next week

M. JAG
T. 1 to 1
W/Th Concluding the items below (hopefully - crippled laptop)
F TOIL

Have a Good Christmas and remember... WWJBD?

(What would Jimmy Buffett do?)

this week

Viruses and IT gremlins are creating havoc up here so very slowly but surely ploughing on with the NE project evaluation, assessing the impact of various gyw and seed-funded projects, analysis of M+E online toolkit data plus various youth participation actions and preparations for the anual planning meetings.

Tomorrow I'm in Darlington - new staff briefing in the morning and working with the residents in the afternoon.

Back to normality

Hi guys,

Its hopefully back to some semblance off normality from today after my illness and then a week trying to do 3 weeks work of fundraising bids! Still, they all got off safely by about 9.30 last night! Its al in the lap of the gods now with our lovely friends at DAF.

This week I am in the office this morning and again on wednesday catching up with everything. This afternoon I am at YMCAEngland to do a start up meeting for the new YJIA project and chat about, amongst other things, the future of CYW.

On thursday I am off up to Leicester for a day with Rachel to do some supervision with her and to go through how her work is developing.

Friday I am on leave.

Next week I am at Dunford House on monday and Tuesday doing two days of training for the Fairthrone YMCA staff to launch that new piece of work, which I am very excited about. Wednesday I am on the office and on Thursday I am at the Board meeting. On Friday and the following Monday I am on leave again.

Cheers Matt

Eyes down

Hi Guys,

Its eyes down for a full house of 3 major Dfid grants until 5pm on Monday. As you may have heard whilst I was away we got all 3 concept notes accepted, so its 4 days to get the big applications in......

So I'll be working away at my desk or in a small quiet room somewhere around the office

Matt

next week

Monday to Thursday - The Shed:
NE project final report
seedfunding M+E and impact assessment
Prep youth participation annual planning
+
Friday - Downview lunchtime presentation

Next week

Just a brief update-

Mon - TOIL
Tues - Work with Abi re London Drugs Project
Weds - Funding bids work
Thurs - YWN Christmas Newsletter
Fri - DFID CSO Working Group meeting 2pm - 5pm

next week

M TOIL
T pm NE evaluation: Consett - Lucy
eveNE evaluation: Consett young people
W-F Shed catch up, plus planning Dec Darlington sessions and write up of above...
(working from home Wednesday afternoon, available via mobile)

Whereabouts? Here and thereabouts!

Hi folks,

Just a short update on my movements over the next weeks... As you will see I am relatively busy again and will need to fit some TOIL in somewhere!

Tomorrow - Office
Friday - Lunchtime GYW session w/ YMCA Sweden; Final prep for Coventry
Sat-Sun - Coventry YFFT

Monday 16th - am evaluation of YFFT pm Travel to Exeter
Tuesday - South West Region YMCA Face-to-face meeting (Intro to GYW) - Exeter
Wednesday - am YWN Evaluation write up, pm GYW Team meeting
Thursday - Youth participation meeting
Friday - YWN Annual Conference lunchtime talk

Saturday 21st- Dublin - Planning meeting re: Gender-based Residential, One World Week Celebrations
Sunday - home (!)

Monday - TOIL re Coventry

and next week...

M Shed am/ home pm (NE evaluation report write up)

T NE evaluation Herrington Burn 2 x sessions - youth workers/young people

W/Th Shed (NE evaluation report write up cont)

F TOIL

next week

M TOIL

T am NE evaluation: Darlington CEO
NE evaluation: Darlington young people
pm NE evaluation: Bruce
NE evaluation: N Tyneside young people
eve NE evaluation: Barnard Castle CEO
NE evaluation: Barnard Castle young people

W-F Shed catch up, plus evaluation report on prisons and write up of above...

Swings and Roundabouts

Hi folks,

First of all, I've hopefully said it to you all by now but if I haven't, a BIG thank you for all your help both at the conference and before it. Everyone seems to have really gotten something useful out of it and I hope to share with you the results of the evaluations (and their implications) at our next team meeting.

I'm back in the office this week after the whirlwind of the conference last week but it doesn't stop there as it's back to the swings (or roundabouts) this weekend for the start of the Coventry Cathedral Youth For Fair Trade (YFFT) project.

Having planned the first weekend today with Matt, I'm really looking forward to it! I believe Rachel is joining me on 14/15 November but if anyone would like to come on 5/6 December to finalise the "training" of the 18-25 year old group that would be wicked.

