Derby City Council is in the process of looking at the use of the One Stop Shop area that will be part of the newly refurbished Council House when it reopens in December 2012. The One Stop Shop is located on the ground floor and will have a number of booths - the intention is that partner organisations will use these booths.  This could enable partner organisations to be based at the Council House on a number of days a week (depending on demand levels) to meet their customers.

 

If your organisation is interested in discussing the proposed arrangements in more detail, please email Jas Clarke at City and Neighbourhood Partnerships or call 01332 258509 by Friday 12 August.  At this stage you only need to register your interest - there is no commitment.  A project manager from Derby City Council will then contact you to discuss the possible arrangements in more detail.

Want to keep up to date with events, training, fun days, workshops - in fact anything that's happening in the voluntary and community sector?  Then visit the Community Action website!

  

The interactive Voluntary Sector Calendar is packed with events and training - you can add your organisation's events too!  We hope that the Voluntary Sector Calendar will become the place to go to find out about what's going on and when.  It will also be useful as a planning aid and hopefully prevent large events being scheduled for the same day.  To get started click here.    

   

Are you a Carer?  Do you help to support or look after someone?  If so, do you have suggestions on how to improve services for either carers or the people they care for?

 

The Carers as Ambassadors project is a team of local carers who listen to the needs of other carers and take their suggestions forward to strategic meetings to help shape and improve future services.  

 

The Carers as Ambassadors project is linked to, and supported by, Derbyshire Carers Association (DCA), and has links to a city-wide carers partnership board involving health, social services, voluntary and community groups and other agencies.

 

To find out more about the project, talk to an ambassador or make a suggestion, please contact Louise Green on 01773 743355. 

The Hamaari Community Project is a self-help voluntary organisation established in 2009 to provide advice, support and guidance to members of East African communities in the city.  Hamaari works with members of the East African communities to develop their skills and capabilities in order to enhance their participation in society.   

 

Hamaari has dedicated volunteers who currently provide the following services:  

• Educational Support programmes
• Supplementary classes including English, Arabic, maths and sciences
• Sports and leisure activities
• Translation services
• Basic welfare benefits advice and employment support.

 For more information email the Hamaari Community Project or call 07723 232344..  

Do you have any services or resources that you would like to share with other voluntary and community groups? Spare furniture or equipment? Training or advice?  Or is there something you need? Or would like to swap?

 

We have created a Community Classifieds section on our website as one-stop shop to offer and request support and services, resources and equipment.

 

As the community classifieds section grows we will have sections for 'we want', 'we've got' and 'let's swap'. So, if you have anything you would like to share, swap or give away email Jayne Williams or call 01332 227749. 

 

We look forward to matching up groups and services! 

Do you want to learn a new language? Gain a new skill and understand about the deaf world, culture and community?

 

Arboretum Community Project is delighted to announce that they will be running accredited Level 1 and 2 British Sign Language courses from September 2011

 

For more information about the courses email Arboretum Park, text 07957 812595 or voice 07590 663373. 

Promote Ability Community Enterprise - PACE - are a new 'not-for-profit' organisation specialising in supporting people in Derby and the surrounding areas with long-term health conditions, including individuals with physical and/or learning disabilities. They deliver a unique person-centred service recognising the importance of promoting an active and healthy life for all.

 

Based at Jubilee Enterprise Park they have a fully inclusive gym, therapeutic workshop and a life skills service enabling them to deliver effective lifestyle and health management programmes. Their mission is to be a catalyst to inspire change, enabling people to reach their true potential, through PACE's passion, belief and innovative service.

 

For more information email Debbie or call 07792165796. 

The Institute of Fundraising is offering staff at small charities the chance to attend its one-day conferences for only £20 under a new bursary scheme.  The bursaries are available to not-for-profit organisations with annual incomes of less than £250,000.

 

They are being funded through the IoF's strategic partnership with the Office for Civil Society. The OCS has awarded £275,000 to the IoF for 2011/12. 

 

For more information visit the Third Sector website. 

After consultation with voluntary, community, social enterprise and private organisations, as well as the public, the Government has published the Open Public Services White Paper.  The wealth of ideas provided in these consultations has directly informed their vision for opening public services as set out in the White Paper.

