E-Bulletin

01 June 2009

working to create a genuinely participative democracy

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1	First ever Charities Commission for Northern Ireland Launched
2	BIG Secret Millionaire Fund - Small Grants Programme
3	Equality and Human Rights Commission Funding
4	Groundswell Small Grants
5	Volunteer’s Week launched in Northern Ireland
6	Practical skills in completing forms
7	Part-time professional development courses at Queen’s
8	Queen’s and Lifestart offer free support to parents
9	Job opportunity with Aware Defeat Depression
10	A Summer Morning Workshop
11	East Donegal – Charity Fun Walk
12	Spring Craft Fair
13	Guth Gafa International Documentary Festival

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1	First ever Charities Commission for Northern Ireland Launched Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie MLA, today unveiled the first ever Charities Commission in Northern Ireland. At present there is no register for charities in Northern Ireland. The current system means that there is a lack of transparency, potentially leading to a loss of public confidence. Now as a result of the first piece of Northern Ireland legislation to go through the Assembly, there will be for the first time: A clear definition of what is a charity, A register of all charities operating in Northern Ireland, A test of what is and isn’t a charity, and A charity regulator – the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland. This new body will have considerable powers under the act to regulate, monitor and where required investigate charities. The new Chief Commissioner who will chair the Commission is Mr Thomas McGrath, former chair of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board. Ms Patricia Sloan, Director of BBC Children In Need, has been appointed Deputy Chief Commissioner. Mr Paul Cavanagh, Ms Angela Chada, Mr Philip McDonagh and Mr Walter Rader have been appointed as Charity Commissioners.
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2	BIG Secret Millionaire Fund - Small Grants Programme The Big Lottery Fund and The Secret Millionaire have teamed up to give viewers of the programme a chance to act on the charitable inspiration fuelled by the show. Lottery funding worth £1 million has been lined up for people to apply for, or nominate projects to apply for grants of between £300 and £10,000 from the Secret Millionaire Fund. From 1 May, by visiting The Secret Millionaire new website you will be able to access The Secret Millionaire Fund to which you can: Nominate a community project. You can propose a community project or organisation you think would benefit from BIG funding. BIG will then contact the organisation to see if it is eligible for this small grants scheme and send out the relevant information. Apply directly. If you have an idea for a project that can bring real improvements to the lives of communities, and can pass a simple eligibility test you can apply. In both cases Lottery grants are awarded following an application and assessment process which takes up to 8 weeks. See further information at http://secretmillionaire.channel4.com/ Deadline = 21 December 2009
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3	Equality and Human Rights Commission Funding The EHRC has launched its Strategic Funding £10 million programme for the voluntary and community sector. The Strategic Funding Programme will provide three-year project-based funding of up to £450,000 for community and voluntary sector organisations. It has three priority areas. The first priority area is guidance, advice and advocacy services. The second priority area will support increased co-operation between groups. And the third priority area, which is yet to be fully outlined, is legal advice and awareness of legal rights. The deadline for stage 1 applications under priority 1 and priority 2 is 12 June 2009. Please go to the Commission's website for more information, and note the important amendments outlined on the website to the downloadable guidance notes.
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4	Groundswell Small Grants The Groundswell Grant Award Scheme offers anyone with experience of homelessness up to £700 to set up self-help projects or service user involvement initiatives. Groundswell is a national charity. They believe that the only way to tackle homelessness is with the direct involvement of homeless people. They support homeless people to set up their own projects, to get involved in running services and to influence homelessness policy. Anyone with experience of homelessness can apply for an award. They are aiming at new or small projects so you can only apply if your group has an annual turnover that is between £0 and definitely no more than £20,000 each year. The Groundswell Grant Award Scheme offers anyone with experience of homelessness up to £700 to set up self-help projects or service user involvement initiatives. They prefer examples of people working together, but if you are working alone you can still apply, as long as you can show a collective benefit for your project. You can apply for a grant from them if you are an informal collection of people or