Category: Helpful Resources

Going Green Together Launch Events

Posted on by Julie

Going Green Together is very excited to announce the launch of our new project, supported by the National Lottery Community Fund and County Durham Community Foundation. As well as expanding the resources we’re currently offering through the Going Green Together website, we’re inviting VCSE organisations in the North East and Cumbria to join a special cohort to access training and courses in order to reduce their carbon footprint and learn how to make their working practises more environmentally conscious.

To celebrate the launch of this programme, and to let you know how to get involved, we’re hosting a range of online and in-person events in mid-July. These events will include a presentation of what we’ve done so far, the aims of Going Green Together, what’s coming up and what we’re looking for in applicants for our training cohort. The events will also involve break-out sessions to provide a taster of future activities, and to let us know more about your environmental needs. They will also include an opportunity to meet other organisations in your region, to begin building a climate support network of your peers.

This is a fantastic opportunity for those who are looking to make their first steps towards environmental reform within their organisation, those who want to discover more, and for those who are already embedding environmental practise in their organisation but who are looking to collaborate with and help other organisations do the same.

The first event will be an in-person launch and networking event on Tuesday 12th July, 2-4.30pm, at VODA’s new Spirit of North Tyneside venue in Wallsend Customer First Centre. You can sign up to this free event here: https://www.vonne.org.uk/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=472

This will be followed by three online launch events. While each of these will have a regional focus, anyone from the North East or Cumbria is invited to attend whichever event they prefer based on their availability. These are as follows:

 

There will be a limit on spaces for each event, so be sure to reserve your ticket soon!

Beat the Street across the Rural Areas of Redcar and Cleveland & Stockton

Posted on by Julie

Tees Valley Rural Action are super pleased to see the Beat the Street challenge hit the rural areas of Tees Valley

What is Beat the Street?

Beat the Street is a free, FUN, interactive challenge that encourages people of all ages to incorporate more activity into their daily lives by turning the town into a six-week game.

The game is completely contactless, players take part in their family groups and are encouraged to walk, cycle, run, wheel or scoot as far as possible within the local area, with prizes for the teams that clock up the highest number of miles.

Beat the Street physical activity game is live in Redcar and Cleveland & Stockton-On Tees

A free, interactive game that encourages whole communities to walk, cycle and roll in return for prizes is set to launch in Redcar and Cleveland!

The Beat the Street game was created by GP Dr William Bird to encourage people to connect with their local communities by getting together to walk, cycle and roll as far as possible within a six-week game.

Beat the Street has been designed to help people make small lifestyle changes and to increase low levels of physical activity. It also helps reduce congestion, improves air quality, and helps friends and families spend time in green spaces together. It is an outdoor game and is completely contactless.

Since it was created, the game has been played by more than 1.5m people in more than 120 locations in the UK and beyond, including in Middlesbrough at the end of 2021 – here, 14,528 people took part and clocked up a total of 110,724 active travel miles.

The game is set to take place across Redcar and Cleveland from Wednesday, 2nd March to Wednesday, 13th April, and a separate game will also run at the same time across Stockton-on- Tees.

It is open to anyone of any age who would like to take part. Players can join a school, workplace, community or charity team and there are prizes for the teams that travel the furthest. There is also an average points leaderboard to ensure that teams of all sizes are in with a chance of winning prizes, plus ‘lucky tap’ prizes and other competitions throughout the game.

The teams that travel the furthest can win hundreds of pounds worth of prizes including vouchers for books or sports equipment.

Participating primary schools will provide each child with a card and map, plus a card for an accompanying adult. The wider community can pick up a free card from one of the distribution points listed on the Beat the Street Redcar and Cleveland and Beat the Street Stockton websites.

Players then find their nearest “Beat Box” which will appear on lampposts around the towns shortly before the game. The Game starts on the 2nd March, hover your card over the Beat Box and it will beep and flash to record your points. Then, walk, cycle or roll to the next nearest Beat Box to score points – then keep going!

Beat the Street is run by Redcar and Cleveland Council, Stockton Borough Council funded by Sport England, and managed by Intelligent Health.

Set Up

Children aged 11 and under play with a Beat the Street card, which they will receive directly from their school. Anyone aged 12 and above plays with a Beat the Street card that can be collected from a local distribution point.