The Derbyshire Disability Player Development Centre, supported by Derbyshire FA and delivered by Derby County in the Community will provide players aged 12 to 16 with the opportunity to represent their county.

 

Trials are open to all who are interested and take place as follows:

 

Dates: 

Thursday 18 August 10:00 to 11:30 am

Thursday 25 August 10:00 to 11.30 am

Registration is at 9:45 am on both days. 

 

Venue: 

Power League Soccerdome (Next to Pride Park Stadium), Pride Park, Derby, DE24 8BW

 

Who:

Players aged 12 to16 from the following impairment groups; amputee, cerebral palsy, deaf, partially sighted and learning disability.

 

All players who attend will be given information of training sessions they can attend whether or not they successfully gain a place in the Development Centre.  If you know anyone who is a talented footballer and wants to progress in their football please call Derby County in the Community on 01332 667575. 

Ryder-Cheshire Volunteers are a well-established charity and have worked in the East Midlands for almost 25 years.  Their ethos has been to support those who have a disability and they do this by finding volunteers who are willing to give of their time in sharing interests and hobbies as well as helping to provide learning and leisure opportunities.

 

They have recently started a new project in north Leicestershire; the Healthy Living Club, which provides chair-based exercise along with dietary and nutritional advice. Also included are cookery demonstrations and guest speakers. The club has got off to such a great start that they are now keen to start a similar venture in Derby and would like feedback on the idea.  If you think a group like this would benefit your service users please email Colin Edis, Branch Manager RCV East Midlands or call 01530 832926 or 07966 245033. 

One East Midlands reports that more than 2,000 charities and community groups are facing budget cuts as local authorities reduce their funding or in some cases withdraw it completely, according to research published by False Economy.

The research, based on hundreds of Freedom of Information responses from local councils across England, shows that one year on from the launch of the Big Society, many charities and voluntary groups face deep funding cuts of more than £110 million this year, though the final figure is likely to be far higher given that some large authorities have not yet finalised where the cuts will hit.

All charities or voluntary groups receiving a funding cut of at least five per cent are listed in the research, although most cuts are far deeper and many groups have had their funding cancelled completely.

For more information and to download the research visit the False Economy website.  One East Midlands is creating a database of voluntary and community organisations in the East Midlands who have been affected by council spending cuts. If you would like your organisation to be included please email One East Midlands.   

Relate have places available on their Counselling Skills for Non-Counsellors course taking place on 23 August.

 

This one day course is ideal for anyone working in a helping or supportive capacity or for anyone dealing with the public and hoping to refresh or gain skills to assist with communicating more effectively. It also helps with handling emotional encounters.  It does not provide training to become a counsellor, but provides useful skills that can be applied to many roles.

 

The venue for the course is: Room 1, Chesterfield Library, New Beetwell Street, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S40 1QN

 

The course begins at 9.30 am and ends at 4:00 pm. Lunch and refreshments will be provided but delegates will need to subsidise their own parking.

 

The cost of the training is £125 per delegate.  If you have a few people that may like to attend please contact Relate as they may be able to offer a reduction on price for a certain amount of attendees.

 

For course information and a booking form email Relate or call 01246 555039.   

The Institute of Fundraising (East Midlands) are holding a fundraising information event on 15 September from 3:00 to 7:00 pm at St Martin's House, Leicester LE1 5FX.

 

Speakers and organisations attending the event include: 

 

Johnny Gutteridge - One East Midlands

Terry Hayward - Everyday Hero

Philip Allen and Lee Grant - Institute of Fundraising

Robert Newton - Legacy Fundraising

Just Giving - Just Text Giving

Skyline Events - Challenge Events

tbc - Grant/Trust Fundraising and Corporate Fundraising

 

This event is FREE to attend and refreshments will be provided.  For more information email Deb Triffitt or call 07837 383678. 

 

The East Midlands group operates under the umbrella of the Institute of Fundraising and is run by volunteers. The group promotes best practice in fundraising and provides support and networking opportunities to anyone involved in fundraising. 

 



Jayne Williams
Community Action Derby