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Looking for your stories for SPARK magazine
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18 August 2008
SPARK, the magazine for Hackney’s voluntary and community sector, will be out in September 2008.
Do you have a story you would like to share?
In particular, we are looking for stories and photos of events that happened over the last few months, as well as events that are coming up during September to November 2008.
Email your stories to gillian@hcvs.org.uk by Tuesday, 26 August.
Advertising
SPARK has a circulation of over 2,000 and with advertising space starting at as little as £35, SPARK is a great way of reaching the community in Hackney.
Contact Gillian on 020 7923 1962 or gillian@hcvs.org.uk to book your space by Tuesday, 26 August.
SPARK schedule:
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Launch of Words Unite 2008 / 09 to get people in Hackney reading
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29 July 2008
Words Unite is a community-wide campaign to ‘Get Hackney Reading’ to encourage adults, children and young people throughout the borough to become enthusiastic, independent and inquiring readers. It’s all about inspiring people to read more, to read together with family and friends and to enjoy all the different ways of reading.
Up to £10,000 of Words Unite Funds are available to organisations such as community groups, youth clubs and grassroots teams that are working to benefit and engage the local community.
The closing date for applications is Monday 22 September at 5pm. Kristine Wellington from HCVS will offer help and advice in completing your Words Unite application form on Wed, 10 September from 11am – 1.30pm.
Representatives from the Learning Trust will be on hand to answer any questions about Words Unite and the Get Hackney Reading strategy. Kristine will also touch on monitoring and evaluation and tell you the support available during the year to help organisations with the Words Unite reporting requirements.
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Launch of a user led forum for Disabled People living in Hackney
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21 July 2008
Hackney Family BackUp is starting a new project to run a user led forum for Disabled People living in Hackney. It is funded by the council and will act as an opportunity for disabled people to have their say about key issues in Hackney.
The forum will enable service users to influence change in their borough and be consulted about current issues. The forum will be accessible to those with physical, sensory or learning disabilities and is open to all age groups.
The aim of this forum is to:
• Enable participation for disabled people in all of Hackney’s opportunities
• Represent interests of disabled people in regards to council services
• Increase access for disabled people to council services
• Promote equality and reduce discrimination
The forum is to be launched in September. There will be an accompanying website and regular newsletter.
To be on the forum’s mailing list and to keep updated on the forum’s progress please:
Email: catherine@hfbu.org.uk
Call: 0207 275 0088 and ask for Catherine Love or Sheila Ramdular
Text phone please dial: 18001 0207 275 0088
Text: 07593 508 288
Fax: 0207 241 6121
or write to: Hackney Family BackUp, The Print House, 18 Ashwin Street, London, E8 3DL
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Young Peoples’ Funding Programme Launched In Hackney
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14 July 2008
A new three-year funding programme inviting Hackney organisations to bid for money to run Positive Activities for Young People was launched today (Monday, July 14th). Voluntary and community groups in the borough have until October 1st to submit their bids.
The Team Hackney funded programme, worth just over £1.5 million a year for three years (total £4.5 million), has been devised with the help of the views of Hackney young people themselves, and will focus mainly on the 13-19 age-group. In a Council survey earlier this year, they said they wanted more services for young women, and more opportunities to develop their skills and talents.
Councillor Rita Krishna, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, and Chair of Team Hackney’s Children and Young People’s Partnership said: “We know that, as well as being enjoyable, well-organised and good quality youth activities can help young people to develop the skills and confidence they need to do well in life. For some, it has the added benefit of reducing the risk of their being excluded from school or becoming involved in crime or anti-social behaviour.”
The funding programme is looking for Hackney-based organisations to offer a range of activity, during term-time and holidays, covering arts, sport and outdoor activity; environmental projects or community service; business and youth enterprise; and access to accredited awards such as the Duke of Edinburgh scheme. There is also funding for specialist services for young people at risk of offending.
These activities will start in January 2009 and run at least until the end of March 2011. The programme has been designed to complement existing youth development activity in the borough such as the Police and Community Fire cadets, and support for youth forums such as the Youth Parliament and youth ambassadors’ scheme.
