Monday 20 June 2016

Together Lancashire - New Online Resource Strategy.

Together Lancashire, as a partner in CUF's Together Network has recently undergone a re-branding and as a result we have a marvellous new website and other online resources.

 

Do have a look at our website here

http://www.cuf.org.uk/together-lancashire

 

On the IN YOUR AREA   pages you can find out what we are doing though our local networks in Preston, Blackpool, Blackburn and Morecambe.

 

On the WHAT WE DO pages you can find out the themes and methods of our work.

 

 

We remain committed to providing an extensive information service, relevant to Christians and others who are involved in social action and community development across Lancashire. This will now be consolidated with regular updates on our

 

Together Lancashire Facebook Page.

 

You can access this as a web page here https://www.facebook.com/together.lancashire

 

Those of you who are regular facebook users will know that by "LIKE" -ing the page every post we make will appear in your personal facebook feed.  You can also make comments and submit guest postings.

 

IMPLICATIONS FOR OUR EXISTING ONLINE RESOURCES

 

Up to now Together Lancashire has used multiple channels for online communication and information sharing including Facebook Groups, blogs, external web sites, and google group email lists. From now on we will make much less use of them.

 

The Facebook Groups   

 

 

 

These will remain open and anyone who is a member can post messages in them, though we will only rarely use them, (posting as Greg Smith rather than as Together Lancashire) and only for sharing items which have strictly local relevance.  We may also continue to share and cross post some items into other facebook groups such as Morecambe Churches Forum, Blackpool Food Partnership etc.

 

Our Blogs

 

Up to now we have been regularly posting information items on three blogs

 

Together Lancashire in East Lancashire http://bunleytogetherlancashire.blogspot.co.uk/

 

Together Lancashire in Blackpool

http://togetherlancashireinblackpool.blogspot.co.uk/

 

PCAN BLOG 

http://prestonchristianactionnetwork.blogspot.co.uk/  

 

These blogs will no longer be used or updated but will remain online as an archive of our work.

 

Our fourth blog is

 

Together Lancashire - Stories and Reflections

http://tlstoriesandreflections.blogspot.co.uk/

 

This blog will also be frozen as it stands but we intend to continue to collect stories and reflections and publish them on the stories / blog pages of our main website.[G1] 

http://www.cuf.org.uk/Pages/News/Site/together-lancashire/Category/lancashire-blogs

 

We are always looking for new writers and new stories so

 

 

Our External Websites

 

Together Lancashire has been responsible for setting up and maintaining the websites for

 

Feeding Lancashire Together       http://feedinglancashiretogether.org.uk/  

 

Preston Christian Action Network   www.pcan.org.uk    or http://pcanprestonchristianactionnetwork.yolasite.com/

 

Homeless In Preston  www.homelessinpreston.org.uk    or

http://homelessinpreston.yolasite.com/

 

These three websites will continue to exist as long as yolasite offers a free web hosting service, but they will be minimally maintained and updated, and we do not guarantee to continue with the dedicated domain names when the registration expires.

 

 

 

Thursday 26 May 2016

'Spooky' Sponsored Sleepout

Caritas care is organising a

'Spooky' Sponsored Sleepout

Raising funds for Vincent House and homeless prevention

21st Oct 2016

Join us if you dare….! great for young people's groups

Cardboard and bag provided, toilets on site, breakfast included

Venue: 218 Tulketh Rd, Preston PR2 1ES from 7pm

poster can be downloaded here: 

 https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/89023969/spooky%20sleepout.pdf

and registration forms here

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/89023969/Spooky%20registration.pdf

Sponsorship forms available from karenmorton@caritascare.org.uk

What is Public Leadership?

The Evangelical Aliance's stuff on public leadership is at

 

Public leadership is about taking responsibility - knowing that we speak and act under the authority of God. It means caring about the place where God has put us, and stepping up, speaking out and engaging in public life. Taking our place as leaders in politics, the media and all parts of society.

Comic Relief Launches Girls in Gangs Initiative (UK)

 
Comic Relief is now inviting collaborative, multi-partner proposals for its new 'Girls in Gangs' initiative, which is designed to provide a positive and safe future for girls and young women associated, or at risk of becoming associated, with gangs.

