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

What's featured in this edition.

• Gateshead Carers Association Research
• Reminder - Mayor's Charity Concert
• Sunderland Domestic Violence Partnership Presentation
• Training and Education
• Job Vacancies
• Funding
• Volunteering Opportunities

If you would like to announce anything or have a feature please contact me on 0191 5228447 or e-mail me on sue.lowe@sunderlandcommunitynetwork.org.uk

Regards Sue Lowe, Administration Officer

Gateshead Carers Association would like to hear from you if you receive or have received care in your home, in a residential home or a nursing home.  Or if you are a carer for someone who has received care.  They are carrying out research for the Tyne and Wear Care Alliance and would like to hear about your experiences - good or bad - and anything you feel that could have been done to improve your experience.  You can remain anonymous, or you can get involved by attending meetings and having an input into the development of care services.  

If you feel you can help, please contact Maria on 0191 490 0121

Reminder - The Mayor's Charity Concert - Featuring The Felling Band and The Felling Male Voice Choir is being held at St John's Methodist Church, Ashbrooke, Sunderland on Saturday, 16th February 2008.  The Concert is in aid of The Salvation Army on Wearside and Sunderland AFC Foundation Trust. 

Tickets are £5 each and are available from the Mayor's Office by email catherine.davis@sunderland.gov.uk or graeme.atkinson@sunderland.gov.uk or by calling 0191 5531342 or 0191 5531332

At the South Forum meeting held on Wednesday 23rd January, Sharon Kane, Domestic Violence Policy Co-ordinator Safer Communities Team, gave an excellent presentation about the work of the Sunderland Domestic Violence Partnership.  To view the presentation,click here.

Stamp Out Stigma - Free Equality Training - Spaces Still Available

All applications for funding ask for Equality and Diversity policies and also check the capacity of an organisation.  To make sure your policies, procedures and personnel are up to date with the law, the next Stamp out Stigma course might be of interest to you. Equality Training poster   DArtE 2 day SOS course content Feb 2008  DArtE VOLUNTARY Booking Form Feb 2008

Community Cohesion and Community Development: Same or Different? Workshop Facilitated by Nicola Sugden, Community Cohesion Advisor to the Department of Communities and Local Government Cohesion and Faiths Unit; this free event is aimed at those working in community development or to community development principles and will be held on Monday 28th January.  For further information contact Natalie Maidment, Community Development Team, Sunderland City Council on: 0191 561 4621 or by email: Natalie.maidment@sunderland.gov.uk or click here.

How To Be A Community Representative

There are still limited places available on the training course scheduled to take place on Tuesday 29th January.  This course has previously been available in London.  The cost has been reduced from £175 per person to as little as £5.00* per person (limited spaces are FREE). 

If you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact  Rob Charlton on 0191 565 1566 or email robcharlton@btconnect.com

* Prices range between Free and £30.00 per person depending upon organisation status and location

 Free Wealth and Health Workshops - Age Concern in Sunderland are running free, fun and informative workshops, which include lunch, helping you to manage your money more effectively, help with benefit entitlements and advice on eating well and staying healthy on a budget.  Help with transport costs may be available.

The workshops are from 10am - 2pm - venues are Friday 25th January at Bunny Hill Customer, Hylton Lane

                                                                        Thursday 31st January at ActivAge Studio, Stockton Road

                                                                        Friday 1st February at Raich Carter Sports Centre

For further details contact 0191 5141131 or email learning@acsunderland.org.uk

Vinvolved Team - 2 posts - both fixed term until end March 2011

Youth Volunteer Development Manager (YVDM) - 35 hours, Salary NJC SO1 £23,749 - £25,320  Youth Volunteer Advisor (YVA) - 35 hours, Salary NJC Scale 6 £21,412 - £22,845

GVOC’s Volunteer Centre is seeking to appoint two people with the skills and vision needed to significantly develop youth volunteering in Gateshead. The YVDM will be responsible for working with organisations across all sectors to develop new volunteering opportunities that will inspire young people to get involved in their community.

The YVA will provide high quality advice and guidance on volunteering to young people, in particular those from harder to reach groups.

The closing date for applications is Friday 1st February with interviews scheduled to take place on Friday 15th February 2008.

For an application pack please contact GVOC on: 0191 4784103 or email enquiries@gvoc.org.uk or by post

John Haswell House, 8/9 Gladstone Terrace, Gateshead NE8 4DY

GVOC is an equal opportunities employer

Sunderland BME Network require an administrator to carry out all aspects of administration and ensure the effective day-to-day running of the organisation.   (18.5 hours) NJC Grade B or C (£12,291 - £16,217 pro-rata + 6% pension contribution) depending on qualification and experience.  Applicants must have at least one year's administration experience, experience of working with BME Communities is desirable, NVQ level 2 Business Administration or equivalent and be competent in using Microsoft Office Suite

For an application pack write to Noella Kamanga, Secretary Sunderland BME Network Unit 31, Stanfield Business Centre, Addison Street, Hendon, Sunderland SR2 8SZ or telephone: Dean T Huggins on 07877 185900

Closing date: 5 pm 25th January, 2008 Interviews: 4th, 5th or 6th February, 2007 (tbc)

The Department of Health is reviewing all funding and investment to third sector organisations. This includes primary grant funding streams: Section 64 General Scheme of Grants, Opportunities for Volunteering and other funding through contracts. Third Sector Organisations and other interested stakeholders are invited to respond to the consultation document, which aims to develop a strategic framework for the Department of Health's investment in the Third Sector. The Consultation closes on 20 March 2008 and workshops will take place throughout the country.  Venues for the North East: 6 February 2008 at The Destiny Centre, Stockton-on-Tees and 7 February 2008 at The Assembly Room, Newcastle.  Further details and booking forms for all of the workshops can be found at: www.dh.gov.uk/thirdsectorfundingreview. The consultation document is available on the DH website with a questionnaire response document: www.dh.gov.uk/en/Consultations   You can also contact the Department of Health review team directly: thirdsectorfundingreview@dh.gsi.gov.uk

New Working Neighbourhoods Fund

The Government has announced the areas in England that will receive a share of the new Working Neighbourhoods Fund. Sixty-six local and twenty-one transitional authorities will receive allocations over the next three years totaling over £450 million in 2008/09, and £500 million in 2009/10 and 2010/11. The Fund is a new, dedicated fund for local councils and communities to develop more concentrated, concerted, community-led approaches to getting people in the most deprived areas of England back to work. It replaces the existing Neighbourhood Renewal Fund and incorporates the Department for Work and Pension's Deprived Areas Fund to create a single local fund. At least £50 million of the £1.5 billion Fund will be available as a reward fund which will go to areas that have made good progress over the first two years on tackling worklessness and improving enterprise levels. Additional information can be found by clicking here.

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