Bulletin 29 May 2009

Full Time Campaign Volunteer

Volunteering for the British Youth Council (BYC) as part of their new Full Time Campaign Volunteers Team will give you the opportunity to get a qualification, as well as learning more about campaigning as a way to encourage other young people to bring about change. BYC are looking for bright and lively 16-25 year olds to be enthusiastic advocates of our campaigns. You will be able to specialise in areas that interest you and take part in a personal development programme. This full time volunteering opportunity lasts for 44 weeks over 12 months.

Tasks will include:
• promoting the work of BYC through outreach to schools, youth groups and other events
• designing and delivering training to young people
• assisting with the production of our online newsletter
• carrying out desk based research relating to policy and campaigns.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate:
• a keen interest in current affairs and the policy-making process in the UK
• good verbal and written skills
• experience or knowledge of web based media and social networking sites
• experience of delivering training
• experience of working with groups of other young people
• the ability to work effectively as part of the Campaigns team.

There are ten Campaign Volunteers team placements available which:
• are four days a week, with the day off to be negotiated
• last 44 weeks over 12 months
• are based at our London offices (London Bridge)
• pay for your travel and lunch.

They are looking for volunteers aged 16-25 to start on the 6th July 2009. Interviews will be held on the 15th and 16th June.
Click here to download an application form and find out more information (including a role description). Please send completed forms by email to events@byc.org.uk, by 5pm on 9th June 2009.

If you have any further questions or would like an informal chat about these volunteering opportunities, please contact events@byc.org.uk or call 020 7785 6456.

This opportunity is supported by volunteering charity, v as part vTalentYear.

The North East Child Poverty Coalition

In response to the high levels of child poverty in the region, and recognition of the damaging effects this has on the region’s families, a high level cross-agency strategic coalition has been established. This group is drawn from across all parts of the public sector, the unions, third sector and key interest groups. This offers a foundation for taking on what perhaps is the most ambitious regional campaign ever attempted. This group will lead and champion our vision of taking this region from one of the worst places for large numbers of children to grow up in relation to well-being outcomes to one of the best.

In order to achieve this we need to ensure that families and children play a central and influential role in the work of the coalition as well as in their local areas. The coalition will work with key groups in the third sector and beyond to create and adopt a participation strategy that will meet the goal of increasing the engagement of children, young people and families with decision making processes

Bulletin 22 May 2009

Meeting room space available

The Regional Youth Work Unit meeting room is available for booking. You can book it on an hourly basis, for a half day or a full day. For more details please contact Caroline Garrity at the Unit on 0191 440 4410 or email caroline@rywu.org.uk .

Tender opportunity: Making an Impact

How do you measure an individual’s progress in a voluntary sector youth project?
Measuring the progress young people make as a result of any intervention by voluntary sector youth projects is a difficult and complex process. Any method used needs to be appropriate to the setting in which it is used and should involve, inform and motivate the young person to set their own goals. The Foundation would like to commission a piece of work which explores the methods of measuring progress that are currently used by voluntary sector youth projects based in the North East and Cumbria, and compare these with best practice. The Foundation is particularly interested in looking at the advantages and disadvantages of a web-based system of measurement and recording. Interested? Tender documents are available to download from the latest updates section of the Foundation’s website: www.nr-foundation.org.uk. Completed tenders should be returned to the Foundation by noon on Friday 12th June 2009. Shortlisted applicants should be available for interview at the Foundation on 29th June 2009.

Live it. Breathe it. Design It.

London 2012 are inviting young designers aged 16-21 years to create a special infill version of the London 2012 logo. This is the first time such a competition has ever been run!
The winning infill will sit alongside the Paralympic logo to become the official ‘London 2012 education logo’ and be seen by young people and their communities across the UK.
Live it. Breathe it. Design it.

Their challenge to talented young designers is to create a new infill that reflects the ambitions and excitement of Get Set, the official London 2012 education programme, and the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. They are looking for a distinctive concept that fits with the London 2012 brand and its strategy of participation.

The winning design will be used by schools and colleges across the UK and the winning designer will get the chance to work with London 2012 to see their artwork turned into an official logo!
Watch a film to find out more about the competition
This competition is a fantastic opportunity for young people considering a career in design.
Posters promoting the competition will land on your desk very soon, spread the word and help young people to be inspired!

