We’re having our second Ideas Fund local workshop on Thursday 11th March at 2pm.
An opportunity to hear from the Development Coordinators for North West Northern Ireland (Derry & Strabane) and think more about your idea. To register your place click here https://theideasfund.org/application
We’ll send you a link shortly to join online. If you have any access needs we will need to consider and adapt to for the session please get in touch at hello@theideasfund.org
Applications must demonstrate that their proposal will contribute to at least one of the following objectives:
Increase awareness of and contribute to building a culture of rights within and between communities, particularly those most marginalized from decision making
Support communities and marginalized groups to find solutions to contentious issues
Strengthen local capacity to advocate by building relationships/connections between communities, policy makers, politicians and funders
Target Group: The Community Sector
Locally based community groups and locally based ‘communities of interest’ with an interest in promoting or embedding human rights and social justice in their day to day work for and with their chosen communities
The Boost Choose Now Change Lives programme has been launched as part of Boost's 20th-anniversary celebrations. To celebrate, Boost will be offering community grants to support a range of community groups and organisations. The grants will be managed by Groundwork, a specialist charity working locally and nationally to transform lives in the UK's most disadvantaged communities, and will help groups make a difference in their local areas and in truly facilitating change that will benefit communities for years to come.
We are calling for all community sports clubs, community action groups, youth work, music groups and food banks to get involved and nominate themselves to be in with a chance of a stake of the £20,000 grant fund.
The Choose Now Change Lives grant initiative is open to applications from local UK community organisations and groups throughout 2021. Applications will be shortlisted three times throughout the year in May, July and September. Following each shortlist taking place organisations will be notified and the public will cast their votes for the organisation that they would like to receive a grant.
4 BBC Children In Need Funding Information Sessions
BBC Children in Need have reopened their Main and Small Grants programmes and will be hosting online funding information sessions for representatives from organisations who are considering applying.
Our Main and Small Grants programmes can provide grants of up to three years to organisations supporting children and young people aged 18 years and under, experiencing disadvantage through:
The team in Northern Ireland will be hosting two Zoom information sessions on the current Main and Small grants programmes on Tuesday16th March at 1500h and Tuesday 23rd March at 1200h.
Please let us know if you would like to attend by contacting Sinead Tierney at sinead.tierney@bbc.co.ukadvising us of which session you would like to attend.
The Building the Community-Pharmacy Partnership (BCPP) Programme is led by CDHN and funded by the Health and Social Care Board (HSCB), with strategic direction provided by a multi-agency Steering Group. BCPP supports communities and community pharmacists to work in partnership to address locally defined needs so that people make connections, listen to and understand each other better and work together to address the social determinants of health and health inequalities.
Grants of up to £12,000 are available for projects that will last up to one year.
The closing date for this round of Level 2 funding is 25 March 2021. You can download a pack here
If you want to find out more, have a look at these project examples or give us a call on 028 3026 4606.
Are you in the Derry~Londonderry area and have had COVID-19? Ulster University researchers at C-TRIC at Altnagelvin need you this week.
All welcome but we are particularly interested in those over 65 years old / anyone who has been hospitalised with COVID-19 regardless of age.
Our researchers are studying the factors that influence the severity of the COVID-19 infection. You are invited to participate in our COVRES study at one of our NI wide recruitment sites.
We will ask you to provide a blood and saliva sample. All appropriate health and safety measures are in place.
We ask that only those who have reached the end of their COVID-19 isolation period attend research appointments.
7Derry & Strabane Learning City - Setting Priorities for our Learning City
The Learning City Network wish to identify priorities for our learning city over the next 12 months and mental health seems to be the recurring theme. We are aware that there are many initiatives/programmes currently being delivered across the city to help tackle not only mental health but also the lack of access to digital content and devices. In an attempt to identify the gaps, the network has asked me to reach out to various groups across the city to clarify what programmes we are already running and are successful.
Would it be possible to let me know what programmes/initiatives we are currently running and who are the working partners? I want to collate as many programmes as possible and identify gaps (if there are any) to ascertain what else is needed or what programmes might need more support.
We are delighted to have secured Dr Eugen Koh who spent time in a series of dialogues regarding culture with a range of community and civic leaders here; based on these ideas he will lay out some challenges and actions for us to consider as we move forward
We will reflect on our need for self-care as we build new relationships with each other under the expert guidance of Professor Melinda Ashley Meyer DeMott (Norway). On day 2 she will discuss her experience of ethnic integration in Europe and she will give pointers to be considered as we become a more ethnically diverse society.
Dr Mary Montague (Belfast) and Judge Mike Lucas (USA) will discuss the value of adopting restorative community practice within the justice system to help repair connections with those with an offending history or risk of offending. Andrew Lloyd (Leeds) will give exemplars of restorative approaches in his Local Authority which leads to a collective civic vision driving policy and practice within community.
The symposium will showcase the key learning from our Peace IV SEUPB funded regional project and offer an exploration of actions necessary to build our future orientated culture of prosperity, compassion and peace. You will hear directly from our DARE participants, who will challenge us with their insights and learning gained from the Project. In keeping with the unique perspective of DARE and in recognition of our new demographic landscape we will include the theme of ethnic diversity alongside insights into local PUL and CNR culture.
This is increasingly relevant in light of our up and coming census. In the symposium we want to lay out the challenge of systemic thinking and planning and the benefits of structures and policies that recognise the importance of care for all in a post conflict society, more recently overwhelmed by the Coronavirus pandemic. This will be an event that offers hope and vision to the audience, using direct learning from DARE participants and knowledge experience and real exemplars from key contributors.
9Smashing Times - Creative Voices for Diverse Narratives
Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality, in conjunction with the Imagine Belfast Festival of Ideas and Politics are delighted to present an online panel discussion on the role of the arts to promote human rights, to support the telling of different stories and to build connections between diverse communities.
Creative Voices for Diverse Narrativespanel discussion takes place online on Monday 22 March 2021 at 7pm.
Join us as we bring together artists, cultural activists and communities to explore the power of the arts in social and political contexts to promote cultural expression, cultural diversity and a culture of tolerance, human rights and equality for all.
For full information on speakers and to register for the free event, visit our website.
The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Union of Supported Employment are delighted to officially launch the ‘Making it Work’ publication.
The new publication highlights the individual experiences of six disabled people who sought employment support services from a range of organisations to help them secure and retain employment. All of those who participated in this project have worked or trained in Northern Ireland throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, some as key workers.
Geraldine McGahey, Chief Commissioner of the Equality Commission said: “Our ‘Making it Work’ booklet highlights the much needed skills and abilities that disabled people can offer to our workforce and the employment support services that are available to them to help them into work. The individual stories used throughout the publication highlight the positive action and reasonable adjustments that some employers have put in place to ensure disabled people can thrive in their jobs. I hope these real life experiences inspire others, individuals, advisors and employers, to enhance our workforce with more and better jobs for disabled people.”
Norman Sterritt, Chairperson of the Northern Ireland Union of Supported Employment also commented on the campaign and said: “We have worked closely with the Equality Commission and organisations who offer Supported Employment services to produce this publication. We know that employing people with disabilities makes good business sense, not only are employers getting an employee with the skills and abilities to do the job but they are increasing diversity and reflecting their local communities in the workplace. We hope this publication and its directory will be widely used to ensure that disabled people are given the same opportunities to access, maintain and progress in employment.”
The ‘Making it Work’ booklet is available online or attached here
12 Employee Well Being Training - "Improving your Self Care in Lockdown" Workshop
This fun, interactive workshop explains different types of Self Care, practicing self care in Lockdown and gives you useful exercises, tools and information to help you manage not only Lockdown but the daily stresses of life. Improving your overall wellbeing physically, mentally and emotionally. On completion of the Workshop, you will have a better understanding of Self Care, how to practice excellent self care and improve your own Self Care routine.
3 hour Workshop Learn in a fun, inclusive, interactive and comfortable environment in the comfort of your own home or workspace Delivered Online – Additional Support offered to those who are new to online learning.
This can be booked during working hours or in the evening time. There is a maximum of 10 employees per workshop to allow for the interaction designed within the session.
Please feel free to contact me regarding booking information and a tailored quotation depending on the number of employees being booked on the workshops.
AWARE NI have lots of free online workshops/courses for adults 18+ in the Northern and Western Trust areas.
AWARE currently have the following options open for registration:
Mood Matters workshops – 2hrs via zoom
Living Life to the Full course – 6 weeks @ 2hrs per week via zoom
Mood Matters Adult Workshop (2hrs)
This light and interactive mental health awareness training session is an opportunity for you to think about how to look after your own mental health. The workshop will explore mental health stereotypes and look more closely at how to spot the early signs of mental health Illness, stress, depression, anxiety disorders and bipolar. This session will teach individuals coping skills for everyday life, how to avoid getting caught in a vicious circle and how to break unhelpful habits that we sometimes have when our mood is low, as well as where to get further help and support. This session will focus on you as an individual and will then allow you to apply these skills to supporting family, friends and others.
