Inform - don't forget, deadline is Friday 22 February

Don't forget, the deadline for articles for VAMT's Inform Newsletter is this Friday, 22 February for distribution in early March.  Please email articles to hilary.edwards@vamt.net

VINCI UK Foundation - supporting initiatives that offer new opportunities to people who suffer social or employment exclusion

VINCI UK Foundation | Helping each individual to feel part of the community. www.vinci-uk-foundation.co.uk What drives us? The VINCI UK Foundation supports initiatives that promote social cohesion, fights exclusion and isolation in the UK and the Republic of Ireland by combining the skills of VINCI staff, together with financial assistance, to be a long term partner of the community.

 Applications for Funding are now open as from 1^st January 2019; offering new opportunities to people who suffer social or employment exclusion.

News from Planning Aid Wales

To view their latest newsletter, click here

Arddangosfeydd Gwirfoddoli Ieuenctid: 21/03/2019 – Caerdydd / Youth Volunteering Showcases: 21/03/2019 – Cardiff

MAE LLEOEDD YN BRIN A’R CYNTAF I’R FELIN FYDD HI / SPACES ARE LIMITED AND WILL BE ALLOCATED ON FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED BASIS

Dear all

RE: Youth Volunteering Showcases: 21/3/2019 - Cardiff

The Volunteering Wales Youth Network and WCVA are pleased to invite you to the South Wales Youth Volunteering Showcases to celebrate and promote the breadth and depth of youth volunteering that is taking place across Wales.

The event will take place at the Cardiff City Stadium in Cardiff on Thursday 21^st March 2019, 5pm – 8.30pm.

The event will include recognition of volunteers through story-telling and presenting certificates, networking space and workshops, an opportunity to learn about other volunteering opportunities and meet other young volunteers.

Young people, volunteers and those that support them are invited to attend, from the following: 

·  Organisations represented on the Volunteering Wales Youth Network

·  Organisations funded by the Volunteering Wales Grants

·  Youth Led Grant panels and the projects they fund

·  Young volunteers that have achieved Millennium Volunteer Awards and / or due to achieve awards on Volunteering Wales digital platform

·  #iwill ambassadors of Wales

·  Volunteers nominated for WCVA Volunteer of the Year Awards

Of course, there is limited space at the event and so organisations are initially allocated 5 places each (to include staff AND young volunteers). To register your attendance at the event please visit this link:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/youth-volunteering-showcase-south-wales-registration-56412871417 (password: volunteer)

NB/ This invite is invitation only – all attendees MUST register using the above link by Tuesday 12^th March 2019.

 Please note that there is funding available to support with travel costs for volunteers and staff to attend the event. Please indicate on registration the anticipated costs required for travel

 There are opportunities for your organisation and young volunteers to contribute to the event in the following ways:

·  Showcase a youth volunteer project on the main stage or deliver a performance (by young volunteers)

·  Hosting a stand in our exhibition area

·  Creating a case study poster about a youth volunteer or youth volunteering project

·  Leading a workshop

·  Presenting certificates / awards from your organisation to young volunteers

Share Impact Ltd has been awarded the contract to work in partnership with young volunteers to plan, organise and host the volunteering event. To find out more about the event or to register your interest in contributing in one of the ways above you can email Kat Luckock on kat@shareimpact.org or call her on 07715415267.

This morning at VAMT - Health & Wellbeing Forum

This morning at VAMT from 10 am to 12 Noon we will be holding the Health & Wellbeing Forum.

Presentations will include Wellbeing in Merthyr Tydfil via colleagues at the Leisure Trust, as well as the UHB's approach to identifying and supporting Carers throughout the region.

As usual we will receive updates from all attendees regarding their individual services / projects.

If you can't attend today, then please note the forward dates:

Wednesday 10th April 2019

Wednesday 12th June 2019

Wednesday 14th August 2019

Wednesday 9th October 2019

Wednesday 4th December 2019

Wednesday 5th February 2019

All meetings run from 10 am to 12 Noon and are held at the Voluntary Action Centre, 89-90 High Street, Merthyr Tydfil CF47 8UH

This is a great platform for gathering information / sharing information with third sector colleagues and partners.

If you would like to know more then please contact Sharon Richards, Health & Wellbeing Manager at VAMT on 01685 353932 or email sharon.richards@vamt.net 

Job Vacancy at Community Transport Association

We are currently recruiting for a new team member to work directly with the Community Transport Associations network of charities and local authorities across the southern part of Wales. We are reaching out to people in similar roles and organisations to see if you know anyone in your own network who might be interesting in applying for the role.

