eNews 16 January 2006

CONTENT

1. The anatomy of government
2. Know your Ps from your Qs
3. £500,000 cash boost for voluntary advice services
4. Big Lottery's Big Message
5. Sustainability and community development
6. International Women's Day
7. Help the Aged Living Legends 2006
8. Introducing outcomes
9. Competition Commission seeks sector's views of banking
10. Cultural leaders wanted
11. Racial Equality Strategy training
12. Documenting Social Partner Experiences of Peace II
13. Integrated education and political attitudes
14. Toolkit for sustainability
15. Interchange opportunity with Action MS
16. Stay cool at the office
17. Pick of the Websites
18. Make Your Move - new jobs this week on communityni.org
19. Community NI Diary
20. Membership
21. Subscribe to eNews
22. Feedback
23. Submit an Article

(1) The anatomy of government
How do all the bits of government work together? What relationship does a Trust have to a Board and who actually makes the decisions that affect us? By looking at the largest department, DHSSPS, and smallest, DCAL, this seminar will take a close look at where the power and the budgets actually lie. The seminar takes place at 10.30am in NICVA on 20 January 2006. The speakers will be Victor Douglas from DCAL and Nigel Carson from DHSSPS.

To register, please contact Cathy Breslin on 028 9087 7777 or Cathy Breslin.

NICVA is hosting an 'Everything you ever wanted to know about policy...' seminar series, which aims to provide organisations with information on a wide range of policy issues which impact on the voluntary and community sector in Northern Ireland. The seminars will examine popular concepts that we all know exist, but have never really understood the meaning of. They are aimed at all voluntary and community organisations that have an interest in policy. Visit the policy seminar pages for more information.

(2) Know your Ps from your Qs
It's often not enough to be right you need to be powerful too. Learn how to make your voices heard at this lobbying course in NICVA on Tuesday 24 January 2006. The interactive session will include presentations, group discussions, workshops and Q&A with an experienced lobbyist. Participants will be provided with information, detailed practical guidance and a range of techniques to help influence decision-making.

The content is designed to appeal to people who are involved in strategy, public affairs, communications and campaigning.

There is no charge to attend, but you should register in advance with Cathy Breslin.

(3) £500,000 cash boost for voluntary advice services
Social Development Minister David Hanson MP has announced a major boost for voluntary sector advice services. The funding, from the Department for Social Development's (DSD) Community Support Programme, will go directly to local advice centres to make it easier and faster for local people to get help when they need it. It will also be used for the development of advice networks, longer opening hours and better use of technology.

The funding will be delivered via district councils through the Department's Community Support Programme. This announcement coincides with the launch of a new government consultation document called A Strategy for Supporting Delivery of Voluntary Advice Services to the Community, which seeks the public's views on the delivery of voluntary advice services.

The proposed Strategy aims to reduce duplication of services and encourage a spirit of co-operation amongst providers. Copies of the Strategy are available at www.dsdni.gov.uk or from the Voluntary and Community Unit on 028 9082 9428, vcu@dsdni.gov.uk

The consultation will end on 7 April 2006.

(4) Big Lottery's Big Message
People across Northern Ireland will benefit from a massive £90 million investment from the Big Lottery Fund over the next few years. That's the Big Message from the Lottery Fund, which unveiled plans to develop a number of new programmes in the autumn.

Areas of funding will include community learning and well-being, healthier and safer communities and longer term support for the voluntary and community sector. The Big Lottery Fund also plans to put more money into Awards for All - the small grants programme in Northern Ireland.

Read the Big Message document and get more details of the Big Lottery Fund programmes and grant awards at www.biglotteryfund.org.uk.

(5) Sustainability and community development
North Belfast Partnership, in association with West Belfast Partnership and the Greater Shankill Partnership, is holding a series of seminars and associated workshops on key issues affecting the community sector.

The seminars will feature keynote speakers from Government agencies, funding bodies, academia, and the community sector.

