Neath Port Talbot CVSAGM 2017Full Story Page 3

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No. 77 AUTUMN 2017 www.nptcvs.wales 01639 631246

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Volunteer ing OpportunitiesNew Local Food Directory

2. Autumn 2017

News...Tyfu’n Iach Gyda’n Gilydd - Local Food Directory

Welcome to our AUTUMN 2017 Magazine

Tyfu’n Iach Gyda’n Gilydd – Growing Healthy Together was a Welsh Assembly and EAFRD funded project supporting local food in the Neath Port Talbot area. Specific support was targeted at rural communities to promote community growing and support local new food-related businesses. Training sessions and businesses mentoring were provided by partner organisations, Glynneath Training Centre and Dove Workshop, Banwen.

NPTCVS’ Research and Network Development Officer has produced a Neath Port Talbot Local Food Directory to showcase some of the best local food producers, the work of the project and the community growing projects in the county.

The Local Food Directory is available in pdf form on our website www.nptcvs.wales/local-food-directory/ and as a booklet at various locations throughout the county, including our Alfred Street offices.

If you are a Third Sector organisation based in or serving Neath Port Talbot County Borough, Neath Port Talbot CVS membership can provide you access to a vast amount of benefits, such as:• Help and support in identifying funding (including use of Open 4 Community, a free basic online funding search that can help identify suitable funding opportunities for your activity or project - you can find this at: http://www.nptcvs.wales/funding/funding-opportunities/)• Help with constitutions• Trustee and Volunteer training• Volunteer Centre services• Publicity and information via our Website, Voluntary Voice Magazine, E-bulletin and Social Media networks• Discounts on conference/meeting room and equipment hire ...and lots more.

Membership is FREE for small groups with an income of less than £40,000 pa; £5.00 for individuals; £10.00 for charitable organisations and £25.00 for private companies. Visit our membership page at www.nptcvs.wales/about/member/ to download an application pack and become a member today.

If you have any comments, or questions relating to this magazine, please contact the editor, Nia Parr-Williams on 01639 631246 or email NiaPW@nptcvs.org.uk

Neath Port Talbot Council for Voluntary Service,Ty Margaret Thorne,17-19 Alfred Street,Neath.SA11 1EF

Charity No. 1064450Company No. 3341466

Tel: 01639 631246

Email: info@nptcvs.org.uk

Web: www.nptcvs.wales

@nptcvs

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- Welcome & News

Autumn 2017 3.News -

On Thursday, 9th November 2017, the attendees of our Annual General Meeting at the Aberavon Beach Hotel were treated to an evening of enlightening information and a hilarious keynote speech by the one-and-only Max Boyce MBE.

With his humorous stories of rugby days and tours of France, Max left the audience in tears of joy. On a more serious note, Max stated that prior to the AGM, he had no idea that Neath Port Talbot CVS did so much to improve the lives of the citizens of Neath Port

Talbot. He said the work of volunteers was to be admired.

Gaynor Richards MBE, Director of Neath Port Talbot CVS, in her address, highlighted “the difference Neath Port Talbot CVS has made as an organisation to communities across Neath Port Talbot…supporting charities, voluntary groups, social enterprises, individuals, volunteers and communities. Our success at CVS is reflected in the stories

of individuals and communities, and how by working with Third Sector organisations, communities and partners - people’s lives have been enhanced and improved. The effectiveness of the whole of the Third Sector, our communities and citizens is at the heart of what we do as CVS. As the umbrella organisation for the Third Sector it has been a privilege to work with and for our communities, helping them to fulfil their potential to make a real and lasting difference to their own lives and to the lives of others” she said.

During Gaynor’s presentation, a video was shared with the audience showing the moment that Afan Valley Community Leisure received £330,000 of Big Lottery Funding for their Swimming Pool. “This is a resource that is now doing incredibly well in the Afan Valley – delivering a service people want and need” she said.

The evening was a huge success and in the closing words of Gaynor Richards, referring to volunteers, community groups, partners, funders, trustees and staff “Sometimes the most ordinary things can be made extraordinary, simply by doing them with the right people.”

