Local News

• Representing the sector: delivering the changes you wantPublished in Featured, Local News, News, WVA News on 20th July, 2010

  We’re bringing in some major changes to how we represent Walsall’s voluntary and community sector, following extensive consultation with local groups. 
  We will be creating five new networks, mirroring Walsall Council’s Directorates – Children’s Services, Social Care and Inclusion, Regeneration, Neighbourhood Services and Resources.  Each network will be facilitated by a member of the Walsall Voluntary [...]

• Glass-House offers eco-housing study tour for community groupsPublished in Featured, Local News, News, Training Opportunities on 16th July, 2010

  The Glass-House Community Led Design is a national charity that works with community groups and regeneration professionals across the UK with the aim of promoting a wider understanding and practice of community led design.
  The team at Glass-House are offering a free one-day tour of inspiring eco-housing developments in the West Midlands on Thursday 5 August.   [...]

• Women Take PartPublished in Featured, Local News, News, Training Opportunities on 14th July, 2010

  A unique course aimed at women is looking for participants from the Walsall area.
  The Women Take Part course aims to get women involved in their community and to learn how to increase their level of influence over the decisions that affect their lives.  The course provides opportunities for people to be more active in communities [...]

• Maximise your funding from the ESFPublished in Featured, Local News, News, Training Opportunities on 12th July, 2010

  Following on from the recent European Social Fund Applying to Succeed conference, Wolverhampton Network Consortium have arranged a workshop on consortia building.  The purpose of the workshop is to maximise the ability of the local voluntary sector to access ESF funding.
  The session takes place at Walsall’s Forest Arts Centre on 20 July, between 9:30am and [...]

• Wanted: your views on a National Skills Strategy for the voluntary sectorPublished in Featured, Local News, National News, News on 9th July, 2010

  As the Government looks to expand the role played by the voluntary sector in delivering public services and building strong communities, organisations need people with the right skills in order to rise to the challenge.
  Skills – Third Sector is working to develop a National Skills Strategy for the voluntary sector and would like to hear [...]

• Meeting set for Walsall Advice Network ForumPublished in Featured, Local News, News on 8th July, 2010

  Walsall’s Advice Forum Network holds its next meeting on Wednesday 21 July.
  Hosted by Walsall Citizens’ Advice Bureau, the Network is a chance for everyone involved in advice and information work to meet colleagues from other organisations, share learning and discuss issues of common interest.
  Topics on the agenda this month include the Government’s recent budget statement [...]

• New course explores living life as an enterprisePublished in Featured, Local News, News, Training Opportunities on 7th July, 2010

  Do you know what you want to do in the future?  Want to find out what motivates you?  Want to make your ideas reality?  Then Life as an Enterprise could be the course for you!
  Walsall Centre For lndependent Living has joined forces with Breathing Space to deliver the Life as an Enterprise course, designed to [...]

• Addaction celebrates 10th anniversaryPublished in Featured, Local News, News on 30th June, 2010

  Addaction Walsall has now been helping local people with tackling drug and alcohol problems for ten years.
  To mark the occasion, Addaction are hosting a celebration at their offices at 231 Stafford Street, Walsall WS2 8DF on Wednesday 14 July.  Visitors are welcome to drop in between 10am and 4pm to meet with staff, have a [...]

• Shopmobility Awareness DayPublished in Featured, Local News, News on 28th June, 2010

  There’s a chance to find out more about the Shopmobility scheme on Friday 9 July.
  The Shopmobility team are coming to Walsall Town Centre, offering local people the chance to receive some training, try out their equipment and discover what Shopmobility has to offer.
  The team will be at the top of Park Street (next to Wilkinsons) [...]

• Charity Commission warns of bogus telephone callsPublished in Featured, Local News, National News, News on 24th June, 2010

  The Charity Commission has been made aware of a scam involving people being telephoned by individuals claiming to represent the Charity Commission.  In the phone calls these individuals claim to be from the “debt collection department” of the Commission and they demand payments for various services and advertisements.  
  Some of the bogus calls have demanded payments of [...]

• Getting to grips with joint commissioningPublished in Events, Featured, Local News, News on 23rd June, 2010

  Local voluntary sector organisations have the chance to find out about the new Joint Commissioning Unit formed between Walsall Council and NHS Walsall at a special event on Wednesday 7 July.
  The half-day event will outline the changes that both organisations are making to their commissioning processes and their vision for the commissioning of services in [...]

• Children’s Trust Partnership celebrates integrated workingPublished in Featured, Local News, News on 21st June, 2010

  Walsall Children’s Trust Partnership is holding its popular ‘Celebrating Integrated Working’ event on Thursday 1 July.
  The event is now in its third year and this time is focused on the Trust’s commitment to prevention and early intervention through the Child Concern Model and Common Assessment Framework (CAF).  This framework brings together a range of support [...]

