Hello and welcome to the first edition of the Network's online e-newsletter.  This new format will reduce the number of e-mails by placing all of the information on this on-line web-based format. If you have any information about your activities, services, new vacancies or any other information that if you would like to promote for free here in this newsletter, then please contact myself at the office on 0191 565 1566 or wendy.hadlington@sunderlandcommunitynetwork.org.uk

Please feel free to forward this newsletter onto others.  If you know of anyone who needs a printed version of this, please contact me on the above telephone and e-mail.

BUZY, BUZY, BUZY!!

Jeanette Harold, Network Coordinator - Dear Members, We have had our monthly Steering Group meeting this month and minutes will soon be available on site. We also had a discussion group in respect of the different roles of key organisations involved in the support and development of the Sunderland Community Network and we will also put that on for your information when it is finalised.

The Diversity Working Group has also met and we are hoping to develop a toolkit which will benefit your organisation in respect of measuring your own diversity. More on that as it progresses. Wendy and I have taken up residence of our new Offices and we are very pleased with them but obviously moving means losing other work time in the week. I also attended the Involvement and Participation Forum of the BME Community this week and found some interesting statistics. Did you know that you can access all sorts of statistics about Sunderland if you click on http://www.sunderland.gov.uk/Public/Editable/Themes/theCity/Key_Stats.asp

Our Chair, Alan Patchett and me have offered to meet with Sunderland Partnership Member Organisations so that we can look at ways in which we can increase our partnership work. We had an excellent meeting with Emily Taylor, the Communications Manager with the ARC and we are also meeting with the Deputy Chief Executive. The Fire Service have also responded but a date has not yet been fixed.

There have been some very interesting publications put out by the Department of Communities and Local Authority www.communities.gov.uk this last week and I would urge you to look at them and respond where you can. Remember you can always send your responses to us and we will formulate responses. I will be looking to disseminate the information from the documents over the coming weeks.

Wendy Hadlington, Network Administrator - Hello!  I would like to start by saying a big thank you to Chris Foreman, ICT Development Officer for the E-neighbourhoods Programme, without whom this e-newsletter would not be possible.  Chris has been training me (which takes a great deal of patience and understanding, I kid you not!) over the last couple of days to produce this newsletter.  I hope you like it!  Jeanette and myself have now moved offices and occupy adjoining rooms on the first floor of the Sunderland CVS base, Riverview House.  It will take us a little while to find a home for everything we have accumulated of the last 8 or 9 months, but I am sure this new environment will greatly enhance the smooth running of the Network.

Sunderland Community Network Members Meeting Thursday 25th October

Rob Charlton gave a presentation on the Training and Development Project, which he runs at Sunderland CVS, including how the project came about; he explained the aims of the project and plans for the future.

Rob’s full presentation can be found below.

Gentoo - more than just a little penguin.

Carla Keegans from the Community Training Department of Gentoo gave an overview of her organisation and a very informative talk to members around training.

Find out more in the Meeting Notes and Questions and Answers document which can be found by following this link: http://www.sunderlandcommunitynetwork.org.uk/intheloop.asp

The Action Plan for Community Empowerment: Building on Success

The Action Plan for Community Empowerment: Building on Success is a joint plan for communities and local government and the LGA to take forward a shared community empowerment agenda.

Jeanette Harold, Network Co-ordinator - On the 24th October I alerted members to “An Action Plan for Community Empowerment: Building on Success” and gave a link to the document. If you have had time to read the document you will have seen that at the end there was an invite to respond to some questions. The Questions were against each of the three areas identified for activity and are as follows:-

Widening and deepening empowerment opportunities locally (action points 1 – 10)

· Which actions do you think are most important to empower people in your community and why?

· What other activities do you think would encourage local people to participate more and have more influence in your community?

Supporting and enabling people to take up empowerment opportunities (action points 11 – 20)

· What other support would you like; a) nationally, b) local government and c) the community and voluntary sector to provide to help you take up local empowerment opportunities?

Strengthening local representative democracy (Action Points 21 – 23)

· How would you encourage people to be less disengaged in local democracy?

· Can you suggest any other ways to increase people’s opportunity to be engaged with their local area?

Please find below a copy of the document and would welcome feedback on the questions and I propose to have a workshop session at our next members meeting on the 13th December, so please come with your or your organisations opinions. As an added incentive we’ll make sure there are mince pies available. If you are unable to make it email me or write with your views.                 jeanette.harold@sunderlandcommunitynetwork.org.uk

Sunderland Community Network Delegate Meeting – 29th November2007

We will be holding a Delegate Meeting on Thursday 29th November at the Sunderland CVS Training Suite, 134-136 High Street West, Sunderland, SR1 1XD.