Neath Port Talbot CVS - AGM 2017

Max Boyce MBE,Keynote Speaker

Gaynor Richards MBE, Director NPTCVS,Speech and Presentation to the AGM

David Davies JP, Chairman NPTCVS, opened the AGM

Neath Ukuleles provided pre-AGM entertainment

Rob Jones, Leader NPTCBC gave a vote of thanks to Max Boyce MBE

4. Autumn 2017

ELITE SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT AGENCY LTD RECOGNISED AS AN INVESTOR IN PEOPLE

Established in 1994, Elite Supported

Employment Agency Ltd is a registered charity delivering Supported Employment services to people with disabilities, health conditions and those at a disadvantage across South and West Wales. ELITE Supported Employment Agency has been awarded GOLD accreditation against the Investors in People Standard, joining the top seven per cent of accredited organisations across the UK, demonstrating their commitment to high performance through good people management.

Paul Devoy, Head of Investors in People, said: “We’d like to congratulate ELITE, Investors in People accreditation is the sign of a great employer, an outperforming place to work and a clear commitment to success. ELITE should be extremely proud of their achievement.”

Commenting on the award, Kathy Rivett, Assistant CEO at ELITE, said: “Achieving Investors in People accreditation at the GOLD award level is a huge accolade that recognises ELITE as an exemplar employer with a clear focus on empowering, supporting and improving our staff teams to deliver quality services for people with disabilities and health conditions in line with the organisations values and commitments to continuous improvement, development and sustainability ”

For more information about Investors in People , please visit www.investorsinpeople.com

- News

Introducing Cllr. Dennis Keogh, Mayor of Neath Port Talbot CBC Following the untimely death of the Mayor for this Civic year, Councillor Mrs. Janice Dudley (Ward Member for Bryncoch South), the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Dennis Keogh, Ward Member for Port Talbot since 2004, was inaugurated as the Mayor of Neath Port Talbot on Thursday 28th September 2017. He will serve for the remainder of this Civic year and again as Mayor for the Civic year 2018/19.

Dennis was born in Aberavon, moving to the Sandfields Estate at a young age where he lived until he married and moved to Port Talbot. He is the proud father of Liane, his only child. Dennis was educated at St Joseph’s RC School, leaving at the age of 15 to start an electrical apprenticeship at the local Steelworks, where he worked on and off for the next 47 years until retiring in 2014.

Dennis was a member of Port Talbot and Briton Ferry Operatic Societies and has sung in Male Voice Choirs for the last 35 years. Since marrying Christine, his Mayoress, 13 years ago, he enjoys spending time with his daughter and three step children and seven grandchildren.

The Mayor’s theme for his time in office is Community and Culture and in memory of the late Mayor will continue in this Civic year to raise monies for her chosen charities, Ty Olwen and the local Salvation Army. Both charities provide such a valuable service to those in need.

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Autumn 2017 5.

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UCAN - Jake’s StoryStarting out from founders Bernie and Jane Latham’s kitchen, UCAN was established in 2005 running drama workshops in partnership with RNIB Cymru at the Sherman Theatre Cardiff. Since then they’ve gone from strength to strength; delivering workshops across Wales and into Europe, and launching the UCAN Go app which supports visually-impaired people to confidently navigate a growing number of theatres.

Jake Sawyers is 22 from Port Talbot and was born completely blind in his left eye and 25% vision in his right eye. “I started with UCAN and built up my confidence when I was 13, and I’d been told that I’d be good at performing arts. My degree was in performing arts. I went to Carmarthen so I basically took my situation and tailor-made it for myself, and I got a First. I’m used to having a visual impairment and that I’ve always grown up with it I always factor it into everything that I do.

I’ve always described being visually-impaired as looking down a camera lens, because I do work with a camera with my working eye. But because I’ve never known any different it’s so difficult to describe. I’ve always asked my brother how he sees because I don’t physically understand how two eyes can meet up together to make one image – that’s something that really confuses me. It’s a two-way system.

There was always that huge potential that things could’ve been a lot different. I think if I wasn’t supported by my family or UCAN, I think things would’ve turned out a lot differently. Me, being a performer, would find it hard to get work anyway, but being a visually-impaired performer – if you’re not supported with that ambition it’s going to be a lot harder to achieve.

Film-making and photography is something that I do as a hobby; being asked to do it by UCAN in Future Insight it gives you so much professional d e v e l o p m e n t and self-worth it’s like I feel like I’m trusted to do something, and know that I can do it, and I can go to professional people and show people my work but I wouldn’t have been there without the Future Insight project, RNIB and everyone at UCAN.”

UCAN Productions in Cardiff are in partnership with the Royal National Institute for the Blind Cymru who received a Big Lottery Fund grant of £999,450 for their Future InSight project which supports blind and partially-sighted young people to become able and independent individuals with the skills and confidence to make a smooth and successful transition into adulthood.