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Have you got a great idea for a summer project in Hackney?
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11 July 2008
Voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations can apply for a small Fast Track grant of up to £1,000 to run activities over the summer as part of the Team Hackney Community Grants programme 2008 / 09.
Groups who want to apply need to get their applications in quickly, as the deadline is 12 noon on Thursday, 7 August 2008. There will be just a three week wait for a funding decision and successful organisations can start running their projects in September 2008.
These Fast Track grants are part of Team Hackney Community Grants, launched today by Team Hackney and the Hackney Community Empowerment Network (CEN). Through last year’s programme, £750,000 was invested in the voluntary and community sector in Hackney, and, for the first time, large grants of up to £50,000 were made available to the sector.
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Da Big Freeze
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08 July 2008
Serena Asante, a student from Our Lady’s Convent High School reports on Hold it Down's latest success.
Da Big Freeze was a huge ice skating event organised by Hold it Down, which took place on 28, June 2008. The purpose of the event was to unite the young people in Hackney and talk about the worries they face in today’s society. They could discuss the issue of living and going to school in Hackney.
Young people also talked about how crime can affect young people. Da Big Freeze was a fun event with a serious purpose. The event was for all ages and abilities. Bashment, Hip-Hop, R‘n’B and grime were played by Energy FM’s DJ Gangster Kid. Prizes were given out as well as free food and drink.
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Join the Children & Young People's Providers Forum
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30 June 2008
The Children and Young People’s Providers Forum (CYPPF) is a network of voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations who work with children and young people.
It's a good way of meeting colleagues who are working in a similar field and to stay up to date on policy issues and the national children and young people's agendas.
The next meeting of the Forum is on Thursday, 10 July, from 1.15pm at HCVS. The topic is strengthening the Forum and getting ready for children and young people's commissioning from Team Hackney
Following on from the pilot year in 2007, Team Hackney can now confirm finance is available for all its children and young people’s (CYP) commissioning. You will be able to apply for contracts to run programmes for more than one year as funds will be available for activities up to 2011.
We have organised an event on Monday, 14 July to inform you about how to access this commissioning around Year Round Activities and Holiday Activities for young people.
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Launch of Hackney Funding Programme 2009/10
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27 June 2008
Voluntary and community sector organisations and groups based in Hackney will be able to apply for 2009/10 Hackney Funding Programme from Hackney council from 8 July 2008.
The programme will open with a launch event on 8 July at Queensbridge Community Centre. Kristine Wellington and Niall Sweby from HCVS with Cyndi Smart from the Community Accountancy Project are running workshops to help you make a winning application to the Hackney Funding Programme 2009/10.
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Last chance to have your say on Hackney’s Compact Refresh
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26 June 2008
You have until tomorrow - Friday 27 June to give your views on Hackney’s Compact Refresh consultation. The Compact is an agreement between the voluntary / community / third sector and public sector organisations about how they will work together in order to benefit local people, including commitments relating to funding, premises, volunteering and policy development.
Although not a legally binding document, the Compact has the potential to be important in defending the voluntary and community sector’s (VCS) independence and status as an equal partner when working with statutory bodies.
HCVS has held three consultation events attended by over 30 people, including Matthew Nimmo, the consultant working on the Compact, Susan Gooding, new Head of Service, Community Partnerships at Team Hackney and Ajamu Mutumwa also from Team Hackney.
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Hackney Women’s Forum launch the Women in Governance Project
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26 June 2008
Hackney Women's Forum have launched a new project to encourage women in Hackney to take on leadership roles and find out more about governance.
After 12 weekly training sessions of just 4 hours you will be able to:
• Campaign for better facilities for your family or community
• Know how to become a school governor, charity trustee or local councillor
• Gain a qualification and much much more ….
Training starts in July and will run until November 2008 at the Queensbridge Centre. There is free childcare and lunch.
