Job Vacancy with Gelligaer and Merthyr Commoners Ltd

 Gelligaer & Merthyr Commoners Ltd. 

Project Officer – Commons Collaboration Project. Salary £29,586 P.A. Gelligaer & Merthyr Commoners Ltd have secured funding under The Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 to deliver a Sustainable Management Scheme focussed on the historic landscape of Gelligaer & Merthyr Common. 

 We are seeking to appoint a fulltime project Officer to administer the project under a fixed term contract until 31st December 2022. Full details available upon request from the secretary: Commoners@gmx.co.uk or telephone 07974813394. 

The European Agriculture Fund for Rural Development. Europe Investing in Rural Areas

People First Roadshow - for people with learning disabilities

 

More here

Local Giving Session 12 August 10:30-11:30

Do you want to find out more about on-line fundraising?  Join us with Local Giving to find out more about how you can raise your own unrestricted funds 

More here

New Activities from Groundwork Wales

 We are currently running an Environmental Volunteering scheme at Cyfarthfa Park, which volunteers will participate in horticulture and countryside management activities, with the final outcome of volunteers eventually taking ownership at the site.   

The scheme is running for 10-week blocks, where volunteers take part in outdoor activities and can gain Agored Cymru qualifications. Sessions run on Mondays for 10 weeks – 10am-2pm, meeting at the Bothy Visitor Centre. The first session began on 19^th July 2021, but volunteers can start at any time throughout the programme.   

More info in English here   

Cymraeg yma

From Monday 2nd August, we are also leading Wellbeing Walking sessions at Cyfarthfa Park, for 3 weeks, participants meet outside the Bothy Visitor Centre and these walks are organised by Jordan Payne  

More info in English here

Cymraeg yma

Brecon Beacons National Park - what are the barriers to access??

 After the last year and a half, getting outdoors for health and wellbeing has become even more important and areas such as National Parks are known to be particularly beneficial for people’s wellbeing. One of the objectives of the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority is to ‘ help diverse groups of people access and enjoy the heritage, places and special qualities of the Brecon Beacons.’

Barriers Survey

We know it is not always easy for everyone to access the Brecon Beacons- that there are barriers. We already try to address issues where we can, but would like to try and do more.

It would be really helpful if you and /or members of your group could complete this short survey. It takes about 5 minutes. This will help us gain a better understanding of:

a) any difficulties people have in getting out and about in the National Park and
b) how the National Park Authority can help address these issues.

The survey is available in English and Welsh on Microsoft Forms which is the easiest way to complete and submit.

English:  https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=UxDZBRSVhUKWZs4pkXponL2ULS1pXvRPv4qy59BPcTxUODJaQ0tNQ01aTkRRQUFMUk5VMlRSMzhKQi4u

Welsh:  https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=UxDZBRSVhUKWZs4pkXponL2ULS1pXvRPv4qy59BPcTxUREpUQ0lVM1pFTjUwTkYwSzZBRTY1REgxSi4u

I have also attached the survey as a word document.If you prefer, please download, complete and return to me.

Any queries on the survey, please do get in touch.

Free group walks and activities/group leader training

The Park Authority is currently offering free walks and activities with qualified walk leaders, to community groups from within and outside the Park, subject to staff capacity. So if you would like to bring your group for a visit to the National Park, please contact me to discuss possibilities. We also run free training sessions for group leaders to gain practical information and ideas for bringing their group to the National Park.

Remote Volunteering Opportunities at the National Library of Wales

The National Library has developed a bilingual crowdsourcing website where volunteers throughout Wales and beyond can get involved with some of the national collections, while at the same time helping to make these collections more accessible to the public.

The range of tasks available include transcribing text, tagging photographs, and enriching data.  We hope these tasks will offer meaningful activities that may appeal to:

• people of all ages who are looking to improve their IT skills;
• people who are unable to leave their home due to caring responsibilities, mental or physical challenges;
• anyone who wants to learn more about the history and culture of Wales. 

I can provide a timesheet for individuals who wish to record their volunteering hours on the website.  The National Library is also able to provide a certificate acknowledging volunteer hours, as and when requested.

We currently have 2 projects on the website; we are asking online volunteers to help us as follows:

1. 'Photo Books' project - transcribing titles/info and tagging the content of photos from the Library's collection of 19th century Photo Albums;
2. 'Back to Blaenau Ffestiniog' project - tagging photos from the 1960s - 80s that are part of the Gwilym Livingstone Evans collection, capturing the social history of the period.