News -

6. Autumn 2017

Flexible working practices key to future, says academic

New Charity Governance Code

Welsh Government should set out a poverty strategy for WalesIn a lecture on the ‘post-work world’, Dr

Justin Davis-Smith of the Centre for Charity Effectiveness outlines four ways in which charities should respond to a future in which most people work fewer hours.First, he said, charities should model good workplace practices themselves and campaign for the private and public sectors to follow suit. “...that means offering more opportunities for flexible working, more opportunities for job sharing, and more ways in which people can blend their use of time in the paid labour market with hobbies, voluntary action and charitable activity.”Second, Davis-Smith said, charities should be more creative in terms of engaging people in social action and volunteering, and in finding ways of blending that with their paid work and other activities. He said this involved understanding the rise of episodic volunteering, “the desire to just dip in and out of volunteering and wrap it around their lives rather than engage in something for an extended period of time”.Third, said Davis-Smith, the sector should note the “blurring of the boundaries” between the private and voluntary sectors, and build better relationships with ethical businesses. “I think there’s a real opportunity for charities and community groups to make much more meaningful partnerships with for-profit groups to try to pick up on the appetite, particularly from the millennial generation, to work in organisations that are doing some social good,” he said.Finally, Davis-Smith said, charities should look at the “sharing economy”– Uber and AirBnB, for example – and how a more “social aspect” could be introduced to that concept.

The new bilingual Charity Governance Code will outline the high standards that all charities in England and Wales should aspire to and is designed to help charities and their trustees to develop high standards of governance.

External reviews for larger charities every three years, more openness and limits on how long trustees may serve are among new recommendations.

Read more at www.nptcvs.wales/g-c/

The Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee has said that the Welsh Government should produce poverty strategy for Wales, in a new report on Communities First.

The Committee points out that many people live in poverty in Wales, 700,000 in fact, which includes 30% of children in Wales, the highest proportion in any UK nation.

The Welsh Government has rejected the Committee’s recommendation to create a poverty strategy, saying that the problem cut-across departments, and so should be considered by all departments individually.

The Committee has said that it intends to consider the various issues and policies around poverty during this term of the assembly.

- News

Autumn 2017 7.

Willow Experience NSPCC Launch “Take 5” Positive Parenting CampaignThe Next

Steps (25+) Active Inclusion Deve lopment Officer and a handful of p a r t i c i p a n t s attended The Willow Experience at the grounds of Neath Port Talbot Hospital.

Prue Thimbleby the Arts in Health Co-ordinator from ABMU Health Board hosted the afternoon and showed the group the techniques of willow cutting and

the care required to produce a willow maze. All who attended thoroughly enjoyed the event and thankfully the weather was kind too.

The NSPCC have launched their positive parenting

campaign, “Take 5”, designed to provide hints and tips to help parents keep their cool in challenging parenting situations.The campaign aims to promote ways to react calmly when children are misbehaving, rather than reacting angrily by Taking 5: stop - breathe - and react calmly.The tips focus on why children misbehave, how to set and maintain clear rules, the importance of showing affection and reminding parents that they need to look after themselves too.Read more about the advice on the NSPCC website https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-a b u s e / k e e p i n g - c h i l d r e n - s a f e /take-five/

News -

8. Autumn 2017

Volunteering...Children in Need Volunteering Project

Befriending

Christmas Day Volunteers needed

Volunteers needed to support 16-18 year olds on the Children in Need Volunteering Project. Can you spare 2-3 hours each week?

Contact Gemma Richards on 01639 631246 or email GemmaR@nptcvs.org.uk for more information.

Volunteers needed to serve and help with preparation for Christmas Day lunch at Forge Fach Community Centre, Clydach.

Contact Marc on 07815 642069 for more information.

NPTCVS wishes to recruit volunteers who want to make a difference to isolated families in the SA9 and SA18 areas. Training and supervision is given to support volunteers in this befriending role, and out-of-pocket expenses are reimbursed. Just a few hours per week can make a huge difference to give families the confidence to get out of the house and join in some community activities. Volunteer befriending is a very rewarding activity and volunteers find that it helps to develop their employability skills and work experience, especially those seeking to enter the ‘caring professions’. Scientific research has shown that, in general, people who volunteer live longer and are happier. So get in touch today on 01639 631246 or email RosierG@nptcvs.org.uk

- Volunteering

Autumn 2017 9.

