Junction Arts are working with National Trust at Hardwick Hall to deliver the second year of their innovative project ‘This Girl Codes’. This Girl Codes combines heritage, arts and STEM to tackle gender inequality and amplify women’s stories.
 
They have two free workshops open to all ages and abilities on 22^nd March.
 
Data Selfie workshops 
Learn to hand-draw data creating a self-portrait that represents you as a whole. This workshop is an introduction to how we can creatively visualise data, using data about ourselves and our lives to create a picture. Suitable for all ages and abilities – you don’t have to be good at drawing! See more information and book either a lunchtime or evening workshop here:
 
12-1pm workshop: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/143735525827
7-8pm workshop: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/144470552311

Message from Connect Bolsover Social Connected Action Plan Forum 
 
If there’s one thing we all have learned from the pandemic it’s the value of social contact whether a simple hello in person to a physical hug, many people in our communities have not even spoke to anyone in person or virtually for months and have been very isolated. This is damaging to both mental and physical health. The Bolsover Social Connectedness Action Plan Forum (CBSCAPF) has been meeting throughout and working together to alleviate issues around this during the pandemic. We currently meet virtually and cover the whole area of Bolsover District. We are individuals, community groups, larger community organisations and statutory services. We welcome anyone to work with us (please contact alison.hardman@bcvs.org.uk at BCVS if you would like to be involved). The forum work together and cascade information including where and how to spend DCC Public Health money locally. We have been lucky to receive £12,000 for local spending from the Lloyds Community Foundation and are now looking to distribute this to local individuals and organisations for any activity that includes social contact from a get together of 1 to 1 in person, a virtual meeting/activity or an organisation providing a service/physical activity. Please click HERE to read the criteria and access a link to the application form (all activities must comply with Government Covid guidelines at time of provision). The grant monies will be distributed on a first come basis till the funding has been distributed. 

For more information contact Alison Hardman: alison.hardman@bcvs.org.uk  or 07923 256973

Destination Chesterfield is responsible for developing a co-ordinated approach to promoting Derbyshire’s largest town. They have nearly 190 Chesterfield Champions that are proud to support the local economy, working closely to showcase Chesterfield and North Derbyshire as a destination to live, work, visit and invest.

Derbyshire Voluntary Action’s Debbie Fennell, Social Connectedness Development Worker, is Destination Chesterfield’s Champion of the Week. Debbie said: “Derbyshire Voluntary Action is a longstanding Chesterfield charity; in fact we’re celebrating our 30th birthday this year!  We were set up in 1991 to support the health and social care related voluntary and community sector (VCS) in North Derbyshire.   We are a membership organisation and we actively engage with and support our 320+ members, which range from tiny volunteer-led self-help groups through to local and regional charities delivering projects to the benefit of large numbers of Derbyshire residents. 

All our members have one key thing in common: they are dedicated to supporting the most vulnerable in our communities, by helping them to maintain and improve their health, wellbeing and personal circumstances.  I guess the simplest way of describing Derbyshire Voluntary Action’s role is that we are here to help the people who help the people.

This is a new and very different community development role to the ones I’ve had before.  It involves me working ’on the ground’, to highlight how important social connectedness is to all of us, and to help anyone who wants to take action to connect their community in some way. I’m here to offer advice, ideas, and moral/practical support – and to act as a link to the huge network of knowledge, support and services which is available to our communities in Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire.”

Read Debbie’s full Champion of the Week interview HERE

Rural Action Derbyshire are now offering further SAT dates. We believe that suicide is everybody’s concern, and that individual tragedies can be prevented. We aim to increase awareness around the subject and to help remove the stigma which can be a barrier for those who need help and support in a time of crisis. This free training is supported by funding from Derbyshire County Council. 

The free training consists of both individual online e-learning and a group virtual training session delivered via Zoom. The e-learning consists of three short modules which take approximately 1 hour to complete in total and which MUST be completed prior to attending the half-day group virtual training.

