FACT Together Online Commissioning Scheme Returns

FACT is inviting artists living or working in the North of England to create new digital work in the latest round of it's FACT Together commissioning scheme. FACT Together will offer 4 early career artists a grant of ₤2500 each plus a production budget to develop an idea that will be presented online.

► FACT Together is a 3 month online artist residency open to all early career artists in the North of England, 4 artists will each receive a fee of ₤2500, a production budget of ₤1500, plus 3 months of mentorship and support.

► Artists will create digital artwork that will be presented online, and on a new large scale screen on the front of FACT's building, from November 2021

► No previous experience of making digital work is necessary.

► Artists are invited to respond to the theme Radical Ancestry, which focuses on ideas of belonging.

► Deadline to apply is midnight, Sunday, 1 August 2021.

Following the success of the FACT Together pilot scheme in 2020; developed in response to the financial uncertainty caused by the temporary closure of galleries and museums across the world; FACT is delighted to announce the 2nd instalment of the scheme. FACT Together will offer 4 early career artists based in the North of England a grant and production budget, plus 3 months of curatorial and production support to create a work that pushes online presentation, and experiments with how digital art can engage audiences.

For this round of funding FACT has partnered with guest curator and mentor Zaiba Jabbar of 'HERVISIONS;' a femme focused curatorial agency supporting and promoting new media artists working with emergent technologies at the intersection between art, technology and culture. As a curator whose practice is firmly founded in the production and presentation of online artworks, Zaiba's experimental approach to digital space will help shape the final FACT Together commissions. As well as being a part of the artist selection panel, Zaiba will work alongside FACT to mentor artists with a focus on creating art in digital spaces.

Each new digital work created will become part of Radical Ancestry, FACT's 12 month programme that explores how a fluid understanding of definitions, borders, and belonging brings with it the freedom to create, and to reimaging. The 4 FACT Together artists will join a whole host of others, both internationally renowned and emerging, who will respond to the Radical Ancestry theme, exploring what happens when we move beyond outdated, unrepresentative structures and ideas which dominate how we see the world.

The 1st round of funding in 2020 saw artists create works ranging from:- podcasts, live streams, games, short films, interactive artworks and more. The open call welcomes all forms of online work including:- audio, video, text, games, performance, animation, social media and workshops. FACT is particularly keen to receive proposals from artists who are looking to develop their practice, so there is no need to have previously created digital or online work.

Nicola Triscott, CEO/Director at FACT, said:- "The lifeblood of any art institution is artists. FACT is committed to supporting artists, and enabling them to experiment and develop new work. FACT Together is an important part of our talent development programme, specifically created for emerging artists; the new generation of artists and the future of art."

Charlotte Horn, Senior Producer at FACT, said:- "FACT Together offers a unique opportunity for artists to explore, experiment with and understand digital spaces. We are excited to see the varied work that artists and creatives are producing in the North, and to have the opportunity to work with and learn from them as they develop their practises."

Shonagh Short, FACT Together 2020 artist, said:- "Being part of FACT Together has changed the direction of my practice. As a socially engaged artist, my work has always been participatory and interactive in a live site specific way, but now I understand the potential of taking these elements into the digital realm. It was fun to be a beginner and have permission to play without any expectation of perfection."

For more information visit:- Fact.Co.UK.

JOB NOTICE:- "Volunteer Coordinator Needed!"

THE Polonia Community group are looking for a new Volunteer Coordinator and have sent the following to us:- "Merseyside Polonia has always been very successful in attracting many amazing volunteers. We've wanted to make sure their time and skills were appreciated, and voluntary work recognised. Volunteering at Merseyside Polonia is a fantastic opportunity to be part of the organisation's mission of developing positive relations between the Polish Community and local residents; an offer to join a great team delivering many successful projects and at the same time, grow as an individual through a personal and professional development. Right now, Merseyside Polonia is looking for a person who will grow, support, and lead this amazing team of people as a volunteer coordinator. The contract will run over:- 12 months, for:- 7 hours a week on a salary of:- ₤13 per hour. If hired, you will be based at the:- Merseyside Polonia office, with an option of some remote working. Closing date:- Friday, 9 July 2021, at 4pm.

Overview of the role...

We are searching for a creative, talented, and professional volunteer coordinator to be responsible for our team of volunteers and volunteer opportunities. In this role, you need to be outgoing and friendly to ensure that volunteers feel at ease and welcome at Merseyside Polonia.

The volunteer coordinator's responsibilities include recruiting and training new volunteers, keeping a database of volunteer information and skills, matching volunteers to opportunities that suit their skills, keeping volunteers supported and informed, and conveying the organisation's purpose to the wider public and partner organisations.

A successful volunteer coordinator should be a natural people person and be passionate about volunteer work. It is essential for you to show initiative and flexibility as volunteers will be looking to you for guidance and support. You should uphold the values of our organisation while ensuring the comfort of our volunteers in their roles.

We are looking for a person that believes in others and knows how to distinguish talent and do everything possible to motivate and inspire. You must possess excellent organisational skills and the ability to communicate with people from diverse backgrounds and experience. You must feel comfortable speaking to big groups of people as you will be expected to run training events and meetings for all volunteers.

