Junction49 Blog

Lend a helping hand

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:15:40 -0600

It's been great to see recently the influx of ideas and inspiration being added to Junction49 from all across the UK. As with every idea though, your fellow Junction49ers can't do it alone and could really do with a helping hand. This could be anything from commenting on an idea you like to tell them "It's great", to offering them some advice about how to get all set up maybe based on your own experiences, or even going that one step further and agreeing to volunteer on their project.

To get started, search the ideas section to see if there's anything that takes your fancy, or check out some of the latest ideas below which need your help:

Saleem wants to support children with disabilities and create awareness amongst the public by sharing experiences. If you've got any stories to share, get in touch.

Elsie and Annie are on a mission to make all young people know that they're IMPORTANT. They're looking for others to join them on their quest by promoting their blog, sending them poetry, music and videos and even handing out leaflets.

Team v are campaigning to end loneliness and isolation amongst the older generation and are looking for volunteers all over the country to get on board and join them. We've got a few featured on Junction49, but if you can't find one in your local area, check out vinspired.com.

We wish you a Merry Christmas!

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 05:26:44 -0600

From all of us here at Junction49 and TimeBank, we would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas.

We've had a great year with a whole host of Junction49 Helpdesk volunteers joining the team and supporting you all to set up some truly brilliant projects. For that we must say an extra special thanks to Ben, Fiona, Margareet, Ravi, Jyoti and Ada for all the time that they've given.

We hope you all have a great Christmas and we look forward to continuing to support you with all your exciting ventures in 2012.

Discover E-Volunteering: The Results

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 12:00:26 -0600

We just wanted to say a MASSIVE thank you to everyone who voted for us last month in the 'Discover E-Volunteering' competition to find the best European based projects on the web. Unfortunately we didn't win any of the prizes, but making it through to the shortlist was a brilliant win in itself. The results were announced last week at a gala event held in Warsaw to mark the end of the European Year of Volunteering and congratulations must go to the fantastic work of the organisations that came 1st, 2nd and 3rd. One of them, Brightone, we have had the pleasure of working with in the past. To find out more about the winners click here.

H.E.L.P

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 10:13:55 -0600

Yesterday we had some very exciting visitors from Sunderland who came down to meet Sarah and Zoë from the Junction49 team to present to us a fantastic project that they've recently been working on. The group of young people from Pallion Action Group, a fantastic community organisation based in Sunderland, have been volunteering on the 24/24 programme funded by vinspired and came to show us the fabulous website that they've created, H.E.L.P (The Helping, Educating and Lifeline Project). H.E.L.P features personal stories from each member of the group talking about things that have affected them personally from depression, to suicide, to alcoholism. Each story comes with a page with links to organisations and services locally that people can get in touch with, if they've been affected by something similar.

They're looking to expand the website and have already had a lot of interest from other young people who would like to share their own personal stories. We'd definitely recommend you checking out the site, no matter whether you live in Sunderland or elsewhere in the UK. If you're inspired by what you see and would like to set up something similar in your local area then you should definitely get in touch. They're really keen to spread the work about H.E.L.P and to offer support to others who want to do the same. We're going to be supporting them through Junction49 to receive funding so they can take the project further and hopefully get some similar websites set up across the UK.

The Helping, Educating and Lifeline Project (H.E.L.P)

Welcome to our website We started this website as a group of volunteers working on a volunteering programme called 24/24. During some of the stuff we were doing we discovered that all of us had faced some kind of issue in our lives and although there was some good websites around sometimes it was hard to find information that we needed to get help!!! The idea for our own website was born.

"Aye its canny good idea like...its quick, easy and covers issues all young people gan through"
Stevie 21 years old

"It's good that...I would use it
"Ryan 15 years old

"I wish I had something like this to help me when I was going through stuff"
Mark 18 years old

Aged 18-25 and living in London? Could you support someone to use the internet?

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 07:56:23 -0600

If you're aged 18-25 and live in London, you could support parents in Peckham to get online.

Parents First is a project run by TimeBank, the charity behind Junction49. The project matches mentors aged 18-25 with parents in Peckham, South London to support them to get online so they can play a more active role in their children's development. This could be anything like accessing school services online, learning about online safety and finding out about recreational activities for the family.