Contact: Marika on 07950 220214 or hackneywomenforum@yahoo.co.uk
Please see attached document for more information. Free childcare and lunch
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Da Big Freeze
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24 June 2008
Join Gangsta Kid and the Energy Family tear up the ice at Lee Valley Ice Centre on Saturday, 28 June 2008 from 5 – 8pm. This is a free event for young people aged 11 - 21 – you get a pair of ice skates, soft drinks and chances to win some big prizes.
Organised by Hold it Down, this event is designed to reach local young people and find out what it’s like being a teenager in London today. We have invited young researchers from Hackney based Cityzen, to find out what’s it’s like being young in London.
Hold it Down is a young people’s led events management enterprise, set up through the Youth Futures programme at Hackney Council for Voluntary Service (HCVS).
Gary Francis, Director of Youth Futures said: ‘Da Big Freeze is a fun event with a serious message - too many young people are caught up in violent crime and are now beginning to say enough, we want adults to actively change the way things work for young people. These events are the start of adults saying, we are listening. So come, have fun and talk to us about the changes you want to see.’
Youth Futures is a voluntary and community sector led programme funded by Team Hackney, the local strategic partnership. It is made up of seven local community projects who work with Hackney’s young people who are at risk of gun and gang crime. Young people are encouraged to promote active citizenship within their community and act as active peer mentors to other young people.
Da Big Freeze: Lee Valley Ice Centre, Lea Bridge Road Leyton E10 7QL
For more information call Dean on: 07904 640 000; Josh on: 07904 630 000; Gary: 07904 610 000 or Dave: 07904 620 000
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Are you working to tackle anti-social behaviour or do you work with people experiencing domestic violence in Hackney?
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12 June 2008
The CEN are looking for people to help improve decision making and services in Hackney by representing the voluntary and community sector (VCS) on Team Hackney’s Anti-Social Behaviour and Respect sub group and Team Hackney’s Domestic Violence sub group.
The closing date is Monday, 14 July
Please contact: Liz Hughes on 020 7923 8184 or email liz@hcvs.org.uk
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Launch of Community Empowerment Network (CEN) Cross-Cutting Network Investment Programme
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12 June 2008
Are you a local community network for local people or organisations which helps shape the way services are delivered?
You could apply for a CEN Cross-cutting network grant of up to £3000.
To qualify for this grant you must be a second tier organisatio or network – that means that some of your members are organisations rather than individuals. Your area of work should contribute to the aims of the Team Hackney partnership.
£3000 is available for network development (increasing impact and influence, your membership, skills of staff and outreach) for networks who can demonstrate their work will support the achievement of at least one of the Local Area Agreement targets listed in the application guidance form.
The total grant programme is £30,000. Examples of activities we would expect to fund are:
- building up your membership
- running sessions for your members to better understand the work of Team Hackney and how the CEN relates to it
- rewriting or expanding your terms of reference
- skills training for members
- partnership events, activities to raise awareness of your network, briefings on public sector policy).
If you need help with your application and with understanding the funding criteria, you can book an appointment with Liz Hughes, the temporary CEN Coordinator, details below. We are really keen that the right networks are funded so its good if you contact Liz before you apply.
Closing Date: Monday, 14 July
Grants awarded by end of July
Network development programs to run from 1 September 2008 to 31 March 2009.
Please contact: Liz Hughes on 020 7923 8184 or email liz@hcvs.org.uk
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SPARK is out for the summer, a huge thank you to everyone who contributed!
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24 May 2008
For this issue, we feature news from across Hackney, including:
a look at the compact: why should the VCS get involved in the consultation?
london gypsy and traveller unit (LGTU): LGTU celebrate their 10th anniversary and the first national Gypsy and Traveller month is in June
introducing: Foezul Ali, Nida Trust and working to make young Muslims community leaders
community empowerment network: achievements for 2007 / 08 and the children and young people’s providers form
We also have news from across the sector from barnardos candl, home-start hackney, wilton youth, Disability Hackney, Hackney Refugee Forum and Dalston Youth Project, Refugee Week and much more…
Next issue of SPARK: Will be out in later this year – dates to be confirmed if you would like to contribute please email your news to gillian@hcvs.org.uk or call 020 7923 1962
Do you want to publicise news to the voluntary and community sector (VCS) in Hackney? Why not take advertising in SPARK – starting at as little as £35 it’s a great way to reach people in the VCS in Hackney.
