Contents: Events (4); Training (3); Resources (4); Funding (3); Jobs (5)
Tuesday 16 September 2008, 7pm
Amnesty International, Human Rights Action Centre, 17–25 New Inn
Yard, London EC2A
Immigration is a political ‘hot potato’ in the UK with migrant workers often finding themselves the targets of resentment and hostility from the press and the public. At the same time, it is widely acknowledged that the British economy needs migrant workers in order to grow. This discussion will examine some of the arguments around the UK’s immigration policy: Is the system fair? Are we providing adequate protection against exploitation and forced labour? What systems are in place to protect the most vulnerable workers, who often remain hidden from wider society?
Speakers will make short presentations on the issues before opening the discussion to the audience. Speakers: Klara Skrivankova, Trafficking Programme Co-ordinator, Anti-Slavery International; Paul Whitehouse, Chairman, Gangmasters Licensing Authority; Don Flynn, Director, Migrants’ Rights Network; Diana Holland, Assistant General Secretary of Unite & Chair of the International Trade Union Confederation's Women's Committee.
This discussion is part of a series to mark the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
For further information and to book a place (free of charge) click here.
27 October 2008, Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund, London
What are human rights - what do they mean for the Third Sector? How can human rights be used as a tool by the Third Sector to tackle inequality and social exclusion in society? How can the Third Sector be skilled up to be able to use human rights in their work?
This is a free one day regional event designed to give the Third Sector the opportunity to explore the relevance of human rights to their work. The day will include a short human rights awareness-raising session by the British Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) and a number of consultative discussions aimed at identifying the human rights capacity building needs of the sector. Information will also be provided on the BIHR Principles to Practice Project and the work of the National Equality Partnership.
More information available on the BIHR (British Institute of Human Rights) website (click here).
22 September 2008; 10:00am - 4:00pm
Haringey Civic Centre, Wood Green, London, N22 8LE
Free Conference (Lunch & Refreshment will be provided).
Ethiopian Community Centre in the UK (ECCUK)
invites you to a unique conference on the ever increasing Energy bill
and its impact on disabled, elderly and people on low income.
Learn about the government’s plan to help people on low income,
disabled and elderly. Listen to what experts say about Energy Efficiency
and Fuel Poverty. Learn about different tariffs available to you. Learn
how to budget your finance and prevent debt in future. Learn about the
work of ECCUK and how we have helped people who fell into utility arrear
etc.
Speakers: Cllr. Lorna Reith, Deputy Leader, Haringey
Council; Nick Pearson, Co-ordinator, National Money Advice, Advice UK;
Ian Tanner, Regional Projects Manager, National Energy Action; Steve
Guy
Fuel Poverty worker, Money Advice Plymouth; Alem Gebrehiwot, Executive
Director, ECCUK; Yonas Haymanot, Advice and Support worker, ECCUK.
To book a place or confirm your attendance please contact: Yonas Haymanot directly 020 8275 4529 OR, 020 8801 9224 or email: yonas@eccuk.org OR post@eccuk.org
Capita’s 9th Conference
Monday 20th October 2008 - Central London
By bringing together strategic stakeholders and examples of best practice at a local level Capita’s 9th Domestic Violence Conference will examine the key issues, including; working with perpetrators, partnership working to bring offenders to justice and exploring the range of housing options available to victims.
Chaired by: Anthony Wills, Chief Executive, Standing Together Against
Domestic Violence
Speakers include: Penny Rickman, Programme Development Adviser Domestic
Violence, Ministry of Justice; Garry Shewan, Assistant Chief Constable,
Cheshire Police and ACPO Lead, Stalking and Harassment; Sandra Horley
OBE, Chief Executive, Refuge; Karen Bailey, Project Coordinator –
The Stella Project, Greater London Domestic Violence Project; Mark Gurrey,
Deputy Director of Children’s Services – Safeguarding and
Children Social Care, Barnet Safeguarding Children Board
For conference agenda and booking form please click here or if the link doesn’t work please ask for a brochure via email at david.moffat2@capita.co.uk.