The meeting will begin promptly at 10.30am and will end at approximately 12 noon. If you would like to join other delegates and Network staff for coffee before hand, the doors will be open from 10am.

I would be most grateful if Delegates wishing to attend could complete the attached Attendance and Personal Requirement Form and return it to me at wendy.hadlington@sunderlandcommunitynetwork.org.uk by Friday 23rd November.

East Forum meeting –6th December 2007

To view more detailed information about this event, please click this link: http://www.sunderlandcommunitynetwork.org.uk/eastside.asp 

An Invite from Mary - Sunderland South Forum Funding Event

I am delighted to invite you to a ‘Sunderland South Forum Funding Event’ which is to be held at the Sunderland South Community Safety Centre, North Moor Road, on Friday 7th December 2007 from 9.30am -1pm.

For more information and a booking form follow this link: www.sunderlandcommunitynetwork.org.uk/financial.asp

Update on Digital Challenge

Earlier this year, Sunderland City Council won the country's digital battle with its digital plans to improve residents' lives through technology.

The council's consultation with residents, community groups and voluntary organisations on how lives could be boosted using IT helped to secure it top spot at the Department of Communities and Local Government's (DCLG) Digital Challenge.

Now it is gearing up to roll the innovative programme out across the city, using the £3.5million cash prize.

Sunderland Mayor Les Scott with one of the briefcase gifts given out at the Digital Award ceremony at the civic centre, watched by some of the guests.

Hello from New Admin Worker for the South Forum - www.southforum.org.uk

My name is Sue and I am the new Administration Officer for the South Forum.  I am originally from Sandy in Bedfordshire and  been living in Washington for nearly three  years.

As well working for the South Forum, I also work for a small independent charity;  my previous experience includes working for the BBC, Oracle Teletext and an Audi Dealership in Bedford.

If you have any articles for the newsletter or website my email address is sue.lowe@sunderlandcommunitynetwork.org.uk.  I look forward to hearing from you.

SUNDERLAND CITY COUNCIL'S CHILDCARE CONVENTION

This years Childcare Convention will take place on Saturday 24th November 2007, 9.00am - 1.00pm at the Stadium of Light. The focus of the conference this year is the Enjoying and Achieving outcome within the Every Child Matters Framework. Delegates will have the opportunity to attend 2 workshops which are structured to demonstrate practical measures practitioners can adopt to ensure the Enjoying and Achieving outcome is attainable for all children in their care. More information, including booking forms, will be sent out in early October. Places are limited so please return your forms as soon as possible.

For more information please contact Sunderland City Council's Extended Services and Attendance Team on

0191 553 5692.

Job Vacancy - Activage Officer

25 hours per week, 9.15am to 3.15pm, Monday to Friday.  £8.00 per hour plus pension and excellent holidays.

This post will provide support to the ActivAge Manager in all aspects of our wide -ranging programme of activities for older people. The successful applicant will have substantial experience in administration, good written and verbal communication skills, be able to use initiative and manage their workload.

For an application form please contact: Age Concern Sunderland, Bradbury Centre, Stockton Road,
Sunderland, SR2 7AQ.  Tel: 0191 5141131.  Email: enquiries@acsunderland.org.uk.
Website: www.acsunderland.org.uk.

CVs will not be accepted for this post.  This post is subject to an Enhanced CRB Disclosure.

Age Concern Sunderland is an Equal opportunities Employer.  Registered Charity 1086995

Closing date: 30th November 2007.  Interview date: 7th December 2007

Evening Opportunities Committee

The evening opportunities group would like to invite you to the National Glass Centre in Sunderland to discuss the creation of an Evening opportunities committee. We are a group looking to create more opportunities and activities throughout the city for people with a learning disability.

An excellent opportunity to learn about how committees are formed, what they can do and other  ways you may want to help out if a committee isn't for you.

A  presentation will be given by Rob Charlton from Sunderland CVS (Council Voluntary Service).  Rob has been instrumental in setting up successful committees in the local area and will be on hand to answer your questions.

The event will take place on 5th December 2007 from 10.30am and the running order is as follows:

10.30am-Arrival, coffee and mince pies!

11am- Presentation by Rob Charlton.

11.30am-Discussion on your views, how to be involved or help out when you can.

Please contact Ashley Pittuck on 0191 5661892 If you wish to attend.

Where's my nearest doctors surgery?

How can I find out about my council tax?

You can find out where to go to get answerers to these and many other frequently asked questions at the SID Phase 2 Launch Event.  Find out more here!

Looking for a good fundraiser or maybe just a bit of a chuckle?

Click here:  http://www.fundeo.co.uk/_asp/Home_demo.html

Please circulate this newsletter, if you wish to unsubscribe email info@sunderlandcommunitynetwork.org.uk