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Opportunities for employees within the Voluntary Sector to support a new Youth Programme

May 22, 2019by Mazeline Hemmings in Blog, Children & Young People, Vacancies tagged , ,

Could you support children and young people vulnerable to involvement in gangs?  The Supporting Families against Youth Crime Programme runs until March 2020.  Sandwell Council is looking to fill three project team vacancies.

Individuals within the Sector can apply for a secondment to fill these vacancies. See details.

For further information, please contact Denise Hooper, Lead Community Safety Co-ordinator.  Telephone 0121 569 3352 or email denise_hooper@sandwell.gov.uk.

The closing dated for applications is Thursday, 30 May 2019.

The Gateway Programme

May 22, 2019by Leona in Blog, Funding tagged

The Gateway Programme supports congregations and local communities to look after and build a sustainable future for their church buildings.

Preference is given to projects from Churches that can demonstrate strong community engagement and sound plans for economic viability. Priority is given to projects that demonstrate support beyond the congregation, and into the future.

Gateway Grant Programme grants can be used for project development and investigative work up to RIBA planning stage 1, to support churches preparing for a major project, and in developing their project to the point at which they can approach a major grant funder.

Grants of between £3,000 and £10,000 for up to 50% of the project costs are available.
Applications are excepted from listed and unlisted Christian places of worship, of any denomination, across the UK. The Trust particularly encourages applications from priority areas i.e. North East England, Northern Ireland and Wales.

The first deadline to apply for a Gateway Grant is the 12th September 2019.
More information at: https://www.nationalchurchestrust.org/gatewaygrants

Therapeutic Drumming Sessions – Beat It Percussion

May 20, 2019by Libby Mahoney in Blog, News and Events tagged , ,

Beat It Percussion is a small Community Interest Company founded in 2013 with the aim of bringing music based activities to people in the community. They would like to invite you to attend their Therapeutic Drumming Sessions starting Tuesday 11 June 10-11.30am at Myra Harris Community Room, Brickhouse Lane, West Bromwich, B70 ODZ.

These sessions include simple rhythm and group rhythm building activities for you to enjoy the healing nature of ancient rhythms.

Benefits to health and well-being can include:

  • reduced stress and anxiety
  • Reduced muscle tension and physical pain
  • Increased well-being and positive mood
  • A chance to recharge for those with busy lives and caring responsibilities

Hand drums and percussion instruments are provided for participants with no prior knowledge or experience needed.

Dementia friendly.

Booking is essential as spaces are limited, to book call Lynn 07875 090946 or email beatitpercussion@gmail.com

Community posts for Partner Organisations in Smethwick

May 20, 2019by Mazeline Hemmings in Blog tagged ,

Friends and Neighbours in partnership with St Albans Community Centre, seeks to recruit a Community Co-ordinator and Outreach Worker.

The partners are looking for a confident team of staff to work on an innovative project over an 18 month period. It starts from the basis that if residents are facilitated to come together and look at changes they want to see, and then, with practical support they can lead the change process to benefit individuals, groups and neighbourhood, and, at the same time, develop toolkits, a set of practical everyday life resources, with the community that can be used by others to improve their lives & build community resilience.

Community Co-ordinator (20 months fixed term contract)
To ensure that the results of outreach work with groups of local residents is turned into marketable toolkits and workshops, which residents, partners and local organisations can use to improve their lives & build community resilience.
See Job description and personal spec

Community Outreach Worker (16 months fixed term contract)
To create a programme of outreach work, which draws in local residents and enables them to articulate issues and concerns they would like to address through a series of workshops, designed to result in usable tools and approaches to problem solving, which improve their lives and build community resilience. See job description and personal spec.

A Car Driver is essential both posts

Please send CV via email to community@friendsandneighbours.org by Thursday, 6 June. Please state the position applying for in subject bar.

Successful CV applicants will be e-mailed an application form by 10th June. The closing date for the return of application forms is 12 noon on Wednesday 26th

Interviews will be on:

Monday 1st July for Community Co-ordinator
(Anticipated start date Monday 5th August 2019)

On Thursday 25th July for Outreach Worker
(Anticipated start date Monday 2nd September 2019)

Part-time opportunities at Yemeni Community Association

May 20, 2019by Mazeline Hemmings in Blog, Vacancies tagged ,

The Yemeni Community Association in Sandwell Ltd (YCA) are pleased to announce they have secured funding from the Big Lottery Fund – Reaching Communities, to deliver its ‘Wellness for All’ programme and as a result are recruiting to fill three vacancies.

Two Part-Time Community Development Officers (22.5 &15hrs p/w)
£24.377 per annum (pro-rota)

One Part-Time Administration worker (16 hrs p/w)
£8.320 per annum

The ‘Wellness for All’ programme aims to deliver a programme of activities with the overall aim of promoting English language skills, employability abilities and enhanced mental wellbeing. The successful candidates will be available to work three set days a week (on occasion some weekend and evening working may be required).

