Email Briefing 26 Jan 04

Contents:

1. Upcoming NICVA consultations
2. NICVA Outreach Programme
3. Review of Public Administration Seminar
4. NICVA Management Development Programme
5. The Challenge of Citizenship programme
6. Afghanistan: CHRONOTOPIA
7. Community Leadership Programme
8. EQUAL Roadshows
9. On NICVA’s Website Today

1. Upcoming NICVA consultations

Funding Community Development. February 2004, 10.00 am to 1.00 pm at NICVA, 61 Duncairn Gardens, Belfast

This seminar will focus on the Task Force proposals to fund community development and asks how this can best be done. Speakers from the Task Force and practitioners in the community development field will outline what they think the fund should look like and what factors need to be taken into consideration.

Collaborate and Survive. 13 February 2004 10.00 am to 1.00 pm at NICVA, 61 Duncairn Gardens, Belfast

This seminar organised in conjunction with the WEA will examine the area of mergers and collaborative working. Speakers from the Task Force will outline their thinking and the focus will be on the practical reality of mergers for the sector. Organisations which have experienced the various stages of merger and collaboration will outline how it can be done in practice.

Costing Core Work. Date and venue to be confirmed

This seminar will examine how voluntary and community sector organisations can effectively and fairly put a cost on the core services they deliver.

To reserve a place at a seminar please contact Cathy Breslin on 028 9087 7777 or cathy.breslin@nicva.orgclearly stating the name and date of the seminar(s) you wish to attend.

2. NICVA Outreach Programme

Yet another reminder to register your interest in attending NICVA's Outreach training sessions! Try not to leave it to the last minute but check your 2004 calendars now and be sure to add the relevant dates to ensure you won't miss out! Remember this is FREE funding advice, charity advice andFREE training on funding and legal issues. There is also the opportunity for you to ask questions particularly relevant to your group on any legal or fundraising issue your group might have. This is also an excellent networking opportunity that you just will not want to let pass you by!

You will find the Outreach Programme at the following venues over the coming weeks in 2004:

28 January. Tilly Molloy's Hall, Armoy
4 February. Bridge Community Centre, Lisburn
11 February. W Belfast Partnership Board, Andersonstown
*Alessie Centre, Shankill
18 February. Bank Buildings, Dungannon
25 February. Newtownstewart Centre 2000

‘Committees and Trustee Responsibilities' will be delivered in the mornings from 10.30 am to 12.30 pm and ‘Practical skills in completing forms' will be delivered in the afternoon from 2.00 pm to 4.00 pm.

* Please note that training in West Belfast will be delivered in two venues on the same day. Training in Andersonstown will take place as per the times above but training in the Shankill will occur at reverse times: therefore the funding advice session will take place in the morning at 10.30 am and the charity advice session will take place at 2.00 pm in the Alessie Centre.

For more information or to book a place, please contact Heather Rowan or Denise McCann at NICVA on 028 9087 7777 or outreach@nicva.org .

3. Review of Public Administration Seminar

There is still an opportunity to register for the Review of Public Administration Seminar to be held in Cookstown. The Review of Public Administration, the first such review for 30 years, will have far-reaching consequences in all aspects of our daily lives, from education to the roads service to the structure of local councils. This seminar is an opportunity to find out more. Speakers from the Review of Public Administration team and social researcher Colin Knox will outline the proposals in the consultation document and their possible impact on the voluntary and community sector.

The session will take place on Tuesday 3 February 2004 from 10.00 am to 1.00 pm at the Glenavon House Hotel in Cookstown. To reserve a place, please contact Cathy Breslin on 028 9087 7777 or cathy.breslin@nicva.org .

4. NICVA Management Development Programme

Several of the management programmes are already underway and have got off to a great start. There are still a few places left on some of the Senior Management courses: Made to Measure starting on 18 February, Effective Leadership and Management, and Modern Leadership (March 2004). These highly recognised programmes have been tailored for senior managers in the voluntary and community sector. Participants will benefit from financial assistance of 75% of the cost of the course being paid by NICVA. Excellent, relevant training at greatly reduced prices - this is too good an opportunity to miss! Please contact Sandra Bailie as soon as possible on 028 9087 7777 or sandra.bailie@nicva.org

5. The Challenge of Citizenship programme

This course, which runs over 12 mornings, offers dialogue and discussion opportunities as well as practical skills development. At the end of the programme participants will have benefited from topical dialogue and discussion opportunities and be able to produce articles and lay out a newsletter. This is a skill that would be valuable in any community group and also can be used as an active lobbying tool within and across communities.