This training package enables participants to:

• Examine their own and society’s attitudes to suicide
• Find out about (and challenge) the myths that surround suicide
• Discover possible suicide risk factors and warning signs
• Find out how they might help someone at risk of suicide 
• Share learning with other people working and volunteering in Derbyshire

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

This event is only available for people in Derbyshire (excluding Derby City) working either in a paid or voluntary capacity with the public (particularly vulnerable groups at greater risk of suicide and self-harm) or acting as community representatives. Please note that registering your place on Eventbrite does not guarantee a place for you on the course. Registrations will be reviewed to ensure that places are given to delegates who meet the above criteria.

Due to the nature of this training, numbers have been reduced so there is likely to be a much higher demand than there are places available in the short-term. Therefore we will not be able to offer more than two places per organisation per date. We can only offer these limited places on a first come first served basis, but we will of course be offering more dates in the coming months if you do not secure a place initially.

To see availability and request a place please follow the links below for each date and complete the registration process. A link to the e-learning will be sent to you when your place is confirmed.

Wednesday 28^th April 2021      https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/141400250957

Monday 10^th May 2021             https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/141400732397

Tuesday 25^th May 2021             https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/141400776529

Monday 21^st June 2021             https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/141401007219

Residents across Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire are being encouraged to reach out and support members of the local community who are feeling isolated.

As part of the Feeling Connected campaign – a partnership project led by Derbyshire Voluntary Action with the support of Chesterfield Borough Council and North East Derbyshire District Council, which aims to tackle social isolation in the local area – people are being urged to consider volunteering opportunities in the local community. 

Jacqui Willis, Derbyshire Voluntary Action, said: “When you choose to become a volunteer, you’re offering someone your time, talents and life experience.  But you’re also getting so much in return: confidence, skills, friendship, as well as the satisfaction of helping others.  Volunteering can have a real and valuable positive effect on people, communities and society in general.

“Volunteering helps us to feel more connected to others, and we become less absorbed in the normal stresses of daily life.  We share our experiences with others and want to help more.”

Councillor Jill Mannion-Brunt, Chesterfield Borough Council’s cabinet member for health and wellbeing said: “Volunteering is one of the most rewarding things you can do. As Covid-19 restrictions continue, many local organisations are still on the lookout for more volunteers who could help support the local community, and we’re encouraging as many local people as possible to get involved in opportunities that are available.”

Councillor Alan Powell, North East Derbyshire District Council’s cabinet member for Partnership Engagement and Strategy, said: “Volunteering can be an incredibly rewarding experience.

“If anyone in our district can help out by giving just an hour or two of their time, it could make a big difference to someone in need.”

Chesterfield Volunteer Centre still needs help to deliver the ‘To Your Door’ project to people across Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire. The project provides a shopping and prescription delivery service to people who are shielding or isolating across the area due to the current pandemic. 

Volunteer Centre Manager, Dave Radford, said, “So far, the project has been a tremendous success.  We’ve made almost 3,000 grocery deliveries, which we couldn’t have done without our team of wonderful volunteers.”

Anyone interested in joining the team can call 01246 276777 or email info@chesterfieldvc.org.uk

Derbyshire Voluntary Action is also reaching out to residents who may be able to spare some time to help brighten someone’s day through two more volunteering opportunities – ‘Friendly Chats and ‘Door Steps’ campaign.

The ‘Friendly Chats’ project is looking for volunteers who help someone by giving them a friendly phone call. This could be phoning one person once a week or more if you have time.

As part of the ‘Door Steps’ campaign, volunteers can accompany someone on a short walk around the block, help sweep leaves on the drive, or even just check-in on someone and have a chat on the door step. Government guidelines on social distancing will be followed at all times.

Emma Holt, Derbyshire Voluntary Action’s Community Response Worker added: “We’re asking volunteers to spare whatever time they can to help keep people connected and mobile during this time. Even if you can only spare a couple of hours a week, you’ll still be making a huge difference to somebody.”

For more information on ‘Friendly Chats’ or ‘Door Steps’ email: emma@dva.org.uk or call 07895 703108.

First Steps are kicking off their #SupportNotStigma campaign to support this year’s Eating Disorder Awareness Week.

They will be discussing this year’s theme of ‘Binge Eating Disorder’ alongside a more general discussion of stigma and education surrounding mental health. The aim of their #SupportNotStigma campaign is to start a conversation around the real signs, symptoms and stories of all types of eating disorders, and more importantly call out the stereotypes that are associated with eating disorders.

First Steps are inviting you to ‘Lend a Hand‘ and join them in raising awareness for #SupportNotStigma

• Salary: £24, 973 pa
• Hours: Full time 37 hours
• Location: Based at Chesterfield Football Club, with travel across the wider Chesterfield area as required
• Type of contract: 12 months fixed term, with possible extension subject to funding

Are you looking for an exciting new challenge where you can make a genuine difference to the lives of young people in Chesterfield, Bolsover and North East Derbyshire?

If you are a self-motivated physical activity specialist, whose passion is to support and empower young people, we have just the challenge for you. 

Derbyshire Voluntary Action, in partnership with Chesterfield Football Club Community Trust, has created an exciting new role within its Connect to… social prescribing service.  We are looking for a Specialist Young People’s Physical Activity Link Worker to provide new community-based support for 14-25 year-olds in Chesterfield, Bolsover and North East Derbyshire.

Employed by Derbyshire Voluntary Action and based at the Technique Stadium’s Community Hub, you’ll adopt an holistic, person-centred approach to your caseload, co-designing action plans to improve wellbeing and health, based on ‘what matters’ to young people and their individual strengths and needs – and supporting them to achieve their goals. 

Ideally you will have applied experience and knowledge of working with individuals in a holistic way to increase physical activity, or have worked in a supportive role with young people before, but this position would also be suited to someone with great transferable skills and good local knowledge.

This is a 12-month pilot project to test the success of a social prescribing approach with 14-25 year-olds in Chesterfield, Bolsover and North East Derbyshire. The post is subject to an enhanced level DBS check.

For an informal discussion, please contact Jacqui Willis, Chief Executive on 07956 882412.

Closing date: Monday 8 March, 10.00am

Interviews will be held on Friday 12 March online via Zoom

You can find out more and download the application form here: https://dva.org.uk/job-vacancies/

Free online event Thu 18 March 12-2pm  

Last year, voluntary organisations, community groups and social enterprises (VCSE) across Derby & Derbyshire were surveyed, to capture their experience of the pandemic, its impact on their work and resources, and the support they were likely to need. The findings of that survey can be found in the report HERE – with thanks to all who gave the time to take part.

However, a lot has happened since then. We have experienced a second wave of the virus, another lockdown, the introduction of mass testing and vaccination – bringing hope of a return to some kind of normal in the months to come. To take stock and consider ‘what next’ the sector are invited to participate in an online event on Thursday 18^th March 2021, 12-2pm.

Hosted by 3D and in partnership with Derbyshire County Council who funded the research, this two hour online event is an opportunity for VCSE organisations from across city and county to reflect together, update and consider what challenges and opportunities the future holds.

Come and reflect on your experiences over the last extraordinary year, both positive and negative, and the challenges you anticipate. How do we build on all that we have learned and experienced, and what do we need to survive and thrive?

This event will be an opportunity to have your say – and to hear from others.  Open to voluntary, community, faith and social enterprises anywhere in Derby or Derbyshire, and those from other sectors involved in the community response to Covid. Decision makers and anyone else with an interest in hearing from and supporting the VCSE is also welcome.

To register and secure your free place, click on Beyond Covid Eventbrite Registration

We all have a part to play in keeping ourselves and each other safe and protected from Covid-19 at the moment, and a newly launched initiative makes it easier to do just that.

Derbyshire Voluntary Action is urging local people to step forward as ‘Community Champions.’

We are asking individuals, voluntary and community groups and organisations, businesses – in fact any community spirited person from any walk of life – to come forward to be a Community Champion and to share positive messages about how to stay safe and protected from the virus.”

Community Champions receive the latest information, updates and advice about Covid-19 through Derbyshire Voluntary Action’s regular e-bulletins and social media channels.  They undertake to share the information with other people in their community in whatever ways they want – in conversations, on social media, or in any other way of their choosing. They are also encouraged to keep in touch to let Derbyshire Voluntary Action know what is and isn’t working in their community so there can be a collective approach to responding to the virus in the way that will work best in Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire. 

Let us know what is and isn’t working in your community so we can make sure we respond together in the way that will work best in Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire.  You can call us on 01246 555908, email response@dva.org.uk or click here to contact us online.  We send feedback and a list of community questions to our partners at Public Health every Monday.