Email Briefing 15 Mar 04

Contents:

• NICVA Taskforce response
• Members Information Session at NICVA
• Not for Profit Marketing Essentials Seminar
• Building Successful Partnerships
• Advice and Guidance for Learning in a Multicultural Society - Seminar
• BDS Consultancy Opportunities: Speaking the same language
• The Growing American Threat – Monbiot lecture
• ‘Young People Change the World’ Event Planners
• First Responder Training.

1. NICVA Taskforce response

NICVA has now completed a draft response to the paper from the Taskforce on Resourcing the Voluntary and Community Sector, Pathways for Change NICVA’s response can be viewed at: . The consultation period closes on 26 March 2004 and NICVA would welcome comments on the draft before it is finally submitted.

Organisations are also welcome to use any sections of the draft to inform their own responses if they wish. Since this is one of the most important consultations on the future of our sector in a generation it is important that as many responses as possible are sent in to the Taskforce. Comments on the draft NICVA response should be sent by 24 March 2004 to Frances McCandless . The Taskforce consultation document can be found at www.taskforcevcsni.gov.uk and an additional briefing paper is also available on the NICVA website.

2. Members Information Session at NICVA

There is still time to register for NICVA’s Information session for members. The session will be held on 25 March 2004 from 9.00am to 2.00pm.

The session offers your organisation the opportunity to gather information and explore some of the fundamental requirements needed to operate on a daily basis.

Following on from the success of NICVA’s last information day, NICVA has again drawn together a pool of experts and experienced professionals to deliver a comprehensive programme of information workshops on insurance, finance, legal and governance issues. The session is designed to give you the maximum opportunity to gather information, question the speakers and take back information to your workplace that you can apply.

Please register your place by contacting, Georgie Finlay at NICVA email: Georgie Finlay before Friday 19 March 2004.

If you require any further information please contact Frances McAtamney at NICVA on tel: 028 9087 7777 or email: Frances McAtamney .

3. Not for Profit Essentials Seminar

Marketing is becoming more and more important for voluntary and community organisations. Marketing is about understanding the people you want to reach. Good marketing can help you say the right things to the right people in the right way to get the right result. Results such as increasing your fundraising potential, recruit volunteers or make more people aware of your services and activities.

NICVA is running a marketing awareness seminar for voluntary and community sector organisations. Not for profit Marketing Essentials will be delivered by IMS, a professional marketing outsourcing consultancy that specialises in working with small businesses and not-for-profit organisations. A limited number of places are available for the seminar, which will take place on Tuesday 30 March 2004 from 10.00am to 12.30pm. The cost is £45 per person, including lunch.

For more information, contact Caroline McClure, Media Resource Officer, on tel: 028 9087 7777 or email: Caroline McClure .

4. Building Successful Partnerships

Do you work in partnership with another organisation?
Do you know how to best manage that relationship?

There are still a few places available on the Building Successful Partnerships programme starting on 21 April 2004. The three day programme will take place on 21 and 28 April and 4 May 2004, from 9.30am to 4.30pm. The full price is £200.00 but to you it only costs £50.00 as 75% of the cost is subsidised by NICVA.

Building Successful Partnerships is designed to help you generate workable solutions to many of the common issues partnerships face, such as creating trust, forming structures that work and sustaining commitment. Through reflection, discussion and experimental learning the course takes the learner through a Five Phase Model of building partnerships:

• Creating the collaborative climate
• Engagement
• Designing the structure
• Collaborative planning
• Implementation

Please consider participating in this yourself or forward this message to someone you know would benefit from this development opportunity.

To apply please contact Sandra Bailie, Project Manager, Management Development Programme, on tel: 028 9087 7777 or email: Sandra Bailie

5. Advice and Guidance for Learning in a Multicultural Society - Seminar

EGSA is holding a series of seminars for those working in a supporting role with adults from ethnic minorities particularly those offering educational advice and guidance.

The seminar aims to:

• Raise confidence when offering advice and guidance for learning in a multicultural society
• Raise awareness of cultural differences
• Clarify terms relating to immigration such as asylum seeker and refugee
• Provide information on entitlements to finance for learning of different groups
• Encourage networking and the sharing of information at local level

Venues and dates are as follows:

16 March 2004 - Everglades Hotel, L/Derry
22 March 2004 - Banbridge Leisure Centre, Banbridge
26 March 2004 - Stranmillis University College, Belfast
29 March 2004 - Glenavon Hotel, Cookstown

All seminars run from 9.30am to 1.30pm and include a networking lunch. To book a place at one of the seminars contact Fiona Devlin on tel: 028 9024 4274 or email: fiona.devlin@egsa.org.uk

6. BDS Consultancy Opportunities: Speaking the same language

BDS Consultancy is offering the following training:

Balanced Scorecard - The balanced scorecard is a management system that enables organisations to clarify their vision and strategy and translate them into action. Stephen Watt from BDS Consultancy, will provide this training session.

