Wednesday 24 March 2021

Scrutiny Committee Vacancies at MTCBC

We now have x2 vacancies for Voluntary Sector Representatives on:

  • Learning and LGES (Local Government Education Service) Scrutiny Committee; and
  • Governance, Performance, Business Change & Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee

which have been advertised on our website https://www.merthyr.gov.uk/council/councillors-and-committees/scrutiny-co-optee-vacancies/

Thursday 18 March 2021

Supporting Children and Young People?

 Are you an organisation or service that supports children and young people in the County Borough of Merthyr Tydfil?  Yes?  Then you won’t want to miss the next Health & Wellbeing Forum.

 Sue Walker, Chief Education Officer from MTCBC will present the Raising Aspirations, Raising Standards Strategy.  We will hear of key priorities emerging from the Strategy, and then in a workshop approach explore opportunities for ongoing third sector involvement.

 This is a new approach to the Forum format and one which I am sure will have benefit for all concerned.

 The forum will be held via Teams on Wednesday 14th April from 10am – 12noon. If your organisation is not currently a member of the forum but you would like to attend, please contact Claire.williams@vamt.net

Wednesday 17 March 2021

Third Sector Grant Scheme: Deadline Tuesday 6 April 2021

VAMT is pleased to promote the above grant scheme

Application Form

Guidelines

Flyer

Job Advert - BAME Engagement Officer - Fixed Term

 BAME ENGAGEMENT OFFICER

 £23,398 per annum pro rata

37 hours per week

Fixed term until 30.11.2021

The Covid-19 pandemic has both highlighted and exacerbated the inequalities faced by Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities. We are looking for a BAME Engagement Officer who has experience in community engagement and skills in engaging with a diverse range of BAME communities to work at a community level implementing a communications plan designed to increase BAME engagement with the Test Trace and Protect service and COVID-19 information.

The post is funded until 30th November 2021.

The closing date for applications is 31st March 2021. Interviews will be held on 12th April 2021 with a view to taking up role from 26th April 2021.

Job Description

Application Form

Equal Opportunities Form


Tuesday 16 March 2021

Consultation on proposed Pen March Windfarm

RWE Renewables is progressing plans to develop an onshore wind farm north east of Merthyr called Pen March. The RWE team invites you to explore plans to date and welcomes your feedback at this early project stage. This informal consultation will take place online until the end of March 2021 and will be live on the project website: rwe.com/pen-march RWE is one of the world‘s leading renewable energy companies and has a clear goal: to be carbon-neutral by 2040. Wind projects like Pen March are also helping Wales to meet its renewable energy targets. Get in touch via email: penmarch@rwe.com; telephone: 0800 197 8232 (during office hours); or instant message the team directly online via the virtual consultation platform. 

Mae RWE Renewables yn datblygu fferm wynt i’r gogleddorllewin o Merthyr sef Pen March. Mae tîm RWE yn eich gwahodd i fwrw golwg ar ein cynlluniau hyd yma, ac yn croesawu eich adborth yn ystod y cam cynnar hwn yn y prosiect. Mae’r ymgynghoriad anffuriol hwn yn cael ei gynnal ar-lein a bydd yn fyw ar wefan y prosiect tan diwedd mis Mawrth 2021: rwe.com/pen-march Mae RWE yn un o gwmniau ynni adnewyddadwy mwyaf blaenllaw’r byd ac ei nod clir: i fod yn garbon niwtral erbyn 2040. Bydd prosiectai gwynt fel Pen March yn helpu Cymru i gyrraedd ei thargedau ynni adnewyddadwy. Cysylltwch â’r tîm  drwy e-bost: penmarch@rwe.com; ffôn: 0800 197 8232 (yn ystod oriau swyddfa); neu sgwrsio yn uniongyrchol â’r tîm ar-lein ar y llwyfan ymgynghoriad rhithiol

Visit the Consultation: 

http://rwe.com/pen-march

Monday 15 March 2021

A Message from MS Society Cymru

 We are really interested in how you best manage your MS and how MS Society Cymru can support you in the future.

 We’d love to know more about your experiences, ideas and challenges so that we can identify opportunities to improve self-management and support services in Wales.

 We’d be really grateful if you could spare 5 minutes to complete this brief questionnaire - https://bit.ly/38w08kM

Your contribution will really help to shape what self-management support services we have in Wales. 