Some knowledge of community transport would help, but most of all we want someone with practical experience of working with local charities and community groups to strengthen their services and relationships.

If this sounds like someone you know we’d be pleased to receive an application.  Details of the post can be found on our website:  https://ctauk.org/jobs/

First Aid and Health and Safety Training at VAMT

First Aid Level 3 Training 12 March 2019 £60 per person.

Canolfan Soar, Merthyr Tydfil 9:30-3:30

6 hour course accredited by Highfield Qualifications. The content of the course meets the HSE requirements for emergency first-aiders in the workplace. It covers roles and responsibilities of the first aider and how to assess an incident; first aid skills in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and use of an automated external defibrillator, providing first aid to a casualty who is choking and dealing with external bleeding and hypovolaemic shock.

Candidates will need to bring a form of photographic identification with them and should dress modestly as they will need to demonstrate CPR in order to gain the qualification.

Health and Safety Awareness within the workplace 27 March 2019 £40 per person

Voluntary Action Centre, Merthyr Tydfil 9:30- 12:30

4 hour course accredited by Highfield qualifications.  At the end of the session learners will:

• Understand roles and duties for health, safety and welfare in the work place
• Understand the process of risk assessment
• Understand how risk assessments improve health and safety at work
• Know the processes for responding to accidents, near misses and ill-health in the workplace

 Again, candidates will need to bring a form of photographic identification with them.

To book email Hilary on training@vamt.net

Call for articles for "Inform" VAMT's online and hardcopy newsletter

Would you like to tell the third sector in Merthyr Tydfil and beyond what your organisation is up to at the moment?  Share successes, new services or just let others know what it is you do.  Inform, VAMT's hard copy newsletter is the ideal medium.  Just email an article, ideally with jpeg logo and high resolution images if you have them to hilary.edwards@vamt.net by 22 February for them to appear in the March edition.  We look forward to hearing from you.

Safeguarding Training

Safeguarding Children and Young People 
Date:  6 March 2019
Time:  9:30 am to 12:30 pmVenue:  VAMT
Cost:  FREE
This is a level 2 awareness raising session for voluntary and community groups which will increase the participants’ confidence in identifying and referring safeguarding issues.  Participants will:

• Develop a basic understanding of child protection and abuse
• Gain knowledge of child protection terms
• Consider how to report/respond as an individual

This course is aimed at those with a limited knowledge of safeguarding issues who are looking to set up, or review safeguarding policies and procedures within their organisation.

Safeguarding AdultsDate:  6 March 2019
Time:  1:30 pm to 4:30 pmVenue:  VAMT
Cost:  FREE
This is a level 2 awareness raising session for voluntary and community groups which will include:

• The background to legislation
• Definitions and indicators of abuse
• Current trends in adult protection in Cwm Taf

This course is aimed at those with a limited knowledge of safeguarding issues who are looking to set up, or review safeguarding policies and procedures within their organisation.
To book a place  telephone 01443 846200 or e-mail cjordan-evans@interlinkrct.org.uk

Take Action - Food Poverty

Following the launch of the South Wales Food Poverty Alliance’s report “Mapping Food Insecurity in South Wales”, which takes place at the Bevan Foundation’s Seminar “Solutions to Holiday Hunger” this week, VAMT would like to invite you to a workshop with Food Sense Wales on 21 February 2019 at the Voluntary Action Centre to look at how we can progress local action in Merthyr Tydfil.

Objective:
To identify key stakeholders and key actions to address food and poverty in Merthyr as a starting point for a Food and Poverty Action Plan
 
Introduction and overview of Food and Poverty in South Wales – evidence from South Wales Food Poverty Alliance Mapping report
 Workshop 1 – Optimizing household income
What are the keys actions, key stakeholders and resources needed to ensure people are accessing the support available to them?

 Workshop 2 – Improving access to healthy affordable food
Alternative retail, school holiday provision, meals on wheels, social meal provision and cooking on a budget – what’s currently happening and what needs to happen in Merthyr to support healthy food choices?
Priority Actions and next steps

Registration and tea coffee at 9:00am for a 9:15am start finish by 13:00pm  If you’d like to attend please email training@vamt.net or telephone 01685 353917.