NWCN E-bulletin: 15 October 2025
- kevin7809
- Oct 15
- 9 min read
Gender Budgeting Workshop
Friday 14 November
10.30 to 12.30
Holywell Building, Bishop Street
NIAPN, North West Community Network and Foyle Women's Information Network have partnered to deliver a workshop on gender budgeting on Friday 14 November.
The workshop will explore what is gender budgeting and how it can be used as a tool to tackle poverty. Additionally, the workshop will hear about a gender budgeting pilot in the Derry City and Strabane District Council.
Places are limited.
Please contact becca@niapn.org to book your place.
NWCN Coffee Morning for The DEEDS Project
You are very welcome to join us for a Coffee Morning Fundraiser in support of DEEDS!
Wednesday 22nd October, 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Holywell Building, Bishop Street
Come along for a cuppa, some sweet treats, and even sweeter company — all while helping raise vital funds for your local dementia support service. Every cup makes a difference!
All proceeds going to the DEEDS project to support those living with and experiencing dementia.
Let’s brew up some kindness together!
Community Relations Council Core Funding
The Northern Ireland Community Relations Council's Core Funding Scheme provides support for organisations which are considered of strategic importance in promoting community relations work across the region.The scheme contributes towards salary and organisational running costs.If you require further assistance, please speak to a member of the Funding and Development team.
Key Principles of the Core Funding Scheme
The work must be intentional: Regardless of the grant scheme, a programme must have a clear good relations purpose from the outset with deliberate and planned activities which directly address sectarianism.
It must address an identified good relations need: All applications must be able to clearly demonstrate the good relations need they want to address and how they have identified this need.
See link for further details: https://www.community-relations.org.uk/funding-scheme/core-funding-scheme
Closing date: Wednesday 12 November 2025 at 4 PM.
Help The Homeless
We are a small charity with limited funds available so please ensure you meet the following criteria:
Your organisation must be registered with the Charity Commission in England, Wales or Northern Ireland or a registered Scottish Charity.
We are able to help only small charities with an annual turnover of less than £500,000.
We can only accept applications towards the funding of capital projects. We are unable to accept applications towards running/core costs. Note: we are also unable to consider requests for computers and IT equipment.
We provide small grants of up to £5,000. We do not consider multi-year requests.
There should be a minimum period of two years between the receipt of a decision or grant from us and making a further application.
Deadline for application: 15th December at 5pm
Further information available here
Hardship Grants
The Hardship Fund offers grants to those living in the UK only. Grants of up to £2,000 are available for eligible individuals and families.
The Foundation’s trustees give priority to:
the most financially excluded people
families over individuals
those with caring responsibilities
items that will make the most difference to the individual/family’s long-term future
Further information available here
Home Instead Charities
We fund groups who support the mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing of ageing adults.
Our eligibility criteria:
If you are a small grass roots organisation you can apply for funding up to £500.
If you are a small local registered charity you can apply for funding up to £1,500.
Most of your group members must be over 55 years old or the project you are requesting funding for must benefit people aged over 55
The project must support its members through activities and projects that support wellbeing or reduce social isolation and/or loneliness
Your group must be open and inclusive irrespective of race, religion, disability, sex or sexual orientation
We will consider applications from groups, associations and charities that do not service the over 50s directly but the project they require funding for does, i.e., a local school wishes to hold a special afternoon tea for its local care home residents.
Deadline for applications: 31 October 2025
Further information available here
Triangle Trust Small Grants Programme
The focus of this funding opportunity is organisations that are led by women and whose beneficiaries are 100% women and girls. We want to support work that is taking place with young women and girls aged between 11 and 30 who have been in the criminal justice system or who are at a high risk of entering it.
We are keen to receive applications that work with:
Girls who are either outside of education or are at risk of being excluded from school
Projects that run activities for girls who are vulnerable to becoming involved with gangs (these projects might run in evenings, weekends or through school holidays)
Projects that provide peer mentoring providing role models to girls and young women who are in crisis and need support
Work that goes into schools and other community settings to raise awareness of the risks to girls of exploitation and links to criminal justice outcomes.
