
Halton and St Helens VCA
If you need a contact for our volunteering portal and volunteering during the Covid-19 response across both Boroughs it’s Claire Redford-Kerr
credford-kerr@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk
If you need a contact for the Covid-19 response in St Helens it’s Annie Lawrenson alawrenson@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk
If you need a contact for the Covid-19 response in Halton it’s Matthew Roberts
Mroberts@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk
You can also contact Sally Yeoman our Chief Officer for issues in both Boroughs. She will also be picking up LCR work with VS6 colleagues
syeoman@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk
For comms/website and information queries contact
dmorris@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk or ldaffern@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk
Our phones will be temporarily redirected and you will be able to contact us by using our usual numbers 01744 457100 / 01928 592405
To access all resources relating to volunteering, involving volunteers, funding or local/national news click on our homepage www.haltonsthelensvca.org.uk
Below is the latest news / updates for VCSE organisations in Halton and St Helens
An Open Letter to Professionals from North West Regional Forum
The Chair of the Learning Disability and Autism Partnership Board has shared a very important document for information and cascading click here to read
Supporting communities to be digitally connected - Good Things Foundation and Devices Dot Now
Thanks to Jo from Changemaker for sharing
A new scheme to get digital devices to vulnerable people https://www.onlinecentresnetwork.org/sites/default/files/data_collection_-_centre_info_1.pdf
DevicesDotNow is a project aiming to connect the unconnected. It is led by FutureDotNow and supported by the UK Government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. There are a number of national partners, including Good Things Foundation. FutureDotNow has secured donations of new equipment from industry partners. Good Things Foundation will ensure its safe transfer to the hyperlocal community, through the Online Centres Network. Hear Dot's story here to see how getting connected digitally helped her to see her family virtually for the first time and brought much needed company during the pandemic.
Christmas Challenge 2020 open
Applications for the Christmas Challenge 2020 are open. The Christmas Challenge is a week-long match funding campaign which launches on #GivingTuesday, 1st December. Last year, the Christmas Challenge raised £15.6m for 588 charities. Up to £25,000 of match funding is available per charity. There is millions of pounds of match funding available for a wide range of charities. As well as accessing Champion funds, evidence shows that donors are more likely to give, and to give more in match funding campaigns. The Big Give also offers a free suite of resources, training and guidance for all participating charities. The deadline for applications is Friday 3rd July (although the Big Give may be able to accept late applications). For more information and to apply visit: https://www.thebiggive.org.uk/s/christmas-challenge.
TAZ Clinic and Referral Update
TAZ Clinic is now open again on an APPOINTMENT ONLY basis for all 13 to 19 year olds. Unfortunately they can’t offer a walk-in service at this time, but appointments are currently available from 09.30 to 16.30 Monday to Friday. They’re asking young people to contact in one of the following ways to make an appointment:
Call / WhatsApp or text our dedicated mobile number: 07795452161
Email at: taz@sthk.nhs.uk
Further details for young people are on the TAZ webpages and Get It On
They are aware that clinical services have been reduced for young people over recent weeks and that many young people have felt the need to maintain contact with peer groups, boyfriends and girlfriends, even during the period of ‘lockdown’. With this in mind, if you have concerns about the sexual health or safety of a young person you know or work with, please advise them that clinic is available again. If you have more serious concerns about a young person’s sexual health the TAZ Outreach Team are still available to provide one to one support, via referral. Click here for the referral form. Please contact the team via the details below for further information.
TAZ Outreach Team
Fingerpost Park Health Centre, Atlas Street, St. Helens, WA9 1LN
01744 627697
VCA need your feedback
During the peak of the covid-19 pandemic, it was important that we shared information and updates on a daily basis to members to support their rapid response during the first 3 months of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. We put on hold our regular fortnightly ebulletin and replaced it with a daily covid-19 mailing.
Over the last couple of weeks that information has lessened and we are reviewing the needs and regularity of those daily mailings and the benefits of returning to our fortnightly e-bulletin. We would like to know your views.
The link below will take you to a very short survey (2 questions) which will help us to decide what would be best for our newsletter readers.
https://www.haltonsthelensvca.org.uk/news-letter-mailings-survey
Job Vacancies Halton & St Helens VCA
(Temporary) Volunteering Services Officer, Part time 21 hours funded until 31st March 2021. Salary: £11,663 (9 months), 26 days holiday plus bank holidays pro rata
We are looking for someone who can provide an operational and development role supporting the work of our Volunteer Centre. This will be a temporary post until 31st March 2021 with the possibility of seeking further funding. Duties include: Developing and promoting the benefits and profile of volunteering across Halton and St Helens working with local people and organisations. Applicants need to have experience of working with volunteers and partnership working with a variety of organisations have good IT skills and be proficient with Social Media as a platform for engagement.
(Temporary) Volunteering Coordinator WHHT, Part time 28 hours funded until 31st March 2021, Salary: £15,550 (9 months), 26 days holiday plus bank holidays pro rata
We are looking for someone who can provide a development role supporting our work in engaging volunteers with Warrington & Halton Teaching Hospital NHS Trust. This will be a temporary post until 31st March 2021 with the possibility of seeking further funding. Duties include: Supporting the development of volunteering within the Trust, supporting staff in the supervision and management of volunteers; promoting volunteering; delivering training. You will need to have experience in working with volunteers and a good working knowledge of Microsoft Office, CRM systems and Volunteer management platforms to be able to manage competing demands and prioritise workloads.
You can download a Job description and application form from our website links below.
The closing date for applications is midday on Friday 26th June 2020, with interviews taking place on Thursday 2nd and Friday 3rd July 2020.
If you have volunteering requirements please register them here
https://volunteering.haltonsthelensvca.org.uk/vk/providers/registration_provider.htm
and also encourage people wanting to help out to do that safely by registering here
https://volunteering.haltonsthelensvca.org.uk/vk/volunteers/registration.htm
Service Status Updates From Our Member Organisations
We have been sent a number of service status updates from our member organisations to let us know their current working practices during Covid-19. The link to Halton Organisations is here and the link to St Helens organisations is here. If you have a service update that you would like to tell us about, please email info@haltonsthelensvca.org.uk and we will add your organisations details to our lists.
If you'd like to sign up for your own copy of the daily update, please follow the link below and sign up for our ebulletin: