E-bulletin May 2014
INSIDE:
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Next Forum Meeting
• Animal Ambassadors • Creative Pathways Plus Barrhead • Empowering Women Through the Ages • Open Evening Volunteers - Rouken Glen Park • Personal Development Opportunity • Save Money on Greener Homes • Volunteers Week • Public Contract Notice • Funding
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NEXT FORUM: The TSF facilitates an annual forum meeting held in April each year. Along with this annual forum meeting we have developed thematic sub-groups meeting on a six to eight ‘weekly’ basis. A ‘flexible programme’ of smaller issue based meetings will also be held as required. The Sub-groups that have been established to date: •
Employability Operational Network -
Contact Lesley@va-er.org.uk
Next Meeting: 3pm-4.30pm Thursday 5th June 2014
Voluntary Action East Renfrewshire, 56 Kelburn Street, Barrhead, G78 1LR
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Faith Network - Contact Peter@va-er.org.uk
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Older People’s Network - Contact Peter@va-er.org.uk
Next Meeting: 10.00am-12.00pm Monday 14th July 2014
Voluntary Action East Renfrewshire, 56 Kelburn Street, Barrhead, G78 1LR
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Volunteer Managers Network - Contact Maria@va-er.org.uk
Next Meeting: 3pm-4.30pm Thursday 10th July 2014
Voluntary Action East Renfrewshire, 56 Kelburn Street, Barrhead, G78 1LR
Animal Ambassadors The ARK - Animal Youth Ambassadors This project is for young people with a genuine love of animals and who’d like to spend a little of their time helping pets, wildlife and aquatic life. The idea is really very simply and based on the theory that small changes undertaken by many people can make huge differences. Taken from the movie Evan Almighty, the purpose is to encourage one single Act of Random Kindness at a time (ARK) as an animal youth ambassador you will promote the cause of animal welfare to other people including your friends, family, school, college or work colleagues and / or the general public. You can put in as much time or as little time as you want, can volunteer with your friends or on your own and the range of things to do is limitless. The list below is just a few suggestions – we are more than happy to hear your ideas of how you could help improve animal welfare in your area. • Giving short presentations in school or at clubs on wildlife, pet and aquatic care (including primary schools) • Set up an animal welfare group in your school or work place • Collect for an animal ‘food bank’ or bedding and old newspapers for regional rescue centre • Make simple animals housing
• Encourage people to make their garden wildlife friendly • Taking a family pledge to feed garden birds throughout the year • Walk an elderly neighbour’s dog • Clear harmful litter from wildlife areas • Put up respect and care posters in your local area • Fund raising for local, national or international charities • Writing to an MSP in support of a campaign We will supply you with educational and promotional materials including posters, flyers, hand outs, pledges etc. For more information please contact Lesley on 0141 876 9555 or email Lesley@va-er. org.uk
Creative Pathways Plus Barrhead Are you 16-25 years old and looking for an exciting opportunity? Join a full-time 18 week programme from July - November 2014 to learn skills including:
Contact: Kirsty Gallacher on 01294 273 051 or e-mail: kirsty@impactarts.co.uk
Designing for retail, upcycling furniture, creating crafts for the home, manufacturing fashion accessories You will gain an accredited SQA qualification on completion and take part in a high octane showcase and graduation event.
Empowering Women Through the Ages Through Conversation This is a series of community led conversations aimed at women across East Renfrewshire. The six conversations will take women on a journey through time exploring the inequalities faced by women in the past and their participation in the democratic process and the actions which have led to social change for women in the UK. The conversations on offer will support women to explore the inequalities which still exist today in family, work and community life. Through encouraging dialogue around shared personal experience women will discuss the role that voting and participation by women in the democratic process can play in assisting change in today’s society. • Explore • Issues • One Woman
• One Vote • Equality • Social
• Change • Supported By
For more information about dates and times to Join the Conversation... please contact: Kellie Miller, 0141 577 4648 or Elaine Grogan, 0141 577 3567.