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East London & City Partnership to deliver grassroots funding for the smallest community groups
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13 May 2008
Community groups with a turnover of less than £20,000 a year may soon be able to access up to £5,000 for their community projects as part of a government scheme called Grassroots Grants. Grassroots Grants will provide much-needed access to small grants for local community groups.
A partnership between St Katherine & Shadwell Trust and four local CVS in East London – the East End & City Grassroots Grants partnership (HCVS, NVSC, City.COMM and Community Organisations Forum) – has been established to deliver this programme in Hackney, City, Newham and Tower Hamlets. If this partnership is successful in its bid to the Grassroots Grants Programme, then over £1.3million will be available to small community groups in the four Boroughs over the next three years. Furthermore as part of the endowment building match element of Grassroots Grants government will release even more funding if the partnership can demonstrate it can secure money from private sources to match the programme.
Jenny Dawes, Director of SKST said ‘After three years this partnership wants to ensure each of the Boroughs has a dedicated pot of funding for community groups that has been funded by private donations to the programme.’
Jake Ferguson, Chief Executive Officer of HCVS said ‘This presents a real opportunity for government to invest in local projects which often don’t have the capacity or track record to apply to other grants programmes. This funding could not have come at a better time for Hackney groups’.
Sarah Ruiz, Director of NVSC, said ‘Whilst the £1.3m is not going to change the world, it will provide some much needed funding for new groups wanting to deliver small scale activities, especially at a time when there has been a loss of small grants programmes across the country”
Mark Pudge, Chief Executive of CITY.COMM said ‘'This is a great opportunity for the VCS to work with the private sector to support local people to deliver grassroots, community focused activities’
Barry Stoyle, Chief Executive of Community Organisations Forum said ‘This is an example of the voluntary and community sector coming together to provide local benefit to those that need it the most’
Some of the benefits of Grassroots Grants include:
· improved access to funding for grass roots organisations
· more funding invested in the organisations
· greater capacity to respond to local issues
· stronger communities through increased local impact
· a fast turnaround for groups waiting for decisions about funding (the East End & City Grassroots Grants partnership
Decisions about who will deliver this programme in each of the Boroughs will be made by the 3rd of July. Government expects that local groups will be able to apply for funding in the Autumn.
Notes of editors:
1. Local third sector funders across the country have been invited by the Community Development Foundation (CDF) to apply to become a local partner in delivering the £130million Grassroots Grants programme in their area.
2. Grassroots Grants will provide much-needed access to small grants for local community groups and organisations in England who will apply for funds from a local funder later this year. It will also help develop sustainable funding for them through an endowment match challenge.
3. The Community Development Foundation (CDF) is administering the programme nationally and the search has begun for local funders to ensure that the money gets to where it is needed in each community and to run the endowment match challenge.
4. The £130 million fund, which will run from 2008-2011 will be divided into two parts: an £80 million small grants fund for community organisations; and a groundbreaking £50 million endowments programme to enable local funders to generate additional donations on a matched basis and invest them in endowments, thereby building their capacity to provide long-term funding for frontline community organisations.
5. The East London & City Partnership is a consortium led by St Katharine & Shadwell Trust and encompassing four top-tier areas: City of London, London Borough of Hackney, London Borough of Newham and London Borough of Tower Hamlets.
6. The members of the consortium are: CITY.COMM (CC), Community Organisations Forum (COF), Hackney Council for Voluntary Service (HCVS), Newham Voluntary Service Council (NVSC) and St Katharine & Shadwell Trust (SKST).
7. If the bid is successful St Katharine & Shadwell Trust will manage the grants programme for the City of London and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. CITY.COMM and Community Organisations Forum will assist with the provision of outreach and capacity building support. HCVS will manage the grants programme in the London Borough of Hackney. Newham VSC will manage the grants programme in the London Borough of Newham.
The East London & City Grassroots Grants Partnership is a grant and endowment building consortium led by St Katharine & Shadwell Trust, with HCVS, NVSC, COF and CITY.COMM.
