To all our members and groups within the community sector in the north west, we want to try and support you as best we can over the next few months. If you need to put a call-out for support e.g. if you need volunteers to help you to continue to provide vital services within the community or have a support initiative that we can help you inform others about, please send on the information to us and we can post this in our weekly e-bulletin, Twitter or on our Facebook page.
Challenging times for us all but we want to work with you and work together so that we can support those in our community who will need it most in the coming weeks. Email any information to roisin@nwcn.org or neola@nwcn.org
NEW UPDATES this week on the Community Support Section of Council’s website.
For organisations Support for Community Organisations NI Executive Approach to Decision Making – the five-stage plan for easing the COVID 19 restrictions in NI Furlough Scheme extended to October 2020 Coronavirus Service Activity Guidance and PPE Instructions from Red Cross Free training for staff, volunteers and call handlers: Psychological First Aid, Towards Zero Suicide, Advice NI Triage Training, Online Stress Control and Safeguarding Awareness to spot the signs of abuse
Funding for COVID 19 response Free Access to Grantfinder Online Grantfinder Training: if you missed the previous sessions and wish to take part in future register your details Local Funding Opportunities: Closing soon;
Henderson Group Community Cashback Grant – Closes 20th May
Greggs Foundation - Coronavirus Emergency Appeal – Closes 8th June
Freelands Foundation Emergency Fund for artists and freelance creative practitioners in the UK – Closes 18th June
National Lottery Heritage Fund: Heritage Emergency Fund – Closes 30th June
Recruit and Manage COVID 19 volunteers Updated guidance from Volunteer Now on Domestic Violence and Abuse, Volunteering Risk Assessments, Volunteering on Furlough, Volunteer Expenses, Keeping Children Safe from Online Sexual Abuse, Safe Communication Online with Children and Young People, Spotting the signs of Financial Abuse and more
For individuals Resources to Stay Healthy Rediscover Home Cooking with top tips and recipes from the PHA Introduction to Mindfulness
Get Help Priority Delivery Slots for those advised to shield by their GP and do not have friends or family to get their shopping Supermarkets offering e-gift cards to share with family, friends or volunteers to purchase shopping (Lidl, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Dunne’s, ASDA, M&S) Local Businesses offering food delivery services
Get Advice Advice on Safer Shopping during COVID 19 Advice for Workers during COVID 19: Keeping safe while working, If you're not in work temporarily, If you've lost your job or are looking for work, Emergency Volunteer Leave and more FactCheckNI: Have you seen information about COVID 19 and are unsure if it's true?
Give Help to Others Support local businesses during COVID 19 Digital Help for email, attachments, online payments, shopping online, social media and staying safe online
Child Friendly Information Staying Home Children's Book - download for free New Activities and Challenges for children and young people at Youth Online Free access to Virtual Cyber School for 13-18 year olds until 31st August 2020 Free access to online cyber skills platform CyberLand during COVID 19 Money Advice for Young People from the Young Finance Centre Advice for Pregnant Women/ Parents and Infant Mental Health Understanding the teenage brain and lockdown
We hope you continue to find these updates useful – don’t forget to check our website and nidirect regularly for the latest information on the impact of COVID-19 on our services
This section includes information on the impact of current funding and fundraising, and has some useful sources of financial help. Read the most recent advice and information from funders:
Read the latest advice and initiatives from the Department of Health and Health and Social Care Board. Find out about the extensive support for care homes and details of the Executives five-stage plan to ease the Covid-19 lockdowon in Northern Ireland.
During the pandemic, there are lots of words and terms being used on TV, radio or online that many of us have never seen or heard before. To help improve everyone’s understanding, we have compiled an A-Z glossary of COVID-19 words and terms using plain English!
When we include a word or term in our glossary, we also include useful links where you can go to find out more. This glossary is updated regularly as new words and terms appear in government briefings, articles, newspapers and on social media.
If there are any words and terms relating to COVID-19 that you would like to see included in the glossary, please do let us know by emailing patriciaharte@cdhn.org
8Workplace Health Support Programme - Now open for registrations
At a time of uncertainty and period of change for many employees we are encouraging you to sign up to our free workplace health and wellbeing support service, funded by the Public Health Agency. Available to workplaces across Northern Ireland and delivered by NI Chest Heart & Stroke in Belfast, South Eastern, Southern and Northern areas and by Developing Healthy Communities in the Western area.