Open Evening for Volunteers - Rouken Glen Park Wednesday 4 June 2014 7.00 pm to 9.00 pm at the Pavilion Visitor Centre Rouken Glen Park are looking for volunteers to help with: • Creating Park Leaflets • Producing Newsletter Articles • Photography • Oral History Recording • Gardening • Park Conservation Come along and find out more: Tel: Liz on 0141-557 3912 or Kate 0141-638 4121 Email: roukenglenpark@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk
Personal Development Opportunity RAMH (Recovery Across Mental Health) are looking for a volunteer Board Trustee / Director. RAMH are a charity that provides Mental Health support Services to individuals in East renfrewshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire and West Dumbartonshire. The organisation helps around 4,000 people each year with issues affecting their mental health. This can be from initial information and advice through to support in an individuals home, in a crisis and in schools. The Charity employs 140 staff and has the support of 50 volunteers to help enable people to take control of their own lives to support thier peorsonal recovery. As a Charity, the organisation benefits from a Board of Directors who have an eclectic range of skills and attributes, which empowers the organisation to innovate and develop, whilst offering a mature overview of Governance and responsibility. If you would like to find out more about RAMH and the mutually beneficial opportunities of getting involved, please contact the Chief Executive, Stephen McLellan on Call: 0141 847 8900 or e-mail: smcl@ramh.org Visit the website: www.ramh.org
Save Money on Greener Homes - Aurora Low Carbon House
Aurora Low Carbon House Open Day Making your home more energy efficient can make a big difference to your energy bills, and installing renewable technologies and energy efficiency measures is easier than you think. As a Green Homes Network member, you know this. However, to help spread the word to others, Home Energy Scotland has teamed up with the first low-energy, low-carbon house to be built in Scotland by a mass house builder to host an event that showcases a house built with energy efficiency in mind. You may be considering further energy efficiency measures. Why not come along? Where: South Lanarkshire College’s Aurora Low Carbon House, College Way, East Kilbride, G75 0NE When: Saturday, 7 June 2014, 10.00am – 3.00pm What’s on offer Our Open Day at the Aurora Low Carbon House, situated within South Lanarkshire College’s campus, will give you the opportunity to see for yourself the many green aspects of the Aurora Low Carbon House that make it highly energy efficient, net zero carbon, and affordable to live in: • photovoltaic panels, solar hot-water panels, an air heat recovery system, a ground source heat exchanger, low-energy heating systems, one third of the air leakage of a typical new house, a rainwater harvesting system, energy-saving light tunnels on the upper floor and water-saving sinks and baths. Specialists and advisers On the day, South Lanarkshire College colleagues will lead conducted tours of the house, and Home Energy Scotland and Resource Efficient Scotland advisers will be on hand to provide free, impartial advice on how to make energy efficiencies and savings. How do I register? We have 15 tours running on the day, with 15 spaces available on each tour, at the times; Click Here As places are limited they’ll be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, please make sure you book early to avoid disappointment. To book a place register online here.