As a mentor we ask you to commit to a maximum of 12 hours, but the project is running until the end of December so you may find you volunteer for about 8 hours. It's up to you and your mentee to work out what works best for you both.

Before you start your mentoring, we'll provide you with all the training and information you need and we'll be here to provide on-going support throughout your mentoring relationship. All mentors will also receive an AQA Unit Award certificate which will look great on your C.V.

Visit www.timebank.org.uk/parentsfirst for more information, or give us a call on 0203 111 0712.

Vote for Junction49 in the Discover E-Volunteering Competition

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 06:15:35 -0500

Hello Junction49ers!

We've had some very exciting news this week. We entered into a competition last month to discover the best e-volunteering projects across the whole of Europe. We were really lucky to be shortlisted to their final 12 out of 80 applications.

However, to be in with a chance of winning a share of the 6,000 euros prize we need YOUR help, as it's all down to the public vote and we would be very grateful if you would be able to vote for us.

To vote all you need to do is follow this link, choose the 3 projects you like the best (including Junction49 of course) and submit your vote. You'll get an email from E-Woluntariat asking you to confirm your vote, so keep an eye on your junk inboxes.

What will you choose, The Piece or Peace?

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:39:49 -0500

Hi Junction49ieverse,

Take a look at the 3rd and final installment of interviews taken at the J49 focus group session held in September.

We were very excited to meet and interview volunteer of the moment JPeace. Watch as he talks to us about the inspiration behind his idea and what he hopes to achieve through his project and anti-violence music he has recorded.

''The piece or peace is centered on enlightening young people about the choices that are available to them'' says JPeace.

Here is hoping that many more young people are inspired by this passionate young man to make the right decision.

So what will you choose....the PIECE or PEACE?

Katy has a POEM!!!!!

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:22:28 -0500

Following on from the last blog we have the 2nd installment of our interviews from the Junction49 focus day.

Not only did we manage to get an interview but we have also been blessed with an original and insoiring poem by Katy, which is centered on the London riots of July 2011. Check out the video to hear Katy's words of wisdom and hopefully receive some inspiration to be a positive change in your community.

Go-Ahead Youth Unlock Their Perfect Event Space – somewhereto_ Can Help You Find Yours

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 18:39:14 -0500

Belinda Fumia, a Junction49er from Leicester is organising a Speed Cultures event for young people to find out about different cultures. Belinda needed a space to hold the event in Leicester City Centre. That's when she worked with nationwide project somewhereto_ (somewhereto.com) who connected Belinda and her youth group ‘Go ahead Youth' with a free space to run the event.

"I was introduced to somewhereto_ through Junction49..." explains Belinda. "Our youth group were amazed at how quickly we got a space in such a fantastic venue in such a short time. We want to create as many opportunities for young people as we can, and Go-ahead Youth is very grateful to somewhereto_ for making that and this event a possibility."

Speed Cultures is set to kick off on October 1; with meetings, volunteer coordination, flyering and much more to do, it's going to be a busy month for Belinda and her crew.

Are YOU in need of a free space to run your volunteering project?

Whatever your project, if you're aged 16-25 and need a space to host an event, meeting or activity (like Belinda) - register with one of the many somewhereto_ spaces (https://www.somewhereto.com/spacesearch).

Is Kew Gardens in London the space for you? How about the Biscuit Factory in Newcastle (see above)? Or even a festival space? See what happened when somewhereto_ set stage space and time for two young unsigned acts at T4 on the Beach:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nqq2prLK2Q8

You can follow somewhereto_ on Facebook (www.facebook.com/somewhereto) and on Twitter @somewhereto_

For more success stories and info on somewhereto_ including how to unlock a space or give a space, visit ‪http://www.somewhereto.com.

somewhereto_ is a nationwide project to help 16-25 year olds find the space they need to do the things they love. The project is funded by Legacy Trust UK, an independent charity set up to help build a lasting cultural and sporting legacy from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games across the UK.

A Dough-raising Success!!

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 14:14:46 -0500

So the big Junction49 fundraising day has come and gone! Sarah and I picked up 10 dozen boxes of Krispy Kreme doughnuts from the store near Liverpool Street and managed to bring them back to the Junction49 offices without eating any (just). The staff in the office were extremely keen to dig in as soon as we returned and a couple of boxes were sold immediately!