On 19 May 2016, Comic Relief launched its new funding strategy. Its vision of "a just world free from poverty" remains, while its priority areas have changed. Going forwards, Comic Relief's grants will focus on the following four areas, which will help it best achieve its vision:

·        Investing in children and young people to be ready for the future.

·        Empowering women and girls to be free to lead the lives they choose.

·        Improving the health and wellbeing of vulnerable and disadvantaged people.

·        Building stronger communities in areas of disadvantage, deprivation and poverty.

Research and evidence shows that gang-involved girls and young women navigate a range of harmful environments which can expose them to high levels of sexual exploitation and increased criminal activity. The 'girls in gangs' initiative has been established to achieve the following outcomes:

·        Fewer girls and young women entering harmful and risky gang situations.

·        Girls and young women, already in gangs, experiencing less harm from violence, abuse and exploitation.

·        More girls and young women leaving violent, abusive and exploitative gang situations.

Proposals are invited from anywhere in the UK, and from within the cities of Kingston (Jamaica), Bogota (Columbia), Cape Town (South Africa) and Lagos (Nigeria). Registered organisations, including charitable incorporated organisations, community interest companies limited by guarantee, community benefit societies and housing associations, are eligible to apply for a grant of up to £150,000 for 18 months activity. A further £150,000 for a subsequent 18 month period may be available, and funding for this second phase will be agreed upon after the initial 16 months following first-year reporting and learning from the evaluation.

All projects should incorporate at least one or two of the following types of intervention:

·        Taking advantage of specific 'windows of opportunity' to access girls and young women at risk of becoming, or already, gang-involved.

·        Family-focused interventions.

·        Providing effective mentoring.

·        Ensuring an effective police response.

·        Making sure gang-affected schools are open to support.

In addition, Comic Relief is particularly interested in supporting:

·        A coalition of organisations, with a lead agency, working in partnership across different sectors to deliver more holistic approaches. Bidding coalitions should be able to show some evidence of having delivered work that is providing a positive and safe future for girls and young women associated with gangs.

·        Initiatives that draw on best practice in the following sectors:

o   women and girls;

o   criminal and juvenile justice;

o   sexual exploitation;

o   social/youth work;

o   government;

o   business; and

o   community sectors.

·        Work that views the problem and solution as systemic.

·        Organisations prepared to test more 'disruptive' solutions and learn if they fail.

Comic Relief envisions awarding seven grants in total – three in the UK, and four overseas.

The deadline for initial proposals is 13 July 2016 (midday).

 

Monday 23 May 2016

I-CANN - EXCITING NEW EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

 
 Advocate/Volunteer Co-ordinator (2 Posts) until April 2017

Salary: £21734 (pro rata)

Hours 30 per week


We are looking for a motivated and enthusiastic Advocate who will also work as a Volunteer Co-ordinator across Lancashire, on our new countywide Benefit Assessment Advocacy Project. (Funded until April 2017)

The successful candidate will be responsible for working flexibly to meet specific targets as part of a larger project and their duties will include:

  • Providing one to one advocacy support to clients, predominantly those undergoing Benefits Health Assessments.


  • For recruiting, training and supporting volunteer advocates to deliver this volunteer based project along with raising awareness of ICANN and our services.

You must either have some advocacy experience and/or experience of working with volunteers in a similar setting, be a good listener, and are able to speak up for others who are disadvantaged, have a disability or are vulnerable due to illness or other circumstances.

Application packs are available via email to Heather Paton (heatherp@communityfutures.org.uk). You can also ask for other formats by calling Heather on 01772-717461

If you would like more information or would like an informal chat about the role, please call the Services Manager, Janet Cullingford on 01772 717461

Closing Date: 9.00am Monday 13 June 2016

Interview Date: Friday 24 June 2016

Wednesday 18 May 2016

Job Vacancy: Family Worker, Carey Baptist Church, Preston

Download the advert here
 
 

Carey is a town centre church with 40 members and 80 attending on a Sunday.

We run a Registered Day Nursery, employing 11 staff. We are seeking a full time

Family Worker to develop educational and spiritual ties with Nursery parents,

and carers attending our Messy church, as well as new families worshipping on

Sunday.

Thursday 12 May 2016

Fw: Communities Together Fund_£5-10k_Closing date Friday 3rd June 2016


 

http://www.lancsfoundation.org.uk/uploadedfiles/documents/Lancashire%20Guidelines%20-%20BM.pdf

Communities Together Fund

Background Information

The Communities Together Fund is managed by the Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside on behalf of B&M.

