Weekly News Update from VOYC Devon

12
Apr

WEEKLY NEWS FROM VOYC DEVON

COUNTY LINES: NATIONAL ISSUE, LOCAL PROBLEM

Across the country, young people and vulnerable adults are being exploited by gangs to move and sell drugs on their behalf in suburban areas, market towns and coastal regions. This criminal activity is known as ‘county lines’, as young people travel to different regions where they’re unknown to the police and can therefore operate undetected. These young people can be as young as 10 and are often subjected to threats, violence, and sexual abuse by the gangs.

What should you look for?

  • Vulnerable people being cuckooed (bullied) from their homes

  • Lone children from outside of the area

  • Individuals with multiple mobile devices or SIM cards

  • Young people with more money, expensive clothing, or accessories than they can account for

What can you do?

Keep your eyes open and report suspicious activity

Call: Devon & Cornwall Crimestoppers 0800 555111

Email: 101@dc.police.uk

Report Online: http://dc.police.uk 

 

Best Wishes for the remainder of the Easter Holidays,

Mark Goodman mark@voycdevon.org.uk

Contents:

  1. VOYC Training
  2. Local News
  3. Diary
  4. National News
  5. Funding
  6. Jobs
  7. Resources

1. VOYC TRAINING

 

31st May 10am – 1pm Bideford, Group 2 Child Protection Training – there are very few places remaining

The Group 3 Child Protection session on the 19th March was postponed due to the severe weather and we are re-scheduling this as soon as we can. If you are interested in Group 3 training for Designated Safeguarding Officers please contact Juliet at the Office and she will add you to the list.

2. LOCAL NEWS

WORKING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE IN EXETER

Young Devon have been commissioned by the Exeter Board (Devon County Council, Exeter City Council and other strategic partners) to deliver the #ExeterYouthVoice with young people in the city over 2018/19. This will build on the work developed in 2017   Exeter: A Young People Friendly City – towards a youth strategy for Exeter. Young Devon will be using a mixture of ‘photo journalism’ and ‘social media’ to capture young people’s stories on a series of key themes which relate to the priorities identified in the ‘A young People Friendly City’.

Cassie who is leading on this work for Young Devon would like to know any details / times / venue of any groups you may run or within your organisation within Exeter as she would like to come along and meet your young people to inform them of the exciting project and gather interest for the youth forum. Her contact details are as follows:

Tel: 01626 356720 or Mob: 07525225558

Email: cassie.brennan@youngdevon.org

 

3. Diary

2nd May 2018

 Emergency First Aid at Work Course - Crediton

 Delivered by Involve Voluntary Action in Mid Devon, this is a level 3 (QCF) 1 day Emergency First Aid at Work course and is designed to give first aid training to those people working in low risk environments, or a small amount of staff.

25th May 2018

Date of the General Data Protection Legislation (GDPR) implementation.

VOYC have provided GDPR guidelines for its members.

28th June 2018

VOYC Devon AGM

 

4. NATIONAL NEWS

HOME EDUCATED CHILDREN

The Department for Education is raising the prospect of a compulsory register for an estimated 45,500 home-educated children in England. Ministers have launched a "call for evidence" on ensuring children taught at home get a good quality education. Ministers are asking for the views of the public on whether there should be a registration process and how it might operate. In a 12-week consultation, the department is canvassing opinion on how local authorities might monitor the progress of children being taught outside the school system. Read more in this BBC article.


THE CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE NOW AWARDS celebrate the hard work, innovation and achievements of individuals, groups and organisations throughout the UK. There are 23 categories from which to enter, recognising excellence in improving the lives of children, young people and families. It is free to enter, and you can view the categories and submit your entries.

 THE CHARITY COMMISSION opens investigation into the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) . The Charity Commission has opened a statutory class inquiry into the RNIB and its subsidiary charity, RNIB Charity, over concerns about the safeguarding of vulnerable beneficiaries. The class inquiry was triggered by serious concerns about the oversight and management of a residential setting for children and young people in Coventry run by the subsidiary charity.

 HOUSING SUPPORT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

Housing costs will be available to 18 to 21-year-olds under Universal Credit to make sure young people from all backgrounds can get a job and progress into work. 

