Sector News

The Directorate for Adults, Health and Wellbeing is now inviting applications for Mental Wellbeing Grant funding for the period 1st August 2013 to 31st March 2015.

The Mental Wellbeing Grant will be prioritised on services that improve people’s mental health and wellbeing. The objective is to move towards an approach that requires services to be pro-active in encouraging people to do more for themselves, to balance the promotion of better mental health and wellbeing, together with care and treatment when appropriate.

The second set of findings from the Community Life Survey – a valuable new survey set up to provide Official Statistics on issues that are key to encouraging social action and empowering communities, including volunteering, charitable giving, community engagement and well-being - have been released.

The implementation of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 required the largest ever transition programme in the history of the NHS. As clinical commissioning groups, health and wellbeing boards and Healthwatch take centre stage at a local level, the voluntary and community sector faces a range of issues and challenges.

The Manchester Guardian Charitable Trust offers grants to organisations undertaking a variety of charitable activities in Greater Manchester.

In particular, funding is intended for projects that support the following:
• Young people
• Older people
• People with disabilities
• Education initiatives
• Arts initiatives
• Community group

Grants of Up to £2,000 are awarded to Voluntary and community groups working in Greater Manchester.

Applications can be made at any time.

Funding is available for groups based in areas of urban deprivation in Greater Manchester which are combating poverty and empowering people to help in their own community.

Voluntary and community groups working in the most deprived areas of Greater Manchester are eligible to apply.

Priority will be given to small scale organisations and/or projects.

In preparation for the next update of the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA), the Manchester Health and Wellbeing Board would like your help to understand what effect different issues have on the communities and people of Manchester. They are inviting local people, groups and organisations to send in any information they have about how the needs of people are being - or not being - met by existing services.

The first round of the Centre for Social Action’s £14 million Innovation Fund has opened for applications from charities and social enterprises, as well as public sector bodies and commercial organisations.

The Fund, which is being managed by Nesta, is looking for innovative ventures and programmes that use social action to achieve impact in four areas:

Ageing well: Helping people to age well, particularly by supporting people over 50 years to have a purpose, a sense of well-being and to be connected to others;

Student Action are running a new Thursday night Drop in at Young People's Support Foundation with Volunteers. The service is for 16-25 year olds and runs from 6.30 to 8pm at City Centre Project.

Clients can prepare for the weekend by popping in for a quiz, team building activities and access to help and advice on a range of issues including housing, health, families, employment and many other things. It's free, it's informal and it's fun.

Interested in finding out more about co-operatives and social enterprises in Greater Manchester?

Want to attend visits, but need your travel costs paid?

Co-operatives2020 are offering a series of FREE visits in Greater Manchester to celebrate Co-operatives Fortnight.

Find out more about co-operative and enterprising ways of working in diverse sectors – including the arts, food, environment, retail and workspaces. Be inspired by positive, practical solutions, gain knowledge, meet the hosts and show your support for the local economy.

Wildlife stocktake highlights UK's most threatened species – The State of Nature Report May 2013.

An unprecedented stocktake of UK wildlife has revealed that most species are struggling and that one in three have halved in number in the past half century. It suggests 60% of animal and plant species studied have declined in the past 50 years. Beetles and wildlfowers are among the most vulnerable species.