Hello everyone and welcome to our edition of South Forum e-newsletter. 

What's featured in this edition.

• A Taste of the South Community Event
• Jubilee Centre Ceramic Course
• WearAble B I G - Brain Injury Group
• Can You Help To Support Young People?
• Next South Forum meeting
• Prince’s Trust Recruitment
• Mayor's Sunday
• Local Engagement Board meeting
• Training
• Funding Information
• Volunteering opportunities
• Services - £1 million local support

Regards Jackie Nixon South Forum Development Coordinator

If you would like to announce any thing or have a feature please contact me on 0191 5228447 or e-mail me on jackie.nixon@sunderlandcommunitynetwork.org.uk

Sunderland South Forum present A Taste of the South Community Event

Taking place Saturday 14th July 2007 from 11am till 3pm at Farringdon Community Sports College, Allendale Road.  This is a FREE event, face painting, magical, dance performances, singing workshop, arts workshops therapies, and many more activities.  The Mayor Les Scott will formally open the event at 11.15am.  Please Click for poster to display

Jubilee Centre Ceramic Course

Starting in the Summer holidays on Tuesday afternoon from 2pm till 4pm for 10 weeks.  Starts 10th July £1.50 per session.  To enrol or any queries please call in the centre or ring 0191 5228447.

WearAble B I G - Brain Injury Group
The Brain injury group is a group of adults with acquired brain injury, their families and carers.
They develop their own programme of activities and guest speakers.
Members come from Sunderland and surrounding areas.  Click here for timetable of events.

CAN YOU HELP TO SUPPORT YOUNG PEOPLE?

The key fund are looking for facilitators in the South Area of the city to work with young people who are keen to get involved.

Please see link below or contact Amanda Gerry at amandagerry@keyfund.org.uk

www.keyfund.org.uk/sunderland

South Forum meeting

If you care about what happens in your community, then this is the meeting to attend.

Date: Wednesday 18th July 2007 Venue: Silksworth CA Time: 12.30pm till 3pm light lunch will be served at 12.30pm.

Minutes from last meeting                  Agenda                               Poster to display   

Prince’s Tru st Recruitment

Bored? Out of work? Have nothing to do? Unsure what direction to follow? Fancy an exciting challenge to start off the year? Here is your answer, The Prince’s Trust 12 week personal development team programme at Tyne & Wear Fire & Rescue Service is here to help you and offer you an exciting opportunity.

The Prince’s Trust are currently recruiting for the next 12 week team programme which will begin in September 2007. To book and appointment or to come in for a chat or to find out about what the Prince’s Trust can offer you give us a ring…’So don’t delay and get on the phone today!’

The 12 Week programme is a personal development programme for 16-25 year olds who are who may be unemployed, not sure what career path they want to take, are wanting a change in life or just want to meet new people and have a good time.

Open day letter     Recruitment letter    Community Project Letter   Work placement the facts

Mayors Sunday

Sunday 15th July 2007, at 11.15pm at St Chads Church, East Herrington, Sunderland.  The Mayor will attend a Civic Service, which members of the public are invited.  The Salvation Army Band will play on the lawn of St Chads from 10.45am.  The Civic parade will leave The Holy Rosary Parish Centre, Farringdon at 11.00am and proceed via Avalon Road, Atlantis Road and Faringdon Avenue to St Chad's.  The Parade will be led by the 2nd Herrington Scouts and the 1st Herrington Brownies and Rainbows.  After the service refreshments will be served in St Chad's Church Hall.

LOCAL ENGAGEMENT BOARD MEETING

Sunderland Teaching Primary Care Trust would like to invite you to attend their next Local Engagement Board Meeting which will take place on:
Thursday, 5th July 2007, from 5.30pm to 7.30pm, in The Bangladeshi Centre, 30 Tatham Street, Hendon,
Sunderland, SR1 2QD.  Light refreshments will be available from 5.00pm.

This is an opportunity for you to find out what is happening locally with your health service, and take part in discussions. There will be two topics for discussion;

• Pharmacies                               • Developing a Vision for the PCT's.