 Please complete the questionnaire by the 4th April. We’ll share the questionnaire results on 26th April on our MS Cymru Facebook page www.facebook.com/msscymru

or email Leila.Middlehurst-Evans@mssociety.org.uk

National Lottery Community Fund - Surgeries for LGBTQ+ groups

The National Lottery Community Fund are offering funding surgery appointments for LGBTQ+ groups, including evening appointments.  More details here


Monday 8 March 2021

Self-Advocacy Training for Carers

 Carers Wales has been commissioned by Welsh Government to deliver self-advocacy training to unpaid family carers, we have already delivered some this year which has been well received by carers.

 The aim of the training is to give carers the confidence and skills to advocate for their legal rights under the Social Services and Well-being Wales Act.

 Please join us on the 23rd March at 10am to hear more about the training and the ways we can work together to roll it out to benefit as many carers in Wales as possible.

 Please join us on Zoom.  Register using the Eventbrite link attached - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/self-advocacy-toolkit-for-unpaid-carers-presentation-tickets-142085175585

Virtual Wellbeing Day for Carers 26 March

 Carers Wales are delighted and excited to announce our dedicated virtual wellbeing day.

We want to invite unpaid carers to join us in a celebration of the Mindful activities that we have had on our Me Time sessions and share that experience with other carers who are in the same position.

 We are hosting a full day of activities to support the mindfulness and wellbeing of unpaid carers on Friday 26th March 2021. Each session is individual, and you can join as many or as few as you like. You do not have to commit to the whole day.

The day will look like this:

• 10.00 -11.20 – Mixed Craft session

• 11.30 -12.50 - Craft for Wellbeing

• 13.00 -14.20 - Sensory Enrichment through Nature

• 14.30 - 15.50 - Flower Workshop

• 16.00 -17.20 - Meat cooking Demonstration

• 17.30 – 18.50 – Nature in a Box

• 19.00 – 20.20 - Craft for Wellbeing

 Me Time' is a chance for unpaid carers to do something for their own enjoyment. These online sessions, funded by the Welsh Government, are a place where carers can get involved in a range of activities and explore new opportunities that they may not be able to do normally. We will be doing all sorts of things ranging from group viewings of the great wonders of the world, to arts, music, physical exercise, relaxation and mindfulness and so much more.

 Here is the link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/carers-wales-wellbeing-day-tickets-142394560965

Merthyr Tydfil Active Travel - Commonplace

 

The Teithio Llesol Merthyr Tudful / Merthyr Tydfil Active Travel Commonplace has launched.

Good news - the Commonplace for Teithio Llesol Merthyr Tudful / Merthyr Tydfil Active Travel has now launched. Take a look and get involved by having your say and sharing it with friends and neighbours.

Jewish History Association of South Wales Workshop 24 March

 Thanks to a Coronavirus Recovery Grant for Volunteering, the Jewish History Association of South Wales is running a 10-week-long project is to develop a strategic plan for sustainable volunteering and an effective volunteering infrastructure. We are organising a workshop to share our learning and are inviting all interested organisations and community groups across Wales to join us.

 

The key questions we will be addressing:

- What partnerships are needed to sustain and build our volunteering and drive forward our work and how do we build them?

- How do we develop sustainable volunteering: create a volunteering environment that benefits all volunteers, with the retention of loyal, motivated volunteers as a natural by-product.

- How do we support volunteers, so they enjoy the experience, achieve their volunteering objectives, and improve their well-being?

 

The online workshop will take place on Wednesday, the 24th of March, from 14:00 to 15:00, on Zoom.

 

Zoom details.

 

When: Mar 24, 2021 02:00 PM London

 

Register in advance for this meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMlfuqrqDsuGtXlDU6jfogUvxtLQObxaDSS.

 

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

 

About the Jewish History Association of South Wales (JHASW) and the project.

 

We are a community heritage group working to preserve and share the heritage of Jewish communities in south Wales with the wider public.

 

This project has allowed us to focus on volunteers and explore how we can support them. As a result, in the past five weeks, we have seen an important increase in volunteers’ engagement and team cooperation. 

