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E-Bulletin 21 March 2011 |
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working to create a genuinely participative democracy |
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Giving Local People Their Voice
An exciting initiative to give local communities more of a say in decision-making is to be launched in Derry by union activist and former International Woman of the year Inez McCormack.
The Project will be launched at 12.30pm on Thursday 24 March in St. Columb’s Park House – all welcome to register for this event.
“This launch is particularly fortunate to have Inez McCormack as keynote speaker” commented Network Chairperson Eamonn Baker. “She is a woman who operates on many levels – she was recently recognised by Newsweek magazine as one of 150 Women Who Shook The World – alongside no less than Hilary Clinton and Meryl Streep who actually played Inez in a major stage production!”
The PESP team brings over 20 years’ experience in training, education and community development and they will continue sharing this expertise across the council areas of Derry~Londonderry, Limavady, Omagh and Strabane.
People and communities will be supported in becoming better informed, this will be done in a variety of ways – individual group support, networking clusters, producing essential resources, themed training events and other approaches identified through the life of the project.
To register or find out more contact PESP on 028 7136 8811 or email: gabrielle@nwcn.org |
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Big invests £20 million into improving children's futures
The Big Lottery Fund has announced an investment of £20million that will help give vulnerable children in Northern Ireland and across the UK a better future by supporting their families. The Improving Futures programme will provide funding for more effective and joined-up support to help families with multiple and complex problems. This support will be delivered by partnerships that bring together voluntary sector organisations and public services. The partnerships will be locally based – and for the first time engaging not only children’s charities, but those that can help address families’ housing, health, employment and other needs.
The programme will fund up to 20 partnerships across the UK, each receiving a grant of up to £900,000 to work with families with children aged five to ten years old. It aims to fund only the very best proposals and the Big Lottery Fund will also fund a robust evaluation of the programme with a view to understanding how their success can be replicated elsewhere. This approach will benefit not only the families that are targeted but ultimately the communities they live in and society as a whole.
To find out the latest information on the programme visit www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/improvingfutures Alternatively, you can also get in touch with Big Lottery Fund if you have questions on 0845 4102 030, or e-mail general.enquiries@biglotteryfund.org.uk |
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Daily Telegraph/RBS Sports club grants - NI
In partnership
with RBS, The Daily Telegraph is aiming to support sport at a local level
through the launch of its Sport for You grant. For a chance to earn a
grant of up to £1,000, submit an application of less than 250
words. Criteria: |
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Charity Commission announces its new powers
The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland (CCNI) has now been granted its powers of regulation, investigation and enforcement via the third commencement order to the Charities Act. All NI charities, recognised by HMRC, as of 18 February 2011, are now officially answerable to the new regulator, CCNI under a transitional provision order. For a full explanation of the range and scope of its powers, visit the Commission’s website.
A list of all charities (recognised for tax purposes) which are now answerable to the new regulator can be viewed on the regulator’s website under the Organisations Previously Known as Charities section. Please note that this is not the Register of Charities, as this has not been established as yet.
For the latest up to date information on charity law visit http://www.nicva.org/news/charity-law-reform |
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Rural Development Council’s peace building cross community/border programme
The programme is funded by the International Fund for Ireland & whole idea is to get community groups to come together and work in partnership with a group from the ‘other’ community so that initially they can get to know one another & build their personal relationships, host each other, undertake some capacity building workshops (this will be subject to the needs of the group), undertake study visits to other projects, Good Relations workshops (compulsory), and then design and deliver a project to the value of £5000/€6,000 which will have a reconciliation/peace building focus that will benefit and bring the two wider communities together.
If groups are successful in the support phase partnerships can then bid for a grant of approximately £100k at a later stage.
Groups can apply to the programme in partnership or as a single applicant and we will help them find a partner. More details can be found on our website http://www.rdc.org.uk/multi/default.asp?itemid=36
Have a look at the info and if your group is interested in making an application support will be provided with any queries they may have & help with the application form etc. Please note the closing deadline is 31st March 2011.
