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E-Bulletin 31 October2008 |
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working to create a genuinely participative democracy |
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Revised Standards for Managing Volunteers Launched
Revised National Occupational Standards (NOS) for the Management of Volunteers have been published by the UK Workforce Hub. These standards have been developed for everyone who manages volunteers. The standards were written by a steering group of experts and practitioners led by the UK Workforce Hub and compiled by the Management Standards Consultancy. The process included a three month UK wide consultation period in which individuals were able to contribute their views via an online consultation or at one of the UK events. All of this hard work has led to this final version. Voluntary and community organisations across the UK will be able to make use of the new standards in their recruitment, selection, training and development procedures in order to improve the skills of volunteer managers. The standards are funded by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) and include the knowledge and skills that every competent manager of volunteers needs to be able to demonstrate in order to do their job to a nationally recognised level of competence. To view and use the standards, please visit the UK Workforce Hub website at: |
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Managing Difference: Welcoming & Supporting Volunteers with Disabilities
27 November 2008, 9.30am to 4.30pm, Coleraine. Would you know how to best support a volunteer with a disability? Want some practical tips? The Volunteer Development Agency, along with expert speakers from a range of organisations that support people with disabilities, will offer top tips on involving volunteers with disabilities. This is a practical and interactive session that looks at five areas of disability: Deaf and hard of hearing, Sight loss, Mental health, Physical disabilities and Learning disabilities. Volunteers with a range of disabilities will speak first hand of their experiences of barriers they have faced and also what steps organisations have made to make them feel welcome. For further information, please visit: www.volunteering-ni.org |
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Invitation from Disability Action
In April 2009, a new Patient Client Council will replace the Health and Social Service Councils. Disability Action has been asked to carry out a number of focus group meetings, across the four Health Board areas, to gather information from service users as to what they think the new PCC should look like. Disability Action is inviting you to come along and have your say on Friday 14th November 2008, 10.30am – 12.30pm, at Disability Action, 58 Strand Road. Please phone 02871 360811 for any further information or to book your place. |
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Tuesday 18 November 2008, St Columbs Park House, 10 am. All Community & Voluntary groups in the North-West are welcome to attend this year’s AGM. If your organisation is a member of the Network, you are eligible to put forward a motion for discussion and also to stand for election to the incoming Executive Committee 2008/09. If interested in either option but not yet a member, you have until 4th November to sign up. You can use the membership form below or the online version at www.nwcn.org which also contains the Nomination Form for the Executive Committee. Like many organisations, the Network is subject to funding pressures yet it looks forward to sustaining the support and leadership role it provides to the sector in what will be a crucial couple of years ahead. Over the next three years and beyond, the sector will require to take a number of steps in preparation for Community Planning and the Network will be making this a particular theme in its work. If planning to attend, it would be desirable if you could inform the Network in advance. If unable to attend, a copy of the Annual Report including Statement of Accounts will be available from the Network after the AGM. N.B. Nomination Forms must also bear the signature of a lead person within the organisation – this cannot be that of the person nominated. |
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Thursday 20th November 2008, Templemore Sports Complex, Derry, 7 – 9pm. Speakers at this event will be: Gerry Cleary & Robert Peacock. A certificate of attendance will be issued to all participating clubs. There will be no cost for this event and refreshments will be provided. For further information or to book a place please contact, Donna McKinney, Health Promotion Department on 028 7186 5127 or email: donna.mckinney@westerntrust.hscni.net on or before Monday 10th November 2008. |
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Women’s Information Day “Knowing Me……..Knowing EU”
Northern Ireland Women’s European Platform and Women’s Information Group would like to invite you to this event on Tuesday 11th November 2008. This is a unique opportunity for local women to understand what the European Union and international bodies do for women – and the opportunity for you to inform them what the issues are for women in Northern Ireland. Programme: 10.00: Registration tea / coffee 10.30-11.30: What does Europe mean to me? 11.30-12.30: Your chance to have your say 12.30: Lunch Please contact the Women’s Information Group, 7 University Road, Belfast, BT7 1NA, Tel/Fax: 028 90244119, Email: women@infogroup.club24.co.uk |
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The Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed (INOU) Launches Two New Websites
