E-Bulletin

Welcome to the CVS North Wiltshire e-bulletin. To view the latest e-bulletin online click here.

CVS North Wiltshire has made some changes to the structure of our website. It should hopefully be a bit easier to navigate from now on! There are additional sections about funding advice, current consultations and support for your organisation. Please take a fresh look at www.cvsnw.org.uk and let us know what you think!

You are invited to attend a Community Lunch on Thursday 18^th October 2007, 12 noon – 2pm (Buffet Provided) at Rudloe Community Centre.

Our Guest Speakers, Helen Gough, Development Worker at Carers’ Support North Wiltshire, and Val Cragg, Development Worker for the Children’s & Families Voluntary Sector Forum will talk about their organisation and their work. Mary Waters, Funding Adviser, will be holding a Funding Advice surgery from 10am onwards. Organised by CVS North Wiltshire, Community Lunches offer a chance for voluntary organisations, community groups and other representatives from the community to network over a good lunch with other people in the area and share information about their organisation, project or local event. Please call 01249 654089 or email beth@cvsnw.org.uk to book your place.

Keep your eyes peeled for the consultation document on this plan, which is due to be released imminently. If you work with children and families and/or young people it's vital that you make your views and your services known to planners, if you wish to secure future funding from The Children and Young People's Services Partnership. The consultation document will be circulated via "Child-Link" (newssheet of the Partnership). If you don't receive this, contact Tamsin Stone on 01225 713504, or email her at tamsinstone@wiltshire.gov.uk for a copy. You can also request an email alert when the consultation document is launched. Ian Tomlinson, manager of the Wiltshire Children's Fund, is acting as a link between the voluntary sector and the plan advisory group. You can contact him on 01225 768684, or ian.tomlinson@barnardos.org.uk. The voluntary sector also has three representatives on the Trust Board, which will be approving the final plan. These are William Snow, Margaret West and Linda Cantillon. Contact Val Cragg at Voluntary Action Kennet on 01672 564140, or val@voluntary-action-kennet.org.uk for more information on how you can reach them and what their role is. Val is the development worker for the Children and Families Voluntary Sector Forum, and is keen to get more groups involved in having an influence on planning and funding matters. Closing date for contributions will be Jan 4th, but you are asked to respond by Nov 26th.

Voluntary Sector Forum for Wiltshire & Swindon

Wednesday 21st November, 12noon - 2pm, at Bridge House, Trowbridge. Topic: The Compact What does it mean for you? Guest Speakers: Chris Lau, Voluntary Action Swindon, Damien Hasjees, Wiltshire County Council & James Moody, North Wilts District Council. Followed by a networking lunch and information sharing! Click here for more information and a booking form.

Wellbeing Centre Open Morning - “A Great Success”

The Wellbeing Centre held its first open morning on Saturday, October 6^th in its premises at 3-4 New Road, Chippenham. This was scheduled to tie in with World Mental Health Day on October 10^th. Six of the practitioners based at the Centre hosted the event, which was open to the general public. Over 20 people attended and were treated to free taster sessions and talks on the subjects of Life Coaching, Aromatherapy, Indian Head Massage, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), Reflexology and Homeopathy. The feedback from those attending was very positive, with the event being declared “a great success”. Further free events will be held in the New Year and will be announced in our e-bulletin. If you would like further information about the Centre, a speaker on complementary therapies or stress reduction, or an article for your newsletter, please contact Karen Scott on 01249 654089, or look at our website www.wellbeing-centre.org.uk. The Wellbeing Centre promotes affordable complementary therapies and offers permanently discounted rates to those in the voluntary and community sector.

Effective Voluntary Sector Management - New Online Course

NCVO has launched a new course, Effective Voluntary Sector Management, aimed at people who have recently joined the voluntary sector. Volunteers and trustees can also benefit from this course. The online course is run by Working For A Charity, a project within NCVO and part of the UK Workforce Hub and is accredited by Roehampton University and the online element will provide 10 credits at HE level 1. Find out more: www.workingforacharity.org.uk

Activ8 – Play Your Part' on Wednesday 17th October at the Olympiad, Sadlers Mead, Chippenham from 9.30am – 2.20 pm

This is an event being organised by North Wiltshire District Council and Wiltshire County Council and is aimed at young people with disabilities in North Wiltshire and is being run as part of Local Democracy Week. We are running the event for young people with disabilities as we feel they are under represented and don’t often have the opportunity to give their opinions or tell us about their experiences. One of the themes for the event will be giving the young people a chance to shape some of the recreation facilities on offer in North Wiltshire. The event will give young people the chance to think about key issues in their area and how to lobby and campaign for change. We will have local politicians at the event so young people can ask questions and challenge them. There will also be a chance to find out ways of getting involved in existing young people’s groups in the area. It is free event which included lunch and should be a great interactive session that gets young people expressing their views, trying out a range of fun activities and finding out how they can get involved and make a difference. We are also making a film documentary of the day. Young people who are interested in attending the event should contact Lesley Taylor at North Wiltshire District Council on 01249 706496 or by emailing ltaylor@northwilts.go.uk. Alternatively contact Hayley Bambrough at WCC Youth Development Service on 01249 652185 or by emailing hbambrough@wiltshire.gov.uk

Train the Trainer Courses

Learning Curve will be putting on a Train the Trainer courses again this year. 6 whole days, Accredited City and Guilds – level 3, £195 per person, Start : week of 8th November 2007. To allow you to join us as close to home or work as possible, we will try to put these courses on in 3 towns/city: Salisbury, Swindon and Chippenham. When you have this accreditation you can start/continue to develop and deliver training sessions and get paid for your work by the Learning and Skills council, through our Learning Curve network. If you’re interested in doing this course before the end of this year, do contact Dawn Wilson on 01249 464686 or email dawn@learningcurve.org.uk.

