RCO e-news is a weekly round up of news and resources relevant for refugee community organisations.
News
City Parochial Foundation and Trust for London merge
Funding bodies City Parochial foundation and Trust for London have merged into one funding body under the name Trust for London. For more information see their new website.
BBC quotes RCO in article on child asylum seekers
In response to UKBA’s planned £4m “reintegration centre” in Afghanistan, the BBC quoted Dr Nooralhaq Nasimi, Head of the Afghanistan and Central Asian Association, who said: “We believe that it would be incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights to send [an] unaccompanied minor back to Afghanistan.” Read the full article here.
Funding
Funding for Innovative Sports Projects (England)
Sport England’s Sustainable Investment in Communities Fund will be available to organisations such as sports clubs, voluntary or community organisations and local authorities, to invest in innovative projects capable of transforming the places where we play or take part in sport.
Leicestershire Investment Fund for the Environment (East Midlands)
The LIFE fund was set up to give Leicestershire a better LIFE and leave an environmental legacy. Grants will be available to schools, youth centres and wildlife groups, in order to support a wide range of environmental projects. Individual awards of between £100 and £1,000 available.
Deadline for applications: 15 August 2010
Birmingham and the Black Country: Sport Relief
This programme aims to empower local people, enabling them to create lasting change in their communities. Community Groups, residents associations, community centres, and social enterprises, in Birmingham and the Black Country, can apply. Grants range from £1,000 – £10,000.
Deadline for applications: 17 August 2010
Austin and Hope Pilkington Trust Grants Making Programme (UK)
Grants will be available to charitable organisations in the UK and overseas, usually for between £1,000 and £10,000, with priority for music and the arts, homelessness, addiction, asylum and refugees, sexual and domestic abuse, and prisoners and ex-offenders. For more information, please visit their website.
Deadline for applications: 1 November 2010
Nominate for a Social Change Award!
If you or someone you know is passionate about positive social change and deserves recognition, you could nominate them, or yourself, for a Social Change Award. The awards are for all those working to achieve a positive change in society.
Nominations of Others deadline: 3 September 2010
Nominations of Yourself deadline: 10 September 2010
Training and resources
Free online service to help compliance with human resources and health and safety legislation
Charity Builder UK is a free, online service which can be used by all not-for-profit groups including charities, community groups and social enterprises. The service has been funded by Capacitybuilders, and developed in recognition that small and medium sized charities often find it hard to comply with Human Resources and Health and Safety legislation.
Roma law organisation providing support for Roma groups
The European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) is an international public interest law organisation working to combat anti-Romani racism and human rights abuse of Roma through strategic litigation, research and policy development, advocacy and human rights education. ERRC welcomes submissions to its Roma Rights journal. For more information visit their website.
Useful Website: Gifts in Kind
In Kind Direct encourages manufacturers and retailers to donate their high quality surplus for distribution to good causes. It is the only organisation coordinating UK-wide in-kind giving. Companies donate surplus goods, mainly new and unused items, to voluntary organisations.
FREE Equality Act 2010 guide
The Equality and Diversity Forum in partnership with the GEO have produced a guide for voluntary and community sector service providers on the Equality Act 2010. If you would like free hardcopies of this please email info@edf.org.uk.
Events
New Voices 2010
10 July 2010, 12pm – 6pm, Bethnal Green
New Voices is a vibrant annual festival which highlights the problems surrounding those seeking asylum and celebrates the contribution of migrants to British community through music, dance and other multi-cultural performances. There will also be a children’s area, and a number of stalls from nationwide charities and organisations.
For more information contact Alex Sutton on 0207 749 7629 or at alex.sutton@praxis.org.uk
Supplementary School end of term celebration
10 July 2010, 3pm – 6.30pm
This Afghanistan and Central Asian Association social and cultural event will highlight the successes of the Supplementary School, bring communities together and express gratitude to students, ESOL teachers, volunteers and staff for their hard work and active participation in community activities. Everyone is welcome.
For more information call 020 7358 0222 or email info@afghanistan-asian.org.uk
Refugee community organisations (RCOs) round table discussion: Exploring social enterprise with leading social enterprise organisations
13 July 2010 (half day)
The Basis project, the Development Trust Association and Action Acton are hosting this event for RCOs with an interest in social enterprise. If you have ever wanted to make the most of your assets as an organisation, earn your own income or make sure your organisation survives difficult times, this meeting could be for you.
To find out more please contact david.clark@refugeecouncil.org.uk or call 0207 346 1295.
Vacancies
Basis Project Administrator
£21,753 pro-rata, 21 hours per week
The Basis Project was created with the support of the Big Lottery Fund, and is delivered in partnership with Refugee Action, aiming to enhance RCOs’ financial sustainability, organisational efficiency and their ability to deliver services to clients. You’ll need experience of providing effective administrative support in an office environment and have worked to tight deadlines.
Closing date for applications: 23 July 2010
STAR Interns
Unpaid, lunch and travel expenses provided
STAR is currently recruiting a Campaigns Intern, and an Events and Training Intern. You should be able to commit three days per week for at least three months from September 2010.
Deadline for applications: 7 September 2010