We also have the Wednesday evening sessions to consider - more on these (including dates) when I know more :)

Outside of Coventry I've got a few other things brewing with some GYW events scheduled/planned/mooted in Exeter for the SW Region (17 November), in Norfolk for YMCA Norwich and Chelmsford (TBC). I'm heading up to Leicester on 10 November and I've also got a lovely GYW session in the office with folks from YMCA Denmark coming up soonish.

There's also another YMCA Ireland residential to think about... phew!

Mike

Money, Money, Money

Hi everyone,

This week I am working on 3 Dfid bids and an EC bid - which will all be in next Wednesday - so up until then that is what I'll be working on.

On Thursday I will be working on the bid at Fairthorne YMCA and next Tuesday I'll be working from home on them.I'll also be doing two skype conferences with the Africa Alliance planning their new advocacy strategy that we are leading workshops on in Ethiopia next week and finalising the contract with the EC for the new YJIA money, plus supporting Mike to plan the first coventry weekend.

I am flying out Thursday and will be back the following Tuesday. I'm told by Carlos there is no internet at the training venue, so if you need me then do call my work mobile as I'm not sure I'll be able to get back to you via email

Cheers people

this week

has been much the same as last and the week before except the lovely staff training. next week will be much the same again with the final Downview gig plus toil monday and 6 month impact chat with josephine wednesday...

This week

much the same as last week...

eventful

Hi guys, this week I am inducting Rachel today and tomorrow and then on Wednesday playing catch up in the office.

On Thursday and Friday I am in Coventry for the infamous 'Workshop on Global Citizenship' for what promises to be a thoroughly eventful few days I am sure.........;-)

Next week I am inducting Rachel and Abi on Monday and Tuesday.

On Thursday and Friday I am in Glasgow for the infamous 'Youth Workers Network Conference' for what promises to be a thoroughly eventful few days I am sure.........;-)

This week, I will be mostly...

Hey folks,

This week I be mostly panicking about the conference... only kidding! It's all slowly coming into place now. For those who don't know, Clare and Rodney from Kingston and Wimbledon are coming to the conference to run a session on their Lifeskills pack. Also, Abi and I are working on making a Qwizdom kingdom of participation (should that be Qwingdom?) on earth. The programme and kit looks genius so hopefully we can master it in time!!

The programme for the conference is stored on the server under Annual Conference 2009>Planning

We've got a DVD from the self righteous Worldwrite on route (trying saying that after a few drinks!) so we might incorporate that into the debate. We might also be getting them along to do some talks during the Coventry project. Fingers remain crossed.

Really looking forward to next few weeks and despite them promising to be hard I'm glad I've got a really supportive team alongside me.

and next week...

Mon-Wed in the Shed doing much the same as below (plus setting up Bandon mid term review), then Thursday Downview (with Rachel), Friday morning with Rachel in London then returning home.

what the am I up to next week?

M. The Shed - NE evaluation process/Downview prep

T. The Shed - Leith-Lisburn seed funding mid term evaluation

W. 1 to 1

Th. Gangs Conference, London

F. TOIL re excessive hours W/Th

fishing

I went fishing in my uncles memory this last weekend - very nice, but I was pretty rubbish at it.

So this week I am back to fishing for money.

I'm working on the 3 DAF concept notes that are going in most of the week.

Also, on Wednesday I am off to Coventry to do planning with the lovely coventry people fishing for ideas on fair trade sessions and on Friday afternoon until Saturday night I am with the lovely Board for a Lovely board meeting, fishing for compliments!

See you

what the am I up to next week?

M. Youth Participation Working Group Meeting

T. (TOIL cancelled) Hospital am

eve. NE gyw forum meeting Sunderland

W. Shed - prep Down View

Th. St Helens Y

F. TOIL re Cardiff

Luck of the Irish

Hey folks,

I'm off to Ireland this week with Stuart which means I'll be out of the office from Weds until Fri and therefore not in until next week. Today has been a mirage of printing and resource hunting but I think I am just about there, leaving tomorrow to think about the conference oncemore and do some calling around to fill up the last few spaces.

I see there's a youth participation meeting on 21 September but I might be taking toil that day as I am travelling to Wales over the weekend and might come back on Monday rather than rush back Sunday after only one night at home.

Next week I'm busy again with my trip to Sunderland on Tuesday and then on from there back to Coventry on Wednesday for some further planning of the Fair Trade project, which will hopefully shape up nicely.