Main responsibilities:-

► Promote volunteering opportunities on our website and social media...

o Writing articles & social media posts.

o Creating images & video content.

► Source and recruit volunteers through various channels (social media, recruitment events, etc.)

► Collect information on availabilities and skills.

► Organising training events and running workshops/meetings with groups of volunteers.

► Arrange for appropriate training when needed.

► Produce schedules for activities.

► Assign responsibilities to the right people for special events.

► Coordinate teams of volunteers for large scale events.

► Communicate frequently with volunteers to ensure they are satisfied and well-placed.

► Share information for upcoming roles, events and opportunities

► Keep detailed records of volunteers' information and assignments

► Ensure the purpose of the organisation and its actions is clearly communicated

► Attend meetings as required and be an advocate for Merseyside Polonia.

► Plan and organise own workload and co-ordinate with other team members.

► Work outside normal office hours if required and agreed with your manager.

► Attend training identified as necessary to undertake current and future job requirements.

► Undertake such other duties and responsibilities as are commensurate with the post.

► Support other aspects of the delivery of the project as required.

This Job Description summarises the major responsibilities of the post. It is not intended to exclude other activities, nor future changes from the post holder's responsibilities."

For more information and to apply:- MerseysidePolonia.Com.

Job help programme delivering new careers across the North West

THOUSANDS of jobseekers across the North West have seized the chance to retrain and build up their skills through the Government's Sector based Work Academy Programme (SWAP), which helps people start new careers and fill vacancies in growing sectors.

Over 5,000 people in the North West; and almost 65,000 across England and Scotland; enrolled in the programme since March 2020, supporting the Government's commitment to level up opportunity across the county and build back better from the Pandemic.

A SWAP lasts for a maximum of 6 weeks where jobseekers learn new skills, gain hands on work experience and build their contacts in a new line of work. There is also a guaranteed job interview at the end of the course for a live vacancy.

Minister for Employment Mims Davies MP said:- "The Pandemic has given many people the chance to explore careers they'd perhaps never considered, and SWAPS offer them a vital chance to get back into training for a job that's linked to a real vacancy. Through our Plan for Jobs and DWP Jobcentres in the North West we're helping sectors recruit and supporting people to enhance existing skills and build new ones so they're ready to grab the next opportunity."

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said:- "The success of SWAPs is another example that our Plan for Jobs is working. It's fantastic to see the scheme is helping tens of thousands of people towards a bright new career as we emerge from the Pandemic."

Due to the success of the scheme, the Department for Work and Pensions announced earlier this year that it had increased its target for the number of placements to 80,000 in the 12 months from April 2021, backed by almost ₤60 million of additional Government funding.

From construction to care to logistics, employers including the NHS, Eddie Stobart and Diageo are already involved in the scheme and are using it as a way to recruit new staff.

Sectors with a high demand for workers such as hospitality have also been using SWAPS to fill vacancies, with the DWP recently launching a new partnership with UK Hospitality. It will see Jobcentres across the country work closely with the trade association to better promote jobs in the sector, and support workers into these roles through SWAPS and the expanded apprenticeship and traineeship offers.

The Sectorn based Work Academy Programme forms part of the Government's multi billion pound Plan for Jobs aimed at protecting, supporting and creating jobs.

To help spearhead efforts to get Brits back in work the DWP has hired an additional 13,500 new dedicated Work Coaches across the country, while the Kickstart Scheme has seen over 31,000 young people start new jobs.

To find out more about SWAPs click here.

E10 petrol and higher prices at the pumps

AS petrol prices jump to highest level in 7� years, with prices over 132.19p. Car Insurance Expert at Confused.com, Alex Kindred, says:- "41% drivers feel that current fuel costs are unjustified. Our latest fuel price index shows the average price of petrol and diesel is up at 1320 and 134.2p per litre respectively, the highest price seen in years." But that is only the start of the bad news for motorists, as we get ready to go back to work from our local forecourts... With CO₂ being 1 of the greenhouse gases that has been found to be contributing to climate change, we will be seeing even more changes at the petrol stations this year. As we strive to drive down CO₂ emissions, over the summer (2021) we will see the introduction of a new standard petrol being introduced. This new petrol is called:- 'E10' and it is already widely used across Europe, and around the world, including in both the US and Australia. It is made from blending petrol with up to 10% renewable ethanol, less fossil fuel is needed, helping us reduce carbon emissions and meet climate change targets. Around 95% of petrol powered vehicles on the road are compatible with E10 petrol and this figure is increasing all the time, but if you are filling up, remember it may not be suitable for older cars! Oddly, E10 will have little impact on emissions associated with air quality and public health. Also after filling up with E10 at the forecourt, you might notice that using E10 petrol can slightly reduce fuel economy! But every little helps when it comes to the reduction of greenhouse gases, as we guess... So remember, like the old standard (95 octane) petrol grade is being phased out, you can check if you're car is going to be affected by visiting:- Gov.UK.

FACT Together Online Commissioning Scheme Returns

JOB NOTICE:- "Volunteer Coordinator Needed!"

Job help programme delivering new careers across the North West

E10 petrol and higher prices at the pumps

Total UK cases Covid19 cases in and around Liverpool City Region