• NHS Walsall puts focus on Sickle Cell and ThalassaemiaPublished in Featured, Local News, News on 18th June, 2010

  Birchills and North Walsall Surestart Children’s Centre is hosting NHS Walsall’s Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia event on Wednesday 30 June between 9am and 1pm.
  The event is an ideal opportunity for local people and their families to discuss issues or concerns they have regarding these conditions.  For more information, please contact Pam or Jas on 01922 [...]

• Book your stall at the Breathing Space Summer Fete!Published in Featured, Local News, News on 17th June, 2010

  Breathing Space will be holding a charity fundraising Summer Fete on Saturday, July 17th 2010, from 11am – 3pm.  The proceeds will help support the charity with its work to help local people start up in business.
  There are still a number of stalls left – available at a price of £10.  So, if you’ve have [...]

• FaithAction Tour arrives in MidlandsPublished in Featured, Local News, News on 16th June, 2010

  FaithAction’s Progress Tour 2010 will be visiting Birmingham on 29 June.
  FaithAction is the national network representing faith and community organisations delivering public services.  The Progress Tour is a chance to meet with the FaithAction team, find out about their work and the latest developments affecting the faith sector. 
  The event takes place at the Nishkam Centre, [...]

• National Falls Awareness Week comes to WalsallPublished in Featured, Local News, National News, News on 15th June, 2010

  This week is National Falls Awareness Week – a UK-wide campaign to help keep thousands of older people active and to reduce their risk of falling.
  To mark the week, there will be a number of small open access events throughout the Walsall borough to provide helpful information and raise awareness about falls.   A number of [...]

• Local schools are seeking your skillsPublished in Featured, Local News, National News, News on 14th June, 2010

  Volunteering to become a school governor is an excellent way to get involved in your community and help make sure that local children receive the highest standards of education.  You’ll get to meet new people, develop valuable skills and take on fresh challenges that differ from everyday life.
  Governors are people like you.  You don’t have to [...]

• Working Together for mental health recoveryPublished in Featured, Local News, News on 11th June, 2010

  Working Together is an Intermediate Labour Market project that supports Walsall people recovering from mental health issues back into work in a practical way.  
  The project is run by the Dudley and Walsall Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust.  It sources appropriate placements for beneficiaries and then pays them the minimum wage to work at the placement [...]

• Care for a cuppa?Published in Featured, Local News, News on 10th June, 2010

  Walsall Centre for Independent Living will be hosting a ‘Care for a Cuppa’ event to raise awareness of diabetes on Friday 18th June.
   Over 13,000 people in Walsall have diabetes. This event is an opportunity to find out more about the illness, who can support you and get advice about benefits, over a cuppa and a [...]

• Crisis Food Workshop set for 15 JunePublished in Featured, Local News, News on 9th June, 2010

  The possibility of developing a Walsall-wide project to redistribute food to vulnerable people and groups will be discussed at a special workshop event to be held at St Paul’s at the Crossing, Walsall on Tuesday 15th June from 12.30pm – 4.00pm.
  Walsall Housing Group (whg) recently commissioned a feasibility study to look at developing a food [...]

• Toolkit to assess Progress for ProvidersPublished in Featured, Local News, News on 3rd June, 2010

  Organisations providing adult social care services can check their progress in responding to the personalisation agenda, thanks to a new self-assessment tool.
  Progress for Providers is a self-assessment toolkit developed by providers and commissioners and is particularly focused on the delivery of personalised, individually costed services and individual service funds. 
  Aimed at small and large organisations alike, [...]

• Network launched for Walsall’s Volunteer ManagersPublished in Featured, Local News, News, WVA News on 27th May, 2010

  To mark Volunteers Week 2010, Walsall Voluntary Action is launching a new support network for the borough’s volunteer managers on Monday 7 June.
  The Volunteer Managers’ Network will bring together people from across Walsall who are responsible for managing and supporting volunteers.  It’s designed to be a proper forum for managers, enabling them to share good [...]

• Walsall Black Sisters need your vote for Creme of Nature AwardPublished in Featured, Local News, News on 27th May, 2010

  Walsall’s Black Sisters Collective are amongst the five finalists for the 2010 Creme of Nature Community Action Award.
  Now in its third year, the Award is focused on those in African Caribbean voluntary, faith and community groups, whose primary objective is to support and encourage women.  The winner receives a £10,000 prize – and is chosen [...]

• Essential services – at a price you can affordPublished in Featured, Local News, News, WVA News on 25th May, 2010

  Walsall Voluntary Action offers a wide variety of reprographics, publicity, marketing and mailing services to local voluntary and community groups – at a price that won’t break the bank!
  Our photocopying and presentation services can help you produce leaflets, flyers, reports and meeting papers, whilst our in-house design and print service can give you hands-on help to [...]

• Hot off the press: Newsline Issue 5Published in Featured, Local News, News, Newsletter, WVA News on 24th May, 2010

  The June edition of Newsline, our news magazine for Walsall’s voluntary and community sector, is out now.