E-Bulletin - April 2009

April 09 E-Bulletin contents page


News

Jobs in the local voluntary and community sector!

The jobs page www.t3sc.org/jobs2.htm currently has an opportunity to work for Home-Start Tameside as an Administrative Assistant and a Support Worker position for Volunteer Reading Help. The Jobs page is constantly updated so keep checking it. If you want to advertise a voluntary and community sector job on our jobs page please email hannah.powell@t3sc.org

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New Voice
12 May 2009, 5pm-7.30pm at Hyde Town Hall
You can make a difference in your community

What Is Voice?
Since 2002 Voice (the ‘network of networks’) has been a meeting place for all community, voluntary and faith groups. It enables all kinds of Tameside groups and communities to influence key decisions that affect the community and voluntary sector.

‘New’ Voice is the result of a review T3SC has undertaken to ensure that Voice is effective. You have told us that Voice is a great means of gaining information, that people do want to be more involved in decision making, and that we need to enhance and support the role of your elected representatives.

What Do You Think?
T3SC wants everyone to have a chance to respond to the final proposals for New Voice. We would really appreciate it if you take a moment to print off and fill in the form below and return it to us.

Voice information on new structure proposal and feedback form

Or you can complete our survey online

For more information contact Ben, Tel: 0161 339 4985, email ben.gilchrist@t3sc.org

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LINk launch event

Tameside Local Involvement Network (LINk) had their big launch event on 12 March at Hyde Town Hall. There was a good turn out and the room was full of participants and stalls.

Health Question Time
The highlight of the day was a Health Question Time with everyone given the opportunity to ask questions on health and social care issues in Tameside to a panel. The panel consisted of health and social care professionals: Ian McCrae, Chair of NHS Tameside and Glossop; Ruth Langley, Service Manager in Community Services at Tameside Council; Karen Maneely, Locality Manager for Tameside Pennine Care NHS Trust and Cllr Richard Ambler, Chair of Tameside Council’s Personal and Health Services Scrutiny Panel.

The Health Question Time was well chaired by Channel M’s Andy Crane.

Successful event
It was an enjoyable event where participants learnt about the powers of the LINk and as well as the Question Time, participated in a workshop.

Here are some comments from the attendees:

‘Very informative, have a much clearer picture of what LINk does.’

‘Well planned, well organised, well attended for a first event, well done everyone!’

Thank you to everyone who attended the LINk Launch and we look forward to future events including the LINk AGM which will be held at the end of June (date and venue to be confirmed).

If you want to find out more about the LINk contact one of the LINk team at T3SC on tamesidelink@t3sc.org , Tel: 0161 339 4985, www.t3sc.org/LINk.htm

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Free Health Checks for your group!

  • Are you worried about your organisation’s health?

  • Is your management committee up to scratch?

  • Do you have all the systems in place to stay afloat in these difficult times?

  • Have you got your finger on the pulse on where your group’s future funding is coming from?

  • Does your membership need an injection of new life?

Then why not getting in touch with T3SC for a free organisational health check.

Contact Naomi or Ruth on 0161 339 4985 or email naomi.creed@t3sc.org  

Completing the health check will also help you work towards achieving a quality standard mark like PQASSO.

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New PQASSO buddying group starting up

Prove your service is quality with a little help from some friends

What is it?
PQASSO is a practical quality assurance system for small organisations

Get some help
If you want to complete the PQASSO award for your organisation and just don’t know where to start, or have tried before and got nowhere, then why not join the PQASSO buddies.

This is an ideal opportunity to:

  • Find out what you need to do

  • Share your skills and ideas

  • Make sure you collect the right evidence

  • Keep you on track to make sure the work gets done

  • And prove that your delivering a quality service

For more information: contact Ruth Madden on 0161 339 4985 or email ruth.madden@t3sc.org  

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Piano looking for a good home

Denton West Community Centre have a piano looking for a new home – it’s in good condition but may need tuning.

Contact Pam Davis on 0161 292 6038 or Sylvia Harrison on 0161 336 3607 if you’re interested.

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Brave volunteers get their teeth into shark dive

Members of Tameside’s vinvolved Youth Action Team took part in a charity shark dive at the Blue Planet Aquarium in Cheshire. The team of five were Maydul Islam (19), Munim Mohsin (19), Claire Walklett (19), Fiona Taylor (18) and Lauren Anderson (17) all from Tameside. The event raised over £200 for Tameside Blind Association. The daring volunteers received two hours of intensive training before bravely stepping into the giant tank of sharks and other tropical marine life including stingrays and moray eels.

Munim Mohsin said: 'Seeing sharks skim inches over our heads as we played with the tropical fish was a life changing experience. It was just brilliant and opened our eyes to the environmental issues around the planet.'