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Let’s get the priorities right for Hackney’s children and young people
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01 May 2008
Hackney’s Children & Young People’s Services are reviewing the Children & Young People’s Plan to develop a revised, three-year plan for 2008-11, due in late June and introducing the Common Assessment Framework.
Hackney's Children and Young People’s Providers Forum (CYPPF), is holding their next Forum meeting to discuss this. If you work with children and young people in Hackney, join the CYPP Forum on:
Thursday, 8 May 2008 2008 lunch from 1.15pm - to start 1.30pm – 3.00pm
Venue: HCVS, 84 Springfield House, 5 Tyssen Street, London E8 2LY
Hackney's Children and Young People’s Providers Forum (CYPPF), is funded by Community Empowerment Network network grants.
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Are you interested in taking part in partnership work aimed at making Hackney a better place?
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30 April 2008
We are looking for six voluntary and community representatives to sit on the following groups on Team Hackney to help influence policy and service planning:
· Drugs and Alcohol Action Team sub-group
· Domestic Violence Strategic sub-group
· Anti Social Behaviour & Respect Strategic sub-group.
Closing date: 5pm, 16 May 2008
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HCVS celebrates Hackney’s community champions
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18 April 2008
The winners of the first Adiaha Antigha Community Achievement Awards were announced to huge rounds of applause at our Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Celebration event on 12 March 2008. These awards recognise those people in the voluntary and community sector (VCS) who have made an outstanding achievement to the local community.
In total, eight people and organisations were awarded, one for each of the six original categories, who received a certificate and gift in the form of an Aloe Vera plant known for its healing properties and chosen to represent growth for the VCS. We also gave certificates to two extra people for special recognition of their services.
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Team Hackney Community Grants Update
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31 March 2008
More than 100 voluntary and community organisations in Hackney have now been awarded grants worth a total of £750,000 through the 2007/8 Team Hackney Community Grants programme. The final tranche of larger grants – worth £5,000-£50,000 - was agreed earlier this month, with 14 local community and voluntary groups benefitting.
Over the last financial year, the programme has focused on tackling eight Local Area Agreement priorities for the borough including improving employment rates, raising educational attainment, reducing the rate of violent and criminal gang culture and reducing health inequalities for children and young people.
From providing fresh food stalls, to supplementary schools and support for people suffering domestic violence, Hackney’s community and voluntary groups have been creative in their ideas for Team Hackney Community Grant-funded projects which are aimed at improving life for everyone in the borough.
Ian Lewis, partnership director for Hackney Council, said: “we recognise that the voluntary and community sector are key players in supporting the delivery of services to local people in areas which have been identified as key priorities in Hackney. The award of these grants will support improved outcomes for local people at different stages in their lives, from helping boost learning opportunities for children and young people, to supporting community activities for older people”.
Launched in July 2007, voluntary and community groups could apply for three streams of Team Hackney Community Grants: fast track grants of up to £1,000 which were awarded to 77 organisations, small grants of between £1,000 and £5,000 which were shared amongst 39 organisations and most recently, large grants of between £5,000 and £50,000, of which 14 have been awarded. This is the first time Team Hackney, the local strategic partnership, has awarded large grants over £5,000 to the community and voluntary sector.
One of these funded organisations, the Turkish Education & Development Association (TEDA), was awarded over £30,000 to run a supplementary school and provide a homework club and extra support in the core curriculum subjects of English, Literacy, Maths, Science and ICT, extra curricular activities such as trips to local libraries and museums as well as competitions and classes in Turkish. Yasar Kayaoglu of TEDA said: ‘We as a community organization are very pleased to receive the Team Hackney funding as this funding will help support our educational projects.”
Team Hackney awarded a contract to Hackney Council for Voluntary Service (HCVS) to manage the grants programme on behalf of Hackney’s Community Empowerment Network, which assists the voluntary and community sector to participate as fully as possible in local decision making and service delivery. The projects which have received grants now have until 31 March 2009 in which to complete their funded activity.