Opportunities & Vacancies...Citizen Directed Co-operatives Cymru Project Officer (Disabled person definition)

Y Banwen

Secondment Opportunity

Fixed term: to 30 September 2018 NJC 30 – 34 £25,727 - £28,92235 hours per week

Interested? 029 2088 7325 E-mail: info@disabilitywales.orgdownload an application pack from www.disabilitywales.org

Closing date: 27 November 2017Interviews: 7 December 2017This post is subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service check.

Canolfan Maerdy are the lead partners in the development of the old Ysgol y Glyn site in Lower Brynamman, now known as Y Banwen. Together, our aim is to create a community hub for local people to benefit from and enjoy.

Y Banwen is always interested in engaging people to gather opinions, ideas and thoughts to shape our activities. We have made a short online poll and would be delighted if you could spend less than one minute to complete the survey, just click on the link below.

www.ybanwen.org/survey

Opportunities, Vacancies & Consultations -

Consultations...

10. Autumn 2017

Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 – Fitness for human habitation

Mandatory concessionary fares scheme in Wales

Introduction to Mindfulness

Suicide Prevention

Training...

Welsh Government are seeking your views on proposed regulations, made under section 94 of the act, for determining if a dwelling is fit for human habitation.

They are consulting on:

• the content of the regulations, including the specific requirements to be placed on landlords• the draft guidance on the regulations. To read the full consultation, visit h t t p s : / / c o n s u l t a t i o n s . g o v. w a l e s /consultat ions/renting-homes-wales-act -2016- f i tness-human-habi ta t ion Consultation deadline: 12 January 2018

Welsh Government are consulting on options to improve access to and use of free bus travel in Wales. These include:• Welsh Government becoming the Travel Concession Authority• increasing the age of eligibility for older people to match the UK state retirement age • the issue of ‘companion’ passes for disabled people • extending the scheme to include volunteers. To read the full consultation, visit https://consultations.gov.wales/consultations/mandatory-concessionary-fares-scheme-wales

The Health, Social Care and Sport Committee would welcome your views on the extent of the problem of suicide in Wales.

Read and respond to the consultation by visiting http://senedd.assembly.wales/mgConsultationDisplay.aspx?ID=278

The deadline for responses is 8 December 2017. Please send your views to: SeneddHealth@assembly.wales

11 January 2018Cardiff

Stress is a leading cause of sickness absence across all workplaces in the UK. Against this background many organisations are seeking to introduce mindfulness programmes. There is a wealth of research evidence emerging to indicate that mindfulness can reduce stress and anxiety and can reduce the incidence of recurrent depression. In addition, mindfulness can improve attention and decision making. This course provides an introduction to mindfulness in the workplace. The aim is to explore the meaning and potential applications of mindfulness across a variety of roles and workplace settings and to provide participants with the opportunity to explore how it might enhance their lives, personally and professionally.

To book, visithttp://www.childreninwales.org.uk/item/introduction-to-mindfulness/

- Consultations & Training

Autumn 2017 11.

Motivational Interviewing

3-SET Webinar: Succession Planning

Health, Social Care & Wellbeing...12 & 13 December 2017

Cardiff

Two day course:Motivational Interviewing is a refined guidance communication style originating in the counselling field. It aims to guide clients in the process of changing many types of unhealthy behaviours including drugs and alcohol use, health behaviours like smoking, eating, sexual behaviour, adherence to medication and offending behaviour. MI strategies avoid confrontational methods, because the aim is to get the client to be the one who presents the arguments for change.

Book Now via http://www.childreninwales.org.uk/item/motivational-interviewing-2/

28 November 2017 The course will cover:

• What is succession planning• How to develop a managed exit strategy• Options for future funding and sources of help and support The aim of this training is to help organisations plan for the future once current funding ends. It will be delivered by the Third Sector European Team (3-SET).

Book now at https://www.wcva.org.uk/media/5518970/3_set_training_booking_form_e.docx

Western Bay Regional Citizens PanelThe next meeting of the Western Bay Regional Citizens’ Panel will take place on Wednesday 29th November (11.00am – 2.00pm) at the Vine Christian Centre, Australian Terrace, Bridgend CF31 1LY.

Meetings are open to users of health and social care services, carers or family members based in the Bridgend, Neath Port Talbot and Swansea areas. Those who attend will have the opportunity to consider the agenda and papers for the next meeting of the Western Bay Regional Partnership Board.