Each diver received a shark’s tooth as a momentum and a certificate commemorating their experience. The huge tank at one of the country’s biggest marine attractions contains 11 different species of shark, including sand tiger sharks up to three metres long.

vinvolved
vinvolved is the new national youth volunteering programme aimed at attracting young people aged 16 - 25 to give some of their time and reap the personal benefits of the volunteering experience. The primary objectives are to create the greatest range of volunteering opportunities, to inspire a new generation of volunteers and to encourage and support them through the volunteering process. Phil Austin, manager of the vinvolved programme in Tameside, said:

'Volunteering is a great way for young people to explore their own interests, learn about life, the working environment and to add a recognised and valued credential to their CV. A big bonus is that all volunteers get a nationally recognised award to acknowledge their endeavours.'

To find out more about vinvolved Tameside or if you would like to join Tameside’s Youth Action Team contact Phil Austin or Addam Merali-Hosiene on 0161 339 5454 or email: phil.austin@vinvolved-team.org.uk  
addam@vinvolved-team.org.uk

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Be Part of Something Sustainable

Community and voluntary organisations in Tameside are being offered the opportunity to receive free training and support to help them become more sustainable.

The Sustaining Change programme is run by MERCi, one of the North West's leading sustainability charities, and will help organisations develop their social, environmental and economic practise to ensure a long term future for themselves and the communities they work in. Funded by the Big Lottery, the programme runs until 2012 and is already working with T3SC and GMCVO. To qualify for Sustaining Change organisations need to have one paid member of staff and work out of premises.

The Sustaining Change programme is varied and groups can take as much or as little as they like from the services offered to create their own bespoke package of support, including free sustainability audits, training, networks, peer mentoring as well as a host of on-line resources. The Sustaining Change network will provide the opportunity for organisations to share good practise, support each other and develop new partnerships through networking events.

To find out more, contact the Sustaining Change team at MERCi at sustainingchange@merci.org.uk, Tel: 0161 273 1736 and ask to speak to a member of the Sustaining Change team.

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Tameside Radio wants your input

  • Do you want to broadcast your own community messages to listeners?

  • Do you want to have your own volunteer reporter for your community group?

  • Do you want to broadcast messages directly to the public?

  • Record your own interviews?

  • How about being trained in script writing and editing?

  • Do you want to be in at the start of Tameside Radio’s exciting second year?

The first volunteer reporters from four community groups have started their four week training. Tameside Radio need lots more groups to participate so get in touch.

Want to know more? Contact Maria Bailey (Community Engagement Officer)
Tel: 0161 343 8446, email: maria@tamesideradio.com

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Tameside Citizen's Advice Bureau (CAB) expands service

The Citizens Advice service is using a £10m funding boost from the Government to extend its opening hours and ensure even more people can benefit from receiving free, independent and impartial advice.

Tameside bureau in George Street, Ashton-under-Lyne, is one of over 340 CABs benefiting from the funding and has extended its opening hours by six hours per week. The bureau predicts this means they will be able to see over 1000 extra clients up to the end March 2010.

The Citizens Advice service has seen a large increase in enquiries linked to the downturn, with sharp rises in people seeking advice on redundancy, benefits and mortgage and secured loan arrears. Last year the charity dealt with 5.54 million issues overall and fears this will grow further as more people lose their jobs, get further into debt and risk losing their homes.

The bureau’s complete opening times are now as follows:
Monday 9-30am till 12-30pm
Tuesday 9-30am till 12-30pm
Wednesday 9-30 till 2-30pm
Thursday 10am till 12pm
Friday pre booked appointments only
Reception will be open 9am till 5pm Monday to Friday
Additional advice hours will also be provided at Hattersley and Dukinfield outreach locations.

Anyone in need of advice can either call into the bureau at 9 George Street and speak to our receptionist, or visit one of our other outreach locations at Haughton Green Centre each Wednesday morning, Newton each Thursday morning and Cavendish Mill on Mondays, or see our website www.tamesidecab.org.uk  for further details.

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Are you looking for a new start?

Do you want a career that will offer responsibility, variety, security, attractive rates of pay and at the same time allow you to make a real difference to your community? A career as a Police Officer could be for you!

The Positive Action Team are running a recruitment event on Saturday 25 April at Holy Trinity Community Centre, Dean Street, Ashton-Under-Lyne, OL6 7HD, 12pm – 2pm

We will be going through the application process, giving hits and tips on filling out your application form and answering and general enquiries. You will also leave with a draft application with the option to attend follow up workshops.

For further information, or to book your place. Please contact Kalpna Mistry on 0161 856 2363/07818 651517. Or email positiveactionteam@gmp.police.uk

The positive Action Team work with applicants from under-represented groups (female, BME, LGBT and disabled) and offer career advice, guidance and support on all GMP recruitment processes.

 

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