eNews 20 February 2006

NICVA

Free

NICVA eNews: 20 February 2006

Compiled by John McCormick, Information Officer

(1) Designing Peace III
(2) Making your Mark II - Building Your Confidence to Lead
(3) Policy Manifesto 2006 - what does the sector want?
(4) Last chance to influence your children's future education
(5) Why fork out for a new laptop?
(6) What Positive Steps?
(7) Advice and information strategy econsultation
(8) Personal safety workshop
(9) Neighbourhood Renewal and Community Regeneration Seminar
(10) Little time left to get on board
(11) Big savings for little ones
(12) Trafficking of Women in Northern Ireland
(13) VSO Ireland Information Day
(14) National Trust seeks committee membersPick of the Websites
Make Your Move - new jobs this week on communityni.org
Community NI Diary
Membership
Subscribe to eNews
Feedback
Submit an Article

(1) Designing Peace III

Following the announcement of €200 million for the third PEACE programme, NICVA is organising three seminars, in conjunction with North West Community Network and Lisburn Community Network, to find out what it is the voluntary and community sector wants and expects from PEACE III.

As there is much more limited funding, getting the priorities right is crucial. The seminars will look at what the priorities should be, what the money should be spent on, what should not be included this time around, and whether previous recommendations are relevant in today's sector.

The dates and venues are:

7 March 2006, Beechlawn Hotel, Dunmurry

8 March 2006, NICVA, Belfast

14 March 2006, The Junction, Derry

Come and hear the views of others and have your say. Places are limited. To book, please contact Cathy Breslin on tel: 028 9087 7777, email:cathy.breslin@nicva.orgby Friday 3 March 2006 or visit www.nicva.org/index.cfm/section/events/key/090206eventPeaceIIIfor more information and to download the registration form.

(2) Making your Mark II- Building Your Confidence to Lead

Making Your Mark II on 27 April 2006 in the Ramada Hotel, Belfast, builds on the phenomenal success of a similar conference in November 2004. The event is aimed at, but not exclusive to, current or recent participants in NICVA’s Management Development Programme.

This inspirational event will feature keynote addresses from Watt Nicoll, described in America as ‘The Guru of Personal Reinvention’, but who prefers to be known as ‘The Difference Maker’, and Angela Peacock, who is an internationally experienced coach and speaker, with a unique insight into what makes a great leader of change. A range of afternoon workshops will be facilitated by the keynote speakers plus Billy Dixon, The Edward deBono Foundation and Franklin Covey

Participants on the Management Development Programme will receive complimentary places and preferential booking (although they should still send £50 as a deposit, which will be returned to them). For those who have not been part of the programme the cost is £50. Places are limited so please book early.

You can download the conference brochure from www.nicva.org/index.cfm/section/events/key/MakingYourMarkII. For more information, email: Sandra.bailie@nicva.org.

(3) Policy Manifesto 2006 – what does the sector want?

The process of creating a third Policy Manifesto for the voluntary and community sector has begun. It will be published in the autumn and presented to policymakers. NICVA members are invited to sign up now to participate in the process. If government asked the voluntary and community sector tomorrow 'what do you want us to do?' what would we say? The NICVA Policy Manifesto is an attempt to answer that question.

NICVA, together with the sector, has already produced two manifestos, the last one in 2003. These were intended to influence the manifestos of the political parties in Northern Ireland and the development of the Executive's Programme for Government. They set out the policy priorities of the sector across a range of areas.

In the absence of devolution the document has been used to influence policymakers. Ideally the manifesto would be produced to coincide with elections, but this is difficult to predict at the moment, so the process to create the next manifesto will begin in 2006 as planned.

It’s a Manifesto for the sector, so your input is vital. This is an opportunity for the sector to publish a proactive set of priorities, already discussed and agreed, instead of constantly responding to government's agenda in consultations on topics not of our choosing.

Find out more at www.communityni.org/index.cfm/section/news/key/080206PolManiTimetable.

(4) Last chance to influence your children’s future education

Come to NICVA’s education reform briefing at 10.00am on 23 February 2006 and have your say on the future of education in Northern Ireland.

Experts in the field of education, including representatives from the Department of Education and Professor Tony Gallagher, head of the Graduate School of Education at Queen’s University, will be on hand to lead the debate and answer your questions.

Some reasons why you should care about the proposed education reform:

• One in five children leaves school without a single GCSE at grade C or above.
• Northern Ireland has the lowest qualified workforce in the UK.
• Northern Ireland has the highest level of economic inactivity in the UK.
• Selection works against the interests of people in disadvantaged areas.
• International research shows that students in non-selective systems perform better, on average, than those in selective systems.