Sustainability and Community Development takes place in Farset International Hotel at 9.30am on Thursday 2 February 2006 and will explore the role of the community sector and its future sustainability. Keynote speakers will include Dave Wall (DSD), Sammy Douglas (Belfast Area Partnerships), Dr Ken Sterrett (School of Planning, QUB) and Ann Pendleton (Belfast Institute of Further & Higher Education).

The event is open to community workers and activists from the three Partnership areas of North Belfast, West Belfast and Greater Shankill.

Contact Joanne Campbell ontel: 028 9075 2990 or info@nthbp.org to book a place.

(6) International Women's Day
Rural Community Network's International Women's Day conference will take place on 8 March 2006 at the Dunadry Hotel, Antrim.

The theme of the conference will be 'Strangers to Citizens - Transition from Outsiders to Active Decision Makers'. The key note speaker for the event will be Nuala O'Loan, Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland and the event will be chaired by Pauline Keegan, Director of Rural Development.

Places will be strictly limited so early booking is advisable. For further information contact Marion Weir at RCN on 028 8676 6670 or marion@ruralcommunitynetwork.org.

(7) Help the Aged Living Legends 2006
Forget the Emmys, Oscars and BAFTAs, Help the Aged is looking for the heroes that really matter - legends from everyday life, who will be guests of honour at an awards ceremony at Windsor Castle.

Do you know an older person that has made a real difference and deserves recognition? An older individual who has provided an extra-special helping hand to disadvantaged older people? This could be day to day support or an act of outstanding courage or bravery. If the answer is 'yes' nominate now your unsung hero for the Help the Aged Living Legend Local Hero award.

Nominate online at www.helptheaged.org.uk/legends or call the awards hotline on 020 7239 1922 or events@helptheaged.org.uk. The closing date for all nominations is Tuesday 28 February 2006.

Help the Aged is keen to get some good Northern Ireland nominations. Please contact Joanne McKeirnan
for information on 028 9072 8648, Joanne Mckeirnan.

(8) Introducing outcomes
Recent reviews of funding for the voluntary and community sector have highlighted the role of evaluation in demonstrating the 'added value' of the sector and its contribution to achieving social, economic and environmental outcomes. CENI is offering a series of one day courses aimed at increasing knowledge and understanding of outcomes on the following dates:

2 February 2006, 28 March 2006, 27 April 2006, 16 May 2006 and 8 June 2006.

All courses run from 10.00am to 4.00pm at CENI, Jennymount Court, North Derby Street, Belfast. Cost is £85 (voluntary and community) £150 (statutory/commercial).

Contact Joanne Templeton for details on 028 9074 9105, Joanne Templeton.

(9) Competition Commission seeks sector's views of banking
The Competition Commission is currently seeking the views from the voluntary and community sector on the local banking situation and has planned a meeting on 16 February 2006 at the Stormont Hotel, Belfast. The Consumer Council is hosting a meeting on 6 February to brief those interested on the type of evidence it has already presented to the Competition Commission.

Contact Alison Laird on 028 9067 4820, Alison Laird for more information.

(10) Cultural leaders wanted
The Clore Leadership Programme, designed to help develop the knowledge, skills, networks and experience of potential leaders across a wide range of cultural activities, is currently recruiting for its next intake.

The deadline for applications to the Fellowship Programme is 21 February 2006. Visit www.cloreleadership.org for details.

Applications are also open for the Paul Hamlyn Foundation Fellowship for Northern Ireland, aimed at people with an interest in work with children and young people and/or community arts. Visit www.cloreleadership.org/specialist.htm for details.

(11) Racial Equality Strategy training
Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities (NICEM) has organised a training seminar entitled 'Action Plan: methodology, contents and monitoring' on 30 January 2006 in Wellington Park Hotel, Belfast. This and two other seminars have been organised in response to last December's annual human rights and equality conference. The Action Plan seminar will be facilitated by Rohan Collier, an independent consultant who spoke on Equality Impact Assessment at the December conference. The training will focus on developing equality action plans.

