A thank you, an ask, a job and your views‏

• Updates you on the distribution of our latest community newspaper
• Asks you to register to attend our hustings meeting on 29 April
• Publicises a job working with the community to establish a ‘learning centre’ in Hackney and
• Invites your views on a community conference planned for September/October.

Tabloid Newspaper
First of all a big thank you to the over 90 people who have taken copies of the Hackney Unites/HOPE not hate, community newspaper to distribute: you are wonderful people!

With the Greater London Assembly elections just over three weeks away, we want to alert our communities to the threat of the BNP retaining a seat on the GLA if there is a low turnout. If you have offered to deliver them and have not yet received your allocation, please email HackneyUnites@btinternet.com. There is still time to volunteer if you have not already done so. Please visit: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/97TLDLJ and register to help out.

We are still planning a mass distribution of papers on Saturday 14^th, but will email the details separately. Thanks again to everyone for their help.

Holding politicians to account
As well as ensuring the BNP do not get elected, we also want to ensure that any candidates who stand in our constituency of London North East, feel accountable to the community.

On 29 April, we have invited the leading candidates for the constituency to a ‘hustings’ meeting. The Conservative, Green, Labour and Liberal Democrat candidates will be present to answer your questions about their policies if elected. The event is being held at the Arcola Theatre Ashwin Street, from 7pm to 9pm and we are asking people to register in advance so that we can estimate numbers: http://glahustings.eventbrite.com/

An exciting job opportunity
As unemployment (and particularly youth unemployment) soars, Hackney Unites are proud to be working with the TSSA union on a ‘community learning project’. The project aims to work with local employers and trade unions to establish a community learning centre where people can acquire skills for life, or to get or advance at work. The TSSA is currently recruiting a part-time community learning organiser,

The job advert states: ‘The job: Learning Organiser - Community – Part Time (21 hours a week) fixed term contract until 31st March 2013 (subject to confirmation of continuation of funding this contract may be extended for a further one year)
You will play a crucial role as part of the team delivering TSSA’s Union Learning Fund project. You will identify, plan and pursue community learning organising opportunities within local communities. You will work with, coach and train Union Learning Representatives, TSSA Organisers and Community learning Champions. You will set up and support a pilot learning centre in Hackney or/and another specified area for joint use by workers and local people with an aim of increasing the engagement, and the diversity, of members and non-members in learning and the union’

Anyone who wishes to find out more about this role, what it will entail, what skills are required and gain support with the application process, may wish to attend a briefing session on Friday 13th April at 2pm to be held at Hackney CVS, 84 Springfield House, 5 Tyssen Street, London E8 2LY. To register email to  vacancies@tssa.org.uk.


Celebrate Hackney
One of Hackney Unites early successes was the Celebrate Hackney community conference held in 2010. Over 400 people attended, there were 30 workshops/seminar sessions, and over 30 groups participated by having a stall in an ‘information zone’.

We are putting plans together for a second community conference to be held in September or October this year. The idea is to bring our diverse communities together, share our experience, have some informal discussions, eat some good food, and make some new connections. We also hope to provide a number of taster training sessions in community organising techniques and to look at the changes to the voluntary sector that are currently taking place. We would like to know your views. If you are interested, please complete the following survey:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/XZK3VGQ

Please forward this email on to everyone and anyone within our communities in Hackney who you think may wish to support this initiative.

Hackney Unites is a coalition for social justice, if you are not already on our mailing list, you can sign up on-line (http://eepurl.com/bPJDH)  to receive regular updates.