Special announcements

Last chance to book Business Start up (28 September) and Social Enterprise (1 October) trainings
FREE (travel expenses and child care costs reimbursed and lunch provided)

Don’t miss these Financial Literacy Project training sessions on Business Start up and Social Enterprise for Communities in central London. The Business Start up course will include sections on business models and legal structures, planning and business finance. The Social Enterprise course will include looking at organisational models, sources of revenue and planning and setting up a social enterprise.

For more information or to book a place on either course please contact Karla McLaren on 020 7346 1094 or karla.mclaren@refugeecouncil.org.uk

Survival in the current climate: Funding Alternatives for Refugee Community Organisations
14 October 2010 11am – 4pm, Reading, FREE (travel costs reimbursed to RCOs with valid receipts)

This Basis Project South East event is for refugee community organisations and other small charities. The all day event will provide the opportunity to talk to other refugee community organisations about social enterprise, contracts and commissioning. The key speaker will be the Director of Manchester Refugee Support Network; additionally some funders may attend.

For more info and a booking form please contact BeatrizF@refugee-action.org.uk

News

Refugees attend Party Conferences

Through its Refugee Delegate Programme, the Refugee Council took two refugees to the recent Liberal Democrat party conference, and will do the same for the coming Labour and Conservative conferences. This exciting opportunity enables individuals from refugee communities to take part in influencing key party members and politicians on refugee and asylum issues.

Petition calling on the UK government to opt in to new EU trafficking law

The Government has recently announced that it will not be opting in to a new EU law to tackle human trafficking. Anti-Slavery International and 38 Degrees have created a petition calling on David Cameron and Nick Clegg to guarantee that the UK government opts in to this new EU law and does not miss such a vital opportunity to combat human exploitation.

London Councils grants scheme consultation

London Councils is undertaking an extensive consultation exercise to establish the best way of using its grant resources for the benefit of boroughs, voluntary groups and people living in the capital. The consultation is looking at whether boroughs could achieve greater impact by spending money on locally determined priorities.

Birmingham Asylum Support and Immigration Resource Team Manager calls for sector to unite

Migrants’ Rights Network recently interviewed Dave Stamp, ASIRT team Manager and Chair of the Refugee Strategic Network. During the interview Stamp stressed “it is crucial for the voluntary sector engaged in the support of asylum seekers [and] refugees…to attend these meetings with a united and coordinated voice for advocacy and for change.”

Funding

Changing Lives Programme (UK)

The Crisis Changing Lives programme provides financial awards of up to £2,500 to solitary people who are homeless or settling into a home and looking for support so that they may achieve vocational goals. The Awards can be used for course fees, equipment or materials for courses, tools materials and equipment to get back to work, and help to set up a business. Applications should be made by the support organisation providing ongoing help.

BIG’s International Communities Programme (UK)

BIG’s International Communities programme will open to applications in autumn this year. The programme aims to help disadvantaged communities overseas by supporting work that tackles the causes of poverty and deprivation and brings about long-term differences to the lives of some of the most disadvantaged people in the world. Grants of between £50,000 and £500,000 will be available. For more information visit the Big Lottery Fund website.

Make a Positive Difference to Your Community (London)

Islington Giving is seeking to award grants of between £2000 and £2500 to individuals (over the age of 11) for initiatives that make a positive difference within the borough, relating to three themes: Young People; Poverty; and Isolation.

Closing date for submitting an Expression of Interest: 30 September 2010

Comic Relief Older People’s programme

The aim of this programme is to support older people to bring positive change to their communities. The fund is open to a range of organisations including community groups, voluntary organisations and community interest companies who are targeting their work at older people aged 65 and over. Most grants are expected to be of between £15,000 and £40,000 per year.

Deadline for submitting applications: 17 December 2010

Training and resources

FREE Funding Seminar
5 October 2010, 9.30am – 2pm (with lunch)

Haringey Women’s Forum has organised this event geared specifically for Women’s organisations. The session is FREE and open to all women’s organisations, groups, networks and project in London. Speakers will include local commissioners and commissioned groups as well as funding experts from the Women’s Resource Centre.

To book a place please email Samantha Smallcombe at development@wrc.org.uk

Health clinic for refugees and asylum seekers

Doctors of the World UK (Médécins du Monde) will run a nurse-led weekly clinic open to all refugees and asylum seekers at Notre Dame Refugee Centre (NDRC), Leicester Square, weekly from Thursday 23 September 2010 (2pm-5pm). This clinic will be an extension of its Project:London outreach activities.

For more information email susanroberts@notredamerc.org.uk.

FREE training for voluntary sector advisers
Various dates and locations around the country (Birmingham, Leeds, London, Manchester)

Daycare Trust is offering a series of free training sessions aimed at generalist advisers who, as part of their wider role, advise parents who are thinking about or ready to start work or study. Courses include: Help with childcare costs; Childcare information and advocacy; Encouraging take-up of childcare in black, minority and ethnic communities.

For more information email training@daycaretrust.org.uk

Birmingham: Financial Literacy Project (FLP) workshops
October 2010 (various dates), FREE (travel costs will be reimbursed on production of receipts) with lunch provided

The Refugee Council FLP provides support and advice on financial literacy to individuals with refugee backgrounds, and their communities. These FREE workshops aim to tackle financial exclusion. Workshops will cover Budgeting, Business Start up, Cash Management and UK Banking Services.

For more information or to book contact Karla McLaren on karla.mclaren@refugeecouncil.org.uk or 020 7346 1094

Events

Chasing Mirrors: Portraits of the Unseen at the National Portrait Gallery, London
15 October 2010 – 9 January 2011, FREE

This new installation of work by British-Iranian contemporary artist Alinah Azadeh and young people from Afghan and Somali refugee community groups in London is showing at the National Portrait Gallery. Inspired by Sufi philosophy, the work explores the ‘unseen’ inner self through non-figurative portraiture and how language can both express and conceal who we are.

Why do we hate? Why do we help? Asylum seekers and ambivalence in Contemporary Britain
19 Oct 2010, 6pm, Museum of London, London Wall, London EC2Y 5HN

This year the Refugee Council will celebrate ten years providing a unique service tailored to the needs of refugees which combine therapeutic care and practical advocacy. Andrew Keefe, former head of the Refugee Council Therapeutic Casework Unit, will be delivering a free lecture on ambivalence in Contemporary Britain towards asylum seekers. No booking required, all welcome.

Personalisation Event
25 October, Birmingham; 24 November, London (lunch and refreshments provided)

This one day training event is for community organisations delivering services that could be affected by personalisation – such as services for physically disabled, older people or people with learning disabilities. This interactive training session will enable participants to understand the principles of personalisation, how it will be implemented and plan next steps for community organisations. For more information email jeremy@bassac.org.uk

Vacancies

ACAA Educational Coordinator
£4,800 pa, Part-time (up to 8 hours per week)

This role will involve coordinating and managing the Ferdowsi supplementary school, ESOL classes and overseeing delivery of educational activities. The successful applicant will ensure that educational activities meet the planned outcomes within the scheduled timescale. For more information email nooralhaqnasimi@btinternet.com