You can contact John Kelly by phone on 028 8676 6980 or 079 1239 1301 |
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Support Monitoring of Journeys out Terms of Reference
JOURNEYS OUT 2009 -2011 / Project Ref No: 000738
Background: The Journeys Out Project is a 2.5 year project funded by the European Union Peace III Programme. This project is aimed at building the capacity of emerging and established community leaders to help them engage their local communities in discussions in dealing with the past in their areas.
Delivered by INCORE (International Conflict Research Institute), in partnership with the Peace and Reconciliation Group, Intercomm Ireland and the Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation, the project commenced in February 2009 and will be completed in July 2011.
The goal of the Journeys Out project is to advance a bottom-up approach to dealing with the past in Northern Ireland and the Border Region by:
- Building the capacity of community leaders to engage in the debate about dealing with the past on an inter-community basis. - Assisting local communities in identifying and addressing their needs in terms of dealing with the past. - Documenting community leaders’ journeys from conflict to participation and sharing lessons from these journeys locally, nationally and internationally.
Terms of Reference: The Journeys Out Project seek to engage a consult/company to carry out a piece of work to support the monitoring of the Journeys Out Project in particular with reference to Aids for Peace under Priority 1.2 – Acknowledging and Dealing with the Past.
It is envisaged that the consultant/company will produce a professional quality DVD that can be used as an evaluation and promotional tool for the Journeys Out programme, and that it will be innovative, creative and engaging.
Through a process of conducting video interviews and documenting this process with a sample from the 40 past and present project participants, project partner organisations, project mentors and representatives from funding bodies and through the editing of archive video material taken during the lifetime of the Journeys Out Project this process will: - Reflect the personal Journeys taken by persons involved in the Journeys Out project - Examine the extent to which the Journeys Out Project has achieved its aims and project objectives. - Determine the extent to which positive changes may be expected to last after the Journeys Out project. - Determine whether those involved with Journeys Out demonstrate a positive change in behaviour towards individuals from other communities. - Examine whether different experiences, memories and legacies of the past have been acknowledged by individuals.
Deliverables: - Meeting with the Journeys Out Project Executive to outline the methodology to be used in carrying out the proposed work for the Journeys Out Project. - Conduct video interviews with a sample of Year One and Year Two project participants from project target areas within Northern Ireland the border regions of the Republic of Ireland. - Conduct video interviews with a sample of representatives from the project partner organisations, project mentors and representatives from the funding organisation. - Editing of archive video material taken during the lifetime of the Journeys Out project. - Completion of a professional quality DVD that may be used as an evaluation and promotional tool for the Journeys Out Project.
Timetable: Date Tasks End March 2011 Appoint successful individual/organisation April - June 2011 Completion of video interviews Editing of video documentation Mid July 2011 Production of final DVD
Tender Submission: Please submit a tender outlining the following information in your submission: - Proposed methodology and timeline of work to include proposed number of video interviews. - Similar work undertaken in the past two years. - Experience within the peace and conflict field. - Number of meetings required with the Journeys Out Project Executive. - Name of principal person conducting the work and/or additional team members. - Detailed costs to include number of days, rate per day plus production and overhead costs. - Please submit CV’s of primary staff working on the project as appendix with tender submission.
Tenders for the Supporting Monitoring of the Journeys Out Project should be submitted to Janet Farren on JE.Farren@ulster.ac.uk by 4pm Thursday 31st March 2011 |
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NHS restructuring proposals and you
To coincide with the proposed restructuring of the local NHS delivery model, 3fivetwo Training Academy is pleased to host two national landmark conferences. These will be held in the Europa Hotel, Belfast on 11 May 2011, 12.45pm-6.00pm, and in the City Hotel, Derry on 12 May 2011, 12.45pm-6.00pm. Some of the leading professionals at the forefront of healthcare delivery in the UK and Ireland have agreed to share their opinions and debate this topic with the audience.