The government will amend the regulations so that all 18 to 21-year-olds will be entitled to claim support for housing costs within Universal Credit. Alongside the Youth Obligation, this change will mean young people get comprehensive and intensive work-focussed support, whether they are ‘learning’ or ‘earning’ as they set off into adulthood. They will also be assured that if they secure a tenancy they will be entitled to receive support towards their housing costs in the normal way.

  

5. FUNDING

Recently added funding streams include:

5.1 The Performing Rights Society’s Open Fund for Organisations grant programme, details found here

5.2 Woodward Summer Play Schemes Fund Deadline 15 April 2018

This programme provides grants for the provision of children's summer play schemes for children between the ages of 5 and 16 years. The Fund supports about 35 play schemes each year that run for a minimum of 2 weeks or 10 days across the summer holidays of grants between £500 and £1,000.

5.3 Carnegie UK Trust: Developing Digital Skills of Vulnerable Young People

Deadline 30 April 2018

The Carnegie UK Trust has grants available to organisations to help develop the digital skills of vulnerable young people aged 11-25. The Trust is looking to support the development of three projects through their first digital inclusion accelerator. The programme has been designed to stimulate the development of youth focused digital inclusion initiatives, whilst also building staff and organisational capacity to effectively deliver the projects.

Organisations already delivering services with vulnerable young people, organisations with experience of developing digital projects or using digital technology within existing projects can apply for funding for six-month programme of training, support and up to £3,000

 5.4 Warburtons & Communities Deadline 15 May 2018

Warburtons financial support is aimed at supporting projects, activities and organisations that have charitable aims and will be of direct benefit to families. Community Grants can be used for something specific that will benefit the cause e.g. buying equipment to support an employability project. It will fund grants up to £250.

 5.5 The Transform Foundation

As a charity focussed on helping charities with digital, our grant goals are simple: to provide the initial funding to small and mid-size charities to help them prove the potential of online marketing as a way of recruiting donors, volunteers, campaigners, or helping beneficiaries. Find out more here.

5.6 The Garfield Weston Foundation 60th Anniversary Fund – In 2018 the Weston Garfield Foundation is celebrating its 60th anniversary. As part of these celebrations Foundation have launched the Weston Anniversary Fund. This one-off grants scheme will fund Capital projects that provide new, or improve existing community facilities for people across the UK. The fund is open to UK registered charities, CIOs, state maintained schools and places of worship, where the project has a clear benefit to the local community and will provide grants of between £30,000 and £150,000 per project. Closing date 30 June 2018.

 https://anniversary.garfieldweston.org/weston-anniversary-fund/

5.7 The Postcode Community Trust will re-open its Small Grants Programme on the 14th February 2018 for Expressions of Interest. The Trust was established in 2014 to support marginalised groups in obtaining the skills & resources to effect change in their own communities. In previous years the Trust has provided grants of £500 – £20,000 (£10,000 in Wales) for projects that benefit communities through grass-roots sports, arts and recreation programmes and healthy living initiatives that improve a community’s physical and mental health.

http://www.postcodecommunitytrust.org.uk/

See the rest of our funding pages HERE

 6. JOBS

Recently added jobs include:

  • Wonford and Community Learning Centre in Exeter  are looking to appoint a qualified youth worker for a new Youth Café at the Phoenix Suite, Wonford. The Worker will be managing a small team of volunteers to provide a drop-in café for young people aged from 11 to 16, involving them in the planning, preparation and decision-making for their weekly event. The position is for 3 hours on a Wednesday evening (term-time only) £15-£20 per hour depending on experience, with an initial 3 month trial period to start as soon as possible. More details

See the rest of our jobs pages HERE

 7. RESOURCES

The A-Z of Youth Work

Have you got your hands on the fantastic A-Z of Good Youth Work? Its been produced by our partners Space You can access a PDF copy from the weblink below https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9Dgfanr_kvJdkYzX3Y0TlJPZzI3MzlXdUVsT1BTUTRLNVMw/view

General Data Protection Regulation May 2018 for VOYC Members

The VOYC Members Guide to the GDPR can be found at http://www.voycdevon.org.uk/news/general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr