20 March 2008, 10:00—3:30
London Councils’ Offices, 59 1/2 Southwark Street, SE1 0AL

London Asylum Seekers Consortium organises this ‘Sharing Good Practice’ Seminar on Migration and Integration.

Speakers include:
• Border and Immigration Agency
• Keith Best: Immigration Advisory Service
• Ellen Ryan: Islington Refugee Integration Service
• Dolly Galvis: Sunrise
• Brian Wilson: IDEA
• Michael Bell: Michael Bell Associates Research and Consultancy

Delegates from all organisations (local authorities, statutory agencies, voluntary and community organisations) involved with migration and integration issues are welcome.

There is no charge for delegates to attend this seminar. RSVP to Sara Taylor at sara.taylor@londoncouncils.gov.uk or call 0207 934 9659 by 15 March.

Friday 14 March 2008, 10:00am to 1:00pm, Leeds
Monday 17 March 2008, 10:00am to 1:00pm, London
Wednesday 19 March 2008, 10:00am to 1:00pm, Birmingham

The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) is currently consulting (until 4 April) on proposals to focus ESOL funding more specifically on fostering community cohesion and integration in our communities. The consultation document can be viewed at www.esolconsultation.org.uk . NIACE is pleased to be working with DIUS to support the consultation process, and has agreed to hold three events for organisations involved in outreach work that supports learners and local communities with English language needs. The events will bring together the voluntary and community sector, ESOL providers and relevant agencies, in a process that will help to shape the future direction of ESOL funding policy.

The aim of the events is to provide an opportunity for participants to comment on the proposals outlined in the consultation document, and provide feedback that will assist DIUS in thinking about a range of issues around focusing ESOL on community cohesion, including:
· Identifying national priority groups for funding
· Aligning local authority planning and LSC funding to meet community need
· Outreach provision and the voluntary and community sector
· Quality and training
· Employer engagement

Participants are encouraged to view the consultation document prior to the events. Hard copies will be available at each venue. .

Please complete the form at the link below and return it to Gurjit Kaur in our Conferences Team by Monday 10 March 2008. The number of available places is limited, so an early response would be appreciated.

http://www.niace.org.uk/documents/DIUS-ESOL-RSVP.doc

19 March, 9.45-16.00
The Resource Centre, London N7

The Third Sector Leadership Centre in partnership with the Governance Hub and LVSC is organising a seminar on Leadership and Governance.

Aims of the Forum: Inform and shape leadership and leadership development in the third sector; Raise awareness of leadership and leadership development; Assist with the dissemination of information in all regions; Provide a platform for peer networking to support members development; Bring together leaders from third sector infrastructure organisations along with developers, providers and funders; Inform and support the future development of the work of the Third Sector Leadership Centre; An opportunity to explore and discuss tools to meet the needs of leaders.

Who should attend? Third sector CEOs, Directors, Trustees and Managers in a leadership role.

For further information and to book a place click here.

11 March 2008; 9.30 - 17.10 ; The Hatton, Londonn EC1
Delegate fee: 405:38

A comprehensive conference setting out the legal framework, best practice guidance and latest advances in charity governance from a panel of leading experts.

Keep up to date with the latest guidance on corporate governance and best practice for charities including: The building blocks of charity governance; Strategic planning for good governance; Governance aspects of accountability, performance measurement and reporting; Reviewing charity governance board appraisals and governance reviews; Case study: learning from a governance review; Governance as leadership.

For further information visit Jordan Training website (click here).

Thursday 5th June 2008
QEII Conference Centre, Westminster

Building on the success of SDUK 208 and GovNet's Annual Housing Conference, this unprecedented event will highlight the overarching principles of the Government's vision for sustainable communities. Join over 300 colleagues and 25 industry experts to encourage and develop genuine suistainable communities which meet the needs of existing and future generations through social, economic and environmental change.

For further information click here.

Closing date for applications is Friday 29th March 2008

We have worked for a long time to achieve our vision - making a real and lasting difference to the lives of refugees and asylum seekers in the UK. Now, we are entering a whole new phase in our development. Join us at this key time and you will take us to the next level, as you develop our highly successful fundraising team.

Working closely with our Chief Executive, you will develop this established team and pioneer more creative ways of working. We are involved in all areas of fundraising - corporate, trust, individual giving, legacies and much more - so you will take on a highly varied and challenging remit. With solid experience across all areas of fundraising, you must also be an efficient team leader who shares our passion for human rights.

For a full job description click here.