All the best for now,

Mike

Skype-tastic week

Next week I seem to everywhere, nowhere and on skype.

Monday I am meeting Gemma H in the morning to talk through how she can train the COlombia YMCA in developing a Working with Children and YP Policy of their own, then in the afternoon it is off to a Dfid consultation on their review of the Building Support for Development strategy which basically us what pays for the DAF and mini-grant funding lines.

On Tuesday I am off to Belfast for the day to meet with Michele. We are looking at their new gyw strategy and seeing how it dovetails with ours and also discussing the EC YWN funding bid and the Dfid YWN funding bid.

Wednesday I am having a skype chat with a few World Alliance bods re their Conference on "Global Citizenship" in Coventry and with Carlos re their Africa Youth Summit, then I am having skype chat with you all to plan the conference :-)

Thursday and Friday is then pencilled in to cocoon myself away to work on two concept notes for the DAF major grants.

Cheers

Matt

Room with a view

Hello my beloved gyw and comms buddies!

I am fully back from my summer breaks so it's high time for an update.

On Sunday I'm off to Durban for the second time in my YCI career...

But sniff....it wont be the same without you :-( .........And I don't think they'll have kept my room either ;-)


I'll be with Sarah for the first few days to monitor the progress and procedures of the Civic Participation Project (if you want more info, happy to have a chat when I get back). Then I'll be visiting each of the five local Ys involved in the project to help the groups of (hopefully) young people strengthen their advocacy plans. I'll also be popping into Sakhithemba for a day to catch up with
Thandanani. So please, any messages etc for anyone just let me know and I'll have fairly regular internet access when I'm away too.

I will of course be nostalgic of days gone by and if I run into the medical staff of Elangeni Hotel I'll pass on your regards Matt.

Salani Kahle!

Congratulations all round

Hi everyone,

Good to chat to everyone today - and congratulations again to Zoe and also to Mike for his extended sentence with us!

This week I am out and about a fair bit.

On Tuesday its back to the Buddhist centre for a day to finalise the Working with Children and Young People policy and to incorporate all the feedback we have got.

On Wednesday I'm in the office and having a conference call with World Alliance about their conference on ""Global Citizenship Education""

On Thursday its off again to Coventry for the day with Mike and Chris to meet the the Coventry Cathedral people and to plan the project.

On Friday its back to Kemp House for the day, which includes an extended lunch time meeting led by Chris and then the afternoon for a 1 to 1 with Chris

Busy yet happy days!

what the am I up to next week?

Next week it's Dublin apart from TOIL (re Port Talbot) on Monday and the Shed Tuesday playing a hefty amount of catch up.

Retournez-moi

Bon-hello folks,

I'm officially back in the saddle after countless weeks being dragged behind a holidaying horse (so to speak) and the work steed is at full pace!

Firstly, congratulations to Abi on becoming the new GYW Coordinator in Wales - I'm really looking forward to working with you!

The good news is that the annual conference is filling up nicely - we've also got at least one confirmed speaker from PantstoPoverty and waiting on a journo to put pen to diary, so the debate (on Fairtrade) is shaping up nicely. We've got about 15 places left to fill and I've asked YMCA England to promote us all over the web, blog, myface, twiddler, etc... I've been working on a draft programme and I'm likely to ask for some help during the team meeting...

Today I'll be working with Stuart to plan our Gangs, Guns and Knives training, our Sunderland Global Youth Forum Launch AND our HIV and AIDS residential in Ireland. Phew!

I'll leave the full updates for the team meeting but suffice to say that September and October are going to be busy busy busy!

Next week-

Mon -(Skype), Catch up with Matt
Tues - Meeting Chris Billing (Dartford YMCA) re trip to Sierra Leone, Follow up Leith training, travel to...
Weds - Cardiff - GGK GYW Event
Thurs - Visiting Carol Seymour at West Kent YMCA to discuss potential GYW
Fri - CRIG Evaluation meeting
Sat (!) - Lincolnshire YMCA football tournament raising funds for YCI

what the am I up to this week and next?

Wed 2 The Shed - boatloads inc. Craven Y's Partners day which I am away to shortly; all the previously mentioned funding proposals; writing up the young people's consultations of the Working With Policy; NYA Whats Changed youth participation tool; NE Project inc evaluation; try again to set up a mid-point evaluationof Leith/Lisburn's seedfunded project, etc etc etc

Thu 3 With Sue, North Shields

Fri 4 The Shed - as above plus prep for DEA and Cardiff next week

Mon 7 The Shed - team Skype plus all the above plus NE Project

Tue 8 DEA Advisory Council then on to...