This course is provided free of charge and is open to all women. Travel and childcare expenses will be subsidised, and lunch and refreshments will be provided.

During 2004 the programme will run in Belfast (Jan–April), Mid Ulster (March–June) and Derry (March–June).

This programme is organised by Women’s News, and is a combination of their long standing Media Skills and Community Activism programmes. It is accredited by OCN at level two, with three credits. Topics include: Civic Values, Citizenship Education, Human Rights, Democracy, Equality, Negotiation, Conflict and Consensus, Lobbying and Advocacy and Valuing Diversity.

For more information, contact Siobhánn McKeating at Women’s News on 028 9032 2823.

6. Afghanistan: Chronotopia

CHRONOTOPIA is a photographic exhibition documenting Simon Norfolk’s personal vision of the war-ravaged landscape of Afghanistan. The exhibition opened on 24 January 2004 and will end on 27 February 2004 at Belfast Exposed, The Exchange Place, 23 Donegall Street, Belfast. Admission is free.

Gallery opening times are: Mon-Fri 10.00 am to 5.00 pm and Sat 11.00 am to 5.00 pm. For more information, contact Belfast Exposed on 028 9023 0965 or website: www.belfastexposed.com

7. Community Leadership Programme

The Community Leadership Programme is a one year support programme for community groups, focused on project development and the improvement of management practice. The programme is currently open to expressions of interest from community organisations. Additional funding has been made available to allow a further 50 groups to participate. Applicants must be community groups (not individuals), be based in Northern Ireland or the border counties, have a focus on the geographical regeneration of their area, have an interest in project development and must not have previously participated on the programme. Groups will be appointed a mentor who will work with the group over one year. The programme is free as it is 100% funded by the International Fund for Ireland.

The deadline for expression of interest is 30 January 2004 so don’t delay. Contact Maria Curran on 028 9038 1226, maria@locusmgt.com , web: www.communitylp.com/ .

8. EQUAL Roadshows

The EQUAL programme is intended to combat all forms of discrimination in the workplace, and is funded by the European Social Fund. EQUAL in Northern Ireland will be open for applications again in 2004. Approximately £4 million will be available to support projects working on two themes:

1. Employability
2. Equal opportunities

A series of information road shows across Northern Ireland has been arranged for the week 26-30 January 2004. Dates remaining are:

27 January 2004. Enniskillen, 2.00 pm
28 January 2004. Derry, 2.30 pm
29 January 2004. Belfast, 10.00 am
29 January 2004. Ballymena, 2.00 pm
30 January 2004. Newry, 2.00 pm

Full details on the call and on how to register for the road shows are available by contacting PROTEUS on 028 9037 1023. It is also possible to register on-line on the PROTEUS website: www.proteus-ni.org .

9. Gender Mainstreaming: Partnership in Practice

This conference will discuss how best to promote gender equality through partnership between statutory, voluntary and community organisations. The conference will take place in Dublin Castle on 15 April 2004, from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm.

This conference is being organised by the NDP Gender Equality Unit, Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, as part of the programme for the Irish Presidency of the European Union. It brings together experiences from a range of organisations across Ireland and the UK, to help identify the most productive and effective ways of working together towards gender equality.

The event will highlight good practice from the statutory, voluntary and community sectors, exploring the specific strengths and perspectives that each partner brings, raising awareness of challenges and obstacles and providing concrete examples of lessons learned. The innovative approaches showcased will inform, encourage and inspire all those concerned with the progression of gender mainstreaming.

It will be of interest to those responsible for promoting gender equality or meeting gender mainstreaming requirements, and will be especially relevant to those involved in managing, administering and implementing EU Structural Funds programmes.

Further information will be available shortly at www.ndpgenderequality.ie or genderconference@murrayconsult.ie.

10. On NICVA’s website today

As you warm your hands on your coffee mug and wait for the blizzards, catch up on some of the items on NICVA's website:

Essential HR training NICVA's Management DevelopmentProgramme.

A bumper Research Roundup which includes information and links on 'Ghost Town Britain', poverty trends in Ireland and attitudes to working and family life.

November minutes released by the JointGovernment / Voluntary Sector Forum

NICVA job vacancy for a ICT Development Manager plus six pages of jobs in the sector including Director of the Womens Resource and Development Agency and Money Advice Officer at Omagh Independent Advice Services.

Watch out for the survey on NICVA's website next Monday 26 January to be in with a chance of winning prizes for your organisation.

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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@nicva.org . Please let us know if you change your email address. We do not pass email addresses to anyone else.