We are very excited to announce that The Ideas Fund grant application is now open! We worked with our friends at The Liminal Space to create a beautifully designed, simple and clear form.
The deadline is midday on 14 May. Shortly after the deadline, you’ll be invited to share your thoughts about what has and hasn’t worked in the process – so we’d love it if you could respond to that. And if you have any other comments in the meantime do reach out to us at hello@theideasfund.org or via your Development Coordinator: roisin@nwcn.org or erin@dhcni.com
The Small Grants Scheme is coming back for another year!
• Grants available from £500 to £3,000
• Closing Date Monday 10th May
Join us on online on Wednesday April 14th at 11am or 7pm (both sessions will be the same content!) for our Small Grants info sessions! We'll be talking through project ideas, the application process and any questions you might have.
Something a bit different: Our Response to Covid-19
Once again, given the current situation, we are open to any creative application that can help support environmentally focused actions that help support people impacted through reduced contact with society. This is certainly another different year but we are working to update our guidance documents and will be here as support throughout the application process as always!
The application process will be available on our website from Monday 12th April 2021 to Monday 10th May 2021.
Click the link below to book your space at the information session:
11am on Wednesday 14th April 2021 https://bit.ly/3sGopgk 7pm on Wednesday 14th April 2021 https://bit.ly/3uesNU8
What is the funding for?
Sports clubs or organisations working within the sport for development sector (this includes any physical activity), which are able to demonstrate that the Covid-19 pandemic has adversely affected them, either operationally or financially, and which require funding to save, resume or adapt their activity.
The funding is unrestricted so can be spent on core costs as well as on programme or capital costs. Funds can also be used towards match funding or for leverage for a larger programme. In normal circumstances, Made by Sport funding would not be able to be used for either debt repayment or for costs incurred before the funding was agreed. However, each participating Community Foundation will ensure that applications for these types of costs are assessed and considered in light of the pandemic if the unique requirement to cover these costs meets the aims of the Fund.
There aren’t any specific deadlines for application, but the sooner you apply the better as we expect high demand for the funding and we only have a certain amount of funding to award.
5Independent Review of Charity Regulation consultation meetings
The Independent Review Panel of Charity Regulation seeks your views on how well the charities regulatory framework, which is administered by the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, is working and what could work better.
The Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 is being reviewed and your views are important to the Independent Review Panel ('the Panel'). The Panel invites you to attend a virtual community meeting to discuss charity regulation in Northern Ireland and to share your views on whether it could work better. This will include short presentations from the Independent Review Panel on the issues within the Review’s scope and we will seek your feedback through questions and answers, and small group discussions.
Objectives This one-hour seminar aims to inform you about the Review’s objectives, and provides opportunity for the Panel to hear and understand your views of charity regulation. Receiving your feedback on what’s working and what’s not will be critical in informing the Panel’s recommendations to the Minister later this summer.
Speakers The Independent Panel comprises Professor Oonagh Breen, University College Dublin, Dr Lesley Carroll, Prisoners’ Ombudsman NI and Mr Noel Lavery, former Permanent Secretary, most recently at the Dept for the Economy in Northern Ireland. You can learn more about the speakers and read the Review’s Terms of Reference here.
Target Audience The Panel will be conducting nine online seminars for various stakeholders including trustees, workers and advisors of charities of different sizes, as well as specific sessions for funders, solicitors, accountants, governance advisors and the general public. Each of the meetings will be focussing on regulatory issues pertinent to these key stakeholders.
Please click on the title of the seminar which is most relevant to you in the table below which will take you to the registration page for that particular session.
Ad Hoc Committee on a Bill of Rights Stakeholder Consultation
The Northern Ireland Assembly’s Ad Hoc Committee on a Bill of Rights recently held a call for evidence. Members of the Committee were delighted to receive over 2,400 responses through written submissions and survey responses and the Committee is very grateful to everyone who took the time to provide their views. The results report can now be read at: http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/assembly-business/committees/2017-2022/ad-hoc-committee-on-a-bill-of-rights/research-papers-2020/
The next stage of the process is to capture more in-depth feedback on this topic. To ensure that the Committee hears from a diverse range of voices, a series of stakeholder events will be hosted during March and April 2021. We are mailing directly to contacts and also via a charities list so forgive us if you receive any double posting, but we feel it is important everyone has a chance to express their views.
If you or those you represent would like to participate in any of these online discussions please email engagement@niassembly.gov.uk, stating the name of the event you wish to attend. Please note that places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served, basis.
Events are based broadly around section 75 groups, however, if you feel you do not represent one of these groups please attend the general public event.
