If you are having difficulty reading this email then view an online version

www.sesc.info

 

 

Welcome to the March Wakefield Social Enterprise Link e-newsletter.  Through this newsletter we aim to keep you up to date with news, funding and events from the growing world of social enterprise in your area. If you have anything you would like to promote through the newsletter, please email lucy.p@sesc.info

 

News

A partnership with the Mental Health Foundation, with involvement from Mental Health Media, Mind, ReThink, and Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health, to call for project proposals. NESTA will provide a total of £500, for innovative projects from front-line workers, users and carers to tackle some of the key issues in the mental health arena. This might include new or improved services, breaking down the stigma of mental illness or encouraging the involvement of users in re-designing their own care.

Those with potential ideas can apply online at http://www.nesta.org.uk/challenges and through partner websites.
Each of the Challenges will create a range of opportunities to tackle key issues. These will include seeking and funding ideas from front-line workers or users, providing capital and support to start-up social enterprises, or engaging the general public in a search for a solution to a specific problem.

NESTA is looking for potential partners with sector-specific expertise or a track record in social innovation to help devise, deliver or co-fund projects. These projects will be aimed at stimulating innovation in services as well as in new products and technologies, and will also aim to facilitate practitioner-led, community-led and third sector innovation.

For further information about NESTA’s Innovation Challenges, the Health Innovation Accelerator or the Mental Health Call for Proposals, interested parties should go to http://www.nesta.org.uk/challenges or contact the Challenges team on 020 7438 2500 or mailto:challenges@nesta.org.uk

 

Funding

People’s Millions Fund

Come along to our funding fair on the 26th March

This year’s programme is bigger and better with increased funding of £80,000 available to groups to improve the quality of life of local communities through transforming the local environment, or provide opportunities or facilities for enjoying the local environment.

Five groups in our region will benefit from this funding. Eight groups in total will be short listed and feature on ITV’s calendar programme in November, where they will compete for public votes.

If you’re interested in applying to People’s Millions please come along and see us between 12pm and 4pm on the 26th March at the National Centre for Early Music, York. The funding fair is open to everyone and groups can come and find out more about funding available from Big Lottery Fund, Awards for All and other funders in the region.

 

Connected Fund

The 6th round of the Connected Fund is now open, the deadline for applications is 12 April 2007.  The aims of the Connected Fund are: 

For Round 6 of the Fund, the focus is on activities that tackle gang issues. 

Guidelines and application form are available from the Connected Fund website at: http://www.connected.gov.uk/funding/connected-fund/index.html  or telephone the Gun and Knife Crime Team on: 020 7035 1809, email: connected@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk   

 

What’s On?

Creative Enterprise 2007 - Help Your Talent Grow

24th March, Dixon’s City Academy, 10.30am – 3.30pm

Fabric is pleased to announce "Creative Enterprise 2007" - an opportunity for people from all walks of life to make the most of their creative talents.

The event will take place on Saturday 24th March at Dixon's City Academy from 10.30am to 3.30pm.  It's an event for anyone who has a talent or an interest in the creative sector to come and find out how they can develop their skills and make a living.

All kinds of creative opportunities exist in Bradford including dance, music, design, radio, theatre, stand-up, street performance, film - all aspects will be covered from performance to production.  Creative Enterprise 2007 aims to help people find out how to make the most of their talent.

There will be performances from Lost Dog Theatre Company, break-dancer Lloyd Thomson and friends, DJs and live music as well as a host of professionals and arts organisations who will answer questions and talk about their paths to success.

Informal seminars will be available as well as one-to-one consultations with business counsellors and information about training and courses in the arts and culture.

 If you wish to attend a seminar please book early, as places are limited. To book email fabric@bradfordcollege.ac.uk or phone 01274 438966 stating which area you are most interested. If you just wish to attend the day then register via email or phone.  Lunch will be provided.

                     

Buy Recycled Event

Wednesday 18th April 2007, Carriageworks theatre, Leeds

If the answer is ‘yes’ then book your place at Recycling Action Yorkshire’s FREE Buy Recycled event taking place on Wednesday 18th April 2007 at The Carriageworks, 3 Millennium Square, Leeds.

Recycling Action Yorkshire’s Buy Recycled initiative has been developed to help you to Buy Recycled content products and integrate sustainable procurement into your everyday purchasing decisions. At this event you will find out how you can use your purchasing power to create environmental benefits – at no extra cost!

Key procurement organisations will be delivering workshops on sustainable procurement throughout the day giving you the chance to pack a full update into one time and place.

A ‘Recycled Product’ exhibition, showcasing regional recycled products will be held during the day and there will be an opportunity to hear about the FREE Buy Recycled “hands on” support and tools provided by Recycling Action Yorkshire.

I hope you will be able to attend. Places are on a strictly first come, first served basis so please call Susie Lea on 0117 930 4355 or e-mail buyrecycled@recyclingaction-yorkshire.org.uk

 

Why Waste – Free Event Information

Friday 30th March, National Media Museum, Bradford, 6.45pm

Companies: are you aware that you could save up to 4% of your annual turnover by using Why Waste’s FREE online Waste exchange to find, reuse or recycling outlets for your waste.

Community Groups: did you know that there are companies out there desperate to give away all sorts of unwanted materials that could be of use to your project?

Recyclers: There are hundreds of ongoing recycling opportunities in our region still to be explored.