At a time of rising unemployment the INOU believes that a key support to unemployed people and others facing job loss is the provision of good information in a timely fashion. To that end the organisation has developed a new website www.redundancy.ie and revamped our existing one www.inou.ie T The INOU website – www.redundancy.ie has specifically been designed to assist people who are losing their jobs through the provision of comprehensive redundancy related social welfare information. We have also taken the opportunity to include dedicated Trade Union, Employer and Information Provider Sections who deal with individuals who are being made redundant. The INOU website – www.inou.ie was originally launched in September 2000. The 2008 redesigned site will enable users to gain access to a wide range of welfare rights, policy and training information more easily and quickly. The website includes new user friendly features including: A facility to increase / decrease the font size of the WebPages, particularly useful for the visually impaired; A colour co-ordinated navigation bar; A Google translation facility; This website also includes a new Policy Section with information on a wide range of Policy related material including Live Register and Redundancy statistics. |
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www.ICTpoint.ie is a website providing specifically tailored information and practical advice on all aspects of information and communications technology (ICT) to community, voluntary and charity organisations in Ireland. This free service is designed to help you harness the advantages of computers and information technology to further your organisation’s mission. You can browse our growing knowledgebase of articles written to address problems experienced by community, voluntary and charity organisations, and comment upon our articles and answers to your ICT questions. www.ICTpoint.ie addresses such questions as: Where can my organisation obtain free software?, What should I look for when buying a new PC?, How may I improve the performance of my PC?, How do I add a custom signature to my emails? and How do I protect my computers from viruses and other security threats? Users can also direct specific questions at a panel of information and communications technology professionals. The answers to these questions are added to ICTpoint’s expanding knowledgebase. In the long term ICTpoint.ie will help your organisation save money and time, improve communication with your current users, whilst raising your profile and helping you reach new audiences, manage information securely and provide a greater range of services. |
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Have you been diagnosed with a long-term condition like Diabetes, COPD, Arthritis or Depression in the last 12 months? YES then A workshop called SKILLS FOR SELF- CARE will be held in The OLD Library Trust on THURSDAY 6th Nov 2008. This workshop explores: The impact of a long-term condition, Understanding your condition, Self-management what is it? and Information and services available. It will also help improve your knowledge and understanding of how to cope with your condition. If interested please contact George on 02871 373870 or drop into the Old Library Trust to register. The workshop will begin at 10.30 a.m. and finish at 2.30 p.m. Refreshments and a light lunch will be provided. |
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Traffic and Travel Guide for Halloween NightDerry City Council would like to encourage everyone to note the following traffic and travel information as well as the new family friendly zone and carnival parade route in order to ensure that Halloween night is enjoyed as safely and sensibly as possible. Information Point at Guildhall on Thursday and Friday between 2 pm - 5 pm The main stage and family friendly zone has been changed this year from the Guildhall Square to the Riverfront along Queen's Quay. Drop off Points: Whittaker Street (beside Guildhall) - accessible all evening Roundabout at Council Offices until 6 pm and Junction of Rock Road after 6 pm Buses for Shantallow and Ballymagroarty depart from the Strand Road. Normal service times for Translink will be in operation in the city on Friday evening with services finishing as normal at 10.20 pm. Disabled Access: there will be a section for use at the main stage at Queen's Quay. Drop-off point is lay-by adjacent to stage. Westbank Car Parking: Bridge Street, Foyle Road, Foyle Valley Railway, Foyleside East (closes at 11.30 pm) and West (closes at 10 pm), Lawrence Hill, Magee Campus, Quayside, Society Street and William Street. Eastbank Car Parking: Alfred Street, Bond's Hill, Distillery Brae, Railway Station, St Columb's Park including the weather pitch, Simpson's Brae, Spencer Road and Waterside Health Centre. First Aid: There will be a temporary First Aid unit located at the Foyle Street Car Park and ambulances will be situated at the City Hotel, Lower Clarendon Street and Council Offices. Meeting Point: This will be signed for Council Offices, Strand Road and Kingslink Roundabout. To accommodate the crowds and Carnival parade several roads within the city will be temporarily closed from 6.30 pm. Alternative routes will be available from this time. |
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Riverfront Family Fun this Hallowe'en, Final Preparations
Thursday 30th October -
Saturday 1st November
2008. New Carnival route along the Riverfront Hallowe'en Night Drive-In Movie - Riverfront location at Ebrington (gates open at 5 pm) Hallowe'en Highlights include: Carnival Parade, Fireworks, Haunted Happenings, Tower Museum, Ghost-bus-Tours, Spooky Storytelling, Ghoulish Games at Old Clondermott School, Animated Street Theatre, Monster Mash Fun Days - Guildhall Cruise & Full Moon Cruise, Twilight Haunting Tours, Halloween Parties, Plus much more ... Full details of this year's
festival are now available - click on |
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Neola Nelis |
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NWCN is a membership organisation for community & voluntary groups in the North-West, click here for a membership form for 2008-09. | |
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North-West Community Network receives core funding through the Community Investment Fund (DSD). | |
