develop joint working relationship.
DOVE builds upon statutory services contacts to enable professionals to fully understand the specific needs of our clients.
Office Space for New and Small Community Groups
Race Equality in Newham have office accommodation available for new and small charities.
Second Floor - 4 office rooms, including meeting room and own kitchen. Accommodates at least 8 workers. Furniture provided together with internet access, and use of the large conference room on the ground floor.
Rent - £12,500 per annum. Negotiable. Payable quarterly in advance.
Ground Floor - rear office, suitable for 2 workers. Furniture provided together with internet access, and use of the large conference room.
Rent - £4,500 per annum. Negotiable. Payable quarterly in advance.
For further details including viewing please call Valerie Brown or Marie Casey on 020 7473 5349. Email info@rein.uk.com
Olympics 2012 Forum
Interested in taking part in an Olympics Forum for Voluntary, Community and Faith organisations in Newham?
Recent local research has shown that many VCF organisations feel that they have had little involvement in shaping plans for the Olympics in 2012 - even though it is happening on our doorstep. Together with the Aston-Mansfield CIU and the Black & Ethnic Minority Community Care Forum, NVSC have agreed to find out if there is enough interest to set up a forum. The forum will NOT be just another talking shop, we've talked and talked, we now need to start doing some practical things.
We hope to hold an initial meeting on 'Hopes and Fears About the Olympics' but will only do this if there is sufficient interest from you.
If you think this is a good idea and would want to participate please register your interest with either Sarah Ruiz on tel 020 8519 9500 email sarah@nvsc.org.uk or
Kevin Blowe on tel 020 8519 2244 email kevin.blowe@aston-mansfield.org.uk
Discover
Discover is the UK's first hands-on story centre based in Stratford east London, we provide creative play, learning and art activities for over 45,000 children and their carers annually.
We are looking for an enthusiastic and experienced Supervisor to oversee schools and family sessions. The role includes supervising the front-of-house staff, dealing with the public and ensuring that the centre is welcoming & safe for all visitors.
We are also looking for a part-time and casual Story Builders to facilitate school sessions, events and hosting birthday parties, full training will be given.
For more info. & an application pack please contact Lucy Nicholson 020 8536 5547 or email: team@discover.org.uk
Closing date: Monday 11th June 2007
Charity Number 1070468
Criminal Records Bureau
Disclosure Checks for Voluntary and Community Groups in east London.
Aston-Mansfield is registered with the Criminal Records Bureau as an Umbrella Body that will process CRB Disclosure checks on behalf of voluntary and
community organisations in east London.
The cost is just £10 per person.. Plus the standard Criminal Records Bureau charge (currently £36 per member of staff - free for volunteers).
For further information contact:
Aston-Mansfield Community Involvement Unit on 020 8519 2244 or email
ciuenquiries@aston-mansfield.org.uk
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