If you would like to attend this important event, please contact Cathy Breslin on tel: 028 9087 7777 or email: cathy.breslin@nicva.org.

(5) Why fork out for a new laptop?

When you could complete a NICVA Members’ Survey and be in with a great chance of winning one! We try to ensure that the services we offer our members reflect the constantly changing nature of the voluntary and community sector, so your opinion is extremely important to us.

With the postal strike, you may not have received the survey, so if you would like to complete one online, you can now visit www.communityni.org/index.cfm/section/news/key/270106MemSurvey, download and complete the Word version of the survey, and either fax it back to 028 9087 7799, or return it by email to: gordon.mccullough@nicva.org.

Remember, if you don’t win the laptop, a year’s free subscription to Grant Tracker or a year’s free NICVA membership are also up for grabs.

(6) What Positive Steps?

Has Positive Steps had any impact on your organisation? Is it likely to? Do you know very little about it?

NICVA recently mailed out a survey asking about the impact Positive Steps, the follow up document to the Taskforce report, has had on your organisation, since its publication in March 2005.

Again, the postal strike has played havoc with the receipt of responses, so we would be grateful if you could literally take two minutes to complete the six question online survey at www.nicva.org/index.cfm/section/news/key/090206PosStepsSurv.

(7) Advice and information strategy econsultation

Advice NI is running an econsultation on its website from Wednesday 22 February to Friday 24 March 2006. The econsultation is based on DSD's recent Advice and Information Strategy consultation document.

This econsultation will gather the experiences and recommendations of both those who give advice and those members of the public who seek advice. A report based on the econsultation will then be submitted to the DSD in response to the consultation document.

(8) Personal safety workshop

COSTA presents this training for community/outreach workers on 10 March 2006 at Community Relations Council Offices, Moygashel, from 9.30am to 2.00pm.

The workshop will raise awareness of potentially dangerous situations, so lessening the chance of you becoming a victim of crime.

For more information or to reserve a place, please contact COSTA by Friday 24 February on tel: 028 8555 6880, email: costa.network@virgin.net.

(9) Neighbourhood Renewal and Community Regeneration Seminar

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 themes that affect the community sector. Keynote speakers from government agencies, funding bodies, academia, and the community sector, will examine issues that are central to the future of the sector over the coming years.

Neighbourhood Renewal and Community Regeneration will look at sustainable regeneration in deprived communities, in particular the opportunities and challenges offered by community led regeneration.

The event takes place from 9.30am to 1.00pm on 28 February 2006at Farset International Hotel, Belfast. Keynote speakers will include a representative from the Department for Social Development, Dr Brendan Murtagh from the School of Planning, QUB, Geraldine McAteer, Chief Executive of West Belfast Partnership; and Jackie Redpath, Chief Executive of Greater Shankill Partnership.

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

To book a place, visit www.nthbp.org and download and complete a registration form, which you should return to Joanne Campbell at North Belfast Partnership. As places are limited at the venue, it is recommended to book early.

(10) Little time left to get on board

The Belfast Institute is offering Get On Board, an accredited programme designed to break down many of the barriers to public appointments in Northern Ireland. The programme aims to make the public appointments process more accessible to everyone in Northern Ireland and is targeted at individuals who are interested in, or currently hold, public appointments.

If you would like to apply or register your interest, please contact Roisin Shaw on tel: 028 9026 5471, email: rshaw@belfastinstitute.ac.uk. The closing date for completed applications is 3.00pm on Wednesday 22 February 2006.

(11) Big savings for little ones

Employers For Childcare is a local charity working with employers throughout Northern Ireland, to help their staff make big savings on registered childcare costs, using childcare vouchers.

Childcare vouchers are:

- Open to all working mums and dads via your employer

- Not means-tested

- Independent from tax credits

- Valid for all forms of registered childcare, including day nurseries, registered childminders, crèches and playgroups, after-school and breakfast clubs, holiday schemes and workplace nurseries

- Available to all children aged up to 15 in registered childcare (Special Needs children up to 16)

The first £50 per week (£217 per month) of childcare vouchers that you receive through your payroll is exempt of income tax and National Insurance Contributions (NIC). This means that you could save up to £71 per month on registered childcare if you are a basic rate tax payer, and £89 per month if you are a higher rate tax payer. With the limit applying to both partners, families can each receive up to £434 per month in childcare vouchers, which would be tax and national insurance exempt (assuming both partners' employers offer childcare vouchers), a total family saving of up to £178 per month.

