Project to help sick back to work launched in Rhyl

A new project was officially launched in Rhyl today - The Fit for Work Service.

The service provides help for employees off workwith health problems to get the support they need to return to employment.

Employees can contact the service direct to find out how they can help or can be refered by their G.P. or employer.

You can contact the service on 01745 369561

Calculate how the recent budget will affect you

Try out the budget calculator from bbc online to find out how the budget will affect you http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/10335476.stm

Princes trust delivering training in hospitality

Get Into Hospitality course running from Monday 26th July to Friday 6th August 2010. The last Get Into Hospitality course was highly successful with 9 of the 15 participants entering employment following the course. This is a two-week full time course for anyone aged 16 – 25, who is unemployed and is interested in finding work in the hospitality industry. As the funding is through Rhyl City Strategy, most of the participants must be from Rhyl, or very close to Rhyl. The course is free to participants and all travel and lunch costs will be paid for by the Prince's Trust. The course is work focused, and participants will gain vocational qualifications including Emergency First Aid, Health and Safety in the workplace and Food Safety level 2. The second week will include 4 days work experience (various shifts as this is what will be expected of them when they find work in the hospitality sector), and a final presentation on the last day. Following this there is the option of 6 months progression support for each participant if they are interested. The course will be delivered by Clwyd Leisure Ltd and there is the possibility of some vacancies for suitable candidates. There will be a taster day on Tuesday 20th July for everyone who is interested to come along and get more information. This will be a basic introduction to the course and short interviews for everybody who is interested. There is a maximum of 15 places on the course therefore there will be a selection process. Call Helen Stoker on 01745 350051

Communities First grows it's own!

Community members attended a course on gardening using plots of land at the back of South West Rhyl Communities First building. Beneficiaries attending came from Tia Mor, Hafod, CJIW & Future jobs fund participants

The photo is some of the results of the participants efforts

Council tax & baliffs training

South West Rhyl Communities First
Working in Partnership with
Wales & West Housing Association
Council Tax and bailiffs training session
2.30pm – 4.00pm
26th August 2010
Donations of £5 to cover refreshments
Many local authorities choose to use private bailiff companies for the recovery of outstanding Council Tax arrears. This can often be very stressful to individuals as such bailiffs often exaggerate their powers and behave in a very intimidating manner.
This course examines:
· Why Council Tax arrears often end up in the hands of bailiffs
· How this can be prevented
· What powers such bailiffs have
· What rights you have
· How vulnerable people can be protected.
The course is aimed at people/organisations advising clients
Venue – John Davies Community Facility, 82 Marsh Road, Rhyl – opposite Good News Mission
For more information or to book on to this - please contact Lisa Evans
South West Rhyl Communities First – 01745 332528
Email - lisa.evans@co-op.co.uk
Fax – 01745 360547
Places will be taken on a first come first served basis

Training for work with children & young people

OCN Flier v2

Community heroes sought!

Awards 2010

New Leaflets on Mobile Phones and Health for Primary and Secondary School Pupils

Two new leaflets have now been designed to inform primary and secondary school pupils on the safe use of mobile phones. The leaflets have been developed by the Welsh Assembly Government with involvement from the Health Protection Agency, Public Health Wales, Department of Health and external child-orientated focus groups such as Funky Dragon as well as a number of schools in Wales.
100519 Mobile Primary En


100519 Mobile Secondary En

Ministers launch new career drive

Over 10,000 people across Wales will benefit from a new £3.6m investment to set them on the path to career success, Welsh Ministers have announced

The Careers Information Advice and Guidance project will assist unemployed people, offering specialist, tailored advice that helps them get new jobs and climb the employment ladder.
Led by Careers Wales, the project is backed with £2.4m from the Convergence European Social Fund through the Welsh Assembly Government.
Among the services it will offer is support with identifying skills, writing CVs, job searches, career development, job interview techniques and job application form workshops.

