Congratulations to Hazel Simpson from Family Action and Janet Tristram from the St James Centre who have been elected to represent the Voluntary and Community Sector at Derby City Partnership Board meetings.  They join Kim Harper from Community Action and Janet Holland from Derwent Stepping Stones to ensure that the views of the voluntary sector are heard right at the heart of DCP.  

.......The Development Group Membership has also been decided! 

The Development Group is an advisory group for the 3rd Sector Participation Project run by Community Action. It is crucial to ensuring that the broader sector is integrated in to the project's development and delivery.  Following an election process the new membership of the Development Group was decided as:

 

Kim Harper - Community Action;
Janet Holland - Derwent Stepping Stones;
Janet Tristram - St James Centre;
Hazel Simpson - Family Action;
Ed Green - Derbyshire Wildlife Trust;
George Mighty - Derby West Indian Community Association;
Paul Pegg - MECA; and 
John Bowie - University of Derby.

Applications for Community Voices grants from the Media Trust are now open!

26 community projects will be selected to receive funding of either £1,500, £7,000 or £14,000, as well as support from digital mentors to help make a difference in the community.

 

The deadline for receipt of applications is 28 February.

 

You can apply online or in writing by emailing Media Trust and requesting an application form. 

  

A date for your diary!

 

The date for your diary is 24 March 2010. On this date we will be holding the first forum for all voluntary and community groups in Derby called Your Sector, Your Say.

 

To find out the needs and priorities of voluntary and community groups in the city we would like you to take part in a short survey. The outcome of the survey will inform the Your Sector Your Say forum - so this really is a chance for you to get your issues in the spotlight.

 

You can fill out the survey online or visit the Community Action  website, download a copy and email it back to us by Friday 12 February.

 

The Your Sector, Your Say forum will be held on 24 March 2010 at the new YMCA building on London Road, Derby. The outcomes from the forum will then be refined into an Action Plan for the voluntary and community sector in Derby. To book your place at 'Your Sector, Your Say' please email Abigail Steanson or call 01332 346266.

 

Derbyshire Community Climate Action Conference is for groups and individuals living in Derbyshire who are interested in taking action on climate change.

 

Organised and funded by Derbyshire County Council, it will include workshops provided by a range of established community groups and organisations on topics ranging from how to go plastic bag free, as a community, to how to influence the planning system and what setting up a low carbon community group involves.
 
The conference takes place on Saturday 13 March, 9:15 am to 4:00 pm at County Hall, Matlock. Lunch will be provided. 

 

To find out more and book a place visit the conference website or call 08456 058058

 

 

Eating Disorders Awareness Week takes place from 21 to 27 February. Organised by First Steps Derbyshire there are activities and workshops throughout the week. Activities include a dramatherapy play and dance work shop at Derby University and a photography workshop in Osmaston Road.

 

For a full programme of events visit the First Steps Derby website or call 01332 367571.

 

 

A reminder that the Group Finances training is taking place on Thursday 25 February from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm at Community Action, 4 Charnwood Street in Derby. This is a FREE course for voluntary and community groups (£50 for statutory organisations) that will teach you to: 
 
Understand the role of a treasurer;

Recognise the importance of recording all financial transactions;

Complete a cash book and petty cash book;

Reconcile a bank statement; and 

Complete an income and expenses sheet.

 
To book a place email Liz Gumbley or call 01332 342272 

                                                   
 

The Regional Equality and Diversity Partnership (REDP) is an evolving partnership of voluntary sector organisations working across the East Midlands with the public, private and voluntary sectors on issues of equality, diversity and human rights.

 

The REDP are holding information events for groups and individuals to find out more about the organisation. They also want information from groups and individuals on priorities concerning equality, diversity and human rights.  

The information events take place on:

16 February in Derby;

25 November in Northampton; and

4 March in Leicester.

 

For more information about the REDP and the information events call 0116 222 5005 or email REDP.