Get Set for London 2012

More than 3500 schools and colleges in the UK are already registered with Get Set, the official London 2012 education programme. Register now if you haven’t already!

From September this year registered schools and colleges who are demonstrating a student led commitment to the Olympic and Paralympic Games will be rewarded with the new education logo and will become members of the Get Set network. Find out more

Calling all young filmmakers from the UK aged 6 – 16 years

Jack Drum Arts is pleased to announce that it will be hosting the first ever UK Kids for Kids Film Festival for children and young people in collaboration with Kids for Kids and CIFEJ (International Centre of Film for Children and Young People).
The UK Kids for Kids Film Festival is now seeking submissions of short films made by children and young people of up to 10 minutes in any of the following 3 categories:
• Live Action
• Animation
• One Minute Films
Selected films for the competition section will be screened at our festival that will take place in the City of Durham on the weekend of 18th and 19th October, 2009.  Details of festival to follow.

The festival team will appoint a professional jury and a children’s jury. The jury will award the following prizes:
Best Film in each age group and in each category, and one Grand Prize for Outstanding Achievement for a film made by children and young people from each age group. Awards and Prizes will be announced at the conclusion of the festival.
Deadline for entries is July 31st, 2009

For further information and to download a film submission form and guidelines please  click here

Bulletin 15 May 2009

MediaBox grants

CSV is administering the Mediabox grants for 13-19 year olds. Basically Mediabox is a fund that offers disadvantaged 13- to 19-year-olds the opportunity to develop and produce creative media projects using film, television, print, radio, games, interactive or online platforms.
The Mediabox project enables young people to express their own opinions, ideas and views, to gain new skills, to be creative, boost their personal development and get their voices heard. Mediabox also wants to improve the portrayal of young people in the media.

For general information about Mediabox, other funding available and projects it has supported so far, log on to the website www.media-box.co.uk.

People can apply for between £500 and £1,000 for the project. Each project must start in June 2009 and be ready to be showcased by early August 2009. Application forms and all the information you would need are available on www.csv.org.uk/mediabox if any of the young people you work with would like to apply. 
The deadline for applications is Friday 29th May at 5pm. 
If you need more information please contact Marianne Patterson 0191 244 1439 marianne.patterson@bbc.co.uk 

The Lefèvre Trust

The next deadline for applications to The Lefèvre Trust is now approaching – applications must be in by 31 May.
 
The Lefèvre Trust offers up to £10,000 reciprocal funding for British/French groups working a collaborative project. Groups from any sector can apply from ages 11-19.
You can find out more on our website: http://www.britishcouncil.org/schoolpartnerships-france-lefevre-trust.htm
 
After this month the next deadline will be in October.

Equality and Human Rights Commission announces £10 million funding programme

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has announced a new £10.2 million Strategic Funding Programme, providing multi-year funding of up to £450,000 for community and voluntary sector organisations.
 
Funding priorities for the new programme have been developed from the Commission’s three year strategy and will cover:
 
Priority one – The provision of guidance, advice and advocacy services; infrastructure development and capacity building
Priority two – Good relations
 
Features of the new programme, which builds directly upon stakeholder feedback received during our recent funding consultation, include a brand new two stage application process.  The first stage application process will also feature:
 
•        A first-stage ‘Outline Proposal Form’ that requires no additional documentary evidence. 
•        A set of new eligibility criteria, including guidance on what we will not fund, and a set of principles that show how we will prioritise applications.  
•        A series of local funding surgeries from 18 May – 3 June 2009 to be held across Wales, Scotland, and the nine English Regions. 
 
Guidance notes and the outline proposal form will be available in a full range of accessible formats on our corporate website – www.equalityhumanrights.com/funding – from 8th May onwards, along with details of how to sign up for the funding surgeries. 
 
The deadline for applications is 5pm, June 12, 2009.
 
A third priority area, supporting legal casework, will be launched in mid-June. 

Funding surgeries:

The North East team, and the EHRC Funding Unit are running two surgeries in the region. At these surgeries we’ll provide information on the new programme, including the application process and the strategic and regional priorities, on a small group basis.

