Funding opportunity - "Help Wales after Storm Dennis Fund"

A fund, set up by Michael Sheen, is open to requests from community groups and voluntary organisations affected by the recent storms, by flooding or general storm damage.

For more information click on "Help Wales after Storm Dennis Fund"

To make a request please email – funding@wcva.cymru

If you need any assistance please contact either Ian Davy or Hilary.Edwards 

Merthyr and the Valleys Mind - Carers Rights Information Day 3 March

The carers project is holding a Carers Rights information day at Stevens and George Community Café Dowlais Merthyr Tydfil on the 3^rd of March

Amber Powell from Carers Wales will be attending to speak about Carers Rights.

More information here

Woodland Walk and Outdoor Gym - Meet at Aberfan Leisure Centre

More information here

Activ Woods - 6 week Woodland Sessions at Royal Crescent Allotments, Penydarren

More information here

People First Cwm Taf Conference and Job Fair 10 and 11 March

At the Miskin Manor Hotel.  More information here

"Talk, Learn, Do financial capability"

The Campaign for Learning is running the final 2 seminars entitled “Talk, Learn, Do financial Capability” (in conjunction with the Money and Pensions Service), listed below.  It is FREE to attend.
Merthyr Tydfil, 4th March

2020 - 12.30-4.30

(To book a free place - follow the links above and scroll to the bottom of the screen).

Talking about money isn’t always easy. However, getting children

used to talking about money early can help them avoid financial issues in the

future. Talk, Learn, Do (TLD) is an evidence-based parenting intervention developed by the

Money Advice Service to help parents of 3-11 year olds talk to their children

about money.

 This half-day practical training will enable you to deliver

engaging activities to enable parents to teach their children to develop

positive money habits. This training course provides skills for those with no

financial capability training and offers new approaches for those who have

already worked in this field

  

This workshop provides you with:

• opportunity to explore the Talk, Learn, Do resources and
• discover how to adapt them to your families and setting.
• a toolkit, marketing ideas and resources to enable you to
• deliver the programme as soon as you get back to your organisation

There will be lunch and refreshments on the day.
MaPS would expect that attendees plan to deliver a two-hour TLD session to parents.

Get in touch: email us on info@cflearning.org.uk or call Julia on 020 7798 6067

Free Craft Workshops at Cyfarthfa Park 27-28 June

The Big Skill, together with Merthyr Tydfil Adult Community Learning Partnership offer a weekend of free craft courses at Cyfarthfa Park between 12:00pm-5:00pm on Saturday and Sunday 27 and 28 June.  There's also free entry that weekend to the Museum.  Further details here

National Lottery Community Fund - Funding Surgery at Trelewis Community Centre

The National Lottery Community Fund are holding a funding surgery at Trelewis Community Centre on 17 March between 10:00am-1:00pm.  To book your place email Katherine.john@tnlcommunityfund.org.uk

Further details here

Inform - VAMT's quarterly magazine - deadline

Just a quick reminder the deadline for articles is Friday 21 February.  Many thanks to all those who have already submitted information.

Valleys Steps Mindfullness Course at Pontypridd Museum - CANCELLED

Pontypridd Museum Course Cancelled

 

We're sorry to inform you that we've had to cancel our on going Mindfulness course within the Pontypridd Museum due to the severe damage that has been caused to Pontypridd town due to Storm Dennis. We have no other cancellations at this time but will be providing further updates throughout the week via our mailing list and social media as we move forward. We apologise for this inconvenience

FREE Drystone Walling Training at Gelligaer and Merthyr Common

Further information is available here in Welsh  and  English

FREE Train the Trainer Course Accredited Level 2 in March

Please contact Judith Wilding at Adult Learning Wales for further information.  01495 369869 Judith.wilding@adultlearning.wales


More information here

Job Vacancy - Project Co-ordinator at TAG

A job description and person specification are here

For further information contact  callum@tagyouth.net

National Lottery Community Fund - Homelessness

Grants of up to £50,000 are available for strategic projects that seek to redesign services to make homelessness rare, brief and non-recurrent.  

Expressions of Interest should be submitted by 12:00pm on 29 May 2020. Please get in touch as soon as possible if you're thinking about applying.

Launch events are also being held across Wales to answer any questions you may have, as well as offer the chance to network.

25 February 2020 in Butetown Community Centre, Cardiff
27 February 2020 in Catrin Finch Centre, Glyndwr University, Wrexham
28 February 2020 in Medrus 3/4, Aberystwyth University

Further details can be found at https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding/programmes/helping-end-homelessness

Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council - Voluntary Sector Scrutiny Co-optee Vacancies

Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council currently have vacancies for third sector representatives on  Scrutiny Committees.

Voluntary Sector representatives will need to have agreement from the organisations to which they belong to act as a representative.

Further information is in the link below.  For queries email scrutiny@merthyr.gov.uk
Closing date for applications is 6 March 2020.

https://www.merthyr.gov.uk/council/councillors-and-committees/scrutiny-co-optee-vacancies/

Circus Berzercus at Dowlais Community Centre 21 March 2020

Further details here

Calling all projects working with young people . . .

Year 2 applications for ReachOut are now open...