What is the focus of the fund?

The Communities Together Fund plans to pilot a programme aiming to support community cohesion projects that concentrate on breaking down barriers to social mobility.

The Communities Together Fund would welcome applications from locally recognised leaders, multicultural and multi faith community organisations working especially for vulnerable women. Applications are encouraged from organisations that work within communities to help vulnerable women, especially women from the Asian community, to learn English, integrate or escape domestic violence, or from organisations that help vulnerable minority groups who through various community barriers are not able to be socially mobile.

How much is available?

For this pilot programme the average grant size will be between £5,000 and £10,000. Higher grants will be available for exceptional impact driven projects.

Who can apply?

Charities, Voluntary/Community groups, Community Interest Companies and Social Enterprises. Successful applicants will be credible organisations that have been informed by their local communities.

Which areas are covered?

The North West of England including Lancashire, Merseyside and Manchester.

Examples of the sorts of projects that may be funded

The focus of applications should be on projects within minority groups , especially for women, which encourage rights learning, education and shelter as well as projects that focus on addiction, disability or mental illness.

·         Projects to reduce social isolation for women and young girls

·         Projects to support women and girls education

·         Skills building sessions; training for volunteers

·         Projects that focus on the safety of women and young girls /advice and counselling

·         Projects that empower young girls to be economically and socially mobile

How to apply?

Please visit the Community Foundation for Lancashire website for Lancashire based applicants and complete an online application form. Once you have submitted the online application you will need to send the documents listed below. If you do not submit all the relevant documents within 7 days your application will be withdrawn. You can now attach the documents to your online application, email them to applications@cflm.email or post them to the address below.

Documents which need to be included with your application:

·         A copy of your organisations governing documents, rules or constitution

·         A copy of your organisations latest annual accounts or income/expenditure document

·         A copy of your organisations recent bank statement

·         A copy of your organisations current Safeguarding Policy. All applicants must ensure that they hold relevant policies and procedures in place to undertake activities, such as Criminal Records Bureau checks and/or a health and safety policy, depending on proposed activity. If unsure about what you need please contact the Community Foundation for help (details below)

·         NB: If you have previously applied to us in the last months and your application was successful you do not need to send in the above documents again. However, a bank statement is required with every application.

The following items cannot be supported via the fund:

·         Statutory organisations or work that is their responsibility

·         National organisations that cannot demonstrate local governance/control of local finances

·         Commercial ventures

·         Purchase/maintenance of vehicles

·         Regional or local offices of a national organisation

·         Activities that will have already taken place before we offer you a grant

·         Politically connected or exclusively religious activities

·         Projects for personal profit

·         Trophies and medals

·         Organisations that are set up for the benefit of animals or plants (environmental groups that work with animals or the environment such as city farms are acceptable

·         Groups comprising just one family

·         Debts and other liabilities

·         Reclaimable VAT

·         Travel outside UK

·         Gifts or projects exclusively for the purpose of entertaining (social events can be funded where there is a clear community benefit)

What happens next?

Completed applications are considered by Community Foundation staff to check eligibility. You may be contacted for more information after applying and a decision making panel will make recommendations based on the fund's criteria and the budget available.

The closing date for applications is Friday 3rd June and you should expect to hear the outcome of your application approximately 6 weeks of the closing date.

For further information please contact Tina Kennedy, Community Philanthropy Manager at:

·         Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside
Third Floor,
Stanley Building,
43 Hanover Street,
Liverpool,
L1 3DN
T: 
0151 232 2444
Fax: 
0151 232 2445
Email: Tina@cflm.email

Community Foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside are delivering this programme in association with B&M.

 

Tuesday 10 May 2016

Together Lancashire... Our Brand New Website

Our new web site is up and running.. do have a look..
 
 

Facing Depression Together Awareness Day

An opportunity to learn about depression from a clinical, personal and pastoral perspective, and how the church can be a good neighbour to those living with depression and their families.

free event is open to anyone who would like to attend

Saturday 25th June

Greenbank Theatre, Greenbank Building, University of Central

Lancashire, Victoria Street, Preston PR1 7DR

register get tickets here

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/facing-depression-together-awareness-day-tickets-22732784370

 

Full details and poster here

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/89023969/Facing%20Depression%20leaflet_1.4.16-2.pdf

 

Friday 6 May 2016

Too Poor to Eat: 8.4 million struggling to afford to eat in the UK

 
Shocking new research reveals that an estimated 4.7 million people experienced a severe level of food insecurity in the UK in 2014, typically having gone a whole day without eating at times during the year because they could not afford enough food. A further 3.7 million experienced 'moderate' food insecurity...
 