The funding surgeries to be held in the North East region will be as follows:

• Monday 1st June: WMNT Resource Centre, Meath Street, Middlesbrough, TS1 4RZ.
• Tuesday 2nd June: Citygate, Gallowgate, Newcastle, NE1 4WH

Surgeries are by appointment only – please book in advance. If you’d like to book an appointment please complete the attached booking form and email to suzanne.devlin@equalityhumanrights.com or ring me on 0191 224 6701.

Bulletin 1 May 2009

Barnardo’s Training

For information about training on working with families with ADHD.

Affordable Office Space

Is your project looking for space?
Then why not come and join us!

John Haswell House is the base for Gateshead Voluntary Organisations Council and we have lots of projects and activities within the building, we do however also offer office space to external groups from time to time.
This can be a real advantage to smaller organisations who may otherwise find themselves quite isolated or based in an area they feel has security issues.
A 212 sq ft unfurnished accessible office is now available for rent and also two 125 sq ft (not fully accessible) offices.  As well as the office space you will be able to book meeting/training rooms (our large rooms have hearing loop systems fitted), have the use of  the kitchen facilities, your office will be regularly cleaned and our friendly reception staff will greet your visitors, all for no extra charge. The building is secure, accessible and open Monday to Friday from 8.45am until 4.45pm for visitors and 7.45am until 6.45pm for staff and tenants.

For those organisations just starting out we can loan some basic office furniture (IT equipment not included) to get you going this again is at no extra cost.

For more information, cost or to view contact Beryl Robinson tel 0191 4784103 email  berylrobinson@gvoc.org.uk

Vacancies

Refugees and asylum seekers are at significant risk of social exclusion, and are frequently overlooked by key decision makers. This is why we launched our Brighter Futures project – a self-advocacy group for young refugees and asylum seekers, created to inform and influence local and national government and service providers’ policy and practice. You’ll make sure it succeeds.

Brighter Futures Project
Part Time Assistant Development Officer
10 hrs per week to cover for maternity leave until 31 January 2010
Salary Scale: 4 – £24,000 per annum (pro-rata’d to 10 hrs per week)
Funded by the National Lottery through the Big Lottery Fund

Office base – Newcastle upon Tyne
Group work base – Middlesbrough
As a key member of our project team, you’ll actively co-ordinate and facilitate the Tees Valley Brighter Futures group, working with refugee and asylum seeking children and young people. You’ll support a group of young people (aged 15-21) in developing, implementing and recording their advocacy strategy – providing advice, organising meetings and helping arrange events. You’ll combine group work with one-to-one support, while working with external organisations to maximise the project’s profile and impact.

As such, you’ll need broad experience of participatory youth work and self-advocacy methods and/or support work with young refugees and asylum seekers. An up to date knowledge of the current social situation, legislation and other issues that impact on the lives of young refugees would be an advantage. You must also have a good understanding of children’s rights, and the communication skills needed to liaise, network and negotiate with a wide range of audiences. 

For more information and to apply online go to
www.savethechildren.org.uk/jobs
Job Ref: 5131

Closing date: 14 May 2009
Interview date: 8 June 2009 at our office base in Newcastle upon Tyne savethechildren.org.uk
The successful candidates will be required to apply for an Enhanced Disclosure
Recruitment and selection procedures and checks reflect our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.  Save the Children aims to be an equal opportunities employer

Volunteer Opportunities – Kumasi Project

THEY are some of the most vulnerable young people in the region
WE work to ensure they receive the support they need to learn new skills and develop in confidence
YOU have the skills and experience to help us to help them

Kumasi provides a programme of activity and support enabling young unaccompanied asylum seekers in Newcastle to meet together and participate in a range of group work and educational activities to address a variety of developmental and social needs. In addition the project provides support and advocacy in relation to access to services and the asylum process.

We are looking to recruit two volunteers:
Social and Cultural Programme Assistant
To support with the organisation and implementation of the programme of holiday activities and trips.
Youth Participation Coordinator
To support the development of the Young People’s Steering Group and wider engagement of young people in the organisation of the project

Experience working with young people is essential and experience working with refugees and asylum seekers is preferable.  Commitment and dedication are necessary and organisational skills are valuable.  Monitoring and evaluation skills and experience will be useful for some positions.

For further details contact Hannah Gibbin on 0191 222 99 66
For an application pack contact Julie Nicholls at j.nicholls@savethechildren.org.uk

Closing date: 9am, Monday 18 May 2009