Here's a link to the website -  https://torf.llyfrgell.cymru/s/llgc/page/Home 

Guidelines on how to complete the tasks can be found on the 'Help' page of the website.  Please note that the tasks can’t be completed on a mobile phone at present.

Please pass on this message to any of your contacts who might be interested.  Feel free to email or ring me for more information.

GWYNETH DAVIES
CYDLYNYDD GWIRFODDOLWYR | VOLUNTEERS' COORDINATOR

Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru | The National Library of Wales
Aberystwyth, Ceredigion SY23 3BU

01970 632991 | gwyneth.davies@llgc.org.uk | www.llyfrgell.cymru

Help the Development Trust Association shape their future services

 

By completing their survey here

Another Vacancy with Safer Merthyr Tydfil

 Position:                           Safer Merthyr Tydfil, DART Team Lead

Reports to:                       DART Manager

Hours:                               37 hours per week

Salary:                               £25,472 p.a

Contract                            31^st March 2022 initially, subject to further funding  being secured

Location:                          Merthyr Tydfil

Purpose:

Lead and develop the team of specialist Domestic Abuse Workers in providing a high quality pro-active, needs-led, trauma informed and strengths based service to survivors of domestic abuse, keeping their safety central to all processes.

 Job description and applications can be accessed here: www.smt.org.uk/jobs 

 

Community Ownership Fund – information and Q&A session

 Community Ownership Fund – information and Q&A session

 The Community Ownership Fund is a £150 million fund to support community groups in the UK to take ownership of assets which are at risk of being lost. Under the fund, community groups will be able to bid for matched capital grants of up to £250,000 to help them to buy local assets to run as community-owned businesses. In exceptional cases, up to £1million matched capital grants will be available for some sporting facilities.

 The deadline for applications for this bidding round is 13 August 2021. A second round will open in December 2021 and a third in May 2022.

 Join this online information and Q&A session organised jointly by the Social Enterprise Stakeholder Group on Monday 26 July between 2pm – 3 pm, to find out more about the Fund from UK Government and to ask any questions you may have.

 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/community-ownership-fund-information-and-qa-session-tickets-163836299783

Job Vacancy at Safer Merthyr Tydfil

 SMT has secured funding for a Child Independent Domestic Violence Advocate, please see below information on the job opportunity, which is advertised on our website, Indeed and Recruit 3.  Please circulate to your networks.

Child Independent Domestic Violence Advocate (Child IDVA) 

30 hours per week (flexible/ evening and occasional weekend work required)

 £20,652

 Location:                                         Merthyr Tydfil

 Holiday entitlement:                     25 days (plus bank holidays/concessionary days, pro rata)

 Accountable to:                             CYP Project Manager

 Purpose of the post:

• To provide effective, community-based support to children and young people (CYP) aged 3-15 yrs who have witnessed and/or experienced familial or extra-familial domestic abuse.
• The support provided will be tailored according to need, be age-appropriate and solution focused.  Appropriate risk assessments will be conducted. 

 

Do you work with children aged under 2? Take a survey here

 I am contacting you as part of a local project which is a collaboration between the Early Years Integration Board (CTM UHB and LA’s) and the Parent Infant Foundation. The project is doing some research and consultation to inform the future development of parent-infant relationship teams in the Cwm Taf Morgannwg region.

 The research includes the following elements:

 Mapping current support available

Understanding workforce training needs

Research into local population needs

Consulting with local parents/carers.

 We need your help! We’d be very grateful if you could help us with the second of these tasks Understanding workforce training needs and complete the survey below.

 The survey will take about 15 minutes to complete and asks you about training that you have received, over the last 5 years.

 Click here to complete the survey.

Job Vacancy at Versus Arthritis

 

Read more here

On-line Empowerment Course for 3rd Sector

 More details here

Youth Led Grants open now

 YOUTH LED GRANT MONEY -  You can apply for up to  £5,000 

 The purpose of the Youth Led Grant Scheme is to fund exciting and worthwhile projects that create more volunteering opportunities for young people aged 14-25 within the Merthyr Tydfil area.

 The panel assessing applications will consist of young people who are already part of the Merthyr Tydfil Borough Wide Youth Forum (MTBWYF).  The whole process from marketing the grant scheme to assessing grant applications will be led by the young people sitting on the panel.

This year the criteria has changed and the Youth Led Grants will be expected to fund projects which contribute towards the seven Well-being of Future Generations Act (2015) goals. (Please note: not all projects will have to deliver against all seven goals).

1. A Prosperous Wales
2. A Resilient Wales
3. A More Equal Wales
4. A Healthier Wales
5. A Wales of Cohesive Communities
6. A Wales of Vibrant Culture and Thriving Welsh Language
7. A Globally Responsible Wales

The funding will only be allocated to projects that will be led by young people aged 14-25 and it will be the responsibility of the young people, with the help of the organisation to fill in the application form. 