Derbyshire based social enterprise, Genesis Enterprise Foundation  launched The Genesis Academy on 23 January at Alfreton Hall. 

 

The Academy aims to provide a unique package of support for social enterprises who understand that as they invest in themselves they will see a return on that investment through the impact they make.  The Academy's aim is to develop the sector by developing its emerging and existing leaders.

The Academy will be hosting a series of events for social enterprises, starting on 27 February, designed to support social enterprises on the journey whether they are just starting out or looking to take their enterprise to the next stage.  The February event entitled 'Get Real... Dream on!' is all about reviewing and refining mission and strategy. 

 

For more information email the Genesis Academy or visit the Genesis Academy website.

 

 

The Health and Social Care Conference aims to address inequalities in wellbeing in the East Midlands.  The event will bring together the third sector and partners to look at the current changes and challenges for health and social care.  

 

The conference is aimed at third sector organisations delivering health and social care services; infrastructure groups that support health and social care organisations; and local and regional statutory health and social care organisations.
 
The day will provide resources to improve the ability of the third sector to engage in health and social care opportunities. There will be 

networking opportunities for third sector organisations to learn from others working in the fields of health, wellbeing and social care and a range of workshops to take part in.

 

The conference takes place on Thursday 25 February at Kettering Conference Centre.  For more information and to book a place email One East Midlands or visit the One East Midlands website.  The conference is FREE to One East Midlands members and £50 to others.

 

 

Bringing people together in local communities is a vital part of improving overall quality of life in Derbyshire.  A key element of this is to strengthen local community events and projects which help to bring people together. 

 

To help more local groups run such events the Bringing People Together Fund is available to provide grants of up to £2000 to local community, faith and voluntary groups across Derbyshire to help deliver community projects taking place before 30 September 2010.  

Projects are likely to involve arts, food, heritage or community benefit and be aimed at promoting a sense of belonging and community. 

 

Applications can be submitted at any time until 16 July 2010.  For more information and an application form visit the Faith in Action website or call 08456 058 058.

 

Derbyshire Mind in partnership with Kaleidoscope Community Music are holding FREE drumming and singing workshops.

 

The drumming workshop takes place on Thursday 4 March from 2:00 to 4:00 pm at Lonny Wilsoncroft Community Centre, Stepping Lane, Derby.
 
The singing workshop takes place on Thursday 25 February from 2:00 to 4:00 pm at The VoiceBox, Forman Street, Derby.
 
Come along to these fun workshops and give your brain a workout! Drumming keeps your mind active and is physically demanding; singing can calm and soothe or uplift and energise.

 

To book a place email Sinead Dalton  or call 01332 345966.

 

Carers UK are holding Carer Awareness training on 18 March in Derby (the venue is yet to be confirmed). The training is aimed at health and social care workers who have face to face contact with the public including community care workers; receptionists; physiotherapists; community nurses; call centre staff; or duty workers.

The focus of the training is to enable attendees to understand that time spent identifying carers and supporting them can enable them to work effectively and increase efficiency. The course has a problem solving approach and is grounded in real life situations.

 

The training starts with coffee at 9:30 am and finishes at 4:00 pm. For more information email Lorraine Strong or call 01332 717284.

 

 

 

The Government is investing £250,000 from the Victims Fund to develop support for victims of hate crime for the financial year 2010/11.  The Home Office is particularly keen to support services or projects that are rooted in increasing expertise of service providers and improving good practice in the provision of high quality support to victims and their families.  This section of the Victims Fund is specifically available to organisations that work within the Governments five hate crime strands: disability; race; religion/belief; sexuality; and/or transgender.  
 
Each organisation can apply for funding up to £50,000.
 
The funding round is now open and will close at noon on Monday 15 March.  Any applications received after this date will not be considered.
 
For more information and an application form visit the Home Office website,  email Jane Barratt or call 0115 971 2728.