Community Offer – Greets Green, Lyng and West Bromwich Central
January 29, 2015by Leona in Blog, Health & Wellbeing tagged Health
The Community Offer for Greets Green, Lyng and West Bromwich Central is for people aged over 55. There is a variety of support and activities available and there is a chance for you to find out more about how you might benefit.
Find out more about social clubs, home visits, practical support, building confidence with walking, falls prevention, healthy lifestyle tips, wellbeing activities, excellent support networks completely tailored to the individual.
Find out more on Tuesday 17 February 2015 from noon – 3pm at Central Library, High Street, West Bromwich, B70 8DZ. To find out more contact Rachel Marsh – 0121 565 8354 or e-mail: KPG-CommunityOffer@Kaleidoscope.org.uk
The Kaleidoscope Plus Group – Vacancies
January 29, 2015by Leona in Blog, Vacancies tagged Vacancies
The Kaleidoscope Plus Group is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee. They were established in 1973 and are one of the leading health and wellbeing charities in the West Midlands. They are passionate about their contribution to improving people's lives through the provision of quality services, inclusion and awareness.
They are currently recruiting for a new and exciting Community Wellbeing Service funded by the National Lottery through the Big Lottery Fund.
Community Wellbeing Workers – (3 Full Time) Circa £19k pa
Community Wellbeing Team Leader – (1 Full Time) Circa £22k pa
The Community Wellbeing Services will provide evidence-based opportunities for people to maintain and/or improve their wellbeing, which is complementary to and reduces the need for services offered by the statutory sector. They aim to raise awareness of the concept of 'wellbeing' and good mental health within an integrated care pathway, promote healthier lifestyles, support and equip people who use the service with a range of tools to manage their own health and wellbeing, and demonstrate the efficacy of interventions offered.
The post holders will promote and facilitate a wide range of community based wellbeing and self-help initiatives and opportunities and encourage and support service users to take positive steps towards managing their own mental health.
The successful candidates will demonstrate a keen interest and excellent understanding of the concept of wellbeing and excellent communication, organisation, networking and time management skills.
The post holder must be prepared to work across the West Midlands. The successful applicant will need to be enhanced Disclosure (DBS) checked which will be done once they have accepted the offer.
For an informal chat about these opportunities please contact Rachel Thompson on 0121 565 5605. For a job description and person specification please e-mail: vacancies@kaleidoscopeplus.org.uk or visit their website
To apply please send your CV and covering letter outlining your suitability for the role you have applied for to vacancies@kaleidoscopeplus.org.uk. The closing date for all applications is 10am Friday 13 February 2015
Sandwell Drug and Alcohol Services Open Day
January 29, 2015by Leona in Blog, Health & Wellbeing tagged Events & Meetings
Swanswell and Integrating Recovery in Services (Iris) Sandwell invite you to their first open day of 2015. There will be various events and presentations being held throughout the day, giving you the chance to meet service users and staff.
There will be an opportunity for you to find out more about the services that are being provided and how they are changing Sandwell resident's lives.
The open day is being held on Tuesday 17 March from 11am – 3pm at Alberta Building, 128b Oldbury Road, Smethwick, B66 1JE
If you would like to attend please e-mail: sandwellreferrals@irispartnership.org.uk
Volunteers – Managing, Motivating and the Law
January 28, 2015by Leona in Blog, Volunteering tagged Volunteering
Volunteers are an increasingly valuable resource and are often seen as a response to addressing lots of community based problems and issues. If you are already using volunteers or are thinking about recruiting new volunteers to support your cause then this workshop is one for you to attend.
Do you know how best to manage and motivate volunteers?
Are you aware of your legal duties towards them?
A workshop is being held on Friday 20th March 2015 from 9.30am – 1.30pm at West Bromwich Town Hall, High Street, West Bromwich.
This workshop will cover a broad range of topics including:-
how to manage your volunteers effectively
how to motivate and reduce turnover
best practice regarding documentation and training
your legal duties including maintaining a distinction between volunteers and employees, and whether volunteers have any employment rights.
The workshop will include practical case studies and an opportunity to ask the trainer about any current employment or volunteering challenges in your organisation.
You will learn about:-
What documentation, policies and training should be provided.
The legal status of your volunteer workers, and their legal rights.
Best practice in managing volunteers.
How to motivate your volunteers.
How to deal with disputes.
How to end a volunteering relationship with an organisation.
Cost for attending workshop
£30 for organisations with a turnover of more than £25,000
£40 for organisations outside of the Borough.
