Projects
Change up
The Change Up project aims to develop a user friendly website and service directory, listing details of voluntary organisations and services available in the Borough of Harrow.
The end product of this project, an online service, will be aimed at individuals who require contact details, and various other information on the voluntary services and organisations within the Harrow Borough. The fully developed website and online directory will be a permanent fixture.
This has been developed in response to feedback from people stating that they wanted to access the contact details and relevant information of HAVS' affiliated voluntary services and organisations.
Project type: Ongoing
Location: The Lodge
Contact details:
Olga Sidorenko, Project Manager.
Telephone: 020 8863 6707, Fax: 020 8863 8401, Email: olga.sidorenko@harrowcvs.org.uk
Download a copy of Harrow’s Change Up Plan here.
Trans Age
Hot News! Trans-Age at a high - profile event!
JOINING GENERATIONS
The Trans-Age Manager and volunteers visits Clarence House
The 14th March 2007 was the day that Diane Taylor, the Trans-Age Project Manager, took 6 of her older and younger volunteers to attend a celebratory reception hosted by HRH The Prince of Wales and with special guests Barbara Windsor, Gloria Hunniford, Fiona Phillips and Tess Daly.
Age Concern England held the reception at Clarence House to celebrate its work in “Joining Generations”. The charity’s intergenerational programmes bring older and younger people together to share skills. In doing so they also learn about the common ground, shared values and concerns that exist across the generations.
Trupti Chauhan, a younger volunteer for the Trans-Age intergenerational programme, was delighted to meet The Prince of Wales. She said: “It was quite an occasion to meet the Prince of Wales and it’s great that he is so supportive of our volunteering.”
Trans-Age is established in Harrow as a busy and thriving project which is developing better intergenerational contact between older and younger people.
Older people are encouraged to volunteer and actively participate. Many can be lonely and isolated after retirement and gain a great deal of satisfaction, value, respect, and well being by using their skills gained over a lifetime in their new activities. Older people who have lost their role in life are given the opportunity to interact with children and young people and offered the opportunity for training courses and taking part in organised social and information events.
Trans-Age actively encourages older people to reminisce about their lives during the 1940's with the younger generation. Oral history is increasingly seen as a culturally sensitive and educationally effective way to teach history. These activities take place in First, Middle and High schools in Harrow.
Young people are able to gain experience of volunteering and cementing relationships with older people outside of the family circle by volunteering in Day Care Centres and Residential Homes in Harrow.
The Project is aimed at:
- Older people aged over 50, often retired, who volunteer with children and young people in schools in Harrow. Leaflet
- Young people between the ages of 16 - 25 who volunteer with older people in organised settings. Leaflet
Eligibility: Older and young people who fit the criteria are welcome. Information leaflets and posters are available in libraries, the Civic Centre, the internet and other places where members of the public could see them. Anyone interested in joining the Project can telephone or email for further information.
The Project is funded by The Rank Foundation, City Parochial Foundation and the Prevention and Modernisation Grant.
The Project has been established over 6 years and continues to grow in numbers and reputation.
Newsletter
Project type: Ongoing
Location: The Lodge
Timetable: Open Monday - Thursday 8.30 a.m. - 4.30 p.m.
Contact details:
Diane Taylor, Trans-Age Project Manager
Telephone: 020 8861 5818, Fax: 020 8864 3401, Email: diane.taylor@harrowcvs.com
Small Groups Development
The project aims to strengthen and support existing and new voluntary or community groups in Harrow. We work with the community and voluntary sector to develop and sustain community-based services that meet the varied needs of Harrow residents. The project aims to strengthen voluntary organisations and help them improve their organisational effectiveness. It also aims to support organisations that help volunteers, such as involving organisations to improve their policies in working with volunteers.
Advice and support is given in areas as:
- Setting up your group to develop new services.
- Applying for charitable status.
- Help with forming a constitution.
- Access and usage of the resource centre.
- Funding Information and support with completing funding applications.
- Capacity building through information and consultancy on organisation management and fundraising.
- Providing training courses.
- Workshops and seminars on a range of topics including the above.
The project started December 2005 and has proved very popular with both existing and new voluntary groups. The project has a number of initiatives in the pipeline for the coming year so watch this space!
Who are the services for?
Registered charities, voluntary organisations, community and small groups with no more than three full time paid staff. This can include arts, youth, and sports groups, older people and their carers, including the Black and ethnic minority groups, Asylum Seekers, Irish Travellers and faith groups in Harrow.
The project is funded by Bridge House Trust and the Big Lottery Fund.
We are happy to welcome a new Small Groups Development Worker Abdi Ahmed.
The post is funded by the Big Lottery Fund.