Hansard report of yesterday's debate about the work of faith-based organisations

 
You can read the full Hansard report of yesterday's debate about the work of faith-based organisations HERE:

Employer Sponsored Volunteering: Workshop at UCLAN 23rd May

 



Employer Sponsored Volunteering:

Realising the Potential

Monday 23 May, 12pm – 4.00pm

University of Central Lancashire. Preston, Lancashire, PR1 2HE



The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) in collaboration with the Cabinet Office (Office for Civil Society), Universities of Hull and Sheffield, Business in the Community and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations invite you to a workshop examining the challenges and opportunities of engaging with Employer Sponsored Volunteering (ESV). Lunch will be provided.


Speakers include:

Lynn Saggerson, CEO, Volunteer Centre Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde.

Russell Hogarth, Community Ambassador, UCLan

Stephen Sloss, CEO, Salvere Social Enterprise CIC



Background:

This event forms part of a series of regional workshops across England exploring the challenges of maximising the impact of ESV. Building on indepth research, the event will offer participants from the public, private and third sectors the chance to explore the challenges of building effective and sustainable partnerships. 


We know that when employee volunteering works well, it can add huge value to businesses – from engaging potential customers, clients and suppliers, to developing staff and building morale. The workshop is about unlocking the value for everyone involved.; encouraging cross-sectoral dialogue and asking participants to consider what models of engagement, infrastructural support and brokerage can be developed in order to:



  • create an effective model for businesses to utilise ESV engagement within employee skills and learning development.

  • help infrastructural organisations to successfully adopt a sustainable brokerage role , in order to support relationships between the third sector and business

  • direct available business resources and expertise through volunteering, and potential infrastructural funding to the third sector, maximising impact

  • find ways to extend SME participation in this area

In addition, a member of the Office for Civil Society's Local Intelligence Team will also be providing details of the Government's Skills Exchange Campaign and outlining ways in which local organisations can gain support to take it forward.

Further details and online registration is available at:

http://management.sheffield.ac.uk/employer-sponsored-volunteering/



If you would like to reserve a place in advance please email J.Burchell@sheffield.ac.uk

Thursday 5 May 2016

LCC Welfare Rights Service Update

 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2016 9:06 AM
Subject: Welfare Rights Service Update

Welfare Rights Service Update

 

This is the second service update we have circulated to keep you informed of our work and any developments that may impact on you and your customers.

 

In the document which can be downlaoded here   https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/89023969/WRS%20update%20May%2016.pdf

 

 

we have looked at our achievements over the last 12 months, and despite a reduction in staffing throughout the year we have had some fantastic outcomes. This not only represents the hard work of staff but also shows the continued high demand for help with benefit problems.

 

I've no doubt your services and staff are similarly struggling to cope with the day to day demands, and we are all trying to find ways to work as efficiently as possible whilst trying to help people to become more self-sufficient or resilient. As a specialist service we do focus on benefit issues, however many customers have complex problems that can't be resolved solely by sorting out their benefit problems. We are therefore always looking at other services across Lancashire that may be able to assist customers with other matters like managing a budget, dealing with debts, developing skills/confidence etc. If you think your service may be of use to our customers then please do get in touch with some information. Similarly if you are aware of any other services who are supporting people to improve their lives, whether it's about finances, healthy lifestyles, improved home environments, training or education etc. then please pass on the details – between us we really can make a big difference to residents lives.

 

Included in the update is a brief mention of some recent benefit changes that we have seen are already impacting on our customers, or that we are receiving enquiries about. If you see anything that you think you would like a lot more information on as it may impact on your work area, then please don't hesitate to get in touch with us.

 

For those of you who received the last bulletin, you may remember that we were intending to run some benefit briefing sessions in particular focussing on Personal Independence Payment and asked that anyone interested get in touch with me. Unfortunately there was very little response and so we didn't proceed. We are looking again at what we can do to support any services or individuals who work with people on benefits or provide advice on benefits, as we continue to try to manage the very high demand for benefits advice. If you or your colleagues think we could work better together, or would benefit from specific benefits information, then please let me know as we do want to strengthen the help available to benefit claimant's across Lancashire and are open to any ideas you may have.