Participating workplaces will receive:
An opportunity to complete an employee workplace health and wellbeing survey to determine employee health priorities
A comprehensive report outlining the health of employees and
Assistance with the development and implementation of a 3-year workplace health and wellbeing action plan
Health Champion Training for employees within your workplace to drive forward health and wellbeing initiative
Access to further workplace health training including Mental Health First Aid and networking opportunities for Health Champions
Support to achieve the Equality Commission Mental Health Charter
Access to 2 Well Talks or webinars for employees
Provision of resources for health and wellbeing initiatives
Ongoing support from an experienced workplace health and wellbeing team.
Register your workplace today, by completing a registration form www.nichs.org.uk/wellteam
Western area: Email: sabrina@dhcni.com
This programme has been adapted to reflect social distancing advice. All meetings are held via online video conferencing, employee health and wellbeing surveys are hosted online, workplace wellbeing programmes have been adapted to include webinars and training will be hosted online, if required.
9AWARE -Launch of further online Education and Training Programmes
In celebration of #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek, we are launching an online version of our Living Life to the Full well-being programme as well as launching further dates for our popular Mindfulness sessions!
Living Life to the Full (18+)
The six-session programme uses Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) concepts to help you manage your feelings when you are stressed, worried, or depressed. It teaches you simple, practical skills to help you cope with life’s challenges. The session will be delivered in short video sessions on YouTube.
Mindfulness (18+)
These sessions will last one hour and will consist of meditation practices, some teaching about mindfulness and how mindfulness can be helpful in reducing stress and anxiety.
For more info and to register, go to https://www.aware-ni.org/intro-to-mindfulness
As part of Mental Health Awareness week 18th – 22nd May 2020, Helen McDonnell a board member with AWARE NI is offering free online mindfulness sessions via zoom for adults 18+
Why not register and support your mental health and resilience by learning a new skill for lasting change
Annual reporting is a legal requirement for registered charities in Northern Ireland. Charities must report on their finances, resources and activities. This free online session will cover the following topics:
completing the annual monitoring return.
the content of Trustee's Annual Reports
the requirements for the annual accounts
the requirement to have the annual accounts independently examined or audited.
The Derwent Initiative has launched a series of FREE safeguarding resources for new volunteers across the UK
As a charity* committed to reducing the risk of sexual offending for over 25 years we are keen that those new to volunteering can access our services during this critical period.
We have launched 4 FREE webinars for people taking part in community volunteer groups aimed at helping people during the current COVID crisis. For information on what we can do for the leaders of these groups please get in touch directly and let us see what we can do together.
The webinars cover 4 main areas:
What has changed? Key issues for volunteer groups
Recruitment and deployment of volunteers
Keeping yourself and clients safe
Keeping the vulnerable safe: being alert to signs of abuse
The course and material are free but if you like what you see and want to find out more about TDI and how we can help you go to www.tdi.org.uk . You will also find a donate button there. If you’d like to make a contribution to support this work we’d be delighted!
We’ve been so impressed by how many community groups have sprung up to meet the challenges so many people are facing, so we wanted to share our expertise to keep volunteers safe, and help them identify people who might be at risk in isolation.
TDI runs the successful national public protection membership programme Leisurewatch aimed at making public venues safer, and these new resources have been welcomed by supporters.
*Registered Charity Number 1126951, Company number 6725535.
With COVID19 measures in place, it is more important to help our local foodbank this year than ever. Your contribution will make an impact, whether you donate a lot or a little. Anything helps.
NW Islamic Association are raising money for the Foyle Food Bank through a sponsored fast to coincide with the month of Ramadan. We are encouraging everyone to give it a go and help them out! In past three years through the fasting challenge we were able to raise more than £4200 . We are proud to say that response of the local community was amazing in past years.
Ways to Donate/Take Part
-There are downloadable sponsorship forms if you’d like to pass that on to your friends and families. Show them you’re up for the challenge!