Wed 9 Cardiff Gangs Guns Knives training gig

Thu 10 Cardiff ret.

Fri 11 TOIL at last!

On my way to the deep blue sea

(Mljet harbour, Croatia)

Hi people,

Just a quick note about this week.

I am in the office most of the week, working on an EC bid for Youth Workers Network, writing an article for Gemma and working on the final designed draft of the K and W resource pack.

Wednesday I am going to Wimbledon YMCA in the morning to go through the now gloriously designed resource pack for final comments! It been ages coming but its going to be very, very sexy!

Next week I am off to the sun, sea and ??? that is Croatia with my mate Muffle. Me and Muffle had a 'epoch forming' holiday there two years ago, so fingers crossed we can repeat the trick!! In and out of Dubrovnik with some glorious islands in between :-)

Here are some friends we met last time (Seriously)

The week I am back, just to say we have a team Skype on the Monday, on Tuesday I am out the office all day for the final Working with Children and Young Peoples Policy WOrking Groups meeting. On Thursday I am in Coventry all day meeting the lovely people who have given us lots of money.

See you all soon. Here is a pic of us 2 years ago, looking a bit younger and a bit camper

what the am I up to this week?

"Blood Diamond Sierra Leone"

Mon. The Shed inc Pilgrim Trust application, NE Project M+E process, +++

Tue. eve Barnsley Y - "Working With" Policy consultation of young peops

Wed. The Shed as above

Thu. Port Talbot YMCA - "Working With" Policy consultation of young peops
Fri. Port Talbot

My week

This week,

I am meeting YMCAE HR person on Monday, then having an SMT meeting then off to West London YMCA for a meeting about their fab music gyw seed funding project!

Tuesday and Wednesday I am in the office working on two funding bids, writing an article of Insight and doing some work on the African Youth Summit for Carlos. ON Tuesday afternoon I am meeting at Parker St with YMCAE to talk about CYW and other stuff.

Then on Thursday and Friday I am off on compassionate leave

Cheers

Matt

what the am I up to next week?

Mon The Shed -Planning/prep the Working with Children and Young People consultations of young people for this week and next; complete CAFOD, Pilgrim Trust, Anchor Foundation funding proposals; NYA Whats Changed Youth Participation tool;

pm Hospital appointment

Tue/Wed Ditto (except hospital appointment)

Thu night/Fri Norfolk YMCA St Giles Hostel Working with Children and Young People consultation

Welsh pacifists

Hi everyone,

I am off on TOIL tomorrow as I embark on a family camping trip in the wilds of Norfolk!

Next week on Monday I am in the office working on the fundraising strategy for Zoe and also writing an article for the forthcoming Insight magazine. Tuesday sees another Working with Children and Young People Working Group meeting, where the Working with Children and Young People Working Group will look at the Working with Children and Young People DRaft Policy and reviews by the Review Group of the Working with Children and Young People Working Group so we can finalise the Working with Children and Young People Policy.

Wednesday I am off to Wales for a meeting with Caroline about their seed funding project and then on Thursday I am interviewing (for 8 hours!!) the new global youth work post in Wales.

Back on the night train and then on Friday I am meeting Stuart and then maybe taking the afternoon off as Toil following my mammoth Welsh trip.

Ps on a more somber note check out:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_8184000/8184802.stm

Its a song written by Radiohead in honour of Harry Patch, the words are written by him and a lovely ode to pacifism:

I am the only one that got through
The others died where ever they fell
It was an ambush
They came up from all sides
Give your leaders each a gun and then let them fight it out themselves
I've seen devils coming up from the ground
I've seen hell upon this earth
The next will be chemical but they will never learn

w/c 10th August

Next Week

10th August The Shed - Planning the Working with Children and Young People consultations of young people; catch up on CAFOD, Pilgrim Trust, Anchor Foundation funding proposals; NYA Whats Changed Youth Participation tool; logistics re above consultations

11th and 12th ditto

13th Down View prison planning meeting re Gangs Guns Knives

14th 1 to 1

I'm about to go on a... summer holiday

Hello folks,

First off, best wishes to Sue and hope you feel better by the time you read this!