Volunteers Week Volunteers' Week is a national celebration of volunteering which takes place from 1st to 7th June each year; it is a chance for everyone to say a huge thank you to the volunteers that make our society a better place. There are a number of ways in which your group or organisation could get involved in the celebrations, ranging from certificate presentations to setting-up information booths or volunteering taster sessions and team challenges. As a part of Volunteers' Week, Voluntary Action East Renfrewshire will be running Information Stalls in various locations across the authority to generate interest in volunteering and promote local opportunities. We also will be holding a 'Thank You' event to recognise the work and achievements of our amazing volunteers. Get in touch if you would like us to feature any of your Volunteers Week 2014 events on our website and/or newsletter or if you have any volunteering opportunities you would like us to promote throughout the week and at our Information Stalls. To find Voluntary Actions resources pack Click Here Volunteers Week Events Monday 2nd June
Barrhead Health Centre
10am - 4pm
Rehurst Hotel, Giffnock
6pm - 8pm
Wednesday 4th June
Volunteer Recognition Event, VA Offices
10am - 6pm
Thursday 5th June
Giffnock Library
10am - 2pm
Friday 6th June
ASDA, Newton Mearns
10am - 4pm
Saturday 7th June
Barrhead Gala
10am - 4 pm
Public Contracts Notice Ref: MAY176867 Notice Type: Contract Award Notice Title: Public Service Panel Published: 28/05/2014 Published by: Renfrewshire Council Deadline: Full Text: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/Search_View. aspx?id=MAY176867 Ref: MAY176587 Notice Type: Contract Notice Title: Provision of ECDL Level 5 Training Provider Published: 23/05/2014 Published by: North Lanarkshire Council Deadline: 24/06/2014 Full Text: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/Search_View. aspx?id=MAY176587 Ref: MAY176368 Notice Type: Contract Award Notice Title: Employee Benefits Scheme - Online Discounts Website Published: 22/05/2014 Published by: South Lanarkshire Council Deadline: Full Text: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/Search_View. aspx?id=MAY176368 Ref: MAY176405 Notice Type: Contract Notice Title: Public road transport services 080714 Published: 22/05/2014 Published by: Strathclyde Partnership for Transport Deadline: 08/07/2014 Full Text: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/Search_View. aspx?id=MAY176405
Funding CSJ Awards 2014 The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) is inviting community-based charities and voluntary groups from across the UK to apply to its tenth annual Awards. The Centre for Social Justice, an independent social policy think tank, is looking for the best community-based projects in the UK that are helping people trapped in cycles of poverty, breakdown or disadvantage to transform their lives. Innovative and effective projects that are addressing the root causes of poverty are welcome to apply. Voluntary groups with charitable objectives and registered charities may apply as long as they: • Work directly with people living in social or financial poverty in the UK. This can include working in areas such as addiction, unemployment, educational failure, family breakdown and money management. • Are seeking solutions that will help people out of poverty and enable them to change their lives. • Are addressing the causes of poverty, not just the symptoms. • Have an annual turnover of less than £3 million. Winning organisations will receive a cash prize of £10,000. The deadline for applications is 6th June 2014 (5pm). Full details on website Foyle Foundation The Small Grants Scheme is designed to support smaller charities in the UK, especially those working at grass roots and local community level, in any field, across a wide range of activities. Grants of between £1,000 and £10,000 to charities which can demonstrate that such a grant will make a significant difference to their work. Full details on website
Give it up fund This fund from Comic Relief is now open for applications to fund abstinence-based work in the UK. The fund has 4 aims: • • • •
to to to to
promote abstinence based recovery increase access to abstinence based treatment help sustain addiction free recovery reduce stigma towards those with addictions
Grants of up to £5,000 will be available to support work which helps those who are in recovery to sustain abstinence. Applications are especially welcome from groups run by people who are in recovery. Closing dates for applications is 25th June 2014. Full details on website Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust The trust has recently reviewed its activities, and issued new guidance. As is the trend now, they are focussing on the changes they want grants to make, rather than specifying activities they might fund. Trustees have agreed on the following priority areas: • • • • •
peace and security power and accountability rights and justice sustainable future Northern Ireland
The Trust generally funds work that is about addressing the root causes of problems rather than delivering services or alleviating immediate needs. They recognise that change can take many years to achieve. They are willing to take the long view, and to take risks. Deadlines vary between the different themes. Full details on website
Next TSF Bulletin The next edition of TSF Bulletin will be out on Monday 30th June2014. To submit any news items or community events, contact us no later than Wednesday 23rd June 2014 for submission into the next bulletin. For more information about any of the above or if you would like to include anything in the next TSF Bulletin email Linda. To unsubscribe, click here.
Voluntary Action East Renfrewshire connects and supports volunteering, social enterprising activity and voluntary groups to make East Renfrewshire a better place to live.
Voluntary Action East Renfrewshire Registered Address: underCOVER, 56 Kelburn Street, Barrhead, G78 1LR Scottish Charity: SC028103 Company Registered in Scotland: 187421 Tel: 0141 876 9555 Email: reception@va-er.org.uk Web: www.va-er.org.uk