Funeral procession for the death of our public services
Manchester group The Art Corner are organising a funeral procession for the loss of our public services, to take place on the day of the royal wedding (29th April). They will have five coffins decorated with wreaths spelling out NHS, Education, Immigration, The Arts and Welfare. Participants will dress in black and march solemnly down the road bearing the coffins, led by a brass band, in the style of a New Orleans funeral. They invite you to come and pay your respects. Please come dressed in black. Flowers are welcome. More info from joeford@riseup.net or on www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=198763420163115
Next NCIA assembly: putting the politics back into voluntary action
Cuts, privatising public services, commissioning replacing grants, voluntary agencies being run like businesses, managers who don’t understand the front line work, nonsensical targets… If you’re feeling angry, you’re not alone! Join us at the next NCIA assembly in Manchester on Thursday 12 May 2011 to discuss issues affecting you. Book now.
Who’s in the know?
Who creates, controls and measures knowledge in the voluntary and community sector? What role is played by service users and volunteers, universities, voluntary sector organisations and umbrella organisations such as NCVO? Join NCIA’s Andy Benson at the ARVAC annual lecture in London on 9 May 2011 to explore these questions and more.
Straws in the wind: youth work policy and practice
NCIA’s Bernard Davies will be leading a session at a conference looking at the considerable challenges youth work is facing as whole services are closed down and some of the most distinctive approaches are threatened. Staws in the wind is on 24 May 2011 in Leicester.
Tick outside the box – arms dealers and the 2011 Census
People are being urged to boycott the 2011 Census, being run by arms dealers and defence contractors CACI and Lockheed Martin. CACI, the Scottish agents, are said to have interrogated prisoners at Abu Graibh – and now they want to ask us a few questions. Check out Ethical Census for the Scottish campaign. On a smaller scale, one citizen we’re heard of is simply making it hard for Lockheed Martin’s database to make sense of their replies, advising “use your loaf, it’s easy, just make sure your correct information is written in such a way that their database can’t process it. Tick outside the box for instance. That way, US Homeland Security won’t get their hands on it”.
