Halton and St Helens Voluntary and Community Action

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Welcome to the latest edition of the Halton & St Helens Voluntary and Community Action E-Bulletin...

Annual Feedback Survey 2019

We are currently undertaking a root and branches review of what we do.  We are looking towards the future and want to ensure that we are able to support voluntary and community groups, charities and social enterprises for many years to come.

This survey involves looking in detail at everything we do.  As part of that we would like to hear from all the groups and organisations who have been in touch with us in some way over the last 12 months.  We want to find out what services have groups and organisations used and are most valuable and if there is anything we can improve on.  In such a challenging economic environment, it’s important to us to know that we are providing the right kind of support and that we’re focusing our efforts on the most relevant and appropriate services.  Even if you haven’t used all our services you can also comment on what services you think are important in our section ‘Together Moving Forward’

We’d be extremely grateful if you could spend 10 minutes completing our brief online survey so that we can take your views into account and contribute to helping us shape the future of your membership organisation as we plan our future activities. 


ESF Grants 2019 -2021

A £2.7 million programme to tackle unemployment has been launched in April 2019 with backing from the European Social Fund. The funds have been granted by the government’s Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) in partnership with Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership to the Worker’s Educational Association (WEA), an adult education charity which provides training and learning opportunities for people at risk of exclusion. Over the next two years, the charity will help thousands of people who face additional barriers in the workplace, such as lone parents, improve their employability and gain permanent employment. The WEA will distribute small grants of £20,000 across Merseyside and Halton to eligible organisations in the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector between April 2019 and May 2021...


Talkfest Invite - Mental Health Awareness Week

The next Talkfest engagement events will take place during National Mental Health Awareness Week, the 13th to 19th of May. The event will have a specific focus on mental health and how to support local communities to support others who are experiencing poor mental health. At the event they will also provide an update on St Helens Cares, Shared Care Record, Contact Cares and discuss the priorities of the Peoples Board. They will also update you on the findings from February's Talkfest and the Health and Wellbeing Fair held in March...


Talent Match Plus – Commissioning Opportunities

Liverpool City Region Talent Match Plus Programme, funded by the European Social Fund and Youth Employment Initiative and Big Lottery, is seeking to procure services to enhance their offer which support young people aged 15-29 who are furthest away from the labour market to progress into training, education or employment. MYA are procuring two service providers for their Talent Match Plus project – 1. an independent evaluator; and 2. Marketing support...


Happy Place Report Halton

Wellbeing Enterprises have produced a citizen led asset map for the Halton area, using a new app technology they have developed called "happyplace". The report gives voice to local people to describe what assets they value in their community and why. It is hoped that the report and the data will be helpful from a town planning, conservation, and public health perspective, as well as encouraging visitors to the area...


Lead Officer Adult Education Budget

The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority is looking for an exceptional individual to join our team and deliver their vision for an inclusive, globally competitive city region at the heart of the Northern Powerhouse. This is an exciting time, having successfully negotiated and secured a Devolution Agreement with Government and elected the City Region’s first ever metro Mayor. The devolution of the Adult Education Budget gives them the opportunity to tailor the skills and adult education system to better address the local priorities. As the Lead Officer for AEB you will provide leadership in order to drive forward the successful delivery of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s (LCRCA) commitments in respect of the devolution of the Adult Education Budget from 2019/2020...


St Helens Advanced Motorists Open Morning

The Institute of Advanced Drivers Group is having an informal open 'morning' session at the Ibis Hotel, Haydock, on Sunday 28th April between 11:00am and 1:00pm, offering information and advice regarding RoadSmart courses on advanced motoring. A discount of £89 on the standard course fee of £149 is offered to drivers of 35 years and under and a discount of £50 for drivers of 60 years and over. Anybody with an interest in safer driving, saving money on fuel, vehicle wear and tear and possible car insurance is welcome. Free driving assessments can be provided on the day or at a later date and light refreshments are available...


Diabetes UK Task Force - Halton

Diabetes UK are currently working on a new and exciting volunteer project in Halton with the aim of raising awareness about diabetes and the prevention of Type 2 diabetes. The number of people with diabetes is growing rapidly and Halton is no different in fact Halton has the 3rd highest population of people living with the condition in the North West of England. They are recruiting volunteers to be part of this exciting project who have a mixture of skills, interests and ideas. Together the task force will work as a team to raise awareness in Halton about diabetes and ways of preventing Type 2 diabetes through a series of activities/events...


Badminton Sessions

Ladies badminton sessions every Tuesday, 10-11am, held at Broadway Badminton Centre, just Pay 'n Play. All equipment provided and beginners very welcome. Family badminton sessions run every Tuesday evening between 6-7pm at Broadway Badminton Centre. This is an open session for friends and family, everyone welcome, £4 per session and run by Qualified Badminton England Coach. Just turn up Pay 'n Play...


Halton High Intensity User Lead

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a High Intensity User (HIU) Lead to join NHS Halton Clinical Commissioning Group and Wellbeing Enterprises CIC to work across the local health and social care system. They are seeking an experienced, resilient and motivated individual, with experience of working with people with complex needs, as well as working within a fast-paced environment. The successful candidate will work with a rolling cohort of patients who attend A&E, call 999 or have been admitted to hospital more than might be expected. They are looking for an individual whose ability to connect with people is strong enough to support the change in behaviour of people with even the most complex medical/social needs. The post holder will seek to appropriately reduce the number of emergency contacts and other care interactions across Halton. You will also work alongside a team of dedicated non-medical community wellbeing professionals who support people to address wider social issues impacting on health and wellbeing...


