voluntary VOICE Neath Port Talbot CVS The magazine for the voluntary sector in Neath Port Talbot No - 60 March 2013

Transcription

1 voluntary VOICE Neath Port Talbot CVS The magazine for the voluntary sector in Neath Port Talbot No - 60 March 2013

2 WELCOME Dates for the Diary Events LSB Welfare Reform Workshop - Monday 8th April am pm - Neath Port Talbot CVS Real Time Information (RTI) Event -Tuesday 9th April am pm - Neath Port Talbot CVS Contents 3 LSB Welfare Reform Workshop 4-7 CVS News 8-9 Funding 10 Consultations/Forums Members News Back Volunteer Opportunities Front cover: LSB Welfare Reform Workshop For further information please contact Neath Port Talbot CVS on or info@nptcvs.org.uk DISCLAIMER: Any views or opinions presented within Voluntary Voice are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Neath Port Talbot Council for Voluntary Service, unless otherwise specifically stated. Please note that Neath Port Talbot CVS is not responsible for the content or reliability of external information.

3 LSB Welfare Reform Workshop A wide range of third sector organisations attended the first of two workshop sessions held at Neath Port Talbot CVS to look at the five key priorities of the Local Service Board (LSB): welfare reform, jobs, health inequalities, vulnerable families and transport. As a key partner on the LSB Neath Port Talbot CVS is running the workshops to explore how the Third Sector can help identify and address the real needs that exist within each of the priorities, and to explore possible solutions. The impact of these priorities is of urgent concern, and necessitates a solution-focused approach by the sector. This first workshop looked at Welfare Reform, Jobs and Transport. The next workshop, to be held at CVS on 8 th April 2013, will look at Vulnerable Families, Health Inequalities and Transport. This is a real opportunity for voluntary organisations and others in the Third Sector to have an important and critical influence on the way our partners plan their services. Please make every effort to attend the next workshop and get your voice heard. If you wish to attend please contact Neath Port Talbot CVS.

4 Small Workplace Health Award Neath Port Talbot CVS has recently been awarded the Small Workplace Health Award at Bronze level and is now working toward the Silver award. The Small Workplace Health Award is one of the Healthy Working Wales programmes, and is the national mark of quality for health and wellbeing aimed at organisations employing fewer than 50 people. It is a developmental process, based on good practice and improvement and can be used to support activities that promote the health and wellbeing of employees. The award has been developed to reduce ill-health issues such as stress and musculoskeletal disorders in the workplace, as well as promote healthy lifestyle behaviours which should help to improve the overall performance of the organisation and productivity levels. Organisations can reach three levels of the award Bronze, Silver and Gold and can work through them at their own pace. If your organisation would like to find out more contact Claire Waters, Principal Practitioner Workplace Health, Public Health Wales, 36 Orchard Street, Swansea, SA1 5AQ. Tel: / Claire.waters@wales.nhs.uk Jill Harding of Neath Port Talbot CVS receiving the Small Workplace Health Bronze Award

5 Neath Port Talbot CVS Neath Port Talbot CVS have a new volunteering project starting April 2013 The Xtra Project! The Xtra Project The Xtra Project is a European Engagement Gateway funded project that will begin in April 2013 and run until June The Project will engage with participants who are furthest away from the labour market, who have a work limiting health condition, and give them the opportunity to develop the skills and experiences needed to increase their employability. Volunteer mentors will be recruited and trained, then placed in voluntary organisations and charities within Neath Port Talbot. These mentors will be able to support any potential volunteers who need a little xtra support. If your organisation would benefit from having a volunteer mentor in place, or would like further information, please contact Gemma Richards at Neath Port Talbot CVS Volunteer Centre on Volunteer Fair at Pontardawe Jubilee Club Following on from the successful Volunteer Fair that Neath Port Talbot CVS organised back in October, another Volunteer Fair was held on Saturday 2nd March 2013 As part of the Big Volunteering Project, Neath Port Talbot CVS tried to reach the residents of Pontardawe and surrounding areas. A staggering 17 organisations attended the fair with the aim of promoting their services and recruiting new volunteers. Through volunteering you can gain experience, confidence, learn new skills and it will improve your employment prospects. For further information on volunteering please contact the Volunteer Centre on

