eNews 21 November 2005

Content

1. NICVA gears up for Christmas
2. Is the sector in a state?
3. Nominate one in a million
4. Community Foundation recognises 'people power'
5. Are you interested in personal safety training?
6. New online initiative for communities
7. Prince's Trust celebrates young people's success
8. One world week
9. Cooperative Young Film-Makers 2006 - call for entries
10. Citizenship and education workshop
11. Cancer charity calls for medicines review body
12. Supported employment is vital part of the social economy
13. City centre shop available rent free over Christmas
14. Office space, anyone?
15. Make Your Move - new jobs this week on communityni.org
16. Community NI Diary
17. Membership
18. Subscribe to eNews
19. Feedback
20. Submit an Article

1. NICVA gears up for Christmas

NICVA's big pre-Christmas diary date is 2 December 2005, when the day begins with a major conference looking at Civil Society.

Civil Society - what is it and what can it do? features a keynote speech by Professor Nicholas Deakin, an update on CIVICUS research by Gordon McCullough, NICVA's Head of Research, and a presentation by Saso Klekovski, Executive Director, Macedonian Center for International Cooperation on 'Macedonia - parallels in a divided society'.

After lunch, NICVA is holding its AGM, followed by the annual Christmas reception for member organisations.

For more information please contact Teresa Flanagan or 028 9087 7777 before Friday 25 November 2005.

2 Is the sector in a state?

NICVA launched its latest State of the Sector report today. Among the findings is that the non profit sector is a major employer in Northern Ireland, with over 4,500 organisations and a workforce of 29,000 people.

View a selection of special reports online, or purchase a copy of the full report for £10 from Lynn Anderson on 028 9087 7777.

3. Nominate one in a million

Sometime during November, NICVA will register the one millionth page view on its family of websites, and we'd like you to join the celebrations by contributing to the 'One in a Million' series of articles that will be published across the websites during December.

Simply email a short paragraph to say who or what you think has been 'one in a million' in the voluntary and community sector during 2005. Perhaps it was Niall Fitzduff winning the Beacon Award for his efforts for rural development, Bob Geldof demanding that the G8 Make Poverty History, the Year of the Volunteer events, the publication of A Shared Future, or maybe it's something closer to home?

Whatever it is, we'd like to hear. Send your paragraph, together with your name, organisation, email address and phone number to Miriam Bell at NICVA.

4. Community Foundation recognises 'people power'

Do you know a voluntary or community organisation or activist that deserves recognition? Then why not nominate them for a prestigious Community Foundation Award? The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland is focusing this year's Foundation for Change awards on the theme of Citizenship, which is also the final theme in the Year of the Volunteer. There will be four awards:

1. The Jimmy Kearney Award which will recognise the voluntary input of an individual towards creating positive change in civil society
2. The Progressive Award for innovative action by a group in encouraging active citizenship
3. The Irish News Award for Community Action for vibrant neighbourhoods
4. The News Letter Award for Community endeavour in rural regeneration

The Awards are sponsored by the Progressive Building Society and the commemorative trophies are provided by Belleek and are being staged in association with media partners The Irish News and The News Letter.

Information and applications forms are available from Nikki Bradford at the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland on 028 9024 5927, nbradford@communityfoundationni.org.

5. Are you interested in personal safety training?

COSTA (Community Organisations of South Tyrone and Areas) is trying to establish the level of interest in a proposed workshop or training event on personal safety for community workers.

Picture the following scenarios: What do you do if you are driving alone late at night through an isolated rural area and you take a puncture? What do you do if you are alone in your office or out in a community hall and someone becomes very abusive or violent towards you? Would you like to have greater knowledge, skills and solutions for these, and other, difficult situations that may potentially threaten your safety?

If you are interested in this training, please contact Loraine Griffin at COSTA by 23 December 2005 on 028 8555 6880, costa.network@virgin.net.

On a related note, NICVA has negotiated a new scheme with Guardian24 which provides a personal safety service for lone workers via their mobile phone. To find out more please contact Frances McAtamney at NICVA on 028 9087 7777.

6. New online initiative for communities

Around 2,500 community-based groups across Northern Ireland are to become 'digitally included' following the launch of MyGroupNI.com, a self-sustaining digital network.

MyGroupNI is an eGovernment digital inclusion initiative designed to bring together the public, voluntary, community and private sectors. Participating in MyGroupNI will give groups a simple mechanism not only to create a website but also use a range of new technology tools including Voice Over Internet Protocol (Internet telephone), remote sensing, interactive mapping and Internet radio.

The project will link to OnlineNI and NICVA's portal projects nicva.org and Community NI.

7. Prince's Trust celebrates young people's success

The Celebrate Success Awards recognise the achievements of disadvantaged young people supported by the Trust who have succeeded against the odds, improved their chances in life and had a positive impact on the local community. The outstanding levels of support provided by Prince's Trust volunteers and staff from partner organisations across the region will also be recognised at the event.