Wedneday 17th September 2008, London
The Samaritans, 1 Leopold Road, Harlsden, London NW10 9LN
West London Refugee Women’s Forum, in partnership with the Women’s Consortium, invites you to mark London Week of Peace with this one day women-only training. Meet and network with women from different communities. Gain valuable skills in solving conflicts. Receive a certificate of attendance. Learn how you can work towards Open College Network accreditation.
Please arrive at 10.15am so that we can start promptly at 10.30am. The
training will finish at 2.30pm. Travel expenses and lunch will be provided
(please bring receipts).
We have limited free places available. To request a place please email
your name, contact details and organisation (if you belong to one) to
wlrefugeewomen@yahoo.co.uk
This event forms part of the London Week of Peace taking place between 13th – 21st September. For more information visit www.weekofpeace.org.uk or email info@weekofpeace.org.uk
Friday 28th November 2008; 1.30 - 4.30pm.
UKLGIG, 32-36 Loman Street, Southwark SE1 0EH
This course from the UK Lesbian & Gay Immigration group (formerly
Stonewall Immigration Group) is aimed at people, in the voluntary sector
or in the private sector, who work with and support lesbian and gay asylum
seekers. The course aims to: raise awareness of the issues faced by lesbian
and gay asylum seekers; equip participants with an understanding of how
to best support lesbian and gay asylum seekers while the go through the
asylum process.
Trainers: Erin Power, UKLGIG Group Manager and Sebastian Rocca, UKLGIG
Executive Director
For booking or further information click
here or email: admin@uklgig.org.uk.
Fee: Private sector £99.00 per person; community and voluntary sector
£49.00 per person.
Tuesday 28th October 2008; 9.45am - 4.30pm
Evangelical Alliance, London
This LVAC (Lambeth Voluntary Action Council) course will provide you with the tools necessary to identify and research the various sources of funding available. You will discuss and learn from successful funding applications and then work through a typical funding application for a small grant. This course is structured as a practical workshop; taking you through a small grant application form, and helping you answer the questions.
Learning outcomes: Learn how to identify and research funding opportunities; Learn how to check a funder’s eligibility requirements; Learn how to shortlist appropriate funding opportunities; Learn how to work through and complete a small grants application form; Learn good practice tips on writing funding applications.
For more information about this course and for the full LVAC's training
programme call 020 7737 9462 or email administration@lambethvac.org.uk.
Resources - Women's Link information booklet
Women's Link offers free and confidential support and information for
women with housing needs (in particular women without dependant children)
to obtain secure and permanent accommodation and to regain control of
their lives.
They have produced a booklet on housing and practical
information for women needing support. For more info please visit www.womenslink.org.uk
or email advice@womenslink.org.uk
Resources - Zimbabwe Women's Association drop-ins
Zimbabwe Women's Association are holding weekly drop-ins at their centre
on Fridays 10.30 am – 4 pm at The Fire Station Community and ICT
Centre, 84 Mayton Street, London N7 6QT, Tel: 020 7607 9764. Nearest underground:
Finsbury Park. For more information please contact the Zimbabwe Association
on 020 7549 0355 (Tuesdays and Thursdays).
Resources - Terrence Higgins Trust resources on HIV Prevention
Terrence Higgins Trust, the HIV and sexual health charity, has developed
a number of materials on HIV precention and poor sexual health among migrant
men who have sex with men. These materials are available free of charge
for workers and organisations who work with migrants:
- A website: www.chapsonline.org.uk/gaybritain
- Small leaflets in English, French, Italian, Polish, Portuguese and Spanish.
These contain information for men about the legal situation around homosexuality
in the UK , HIV, sexually transmitted infections, general healthcare,
immigration issues, benefits and getting help and advice.
- Guidelines to assist workers and organisations provide help and information
to men who have sex with men.
- A tool for organisations to use to assess how ‘gay friendly’
their services are.