All players over the age of 13 can create an account online, but anyone under 13 will need a parent or carer to do this for them. Parents/carers can then add additional family members to their account via our family management feature.

Once an account has been set up, players can connect their card to their player profile. When you’re ready to start, use the Beat Box map to plan your route and get going!

Playing the game

  1. Explore your local area, finding Beat Boxes nearest to you on the map.
  2. Hover your card at the contactless Beat Box until it beeps and flashes.
  3. Visit two Beat Boxes within an hour and collect 10 points for each Beat Box – this is 20 points for the journey.
  4. Carry on your journey and score 10 points for each extra Beat Box you visit.

Go Week

Each of the six weeks of the Game has a different theme. Each week focuses on different aspects, including Go Travel, Go Wild, Go Active and go Explore. Each week brings new opportunity to get involved with your local community, earn points and have fun!

Go Play 2nd – 8th March – Players are introduced to Beat the Street and the key concepts behind the game. Players are encouraged to find Beat Boxes in their neighbourhood and get friends and family to play.

Go Travel 9th – 15th March – This week aims to promote active travel with bonus points and prizes centred around commuting times of the day.

Go Wild 16th – 22nd March – Go Wild celebrates all of the town’s parks, green spaces and waterways.

Go Active 23rd – 29th March – Having got active through Beat the Street, players will be encouraged to try out sports and fitness activities (COVID-19 restrictions permitting)

Go Explore 30th March – 5th April – Players are encouraged to find Beat Boxes across the area on foot or by bike and access cultural and historical hubs. We will run a number of events encouraging people to discover new places.

Go Celebrate 6th – 13th April – In the final week we will be celebrating the game with double points on all Beat Boxes in the final week.

For Maps and Distribution points for your areas please go to
Redcar and Cleveland

www.beatthestreet.me/redcarcleveland
Twitter: @BTSRCBC
Facebook: @BTSRedcarCleveland
Instagram: @btsredcarcleveland

BTS Redcar Cleveland Leaflet

Stockton

www.beatthestreet.me/stockton
Twitter: @BTSStockton
Facebook: @BTSStockton
Instagram: @btsstockton

 

Going Green Together Launch

Posted on by Julie
Going Green Together Launch!
The VCAA (VONNE Climate Action Alliance) have launched the Going Green Together campaign!

After 10 intensive weeks working with SIDE Labs and di:ga Communications on Catalyst’s Development programme, the VCAA have developed a web-tool to help organisations take their first climate action steps and share their action with others.

The website also provides more information about the VCAA, learning resources and the opportunity to read their news, subscribe to their newsletter and join their MeetUp group for future events and meetings.

It would be great if you could visit the Going Green Together website and share any feedback by emailing hello@goinggreentogether.org.

Darlington Safeguarding Partnership Protecting Children and Adults

Posted on by Julie

What is Darlington Safeguarding Partnership?

Darlington Safeguarding Partnership (DSP) was established in accordance with the Children Act 2004 (as amended by Children and Social Work Act 2017) and Chapter 3 Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018.

Safeguarding responsibilities are placed on police, health and local authorities to work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.  The three organisations have equal responsibility for setting out the safeguarding arrangements in Darlington.

Although the statutory guidance is applicable for child safeguarding, the Statutory Safeguarding Partners in Darlington agreed the arrangements will cover Child and Adult Safeguarding arrangements.

The new arrangements provide a greater opportunity of strengthening partnership working across adults and children, ensuring everyone in Darlington can live their lives, safely.

Within the following website you will discover information for reporting a concern for both adults and children, training opportunities and advice and guidance

Darlington Safeguarding Board – Home (darlington-safeguarding-partnership.co.uk)

Training opportunities for Registered Charities and Voluntary Community Groups.  There are no charges for registered charities or Voluntary Community groups within the Borough of Darlington. Unless they book a place and do not attend without prior cancellation.

For more information please click on this link Darlington Safeguarding Board – Training Programme (darlington-safeguarding-partnership.co.uk)

Teeswide Safeguarding Adults

Posted on by Julie

Tees Safeguarding Adults Board

The Teeswide Safeguarding Adults Board (TSAB) is the statutory body that sets the strategic direction for safeguarding adults.

The Board is responsible for protecting and promoting an adult’s right to live an independent life, in safety, free from abuse and neglect in the Boroughs of Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar & Cleveland and Stockton-On-Tees.