Timetable of events*
Bill of Rights Stakeholder Events
April
Tues 13/4
09:00 – 11:00
Business
Wed 14/4
18:30 – 20:30
Young people
Tues 20/4
18:30-20:30
LGBTQ+
Wed 21/4
18:30-20:30
Disabilities and Carers
Fri 23/4
14:00-16:00
People with a learning disability (being run by Positive Futures, Mencap and Now group)
Tue 27/4
10:00 -12:00
Women
Tues 27/4
19:00:21:00
General Public
Wed 28/4
18:30-20:30
Black and Minority Ethnic communities
*Please note that dates may be subject to change. Any changes will be notified 1 week in advance.
Holywell Trust invites you to nominate colleagues or volunteers from your organisation to participate in the Future Leaders 2021 Programme.
We’ve delivered the Future Leaders programme locally for the last few years and are excited to be recruiting for next year’s cohort. Prior to open-call recruitment, we’re keen to extend an early invitation to colleagues working in our sector.
Future Leaders is a development programme which seeks to upskill, increase capacity and enhance the networks of individuals with leadership potential and a commitment to making positive contributions where we live and work.
We know that succession planning is a challenge within the sector, Future Leaders offers a valuable opportunity to avail of a fully-funded personal and professional development programme for staff or volunteers who demonstrate potential, or who may be in the early stages of their leadership journey. The programme is participant-led and the schedule is arranged to accommodate the needs and interests of participants.
You’ll find the programme overview, schedule and recruitment criteria attached.
If you’d like to discuss further please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Please send expressions of interest via email to fiona@holywelltrust.com
8Investing in Community Leadership: Training Programme
An ambitious five-year £500,000 project which includes new and specific qualifications that support the next generation of leaders, to build their capacity to respond and react confidently to the challenges they face and give them the skills they need to make sure community voices are heard when working with statutory organisations.
This has the potential to make an important contribution to the future of the VCSE sector in the West and is managed by three organisations based in the West of Northern Ireland - Fermanagh Trust in partnership with Holywell Trust in Derry/Londonderry and the Rural Community Network a regional support organisation that is based in Cookstown.
The Integrated Education Fund would be delighted if you could join us at the launch of the Derry~Londonderry micro-poll that was completed by independent polling company LucidTalk in February 2021. The poll focused on the issue of education and responses were invited from parents, living in the local area, with at least one child under the age of 12.
Date/time: Thu 29 April at 12.30pm Location: Zoom (details will be forwarded to those registered the day before)
At the event, Bill White from LucidTalk will present the findings of the poll and outline the process used to complete it. He will also be available to ask any questions you may have on this. In addition, the Integrated Education Fund will provide a brief overview of how schools can transform to integrated status and the key role that parents play in this process.
To register for the event, please visit: https://bit.ly/3sZ5vRT
If you have any questions, or if you can't attend but would like more information, please send me an email: jessica@ief.org.uk
I wanted to take the opportunity to invite you to a EURES Cross Border Partnership and Londonderry Chamber Tax briefing event in collaboration with Letterkenny Chamber on Thursday 22 April via zoom webinar from 11am-12pm
Over the last year Social Farms & Gardens (SF&G) has witnessed a huge rise in interest in community growing. Both the pandemic and Brexit have exposed food supply-chain weaknesses and SF&G has responded in Northern Ireland with growing and seed-saving initiatives. These responses met the immediate need, and SF&G is now looking to the future and the increasing interest in food growing for health, community and economic reasons.
Due to an unprecedented number of queries from communities about finding land for community growing, Social Farms & Gardens approached the UK-wide Urban Agriculture Consortium (UAC) for support to help examine what local policies are necessary to bring excess public land into short, medium, and long-term productive use as simply and quickly as possible.
In partnership with DTNI and the Urban Agriculture Consortium, SF&G has designed this series of action-focused workshops – designed for council staff and councillors in Northern Ireland – to look at the process of facilitating community-managed public land, both UK-wide and locally in NI.
We will examine the support the process needs, and work together over the course of the three workshops to identify ways to strengthen and develop policy and increase awareness in communities. We will also investigate the potential of community management of land for food growing to:
achieve council objectives in health and community development,
make best use of council estate and
deliver a healthy social return on investment.
The first workshop on Monday 19 April features Jeremy Iles of the Urban Agriculture Consortium, Declan Donnelly of Cloughmills Community Action Team (and Causeway Coast & Glens Council officer) and Charlie Fisher of DTNI. MON 19 APRIL 2-3:30PM
The UK and NI policy context, and benefits of community access to land. Register here MON 10 MAY 2-3:30PM
Typical barriers and solutions, with detailed case studies and facilitated problem solving. Register here MON 24 MAY 2-3:30PM
Action planning. Co-designing action your staff team can take to embed practical policy in your working practice. Register here
We are delighted to be joined by Dr. Gabor Maté for the second of our 2021 ASCERT Online Seminar Series.
The online Zoom event will take place on Tuesday 20th April 2021, 7pm to 8.30pm.
We will speak to Dr. Maté about addiction, trauma and the impact Covid is having on all of our lives. There will be an opportunity to ask questions directly to Dr. Gabor Maté.
Tickets cost £5. However, we wish to make this event accessible to all, especially to people who use services. To apply for a concessionary ticket, please email info@ascert.biz.
This is an online Zoom Webinar event. Details of how to log on to the event will be sent by email to those who register.
A recording of the event will be made available to those who register but cannot attend on the day.
13Assembly events coming up in April, May and June
We have a number of free events planned over the next few months to help you, your organisation or business get your voices heard at the Assembly.
Through these sessions you will learn about the Assembly and its processes and how you can make them work for you.
Assembly Explained
This training is aimed at those who want to gain a deeper understanding of the political process and how they can get involved.
The topics covered:
Which laws can be made at the Northern Ireland Assembly
What happens during Plenary
What is the role of an Assembly Committee
How I can engage with a Committee
Where to find out what your MLA is doing for your constituency
Where to find out what has been happening about issues at the Assembly
These sessions will be hosted on Zoom or MS Teams.
We have a number Free online Information Sessions coming up over the next few months:
Tuesday 13th April, Thursday 6th May and Wednesday 2nd June 10am – 11am Via Zoom – communication support can be provided upon request Hearing Loss and Communication
Covid 19 poses unique challenges for communicating as many of those with hearing loss rely on visual cues such as lip reading and facial expression for communication.
This visual information is lost when someone is on a telephone or wearing a mask.
In order to adapt to overcome these barriers we may need to adapt to new ways of communicating and using additional resources in order to communicate effectively.
Wednesday 21st April, Wednesday 19th May and Wednesday 29th June 2pm – 2.30pm Via Zoom – communication support can be provided upon request My Hearing Loss Story
Each month we have a guest speaker sharing their own experience growing up with hearing loss, overcome challenges and how communication has been effected due to Covid-19.
Wednesday 5th May 2pm – 4pm Via Zoom – communication support can be provided upon request Hearing Health Training for Care Homes
70% of people aged 70+ are living with some form of hearing loss, this rises to 90% aged 80+.
Lead by our Hearing Aid Liaison Officer, this information session includes:
An introduction to Hearing Loss and its causes,
The signs of hearing loss and Hearing Loss Pathway
The impact of Hearing Loss (mental health, isolation, loneliness, falls, dementia)
Our Tinnitus Support Officer will share about what is Tinnitus and how to learn to live with it.
Our Information Officer will bring you up to date with tips and tactics for overcoming communication barriers during Covid 19.
You will also learn about basic hearing aid maintenance to keep hearing aids working their best.
Wednesday 28th April 10am – 10.45am How’s Your Hearing?
We will be looking at the different types of hearing loss, signs of hearing loss, what to do if you suspect you have hearing loss and how you can protect your hearing.
Wednesday 26th May 10am – 10.45am Getting Hearing Aids
We will be looking at the hearing loss pathway, questions to ask your audiologist, what to expect at your appointment and Private or NHS hearing aids the pros and cons of each.
Wednesday 16th June 10am – 10.45am Adjusting to Your Hearing Aids
We will look at what happens next now that you have hearing aids?, steps to adjusting to your hearing aids, how to maintain your hearing aid, how RNID can support you with your hearing aids.
These on-line sessions are open to anyone who would like to join, feel free to share this email with others that it may be of interest to, we will forward you the zoom details after you have registered your interest with us.
15Webinars (2 & 3) | Workplace Mental Health Series
Second webinar
Date: 22nd April - Time: 2.15 for 2.30pm (finish 4.00pm)
Topic: Managing the Mental Health of employees when working from home
Speakers: HSENI Mental Wellbeing at Work Advisors
Presentation: How to adopt/implement HSENI’s Management Standards for work related stress (including the new home working element). Download the flyer to get further information and book your place/s.
Third webinar
Date: 29th April - Time: 2.15 for 2.30pm (finish 4.00pm)
Topic: Mental Health First Aid
Speaker: Helen Gibson, Regional Co-ordinator Mental & Emotional Wellbeing & Suicide Prevention Training, PHA
Presentation: Recognising mental health problems in employees and supporting someone in distress. Download the flyer to get further information and book your place/s.