If you would like to find out more information about Local Engagement Boards or this event, or to confirm your attendance please contact: The Patient Involvement Team on 0800 783 2556 or email getinvolved@stpct.nhs.uk

Free Training for the Voluntary and Community Sector
Project North East is offering FREE training to the voluntary and community sector to provide details of the main quality assurance standards and models, so that they can choose the most suitable one when implementing a quality system in their organisation.

Implementing PQASSO - 14th & 15th November 2007

Implementing PQASSO will help organisations decide if this is the system for them and give them the knowledge and skills to implement the system within their organisation. What will I learn from the course?
* An understanding of PQASSO and the self assessment process
* How to implement PQASSO in your organisation
* What steps and key elements needs to be included in the process
* The roles and responsibilities of your key stakeholders in the process.

If you would like further information or would like to book a place on any of the courses above please contact Debbie Leckey on (0191) 261 6009 or email debbie.leckey@pne.org

Here to HELP Awards – Round 5 (England, Scotland and Wales)
Round 5 of the here to HELP Awards is now open for applications. The Awards have been created by Save the Children and British Gas and provide grants for projects by young people that aim to make their communities healthier, more engaging and safer places to be.

Click here for application: http://www.helpyourselves.org.uk/downloads/application-help-english.pdf

View scheme

Tesco Charity Trust – Community Awards scheme (UK)
The Tesco Charity Trust’s Community Awards scheme is targeted towards local communities where Tesco has stores. Community Awards benefit local organisations whose core work supports: Children’s welfare and education (including special needs schools), Children and adults with disabilities and Elderly people.  Click here for guidelines http://www.tesco.com/everyLittleHelps/TescoCAGs.pdf

INDEPENDENTAGE is a national charity that helps older people on low incomes to stay independent in their homes. The charity provides a small regular income, one-off grants and the friendship of a volunteer visitor and they are currently looking for such volunteers to visit their elderly beneficiaries in the Sunderland area. Volunteers don’t need any special skills to carry out the role, just a friendly manner and the ability to relate and empathise with older people. The volunteer also has the freedom and flexibility to decide how many beneficiaries to visit and when. So if you have a few hours to spare and enjoy the company of older people please get in touch.

SUNDERLAND COMMUNITY FURNITURE are a registered charity who as part of its services collects and restores donated furniture to either be sold onto the general public at one of its furniture stores or to be donated to deserving causes. They are currently looking for volunteers to assist their gardeners doing basic garden maintenance on site and in customers homes and volunteers to assist decorators to carry out various aspects of decorating. For each role volunteers will require basic gardening /decorating skills, be physically fit and undergo a CRB check.

AGE CONCERN require volunteers to help with their advocacy project where volunteers will be placed within a residential home offering advocacy support to the residents on a weekly basis. This role may involve speaking on behalf of their client or accompanying the client to an appointment /review/GP or other professional setting. You may also be required to carry out a variety of other tasks such as negotiating or acting as a spokesperson. This may include writing letters, filling out forms and making telephone calls. This would suit anyone who has good communication skills and an interest in helping the elderly.

If you are interested in any of the above opportunities please contact the Volunteer Centre Sunderland on (0191) 567 8902 or call into 4 Toward Road, City Centre, Sunderland. Opening hours are Monday to Friday am 4pm. A postal registration service is also available. Alternatively email us at: sunderlandvc@aol.com or visit www.do-it.org.uk to view these and other volunteering opportunities.

£1 million local support

A developing Credit Union in Sunderland has assisted hundreds of local people with access to affordable low cost loans to the value of £1 million in only three and half years of trading.

Wearside First Credit Union Ltd opened its doors in November 2003 to provide anyone who lives or works within the boundaries of the City of Sunderland with access to affordable savings and low cost loans. Since then the Credit Union has been growing from strength to strength.  Credit Unions are financial co-operatives owned and controlled by their members. It is an opportunity for local people to access a financial service which operates solely for people within their Common Bond.

With nearly 2500 members more and more people are supporting each other through their local Credit Union whilst making a positive contribution to their local economy.

If you would like further information on access to affordable savings and low cost loans with Wearside First Credit Union, please contact 0191 514 7491 or visit their Head Office in Waterloo Place, Sunderland.

Please feel free to distribute to your friends, family and colleague with their permission.