Source:- WAG

Summer may be here but start thinking now about keeping warm this winter

With the recent warm weather we have experienced in Wales, and with the Summer fast approaching, it is very easy to forget the cold and damp of Winter, and the challenges of heating homes efficiently.
However, now is the best time for vulnerable householders to prepare for Winter 2010, by accessing HEES[Home energy efficiency scheme] and making their homes warmer and healthier.
With the warmer weather, we traditionally see a seasonal drop in referrals, and we urge householders who may be eligible for HEES to come forward and apply for the Scheme now, so that they will receive improvement works they are entitled to in time for Winter.

The Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (HEES) is a Welsh Assembly Government funded initiative aimed at making homes in Wales warmer, healthier and more energy efficient. The HEES grant provides a package of heating and insulation improvements up to the value of £3,600 (or £How do I qualify?
There are two levels of the grant; HEES is for householders who are pregnant and in receipt of a MAT B1 certificate or families with children under 16. HEES Plus is for householders who are 60 and over, lone parents with children under 16 and persons who are receiving certain sickness or disability related benefits. All must be in receipt of the relevant benefits or allowances.
HEES (grant of up to £2,000)
Householders who either have a child aged under 16 or are pregnant and have been given maternity certificate MAT B1 and are in receipt of one or more of the following benefits:
Income Support
Working Tax Credit (with income less than £16,040)
Council Tax Benefit
Child Tax Credit (with income less than £16,040)
Housing Benefit
Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
If you received work under the scheme prior to October 2006, the HEES grant you are entitled to will be up to £1,500. The amount available to you will also be reduced by the cost of any work you have previously received.
HEES Plus (grant of up to £3,600)
Householders who are either aged 60 or over or are lone parent families with a child aged less than 16 years, and are in receipt of one or more of the following benefits:
Income Support
Housing Benefit
State Pension Credit
Council Tax Benefit
Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance; or
Or householders who are disabled or chronically ill and are receiving one or more of the following benefits:
Income Support (which must include the Disability Premium)
Working Tax Credit (which must include the Disability Premium)
Housing Benefit (which must include the Disability Premium)
Council Tax Benefit (which must include the Disability Premium)
War Disablement Pension (which must include Constant Attendance Allowance or Mobility Supplement)
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (which must include Constant Attendance Allowance)
Disability Living Allowance
Attendance Allowance
Or householders, claiming Child Benefit, with a child under 16, with the child receiving:
Disability Living Allowance
Householders living in Wales who are aged over 80 do not need to be in receipt of any benefits to automatically qualify for HEES Plus.
If you received work under the scheme prior to October 2006, the HEES Plus grant you are entitled to will be up to £2,700. The amount available to you will also be reduced by the cost of any work you have previously received.
HEES Partial Grant Voucher (up to £500)
If you are aged 60 or over and you own your home, you may be eligible to claim up to £500 (or £375 if you have received work through the scheme before October 2006) towards the cost of energy efficiency improvements, even if you are not in receipt of any benefits. The amount available to you will also be reduced by the cost of any work you have previously received.5,000 where oil central heating is required). Householders who think they qualify can call us on 0800 316 2815.

Help for domestic abuse services

St Illtyd's Communities First in South Wales are supporting a local organisation called Blaenau Gwent Domestic Abuse Service. This service has been successful in being named as a semi finalist in the lottery "Good Causes Awards". In order to progress to the next stage they need community votes, as such would be possible to ask you to vote for them? The following link will provide all the information required. This is the only Blaenau Gwent Project through to this level, therefore we would really appreciate your support. http://www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/awards/shortlistitem.cfm?id_category=7&id_entry=150

Coming soon ……..Bus project to support the Economically Inactive

In recognition that no one agency can deliver services in isolation South West Rhyl Communities First in partnership with a number of welfare to work agencies intend to develop an inclusive flexible multi agency, mobile one stop shop that will address economic inactivity in both Rhyl South West, Rhyl West and Communities First areas in Conwy where it has been identified that some of the communities may benefit from such a service.