First webinar
The first webinar in the series, Workplace Mental Health Awareness is happening this Thursday (15th April). There are still some places left Download the flyer to get further information and book your place/s. If you can’t make it the webinar will be available to watch on our website from next week.
People generally don’t know how to recognise mental health problems or know what help is available. This programme will provide you with the skills to provide initial support for someone with a mental health problem.
Normally a two-day workshop, the programme will be delivered on-line, over 3 x 4 hour sessions using Zoom
These sessions are open to staff & volunteers of community & voluntary sector organisations operating within the Western Trust Area
Course Dates
Date: Tues 20th, Wed 21st & Thurs 22nd April 2021
Time: 9:30am to 1:30pm
Venue: Online via Zoom
Please note that all 3 sessions must be attended in order to complete the programme
and qualify for Certificate
We will forward the link prior to the Training date
The Health Improvement Department, have published a new booklet on looking after yourself at home. It is aimed at those who do not have access to the internet and websites.
The Covid-19 pandemic has been a challenging time especially for those of us who have been spending more time at home, whether shielding, self-isolating or working from home. It has become even more important to look after our overall health and wellbeing.
Looking after our health is important for two reasons:
It can help us to stay healthy
If we do have a health concern, it can help us to manage it better.
This new booklet provides ideas and information on practical and helpful ways we can support our health and wellbeing at home. Further help and support information can be found at the end of each section. The health topics covered in this booklet are:
• Keeping Active
• Healthy Eating
• Cutting Down on Alcohol
• Support in Stopping Smoking
• Nurturing our Personal Resilience
• Money Advice
The booklet is available to order as a printed copy with contact details for further support and can also be accessed as an online version which includes links to websites.
To place an order for copies of this booklet, which will be posted out or delivered, please contact the Health Improvement Department on 028 71865127 or health.improvement@westerntrust.hscni.net.
18Carers Programmes at the Old Library Trust on ZOOM
BUPA – Me Time Programme (All Carers aged 65+): Free 12- week programme is open to all carers aged 65+ looking after a loved one with any long- term illness or condition. It is taught on zoom and will offer guidance and support to improve carers’ general health and wellbeing. Tablets and Wi-Fi support given on loan with resource pack. Programme begins: Fridays from 16th April at 11am
Visit: @olthlc for more information
DEEDS (Dementia Specific Courses for Carers All Ages)
Carers Education programme: FREE 4-week Course on ZOOM for those looking after someone with dementia. If you care for someone with Dementia and would you like to know more about Dementia and meet other families in a safe environment? Starting Thursday 22nd April at 11am on ZOOM.
Carers Connect: This Free 8-week programme is for carers caring for someone with early-stage dementia or who are still able to engage well in activities. It is taught on Zoom and is bespoke to the carer and loved one they are caring for. Carers learn why activities and a schedule is important for those with dementia and are taught activities for their loved ones. Carers are supplied with resources for the course and a tablet and Wi-Fi support on loan is included. The programme timetable is set via the Support Workers with the carer around the carers’ availability. Programme is due to start the week beginning 3rd May. Visit: @DerryEngagingEmpoweringDementia for more information.
For all courses: please contact Sinead on 71373870 or email sinead@olt.ie
19How to empower teenagers to develop healthy online behaviours
Parents and Professionals' Webinars
This talk draws on the most recent quality research on wellbeing and technology use for young people. It will take apart the endless scary headlines about screen time, social media and what can happen to young people online. What we know is that most young people are using technology in appropriate ways to explore and build their social identity, express themselves, learn, play, connect with others, gain social support. As children become adolescents, they experience a process of social emancipation, in that the peer group becomes increasingly important to them. Technology helps enable this by connecting them with their peers. Dr. Fox Hamilton will talk about a few key areas that can help parents understand what their kids are doing online, and how it’s affecting them.
Topics covered include-
The screen time issue.
How to empower young people to behave in healthy ways and support their wellbeing.
What aspects of the internet might get in the way of that – difficulties and where they might not be their best selves.
Some risky behaviour online, pornography use and consent around sexual images.
How do kids handle problems online?
About the presenter: Dr. Nicola Fox Hamilton is a cyberpsychology researcher who has published several papers and book chapters in the area of cyberpsychology, online dating, and relationships online. She lectures in Cyberpsychology and Applied Psychology in IADT, Dun Laoghaire. See www.nicolafoxhamilton.com for more information.
Target Audience: The session for parents is open to parents/carers including kinship and foster carers who live in the Western Health and Social Care Trust area.