a more formal group with a constitution. If you have plans to grow then it is probably worth getting a constitution at some point, as most other funders make this a requirement. There is information on the Groundswell website for more information on group structures and constitutions. Awards are made four times a year, but you can send in your form at any time. They will confirm that they received your form within two weeks. So if you do not hear from them, get in touch. Your application will then be forwarded to their committee to be considered at the next deadline. This happens four times a year. 15 January 15 April 15 July 15 October. They will let you know the decision within a month of the deadline. t: 020 7737 5500, e: info@groundswell.org.uk, w: www.groundswell.org.uk/grants_home.html
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5	Volunteer’s Week launched in Northern Ireland The Minister Margaret Ritchie, in recognising the vital contribution volunteers make to society, made a rallying call for more people to volunteer. Margaret Ritchie took the opportunity herself to volunteer in her local Marie Curie shop. She said: “Volunteers are the glue which binds society. Much of this work goes unheralded. However, volunteering is a very enriching experience. I would encourage everyone to get involved as it can make a real difference not only in the lives of others, but in your own life as well.” The Minister also awarded the volunteer medal to Briege Murray, for five years service to Marie Curie. Margaret Ritchie continued: “As the Volunteering Minister, I get the opportunity to meet with volunteers from all over Northern Ireland and I thank them for the work they do in combating deprivation, disadvantage and destitution. I was pleased to have met and worked with Briege Murray who volunteers in the Marie Curie charity shop. A few hours of volunteering a week can increase our circle of friends and provide a real sense of satisfaction and achievement – as well, of course, as being great fun. Volunteering has given me the same satisfaction and achievement volunteers everywhere enjoy. “I will also soon be launching a new volunteering strategy that will help re-energise and increase volunteering.” In April, Margaret Ritchie announced funding of £330,000 to be made available as small grants to support volunteers in small local organisations throughout Northern Ireland. Volunteers’ Week runs from June 1 to 7 and will see groups up and down the country running events to promote volunteering.
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6	Practical skills in completing forms This NICVA course will give you an insight into how to complete a successful application with examples from funders about what you should and should not do. It will help you acquire the skills necessary for all stages of the application process. It will look at the essentials of planning your project, the reasons for applying, reasons why applications may fail and what to include in your application form, as well as some examples of actual funders’ application forms. 16 June 2009, 10.00 - 1.00pm Members £50.00 / non Members £70 Venue: NICVA, 61 Duncarin Gardens, Belfast. For further information please contact Roisin Kelly at NICVA on 028 9087 7777 / roisin.kelly@nicva.org
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7	Part-time professional development courses at Queen’s Queen’s University has launched a range of part time courses aimed at those people who want to gain a university qualification, but don’t have the time or resources to invest in full time education. What better way to meet the challenge of these difficult economic times than to grasp the initiative and upgrade your skills base? Part time learning can open the door to new opportunities, improve your career prospects and increase your earning potential. If you’re involved in social policy or community development there is a three year multidisciplinary Masters in Social and Community Development and a flexible Certificate in Community Learning and Development. For more information please contact Barbara McCabe on 028 9097 5979 or email b.mccabe@qub.ac.uk. There are courses in management, coaching and more. Download a brochure of part time professional development courses at www.qub.ac.uk/edu, call 028 9097 3323/5941 or email education@qub.ac.uk.
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8	Queen’s and Lifestart offer free support to parents Time is running out for parents to access the free advice and support on offer in a study being conducted by Queen’s University Belfast on behalf of the Lifestart Foundation. Researchers are looking for parents with babies under 12 months to take part in one of the largest studies of families and parenting ever undertaken on the island of Ireland. The aim of the Lifestart Study is to evaluate the Lifestart Home Based Parenting Programme. Those who participate will receive free feedback on their child’s development. Over 300 families have already signed up for the study. The researchers are particularly calling on parents in Derry, Dungiven, Enniskillen, Strabane, Limavady, Lifford, Letterkenny, Newtowncunningham, Inishowen, and