Making the service mobile is key in that it will be accessed by residents in the proposed areas close to their homes

Partner collaboration and local joint activity is the key feature of the programme bringing together a package of support for workless people and people on low incomes

It will provide an information and advice service to residents and work towards reducing the number of unemployed and economically inactive in the areas and will address in part service delivery improvements by bringing services to the people as opposed to the current system of people who may have multiple barriers to accessing several service providers scattered around the towns of Denbighshire & Conwy.

One member of staff will be employed to manage and deliver the project and sustainability of the project will be achieved by generating income from hire when the bus is not in use.
SWRCF has been successful in securing funding from Conwy & Denbighshire Community Cohesion funds and Strategic Regeneration funding to purchase the bus and have it refurbished and are submitting an outcomes fund application.

Debbie Holmes – Development Officer at SWRCF said “ The project arose as a need from consultation with residents and has taken sometime to develop and to get buy in from agencies but believes that the resource will be a valuable source of information and advice for residents and help those that are economically inactive to gain the skills and tools they need for entering or re-entering the workplace. Partnership working and programme bending with Denbighshire County Council has enabled SWRCF to purchase and refurbish the bus.”

Partnership Works Pampering Volunteers!

South West Rhyl Communities First in partnership Rhyl College held a day of pampering for volunteers in the area.

10 young students who are currently completing their Welsh baccalaureate as nail technicians pampered 30 volunteers who work for various community groups in the area

By collaborating and pooling resources the day was a win- win for both partners as well as those who were pampered
Debbie Holmes – Development officer for South West Rhyl Communities First said “ the students needed some one to practise on in a community setting and we wanted to reward volunteers with a little thank you for everything they do in their own communities and the input they have in Communities First in South West Rhyl

One of the students who took part said:-
“ Our perceptions of the community have changed – the community volunteers were all very nice and I didn’t expect so many volunteers to turn up and be so interested in what we were doing as students”

Rose Bellis who runs the local over 50’s club as a volunteer said:-
“The day was very enjoyable especially as I can no longer do them myself due to illness. I’m now thinking of asking the students to visit our club to do a session there.”

New clothes recycling facility in South West Rhyl

Clothes Recycling Bank

Rise in adult learners from poorer backgrounds

Economic uncertainty is pushing more people towards education, with adult learning at its highest level in a decade.
The annual adult learners’ week survey found participation levels at 43%, a rise of 4%, and a reverse of last year’s slump.
In particular, adult learning is attracting the poorest in society in unprecedented numbers. This year 30% of people in the DE social class reported current or recent learning, with older people contributing to the increase.
The UK-wide survey of almost 5,000 adults, published by the National Institute for Adult Continuing Education (Niace), reported the highest levels of people wanting to learn since the survey began 20 years ago. Read more at - http://www.newstartmag.co.uk/news/article/rise-in-adult-learners-from-poorer-backgrounds/

Stress & Depression in Children

Stress & Depression in children has rarely been out of the news in the last few years with the BMA reporting that one in ten children, aged one to 15, have a mental health problem. These can include extreme anxiety, depression, and young people self‐harming or having an eating disorder. Because of the current state of the economy the onset of depression may also affect parents’ health and increase difficulties for children.

Recent work by TJB Cymru in two areas in North Wales has highlighted a number of factors that affect the wellbeing of children. They:

• are bullied

• are isolated

• feel under pressure due to school work

• are worried about their parents – especially in these difficult financial times

• are worried about gangs

• are worried about drugs & alcohol

Children & Young people’s stress & depression is often over looked as they have difficulties in articulating their problems. Stress/depression related behaviour is mistakenly assumed to be bad behaviour or an unwillingness to do things.
There are a number of initiatives now being put in place to support children once they have problems but what if we were able to give them some skills to avoid becoming ill in the first place?

TJB Cymru have developed and tested a training programme which helps children to:

· Recognise and understand the way they feel

· Link feelings to what is happening to their body

· Link feelings to the way they think and the way they behave.

· Recognise when they are stressed

· Learn a variety of simple exercises designed to reduce stress

· Understand that when they are sad it is important to talk about it

· Develop strategies to help them feel in control.