Then around lunchtime it was time to get fundraising! Margareet and myself were about to set up in the square outside the building, but we decided instead to walk around the building where Junction49 is based, to see if any of our neighbours were hungry for a Krispy Kreme! This turned out to be an extremely profitable idea as we spent almost 2 hours wandering the meeting rooms and offices of our building, meeting some generous employees (good tip - if you can get into an office just before lunchtime, chances are you’ll be able to raise some dough with ease by selling to hungry workers!). After a couple of hours we had already sold over half our stock of doughnuts, and we hadn’t even had a chance to leave the building yet!

After this great confidence booster Margareet and I spent the afternoon around the Moorgate/Liverpool Street area, talking to people about Junction49 and selling the rest of our Krispy Kremes. When we finally got back and counted our money, we were amazed to discover that we had raised a grand total of £103.90! What’s more, with every doughnut sold, we handed out our Junction49 business card, so hopefully in the near future there will be many more new users posting ideas on the site!

The success we had with our fundraiser goes to show that with a little effort, some creative thinking (timing the sale so you meet hungry people!) and a positive attitude, it’s easy to raise money for your cause. In this case, the money we raised will be donated to Junction49 so that we can continue to support all the Junction49 community with turning ideas into reality!

We hope that our idea to “Raise some Dough” shows just how simple (and entertaining) it can be to raise money for Junction49, or for your ideas. Check out our photos from the day on the idea’s page, and if you’re inspired to try a similar fundraiser, let us know with a comment, email or diary entry!

Ravi

Black Mountain Films presents...

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 14:50:18 -0500

Hi all,

Recently the helpdesk were lucky enough to have a few Junction49ers come in to our offices to give some feedback on the site. We also managed to bag some exclusive interviews for the Junction49iverse to see.

The first interview is with the lovely Junction49er Siobhan, the founder of the idea Black mountain films. Black Mountain Films is a socially conscious film production company that aims to give young women from disenfranchised backgrounds the confidence and skills to work in the industry.

Check out the video to see what its all about.

There are more fanatastic interviews to come so watch this space!

Happy 4th Birthday to us!

Mon, 05 Sep 2011 17:55:40 -0500

On Saturday we celebrated 4 years since the launch of Junction49. To celebrate we gorged on a big chocolate cake, but got a bit carried away before we could take a picture to show you all.

To all our Junction49ers, volunteer helpdeskers and members of staff who have been with us over the past 4 years THANK YOU very much. We look forward to many more birthdays to come in the future :-)

Sarah, Zoë, Margareet and Ravi

FYI...AQAs

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 14:14:20 -0500

Hopefully most of the Junction49 community will have already heard about this, but just in case, don’t forget that Junction49 offers a couple of fantastic AQA certificates that you can receive as a reward for successfully completing your idea, or helping other Junction49ers with theirs.

These certificates can be used as recognition of the time and effort you’ve put into volunteering, and represent a useful addition to your CV or personal statement (because employers and universities love volunteers!).

Recent recipients include Ceri with her idea “More Mascots Please” and Kyriaki with her idea “Bridge the gap with yoga and picnic in the park” - take a look and see how simple yet effective both of these ideas were!

If you've set up and delivered your own project through Junction49 then you qualify for a Project Leader certificate if you've:

Added a description to your Junction49 profile.
Written a diary entry or added photos to your Junction49 idea page to tell us how your project went.
Changed the ‘my idea' status to ‘Done and Dusted' and filled out the ‘Done and Dusted questionnaire'.
Commented on another Junction49er's idea and offered them some advice.

However it's not only the project leaders who deserve some recognition. If you offer support and advice to other Junction49ers then that is just as valuable. That's why we've got an Online Helper certificate for anyone who has:

Added a description to their Junction49 profile
Left at least two comments on other Junction49ers' pages.

If you reckon you're eligible to receive one of these certificates, then just let us know and we'll make sure you get one. To get in contact just drop us an email at help@junction49.co.uk or give us a call on 0845 313 8385

Here's a Great Tip..

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 15:48:05 -0500

Here at Junction49 we are always trying to find new ways of making your ideas as straightforward as possible to set up. So, check out the latest addition to the site (drumroll please…) - the Resources Section!