There is more information about the reasons behind this work and more detailed descriptions of these materials contained in the attached briefing note. If you wish to order any of these materials, please contact: andie.dyer@tht.org.uk
Resources - Women and Girls Network (WGN)
Women and Girls Network (WGN) is a voluntary sector counselling organisation
that has, for over 20 years, specialised in providing holistic therapeutic
services to women who have experienced gendered violence (including trafficking,
torture, female genital mutilation, childhood sexual abuse, rape, forced
marriage, and domestic violence). The service is free, confidential and
meets quality standards set by the British Association of Counselling
and Psychotherapy.
Women and Girls Network prioritise providing services to women who have least access to them, including women from black, minority ethnic and refugee communities, disabled women, lesbians, older women and women on low/no incomes.
Women and Girls Network can support Forum members who work with women who have experienced gendered violence, in the following ways:
- Organisations can refer women to our counselling service in west London. Women will go onto a waiting list. When vacancies arise, they have an assessment and then be allocated a counsellor. The sessions take place in our west London base.
- Women and Girls network can set up a satellite service in your or a member’s organisation if there is space to house a counselling service for one day a week for a minimum of 15 weeks. This way, women can access the service faster, and more locally to them.
- Women and Girls network have for the past four years run a specific project for women who have been trafficked into prostitution.
If you would like to discuss any of the issues above, or find out more about Women and Girls Network work, please feel free to call 02076104678.
Funding - Meet the fuders seminar
‘Thursday 30 October 2008, 10am – 4pm
Lambeth Accord, 336 Brixton Road, London SW9 7AA.
The Refugee Council’s Community Development Team is holding a ‘meet the funders’ seminar for RCOs. The following funders will be presenting their current funding programmes: BBC Children in Need, City Bridge Trust, Capital Community foundation and Thames Community foundation.
The aim of this seminar is to: Give RCOs an opportunity to talk face to face with funders; To provide funders with the chance to promote their funding programmes; explain their selection criteria; define their funding remit and highlight their funding priorities.
To reserve a place, e-mail kimonda.chessaina@refugeecouncil.org.uk or call 020 734 1094 to request a booking form by email. Lunch will be provided at both events. Booking forms must be returned to Refugee Council by 16 October 2008
Funding - Prince's Trust Helps Communities Cash In
Young people from across the UK are invited to apply for funding
of up to £5,000 to carry out activities that benefit their local
communities. Sponsored by the Royal Bank of Scotland, the Prince’s
Trust Community Cash Awards offers grants for people aged between 14 and
25 to carry out projects such as running a local magazine or holding sex
education workshops in schools.
The scheme is specifically targeted at youngsters who are still in school
but are struggling, or people who have left school and are either unemployed
or working less than 16 hours a week.
Grants of up to £1,000 are available for people aged 14-16, whilst
£5,000 is up for grabs for 16-25 year-olds. Eligible projects must
be run by the young people and bring a clear benefit to their local community.
Formal groups and organisations are not allowed to apply, and funding
cannot be used for expeditions, overseas travel or fundraising.
For more information about the Community Cash Awards, visit the Prince’s Trust website (click here) or contact the Prince’s Trust on free phone number 0800 842 842.
Funding - Young People’s Fund 2: Local grants (England)
Application closing date: 16 October 2008
Minimum grant: £10,000; Maximum grant: £500,000
The Big Lottery Young People’s Fund 2 Local Grants programme will put young people at the heart of local issues and services that affect their lives in England. It’s the chance for young people to lead on developing the activities and services that they want in their local area.
The programme has two aims:
- to ensure that all organisations that provide services to young people,
involve them in developing, running and reviewing policies and services
- to help achieve the five Every Child Matters outcomes.
Up to £38 million is available to support projects across England
where young people lead from start to finish. This programme will only
consider projects that are youth-led.
We want to fund projects where young people are fully involved and improvements
are made to young people’s services. We also want to support work
to increase understanding of young people’s needs and create further
opportunities for involvement in things that affect young people’s
lives.
For further information click here.
Closing date for completed applications is 29th September 2008.
Interviews will take place at City Hall week beginning 6th October 2008.
