Please click on a link below to download a back issue of Lambeth Link, LVAC's Quarterly Newsletter (you will need to have Adobe Acrobat reader installed to read these files). The current issue of the Lambeth Link is free to member organisations only. If you are a member organisation who has not received their copy, please contact us.

The Lambeth Health & Social Care Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) Forum was inviting nominations from forum member organisations for the two VCS co- Chair positions.

The nominees will now be invited to the next Forum on the 27th November for a 'hustings' where nominees will speak for a few minutes and forum members will be able to put questions to them. The ballot for elections will commence on Friday 28th November and will close on Friday 12th December at 5pm.

For more information please contact LVAC on 020 7737 9461 or hsco@lambethvac.org.uk

NIACE Annual Autumn Policy Conference
Local Power and Adult Learning:
What can adult learning do for local government?
Monday 1 December 2008, London, 10:00am – 3:40pm

http://www.niace.org.uk/Conferences/Conferences.htm

• How can adult learning support and extend the work of local authorities in developing vibrant, economically successful and socially inclusive communities for the twenty first century?

• How might government systems provide a framework for successful joining of learning and local government agendas at a time of system change?

The transformational power of learning is increasingly recognised as an important ingredient in a host of policy agendas.

NIACE has been in the forefront of work to win an understanding that there’s much more to adult learning than day or evening classes.

This annual autumn policy conference will explore the added value that adult learning can bring to local policy, the partnerships that can be made, and will look at how policy makers and practitioners can work together. It will also look at how adult learning can be placed in councils’ community strategies, in Local and Multi-Area Agreements and in the work of the Local Strategic Partnerships.

Audience
The event will be of interest to local government policy makers, adult education providers, those engaged in government agencies with a role in adult learning and senior practitioners.

To download a brochure or reserve a place online, visit:

http://www.niace.org.uk/Conferences/Conferences.htm

Event Fee per person: (includes lunch, tea/coffee)
£250 for private, public and statutory sectors
£150 for Local Authorities and NIACE members
Free places for Honorary Life Members of NIACE

NB: NIACE does not charge VAT on conference and course fees
Enquiries to Gurjit Kaur on Tel: 0116 204 2833; gurjit.kaur@niace.org.uk

Lambeth Council's budget next year - what are your views?

All Lambeth residents and businesses are invited to give their views on the council’s 2009/10 budget.

There is an online survey open to all residents, with a separate survey for local businesses. To complete the survey please visit www.lambeth.gov.uk/budgetconsultation. To request a paper copy of the questionnaire, please email mylambeth@opm.co.uk or phone 020 7926 0866.

The council is particularly interested in residents’ perception of Lambeth’s financial management and performance, and in how people like to be communicated with and consulted about council finances.

The survey will explore the level of support for ways of reducing waste and increasing recycling, and on the public perception of council investment in street care and cleaning. The fitness and well being of the community is also a key topic, as are crime and disorder concerns.

It is recommend that charities and voluntary organisations that represent Lambeth residents should fill out the residents’ questionnaire and note the name of their charity or voluntary organisation in the ‘About you’ section at the end of the questionnaire.

The findings of the consultation for 2007/8 were given as one of the reasons for the 2007 Health and Social Care Voluntary and Community Sector cuts so it's really important that you have your say!

Once again LVAC administered the London Borough of Lambeth's Small Grants Programme 2007/08 for small community groups. We are pleased to announce that 15 groups were successful and awarded grants for a variety of projects.

To ensure that the grant scheme had a focus the funding priorities were the strengthening of organisational development of small groups, improving the effectiveness of their service delivery and the delivery of small community events.

The maximum grant amount awarded was £800. Successful projects/items purchased include arts projects for children and young people, IT equipment and training for project staff.

Congratulations to Oval Partnership and Windmill Gateway Club, who were both winners in LVAC's Training Needs Analysis prize draw.

Both these groups submitted back our annual Training Needs Analysis forms which help us identify the type of training the VCS in Lambeth needs and the best means of delivering this training.

Both these groups have won a free place on one of our great Training courses.