The Award categories are:

1. Ulster Bank Enterprise Award - a successful young business or social/community enterprise
2. Young Achiever of the Year, supported by BT - a young person who has overcome barriers and made a real difference in the community
3. Skills Development Award, supported by CITB - a young person who has significantly progressed following a Trust programme
4. In-School Achiever Award, supported by BT - a young person from the Trust's school-based personal development clubs
5. Mentor/Volunteer of the Year, supported by Management and Leadership Network - a Trust volunteer who has played a particular part in a young person's development
6. Leadership Award, supported by Management and Leadership Network - an individual from the Trust's partner organisations who has significantly supported and developed young people through the leadership of groups
7. Delivery Partner of the Year - a special award presented in Northern Ireland to recognise the invaluable support of partner organisations

The awards ceremony will take place at the Waterfront Hall, Belfast, on 22 November 2005. For more information contact the Prince's Trust on 0800 842 842 or visit www.princes-trust.org.uk.

8. One world week

Young people across Ireland are working to change their world by participating in events to celebrate One World Week, from 19 to 27 November 2005.

One World Week is a week of youth-led awareness-raising, education and action, during which young people learn about local and global justice issues and take action to bring about change. The theme for 2005 is 'Making a Difference: Young People Participating to Change their World'.

To find out more contact Sarah Gahan at the National Youth Council of Ireland on 00 353 1 478 4122, communications@nyci.ie or visit www.youthdeved.ie.

9. Cooperative Young Film-Makers 2006 - call for entries

Cooperative Young Film-Makers is one of the UK's premier film festivals for young people, putting their talents firmly in the spotlight. It is run and funded by the Cooperative Group and is non competitive and not for profit.

Each year 100 short films (under six minutes long) made by under 21s are shown on the big screen at the prestigious National Museum of Photography, Film and Television. The closing date for entries is 7 June 2006 and the festival itself takes place on 13 and 14 October 2006, so there's plenty of time to get hold of a camera and be creative. Films can be on any subject.

Full rules and entry forms are available from www.film-makers.co-op.co.uk. For more information please email: film.makers@co-op.co.uk or contact the festival organisers on 0161 246 2215.

10. Citizenship and education workshop

The Northern Ireland Centre for European Cooperation (NICEC) is hosting Citizenships and Conflicts: an Assessment of Current Needs on 2 December 2005 in the Ramada Hotel, Shaws Bridge, Belfast. The workshop will look at the role and development of citizenship education.

For more information or if you would like to attend, please g.sweeney@ulster.ac.uk or visit www.nicec.ulster.ac.uk

11. Cancer charity calls for medicines review body

Ulster Cancer Foundation (UCF) has called for a medicines review body to be set up in Northern Ireland. The call came at a recent event to debate Herceptin, held in the Long Gallery, Stormont.

Alan George, Head of Care Services, said, "The Ulster Cancer Foundation welcomes the decision made by the Health Minister, Shaun Woodward, that some women in the early stages of breast cancer in Northern Ireland will now benefit from Herceptin, following consultation from their medical expert. However, we are calling on the Health Minister to ensure that funding be put in place now and that it should be in addition to the existing budget for cancer treatment."

Although Herceptin is expensive, the Ulster Cancer Foundation believes that the cost should in no way be a barrier for those women who would benefit from this treatment. It believes that a local medicines review body would ensure that this happens and would oversee best practice.

Anyone who is concerned about cancer should contact the Ulster Cancer Foundation's Freephone helpline on 0800 783 3339 for a confidential chat with an experienced nurse.

12. Supported employment is vital part of the social economy

The Social Economy Agency is hosting a Social Firms and Supported Employment seminar on 2 December 2005 in Farset International Hotel, Springfield Road, Belfast. Social firms and supported employment organisations are a critical sub-sector grouping of the social economy as they enable people with disabilities to gain access to employment, and by doing so challenge stereotypes of disabled people in the labour market and in civic society.

This event will provide an opportunity to discuss business development, showcase best practice and review existing and future policy initiatives and a chance to network with practitioners in Northern Ireland and the UK.

If you would like to attend please contact Tracie on 028 7137 1733, info@socialeconomyagency.org or Charlie on 028 9096 1115, charlie@socialeconomyagency.org.

13. City centre shop available rent free over Christmas

Royal Mail is offering a Christmas Licence on a prime retail unit in Castle Place, Belfast, to an approved charity organisation, absolutely rent free.

The former main Post Office is situated in a prime retail pitch which enjoys phenomenal pedestrian traffic during the Christmas shopping period. Royal Mail is seeking a bone fide charity to take a three-month rent-free licence to occupy the unit over the Christmas and New Year period.

Interested parties should note that the unit has been stripped back to a "developers shell" condition - there is an electricity supply and some temporary lighting but the licensee will need to erect additional lighting and provide any display counters, shelving, heating, etc, that may be required. The licensee will also have to take out adequate insurance cover and pay for electricity and any other utilities they may use.

Contact Rory McConnell on 028 9020 5900, rorymcconnell@mcconnellmartin.com for details or visit the McConnell Martin website.

14. Office space, anyone?

Community Change has space available for rent within its offices. The space would be suited to a group with an annual rental budget of £3,500-£3,750. Use of office facilities is also available if required. The space is available in Philip House, 123-137 York Street, Belfast.

For more information or to view, please contact Alison Wightman at Community Change on 028 9023 2587.

15. 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.

Home Manager at NI Association of Mental Health
Salary: £22,411-£27,265

Interface Capacity Workers (x 3) at Suffolk and Lenadoon Interface Group

Neighbourhood Renewal/Development Officer at FOCUS
Salary: £17,000 pro rata.

Business Development Officer at HIV Support Centre

16. 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 on the 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.

17. Membership

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

To find out more contact Frances McAtamney or 028 9087 7777.

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