These conferences have attracted significant interest from primary and secondary care, public and private healthcare organisations, nursing and allied health professionals, pharmacists and dentists, charities and voluntary service organisations, government bodies and politicians. A special delegate rate for voluntary and community organisations is available until 1st April 2011.
Details of the full
programmes for events can be found on 3fivetwo Training
Academy's
website at:
Derry: For further information and to book a place at the events please visit http://www.3fivetwotraining.com/courses/ or email trainingacademy@3fivetwo.com Alternatively call 028 9073 5273. |
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Age NI First Connect Service now operating in the Western Area
First Connect offers emotional and practical support at difficult times to people later in life. The service improves quality of life and empowers disadvantaged older people to access a comprehensive range of integrated services which will in turn help them remain independent, and enable them to access the right support, by working with them and their local community.
How does First Connect Work? The First Connect Coordinator will visit each client at home or at an alternative suitable venue, to discuss their needs and provide them with information on the services that are available. This could be as simple as involving them in the community by organising access to a day centre or community group, a benefits check to ensure they are getting what they are entitled to, providing home safety measures, etc. In agreement with the client, the First Connect Coordinator will signpost them to the services and make sure they are in place by regularly reviewing their care plan.
What difference will First Connect make? - Reduce Isolation - Provide emotional support - Improve quality of life - Increase independence so that clients can remain at home - Increase your confidence to make informed choices - Improve access to services and facilities in your community
For more information or to make a referral to the First Connect service contact Age NI at: Freephone 0808 808 7575. Alternatively you can contact the First Connect Coordinator for the Western Area, Eimear McKearney on 07425620194 or email Eimear.McKearney@ageni.org |
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Tinderbox Theatre Company Presents Everything Between Us By David Ireland
We currently have free places to attend the following production and workshops to be held in. The Playhouse, Artillery Street, Derry Thursday 24th March 2011, 11:00 to 4:00
Contact Michael Barr to book your place on 028 7130 9206 or michaelbarr@peaceprg.co.uk
A controversial dark comedy about secrets, lies and reconciliation: A taut and fast paced two-woman showdown, Everything Between Us is set in Stormont’s Parliament Buildings on the first day of a newly formed Truth and Reconciliation Commission for Northern Ireland. Sandra Richardson is preparing to take her seat on the Commission when her long lost sister Teeni explodes into the chamber and assaults the South African chairwoman. To find out if this is a terrorist plot or just her sister’s way of announcing her return to Belfast, Sandra bundles Teeni into a disused room hidden along the corridors of power. With the world’s media waiting to invade, Sandra and Teeni must learn very quickly how to talk to each other.
This dramatic dark comedy premiered in Washington DC in March, and played to packed houses as part of Tinderbox’s award-winning TRUE NORTH Season last autumn in Belfast.
The play contains extremely strong language throughout. Recommended for 18 +
Press Quotes for Everything Between Us. Bleakly funny, powerful and emotionally violent (Culture NI)
David Ireland’s writing is an assault on our state of denial. Humour is dark and controlled, language is vulgar and silence is deafening. (ITM)
Taut and affecting new play. You really can’t take your eyes off it. (Washington Post)
David Ireland - Playwright, Everything Between Us David Ireland trained as an actor at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and has worked for many theatre companies across the UK including The Royal Shakespeare Company, The Royal Exchange, Manchester, The Citizens’ Theatre, Glasgow and The Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh. He is an Associate Member of Dundee Rep Ensemble. His first play What the Animals Say was produced at Oran Mor in Glasgow and subsequently transferred to the Belfast Festival. This was followed by Arguments for Terrorism, a co-production between Oran Mor and Ransom, then Trouble and Shame for BBC Radio Scotland. He also contributed material to Tinderbox’s Swingstate Caberet 2008, the Traverse’s Gordon Brown: A Life In the Theatre and Come To Where I’m From for Paines Plough. |
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Free Trip to Indian Community Centre and Belfast Hebrew Congregation
Friday 25th March 2011
As part of the TDDA Churches Facilitation & Co-operation Programme, this visit will provide an opportunity to learn more about both Indian and Jewish Heritage.