Earlestown Christmas Lights - Donations Needed

Each year Earlestown Christmas Lights Committee invest into making the Town look spectacular during the festive season. They are a very proud community and all take pride and look forward to different events throughout the year. They fund their main event which is the Earlestown Christmas Lights through various organised local events, public donations, business donations and sponsorship and also CIF funding from St Helens Council. The majority of the lights are coming up to 5 years old and some if not all, may need replacing as well as buying additional ones, with this in mind they are asking if anyone would be able to donate funding for this, this is a much looked forward to event where all local schools, communities and organisations take part each year...  


New Sensory Service in Halton

Those suffering from vision or hearing loss in Halton now have access to a specialised support service. Halton Sensory Services will be a hub where residents can access information and support under one roof. There will be a team of specialist staff experienced in sight and hearing loss, vision impairment and deafness available for general enquiries or appointments in rehabilitation, aids and adaptations. Home visits can also be arranged for people with mobility or health issues. The partners, Vision Support, Deafness Resource Centre and Halton Borough Council, are working together to establish the fully integrated sensory service, reducing the need for residents to contact different organisations for support with their sensory needs...


Easter Egg Quiz And Trail In Taylor Park 2019

The Friends of Taylor Park are staging the annual easter egg quiz and trail around St Helens’ finest park Easter Monday, 22nd April. Youngsters under 12 or so, as long as they are accompanied by an adult, can take part in an easy quiz during a short walk around this fabulous park. The first 200 to complete the walk will get a free Cadburys creme egg. There will also be 3 huge Easter eggs prizes in our draw which is open to those youngsters who complete the course. The whole thing starts at 2.00pm from the boathouse in Taylor Park. Last quiz sheets will be issued at 3.00pm and the draw is at 4.00pm. It’s an afternoon not to be missed and the friends look forward to seeing you there...


VSNW Communications Officer

To lead and develop inspiring communications for Voluntary Sector North West (VSNW), supporting the work of the Chief Executive. In particular, delivering VSNW’s communications and Greater Manchester Cancer Champions’ VCSE Screening Programme communications...


VCA Membership Offer and Renewal

Have you had received your new VCA membership update and renewal pack?  If not, let us know!  The new membership offer is split into Non Affiliated with basic benefits and Affiliated that gives you access to full membership benefits.  You can find out more by reading our new Membership booklet...


Don't Forget...

NHS Long Term Plan - Have Your Say

Healthwatch St Helens have been tasked by NHS England to do a piece of work around the NHS Long Term Plan Engagement, it is to find out about people’s experiences of health and care services in the borough and to tell them what the NHS can do to help them and their communities stay well and to make the support available better. They have developed two surveys one for general health and one for long term conditions...


Volunteer Co-ordinators Forum Halton

The Next Volunteer Managers/Co-ordinators Forum will be on Tuesday 30 April 2019 - 11.30am-2pm, at St Marie's, Lugsdale Road, Widnes. The Forum meets six monthly to share information, discuss issues, monitoring and anything else to do with volunteering. The meetings are informal and enjoyable. We hope you will feel able to participate. Should you feel it would be helpful or appropriate for your role as a Volunteer Manager/Co-ordinator, please come along on the above date. Lunch is not provided, so please bring along your own. Tea and coffee will be provided...


Volunteer Week 2019 - Events

Volunteers Week 2019 (1st - 7th June) is an opportunity to recognise the contribution made by volunteers across the UK and raise awareness of the value and impact their volunteering can have on people’s lives.  Volunteers’ Week is the perfect opportunity to recognise volunteers who give their time, energy and enthusiasm to helping other.  It is also an opportunity for volunteers to benefit from new experiences, make friends, gain skills and have fun. As part of this volunteer celebration, Halton Volunteer Centre are holding a number of events/days out that any volunteer from either Halton, St Helens or the wider area is welcome to attend / join...


VCSE Connect

Information about the voluntary, community, charitable sector still remains one of the key issues raised by professionals and clinicians when you ask the question “What could the voluntary sector do?” or “How can I refer this person to something more appropriate?”

As the gateway into the sector, Halton & St Helens VCA holds lots of information and data about local voluntary action.  We have produced that in great detail, in “Here to Help”, provided a search facility on our website, share information with key organisations and have many different ways of sharing what groups do, but still people say they don’t know what groups exist, what they do and how they get to them or refer to them.  So Halton & St Helens VCA has been working on an extension to our database which will display information about groups in an easy format, tell you what they do and when, allow clinicians and other key professionals to log-in directly and make a referral directly to the group (as long as they have agreed to receive referrals).  This means for the first time there will be a single place where referrals to the local voluntary and community sector can be made.

If you would like your organisation to be included in the VCSE Connect directory...


Please feel free to forward this email onto any other organisations/individuals who you feel would be interested. Apologies if you receive this email more than once.

If you have any comments you would like to tell us about this e-bulletin, please send an email to ldaffern@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk or if you have any news/events you would like us to publicise, please complete our News/Events webform: https://www.haltonsthelensvca.org.uk/vca-newsevents-template

 

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Halton & St Helens Voluntary and Community Action, incorporating Volunteer Centre Halton and Volunteer Centre St Helens, is Registered in England & Wales as a Registered Charity No. 1106001 and a Company Limited by Guarantee No. 2539153.

St Maries
Lugsdale Lane
Widnes, WA8 6DB

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