Neath Port Talbot Council for Voluntary Service

Participants on the Welsh Assembly Government Leadership programme are required to undertake a community action project. This will involve five teams of 8 – 10 people at different levels in the organisation. The teams will need to receive details of their project in July 2010 and complete the project by January 2011. Participants have 5 days volunteering time. The project criteria are as follows: Project requires consultation/long term relationship & a direct connection with the customer.
1       Involvement with the community partner will provide an external focus
2       Involves ‘real’ work
3       There is a need to influence others
4       Requires that all participate
5       Provides a mix of strategic thinking/communication/problem solving/action
6       Has a degree of emotional uncertainty
7       Includes some ambiguity
8       Provides a real benefit to the partner
9       Constitutes a long-term engagement
10     Uses a broad skill set
If you have a project that could involve 8 – 10 people and incorporates the above criteria, please send your expression of interest and a brief outline of the project to Julie Bush by Friday 19th March 2010. If you need any further information or would like to discuss a potential project please contact Julie Bush on 01685 729297 or julie.bush@wales.gsi.gov.uk

The Welsh Assembly Government are hosting a series of events across Wales to encourage people from under represented groups in the community to take up grants from the Assembly to run their own business. The dates and locations for the events, which take place between 10.30am and 3.30pm and include lunch and refreshments, are: Wednesday 24 March at Cardiff City Stadium, Thursday 25 March at Trinity College, Carmarthen and Monday 29 March at Liberty Stadium. For more details, or to register go to the website.

Following the successful work done by many communities at the Community Action for Climate Change events, The Welsh Assembly Government’s Climate Change Team are making support available for communities acting to reduce carbon emissions and improve sustainability. As part of his secondment to the Climate Change team in WAG, Andy Middleton is able to spend a day before the end of March with community groups and councils anywhere in Wales to help them with work including: Supporting the development of planning workshops to reduce carbon emissions, Helping with definition of project and scope, Facilitating community, council and business meetings, Bringing innovation and enterprise ideas to the table, Network and making new connections.  The days Andy has available are: 26^th February, 11^th March, 23^rd March, 30^th March, 4^th March, 15^th March, 24^th March. There is no charge for the provision of these services; to book a day, please contact Usha Ladwa-Thomas at Usha.Ladwa-Thomas@wales.gsi.gov.uk

The Deputy Minister for Social Services, Gwenda Thomas has outlined proposals to improve the lives of carers with the publishing of the proposed Carers Strategies (Wales) Measure. For more information please visit the Welsh Assembly Government website.

Health Minister Edwina Hart has announced reforms to Community Health Councils (CHCs) in Wales following extensive consultation.  Under the changes, from 1st April, 17 of the existing 19 CHCs will be dissolved and six new CHCs created in their place, with the same boundaries as the Health Boards. Each new CHC will consist of Local Committees, providing strong local links and having the same boundaries as the local authorities within the CHC’s area. The new CHCs will have the challenge of ensuring that the interests of patients are represented in the new larger health bodies.  For more information go to the Welsh Assembly Government website.

As you may be aware, a new physical activity action plan entitled ‘Creating an Active Wales’ was launched by the Welsh Assembly Government on Wednesday 13^th January 2010. Creating an Active Wales sets out the steps the Welsh Assembly Government will take, with partners, to achieve an active, healthy and inclusive Wales.

The action plan focuses on four strategic aims; to develop a physical environment that makes it easier for people to choose to be more physically active; to support children and young people to live active lives, and become active adults; to encourage more adults to be more active, more often throughout life and to increase participation in sport, by all sectors of the population.

The Welsh Assembly Government is seeking to appoint volunteer members to Community Health Councils (CHCs) across Wales (except to those CHCs in Powys). 

More information regarding the above vacancy, along with contact details can be found on the employment page of the website.

Closing date for responses is 28th April 2010. For more information go to the Welsh Assembly Government website.

The Deputy Minister for Social Services, Gwenda Thomas has outlined proposals to improve the lives of carers with the publishing of the proposed Carers Strategies (Wales) Measure. For more information please visit the Welsh Assembly Government website.

The Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones has launched a new initiative to encourage the people and businesses in Wales to help shape the Assembly Government’s approach to economic development. The ‘Tell Us’ campaign is asking for the views of every part of Welsh society – from individuals, companies, Universities and Unions – on the Welsh economy and the new Economic Renewal Programme.

Source: Welsh Assembly Government Website