 If you or the young people involved in your organisation can think of a project that would be of benefit to themselves and the community bearing in mind the 7 goals listed above, then please read the attached terms and conditions and fill in the attached application form, all completed application forms are to be emailed to frances.barry@vamt.net

 The closing date for applications is 12 noon Thursday 9th September 2021.

 Any queries please contact me on 07958 132822.

Volunteers Urgently Needed for Stephens and George Summer Camp

 More info here

Contact Frances at the Volunteer Centre if you're interested

New Fund - deadline very soon

IKEA Limited and The National Lottery Community Fund have come together to support thriving, resilient and sustainable communities across the UK. Places Called Home explores the idea that communities can become as important to us as our homes. It aims to inspire and help people get more involved in their local community as a positive, homely place to be and meet other people.

 Area: UK-wide

Suitable for: Small local voluntary or community organisations and groups

Funding size: £1,000 to £5,000

Total available: £1.5 million

Application deadline: 14^th July, or once we receive 1,500 applications - whichever comes first

 Projects will need to meet at least two of these criteria:

 

• It builds on the relationships created during the COVID-19 pandemic to increase community activity and the number of people taking part.
• It encourages people to work together, creating opportunities for communities to live in a sustainable and healthy way.
• It raises awareness amongst the public of the importance of connected households, neighbourhoods and resilient communities. 
• It develops a new idea, activity or way to come together that has emerged in response to the pandemic. 
• It revives or redesigns community and common spaces to encourage shared community activities.  

 

We’ll prioritise applications from groups who:

 

• Have not received funding from us before
• Do not have a current award with us
• Are smaller organisations with an annual turnover of under £100,000.

Other organisations can apply, including those that have a current grant from The National Lottery Community Fund, but please consider these factors first.

 

We’re keen that projects reflect a mix of communities and places from across the UK, and of the 300 awards to be made for this pilot partnership programme, the aim is to make sure that there’s a geographical spread of funding across the UK and a range of activities being delivered across the projects.

 

The programme is due to close on 14^th July at the latest (or earlier, if a total of 1,500 applications are received).

 

To find out more about Places Called Home and what you need to do to apply, visit our website.

 If you have any questions about the programme, please contact wales@tnlcommunityfund.org.uk or 0300 123 0735

Landfill Disposals Tax Communities Scheme - open again for applications

 Landfill Disposals Tax Communities Scheme (LDTCS) - Round 6 - Open to applications

 The LDTCS is now open for applications, please note that as with the last round applicants will no longer need to use eTender Wales to apply – applications are made via WCVA’s Multi-purpose Application Portal (MAP).

 Main grants £5,000-£49,999 are available.

 For information about the scheme and guidance on how to register on MAP, please visit the webpage here - https://wcva.cymru/funding/landfill-disposals-tax-communities-scheme/

 The deadline for applications is 31/08/2021 23:59.

 

Samaritans South Wales Valleys are recruiting

 See the poster here

Volunteering Wales feedback

 Arolwg Sefydliadau Gwirfoddolwyr

 Diolch i bawb sydd eisoes wedi cwblhau'r arolwg ar Lwyfan Gwirfoddoli Cymru. Mae eich adborth yn amhrisiadwy i sicrhau ein bod yn deall pa mor dda y mae'r platfform yn gweithio a sut y gellid ei wella wrth symud ymlaen. Os nad ydych wedi cwblhau'r arolwg eto, a allech wneud hynny trwy glicio ar y ddolen isod. Ni ddylai gymryd mwy na 5-10 munud o'ch amser. Bydd ymatebion yn cael eu trin yn gyfrinachol.

 Cliciwch yma i gymryd yr arolwg

 Diolch am eich cefnogaeth,

 Volunteer Organisation Survey

 Thank you to everyone who has already completed the survey on the Volunteering Wales Platform. Your feedback is invaluable to making sure we understand how well the platform works and how it could be improved going forward. If you have not yet completed the survey, could you please do so by clicking on the link below. It should take no more than 5-10 minutes of your time. Responses will be treated as confidential.

 Click here to take the survey

WG Funding to tackle food poverty and insecurity

 Food poverty and food insecurity grant scheme

 Are you an organisation that actively tackles food poverty and food insecurity and are seeking extra funding?

 There is an opportunity for you to apply for funding through the EUT fund: Tackling Food poverty and addressing food insecurity 2021 to 2022 grant scheme managed by the Welsh Government.