Donegal Town. The study is being carried out jointly by the Institute of Child Care Research at Queen’s and the University’s Centre for Effective Education. Dr Helga Sneddon from the Institute of Child Care Research said: “Those families who volunteer to take part in The Lifestart Study will be visited by us in their homes during their child’s first year, again when the child is two, and finally when the child is five years old. Throughout this time, we will talk with mums and dads about their parenting experiences and be able to provide some useful free feedback to them on their child’s development”. Anyone who is interested in taking part should contact us for more information before the end of June. From Northern Ireland freephone 0800 0855031 or text 07870 509677, from the Republic of Ireland freephone 1800 818 688 or text 08583 48617; or email lifestartstudy@qub.ac.uk”
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9	Job opportunity with Aware Defeat Depression Aware Defeat Depression is a registered charity working exclusively with and for people with depression, providing a range of services for them, their carers, the public, schools and health professionals. We are currently recruiting for the following post based in our North West Office in L/Derry: Support Services Assistant (16 hours per week until 31st March 2011) We are looking for skilled and highly motivated person to provide effective support for our support groups and information service in the western and central areas of Northern Ireland. Salary Scale: NJC 5 - £19,427 pro rata. Interviews on Wednesday 17th June 2009 in Derry. Closing date for applications is Thursday, 11th June 2009 at 12:00noon. We do not accept CVs. Download an application pack from www.aware-ni.org.uk or contact The Corporate Services Manager on 02871 260602 or email patricia@aware-ni.org.
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10	A Summer Morning Workshop SEAMUS DEANE, writer, poet, novelist, critic…. REFLECTIONS ON FIELD DAY Introduced and Chaired by…. JOE MAHON Date: 26 June 2009 / Venue: The Playhouse, Artillery Street, Derry / Time: 10.00am – 12 noon Admission is free but places are limited so please book in advance by contacting either: Holywell Trust The Playhouse 10-12 Bishop Street 5-7 Artillery Street Derry Derry BT48 6PW BT48 6RG Tel: 028 71 261941 Tel: 028 71 268027 Email: lisa@holywelltrust.com Web: www.derryplayhouse.co.uk
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11	East Donegal – Charity Fun Walk This June, a charity fun walk will take place from St Johnston to Letterkenny to raise much needed funds for the Donegal Special Olympics and the East Donegal Forum. The following week the Special Olympics Ulster Regional Games will take place in Letterkenny for the first time. The weekend of 12-14 June will kick-off with a massive opening ceremony where the Olympic torch will be carried into Letterkenny. A charity fun walk will take place the weekend before the games, on June 7th, and will be an opportunity to raise awareness and to get active to support this great cause. This event has come about through community groups working together and it will start off at the St Johnston and Carrigans Resource Centre and will finish off at Donegal Travellers Project in Letterkenny. This charity event will also help to raise awareness of the need for improved rural transport in Donegal and some of the walkers will be taking part in a ‘walking bus’. Other walkers are being encouraged to dress up and join in the spirit of things. Walk organisers are looking for people to join them to help raise funds for these excellent projects and anyone interested should contact Kathleen Bonner, the secretary of the East Forum on 0871219338 or email eastdonegalform@eircom.net
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12	Spring Craft Fair City Centre Spring Craft Fair Showcasing Local Craftworks at The Playhouse Saturday 6th June, 10am-4pm / Admission: £1 Everyone welcome…… For further details check out www.derryplayhouse.co.uk
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13	Guth Gafa International Documentary Festival Guth Gafa International Documentary Festival takes place in Gortahork, Co. Donegal and is committed to bringing outstanding films and filmmakers to a wild and beautiful part of Ireland – our Films On The Edge. This year’s festival, from 12th to 14th June, promises a rich and varied programme of 30 award-winning international and Irish documentaries, with an emphasis on Children’s Rights, African issues, and the Environment. Most of our screenings will have directors in attendance and, in addition, Guth Gafa offers seminars, master classes, childrens’ screenings and workshops, a Festival Café and Club, and even a free crèche. Compact and intimate, our motto of ‘see all the films; meet all the directors’ is the very essence of Guth Gafa. Check out our website at www.guthgafa.com

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Neola Nelis North-West Community Network 23 Bishop Street Derry~Londonderry BT48 6PR Tel. (028) 7127 9090 Fax (028) 7127 9357 Email neola@nwcn.org Website www.nwcn.org
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