As I mentioned about 6 months ago now, I'm off on holiday at the end of next week for aaaages. My last week in the office looks a little bit like this...

Today - Discussing YWN annual conference
Fri - More conference planning

Mon - Finance stuff
Tues - Bournemouth YMCA, talking about campaigning and mosquitos
Weds - Finishing up, catching up with Fundraising about annual conference
Thurs - Interview for GYWC Wales post
Fri- Annual Leave

Thanks Keyboard Cat

Hi everyone,



I am just asking to be played off, as I am back in the office from my DEA presentation having realised I left all my papers for tomorrows committee meeting in the office, so have had to rush back, grab then, then head off to a gig I'm playing this eve....So thanks keyboard Cat.

Still, a good week and am now thinking about next week. saturday sees our committee meeting, the first to be chaired by Lola! They are looking at evaluation, memebrship and the Working with Children and Young People Policy.

Next week 'I am mainly in the office'. Monday is the Youth participation meeting, plus I am meeting with someone who applied to be a trustee but woudl like to be on our sub-committee. Tuesday I am meeting Phil Martin, the YMCA England London man, and then taking part in a review of Clare's new Disaster Prepardeness toolkit. I reckon the best way to avoid a disaster is to keep your eyes peeled for a cat getting ready to play on a keyboard.

Rest of the week I am working on funding bids and working on the new policy, intigrating peoples feedback and writing an article for the new Insight. Note on wedneday afternooon I am working at home as I have Virgin coming to fix my box.

See you all soon

Hello!

I'm going to use my visiting rights and update the blog of my biological department.

Since being adopted I have mainly been working on three things:

1. Campaigns scoping exercise with our dear volunteer Valerie (to identify international campaigns on our key issues that we can promote to supporters and young people). The idea is that after this is done and dusted I can work with you guys to expand this handful to a larger collection of campaigns and resources that can be promoted to young people (not to our 'supporters') We'll be presenting back where we're up to so far in a Friday lunch-time presentation, so prepare to be skyped in northern chums.

2. Supporting the EC Togo Youth Justice project - they've just completed their base-line study which contains strong evidence about the current dire state of the justice system - key facts coming to the mini-site soon. (Also trying to squeeze a Solidarity Day out of them. Watch this space.)

3. Supporting the KZN Civic Empowerment project which is all about advocacy on youth employment and is literally just starting

4. Other bits n bobs including feeding into the two working groups, contributing to advocacy bits of some other proposals, bits of fundraising attempts for YJIA etc

That's all for now, hope that's of some interest to my 'originals'.

I will be on leave from Tuesday for two weeks to go to la belle Bretagne (hope the weather's a bit better a little further south).

A bientot,
Céline

where the am I next week...

M Youth Participation Working Group
T The Shed
W Coventry Y - Gangs Guns Knives
Th The Shed
F TOIL re sub committee Saturday

Kemp harse

Hi everyone,

I am in the office all week this week, apart from Friday, when I am off to the DEA to do a presentation and some workshops at their 'Dfid Mini grants' day. They've asked me to come and showcase the K and W project.

The rest of the week, I am working on 3 funding bids (the coventry tender, the EC bid for the youth council and the Irish/zambia one). I'm having a tele conference with West London Y about seed funding, shortlisting for the Wales job, spending a lot of Tuesday inducting our new trustees and on Thursday spending a lot of the day working with Clare on her 'Disaster-preparedness tookit!'

So all in all a fun London based week!

Matt

Changing Worlds...

Hey folks,

First, a little snippet for a Friday afternoon - http://www.changingyourworld.org.uk/index.php/training-the-trainers

Excuse the rather relaxed looking pose that I have chosen to adopt in the photo!

Next week I am...

Mon - Stuffing envelopes
Tues - Coventry Cathedral Tender w/ Matt then off to volunteer with Hornsey YMCA (finally!)
Weds - Kemp, Conference Planning
Thurs - Kemp, General YWN admin
Fri - Andy Ballantyne in the house (!), all-star birthday/leaving shindig.

Please remember that I am away from the office from 13 August until September - eek!

where am I next week...

(Percy Peacock's tail feather)

M. Meeting Robyn (young peop interested in global issues) at Craven Y; Zambia etc proposal; youth participation actions; Working with Children and Young Peops Policy focus groups prep...

T. Leicester Y

W. Zambia etc proposal

Th. Zambia etc proposal

F. to London

Sat gyw committee

M (3/8/09) Youth Participation Working Group