6 Hearty Lives Neath Port Talbot People living in Neath Port Talbot, and especially men, have a higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD), heart disease, obesity, alcohol abuse and mental ill health than those in most counties in Wales. Neath Port Talbot Council for Voluntary Service is working in partnership with the British Heart Foundation and alongside Abertawe Bro Morgannwg Public Health Team, Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board (ABMU) and Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council. Our aims We are looking to recruit and train community members to deliver positive and accurate health messages in their communities. All volunteers will receive full training before commencing their volunteering. The training will include volunteer induction training and British Heart Foundation Pass It On Training plus relevant courses covering 4 key areas, Smoking, Safe Alcohol Consumption, Healthy Eating and Physical Activity. Community Health Volunteers will be a valuable asset to support individuals to achieve long lasting lifestyle changes. For more information about Hearty Lives Neath Port Talbot, please contact Natalie Fletcher the Hearty Lives Volunteer Coordinator on or NatalieF@nptcvs.org.uk or please visit or heartylives

7 The Neath Port Talbot Youth Council Election night Young people from across Neath Port Talbot have voted for the first democratically elected Youth Council in Neath Port Talbot but also in Wales. The Youth Council will represent all year olds living in Neath Port Talbot, making sure that they have a voice in local matters. The Youth Council will meet with the Local Authority Cabinet, the main decision making body in the Local Authority. They will have their voices heard in the Local Health Board, the Children and Young People s Partnership and nationally through Funky Dragon. In their work they will be supported by the Neath Port Talbot Youth Service and Neath Port Talbot Council for Voluntary Service. The young people on the previous Youth Council volunteered their time throughout the summer to organise the election and we thank them for their effort and commitment. The young people created posters and a logo. They held assemblies and spread the word to other young people. The campaign took place between October and November with the count taking place on 20 th December Young people from schools, Neath Port Talbot College, voluntary organisations and individuals had put themselves forward to be candidates. There were 44 young people elected, representing all areas of Neath Port Talbot. They have been trained on campaign skills and have made a film with Adam Amor of Buffoon Media to help with their individual campaign to get elected. Halrose, an electronic voting company organised the electronic elections which were read out on the night. This method has had its challenges in making the process work. The Youth Council members will form the Youth Council for the next two years. Youth Council members can be contacted through Janet Weaver, NPT Youth Service on or Mike Mainwaring, Neath Port Talbot CVS

8 Funding GwirVol grants GwirVol is pleased to announce the launch of the youth volunteering grants. The aim of the GwirVol Youth Volunteering Grants scheme is to support the delivery of a wide range of new volunteering opportunities in Wales and overseas that will support the step change in access to volunteering for young people aged and especially for disadvantaged young people. The GwirVol grant scheme offers three different strands of funding. Creating Opportunities: For organisations looking to create new youth volunteering projects, new youth volunteering roles or to recruit more young people into existing volunteering roles. Creating Opportunities grant applications can be for up to a maximum amount of 10,000. Millennium Volunteers: For organisations looking to recognise the commitment young people give to volunteering through offering the 200 hour award of excellence. Millennium Volunteers grant applications can be for up to a maximum amount of 10,000. International: For organisations looking to develop overseas volunteering opportunities that benefit young people and their communities in Wales as well. International grant applications can be for up to a maximum amount of 30,000. How to apply: You can get more information and download the application forms and guidance at The deadline for applications is 2pm Wednesday 5 th June If you would like any further information on the above funders or are looking for support with sourcing funding please contact us on or Info@nptcvs.org.uk.

