Mental Health Awareness Week 9th – 15th May 2022

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Its Mental Health Awareness Week next week and this year’s theme is loneliness – something we can all experience at some point in our lives.

We all know the effect that loneliness and social isolation can have, and how it can impact on an individual’s health and wellbeing.

As part of the Better Health: Every Mind Matters Campaign the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport along with the Department for Health and Social Care are encouraging people to lift someone out of loneliness by taking a simple action to help.

VIN runs a Volunteer Befriender Scheme called Happy at Home which matches those who are lonely with those willing to help. In this way, relationships are forged over time and the crushing reality of loneliness and isolation blunted.

If you know someone who is lonely, or if you want to become a Volunteer Befriender then contact our Happy at Home Team at Debbie.larkins@voluntaryimpact.org.uk or roz.bates@voluntaryimpact.org.uk

Let’s all help to lift someone out of loneliness.

What is safeguarding?

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John Leivers is joined by Caroline Gooch from Age UK, Natriece Westwood from NDAS, Martin Steers from NLive Radio, and Carolyn Howe from VIN for the first episode of this new five part series on safeguarding for the voluntary and community sector. 

Download Episode 1 shownotes.

Join VIN on the 26th of May 2022 for the Poverty Truth Commission

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If you live, work or reside in Northamptonshire and have a story to tell about poverty or financial vulnerability, or are just interested in the issue of Poverty then why not join VIN on the 26th of May 2022 between 12 noon and 1.30PM.

Location: 15 St Giles Street: Northampton: NN1 1JA

Refreshments: Drink and Cakes.

Learn more about the work of the Poverty Truth Commission in Northampton shire and what it can do to raise the profile of Poverty in the County. Learn how to be a Community Commissioner, and what’s involved.

Just turn up on the day – no booking required. For further information contact Russell.rolph@voluntaryimpact.org.uk

Roles and responsibilities

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In this episode, John is joined by Natriece Westwood of NDAS, Caroline Gooch of Age UK Northamptonshire, Jane Geraghty an Independent Scrutineer from Northamptonshire Safeguarding Adults Board ( NSAB) and Michelle Wright, Team Manager for Safeguarding & Assurance, North Northants Council to talk about roles and responsibilities relating to safeguarding. 

Download Episode 2 shownotes

Policies and procedures

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This week we are talking to Amarjit Pawar of Right Resolution CIC, Jane Geraghty, Northamptonshire Safeguarding Adults Board, Independent Scrutineer AND Michelle Wright, Team Manager for Safeguarding & Assurance, North Northants Council about the policies and procedures that support effective safeguarding in VCSE organisations.

Download Episode 3 shownotes

Risk: Recognising, responding and reporting

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To help VCSE organisations understand who is at risk, and how this relates to their responsibilities around safeguarding, NLive’s John Leivers is joined by NDAS’s Natriece Westwood, Amarjit Pawar from Right Resolution CIC, Jane Geraghty an Independent Scrutineer from Northamptonshire Safeguarding Adults Board ( NSAB) and Michelle Wright, Team Manager for Safeguarding & Assurance, North Northants Council.

Download Episode 4 shownotes

Safeguarding, recruitment, and criminal records checks

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Age UK’s Caroline Gooch, Natriece Westwood from NDAS,and Martin Steers from NLive Radio join John Leivers to talk about safeguarding, recruitment, and Criminal Records Checks, to help VCSE organisations understand what they should consider during the recruitment and induction of volunteers and staff, and what Criminal Records checks are, how to use them (and how not to!).

Download Episode 5 shownotes

We are recruiting a trustee

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Voluntary Impact Northamptonshire is looking to recruit a new Trustee to its already burgeoning Board. If you want to help and support a local charity or understand a little more about the importance of Infrastructure Organisations that connect People to Places, then this might be a role for you.

Voluntary Impact Northamptonshire has been part of the Northamptonshire landscape for thirty years. It started life as a Volunteer Bureau and has developed over time to provide a range of support and advice services. Find out more about us and our recent two-year strategy can be found here.

We are ideally looking for one specialist who has current or past experience in human resources and three generalists. Any potential interest should be directed to russell.rolph@voluntaryimpact.org.uk in the first instance. Please leave your name, contact number, and provide a short paragraph on why you are interested in the role and your experiences.

How much time do I need to give?

In general, trustees will have to attend four board meetings per year plus our annual AGM. Board meetings normally take place between 5 pm and 7 pm quarterly on a Thursday. On occasions, extra meetings are called throughout the year to cover certain specific subjects or if there is urgent business to conduct.

State Sector Survey

State of the Sector Survey

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We are once again asking you to reflect on the year that has just passed and complete our State of the Sector Survey for 2021/22.

There are questions about your workforce, activities and beneficiaries. The impact that you make, The challenges you have overcome and your plans for the future.

The surveys will be used to produce a report building a picture of the VCSE in Northamptonshire that demonstrates the valuable role the sector plays in the health, wellbeing and economy of our county.

Please take 10 minutes out of your day to complete the survey – its important.

Friday bulletin

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In this week’s bulletin, a forthcoming Integrated Care System event in North Northants, we are looking for a new Trustee, the State of the Sector report and much more.