E-Bulletin - August 2009

August 09 E-Bulletin contents page

News

Does your group offer a quality service?

How do you know if your group is delivering a quality service, and how do you prove it to your funders and members?

One of the ways you can prove it is to introduce PQASSO into your organisation. PQASSO is a practical quality assurance system for small organisations. Don’t let the words put you off it's actually quite easy to put into place and it’s a good quality mark to have to prove to your stakeholders that you can manage your group well and that your group provides a quality service.

Most funders (including Tameside Council) recognise PQASSO as being a good quality assurance system. The Charity Commission has also recently announced its endorsement of the PQASSO Quality Markr. Dame Suzi Leather, Chair of the Charity Commission, was ‘delighted to welcome the PQASSO Quality Mark to our growing family of endorsed quality standards’. Organisations that achieve the PQASSO Quality Mark at levels 2 and 3 will be able to use the Charity Commission's Charity Quality Standards stamp confirming that they are accredited by standards that meet the Hallmarks of an Effective Charity.

T3SC is offering FREE support to groups on a one to one basis so that you understand it and can begin putting it in place.

If you would like more information about PQASSO or would like to meet up for a chat then please give Ruth Madden a call on 0161 339 4985 or email ruth.madden@t3sc.org
 

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You need a Flu Friend

H1N1 swine flu continues to spread across the UK, with an increasing number of cases daily. This rate of transmission is likely to increase still further. It is therefore vitally important that everyone chooses their own flu friends as soon as possible.

Flu friends are relatives, neighbours and friends who will collect medicines, food and other important supplies for you (including antiviral drugs) if you contract swine flu. People with swine flu should stay home, so having a support network to purchase your essentials is very important. They will form a vital lifeline for you if you do fall ill.

The best people to serve as flu friends are neighbours, friends and relatives who live near you, people who could easily collect antiviral medications for you, and who you would be happy to share your personal health details with. Of course, your flu friends could fall ill themselves. You should therefore have more than one, up to about three or four is recommended.

In addition, you could consider yourself becoming a flu friend to a vulnerable individual such as an elderly or disabled person who lives alone in your area.

If you cannot identify a flu friend, local groups are setting up flu friend networks. Community groups, faith groups and voluntary organisations are all involved, phone the local council for details or visit the following websites:

Everyone should take the following steps as soon as possible:

1. Identify your flu friends and check that they are happy to help you.
2. Complete the flu friend form as soon as possible and keep it in a safe place e.g. on the fridge or by the phone. NHS Swine Flu leaflet
3. Think about neighbours who may live alone or family members that might need help and offer to be their flu friend.

You will need the first and last name from your flu friend in order to collect antiviral medication from a pharmacy or antiviral collection point on their behalf. You and your flu friend will be given the details of the pharmacy or antiviral collection point which is where the flu friend will need to collect the antiviral medication.

Public Health Director Melanie Sirotkin says 'As swine flu hits Tameside and Glossop it is hugely important for people to support one another. People with the flu should stay indoors, so they will need other people for the provision of both anti-viral drugs and basic supplies like food and drink. The best way for people to build up that support is to identify their flu friends as soon as they can with the forms which will be available from a variety of public places. If you can identify a vulnerable person in your community and volunteer as their flu friend, you will be a massive help both to them and the community as a whole.'

For more on Swine flu see our Swine Flu information page

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Jobs in the local voluntary and community sector

The T3SC jobs page of third sector jobs www.t3sc.org/jobs2.htm
currently has a number of exciting positions. Positive Steps Oldham are looking for a 3rd Sector Community Networker, the Church of England require a Community Development Worker in Salford there are two job opportunities at GMCVO and a Sustaining Change Development Officer opportunity at MERCi.  The Jobs page is constantly updated so keep checking it. If you want to advertise a voluntary and community sector job on our jobs page please email hannah.powell@t3sc.org

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There's a buzz around St Peter's
St Peter’s Partnerships have an exciting initiative with Tameside Radio

The Partnership have agreed to sponsor the hugely popular ‘Tameside Today’ programme, presented daily on 103.6FM by Andy Hoyle.

The sponsorship will take the form of a series of adverts for Greenscape, Safeguard It, SPY (St. Peter’s Youth), St Peter’s Community Development and St Peter’s People. They will feature the voices of The Bradshaws - Alf, Audrey and Billy - the creations of local man Buzz Hawkins who has recorded the voiceovers especially in support of this local charity.

Fans of The Bradshaws can log onto Buzz’s website to keep up to date with their latest goings-on at www.thebradshaws.biz

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Topaz Well Being Centre temporary cafe closure
Closes 3pm, Friday 24 July
Reopens 10am, Monday 17 August

From customer feedback we have received we are aware that the cafe needs to be a bit roomier and reception needs to be a bit more private. To achieve these improvements we regret that the ground floor, including the cafe, will be closed from Friday 24 July and will reopen Monday 17 August.

Please note that counselling, drop-ins and 121 appointments will be running as usual during this period.

We thank you for your patience and hope that the re-designed premises will be worth waiting for.

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Open for the weekend events

'Get sorted for the weekend' was the slogan for Tameside’s contribution to an important government initiative led by the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

The government encouraged all local authorities to open all youth facilities the weekend of 10-12 July so that teenagers could be involved in positive activities. This will enable them to know where the clubs are, what they offer and hopefully see them doing loads of positive things over the summer holidays. The Department for  Children, Schools and Families said Tameside’s programme was one of the strongest offers in the country.

Over 40 events were organised, with over 1000 young people taking part! It was a real collective effort led by Tameside Youth Service in partnership with many voluntary sector organisations, community safety, police, patrollers, fire service, Branching Out, church groups and scouts. The activities included a beach party, ice-skating in the sun, Duke of Edinburgh Expedition, discos, teen-gym, sports, sports, comedy night, barbecues, cycling, orienteering, indoor winter Olympics and much more! The young people (and staff) involved had a great time. This is just the start of a wonderful summer programme.

For more information go to www.tameside.gov.uk  or phone Sue Nathan on 0161 336 6615

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Support for key community organisations in the North West

bassac is offering a range of support services to key community organisations in the North West and across the country. Inclusive community-run organisations that provide a range of services in their community are eligible for membership and the resulting benefits that can bring. bassac has recently appointed Anton Schultz as regional manager for the north west and we are now keen to make contact with community organisations in the region that could benefit from support.

Current programmes of work include:

  • Collaboration: - providing resources, skills, and consultation support to facilitate effective collaborations within the voluntary and community sector.
  • Impact: - support and resources to help organisations measure and develop the impact they are having on their community.
  • Voice: - supportive work to increase the influence of communities and community organisations through campaigning and advocacy.
  • Sustainability: - support and resources for members to increase their sustainability, and reduce their environmental impact.
  • Leadership: - learning programme and resources developed to help prepare people for positions of leadership.

We are continually developing new programmes in response to our members needs, so please check our website for more information.

bassac is a membership body for key community organisations that has been successfully supporting members and influencing policy on their behalf for almost 90 years. Members benefit from specific one-to-one organisational support, access to events and networking opportunities, a policy voice at a national level, and access to a wide range of resources and information.

If you are interested in finding out more about bassac, and how your organisation could benefit by becoming a member, please get in touch for an informal chat or visit our website: www.bassac.org.uk

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