The session for professionals is limited to those working directly with parents, carers, children and young people. You may be contacted if you provide a personal email address to establish your role. Places are available to practitioners of all backgrounds and disciplines who work within the Western Trust area from the voluntary, community and statutory sectors. Places are not available to private or fee-based organisations or businesses.
27.04.21 at 11am-12pm for Professionals Book here 28.04.21 at 6-7pm for Parents Book here This is likely to be a popular event so book early!
- Boosting participation in the new Erasmus+ programme
- Summer University Project School
- NEW ERASMUS+ YOUTH InfoDay
- Creative Methodologies for Emancipation: Virtuality and Pandemia
- Juice Up Your Meetings 2
- IMPROV THEATRE & BODY AWARENESS
- RESOLVE: Life After Brexit
- Comedy theatre
- IMPROVISATION THEATRE – IMPROVe Yourself!
- Quality Label, Good Practices Exchange
- Call for Trainers
21Acquired Brain Injury Services Co-ordinator - North West region of Northern Ireland
This is an exciting opportunity to help Headway – the brain injury association to improve life after brain injury for survivors and their families in Northern Ireland.
Salary: £21,500
A brain injury can affect anyone at any time. When it does, Headway is here to help.
Each year, around 10,000 people are admitted to hospital in Northern Ireland with an acquired brain injury. Most of these people will need help and support in rebuilding their lives.
That’s where we come in. At Headway, our role is to provide information and support to people affected by brain injury while campaigning to reduce the number of people sustaining such injuries and calling for better support for those that do.
To do this, we need your help!
In your role as an ABI Services Co-ordinator, you will be responsible for devising and delivering face-to-face and virtual support services to brain injury survivors and carers in the North West region of Northern Ireland.
You will use your passion, drive and creativity to develop support programmes that promote independent living and mental and physical wellbeing among brain injury survivors and carers.
Ideally, you will have knowledge of brain injury and experience of supporting those affected, or come from a social care background.
If you’re interested in improving life after brain injury, we’d love to hear from you!
Derry City and Strabane District Council (DCSDC) are inviting quotations from suitable experienced musicians in the Derry District to be part of a list of street musicians that they will engage as part of the City of Derry Jazz & Big Band Festival which will take place on Friday 30th April, Saturday 1st & Sunday 2nd May 2021.
23Northern Ireland Screen: Chair to the Board Public Appointment Competition
The Department for the Economy will be advertising an open competition on 15th and 16th April 2021 in the three main local papers to recruit a new Chair to the Board of Northern Ireland Screen.
A public appointment to a Board gives individuals from different backgrounds and with specific skills and experience a chance to help make decisions that affect all our lives. Board appointments are a great opportunity to give something back to the community, whilst developing your own skills.
Northern Ireland Screen’s role is to maximise the economic, cultural and educational value of the screen industries for the benefit of Northern Ireland’s citizens.
The successful candidate will take the lead in driving forward the Board’s mission to accelerate the development of a dynamic and sustainable screen industry and culture in Northern Ireland.
The appointment begins in July 2021 for a five year term and attracts remuneration of £10,000 per year. The time commitment is approximately 30 days per annum including quarterly board meetings, ad hoc committee meetings and attendance at occasional evening engagements. There may also be some overseas travel.
We particularly welcome applications from people with a disability and those from ethnic minorities as these are currently under-represented on the Board.
We are operating a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for applicants with a disability.
No academic qualifications are required for the post. Appointment will be made on merit from individuals who best satisfy the criteria.
24 CAFRE College Advisory Group new Chair and Member Appointment Opportunity
The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) wishes to appoint a new Chair and Member representing the Dairying sector to the CAFRE College Advisory Group. These are 3 year appointments starting from 1st July 2021.
The College Advisory Group is an Expert Committee which provides advice at a strategic and operational level to the CAFRE Management Team. It meets up to 6 times per year for full days at various CAFRE locations.
All applications for appointment are considered strictly on the basis of merit. The closing date (and time) for receipt of applications is 4.00pm on Friday 30 April 2021.
The application form and further information can be found on the DAERA website at www.daera-ni.gov.uk/cafrecag or alternatively by contacting Richard McCreedy, Food and Farming Group, Room 516a, Dundonald House, Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast, BT4 3SB, e-mail: cagrecruit@daera-ni.gov.uk or Telephone 02890520889.
If you have a hearing difficulty you can contact the Department via Text Relay:
• Making a call from a textphone dial 18001 + 028 9052 0889
On request, we can arrange to provide applicants with information in an alternative format to suit their needs such as; large print, Braille, audio CD or other languages
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