Wiltshire & Swindon Community Transport Conference 2007 - "Social Enterprise: What does it mean for Community Transport in Wiltshire & Swindon?”

You are cordially invited to attend the Wiltshire and Swindon Community Transport Conference which is being held on Saturday 17th November at Lackham Countryside Centre, Lacock, near Chippenham, from 9am to approx. 3.30pm. This year’s conference will showcase some examples of local Community Transport groups that have set up as Social Enterprises - businesses that trade for a social purpose. All sorts of issues relating to Community Transport and Social Enterprise will be discussed and importantly you will get a chance to hear about the practical experiences involved in developing social enterprise community transport. Through workshops, the event will also provide help with setting up your own social enterprise transport services. Issues such as minibus safety, strengthening committees and CRB checks will also be covered in workshop sessions. Also at the Conference will be various Community Transport vehicle manufacturers, equipment suppliers, funders and more. There will also be opportunities for you to network with a wide range of key people involved in Community Transport including community minibus groups, voluntary car schemes and local statutory authorities amongst others. Click here for a programme for the day. Conference attendance is £5 (inc VAT). This price includes a buffet lunch and refreshments. If you would like to attend, please fill in and return the attached booking form as soon as possible.

South West BBC Children in Need Committee Members
We are currently recruiting for Volunteer SW Committee Members to join our Regional Advisory Committee here at BBC Children in Need… Expenses are paid to Committee member but the role is purely voluntary…. A Regional Advisory Committee Member must be able to work as part of a team, communicate effectively and assess the merits of a grant application in an objective manner. Click here to find out more...

Stop & Search Hate Crime & Police Careers

Wiltshire Racial Equality Council in conjunction with Wiltshire Constabulary is hosting a positive action evening. You are invited to come along to meet Police representatives and ourselves to air your views and help the Police see your side of the story. Don’t miss this opportunity to meet with the Police in a friendly informal environment. 24th October, 5pm - 9pm, Bridge House, Trowbridge.

ICT Hub Event for VCOs Working with Older People

Are you a VCO working with Older People? The ICT Hub is holding an event in Liverpool on the 22^nd November, aimed at charities that work with older people. This event will address a range of ICT needs relevant to organisations working with older people including workshops on planning and funding for ICT, internet accessibility, new media technologies, training for older people, the digital TV switchover and a look to the future of assistive technologies. Find out more: http://tinyurl.com/3ckmmz

Annual Conference - Voluntary Action Swindon

Thursday, 1st November 2007, 9am – 2pm. Venue: The Pilgrim Centre, Regent Circus, Swindon SN1 1PX. Several guest speakers including Rebecca Hardwick, Third Sector Lead, Care Services Improvement, Partnership South West. Click here to download the programme and here for the booking form.

Legal Update October 2007

Various legal changes came into effect on the 1st October including employment law, religious hatred act and the Companies Act (which affects Charities registered as limited companies. Click her for a brief synopsis of the changes.

South West Social Work Activist Network (SWAN) for Social Justice - Regional Radical Social Work Conference

Friday 30^th November 2007, Bristol. This radical social work conference is aimed at service users, practitioners, carers, students, social work educators, trainers and lecturers, and other workers and activists who are committed to social justice and who are concerned about the impact of managerialism, privatisation, fragmented services, financial restrictions, surveillance and control on the way that social work services are delivered and received. The conference aims to bring together people who want to challenge established definitions of social work and build a future that is based on social justice, which encourages a sense of hope, possibility and change, and a climate where we work to develop alternative ways to provide services and resources in social work and social care. The conference will also aim to build a regional network of activists. Click here for more information and a booking form.

Natural Allies: Can the VCS and Local Government Work Together? Friday, 19 October 2007, Central London

I am writing to invite you to a significant conference that will bring together key people from across both local government and the voluntary and community sector to consider the issues that we face locally and how we can work better together to tackle them. The Right Honourable Hazel Blears, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, will open the conference, and other thought provoking speakers include Paul Coen (LGA), Julia Unwin (JRF) and Pam Giddy (the Power Inquiry). Much of the day will be dedicated to discussion and dialogue, allowing delegates to address current issues and identify ways to take forward and strengthen this vital relationship. I would very much welcome your participation. Delegate places for a full-day conference are £147 for NCVO members from the public and voluntary and community sectors, and £210 for non-members. Spaces for this event are limited. Please register at www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/localgovernmentconference or contact our Policy Team by emailing policy@ncvo-vol.org.uk or on 020 7520 2473 to secure a place at the event as soon as possible.

Reforming community services in Wiltshire - Step by step

The NHS in Wiltshire is changing. Wiltshire Primary Care Trust is leading a series of reforms and improvements, which affect a number of NHS services in towns and villages across the county. This regular newsletter will keep you up-to-date with progress and plans. Click here to download the latest newsletter.