 The ReachOut project is funded by The Co-Op Foundation (https://www.coopfoundation.org.uk/youth/), and focuses on working with young people across Wales who are at risk of experiencing loneliness, social isolation and related negative consequences. Our ReachOut hubs deliver a programme of activities and support, including bespoke workshops exploring the theme of youth loneliness in Wales.

For further information on the project to date please visit our website: https://youthcymru.org.uk/reach-out/

 Reach Out is a project that enables young people between the ages of 14 to 25 years old, to reflect on their own experiences of loneliness whilst taking action to address the stigma around the subject. Through this project young people will be able to take real actions to reduce isolation and create more belonging within their communities.

As part of the project your organisation will deliver a minimum of eight loneliness workshops and activities with the assistance of a provided toolkit, with the aim for young people to develop social action projects.

 You will be provided with a budget of £1000 for the project.
 
Submission for applications will be open Monday 3rd February until Friday 21st February 2020.
In the week commencing 24th February, we ask for a telephone conversation to support your application.

 I f your organisation is successful you will be expected to attend a train the trainer session between Tuesday 28th and Thursday 30th April 2020, at the Youth Cymru offices.

For further information, questions or to be added to the ReachOut mailing list please contact Project Co-Ordinator Kirstie Edwards via kirstie@youthcymru.org.uk/ 01443 827840/ @kirstiecymru on twitter.

10th Annual Heritage Conference

Prestigious line-up of speakers at 10^th annual heritage conference

The importance of industrial heritage to the economy of the future will be one of the themes discussed by a prestigious line-up of speakers at next month’s 10th annual Merthyr Tydfil Heritage and Regeneration Conference.

Nick Thomas-Symonds MP will be talking about his work as Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Industrial Heritage, while the February 28 event will also see the launch of a booklet about Merthyr women who have made a difference to the world – including a suffragette and the women who fought for equal pay at Hoover’s.

Delegates will also be updated on plans to transform Merthyr Tydfil’s Cyfarthfa heritage area into a heritage centre of international significance.

The conference, jointly organised by Merthyr Tydfil Heritage Forum and Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, is being held at Merthyr Town Football Club and is a free event.

MP for Torfaen, Nick Thomas-Symonds is an elected Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, has written two biographies of Labour politicians Clement Attlee and Aneurin Bevan, and is currently writing a biography of Harold Wilson. 

He will be speaking on ‘how we can take the very best from our past to build the economy of the future’, and highlighting case studies from around the UK, examining the different models used to make sites sustainable and the key role local councils can play in the industrial heritage sector. 

Heritage Forum Chair Joe England will be looking back at heritage developments in Merthyr Tydfil since the first conference 10 years ago and also discussing the Welsh Government's strategy for economic development in the valleys.

Merthyr Tydfil’s longest-serving female elected member Cllr Lisa Mytton will be announcing the publication of Torchbearers, a booklet about groundbreaking Merthyr Tydfil women, include a top scientist, a poet, a suffragette, an award winning journalist, a famous fashion designer, doctors, an historian, and the women who fought for equal pay at Hoovers.

Other speakers include: Cyfarthfa Museum staff Ben Price and Chris Parry, talking about the museum’s community outreach work; County Borough Council Interim Chief Executive Ellis Cooper, speaking on ‘The Regeneration of Merthyr Tydfil’; and Design Commission for Wales Chief Executive Carole-Anne Davies and consultant Geraint Talfan Davies, providing an update on the Cyfarthfa Plan.

The conference is taking place from 9am-3.30pm and includes a buffet lunch.

Cabinet member for Regeneration and Public Protection Cllr Geraint Thomas said the event had attracted a diverse range of influential speakers over the past decade, and the anniversary event was no exception.

“The conference is a highlight in the calendar for everyone interested in discovering more about our illustrious history, while also keeping abreast of future developments that will benefit us all as residents,” he added.

• To book a place, please telephone 01685 727021 or e-mail conference@merthyr.gov.uk

Printable poster

Safeguarding Training from Interlink - being delivered at VAMT

A limited number of places are available on the following:



Safeguarding Children and Young People
24 March 2020
9.30am – 12.30pm
at VAMT
Cost: FREE
This is a level 2 awareness raising session will increase your 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 – Adults at Risk
19 March 2020
1.30pm – 4.30pm
at VAMT
Cost: FREE 
This is a level 2 awareness raising session 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 contact Cara on 01443 846200 or email: cjordan-evans@interlinkrct.org.uk

 

Inform - VAMT's Hard Copy Magazine - call for articles for March 2020

The next edition of Inform, VAMT's hard copy magazine is due to be circulated in March.  As always, articles from local groups are welcome.   If you've news you'd like to share, have something to celebrate or just want to let others in the third sector and beyond know what you are up to, this is the place to do so.

If you'd like to include an article then please don't hesitate to email Hilary .  Deadline for receipt of articles is 21 February 2020.

Reserve the Date - Environment and Green Spaces Network meeting 22 April 2020

The next meeting of the Environment and Green Spaces Network will take place on 22 April 2020 between 10:00am-13:00pm at a venue to be confirmed.  Please save the date, and if you have anything you'd like to see on the agenda, email Hilary  at VAMT.