The Board is made up of six statutory partners:

  1. Cleveland Police
  2. Hartlepool Borough Council
  3. Middlesbrough Borough Council
  4. Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council
  5. Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
  6. Tees Valley Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)

There are a number of other member organisations across the statutory, voluntary and community sectors involved in safeguarding adults across Tees. The Board also has strong links with local strategic partners including the Tees Safeguarding Children Partnerships.

The statutory requirements of the TSAB are to:

  • Produce an Annual Report
  • Produce a Strategic Plan
  • Conduct Safeguarding Adults Reviews

Teeswide Safeguarding Adults Board (tsab.org.uk)

You will find a range of free resources including posters and leaflets for your village hall or community buildings

Leaflets & Posters | Teeswide Safeguarding Adults Board (tsab.org.uk)

Where to find support in your local area

Find Support in Your Area | Teeswide Safeguarding Adults Board (tsab.org.uk)

You can access free training within the Tees Area for statutory, voluntary or not for profit organisations – through the E-Learning portal or the training Course & Events Section

Safeguarding All (Adults & Children) E-Learning | Teeswide Safeguarding Adults Board (tsab.org.uk)

The Board hosts its own Social Media and You Tube Channels, here you will find important updates on legislation, awareness days and the multi-agency training courses available to book.

For more information please visit / follow:- @TeeswideSAB

Safeguarding Children’s Partnerships Stockton, Hartlepool and South Tees

Posted on by Julie

Tees Safeguarding Children’s Partnership

Safeguarding children is everyone’s responsibility and the Tees Safeguarding Children Partnerships bring together people who work with children and their families to ensure that the safety and welfare of children is at the heart of their work.  We lead the work to safeguard children across our regions.

The aim of the Tees Safeguarding Children Partnerships is to make sure those who work with children and their families do it well and keep children safe. The Tees Safeguarding Children Partnership meetings are attended by professionals from the local authority, health services, the police, and relevant partners.

The Tees Safeguarding Children Partnership’s Procedures Group is attended by representatives from both the Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees Safeguarding Children Partnership (HSSCP) and South Tees Safeguarding Children Partnership (STSCP).  The group meets six weekly to review and develop Tees-wide Safeguarding Children procedures which are held on this website.  (The Tees Safeguarding Children Partnership’s Procedures Group Terms of Reference can be found here)

Their website gives children and young people, their families and communities and professionals useful information about how organisations work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. 

Home (teescpp.org.uk)

Hartlepool & Stockton-On-Tees Safeguarding Children Partnership

The Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees Safeguarding Children Partnership (HSSCP) is attended by professionals from the Local Authority, Health Services, Police, Probation, Child and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS), Schools, the Voluntary Sector, Lay Members and many others. HSSCP brings together people who work with children and their families to ensure that the safety and welfare of children is at the heart of their work. HSSCP leads the work to safeguard children in Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees.

HSSCP has a range of roles and statutory functions including:

  • Developing local safeguarding policy and procedures
  • Scrutinising local arrangements

The aim of HSSCP is to make sure those who work with children and their families do it well and keep children safe.  Their website has information for children & young people, parents & carers and information for professionals

Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees Safeguarding Children Partnership (HSSCP) 

South Tees Safeguarding Children Partnership

The STSCP supports and enables local organisations and agencies in Middlesbrough and Redcar & Cleveland to work together in a system which places the child at the heart of the process and aims to ensure that:

  • children are safeguarded and their welfare promoted;
  • partner organisations and agencies collaborate, share and co-own the vision for how to achieve improved outcomes for vulnerable children;
  • organisations and agencies challenge appropriately and hold one another to account effectively;
  • there is early identification and analysis of new safeguarding issues and emerging threats;
  • learning is promoted and embedded in a way that local services for children and families can become more reflective and implement changes to practice;
  • information is shared effectively to facilitate more accurate and timely decision making for children and families.

Professionals/practitioners from the council, health services, police, probation, schools, voluntary sector, Child and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS), and many others are represented on the STSCP.

STSCP has a range of roles and statutory functions including developing local safeguarding policies and procedures, and scrutinising local arrangements.

Website also has space for children, parents and professionals.

Homepage | South Tees Safeguarding Children Partnership (STSCP)