Here, you’ll be able to find useful tips which will help you turn your ideas into reality. We’ve added guides on how to set up and run some of the more popular events that we’ve seen on the site before, such as how to host your own art exhibition or stage a music night to raise awareness of a certain cause.

In particular, you might want to check out the Funding Guide, which contains a step-by-step explanation of who and how to apply for funding, along with the personal experience of Adill, who successfully applied for funding for his Junction49 project ‘Do you have a business idea?’

If you’ve got any suggestions for future guides, or want to share your own experiences (we’re always on the look out for some great examples of success stories such as Adill’s) then leave a comment or drop us an email at help@junction49.co.uk (or you could even message us on Facebook / tweet us!)

Ravi

I'm a Junction49er, not a Rioter!

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 14:52:53 -0500

It’s been terrible to see and hear about the rioting which started in London and spread around the country over the last few days, and all of us sympathise with the people who’ve suffered damage and loss of their homes and businesses as a result.

It’s even worse to see that the majority of the damage caused so far is due to young people who are already viewed unfavourably in the public eye. Because of the actions of a small minority of youths and teenagers, the negative stereotype which surrounds young people may be increased.

We all know that this is a sad state of affairs, the fact you are reading this blog on Junction49 (a website which encourages young people to volunteer in their area!) shows there are many young people who are not hooligans or thugs looking to cause harm or damage for a bit of fun. It’s therefore really important to advertise your ideas and show the public around the country that we aren’t all rioters and criminals.

I’ve only just started volunteering on the Junction49 helpdesk, but in the short time I’ve been here, I’ve been personally inspired to read about so many of your amazing ideas and learn that there are many individuals like yourselves who really want to support an issue that’s important to them!

So keep working hard on your ideas! Here at Junction49 we’ll be available to support you put them into action, and together we can show that young people should be viewed more positively in the community. If you’ve been involved in the clean-up of the damage caused, let us know! Or maybe you’ve got an idea to help the people who’ve been affected by what has happened – again we would love to hear what you have to say. As always you can get in contact via the website, Facebook or Twitter.

Thanks for reading :)

Ravi

The only way is ... Skywards

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 16:52:27 -0500

It's always a great day in the Junction49 office when our volunteers get to showcase their projects and even better when we are invited along :-) So you can imagine how happy we were to attend the Aiming Skywards Introductory event.

Aiming Skywards is a project set up by Peter Olawaye that exists to encourage a diverse range of young offenders and those significantly at risk of offending (aged 16-25) to work in partnership with and for the benefit of the wider community. The project aims to create employment opportunities; including work experience, and apprenticeships within the local area whilst raising self esteem/self awareness and overcoming barriers faced by young people today.

It was a great opportunity to witness a variety of young people coming together to discuss ideas for the project. A highlight for me was the testimonials from some of the attendees sharing how they overcame barriers/challenges that often entice one to choose the wrong path. Often in life we are faced with choices that ultimately shape our lives and how inspiring it was to see those who have chosen to Aim skywards passionate to help others do the same. Watch the video to find out more about this amazing idea and the Junction49er behind it.

Margareet

Katie's Fundraising ARK for July

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 09:23:28 -0500

You may have heard about our ARK Angel Katie and maybe even read her diary entries. If you haven't they're well worth a read - inspiring ways to make a difference through very small actions. We've posted her latest diary below with a fundraising ARK for the month. Each month we're going to be choosing one of Katie's fundraising ARK's to post here on our blog to provide you with a bit of inspiration of how to raise money for charity. Junction49 now has a 'Support Us' button too, so if you fancy donating that money to us go ahead. Read to find out more about what Katie's been up to.

Boo!

Okay, here is the lowdown for how my summer ARKing is going to work:

In my room i have a hat, but not just any hat, a hat that currently contains 59 green folded up raffle tickets, and which i am adding more too all the time. In order to choose which ARKs i undertake, i will let fate decide, by pulling out a raffle ticket. Now on each ticket is an idea for an ARK, a random thought to be turned into an ARK, you know, that sort of thing, and i'm going to try to get through as many as possible.

So lets pick out todays...

Okay, number 47, it simpy reads 'Swear Box'

So the idea behind this one is to get an old money tin, box, envelope, whatever, and every time you swear, or say something bad about something, or generally are a grumpy sourpuss, stick some coinage into the box, than at the end of the week, month, (day if you have a very stressful job!), donate the money to a charity or cause.