· Develop strategies to help them feel safe
The training courses are tailored for parents, childcare workers and, of course children and young people themselves. We also have a course for families in which parents and children learn about stress and depression together. They are available in both languages, English and Welsh.
Contact Gareth Thomas, TJB Cymru Cyf on 01766 770015 for more information about the courses they are currently delivering

New vocational training provider

‘Train to Change (Wales) Ltd.’ is a new Vocational Training Provider, a ‘not-for-profit’ Company Limited by Guarantee, based on the Conwy/Denbighshire border.

They will be delivering a variety of vocational training courses accredited, mainly, through ABC Awards, National Open College Network (NOCN), RTITB and/or ITSSAR, although other Awarding Bodies will also be approached to enable them to offer a wider variety of programmes as and when necessary.
They have the experience of working with a variety of ‘non-traditional learner’ groups for over 14 years with a variety of both Third Sector and Statutory organisations, delivering their own programmes and programmes franchised from mainstream providers.

What Courses will be Available?
They will be opening with limited course provisions, these will include:
Ø Horticulture,
Ø Car Valeting,
Ø Motor Vehicle Engineering,
Ø Painting and Decorating Courses.
As the Company develops, they will offer a wider variety of training courses to meet the needs of the various client groups and the needs of the Local Jobs Market.
Other courses, which will be available, will include:
Ø Construction Trades: Woodwork, Plastering, Bricklaying, etc.
Ø Plumbing
Ø ICT

For more information visit the company's website http://www.blogger.com/www.traintochangewales.org.uk

Deputy Minister announces £500,000 for Rhyl cycling facility

The project to build the Marsh Tracks cycling facility in Rhyl has been awarded £500,000 of funding from the Welsh Assembly Government, Deputy Minister for Housing and Regeneration Jocelyn Davies has announced. The funding completes a £1 million package and means that building work can start immediately, with completion of the first phase expected by July.

The facility will make use of a disused landfill site on Marsh Road in Rhyl. It will consist of a road cycling track; a national standard BMX track; a club house with café, changing facilities, shop and meeting room; storage facilities; spectator viewing areas, and event camping. The site will also include biodiversity areas at the centre of the track and around the perimeter and will contribute to the regeneration of the Marsh road area.
As well as contributing the physical and environmental regeneration of the area, Marsh Tracks will also provide opportunities for young people, particularly those from deprived areas, to take part in sport at a low cost and programmes run at the site will link to schools, the wider community and tourism. The venue will also be used for other sports such as running, hand cycling and Nordic skiing.
The Welsh Assembly Government’s contribution to the scheme will be matched with funding of £250,000 from the Foundation for Sport and the Arts, £250,000 from WREN (Waste Recycling Environmental) and funding and support from Denbighshire County Council who will project manage the construction scheme. For more information see http://wales.gov.uk/news/latest/100408marshtracks/;jsessionid=CxQTL2CJnrL8rNpVslKhNYC0rx5SLHpJyJtjbfRMQTFTkh81RyMq!1135659162?lang=en

Social fund reform, debt,credit & low income households

FINAL GP Social Fund Reform-1

Viva OutTakes

Viva OutTakes is a new monthly film night showcasing lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans inspired cinema.
The next showing is on Tuesday, March 30th at 8.30pm
Viva OutTakes is screening - A Single Man(12 certificate) -
A story that centres on an English professor who, after the sudden death of his partner, tries to go about his typical day in Los Angeles...
­"Delicately, and rather brilliantly, Firth suggests how his quiet heroism is ­mingled with notes of irony and self-deprecation. It is a poignant, deeply compassionate portrait" Peter Bradshaw - The Guardian
Scala Cinema & Arts Centre, High Street, Prestatyn
47 High Street, Prestatyn, Denbighshire LL19 9AH
Viva OutTakes will take place on the last Tuesday of every month.
Please feel free to join our Facebook group for regular updates:
http://www.facebook.com/Vivalgbt?v=app_2344061033&ref=profile#!/event.php?eid=326489843036&index=1
A Single Man Trailor: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aypyJtHzC70