There are a limited number of FREE places for organisations with a turnover of less than £25,000 available. So to avoid disappointment, please book early.
Maximum of 2 delegates per organisation.
To book a place please contact: volunteer@volunteercentresandwell.co.uk or call 0121 544 8326
Sandwell and West Birmingham Equality Awards 2015
January 26, 2015by Leona in Blog, Health & Wellbeing tagged Events & Meetings, Health
Equality is everyone's business.
The Equality Awards 2015 will recognise and showcase local organisations and groups that are making a difference to the health and wellbeing of diverse and vulnerable communities.
The awards are sponsored by:
• NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)
• BRAP
• Birmingham Voluntary Sector Council (BVSC)
• Sandwell Council of Voluntary Organisations (SCVO)
• Rights and Equality Sandwell (RES)
What is the aim of the awards?
The awards aim to promote a culture across Sandwell and West Birmingham, where local communities and agencies acknowledge that equality is everyone's business. The awards also recognise that the greatest difference can be achieved by the smallest of actions.
Click here to read who can take part, the awards categories and much more.
For more information about the awards or to book a place please email swbccg.engagement@nhs.net or call 0121 612 1447
Outstanding Citizen Awards
January 23, 2015by Leona in Blog, Safer, Stronger Communities, Volunteering tagged community safety
The West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner invites nominations of people or groups who have made exceptional contributions to their community.
People across the West Midlands are being invited to nominate people who they think deserve a special thank you and their services to the community.
Police and Crime Commissioner, David Jamieson would like to give people the opportunity to show their appreciation to unsung heroes or heroines who are worthy of recognition for outstanding acts of good citizenship.
Anyone who knows of a volunteer or community member or community group who have shown consistent dedication to their community over a period of time, giving up their time and helping others in ways which contribute to community safety or reduce crime and disorder is welcome to make a nomination.
There are three categories, which are:
Outstanding Citizen
Outstanding Young Citizen (under the age of 18)
Outstanding Community Project
You can view further details from their website
Closing date for nominations is 31 March 2015. For enquiries about the awards, contact 0121 626 6060
The Kaleidoscope Plus Group Parents and Subsidiary Board Recruitment
The Kaleidoscope Group is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee. They were established in 1973 and are one of the leading mental health charities in the West Midlands. They are passionate about their contribution to improving people's lives through the provision of quality services, inclusion and awareness.
Their mission is to promote and support positive health and wellbeing across their area of operation. They are committed to making sure the services and facilities they provide are of the highest possible quality and that their services are sustainable long into the future. To help them to do this, they have established a wholly owned trading subsidiary – Kaleidoscope Plus Commercials through which they manage their commercial office space and saleable activities.
Due to increasing business opportunities and the retirement of members of their Board they are recruiting a number of positions.
The role of Non Executive is to make a wide ranging contribution across the business. Each of the Boards sets the overall strategic direction for its business and ensures that standards of governance are upheld when assessing business development opportunities, risk management, performance management and internal control and assurance.
The Non Executives they are seeking will have proven business acumen and an entrepreneurial flair along with a commitment and passion for the vision of the Group. They are particularly interested in hearing from individuals who have proven skills and experience in:-
Company/Charity Law
Banking, Treasuring management and Funding Structures
As well as devoting the necessary time you will have strategic vision, independent judgement, an ability to think creatively and a willingness to speak your mind.
The are looking for three individuals to join their parent charity and two to join the subsidiary board.
A committed and motivated Treasurer is also sought for their parent charity board who would like to use their skill and experience to make a real difference to a small but growing charity with a unique offer.
In addition to the general responsibilities of a Non Executive Director, the overall role of the Treasurer is to maintain an overview of the charity's financial affairs, ensuring its financial viability and that proper financial records and procedures are maintained.
Candidates for all positions must be able to commit to at least 6 meetings each year which are held in the evening at the offices in West Bromwich. All positions are unremunerated but reasonable expenses are payable. Induction and support will be available for the successful candidates.
To apply please forward your CV and covering letter outlining your skills and experience and which board you would like to be considered for to recruitment@kaleidoscopeplus.org.uk
For more information or an informal chat about the positions, please call Monica Shafaq on 0121 565 5605. The closing date for applications to be received is by noon on Monday 9 February 2015.
Delivering Better Care For Patients in Sandwell and West Midlands
Sandwell and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group are proposing to locate heart attack services at City Hospital and emergency general surgery and trauma assessment at Sandwell Hospital. There are a number of different ways you can have your say about this proposed charges.