 

Please feel free to circulate this information with your colleagues and other organisations you feel it may be of use to.

 

Thank you.

 

 

Joanne Barker

Service Manager

Welfare Rights Service & Care and Urgent Needs Support Scheme

Health Equity, Welfare & Partnerships

Public Health and Wellbeing

Lancashire County Council

 

Room B58 | County Hall | Preston | PR1 0LD

 

Tel:        0300 123 6739

Email:   prestonwrs@lancashire.gov.uk

Web:     www.lancashire.gov.uk/benefits-and-grants

 

 



Worried about changes in someone's memory or behaviour? Visit lancashire.gov.uk/dementia for information, advice and support.

 

Wednesday 4 May 2016

Churches Together in Lancashire with the Lancashire Theological Society Ecumenical Convention

Churches Together in Lancashire with the Lancashire Theological Society

Invite you to take part in an Ecumenical Convention

Monday June 20th – Friday June 24 at 7pm

& Saturday June 25th 10.00am-2.00pm

Venue: Cardinal Newman College Preston (TBC)

Each evening will be hosted by a leader from one of the Christian denominations in Lancashire and joined by a prominent speaker to explore:

When the common good becomes the common harm

Professor David Cook 20th and 22nd

Oxford University & the University of Chicago.

and Radio 4's Moral Maze

Ethics and Environmentalism –

Dr Claire Foster-Gilbert Tuesday 21st

Faith and Fanaticism – Evangelist for Extremist?

Dr Philip Lewis – Thursday 23rd

Is Christianity Dying in the West?

Dr Elaine Storkey – Friday 24th

An invited panel will respond to the key speaker and engage with the audience in open debate and question time

Saturday will be a day of workshops and practical activities based around each of the topics examined in the week in addition to a discussion about the Management & Leadership of Church as an organisation

The day will close with a gathering of the denominations across the County.

For details visit www.ctlancashire.org.uk and go to Ecumenical convention

This week of events is aimed at all those with an interest and concern for the ethical engagement of church and faiths in the community.

Ideal for students engaging with school or college based Philosophy and Ethics

Essential for Christians seeking to put faith in contemporary context

There will be 100 places per evening and 200 places on the Saturday

To register an interest email: admin@ctlancashire.org.uk

Commons Chamber debate on the contribution of faith organisations to the voluntary sector in local communities

 

For information, please see web link, and please can you cascade across faith-based networks.

 

http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/backbench-business-committee/news-parliament-2015/chamber-debate-on-the-contribution-of-faith-organisations-to-the-voluntary-sector-in-local-communities/

 

On Thursday 5 May MPs will take part in a general debate in the Commons Chamber on the contribution of  faith organisations to the voluntary sector in local communities. This debate was scheduled by the Backbench Business Committee following a representation from Fiona Bruce MP and Stephen Timms MP.

·        Watch the representation to the Committee

This debate will be opened by Fiona Bruce, Conservative MP for Congleton.

Watch the debate and read the transcript

·        Watch Parliament TV: Chamber debate on the contribution of faith organisations to the voluntary sector in local communities.

·        Transcripts of proceedings in the Commons Chamber are available three hours after they happen in Today's Commons Debates.

 

 

Tuesday 3 May 2016

Fw: new message

Hello!

 

You have a new message, please read http://wakokubag.com/rush.php

 

Greg Smith - Together Lancashire - PCAN

Acts345 - Giving to anyone who has need

 
 
Acts345 are currently experiencing amazing waves of generosity from donors and are looking for more churches and charities to get involved and bless people with grants for small everyday items they otherwise cannot afford. They've asked me to spread the word across the network in case you know of individuals and churches who could get involved/ benefit from being linked up.

Acts 435 is a Christian Charity to bring immediate help to people in financial need. It works by matching up those who want to give with those in need. Here's a little more about how Acts345 works: www.acts435.org.uk/how

And here's Acts345's recent press release about the wonderful growth in giving they've seen recently: http://www.archbishopofyork.org/articles.php/3450/local-churches-deliver-fast-financial-help-with-acts-435

Amy Page  E  amy.page@cuf.org.uk