To register for a place visit Mood Matters Adult https://www.aware-ni.org/booking-mood-matters-adults/ Living Life to the Full (6 weeks @ 2hrs per week)
The is a programme that can make a big difference to your life. It can help you manage your feelings when you are stressed, worried or depressed and learn simple practical skills to help you cope with life’s challenges. Delivered over 6 weeks the programme looks more closely at the ways in which mental health can be impacted by life events and unhelpful thinking styles which may also then affect our physical health and overall enjoyment of life.
We are delighted to be running out the Radius Growing Wild Community Biodiversity Project in partnership with Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful and the Be Safe Be Well Men’s Sheds. The project seeks to educate and inspire our communities about the importance of biodiversity and provide both the resources and training to support this.
The Community Biodiversity Project will run out over x50 Radius schemes and communities and will see the implementation of 50 biodiversity gardens. Groups will be provided with bird and bat boxes, hedgehog box and boxes for butterflies and bees. Groups will also be provided with a large raised bed which will be delivered and made up on site with soil and compost. Training and support will ensure the future sustainability of these projects, and in addition to small mammals and growing, groups will learn about many other aspects of biodiversity including composting, re-wilding and waste management.
We would ask all those interested to consider the questions in the attached enquiry checklist form and ensure that you will be able to fulfil all aspects of what is being asked. Specifically:
You have spoken to others in your scheme / community about this project, and you have their support.
You have landowners consent.
There are at least 2 people in your scheme / development who will attend training. We want you to become biodiversity champions in your area! You will need access to a device for on-line training, and the use of zoom. We can help you with this if needed.
You can visit Derry and Strabane District Council’s councils website www.getapprenticeships.me which will provide details of what is available locally and contact details for advice on how to employ an apprentice.
Community Places continue to provide our planning advice and support services during the ongoing Covid-19 lockdown and our staff are still working remotely. We will resume face to face advice work when it is safe to do so.
Community Places gives free planning advice to people and community groups who cannot afford to pay a private consultant. Our advice is independent, impartial and confidential. We can give advice on:
- how the planning system works (applications; fees; enforcement; appeals);
- planning policies;
- your council’s decision making process; and
- how to comment or object if you think a proposal or a development will have a negative impact on your home or your community.
We cannot help you if you have employed a planning agent; an architect; an engineer; a solicitor or any other professional to give you advice. We don’t help businesses; political parties or people who want to object to social or affordable housing.
If you need advice on any planning issue - please:
call us - 07783 649288 (we can offer the option of a video call if you prefer);
email us - info@communityplaces.info
A dramatic monologue on abusive relationships among young people by Patricia Byrne, performed by Roma Harvey
Available for schools and youth centres to book online!
A SOLE PURPOSE PRODUCTION
Jenni's 16th birthday is coming up, and her new boyfriend Jamie will be there. He is so nice. He is interested in everything she does. He always wants to know where she is and what she is doing. He texts her all the time and follows her every move on Facebook. But things start to take a turn, and Jenni isn't so sure anymore.
The play follows the ups and downs of a young woman's relationship as it goes from being near perfect to becoming an impossible nightmare. The production explores the issue of abusive relationships among young people. It was developed in consultation with Foyle Women’s Aid, NSPCC and Youth Action NI. The performance is followed by a Q+A with representatives of organisations working to stop domestic violence against women and children.
Now available for schools and youth centres across Northern Ireland to book online!
“The Sole Purpose dramatisations are a powerful tool which enables us to address some very sensitive issues within the Preventative Curriculum. I wholeheartedly support the work of Sole Purpose.” Ms S Mallett, Principal, Thornhill College Derry
"This was a very moving piece of theatre. The aim is to disturb and that was achieved fully. None watching this play would ever again be victim to such abuse having witnessed a relay of classic symptoms.” Imelda Foley, Arts Council of Northern Ireland
Sole Purpose Productions is a multi award winning theatre company that has toured work throughout Ireland, the UK, and the USA. It is core funded by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. This project is supported by the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland through the Tampon Tax Community Fund.
To book an online performance and Q&A for your school or youth centre please contact Patricia Byrne at solepurpose@mac.com or phone 028 7127 9918.
20 Public Appointment Opportunity: Council for Nature Conservation and the Countryside
Appointment of Deputy Chair and up to 16 Members to the Council for Nature Conservation and the Countryside (CNCC)
The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) is seeking to appoint a Deputy Chair and up to 16 Members, with applications welcome from a wide range of backgrounds, to the Council for Nature Conservation and the Countryside (CNCC).
Completed applications must be returned to the Department by 4pm on Friday 26th March 2021.
You can find out more, including period of appointment and how to apply, at this link:
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