If you would like to attend, please email Helen Evans (HelenE@nptcvs.org.uk) by Monday 20th November 2017.

Spaces are limited due to venue capacity, therefore registration is essential.

Training & HSCWB -

12. Autumn 2017

Events & Activities...

- Events & Activities

Autumn 2017 13.Events & Activities -

14. Autumn 2017 - Events & Funding

British and Foreign School SocietyThe British and Foreign School Society (BFSS) provides around £700,000 each year to organisations with UK charitable status that need funding for education or training for children and young people up to the age of 25 years.

Applications will be considered from educational or training institutions which have UK charitable status or, in the case of schools, colleges, universities and churches, ‘exempt charity’ status.

The Trustees will consider proposals for collaborative projects involving international partners and agencies.

Priority will be given to projects which widen educational access and opportunity and reduce the barriers to achievement, in keeping with the BFSS’ vision to maximise educational opportunity for all. Priority will also be given to projects in areas of deprivation or educational disadvantage.

Funding is at the discretion of the BFSS, and there is no minimum or maximum level of funding.

There are normally three funding rounds per year.

Applications are currently being accepted for the first grants committee meeting of 2018 which will take place in February.

The deadline for applications is 18th December 2017.

Further details are available from: http://www.bfss.org.uk/grants/ or email: enquiries@bfss.org.uk

Funding...

Autumn 2017 15.

If you have any news or events you would like to publicise in our future publications, please contact the Editor, Nia Parr-Williams on 01639 631246 or email NiaPW@nptcvs.org.uk

Funding -

Gwanwyn Community Grants

Theatre Trust Small Grants Scheme

Tesco Community SchemeGwanwyn is a month-long national festival held across Wales in May each year celebrating creativity in older age.

The festival operates a community grants scheme offering sums of up to £500 to enable groups all over Wales to organise an event, or a series of events, for the festival in 2018.

Applications are now open with the deadline for submission on Friday 8 December 2017.

For more information please visit: www.gwanwyn.org.uk

The fund will strengthen the valuable relationship between theatres and surrounding communities until 2020.

The grants can be used for small capital projects that address urgent building repairs, improve operational viability, introduce environmental improvements, and enhance physical accessibility.

Applicants are advised to contact the Trust before making an application.

Phone: 020 7836 8591 email: advice@theatretrust.org.uk

Deadline for applications to Round 11:7th January 2018.

Applications for funding now open!

Tesco have teamed up with Groundwork to launch the monthly roll-out of its ‘Bags of Help’ funding scheme, which sees grants of £4000, £2000 and £1000 - all raised from the 5p carrier bag levy awarded to local outdoor community projects.

The scheme is open to community groups, charities, schools and public sector organisations. The funds can go towards improvements for parks, play areas, community gardens and other green spaces.

Applications from the Port Talbot area are particularly sought.

Visit www.groundwork.org.uk for more information.

Looking for Funding? Do you have a project idea that could help your local

community?

Regenerate NPT can support communities and enterprises to trial and develop new ideas that benefit rural areas in Neath Port Talbot.

We can support innovative projects, so come and talk to our friendly team for support and advice and to see how your ideas fit in with our Local Development Strategy which covers four themes:

1 Green NPT: Helping you to explore ideas around green and renewable energy and eco-tourism at community level.

2 Vibrant NPT: Supporting you to build on the unique assets of NPT, enhancing its image as a good place to live and do business.

3 Enterprising NPT: Enabling you to create an environment that encourages the growth of businesses within NPT.

4 Accessible NPT: Assist you to improve access to basic services and support individuals to overcome barriers.

Revenue and Capital funding support available

Got the Idea? Get in touch! 01639 686077 rdp@npt.gov.uk regenerate.npt.gov.uk

Rural Development Programme 2014 – 2020 Funding for Community Regeneration in Neath Port Talbot Rural Wards

Supported by the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme,

which is financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government

If you would like to include an article in our next edition

Tel: 01639 631246 Email: NiaPW@nptcvs.org.uk

^Neath Port Talbot Council for Voluntary Service

Ty Margaret Thorne 17-19 Alfred Street

Neath SA11 1EF

Tel: 01639 631246Email: info@nptcvs.org.uk

Registered Charity No. 1064450 Registered Company No. 3341466

www.nptcvs.wales

Neath Port Talbot CVS would like to thank all their

members who contributed to this Quarterly Magazine