Okay, i'm off to construct my swear box now, and will post a picture of the finished spectacle later

Ciao

x

Putting Junction49 on the map

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 14:54:17 -0500

One of our favourite things about Junction49 is that any young person, no matter where they live, can access it and get support from wherever they are in the UK. Whether that's support from the Junction49 team based in London or support from a fellow Junction49er living in another part of the UK. For example, Blessing and Adill don't live near eachother, but through Junction49 they've supported eachother with their various projects and are now embarking on a new one together - Youth Start-Up Website.

Thanks to our web developer, Ben (the invisible hero of Junction49), you can now see just how far across the UK all of your ideas stretch through this map. You can use the map to zoom in and out of different areas. If you click on the black dots too, you can visit the 'ideas page' to find out more.

So whether you're one of the masses in London or Newcastle, or the one making a difference in Northern Ireland you can all still comment on each other's ideas, sharing advice through the marvel of the interweb, to set up some truly fantastic projects. Remember if you comment on at least two other Junction49ers ideas you're eligible to receive an AQA certificate from us, so get in touch if you think you deserve one.

Spend the summer with Junction49

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 14:15:36 -0500

Aged 18-25? Live in London?

If so, you could apply to become a Junction49 Volunteer Helpdesker with the Junction49 team based at our offices in Moorgate. We're looking for someone to come in on a regular basis over the summer to offer support and advice to all you Junction49ers setting up projects.

You may have heard from Ben, Fiona and Margareet in the past. Well this is your chance to get involved too. There will also be other opportunities to get out and about, attending events and spreading the Junction49 word. It's also a great chance to find out more about the charity world.

If you're interested, or think you know someone who might be, follow this link: http://timebank.org.uk/vacancy/j49-helpdesk

If you have any questions about the role get in contact with me, Sarah, by dropping an email to sarah@junction49.co.uk or give me a call on 0845 313 8385. Always happy to chat.

Intergenerational picnic

Fri, 08 Jul 2011 16:36:47 -0500

I'm Melisa and I've been doing some work experience with the Junction49 team this week. Yesterday I was fortunate to go to Holland Park with Sarah, who is a member of staff at Junction49, to an event organized by Kyriaki who had been a mentor for another TimeBank project, Digitall. Through Junction49 she received support to set up her own project, ‘Bridge the gap with yoga & picnic at the park'

Her project was an intergenerational one, bringing young and old people together to show that they can still do lots of activities and have fun, no matter the age gap. The day consisted of yoga and then later on a picnic. All the food was homemade by Kyriaki. This was a joyful experience for me seeing as I was on work experience I got to see what Junction49 was really about, which was fantastic. Finally before the end of the day I did a short interview with Kyriaki asking her a few questions about her project and how she came up with the idea.

Hope you enjoy the video :-)

P.S. Sarah is very sorry about the quality of the video. She learnt that next time she should use a Flip cam and not her old digital camera.

Daddy, DaddyCool...

Fri, 08 Jul 2011 13:34:06 -0500

It has often been said that the portrayal of Dads in the media and society is not highly recognised or celebrated as much as that of Mums. Well one project that aims to change all that is The DaddyCool Project. I, (Junction49 Helpdesker, Margareet) was very excited to be invited along to their latest event on 18 June 2011 (1 day before Father's Day). Set up by Junction49er Emma Harper and with the slogan ‘you don't have to be a father to support fatherhood' DaddyCool is all about getting the whole community involved in shaping positive attitudes towards fatherhood.

The event was held in The Mall Wood Green, North London. It was a family fun day out with face painting for the kids and a chance for the whole family to participate. The highlight of the day was the Wii competition with free goody bags given to each participant and a special trophy for the winner. I have to add many of the trophies were won by the kids and not the Dads. To all the great, charming wonderful Dads out there DaddyCool salutes you.

For a behind the scenes look at the DaddyCool Project and an exclusive interview with Emma check out the video.