9 Lloyds TSB Foundation for England and Wales - Fund Core Costs In 2013, Lloyds TSB Foundation for England and Wales has 20m to give to charities that help disadvantaged people to play a fuller role in the community. In Wales, the Foundation funds a wide range of charitable causes, including debt advice services, support for disability groups, carers support, and advocacy services. In 2012, we awarded 1,250,000 to 80 charities in Wales. Unlike many other grant makers, 70% of our funding goes towards core costs such as salaries, overheads, rent and project costs. If your charity is registered with the Charity Commission, is helping disadvantaged people and you have 12 months of reserves or less, then the Foundation wants to hear from you. Visit the website have a look at the funding guidelines and complete the eligibility questionnaire. It only takes ten minutes and it will tell you instantly if your charity would be eligible for funding. Heritage Lottery Fund New Programmes announced Our Heritage The Our Heritage programme supports all types of heritage projects. For example, smaller parks and green spaces, community buildings, museum collections and archives as well as activity projects exploring languages, cultures and memories. You can apply for a grant of between 10,000 and 100,000. Sharing Heritage Sharing Heritage is for any not-for-profit group wanting to explore, share and celebrate their community s heritage. You can apply for a grant of between 3,000 and 10,000. Young Roots The Young Roots programme is for projects that engage young people with heritage in the UK. You can apply for a grant of between 10,000 and 50,000. website:

10 Forums Dates of our next forum meetings are: Mental Health Forum - Wednesday 27th March 2013 Neath Port Talbot Carers Forum - Thursday 28th March 2013 Consultations Effective consultation is a key part of the policy-making process. Responses to consultations help shape policy developments and set the agenda for public services. Neath Port Talbot Council for Voluntary Service responds to a wide variety of consultations as an organisation and on behalf of the sector. We encourage voluntary sector organisations to feed us their views on current consultations via info@nptcvs.org.uk Open consultations include NPT Working in Partnership Consultation on the Single Integrated Plan The draft Healthy Eating in Schools (Wales) Regulations Wales and the EU: Partnership for Jobs and Growth - European Structural Funds You can find out what we've been saying by taking a look at our recent consultation responses which are listed below and by keeping an eye on our consultation section of the website. Some of our recent responses include: Sustainable Development Bill White Paper Commission on Devolution in Wales - second call for evidence Consultation on legislation to end violence against women and domestic abuse (Wales) For more information on current consultations or for NPTCVS responses to consultations, check our website at

11 Independent Advocacy Project Celebrates its First Year The Safeguarding Older People Independent Advocacy Project has now completed its first year of providing independent advocacy, information and support to older people living in Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend. The project has proved to have had a significant impact on the lives of older people and provides one to one support to empower people who may be feeling isolated, vulnerable and/or under pressure, helping people understand their rights, representing their views and help to access support services and make informed decisions. Our advocates can help people who are faced with life changing decisions and enable people to have a voice where otherwise they may not feel able to speak up for themselves. If you would like some further information on how an Advocate can help you, or someone you know please contact the team on Baglan Youth Forum is looking for trustees People who are responsible for the overall running and management of the charity and oversee all the major decisions on behalf of the charity. The trustees job is to set out the strategic direction of the charity and must feel confident that the charity is well managed and meeting its objectives. Trustees are also responsible in law for the financial security and transparency of the charity. If you are interested please contact Karla on:

12 HeArts Exhibition On 5 th December 2012 the young people from BRAVE Project (Calan DVS) launched their HeArts Exhibition. BRAVE (Building Resilience for Abuse, Violence and Exploitation) provide bespoke, specialist support services for children and young people in Neath Port Talbot who have been affected by domestic abuse. The young people developed and co-ordinated an art project culminating in an exhibition at the Gwyn Hall. The aim of this project was to provide an opportunity for the young people to express their experiences of domestic abuse and reflect their journey through support to raise awareness of how domestic abuse affects children and young people. It is thanks to the support from The Millennium Stadium Charitable Trust, Communities First and Neath Port Talbot CVS Youth Fund that enabled BRAVE to work creatively and therapeutically with this group of young people. The young people have been involved in the HeArts project alongside local artist Paul Rees since September, attending workshops evenings and weekends. Their hard work and dedication to the project really paid off. Professionals from Neath Port Talbot attended the exhibition and Keith Towler (Children s Commissioner for Wales) presented each young person with a certificate of excellence for their participation and commitment to the project.