Closing date for applications is Monday 10th March 2008
Salary £27,594 (pro rata) Temp to March 2011 Ref No: Y/00109

Pending the finalisation of the Grant Agreement for 3 years funding, Refugee Council is offering the posts of Team Manager in the Wraparound Services Team. There are three Initial Accommodation centres in the Yorkshire & Humberside region, in Leeds, Wakefield and Barnsley. These centres provide temporary accommodation for asylum seekers, most of whom are recently arrived in the UK, while their on-going support is set up. The Wraparound Services Team provides the advice and information service in all three centres, including delivering a series of standard briefings, completing applications for NASS support and providing a question and answer service. The post holder will be based in one of the centres where they will manage a team of project workers who offer advice and support in the centre. They will also work with the Office Manager to ensure that administrative procedures within the centre are effective. The Wraparound Services team works with relevant agencies including Borders and Immigration Agency, Local Authorities, private housing providers, community organisations, health institutions and other services. The team also works closely with volunteers providing services within the Initial Accommodation Sites. The post holder will attend regular Operations meetings with theses agencies.

Team managers are key members of the management team in each regional office. Management team members include the operations managers, team managers, the volunteer co-ordinator and the team administrator.

Click here to view a full job description.

Deadline for applications: 5pm on Thursday 13 March 2008.

The Equality and Diversity Forum (EDF) has a vacancy for a volunteer/intern to carry out information, IT and other work essential to the development of EDF’s role in contributing to the UK’s equality and human rights agenda.

EDF is the network of national organisations committed to progress on equality and human rights issues. It was established in 2002 to promote dialogue and understanding across the separate equality 'strands', and since then, it has made a significant contribution to improving the UK’s equality and human rights policy, law and machinery. EDF is a user-led umbrella organisation whose members organisations are active in all areas of discrimination and human rights.

The EDF is a unique channel of information between policy makers, statutory and voluntary organisations working on discrimination and rights issues. In order to carry out this role effectively, we need to improve our information systems, principally by developing and updating EDF’s database of just under 1000 organisations and improving our website and information systems. The post also involves helping to organise and the opportunity to attend EDF’s regular seminars and conferences.
This position would suit someone with good database (Microsoft Access) and IT skills and an interest in developing their understanding of the UK’s equality and human rights agenda. It is an opportunity to gain valuable work experience with a growing umbrella voluntary organisation and to build on existing administrative and information skills. The EDF Administrative and Information Officer will provide support but applicants should be self-motivated and able to work on their own initiative without supervision.
The post is based at EDF in the offices of Help the Aged, King’s Cross, London N1. The office is a friendly one and is wheelchair accessible and easy to reach by public transport (bus, train and underground).

We are looking to recruit someone to work 2 days per week for a minimum six-month period. The actual days and hours are negotiable. This is an unpaid position, however agreed travel expenses and lunch expenses will be met.

If you would like to discuss the position, please telephone Electra Babouri, EDF Administrative and Information Officer on 020 7843 1597. Alternatively, email info@edf.org.uk with the following: your CV, a covering letter giving your reasons for applying and your availability; contact details for two referees. We are looking for someone to start as soon as possible.

This role is for 3 - 5 days a week for 6 months
The post closes on Wednesday 12th March.

The Campaigns and Public Affairs team works with a number of organisations to campaign on a wide range of issues affecting refugees, and ensures a broad base support for our advocacy work. Through working with the media, parliamentarians, civil servants and campaigns, the team takes a lead in trying to change public perceptions of asylum seekers and refugees in the UK and influence public policy and practice.

Your main Roles and Responsibilities would be: To monitor, collate and format political developments relating to asylum and refugees; To assist the Parliamentary Officer in ensuring that the voices of refugees and asylum seekers are reflected in political debates and legislation; To assist in managing relations between the Refugee Council, MPs and other external organisations. Parliamentary Office Projects; To work on discrete projects managed by the Parliamentary Officer and Campaigns and Public Affairs Manager; Provide general admin duties for the team as and when required.

For further details click here. If you have any questions please contact Vanessa Hill on 02073466727 or via email vanessa.hill@refugeecouncil.org.uk

Hackney and London 2012 are working together on an event for the borough promoting the opportunities coming from London’s Olympic and Paralympic Games. It is an all day event 11.00am-7.00pm. There will be jobs fair in Ocean with about 35 stalls providing information about Games related job opportunities. The stalls will provide information from education and training providers, employers and agencies and how people can volunteer. There will be displays updating on major developments on the Games and on progress in Hackney’s six themes.

The Olympic Delivery Authority will have one of the rooms in the Ocean Building for presentations and exhibitions on progress with developments in the Olympic Park. The Town Hall Square will be full of activity. There will be sports activity, music and dance stalls with food from around the world. There will be team leaders/champions recruited to co-ordinate the key activities. The team leaders will be required to attend a full induction session before the event. (date and time to be confirmed).

Team leaders are required to co-ordinate the following key activities: Jobs Fair; Sporting Events; Information Stalls; Schools Projects. If possible all volunteers would be required to attend a brief induction session about the event.

For an application form contact: Helen Goodsell,
Community Engagement and Volunteer Officer, Hackney 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games
Unit, 2 Hillman Street, London, E8 1FB, Tel: 0208 356 - 3975