 

Covid-19 has affected all aspects of our work, but especially the work with physical heritage. The grant has enabled us to develop and test a new method of processing fragile materials. We are working in partnership with Glamorgan Archives and People’s Collection Wales, who are providing online training for the volunteers.

 

Please get in touch if you have any queries, questions, comments, or suggestions.

 

We look forward to hearing from you.

 

Klavdija

 

Klavdija Erzen

Project Manager

JHASW - Jewish History Association of South Wales

 

Tel.: 0797 211 3952

Email: klavdija.erzen@jhasw.org.uk

Twitter & Instagram: @JHASW2018

Website: https://www.jhasw.com/

Digital Archive: https://www.peoplescollection.wales/users/31091      

 Cardiff Reform Synagogue

Moira Terrace
Cardiff
CF24 0EJ

 


 

JHASW is a Registered Charity in England and Wales.
Charity Registration Number: 1178852.

 

Please consider the environment and think before you print this email.

Thursday 4 March 2021

Funding Wales/Funding Cymru - Free Access to help you find funding

Sign up to Funding Wales for free to search hundreds of grant and loan finance opportunities for voluntary organisations

Funding Wales is a free tool to help voluntary organisations find funding for their cause.

 The website, created by Third Sector Support Wales, allows charities, community groups or social enterprises in Wales to find funding using a free online search engine.

You can search hundreds of grant and loan finance opportunities from local, national and international sources, from small grants to large capital projects.

To take advantage of the funding search, register at funding.cymru. Funding Wales is completely free to use for anyone working or volunteering in the voluntary sector in Wales.

You can also register via VAMT's website

 


Funding News from Lloyds Bank Foundation

 

We are delighted to announce that funding for 2021
is now open and will stay open for the rest of the year.


Small and local charities with a yearly income of £25,000 to £1 million who are helping people experiencing complex social issues can now apply for a two-year unrestricted grant of £50,000.

Alongside unrestricted funding, successful charities will be supported by one of the Foundation’s regional managers, who will work with them to access a wide range of organisational development support to help meet identified needs.

Applications for funding will remain open throughout the year. To check your eligibility and apply, visit our website.

 

 

To ensure this funding is distributed equitably, at least 25% of the £9.5 million awarded in grants this year will be ringfenced for Black, Asian and minority ethnic led charities. In the coming months, we will also be launching our Racial Equity funding stream for charities that are led by and for members of minoritised communities. If you’d like to find out when the Racial Equity strand opens, sign up here.

On Tuesday 30 March, 14:00, we will be holding a live Q&A panel with our grants team to talk through the eligibility criteria for our funding, the details of the grants and more. We will also be on hand to answer any questions about this funding. You can find our full eligibility guidance here.

Wednesday 3 March 2021

Latest Events from Valleys Steps and Coed Lleol

For further details contact Anna or Judith - details in flyers below.

Wellbeing in the Outdoors 

Mindfullness for Every Day

Steps to Wellbeing


Thinking about Lottery Funding -

 The National Lottery Community Fund – Rhondda Cynon Taf & Merthyr Tydfil Funding Event

We’re hosting an online session on 10th March aimed at community groups and charities in Rhondda Cynon Taf & Merthyr Tydfil, to tell you more about our funding, and to give you the opportunity to ask any questions you may have. We are here to help and want to talk to you about your ideas to support your community.

 We continue to make sure our National Lottery funds support people and communities in Wales through COVID-19. Our funds remain open and mostly unchanged but we're expanding our funding and support to help communities to adapt, recover and thrive.

Projects don’t have to be related to COVID-19, but when they are, we’re looking to support projects that are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic by:

  • supporting organisations to adapt or diversify to respond to new and future challenges;
  • supporting communities adversely affected by COVID-19;
  • supporting communities and organisations to become more resilient, to help them to respond better to future crises.

Find out more about our grants by visiting www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/wales

 If you are interested in joining us for this online event, please book a place by visiting: https://tocyn.cymru/en/event/d0cfb5f7-35dc-4c43-8a00-f185ed476766

 If you would like to join a Welsh language event, let us know and we will send you details about events organised on alternative dates for Welsh speaking participants.

 To complement this, VAMT are hosting funding surgeries on 17 March, giving groups and individuals the change to discuss their plans in more detail with Lottery Staff.

We've still got a couple of slots available in the afternoon - please email Hilary Edwards at VAMT  to book.