For Job description and person specification please email Ragih Muflihi at info@yca-sandwell.org.uk specifying the vacancy you wish to apply for.

The closing date for applications is 31 May, 2019

Holiday Playscheme Funding 2019-20 now open for Applications

May 20, 2019by Mazeline Hemmings in Blog, Did you know...?, Funding tagged ,

There is a Council grant available from the “Creating a Playable Sandwell” Holiday Grant Programme 2019-20. The grant is to support the Voluntary and Community Sector (not for profit) organisations, that can offer open access, inclusive, quality, free of charge play experiences to children and young people aged 5-14 years in Sandwell, during school holiday periods between July 2019 to March 2020.

The Council would particularly welcome new applicants from Rowley Regis and Wednesbury areas.

The closing date for applications is 4 pm on Friday 14 June 2019.  Applications received after this date will not be processed.

Application forms and Guidance notes can be found on the Sandwell Council website. Simply follow the link below.

http://www.sandwell.gov.uk/holidaygrant

Co-operative Bank

May 20, 2019by Leona in Blog, Funding

Organisations such as Registered Charities, Community Interest Companies, Co-operatives and Credit Unions; etc. that have a Community Directplus account with the Co-operative Bank have until the 30th September 2019 to apply for funding of up to £1,000 from the Customer Donation Fund.

Since 2003 the Co-operative Bank Donation Fund has donated over £750,000 to 866 organisations. The money can be used to support special projects and fundraising activities; and all Community Directplus account holders are eligible to apply.

Previous projects supported include:

  • Theatre company 20 Stories High which received funding towards three dictaphones, 12 MP3 players and the work of an experienced Technical Manager to help develop and stage a new production.
  • Wiltshire Wood Recycling, a not for profit organisations, which received funding towards new tools, boots, hard hats and high-viz jackets for the workers.

More information at: https://www.co-operativebank.co.uk/business/community

Hilden Charitable Fund

May 20, 2019by Leona in Blog, Funding tagged

The Hilden Charitable Fund’s Summer Play Scheme is now open for applications. The Fund supports community groups and voluntary agencies with an income of less than £150,000 that run summer play schemes for children between the ages of 5 and 18 in disadvantaged communities.

Supported schemes should be:
• For children aged 5 to 18 years
• Locally based and lasting between two and six weeks
• Have strong volunteer support.

Some priority will be given to projects which show that they are inclusive of children from refugee families and have BME involvement. Schemes supported will have a budget of under £12,000.

The average grant awarded in 2018 was £1,071. A total of 21 schemes were supported representing £22,500 in total.
The closing date for applications is Tuesday June 4th 2019
More information at: http://www.hildencharitablefund.org.uk/

NCVO Overhauls Digital Maturity Benchmarking Tool

May 20, 2019by Libby Mahoney in Blog, Training Support and Resources tagged

The NCVO charity digital maturity benchmarking tool has undergone a major overhaul to increase the focus on user-centred approaches, leadership and strategy.

The tool has already been used by over 800 charities to help them set goals in different areas of digital strategy and track their progress against them.

The interactive checklist is designed to help identify gaps in their capabilities and processes, prioritise areas for development, benchmark themselves against other organisations and help report to senior managers and trustees.

A revised version has been launched which includes new sections on security and data protection strategies and on using user research to design better content and services. It has also had an overhaul to ensure it is more inclusive of organisations at all levels, and allows charities to add their own notes.

The new version follows consultation with a group of around 60 charity technical and content experts over the last six months. It was originally created by the digital team at Breast Cancer Care in 2016.

To read the full Charity Digital News article click here.

Source:Charity Digital News article

Charity Commission Reform Vital for Civil Society Strategy to Work

May 20, 2019by Libby Mahoney in Blog, VCS Feature tagged ,

The Government has just closed consultation on its plan to help create a stronger civil society in the UK. It’s an opportunity for the social and charitable sector to make demands of legislators while looking at itself and being honest about what it can do better for the causes, people and places it serves.

New Philanthropy Capital have made 21 recommendations on the civil society strategy across a wide range of topics, but there are a couple of key things the government could do to make a massive, positive impact on the sector.

First, reform the Charity Commission. It is an organisation full of dedicated people, but is straining under the weight of limited resources and an increasingly conflicted remit. It should be the regulator the sector needs, not its cheerleader. The sector should investigate whether the support it offers charities should be spun out into a new, independent organisation dedicated to sector-led improvement.

They also think what the commission regulates should change. It is too focused on financial stability and organisational survival at the expense of whether charities are having an impact for beneficiaries. They want to see a toughening up of annual impact reporting as part of the commission’s processes. Many charities already do this, but many don’t – if we can get them seriously thinking about their impact, the people they serve stand to benefit.

To read the full Guardian Voluntary Sector Network article click here.

Source: Guardian Voluntary Sector Network

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