eNews 26 September 2005

NICVA eNews: 26 September 2005

compiled by John McCormick, Information Officer

1. Get heard on Neighbourhood Renewal
2. Big Letter Day
3. Fly-on-the-wall charity
4. New Permanent Secretary for Northern Ireland Office
5. Artist to Entrepreneur scheme
6. ARK Seminar Series 2005-2006
7. Diana Fund consultation
8. Call for submissions to NICCY Art Exhibition
9. Talking suicide
10. Migrant workers seminar
11. Old Museum update
12. Combat Poverty Agency Research Seminars
13. Tourist Board members sought
14. Office space available
15. Web Highlights
16. Make Your Move – new jobs this week on communityni.org
17. Community NI Diary
18. Membership
19. Subscribe to eNews
20. Feedback

(1)Get heard on Neighbourhood Renewal

NICVA and the Northern Ireland Anti-Poverty Network will be running a workshop on 22 November 2005 to examine how Neighbourhood Renewal contributes to tackling poverty in Northern Ireland. The workshop will use the ‘Get Heard’ toolkit, which is designed to help groups and individuals experiencing poverty to participate in the development of the next UK National Action Plan on Social Inclusion. With 212 organisations having just voiced their rejection of OFMDFM’s current attempt at an anti-poverty strategy, this presents an important opportunity to have your say at a UK level on shaping future priorities.

This workshop focusing on the impacts of Neighbourhood Renewal will form part of a series looking at different policies in Northern Ireland and how they contribute to combating poverty and social exclusion. The NI Anti-Poverty Network will then bring all these themes together at a major conference in December.

The workshop takes place at NICVA from 10.30am to 1.00pm and will aim to give everyone the chance to have their voice heard. If you would like to register, please contact Cathy Breslin on tel: 028 9087 7777 or email: cathy.breslin@nicva.org.

(2)Big Letter Day

On 22 September, as part of a week of action on poverty in Northern Ireland, representatives of the 215 voluntary and community organisations that have actively supported the call for an effective anti-poverty strategy, gathered at Castle Buildings to hand over their letter of protest to Lord Rooker. The following day the letter appeared in all the major Northern Ireland newspapers.

Speaking at the rally, NICVA’s Chief Executive Seamus McAleavey thanked everyone for supporting the campaign and said:

“This campaign has shown that the voluntary and community sector is demanding more than fine words from Government. The first step of the Enough is Enough campaign was to ask for a meeting with Lord Rooker and we have succeeded in setting a date for that meeting which will be 8 November 2005. Things are moving in the right direction and we are determined to push for results that will make a real difference to people experiencing poverty and exclusion.”

Read more about ‘Enough is Enough’ and view the image gallery from the Stormont rally at http://www.nicva.org/index.cfm/section/news/key/BigLetter.

(3)Fly-on-the-wall charity

The BBC is developing a new TV programme called ‘Hate it? Change it’, which will take a whole community/street/group of families and see if they can really make a difference. The production team describe the new show as ‘a reality-charity programme’.

The team is looking for unusual and inspiring projects that aim to find real solutions to a problem. The BBC would like the show to set a realistic challenge that other communities could follow but projects are not confined to the UK and could take place abroad.

If you think your charity or community group has a good idea for the programme, please contact the production team on tel: 0161 244 4183 or email: Gillian.Bancroft@bbc.co.uk.

(4)New Permanent Secretary for Northern Ireland Office

Jonathan Phillips, currently Political Director of the Northern Ireland Office, has been appointed as Permanent Secretary of the Department and will take up his new position on 1 December 2005.

(5)Artist to Entrepreneur scheme

Are you meeting your potential as a self-employed artist?

Are you an artist living or working in the Shankill or North and West Belfast areas?

Community Arts Forum’s Artist to Entrepreneur career development programme is specifically tailored to develop your skills in business management.

Participants on this programme will:

·Develop a clear understanding of the need for a personal strategy

·Gain clear guidance and understanding on how to implement a strategy

·Gain an insight and understanding of community arts and the community arts sector

·Develop and enhance their financial management skills

·Gain clear understanding of customers’ perspectives

·Identify how they can add value to the customers’ business

·Learn how to market themselves

·Gain the personal skills necessary to run a successful arts business

Participants on this course will be required to attend all the training days. If you are interested in applying, please contact Maureen Harkins on tel: 028 9024 2910 or email: mharkins@caf.ie.

Deadline for completed applications is Friday 7 October 2005.

(6)ARK Seminar Series 2005-2006

ARK is pleased to announce details of the first Seminar in its 2005-2006 Series, 'Parenting in Northern Ireland - Policy and Practice' on Wednesday 12 October 2005. The speakers will be Paula Devine and Katrina Lloyd from Queen's University, Belfast and Alison Loughlin from the Parenting Forum NI.

The free seminar begins at 12 noon and is followed by a light lunch at 1.00pm in Seminar Room 1, Institute of Governance, 63 University Road, Queen's University Belfast.

Contact ARK on tel: 028 7137 5513 or email: info@ark.ac.ukif you would like to attend.

(7)Diana Fund consultation

The Directors of The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund are seeking views on the proposals and options outlined in the consultation document 'The Future of the Fund'.

The consultation document presents the findings and emerging options of an organisational review, together with a helpful annexe that provides the full context for the review.

