Nottingham Community Network

Linking the voluntary sector and neighbourhood renewal

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Empowering the East Midlands

The National Empowerment Partnership in the East Midlands aims to improve community empowerment and engagement by showing where empowerment is taking place, how well it is working, what makes it work well and sharing and drawing on these experiences widely.

Do you carry out empowerment work? Want to find out more? Fill out our quick questionnaire or go to the website for more information.

Egg-citing Easter Events

Bulwell Vision are holding an Easter Volunteering Activity Day on 20 March, 10.00am to 3.00pm at the Bulwell Hall Healthy Living Centre on Lawton Drive, NG6 8BL. There's an Easter egg hunt, storing telling, belly dancing, and a free lunch! It's all free, and children must be accompanied by an adult. For more information, call Bulwell Vision on 0115 9133 557.

Strelley Social Club Easter Weekend is Friday 21 March to Monday 24 March. There's an Easter bonnet parade, bouncy castle, and a chance to win an LCD TV in the Easter raffle. The event is free, and children must be accompanied by an adult. For more information, call Broxtowe Partnership Trust on 0115 9130 134.

Blogging along

The Nottinghamshire Black Partnership have launched a brand new blog to keep you up to date with what they're doing - together with useful information, events and stories affecting the county's Black and Minority Ethnic communities. Check it out!

Funding Flash

The Funding Flash website, brought to you by the Funding Advisor at Nottingham Council for Voluntary Services, has been updated. New funding, low cost training, a consultation and more. There's also a very short survey to help improve the funding advice service. Please take a moment to fill it in - one lucky participant will be selected to receive the fabulous prize of a laminator and a binding machine!

Greenzine

The Greenzine project from Sprout will produce a magazine for young people, written by young people, covering environmental issues in Nottingham. The content will include a wide range of environmental issues, from educational articles to reporting on local events. Greenzine is in its early stages and is in need of volunteers in the form of reporters, photographers, contributors and distributors. There's an open meeting on Tuesday 18 March for anyone interested - more information here.

If you would like to get involved with this exciting project contact May at: nottsgreenzine@googlemail.com

Equal Conference

The Nottingham Equal Conference aims to look at the structural and policy changes taking place locally and in the wider voluntary and community sector and the implications for Black and Minority Ethnic voluntary and community sector development and sustainability. It's on Tuesday 18 March, 12.00 noon to 4.00pm at Nottingham Community College on Carlton Road. Contact Sarah Ellwood on 0115 940 9003 or email sarah.ellwood@patraeastmidlands.co.uk to book your place.

Young services

Nottingham City Council's Children and Young People Panel is undertaking a review of the Provision of Services for Young People aged 14 to 19, with a focus on partnership working. The Panel is seeking the views of partners and stakeholders and is keen to hear the views of organisations working with children and young people. Please read the review scope and complete this simple form with your views and comments. Return to Peter Morley at Children's Services, Sandfield Centre, Lenton, NG7 1QH or email peter.morley@nottinghamcity.gov.uk

Sheila McKechnie awards 2008

Are you working to make your bit of the world a better place? The Sheila McKechnie Foundation supports individuals working for positive social change: from people campaigning for improved disabled access on local transport, to promoting peace in areas of conflict. The winners of the Sheila McKechnie Awards 2008 will receive a bespoke development and training programme. If you would like to nominate yourself or someone you work with for an award, read more on this flier and go to their website.

Training

In a new section in this e-bulletin, we'll be bringing you details of training and development opportunities in the city.

Please follow the links below to book your place - Community Network cannot accept bookings.

Change Management Service - Understanding Tendering - 17 March

Volunteer Coordinators Network PLUS - Measuring the Impact of Volunteering - 20 March

Nottingham CVS - How to get on local radio - 4 April

For the above courses, you may be eligible for a bursary. NCVS Bursary Fund has been set up to help small to medium sized voluntary and community groups or organisations to access training that they would otherwise find hard to do so. See if you can apply.

Directory of Social Change - a range of courses in how to raise funds

Common Purpose - a variety of leadership programmes