Come and meet each other at our launch and reduce your resource costs.To book a place for yourself and one guest, email register@whywaste.org.uk

 

CUDEM Research Seminar

Planning for Green Infrastructure; Lessons from the Thames Gateway

Wednesday 2nd May, 12.15pm – 1.45pm

Civic Quarter, ‘B’ Building, Lecture Theatre B3, Leeds Metropolitan University

Guest Speaker Dr Richard Simmons (Chief Executive of CABE – Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment) will be talking about lessons to be learned for the planning of green infrastructure, drawing upon experiences from the Thames Gateway and East London in developing the “Green Grid”.

Admission is Free, for further information contact Steve Littlewood; s.littlewood@leedswmet.ac.uk For location and map visit www.leedsmet.ac.uk/visiting/travel

 

Training

Skills for Small Businesses

MYCCI are offering a unique solution for your company’s skills development.

What is it?

This is a programme that develops an individual, a learning champion in your company who will work with accredited coaches/mentors to;

Eligibility

Companies with less than 50 employees within eligible postal areas of West Yorkshire. The Skills for Business Advisers will be able to confirm eligibility at the enquiry stage.

Why?

Your people, their ideas and creativity are your most valuable resource and only they can ensure you keep ahead of the competition. You will benefit by;

The full cost of this programme is £3000, with LSC grant of £2250 you only have to pay £750+VAT
Contact the Skills for Small Business Team on 01484 438825 or email avelynne.tidswell@mycci.co.uk

 

Tender Readiness Toolkit

4th May, 10am - 12.30pm Chestnut Centre, Huddersfield Or

8th June, 10am - 12.30pm Social Enterprise Support Centre, Wakefield

If you need an organisational health check before seeking contracts this is probably the most useful DVD you can see. View a demonstration of the toolkit and seek professional advice about your organisation’s capacity to deliver new contracts.

The workshop/DVD includes:

Once completed you will have a comprehensive black and white view of your organisation for future planning purposes.

The events are free to attend but places are limited, please Book online or cal Lucy Piatkowski at the Social Enterprise Support Centre 01924 241330 or email mailto: lucy.p@sesc.info

 

Made to Measure - Quality tools to suit your Social Accounting

April 4th, Kirklees Methodist Mission

Looking at the variety of established quality tools available and how they can be fitted to the Social Accounting framework. Showing you how much you already have in place and how you can best align your existing systems to the Social Accounting framework. For those with no system in place this workshop can help you decide which one most “suits you”!

For further information contact Linda Lockwood at Into Business Scheme on 01484 223686

 

Wakefield Infrastructure Partnership Drop In Event

23rd May, 1pm - 4pm, Horbury Community Centre, Cluntergate, Horbury

Are you involved in a voluntary, community or faith group? Do you need help with:

....or any other issues

Then come along to one of our drop in events during 2007, to meet organisations in the Wakefield district who can give you free information, advice and support.

For more information contact Voluntary Action Wakefield District on 01924 367418 or fit4funding on 01924239063

 

Useful Links

West Yorkshire Social Enterprise Link:    http://www.wyselink.co.uk/

Social Enterprise Support Centre:           http://www.sesc.info/

Social Enterprise Yorkshire & Humber     http://www.seyh.org.uk/

Bfunded                                                          http://www.bfunded.org.uk/

Supplier route to government                      http://www.supply2.gov.uk/

 

Useful Information

iT4Communities - Introducing Volunteer IT Professionals to Charities Needing IT Help

VCS organisations are becoming increasingly reliant on IT to deliver and support their activities. There is a definite need for greater understanding and efficient use of IT in order to fully exploit the potential offered. To address this need iT4Communities (iT4C) introduces IT professional volunteers to charities and community groups needing IT help.

Since it was formed in 2002 it has enlisted around 4,000 skilled IT volunteers and over 1,600 organisations across the country have registered for help. In total £2m worth of IT projects have been delivered to charities and community groups who would not otherwise be able to afford to pay for these services.

iT4C may be able to help your organisation by matching up a skilled volunteer to your IT requirements. Volunteers can help with anything from planning an IT strategy, networking and web site design to database design and programming.

iT4C is a member of The ICT Hub: a consortium of voluntary sector organisations who have come together to plan and deliver a coordinated framework of ICT guidance, good practice, advice and support for voluntary and community organisations, accessible at a local level. All services are free.

iT4C also promotes volunteering among IT Professionals and companies and can provide speakers for your events and free IT volunteering workshops

Contact iT4Communities quoting A362/303 on 020 7796 2144 or email mailto:info%40it4communities.org.uk .
For more information see the iT4C website at http://www.it4communities.org.uk/

 

Vacancies

Voluntary Action Wakefield District

Do you have the leadership skiils to play a key role in the development of the voluntary and community sector in the Wakefield District?

Chief Executive (£34,166 - £36,636 + pension)

Voluntary Action Wakefield District is the key voluntary and community sector's (VCS) development agency in the Wakefield District. We are a major player in the Local Area Agreement and work closely with both VCS and with public agencies.

We are seeking to appoint a Chief Executive with significant experience and knowledge of the VCS who has the vision and ebergy to lead the transformation  or our organisation inorder that it can play an effective role in the expansion of the sector in the district.

For an application pack please call 01924 367418 or email jobs@vawd.org.uk stating the post title.

Closing Date 4pm Thursday 5th April