2-year fixed term contract; £43,031 per annum
Using your excellent knowledge and understanding of immigration and asylum policy issues in London and nationally, you will help the Mayor and the Board of the London Strategic Migration Partnership (LSMP) to develop and implement a strategy for the integration of London’s migrants including refugees. You will carry out research and provide briefings on current issues and their implications for London; act as the main point of contact for agencies working with the Mayor and LSMP board; and build strong working relationships with key stakeholders and partners, to ensure the work of the LSMP is effectively communicated and integrated with key policies for London.
You will have proven skills and ability in these areas:
• to assess the implications for London of international migration
and of national policy proposals, legislation and initiatives on immigration
and asylum
• operate and influence effectively at senior levels within a complex
environment
• ion with a wide range of audiences in ways that are clear, accessible
and effective, using your excellent drafting and presentation skills.
You will also be confident in managing projects, especially those that require excellent partnership working with external organisations.
To download a full job description and application pack please visit the vacancies page on our website www.london.gov.uk/jobs.jsp or contact a member of the recruitment team on 020 7983 4143, email glajobs@london.gov.uk quoting reference SPO/IMM.
The closing date for receipt of applications is 12 noon on Monday
6 October 2008.
Salary £31,351(PO2) including London Weighting
The CLCVS Network is looking for an enthusiastic, highly skilled person to promote and develop skills and learning in the voluntary and community sector (VCS) and to implement and develop the central London Workforce Development (WFD) strategy. You must have a good knowledge of the voluntary and community sector, the learning and skills environment and the ability to develop working relationships with colleges. You will be working with existing partnerships such as the CLCVS Network and the central London ChangeUp Consortium but also be able to forge new partnerships.
This is a full-time post and will be based with the CLCVS Network team at IVAC.
For further information and to download an application pack, please visit: www.clcvs.net. Alternatively, contact Louise Mitchell on (020) 7354 6375 or email LouiseM@ivac.org.uk For an informal discussion about the post please contact Lisa Charalambous, CLCVS Network Coordinator on (020) 7354 6371.
circa, £25,000 pro rata 21 hours
Closing date: Wednesday, 1 October 2008; Interview: 8 October 2008.
The Network, who provides infrastructural support to ethnic minority community groups, seeks to appoint a Development, Research and Information Officer.
Working collaboratively with groups, you will have experience of providing capacity building and community development work with accurate analytical information and evidence-based research to improve and promote services. The job is based at Vestry Hall, 336-338 London Road, Mitcham, CR4 3UD For an application pack please email: jobs@mertonunitynetwork.org.uk or contact Patricia on 0208 6489551 or visit our website: www.mertonunitynetwork.org.uk/recruitment.htm
Closing date for applications: Wednesday 17th September 2008
Salary £25,302 - £28,500 Fixed-term to September 2011 Ref
No: L/00182
The Refugee Council has signed a contract with the UK Border Agency (UKBA) for the provision of advice and support to new refugees through the new Refugee Integration and Employment Service (RIES). We will provide high-quality RIES services in several English regions – London, the East of England, the West Midlands, and Yorkshire and Humberside.
This Employment Advisor role is the point of initial contact for all RIES clients engaging within the employment services and will be required to work closely with other roles within the overall RIES service. The main areas of work include initial assessments, action planning and advice and guidance. The post-holder will be responsible for ensuring that all required information is effectively captured using appropriate tools and forms and that it is transferred and stored using organisational systems and databases. The post-holder will also be responsible for delivering high quality individual and group career guidance, education and support to new refugees who are intending to access or move a step closer towards employment.
For further information and an application pack click here.
At the Migrants Resource Centre (MRC) we are always looking for enthusiastic
volunteers to offer our users ESOL sessions at all level. We are also
in need of English Language Mentors to offer our users practice of spoken
English.
Candidates will need to have good communications skills, be sociable and open minded, anti-racist and have good knowledge of the British system. It is essential to have a commitment for improving the situation of migrants and refugees in this country, be responsible and have good English language skills.
For further information please email Mary Sakho at mary@migrants.org.uk.