PRINCE 2, a beginner’s guide - Amanda Hawthorne from BDS Consultancy will outline the key features of PRINCE, which stands for Projects in Controlled Environments, is a project management method covering the organisation, management and control of projects and is used extensively by government.

Economic Appraisal - This half day workshop, delivered by Noel McNally from DSD, provides a basic overview of this key project assessment methodology.

Policy Development - This half day workshop provides an outline of the policy process and will enable participants to better understand how the process can be influenced. It is delivered by Colin Jack, OFMDFM.

These consultancy opportunities are aimed at managers/trainers in network organisations with a training remit to facilitate wider dissemination.

It is hoped to hold these events on 20 April, 26 April and 11 May 2004 respectively. If you would be interested in attending any or all of these events, contact Zoe Anderson before 23 March 2004.

Joint Government/Voluntary and Community Sector Training Course

This two day course is being facilitated by the Business Development Service (BDS), Department for Finance and Personnel and the Voluntary and Community Unit, Department for Social Development. The course has been developed through the Training Sub-Group of the Joint Government Voluntary and Community Sector Forum. It will cover a broad range of issues, including partnership working, policy development, social capital and cross-cutting initiatives.

NICVA is seeking nominations from eight people of a senior level within the voluntary sector. The course is planned take place over 4 and 5 May 2004 in The Mount Conference Centre in Belfast. Please contact Zoe Anderson before Tuesday 23 March 2004 to register your interest for this exciting opportunity.

7. The Growing American Threat – Monbiot lecture

In October 2003, author and columnist George Monbiot delivered the second One World Centre Annual Lecture on the theme of 'The Growing American Threat', an engrossing and provocative analysis of US foreign policy in the wake of Washington's invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.

Monbiot's lecture outlines the fundamentalist underpinnings of the American empire and its perceived spiritual mission to 'contribute to the liberation of mankind'. He considers the dangers of America's unchallenged military supremacy and control of the main global financial institutions, making it a 'threat to the welfare and the security of the world's people'. But how can the empire be brought to heel and what practical measures can be taken by the international community to prevent further conquests and global instability? Monbiot tackles these questions head-on and charts an alternative future based on meaningful democracy that challenges the 'self-appointed global monarchy' of the United States.

Copies of 'The Growing American Threat' are £4/€6 Euro (inc post and packaging and are available from the One World Centre, 4 Lower Crescent, Belfast
BT7 1NR, tel: 028 9024 1879 or email: info@owcni.org.uk . Please make cheques/postal orders payable to One World Centre.

8. ‘Young People Change the World’ Event Planners

The ‘Young People Change the World' Summer School is an annual event which gives young people between the aged 16-25 the opportunity to meet other young people from around the world to discuss issues, share ideas, develop new skills, and make contacts that will last into the future. The Planning Team is responsible for organising the event and all its activities, including planning, designing and arranging workshops and presentations, organising activities, working at the event, and helping out with marketing.

The Summer School is looking for young people who are willing to commit to the Planning Team with time, energy and enthusiasm, interest and commitment to the ideas behind the Summer School, and its aims, ability to work in a team, if possible, experience of event planning or management. The team will meet once a month initially, and then more often as the event draws nearer. It is essential that the planning group members will be able to attend the meetings and are available for the full period of the Summer School. This opportunity is open to young people from all over the UK. The Summer School will take place from 10-17 July 2004 in South Wales.

If you are interested in taking part, contact Lisa Belfon on 01727 844990, email: summerschool@civa.org.uk by Friday 23 March 2004. If emailing, include a short description of why you want to get involved, details of any relevant experience, and your age.

9. First Responder Training

Are you interested in becoming a trained First Responder? A new research project organised by the Department of Cardiology and Public Health (Queen’s University Belfast) at the Royal Victoria Hospital in partnership with the North and West Belfast Health Action Zone can give you that chance./p>

The project intends to train approximately 1,000 volunteers to use Automated Defibrillators. The training will involve one four hour training session during working hours. Following the training, volunteers will be fully certified First Responders, empowered to save lives and make a difference in the community.

All volunteers are welcome, but you must have a clean driving license and access to a vehicle.

For more details ….Caroline Bloomfield will phone back.

NICVA's Information Briefing is sent by email to all our members on a weekly basis. We hope this helps you circulate the information within your organisation where appropriate. Feedback about this service is very welcome. The information contained in this digest has been provided and collated from numerous accredited sources. NICVA does not take responsibility for any third party content or any of the opinions expressed. Comments should be sent to Elaine Campbell at Elaine Campbell . Please let us know if you change your email address. We do not pass email addresses to anyone else.

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