- You can use our Facebook donate button or, you can send you donation to this bank account:
A/C no: 20069728. Sort code: 40-30-57
For further inquiries, please contact us in Facebook or drop an email>> info@nwia.org.uk
Northern Ireland Alcohol Awareness Week 2020 is coming up on 15th to 21st June. We are encouraging people to assess their alcohol use using our online Alcohol MOT.
If you would like to get involved this year please reply and we will add your name to our list.
You could organise your own workplace event, circulate posters or share our social media messages.
We are unsure if social distancing restrictions will be lifted by June so we are planning for every eventuality. It would be great if we are able to hold some physical events but it will also be possible to get involved virtually.
Are you living in the city? Or the Waterside? Perhaps you’re from the nether regions of this fab spot? How are these strange days treating you? This Waterside Theatre course is a brand-new online project for writers - or anyone who’d like to explore the writing process. Application details are below
MAN's fathering families project invites you to help us value, validate and celebrate the loving. nuturing, developmental, protective experiences and influences that fathering has had on your life.
Send us your pictures, messages, poems, artwork or video clips of your event which with your permission we will post on Facebook and celebrating fathering webpage.
For anyone who has sadly lost their father if you would like to send a picture, sentiment or just a name to be acknowledged we will remember them and the influence they had in your life.
From today also as a memento of the day, MAN if requested, can create a free personalised digital father's day's card for you with any images, theme or sentiment you would like included (hard copies can also be available but may not reach in time due to postal delays) all requests for these can ne made via email to; celebratefathering@man-ni.org
Celebrate our 30th birthday with us by taking on our #30for30 challenge in June. Walk, run, skip, cycle or jog your way to 30K! Get active and help raise sponsorship for our charity at the same time, to help us continue to provide vital services for our autism community.
Sign up today and receive a free fundraising pack including t-shirt and
pedometer.
For more information, please email rachel@autismni.org or call 028 9040 1729
(Option 3).
Come together, chat in the comments, learn some new skills and have a laugh.
Let's get together by staying apart!
#inthistogether
Wednesday 20th May - 11am
Six Week Exercise Programme - Week 2 of Stephen Carlin's curated exercise programme. Join in live and get active!
Thursday 21st May - 2pm
Craft Class with Tina McLaughlin - Get crafty this week and learn some tips on how to upcycle an old chair seat - breathing new life to old furniture!
Friday 22nd May - 11am
Cookery Class - Enjoy a chicken stirfry masterclass by our own Bonnie Appetit!
RT @FoyleHospice: Do you have a few hours to spare?
We are in urgent need of Volunteers to help out at the Summer Raffle Stalls in… https://t.co/BBKZ2RmOyZ —
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RT @YouthActionNI: We are delighted to invite you to our art exhibition and critical youth research hub and hear stories from young pe… https://t.co/QjcN2U5cr1 —
1 year 5 months ago
RT @YouthActionNI: As part of empathy day, we have an art exhibition at Waterside Library this week and school workshops in Newry and… https://t.co/zoGEkjiBPe —
1 year 5 months ago
RT @ApexHousingAssn: 📣 Join our team! We're looking for a manager who will be responsible for the daily running of our sheltered housing… https://t.co/5U1eOQZNiR —
1 year 5 months ago
RT @SuppCommunities: Join us for this popular session online 7 June at 10 am.
Learners will gain an understanding of the key processes… https://t.co/W4bfd0E2CK —
1 year 5 months ago
RT @ConsumerCouncil: Our latest free newsletter is now out. This month we have information on:
📺Save money on household appliances
🍳 5… https://t.co/6Wz1wBT6X9 —
1 year 5 months ago
RT @NIAntiPov: @NWCN01
Hearing from local elected reps in Derry about the cuts to the community and voluntary sector. A lot of un… https://t.co/mrNL7fwGdD —
1 year 5 months ago
RT @CRJDerry: This morning we attended a meeting organised by @NWCN01 with our local elected reps to discuss the potential impact… https://t.co/1u8zOTaRZY —
1 year 5 months ago
A huge thanks to all who came along to our meeting about the funding crisis in the sector, good conversations were… https://t.co/UGzifowO2O —
1 year 5 months ago