Bus departs Raphoe (Volt House, The Diamond) @ 9am Pick-up points: At 9.15am, Lifford bus stop, Lifford At 9.20am, Heaton’s car park, Railway Road, Strabane At 9.40am, Old Waterside Health Centre, Londonderry At 10.00am, Dungiven bus stop (Old Dungiven Primary School)
To book your place on this free trip please contact: Stephanie or Pamela at Tyrone-Derry & Donegal Action by Tel: 00353 74 91 73747 / 00353 74 91 44762 Email: tdaction@gmail.com / stephanie.tdaction@gmail.com
This is a cross-border / cross-community trip Refreshments and lunch provided - Everyone Welcome
A project supported by the PEACE III Programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body by Donegal County Development Board Peace III Partnership |
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“Transitions” - A Free Pre Retirement Course for the Over 50’s
The Workers’ Educational Association under the Learning Age Project is offering a new course to the public aged 50+ who may be thinking of retirement or who may be facing redundancy due to the down turn. The “Transitions” Pre-Retirement Course” encourages participants to consider their options when approaching retirement and also provides up to date information and signposting to relevant support agencies.
The aim of the programme is to consider the changes that take place at retirement and how they can be successfully managed, for example by examining the changes to lifestyle and the challenge that retirement brings such as how to manage on a lower income and by posing what health and well being aspects participants may need to consider as they grow older. There is also a look at how to use additional free time such as volunteering or attending education classes etc. Through the programme we hope to turn negative attitudes of retirement into a positive personal approach. This programme will encourage participants to develop a personal action plan for a successful transition to retirement by:
- reflecting on participant’s skills and experiences - identifying the keys to a positive retirement - researching local facilities - setting exclusive personal goals
The course runs over 6 sessions on Saturday mornings to enable those who are still working but maybe planning for retirement to attend. This course is offered free of charge and is run under the WEA Learning Age Project funded by The Atlantic Philanthropies.
The course commences from 9.30am – 1pm daily on Saturday 2nd April and will run 2nd/9th/16th/30th April and 7th/14th May @ The Verbal Arts Centre in Bishop Street.
For more information on the WEA and the courses on offer log on www.wea-ni.com or phone (028) 71 369947 |
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"Myth Busting towards Conversation workshop"
I am pleased to offer a one off workshop entitled “Myth Busting towards Conversation”. This workshop will take place on Monday 28th March at RCN Office, Oldtown Street, Cookstown and will be facilitated by Mr David White from Concept Eleven.
The focus of the workshop is communication, language and equality, looking specifically at how communication can reinforce stereotypes, lead to discrimination etc. It proves to be an interactive good relations workshop, which should not only inform but challenge thinking in relation to cultural diversity.
This is a free event (funded by the Community Relations Council Small Grants Programme), and takes place from 10am to 1pm, with lunch provided.
There are 15 spaces currently available, therefore if you are interested please email teresa@ruralcommunitynetwork.org at your earliest convenience. |
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Performance group of local women aged over 50 create moving memories
Local women aged over 50 will perform ‘Mapping Memories’ an original dance theatre piece devised by them and guided by Artistic Director of Echo Echo Dance Theatre Company on Saturday 2nd April in the Foyle Arts Building at Magee.
The group was formed from a 12-week project, led by Echo Echo and the Workers Educational Association as part of the WEA’s Learning Age Project, focused on the theme of memories of places and landscapes that have remained special throughout a lifetime.
The participants have each brought their own experiences and recollections to the creative production process, and weaved the movement images together into a beautiful, calm and meditative performance piece lasting about 30 minutes.
