Starting Point newsletter - winter 2011

Winter 2011

STARTING POINT Newsletter Number 13 Looking ahead... 2011 in focus

So 2011 is upon us and already Starting Point has hit the ground running. Our 2011 Customer Satisfaction Survey is already under way and we have kicked off the year with a January Sale and received the good news that we have funding to continue delivering our much needed service (see article below).

We have more training planned and have linked up with some new providers, more networking events

where we hope to make links with local businesses and more sales to enable groups to access services at a much reduced rate.

Keep an eye on what we are doing by taking a look at our website www.starting-point.org.uk or following us on www.twitter.com @sp_barking or joining our Starting Point group on Facebook

For more information, visit our website: www.starting-point.org.uk

Funding update Starting Point received some good news recently...we found out we had been awarded a grant from the Oak Foundation to enable us to continue delivering our service for a further three years. The Oak Foundation ‘commits its resources to address issues of global social and environmental concern, particularly those that have a major impact on the lives of the disadvantaged’ and have agreed to fund

Starting Point and to invest money into researching the possibility of replicating Starting Point elsewhere.

This is an exciting time for us however we plan to continue fundraising as we have lots of plans for supporting you all as we realise how much local communities are relying on community groups and social enterprises services especially in the current climate.

Inspirational - Craig Blake Craig Blake, founding director of Blake Social Enterprise Group based at Starting Point, recently found out he had won an award from VInspired. Craig won the Regional Vinspired "Unite Award for Team Activity" as a member of the Redbridge Youth Action Team.

Find out more on his website:

www.blakesocialenterprisegroup.org.uk We would like to congratulate Craig on this achievement.

Craig started volunteering with Vinspired in August 2009; stayed there for 12 months and was involved in the marketing and graphical design of several events - including an event called the "Big Silly Sleepwalk" which raised £1,700 for charity.

He was also involved in the "SummerJam" event in collaboration with Frenford Clubs.

Craig now runs Blake Social Enterprise Group offering services to other community groups and social enterprises a wide range of marketing and graphic design services.

For more information, visit our website: www.starting-point.org.uk

Group Profile Praxis-Interactive Research is a community based organisation committed to equipping communities and individuals with skills to improve their quality of life and create a lasting positive change through Action Research, Training and Peer Mentoring, Publications and other forms of information dissemination The following programmes are currently being implemented: 1. Support into Employment We offer people free support in finding work or training opportunities. We realise life challenges are hard enough without the additional pressures of financial difficulties or lack of job satisfaction....!

Maybe you have been out of work for a long time and now do not have confidence in returning to work, or do not know how to find your footing into the job of your dreams. Or maybe you have sent so many job application forms but do not even get called for an interview. Or you may be the one that goes through to interviews only to hear that someone was better than you....the story is endless, and your experience may be different.

Whatever your circumstance, we can help you find that work of your dreams, or find the training that has been so difficult to get.

How do we do this? Our staff will make arrangements to meet up with you, make an assessment based on your needs, and

give you personal and relevant support to achieve what you need.

2. Peer Mentoring and Training We offer three types of training: • Job Preparedness Training: to support people into work • Community Health Outreach: for those wishing to support others to improve health and wellbeing • Self-Management of chronic health conditions: for people who wish to take control of their own social, physical and mental wellbeing All participants that meet during the training are encouraged to form peer support groups. Participants are given one-one support during the training and are offered other personal development opportunities 3. Cancer awareness programme Are you affected by cancer, or know someone who is? Or maybe you are just passionate about the condition and would like to know more. We organise events and publish articles to raise awareness of cancer prevalence, prevention, management and treatment. We also run support groups for people affected by cancer to provide peer support and mentoring.

Telephone: 0203 288 2266 Email: info@praxis-interactive.org Website: www.praxis-interactive.org

For more information, visit our website: www.starting-point.org.uk

STARTING POINT 16 Pickering Road Barking, Essex IG11 8PG

For more information about Starting Point, contact:

in partnership with

Corrine Hutcheson Tel: 020 3288 2111 Mob: 07943 827 987 Email:mail@starting-point.org.uk Nicola Brown Tel: 020 3288 2100 Email: nicola@starting-point.org.uk For more information, visit our website: www.starting-point.org.uk