The Directors are committed to securing the best possible lasting legacy for the Fund and welcome comments and suggestions from partner organisations, the wider voluntary sector and the policy making community. The Directors have also posed a number of critical questions in a feedback questionnaire. Your participation in completing and returning this would be much appreciated.

To obtain the consultation document and accompanying questionnaire, which will be available from the week beginning 3 October 2005,please contact the Fund on tel: 020 7902 5500 or email: consultation@memfund.org.uk.

(8)Call for submissions to NICCY Art Exhibition

The Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People (NICCY) is hosting an exhibition of young people’s art representing suicide and self-harm at his Belfast offices at the end of October.

The Exhibition entitled ‘Reasons to Live’, will give youth groups, schools and individual young people, the opportunity to display artwork that has helped them express their feelings thoughts and fears around the issue of suicide and self- harm.

Whether it’s poetry, paintings, short stories, sculpture, videos or photography, all creative work is welcome but must be submitted by 10 October 2005.

To find out more about how to get involved in the ‘Reasons to Live’ visit www.niccy.org and register your interest.

(9)Talking suicide

World Mental Health Week begins on 10 October 2005. Down Lisburn Trust and the South Eastern Education and Library Board will mark the week with a number of short talks to raise awareness in the community about suicide.

The dates and venues are:

10 October 2005 - Newcastle Community Centre - 7.00pm to 9.00pm

10 October 2005 - Market House, Ballynahinch - 2.00pm to 4.00pm

13 October 2005 - Christ the Redeemer Chapel, Lagmore Drive, Belfast – 7.00pm to 9.00pm

13 October 2005 - Hillsborough Village Centre - 4.00pm to 6.00pm

The sessions will be facilitated by applied suicide intervention skills trainers.

Contact Katharine Dickson on tel: 028 9266 5181 ext 4617 for details.

(10) Migrant workers seminar

Council for the Homeless NI is hosting a seminar looking at the housing rights and needs of migrant workers, from 9.30am to 1.15pm on 6 October 2005 at the Rural College and Derrynoid Centre, Draperstown.

For more information or if you would like to attend, please contact Yvonne or Lesley on tel: 028 9024 6440 or email: training@chni.org.ukby 29 September 2005.

(11) Old Museum update

The Old Museum Arts Centrehas been involved for a number of years in various plans to create a custom-built, fully accessible, properly resourced arts venue in Belfast's Cathedral Quarter and the proposal for this project is approaching the final Economic Appraisal stage.

You are invited to an Information Session from 2.00pm to 4.30pm on Friday 30 September 2005 at Belfast Circus School, 23 Gordon Street, Belfast. This will be an opportunity to find out where the museum is in the process, how it got there and how it is hoped things will move forward.

OMAC is keen to seek your views as to how it can make the new venuethe best it can be for all involved.

If you would like to attend please contact Karen at OMAC on tel: 028 9023 5053.

(12) Combat Poverty Agency Research Seminars

Combat Poverty Agency has organised a number of research seminars as follows:

Ending Child Poverty: A Dynamic Perspective- 18 October 2005

Mainstreaming Social Inclusion - 22 November 2005

The Importance of Housing in the Integration of Asylum Seekers and Refugees in Dublin- 6 December 2005.

All seminars take place from 12.30pm to 2.00pm. Contact Combat Poverty Agencyfor details on tel: 00 353 1 670 6746, email:info@cpa.ie or visit www.combatpoverty.ie.

(13) Tourist Board members sought

The Northern Ireland Tourist Board is currently recruiting three members to its Board.

An information pack and application form is available from www.detini.gov.ukor by contacting DETI on tel: 028 9052 9506 (voicemail system), textphone: 028 9052 9304 or email: pau@detini.gov.uk.

(14) Office space available

Community Change has office space available to rent in its premises at Philip House, York Street, Belfast. The space would suit a group with an annual rental budget of £3,500 to £3,750.

Please contact Alison Wightman for details on tel: 028 9023 2587.

Web Highlights

Community NI

The importance of online accessibility. Free conference on 28 September 2005.

You make the news. Welcome to blogs!

http://www.communityni.org/index.cfm/section/General/key/Blogs

Free books about theNI legal system

http://www.communityni.org/index.cfm/section/news/key/190905Legal

NICVA

NICVA -a new website!

NICVA has a new website withnew attractions and a different look and feel. The site can stillbe found at www.nicva.org. Take a look and send us your comments.

Make Your Move – new jobs this week on communityni.org

Trust Officer (Northern Ireland) at John Moores Foundation

Salary: £13,700 p.a. (20 hour week) + benefits

http://www.communityni.org/index.cfm/section/jobs/key/7E2B132F-1143-D8AC-6B6E0807370481AC

Health Awareness Co-ordinator at Shankill Women's Centre

Salary: £18,450

http://www.communityni.org/index.cfm/section/jobs/key/923C74CD-1143-D8AC-6B8FF63489DB7362

Financial Controller at Old Library Trust

Salary: £24,708 - £26,157

http ://www.communityni.org/index.cfm/section/jobs/key/924BD512-1143-D8AC-6BD5B3AA279C8BFF

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 at http://www.communityni.org/index.cfm/section/events .

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

Membership

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

To find out more contact Frances McAtamney on tel: 028 9087 7777, email: frances.mcatamney@nicva.org or visit the website http://www.nicva.org/members/become_a_member/index.asp.

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