Local composer and musician Christopher Norby has developed an original music score to accompany the piece, which he will perform live on the 2nd April.
Mapping Memories will be performed on Saturday 2nd April at 7pm in The Foyle Arts Building at Magee Campus, University of Ulster. Entry is free and if you would like more information, visit www.echoechodance.com or www.wea-ni.com
This project is supported by Derry City Council and The Atlantic Philanthropies |
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Looking Back, Moving Forward - Ways to Get Involved and Make a Difference
The Transition from Conflict and the Challenges to Building Peace. Acknowledgment and dealing with the past are essential if a society is to move from violent conflict to a future that is secure and peaceful for all.
WAVE’s Transition from Conflict course provides participants an opportunity to learn more about reconciliation, justice and dealing with the past and is OCN accredited.
“History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived but if faced with courage, need not be lived again.” – Maya Angelou
WAVE is delighted to continue our partnership with Facing History and Ourselves an ‘OCN Level 2 accredited Transition from Conflict’ course that explores issues such as justice, truth recovery, reconciliation and victim/offender complexities.
Training will take place in the WAVE Trauma Centre, 23A Bishop Street, Derry/Londonderry on: Thursday 24 March from 10 am – 4 pm Thursday 31 March 2011 from 10 am – 4 pm Thursday 7 April 2011 from 10 am – 4 pm Thursday 14 April 2011 from 10 am – 1 pm and then a Taster Session from 1.30 pm – 4.30 pm on ‘Epilogues*’ Thursday 21 April 2011 10 am – 1 pm
Lunch will be provided
*‘Epilogues’ is an accessible workshop based education programme using a DVD and website to engage people in the everyday work of peace-building and responsible citizenship. It explore within a workshop environment that models democratic process, 6 key themes central to an understanding of violent political conflict - Violence, Loss, Revenge, Forgiveness, Justice, & Human Rights. The exploration is deepened through direct engagement with the perspectives of both victims of, and the various parties to, the violent political conflict in and about ‘Northern Ireland’.
It is essential that you register your name with Pamela on 028 71266655 as spaces are limited.
A Project Supported PEACE III Programme managed for the Special EU Programmes Body by the Community Relations Council/Pobal consortium |
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A new creative course to enhance both your personal & professional life The Playhouse Theatre, Artillery Street, Derry, Tuesday 22 March 2011, 7pm - 9pm
Ursula McHugh:
Tel: 078 13124126 Email: ursula.mchugh@btinternet.com
Venue: The
Playhouse Theatre, Artillery
Street,
Derry |
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Comhaltas Dhoire would like to invite you to a special event…
To find out more about our campaign to achieve host city status for Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann on Friday March 25 at 1 pm
This event will offer a unique insight into how the local arts, government, business, 3rd sector and sporting organisations can benefit from a successful bid from Derry City in hosting the prestigious Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann.
Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann is the largest music and dance festival in the island of Ireland, attracting over 250,000 visitors each year and would bring an estimated £30 million boost to local traders if a successful bid was accepted. Securing Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann host status will act as a tremendous catalyst in further developing Derry as a cultural tourism destination for music fans across the globe. See how you can be a part of the real Derry Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann experience.
Special Guest speaker: Martin McGuinness MLA, deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland Eileen O’Doherty, Chairperson of Comhaltas Dhoire, Shona McCarthy, CEO UK City of Culture Cllr Eastwood, Mayor of Derry and Gearóíd Ó hEára, CEO An Chultúrlann
Places are FREE, but limited, please contact Nathan Flatman at An Chultúrlann on 02871 264132 or email Nathan@culturlann-doire.ie to reserve your place. RSVP deadline March 22nd. Refreshments provided |
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Nelis
McCrossan |
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NWCN is a membership organisation for community & voluntary groups in the North-West, click here for a membership form for 2010-11. | |
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North-West Community Network receives core funding through the Community Investment Fund (DSD). | |
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