Small Grant Round Closes: 21 October 2025
Further information available here
Draft Disability and Work Strategy Engagement Events
Draft Disability and Work Strategy Consultation Launched – Come find out more in St Columb’s Park House on 16/10/2025 from 2pm – 3.30pm.
Minster for Communities, Gordon Lyons launched a consultation on the draft Disability and Work Strategy. DfC is hosting a series of engagement events including one on Thursday 16 October 2025 in St Columb’s Park House, 4 Limavady Road, Derry/Londonderry, BT47 6JY from 2pm to 3.30pm.
To find out more about the Draft Disability and Work Strategy and to register to attend the engagement event click here
9 Free Training for Community & Voluntary Organisations
Self Harm and Autism Dates:29th October 2025 Times:9:30am - 12:30pm Venue: Online
The Person Behind the Behaviour Dates: 26th November 2025 Times: 9:30am - 12:30pm Venue: Online
Mental Health First Aid Dates: 8th, 9th & 10th December 2025 Times: 9:30am - 1:30pm Venue: Online
Assembly Explained Workshops - Bringing Democracy to Your Doorstep
Over the coming months, Janet Robinson, Outreach Co-ordinator for the Northern Ireland Assembly will be delivering free Assembly Explained workshops in constituencies across Northern Ireland. These sessions are designed for community groups to learn how decisions are made in Northern Ireland — and how your voice fits into the process.
What to expect:
A friendly, easy-to-follow session
Clear insights into how the Assembly works
How voting works, how laws are made and how communities can shape decisions
No jargon, no politics degree required — just good conversation!
You can host a workshop at your venue and I’d be delighted to arrange a session at a time that suits you including evenings if necessary.
To book or find out more, contact me at: Janet.Robinson@niassembly.gov.uk To book a workshop use this link
Developing Women in the Community Programme
The Churches Trusts Developing Women in the Community Programme recommences on 23rd September in their Waterside office (10am-12noon) and 25th September in Strabane Ethnic Community Association (10am-12noon) and in The Churches Trust Cityside office at the Diamond (7-9pm).
Contact Margaret now on 02871311322 or margaretbonner@thechurchestrust.org.uk for more information.
Living Healthy While Aging Workshop
Our GP Social Worker at Clarendon Medical are hosting a workshop for positive ageing month.
21st October 2025, 10am - 12pmDestined, Foyle Road, Derry/L'derryRefreshments provided.
Facilitator: Ursula McHugh is a well-known Cognitive Behavioural Therapist, yoga teacher and singer based in the Playhouse Theatre.
Aim of the workshop: To celebrate life and living healthy while we age. Positive ageing month offers opportunities for people in the 3rd chapter age bracket to be supported to continue to learn and grow, understand choices and also what they still very much have to offer society, the wisdom and life experience.
Contact your GP Social Worker if you are attending.
Launch of the Third Annual Victim Survey
The third annual Commissioner for Victims of Crime Office (CVOCNI) Victim Survey is open.
This important initiative is designed to capture the experiences and views of victims of crime across Northern Ireland, helping to shape future policy, improve services, and ensure that victims’ voices are heard at the highest levels.
The survey is open to anyone who has been a victim of any type of crime in Northern Ireland, regardless of whether it was reported to the police, and it is completely anonymous. It can be completed by anyone over the age of 18 on their own behalf, or on behalf of a child who has been a victim.
The survey closes on 22 December 2025.
HURT Wellness Centre
NEW AT HURT! Our Wellness Centre just got even more well… awesome!
We’re now offering Training & Therapy Rooms for Hire – right here in the heart of our centre. Whether you're a wellness warrior, a mental health professional, a coach, counsellor or just someone needing a calm and professional space to work – we’ve got you covered.
What we offer:
Modern, private therapy rooms
Spacious training rooms
Relaxing counselling rooms
Affordable hourly rates
Warm, welcoming environment
Help us make HURT a hub for healing and growth — for the whole community.