ARKing around with Katie

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 14:27:01 -0500

Is it a plane? Is it a bird? No it's ARK Angel Katie, here to brighten up the world with acts of random kindness =) For those of you who have not already been blessed with Katie's fascinating and often humorous tales of Ark Angel life, we shall recap the story. Junction49er Katie is the brains (and in this case more fittingly the wings) behind the ARK Angel idea. For all her hardwork and wonderful ideas Katie was personally invited along to guest speak at the Third Sector Social Media and Digital Communications Convention along with the rest of the Junction49 team. You can read more about her experience here in her ever famous ‘Diary'. The day was filled with laughs, Junction49 tales and the chance to show the Third Sector world what Junction49 is all about. Check out the video to see a personal interview with Katie herself.

A week in the life of Mirose

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 13:53:30 -0500

Last week the Junction49 team were lucky enough to be joined by Mirose who came to Junction49 for some work experience. Watch this video to hear Mirose speak about her week. She also came up with a fantastic idea called 'DisABLEd' which you should all definitely check out.

Getting to know your Junction49er

Thu, 26 May 2011 12:22:56 -0500

This month we've managed to bag an exclusive interview with Fiona, creator of Junction49 Idea Life's Worth Living, and it's definitely ‘WORTH' a read!

Q: What's the story behind your idea?
A: I tried to commit suicide aged 15. It was a very difficult and lonely time. I was tired of hearing people say that those who attempt suicide don't give initial warnings, because they usually do but often people don't recognize the cry for help until it's too late. Whoever recognizes a problem should feel the responsibility to speak up on behalf of a suicidal person who may not be able to speak up for themselves. We must ask questions, probing further into their thoughts and feelings. However, often people do not know where to turn to when they see someone is desperate. Training for people to recognize potential signs and learn how to effectively deal with them is vital.

The solution: Awareness, Support, Hope; raising people's awareness so they can spot the signs more readily, then they can get the necessary support for that person or themselves and ultimately they will then have hope in the future.

Q:Your idea is titled ‘Life's worth Living'. Name 3 things that make life worth living for you?
A:   1. Helping other people
       2. Volunteering
       3. Dr Who; Torchwood.

Q: Tell us your favourite Junction49 idea...
A: It would have to be BE YOU(tiful). Not only was the creator, Rachel, very supportive of my idea, but her idea is great and ties in really well with the whole idea of loving life and oneself.

BE YOU (tiful)

Thu, 26 May 2011 12:16:19 -0500

The site has been bubbling with fantastic new ideas and loads of you getting stuck in and helping out your fellow Junction49ers!

A great play on words and an even greater idea, BE YOU(tiful) is about self-worth and self-acceptance. Did you know that UK plastic surgery is on the increase? According to one study 80% of women are dissatisfied with their appearance and over half have had or will have cosmetic procedures. From big screen ads, to celebs on TV, day to day life is filled with images of a picture perfect fairytale, something other than our own realities. Many are left feeling inadequate and unsatisfied, but BE YOU(tiful) aims to change all that.

We're loving this idea and if you want to support Rachel on her quest to making everyone happy and loving the way they look check out her idea now.

Want to come and join us?

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 16:55:46 -0500

It's that time again...

After a couple of fantastic months with our volunteer Fiona in the office, we say farewell as she heads off to start a very exciting internship with Oxfam. This means we are now on the lookout for a new volunteer to come and join the Junction49 team from April to 30 June 2011. Interested? Read on...

We're looking for a volunteer to come in for a couple of hours each day. Here's what you'll get involved in:

Helping us out with a range of activities including staffing the Junction49 helpdesk
Supporting our Junction49 Ambassadors
Speaking to Junction49ers about what we do.

Want to apply?

It's a great opportunity to get a feel for what it's like working at a national charity (pretty useful to add to your CV). You'll be working with a great group of people and there's often lots of cake in the office too!

Find out even more and apply here.

If you've got any questions about the opportunity you can give us a call on
0845 313 8385 or 0203 111 0736 or drop us an email at help@junction49.co.uk.

Alive and kicking!

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 12:19:30 -0500

In this blog post we’ve got some news about TimeBank, the charity behind Junction49, a full update on what the Junction49 Team has been up to recently and the latest news from the website.

You may have seen or read recently that, unfortunately, TimeBank will no longer receive vital core funding from the government (the Office for Civil Society). We’re still fully committed to delivering all our current and new programmes. We’ll also keep running the Junction49 website and offering the support you need to bring your projects to life, for as long as we can.