By bringing services together to create specialist centres, they can:
Deliver faster access to treatment
Deliver better care with specialist teams
Recruit and retain the best staff
Attend a listening event and have your say
11 February – 6pm at the Postgraduate Centre, City Hospital, Dudley Road, B18 7QH
17 February – 1pm at Postgraduate Centre, City Hospital, Dudley Road, B18 7QH
23 February – 1pm at West Bromwich Town Hall, High Street, West Bromwich, B70 8DT
25 February – 6pm – at the Medical Education Centre, Sandwell Hospital, Lyndon, B71 4HJ
or you can complete the online survey
For further information visit their website or call 0121 612 1447
Power to Change Launches First Grants Programme
January 22, 2015by Steve Baylis in Funding tagged Economy & Employment, Funder News, Funding Opportunities, news
The scheme offers grants of at least £50,000 over six months to community businesses in England to use for working capital and asset purchases.
Power to Change, a new grant-making foundation set up with a £150m endowment from the Big Lottery Fund, has launched its first grants programme.
The BLF said that Power to Change, which aims to fund the development of thousands of community businesses over a 10 to 15-year period and gained charitable status last week, would be the the largest independent grant-making foundation of its kind in Europe. Power to Change estimates that it can use the £150m endowment to leverage £1.5bn of additional resources to support community businesses.
As its first programme, Power to Change is offering grants of at least £50,000 over the next six months to community businesses already operating in England to use for working capital and asset purchases. It is also seeking what is is calling "community business champions" who will identify existing community businesses already making a difference in their local areas.
Organisations eligible to apply for funding are charities, social enterprises, cooperatives or companies that are not-for-profit and are owned, led or governed by local people with the aim of improving the social and economic prospects in their area. Applicants must also have plans to become self-sustaining beyond grants and public subsidies. It is not yet clear how much money will be available under the programme.
Asked for more detail on what the support would entail, a spokeswoman said that Power to Change did not want to be a "top-down" funder that prescribed what would happen, but was instead looking to design the opportunities and activities in partnership with the businesses. "We are looking for the most inspirational existing community businesses across England, to help spread the word and inspire others of the potential of community business to make positive change for local people and places," she said. "The key thing is that they are already up and running and making a difference." Later this year, Power to Change plans to roll out funding and support for community businesses at an earlier stage in their development.
Community businesses can register their interest in the programme by completing a form on the Power to Change website, which goes live today. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis.
Hundreds Help to celebrate New Year New Start 2015
January 22, 2015by Leona in Blog, Children & Young People, Training Support and Resources tagged Children and young people, Economy & Employment
Hundreds of young people turned out for Sandwell's largest apprenticeship, education, training and jobs fair on Saturday, 17 January, which took place at Sandwell College's new Central Sixth Campus.
It was the sixth New Year New Start event organised by Connexions Sandwell and it proved to be their biggest and best yet.
The ground floor of the former Public Building was transformed into a huge exhibition hall full with 45 interactive stands run by exhibitors such as Jaguar Land Rover, Carillion and various training providers and local colleges – all set up to inspire young people to explore apprenticeships, education, training, and job opportunities.
The Mayor of Sandwell officially opened the event allowing over 1000 young people and their parents through the doors to go on a tour of the event and ask exhibitors questions. The Press and the BBC were also in attendance as was local councillor Simon Hackett and Adrian Bailey MP. The event has since featured in local newspapers and on television. Click here to see coverage of the event on BBC Midlands Today.
Robotics, Engineering and IT proved to be very popular on the day but with so many exhibitors on display; Connexions Sandwell ensured that there was something for everyone. There was also a prize draw which took place – so watch this space as the winners will be announced very soon!
Some of the comments from attendees remarked the day was "very useful", "well organised", "really interesting" and "a brilliant event". Kris Hind – Industrial Training Manager at Jaguar Land Rover's Engine Manufacturing Centre in Wolverhampton commented on the number of visitors they had to their stand "it would not be an exaggeration to say hundreds; we did not stop talking for the whole four hours".
Councillor Hackett added "I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Connexions for organising the New Year – New Start event last Saturday. In my view, the event was an incredible success and was fantastic to see so many industry leaders giving up their time on a cold morning.
"More importantly; hundreds of young people and their parents were able to meet employers, colleges and training providers to discuss their current education, learning and job opportunities. This is just one of the many ways the Connexions service reduces NEET and increases participation"
Sandwell Connexions can be contacted on: 0121 569 2955
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