 Food poverty continues to be a growing issue for low income households in Wales. Therefore we have £1m Capital and £1m Revenue to fund organisations to tackle these issues and will be encouraging local authorities and third sector organisations to work together and apply.

 If this sounds like a grant scheme that could support your projects, visit our webpage where you will find more information about eligibility, the fund and an application form:

https://gov.wales/food-poverty-and-food-insecurity-grant-scheme

 If you have any queries please contact prosperousfutures@gov.wales

 The closing date for applications is midday on 19^th July 2021.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Cynllun grant mynd i'r afael â thlodi bwyd ac ansicrwydd bwyd

 A ydych yn sefydliad sy'n fynd i'r afael â thlodi bwyd ac ansicrwydd bwyd ac sy'n chwilio am gyllid ychwanegol?

 Mae cyfle i chi wneud cais am gyllid drwy’r gronfa EUT: Mynd i'r Afael â thlodi bwyd ac ansicrwydd bwyd 2021 i 2022 a reolir gan Lywodraeth Cymru.

 Mae tlodi bwyd yn parhau i fod yn fater cynyddol i aelwydydd incwm isel yng Nghymru. Felly mae gennym £1m o Gyfalaf a £1m o Refeniw i ariannu sefydliadau i fynd i'r afael â'r materion hyn a byddwn yn annog awdurdodau lleol a sefydliadau'r trydydd sector i gydweithio a gwneud cais.

 Os yw hyn yn swnio fel cynllun grant a allai gefnogi eich prosiectau, ewch i'n tudalen we lle cewch ragor o wybodaeth am gymhwysedd, y gronfa a ffurflen gais:

https://llyw.cymru/cynllun-grant-tlodi-bwyd-ac-ansicrwydd-bwyd

 Os oes gennych unrhyw ymholiadau, cysylltwch â DyfodolFfyniannus@llyw.cymru

 Y dyddiad cau ar gyfer ceisiadau yw hanner dydd ar 19 Gorffennaf 2021.

 

Funding Available from Versus Arthritis

 Let’s Move Together Fund: Now open!

Versus Arthritis are distributing grants of up to £5,000 to support people with musculoskeletal conditions including arthritis to get active. Organisations in Wales, Scotland or  Northern Ireland should be working to increase the availability of exercise opportunities for people with musculoskeletal conditions in local communities, to reduce the negative impact of coronavirus and the widening of the inequalities in sport and physical activity. Applications are particularly welcome from groups who also support people from lower socio-economic groups, Black, Asian and/or Minority Ethnic communities and disabled people.

 29.3% of adults in Wales have musculoskeletal conditions so we anticipate that a number of groups will be eligible. For more information about these conditions please visit About arthritis | Conditions, symptoms, treatments, support (versusarthritis.org).

 For more information about the Let’s Move Together fund, including how to apply, please visit Inspiring active communities (versusarthritis.org). If you have any questions please email physicalactivityva@versusarthritis.org.

 

High Sheriff of Mid Glamorgan Young People's Award

Please see below from Jayne James 

DO YOU KNOW A YOUNG PERSON OR GROUP WHO DESERVES TO BE RECOGNISED FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING EFFORTS?

The High Sheriff Awards panel would like to reward young people in Mid Glamorgan who have made outstanding contributions either at home or in the community during 2021.  Youngsters in particular have shown great bravery and resilience during the Coronavirus pandemic and it would be wonderful if they could be recognised for their outstanding achievements.

The Pandemic halted our Awards evening in 2021 but we aim to hold a 2022 event and reward deserving youngsters with thousands of pounds in cash prizes for their time and effort, taking part in initiatives which stand out amongst their peers.  They may have helped their local neighbourhood, an individual or a local organisation or even achieved a sporting or academic achievement.

So, if you or anyone in your organisation/workplace knows of a person or group aged between 11-21 who could be nominated for an award and a cash prize of up to £1000 and all we ask is for a nominator aged over 18 to fill in the application form which will be available in early September.  Please email me on the email address below if you require a form but I will be emailing everyone again in September with details of how to submit nominations.   

highsheriffmidglamorganawards@gmail.com

 

We look forward to hearing from you.

 Jayne James, BEM DL

Chair, Mid Glamorgan High Sheriff Awards Panel

Support from Tesco Merthyr Tydfil

 VAMT have recently been approached by our local Tesco to see how they can better get involved with the local community.  At the moment, they're looking for details of any local community events taking place between now and the end of July which they may be able to support.  While this support won't be financial, they are keen to see how they can support in other ways.  Please forward details to Hilary Edwards asap.