13 Keith Towler explained I know how it feels to make a picture about something important to you and then to exhibit it for everyone to see. It is a very personal thing to do. It s Brave with a capital B. You hope that what you want to say will touch someone who is looking at what you have made. For these young people they are sharing their feelings and their emotional responses to the circumstances they found themselves in. In their work you can see their anger, frustration, the love they have for their family and their friends and their hopes for the future. Their determination to protect the right for all children to have a happy and healthy childhood shines through. The young people welcomed professionals to the exhibition and had the opportunity to explain and talk through their pieces of work. As a practitioner who has worked with the young people throughout this project it was great to watch them shine, for them to tell their story and experiences and for the exhibition to be young person led and focused. It is easy to forget that young people have a valuable voice and it is important, as a children and young person service, that they are listened to and help to shape our project. One young person stated it felt great to show our work to professionals and to feel listened to I felt that they were beginning to understand just how difficult it is.

14 Mini F.A.Ns Mini F.A.Ns is a youth group, based in Ethel St., Melin, that is run by young people for young people. They carry out a variety of activities but are best known for the circus skills workshops and shows that they hold throughout Neath. Through trial and error, Mini F.A.Ns identified a need for a specialist portable sound system, to enhance their workshops and assist them in choreographing their routines. They approached NPT Youth Fund for assistance and were awarded 360 for this purpose. On 15th January Mini F.A.Ns were invited to Neath Port Talbot CVS to meet the young people making up the NPT Youth Fund panel, and talk about the things they do however, they decided that it would be easier to show what they do instead. Rather than a powerpoint presentation, they turned up with a selection of circus equipment. After a quick question and answer session with the panel, the members of Mini F.A.Ns cranked up the volume on their new stereo and gave a demonstration of their skills, including diabolo, poi, hula hoop and juggling. The Chairperson of Mini F.A.Ns, Joel Al-Hattab, informed the panel that they would be taking part in a workshop taster session, beginning with a concentration game. He asked the group to form a circle and simply pass a ball between them, remembering the order that the ball was passed in. The difficulty was increased by everyone moving around the room during the task and by introducing a 2nd ball with a different sequence. The members of the panel were then let loose with the equipment. They were taught a variety of basic skills such how to control a spinning diabolo and the throw, throw, splat! splat! method of learning to juggle. They all successfully learnt the art of plate spinning too. Finally, Joel gave the panel a taste of the spotlight and invited them to put on a show of the skills they just had learnt. They were a little reluctant, so threw their new guy in at the deep end to go first! Mini F.A.Ns would like to say a big thank you to NPT Youth Fund and a massive well done to the members of the panel that met us, especially since they didn t know what they were getting themselves into. We hope you all enjoyed.

15 Swansea Bay Volunteer Awards We all know the unsung heroes in our communities and the people who go out of their way in ensuring we remain safe, well cared for and, for some, the difference between a lonely day and a happy day. Swansea Bay Volunteer Awards has been set up to honour those unsung heroes within the Swansea Bay Area. There are a number of categories on offer and your unsung hero should fit into one of these. You can nominate them now at For more information contact Peter Bush, FInstTT on or peter.bush@responseambulance.co.uk South Wales Miners Museum Award for Good Governance presented by WCVA The South Wales Miners Museum was nominated for the award for Good Governance and shortlisted from 100 volunteer groups. On the 31 st January the award was presented from WCVA (Wales Council For Voluntary Action) in Cardiff. The South Wales Miners Museum due to a combination of hard work, partnerships, invested interest and commitment were awarded runner up prize. The Museum committee is proud of its achievements and continues to work with the community to commemorate the past. Congratulations to Llys Nini who won first prize at the awards.

16 Volunteer Opportunities Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research seeking Marketing Network Volunteer, Fundraising Group Leader, Collection Box Co-ordinator, Fundraising Group Helper or Member, Legacy and Funeral Directors Coordinator, Community Networker. Neath Port Talbot Mind Assoc Trustees, HR, Finance. South Wales Miners Museum Events Assistant and Learning Assistant Volunteers For further details see website or contact the Volunteer Centre on If you would like to have an article published in the next edition of Voluntary Voice, then please contact us on or Tŷ Margaret Thorne Alfred Street Neath, SA11 1EF Tel: Neath Port Talbot Fax: Council for Voluntary Service Web: Registered Charity No Registered Company No