"My name is Ahmed Abdi and I have recently been appointed as Small Groups Development Worker at Harrow CVS. Prior to taking up this role I was employed within working as a Youth Volunteer Development Worker. I am very pleased to have been offered this post as it will enable me to work with grassroots community and voluntary organisations. Over the past year and half I have worked mainly with refugee community organisations on a number of capacity undertaking a mixture of responsibilities including; assessing clients, supervision of outing, advocacy and networking, as well as policy research, and project management. I look forward to utilising these skills and experiences in helping small groups to identify the need for their project linked to research, ensuring small groups or organisations understand the need for organisational development by means of undertaking capacity building training, and promoting equality and diversity at the same time as highlighting the need to measure impact to validate the fact that service-users have benefited."
Sincerely yours
Abdi Ahmed
Training Opportunities
I am delighted to introduce an opportunity for all our Members to attend free trainings provided by the Community Accountancy Self Help that will be held at our premises to insure your convinience. Please see the information attached.
CASH Training, Financial Statement
CASH Training, Bank Reconcilation
Project type: Ongoing
Location: The Lodge
Opening hours: Monday - Friday 8.00 a.m. - 4.00 p.m.
Contact details:
Abdi Ahmed, Gurpreet Ahuja
Telephone: 020 8863 6707, Fax: 020 8863 8401,
Email:
abdi.ahmed@harrowcvs.org.uk
gurpreet.ahuja@harrowcvs.org.uk
Youth Forum
(Youth Effective Action Harrow)
- The Forum exists to discuss young people issues in the borough and to exchange information.
- The Forum collects information on local, national and international funding opportunities available to youth groups and organisations.
- Funding information is regularly distributed among the Forum members through email.
- The Youth Forum provides capacity building training and workshops on important issues.
- Member of National Council for Voluntary Youth Service (NCVYS). Strategic information is disseminated to the voluntary youth sector in Harrow.
Project type: Ongoing
Location: The Lodge
Timetable: Monday - Friday 8.00 a.m. - 4.00 p.m.
Contact details: Abdi Ahmed
Telephone: 020 8863 6770
Email: abdi.ahmed@harrowcvs.org.uk
Faith Project
As you may know, for the past two years Lauretta Johnnie has worked to develop the Harrow Faith Forum. This project was initially funded by Harrow Council and then for the second and final year was funded by the Faith Community Capacity Building Fund.
During the two years Lauretta undertook several important projects.
A study of the community development activities by faith groups in the London Borough of Harrow and which led to an end of project report that highlights the needs and activities of the faith groups in Harrow. This was done by pulling together existing information (reports etc.) about faith groups, conducting a focus group and working closely with Harrow Interfaith Council and other relevant organisations.
Lauretta has worked closely with Harrow Interfaith council and other key contacts. The Harrow Faith Forum had its first meeting last Autumn, there was a very interesting presentation from ‘Faithworks’ a faith based organisation/agency that works with the Government and faith organisations in London.
The Faith Focus Group meets to discuss issues affecting faith communities in detail, so far the meetings have been very productive.
Unfortunately now that the dedicated funding has come to an end, and we have not been able to find core funding, we have had to amalgamate this project within our existing resources.Ahmed Abdi our Small Groups Development Worker will be heading the project. However he will not be able to devote the same amount of time to the work due to other work commitments.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Lauretta for all her hard work with the Harrow Faith Forum and the West London Faith Forum. If you are interested and would like to find out more contact Abdi Ahmed on 8863 6707 or abdi.ahmed@harrowcvs.org.uk
West London Faith Network
Fortunately we still have funding, although this is now reduced as the funding is tapering, to continue to manage the West London Faith network. Lauretta Johnnie will now be working half a day a month to continue to manage the West London Faith Forum, to fund raise for it, to develop a website and organize other projects.
Location: The Lodge, 64, Pinner Road, Harrow HA1 4HZ
Contact times: This will vary due to limited hours
Contact details: Lauretta Johnnie, Faith Officer/Project Manager and Manager of The West London Faith Network.
Telephone: 020 8427 4111, Fax 020 8863 8401
Email: Lauretta.johnnie@harrowcvs.org.uk
NB. It is best to e-mail or write to Lauretta due to her reduced working hours.
Harrow Stroke Club
Harrow Stroke Club is based at HAVS and is run by a dedicated team of volunteers. The club is for people in Harrow who have had a stroke and their carers and aims to create a friendly meeting place where members can meet each other, form friendships and take part in activities which stimulate various aspects of their lives.
The Club has a membership of over 20 with an average attendance of 15 - 20 attending. There is currently a waiting list, so if you are interested in joining this club please phone Norman Garber at the HAVS phone number. Norman is a volunteer and will phone you back when he is in the building on a Wednesday.
The Club also runs several outings for members, carers and volunteers and a very popular Christmas Party.
Timetable: Ongoing activities. Wednesday 12.30 - 3.30 alternative fortnights.
Location: The Lodge
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