Contact Terry Deehan at NICEM for more information or to register at tdeehan@nicem.org.uk.

(12) Documenting Social Partner Experiences of Peace II
Concordia, the umbrella body for employers, trade unions, agriculture and the voluntary and community sector in Northern Ireland aims to promote social partnership by addressing issues which are of common concern to the four sectors and building greater mutual understanding between the partners of the key economic, social and environmental issues and challenges facing Northern Ireland.

Concordia keen to identify the contributions and experiences of the social partner representatives to the Peace II programme and commissioned a comprehensive study into the positive impact that the social partners are making on a number of partnership forums and also the challenges and difficulties affecting their participation.

The report is now available online at www.concordiapartnership.org. To find out more contact Catherine Bloomfield or Yvonne Breen on tel: 028 8778 8242.

(13) Integrated education and political attitudes
The next seminar in ARK's 2005/2006 programme will take place in NICVA at 12 noon on Wednesday 18 January 2006. Professor Bernie Hayes (University of Aberdeen) will speak on 'The Impact of Integrated Education on Political Attitudes in Northern Ireland. The seminar will be followed by a light lunch at 1.00pm.

To register, please telephone: 028 7137 5513 or info@ark.ac.uk.

(14) Toolkit for sustainability
This course is designed to explore the root causes of unsustainability; how our society and economy fails to think about and plan for its own long term health and survival. The course fosters joined-up thinking in considering how to tackle the problems and frame potential solutions. For instance, is there a link between global climate change, genetically modified foods and rising fuel prices?

The course runs for ten weeks, on Tuesdays from 7.00pm to 9.00pm, beginning 21 February 2006. For more information and details on how to register visit www.feasta.org/events/general/belfast05.htm or contact Dr Nicola Creighton, Feasta Education Group on 028 9097 1401, n.creighton@qub.ac.uk.

(15) Interchange opportunity with Action MS
Action MS is offering a secondment opportunity for the post of New Projects Executive. For more information visit the Interchange website.

(16) Stay cool at the office
The Big Lottery Fund has an unused water cooler to offer to a voluntary or community group. Please contact Teresa Gibney on 028 9055 1427 if you are interested.

(17) Pick of the Websites

Communityni.org

1. Fundraising news. The Grant Tracker (www.grant-tracker.org ) team bring news and updates on money available
2. News: Special Olympics come north.
3. Items needed or up for grabs. Can you help any of these organisations?

NICVA.org

1. Need help with governance and charity law? Visit the new Governance and Charity Advice pages for answers to frequently asked questions, 13 advice guides to download and the latest information on legal reform.
2. Policy seminars 2006. Book now to attend one or all of these ten seminars, which explore and explain popular policy concepts. Topics include a discussion of what good policy looks like, where the power and budgets lie in government and a look at cases where practice has led to policy development and implementation.
3. So You Want a Website? This new guide in the good practice series contains advice straight from the horse's mouth. NICVA's Web Developer, Niall Westland, writes about the best way to approach the design of a new website.

(18) Make Your Move - new jobs this week on communityni.org
This section contains a random selection of the latest jobs from the Community NI website.

Senior Consumer Affairs Officer at the Consumer Council
Salary: £20,031 - £28,759

HandyVan Senior Safety Fitter at Help the Aged
£14,273 pa plus company van and mobile

Administrator at Woodland Trust
£10,000 - £11,500 pro rata plus benefits

(19) Community NI Diary

NICVA's successful Community Diary now has a new home on the Community NI web portal.

Submit details of your upcoming events in Community NI's Events Calendar .

Simply follow the Submit an Event link to the right of the page, enter the details, and we'll do the rest.

(20) Membership

NICVA membership is open to all voluntary and community organisations in Northern Ireland.

To find out more contact Frances McAtamney on 028 9087 7777, Frances Mcatamney or visit the Membership pages on the website.

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