Archive for month: May, 2022

West Northamptonshire Council has strengthened their commitment towards helping people live their best lives by adopting a fresh approach towards tackling poverty and deprivation.

The new Anti-Poverty Strategy sets out how they will work with partners to support people struggling financially, what they will do to stop people falling into poverty and how they will work to influence the Government and other national organisations to get the best deal for the people of West Northants.

It also forms part of a bold new approach to improve social, environmental and economic sustainability, which will help protect communities for future generations.

Members from across the political groups have worked together towards developing the strategy, which has also involved input from the Poverty Truth Commission and people who are currently living through the experience of poverty – important engagement which we will be continuing as the future work is shaped.

The Strategy can be seen here:

Tackling poverty in West Northants | West Northamptonshire Council

Any comments on  the strategy and its contents should be directed to info@voluntaryimpact.org.uk for collation.

Janice has been volunteering for Happy at Home Northampton since May 2021. She is one of our valued telephone befriender volunteers. She chats with two of our service users on a regular basis, providing regular conversation for both of them.

What attracted you to volunteering and why Happy at Home?

As a person with additional needs, I want to give what I can to society! I liked this project because it is something I can do from the comfort of my own home I could call flexibly around my life. Telephoning people means that I do not have to rely on transport and support to be in a different environment.

What was the process like?

I found the process of entry to volunteering at Happy at Home free from the usual barriers I have faced. Although I needed some initial help with the written side of the application I was able to have a telephone interview with a member of staff and the whole process went very smoothly, The focus was on the positives what I can do and what do we need to do to enable me to be a volunteer, this makes a great change as often I’ve experienced barriers and assumptions as they “look” at my disability rather than what I can offer in a positive way!

What do you enjoy about your volunteering role?

I enjoy speaking to people and know that I can do this role completely independently! Hopefully, I can offer support and advice to the people I speak to, based on my life experiences. Speaking to people is always a blessing!

What difference has volunteering made to you and what impact has it had on your life?

Giving is one of the 5 ways to well-being and I feel confident and valued as an individual and I know I can give something back to society.

What impact does your volunteering role have on the people you have contact with?

I hope my volunteering will help the people I call every week and if they are encountering problems they have someone to speak to. I can reassure them that they have been listened to.

Finally, would you recommend this volunteering role to other people?

As a person “labelled” as Deafblind with joint issues I would definitely recommend “happy at Home” to other people given that the telephone befriending role you can do from home and use your own equipment. I use a phone that can boost the volume of the call if needed. I have recommended and given details to members of my church fellowship for their consideration to volunteer. It is a great feeling doing something independently to help and support other people!”

If you would like more information on volunteering as a befriender with Happy at Home please contact us at happyathome@voluntaryimpact.org.uk or call us on 07718 651 631.

https://www.northnorthants.gov.uk/community-safety-and-emergencies/northamptonshire-virtual-funding-fair-2022

Are you a community group who requires funding for a project, new activities and play equipment, building repairs or more?

This is your chance to attend a virtual session to hear presentations from a range of funders who could help you with your projects.

The Northamptonshire Virtual Funding Fair will take place from Tuesday 7 June to Thursday 9 June 2022 exclusively online between 10am and 4pm.

Funders include:

• Architectural Heritage Fund
• Augean
• Bernard Sunley
• Central Coop
• Charity Bank (For Social Investment Loans)
• Comic Relief
• Co-op Group
• Heritage Lottery
• Mick George Community Fund
• Morrisons Foundation
• NACRE Rural Support Services
• North Northamptonshire Council
• Northamptonshire Community Foundation (NCF)
• Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner
• Sport England
• Tesco Community Grants
• The National Lottery Community Fund
• West Northamptonshire Council

The funders will all be presenting at the event, providing valuable information on how best to apply for grants. There will also be a hints and tips presentation.

Places are limited and you must book to reserve your place on the presentation of your choice

Booking Form Link: https://www.kettering.gov.uk/forms/form/380/en/northamptonshire_virtual_funding_fair_2022%C2%A0

Live Your Best Life is a strapline for the 10 ambitions which West Northamptonshire Council in conjunction with their Health Counterparts hope to achieve through the Integrated Care System (or ICS) which goes live on the 1^st July 2022. North Northamptonshire Council are likely to adopt a similar approach.

The ambitions are set out here:

• Thriving Childhood
• Access to the best available education and learning
• Opportunity to be fit, well and independent
• Employment that keeps them and their families out of poverty
• Housing that is affordable, safe, and sustainable in places which are clean and green
• To feel safe in their homes and when out and about
• Connected to their families and friends
• The chance for a fresh start when things go wrong
• Access to health and social care when they need it
• To be accepted and valued simply for who they are.

These ambitions link to both the ICS and Population Health Management (PHM) as a way of involving communities and community organisations in the design of services which meet health inequalities in its widest sense. In the West, there will be several (9) Local Area Panels (formerly known as Neighbourhoods) which will meet and work towards these ambitions. The VCSE will be included, although representation will be based upon what the data says around health inequality and who can add most to these ambitions. Watch this space for more information on how this plays out over the coming months.

Note: As the NHS broker for the VCSE Alliances Programme, VIN will have a role to play in brokering this VCSE Representation. For more information contact info@voluntaryimpact.org.uk

The East Midlands Academic Health Science Network (EMAHSN) Public Involvement Fund is open.

Up to 15 awards of £2,000 will be offered to successful groups in the East Midlands region.

This funding will support patient, carer and public involvement in health and social care research, innovation, and transformation across the East Midlands. In honour of Veronica Price-Job who sadly passed away this year, we particularly welcome applications that involve the public in address health and social care inequalities.

This funding is aimed at health, social care, charities, voluntary and third sector organisations and groups.

Applications for the funding will be considered by a panel including a representative from the East Midlands Patient Public Involvement Senate, an independent group of patients and carers with varied health and service user experience.

The deadline for applications is midnight on Thursday 30 June 2022.

For more information, for terms and conditions and to apply you can visit our website www.emahsn.org.uk/publicinvolvementfund

For further details contact:

Emma Coates

Patient Public Involvement Officer

East Midlands Academic Health Science Network

Phone: 0777 361 0744

Email: emma.coates@nottingham.ac.uk