If you’d like to show TimeBank your support you can find out how here. We‘ll keep you up to date but, for the time being, please continue setting up your wonderful projects and updating your amazing ideas on Junction49.co.uk. If you have any questions, do just get in touch.

Latest News

On our site, you may have already seen Jordan’s brave idea to cycle the length of the country for charity. That’s a whopping 874 miles! Good Luck Jordan!
Also, our ARK Angel Katie is keeping her diary nicely filled with tips on how to put an Act of Random Kindness into your day.
The Junction49 Team’s had a couple of great days out recently: one at the Catch22 SlamFunk basketball tournament and another at London Metropolitan University’s Voluntary Work Experience Fair. To all the great new volunteers we met there: Welcome to Junction49! We look forward to seeing your ideas appearing on the site.

We hope everyone who asked for freebies after our last Signpost is enjoying them and that they’re useful for your projects. We’ll let you know if we get any more in.

That’s it for now, but as always if you’ve got any questions for the Junction49 team or want to get in touch, please do. Drop us an email a help@junction49.co.uk or give us a call on 0845 313 8385.

Fiona
Junction49 Team

Junction49 on ITV today!

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 13:48:30 -0600

Hi Everyone,

***If you missed us live you can watch here: http://www.itv.com/london/fullprogramme/

Big News! Tune in at 1:30pm TODAY to ITV London News for a report on Junction49 and the charity who runs us TimeBank. Helen Walker our Chief Executive and I will be talking about the work we do and the effect of government cuts to our charity.

To pledge your support for Junction49 and TimeBank in the face of government funding cuts which will affect us email saveus@timebank.org.uk. Just put your full name in the subject box and we'll collect them and take them to Number 10. If we receive 100,000 signatures our case will be debated in parliament.

Fingers Crossed

Fiona

Junction49 Team

Fairtrade and Freebies for you

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 11:10:06 -0600

Fairtrade Fortnight With Fairtrade Fortnight 2011 fast approaching (28 February - 14 March), fellow Junction49er Blessing has decided to launch a magazine to keep everyone in his community up to date with Fairtrade news and stories. Have you ever been involved in Fairtrade or contributed to local magazines or newsletters? If so, perhaps you could comment on Blessing's idea to share your experience.

Talent 4 Difference
Junction49er Meron Kassa is planning a talent show. The idea is to bring together lots of different schools to raise money and awareness for the charities they're passionate about. If you're based in London and would like your school to be involved, all you need to do is to comment on Meron's idea so she can get back to you with all the details.

Freebies We have some more goodies up for grabs here at Junction49. If you're computer savvy and interested in digital photography or creating your own graphics you might want to get your hands on some of this lot:

Ulead DVD Picture Show "Easy CD and DVD Slideshows" x4
Ulead Photo Explorer Pro "The Easiest Way to Organise All Your Digital Media"
Ulead Cool 3D "The Coolest Way to Hot 3D Graphics"
Ulead DVD Workshop "Advancing the Art of DVD Authoring"
We've also got a load of paper party bags to give away too.

If there's something that takes your fancy, drop us an email at help@junction49.co.uk with your name and postal address and a line or two on how these goodies can help bring your idea to life.

Become an angel this New Year!

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 12:24:47 -0600

Junction49er, Katie, has started this year making a real difference with her Acts of Random Kindness. Every little helps... From buying someone a coffee or donating your old books to a library, to volunteering at your local care home. As long as your "Act" helps others or cheers them up, we approve!

Katie is looking for more people to join her initiative and become ARK Angels. She's dedicating a section on her page as a place for Junction49ers to post comments to keep us up to date on their good deeds. In Katie's own words - "spread the word, spread ideas, tell your friends, all over the country just get out there and do it!"

Latest News

The Durham Ethical Fashion Show are looking for volunteers to help at an event that will run between 28 February and 13 March 2011. Any good at hair and makeup? They're looking for stylists, backstage managers and anyone else who is willing to lend a hand.
Jennifer, also a Juntion49er, is currently planning a fundraising event to raise money for the Edna Adan Maternity Hospital in Somaliland. She could do with some marketing support and also some help finding a venue and organising entertainment. If you think you could help and would like get involved, let her know.