This year’s application process was tougher than in previous years. Not only has the range of grants supported much-needed community-based activities across the Borough, it has also prepared parts of the voluntary and community sector for the introduction of a more strategic approach to commissioning by Hackney’s public sector partners. The Local Government White Paper: 'Strong and Prosperous Communities', (October 2006) includes the key duty to engage and develop the Third Sector, and the subsequent requirement of Councils, working with their Local Strategic Partnerships, to refresh their Local Area Agreements.
Rocket Science, a consultancy which is evaluating this year’s grants programme reported to Team Hackney that: “The approach has intentionally been far more in keeping with an open and competitive tendering process for service-based contracts, and the sector has responded accordingly. It both appears and feels, as intended, like a stepping stone between a programme of small grant-aid and strategic-based commissioning”.
Not all the applicants who applied were successful. HCVS are holding sessions with unsuccessful applicants to explain why their applications were unsuccessful and how this could be avoided in the future.
HCVS and Hackney Training & Employment Network, in partnership with the Community Empowerment Network, ran a number of courses to educate community practitioners about commissioning and get feedback from the voluntary and community sector. These highlighted a number of barriers to commissioning for the sector: it is not seen as being responsive to local needs; that it places too much risk and demand on smaller groups who do not have the capacity. These concerns will be reported back to Team Hackney with the aim to inform their future planning for working with the sector.
The programme is administered by Hackney Council for Voluntary Service (HCVS), the borough’s leading voluntary sector support agency.
To see a complete list of awarded groups see the attachment or visit www.hcvs.org.uk or www.teamhackney.org
For enquiries about the programme or to join the HCVS mailing list, contact Gillian Trevethan at HCVS on 020 7923 8186 or Gillian@hcvs.org.uk
If you were unsuccessful in your Team Hackney Community Grants application and would like advice please contact Elizabeth on elizabeth@hcvs.org.uk
For enquiries about Team Hackney contact Ruth Garland, partnership communications adviser at the London Borough of Hackney on 020 8356 2476.
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Big Lottery Fund boost for Hackney community groups
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08 January 2008
People working in Hackney’s thriving voluntary and community sector will benefit from a share of £15.4 million of Big Lottery funding recently awarded to Hackney Council for Voluntary Service (HCVS).
HCVS received just under £500,000 from the Big Lottery Fund’s BASIS programme, which is designed to increase the effectiveness of the third sector. As the local CVS for Hackney, this will enable HCVS to continue to deliver frontline support, information and training to hundreds of people in Hackney’s voluntary and community sector (VCS) over the next three years.
As part of HCVS’ commitment to increasing the capacity of the local voluntary and community sector, HCVS have launched the Fit for Purpose Community Training Programme for 2008. The Fit for Purpose programme offers free training on marketing skills, managing finances, developing staff and fundraising. There’s something for everyone, such as our Ready, Steady, Go programme, for people new to the sector who would like to set up a community group
There are also courses delivered with Hackney Community Empowerment Network, whose role it is to support local people’s involvement in decision making and local services. This training aims to develop the sector’s understanding of the commissioning process - how the sector can be funded to deliver public services as well as working in partnership with the public sector and other VCS organisations.
HCVS is in regular contact with hundreds of voluntary and community organisations in Hackney, who deliver a wide range of services to local people across the community. Projects include teaching English to our new refugee communities, after school support for children, developing social enterprises with local young people to organisations supporting older people in healthy living.
Over 500 people have already benefitted from training at HCVS, some of the comments from former participants include: ‘The course was very clear and a tremendous help! Thank you!’ ‘I believe the approach taken by the facilitator and the staff was very professional and motivating for me personally and this atmosphere could not have been better.’ ‘There is no one else better than this.’
Niall Sweby, Director of Programmes at HCVS said ‘This funding guarantees HCVS can continue to deliver our core services of training, information and guidance, to the voluntary and community sector. We now have a great platform for all the good work we have done to continue as well as the opportunity to develop new projects, and the financial stability to respond to new needs.’
For enquiries about Fit for Purpose training or any of our services at HCVS, contact Gillian Trevethan at HCVS on 020 7923 8186 or gillian@hcvs.org.uk
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