Visit our shiny new website and view our rooms & prices: hurtwellnesscentre.org
Childline Black history month celebrations
Our Childline celebrations and resources available at:https://www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/school-college-and-work/school-college/black-history-month/
They may be of interest to some children and young people.
InkSPIRE - New Programme for Young People
Interested in Youth Culture, Fashion,Expressing your Views in an ARTistic way?
We are recruiting for our NEW InkSPIRE programme with will create opportunities for young people to develop new skills, meet new people and use creative ways to capture current trends, highlight local issues impacting young people and promote all things YOUTH in our community.
Email martin.gallagher@eani.org.uk for more info or click on the posters below:InkSPIRE 1InkSPIRE 2InkSPIRE 3
Latest Offers from Salto Youth
Please see attached document for the latest offers from Salto Youth, including:
Local youth councils for democratic engagement and media literacy
Drawn Together Visual Tools for Youth Work
Winter Youth Work Academy
Supporting Youth in Crisis – Preventing Suicide and Saving Lives
New tools
Time to Vote!!!
The Millennium Forum have been shortlisted by the Letterkenny Chamber for Best Disability Initiative – to say we are excited would be an understatement!!
However we need your help – we’d be very grateful if you could click on the link below and give us your vote – the closing date for voting is Friday 17 October @ 5pm
“We’re proud to share that the Millennium Forum has been shortlisted by the Letterkenny Chamber for Best Disability Initiative, a recognition that means so much to us. Each year, we welcome over 320,000 visitors, with more than 20% traveling from Donegal and further and we’re deeply grateful for the continued support of our neighbours . Accessibility isn’t just a box we tick, it’s at the very heart of who we are. Our dedicated team goes above and beyond to make sure that everyone, regardless of ability, feels truly welcome and included in our theatre. If you’ve ever enjoyed a show with us, experienced our facilities, or simply believe that access matters, we’d be honoured if you would vote for the Millennium Forum and help us continue to make a difference for all” - Lisa Heaney, Access Manager
Churches Trust Open Day
Celebrating Good Relations Week - Coffee Morning 17th October 2025 10:30am - 12:30pm 11 Limavady Road, Derry
Have a cuppa, meet our team and find out more about our work in your community.
Contact us for more information: Tel - 028 7131 1322 / Email - info@thechurchestrust.org.uk
AWARE NI job vacancy: Education and Training Officer
Derry/Londonderry Office (with hybrid working options available)
Permanent
Full-time. 35 hours per week
Salary Scale: £26,500 - £30,000 p.a plus employer pension contribution
The Education & Training Officer will play a key role in developing, coordinating, and delivering AWARE NI’s education and training programmes across Northern Ireland. This role aims to promote positive mental health and wellbeing by raising awareness, building resilience, and providing individuals and communities with practical skills to manage low mood, depression, anxiety, and bipolar.
Working as part of a dynamic team, the Officer will support the design, delivery, and evaluation of evidence-based programmes in schools, workplaces, and community settings. The postholder will also build relationships with partner organisations, manage sessional trainers, and contribute to the ongoing development and promotion of AWARE NI’s mental health education initiatives.
Closing date: 5pm on 24th October 2025 For further information and application please click here
Northern Ireland Museums Council Competition 2025
The NI Museums Council has a key role in supporting a flourishing, dynamic, inclusive and sustainable museums sector. Its remit covers a range of local museums, such as the Armagh County Museum and the Linen Hall Library in Belfast, through which it aims to positively engage with its audience to allow them to enjoy and participate with museums. Applications are now sought for the Chair and up to four Member positions on the Council’s Board, which are key positions in providing leadership and good governance to the Board and the organisation.
Further details can be found at: www.communities-ni.gov.uk/dfc-public-appointments, by emailing publicappointments@communities-ni.gov.uk or telephoning: 028 9081 9417
Applications are welcome from those who have an interest in public service in particular from women, people with a disability, people from minority ethnic groups and young people as they are under-represented within public appointments.
The closing date for applications is Monday 3 November 2025 at 12 noon
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