To find out more about childcare vouchers or if you have any other childcare work-related issues such as choosing childcare, juggling work and family or balancing family and finances, please contact Employers For Childcare on FREEPHONE 0800 028 3008, email:info@employersforchildcare.orgor visitwww.employersforchildcare.org.

(12) Trafficking of Women in Northern Ireland

The Northern Ireland Human Rights commission invites you to a seminar and round table discussion (with wine and nibbles) in its offices at 3.00pm on International Women’s Day, 8 March 2006.

The seminar will consider preliminary research on the nature of trafficking in Northern Ireland, its current policy context and tools that may help provide safety and support. Speakers will include Professor Monica McWilliams, Chief Commissioner, NIHRC; Patricia Campbell, Amnesty International and Rebecca Dudley, Education Worker, NIHRC.

As numbers are limited, please confirm attendance to Bernadette Rooney on tel: 028 9024 3987, email: bernadette.rooney@nihrc.org.

(13) VSO Ireland Information Day

International development charity VSO Ireland is holding an Information Day in Belfast for primary and secondary school teachers who are interested in becoming overseas volunteers. The event takes place on Saturday 4 March 2006 at 1.30pm.

VSO works through professional volunteers who share their skills and expertise with colleagues in some of the poorest countries in the world. Volunteers live and work at the heart of local communities helping to tackle poverty by developing the ability of institutions, organisations and individuals to deliver services to the poor.

Attendees will have the opportunity to hear more about VSO’s work internationally, find out more about the types of jobs VSO can offer and meet former volunteers who can give a first hand account of life in a developing country.

Attendance is free but by registration only. Call 00 353 1 872 7173 to book your place. For more information about VSO, please visit www.vso.ie.

(14) National Trust seeks committee members

Do you have a passion for conservation and the environment? If so, this is your opportunity to support the work of the National Trust in Northern Ireland, by joining the regional committee. The committee is made up of people from all walks of life that bring a breadth of personal experience and professional expertise in areas such as nature conservation, built heritage, tourism, planning and business, agriculture, education and horticulture. There are over 45,000 members of the Trust in Northern Ireland.

The Trust is responsible for 120 miles of coastline, the Giant’s Causeway, five national nature reserves, nine historic mansions and gardens, two public houses, including the Crown Bar, and much more.

If you feel you could contribute to this important work, please contact Valerie Newell on tel:

028 9751 2342 or email: valerie.newell@nationaltrust.org.uk for an information pack and application form.

The closing date is 3 March 2006.

Pick of the Websites

Community NI

What is dyspraxia?DANDA calls for expressionsof interest in a support group dedicated to dyspraxia.

http://www.communityni.org/index.cfm/section/news/key/2B73A010-1143-D8AC-6B812F811EE55D4B

NJC Payscales - update for 2006/07

http://www.communityni.org/index.cfm/section/General/key/NJC0506

Sainsbury's supports MS.Three monthssupport from the supermarket chain

http://www.communityni.org/index.cfm/section/news/key/4F66BCB3-1143-D8AC-6BA12DFBD42B628D

NICVA

Events for your diary:

Members InformatonDay on 6 April

http://www.nicva.org/index.cfm/section/events/key/MembersDay050406

Making Your Mark II - Building Your Confidenceto Lead on 27 Aprilhttp://www.nicva.org/index.cfm/section/Events/key/MakingYourMarkII

Policy Manifesto discussions - register by 17 Marchhttp://www.nicva.org/index.cfm/section/news/key/080206PolManiTimetable

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

This section contains a random selection of the latest jobs from the Community NIwebsite.

Finance and Office Administrator (PT) at the BeatInitiative

http://www.communityni.org/index.cfm/section/jobs/key/6435A7FD-1143-D8AC-6B6A495938C2F6ED

Project Worker- Supported Housing at NI Association for Mental Health.

Salary: £13,500 to £17,714.

http://www.communityni.org/index.cfm/section/jobs/key/684BF541-1143-D8AC-6B982C56F121C8F9

Shop Co-ordinator (PT) at War on Want.

Salary: £6.20 per hour

http://www.communityni.org/index.cfm/section/jobs/key/499F37C1-1143-D8AC-6B4E9826DC0DEE8B

Community NI Diary

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 www.nicva.org/index.cfm/section/article/page/NICVAmembership.

Subscribe to eNews

Use this link to subscribe to eNews. Alternatively, send an email to nicvalist@nicva.org , with subscribe in the subject field. eNews is sent to its subscribers weekly. Please feel free to circulate the information within your organisation as appropriate.

Feedback

Your feedback about this service is very welcome.

Submit an Article

Use this link to submit an article for inclusion in eNews.

The information in eNews 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.

For general enquiries, email john.mccormick@nicva.org .