Advice & Information

Resources for the Wales - Africa Linking Community:

Launched in October 2007, the Gold Star Communities Project is developing networking and information resources between community linking groups across Wales and the world.

What support can you access by contacting Gold Star?

• Advice, support, networking and events for community links between Wales and Africa, existing and new.
• Information resources and links (see below)
• The Gold Star Award Framework provides a 'roadmap' to help community links plan activities and projects through different stages of development.
• The Gold Star Grants Scheme can support groups in progressing through these stages of development, as well as stimulating other fundraising ideas and identifying sources of support.
• Advocacy and representation for Wales' community linking movement to civil society / voluntary sector, government, and organisations in Wales, UK and internationally.

Downloadable Gold Star Resources:

• Project Leaflet (1-side PDF): Gold Star Leaflet July 08 (1158k)
• Powerpoint Slideshow with Notes: Developing Communities: Linking Wales and Africa through Gold Star Communities
• Briefing Paper and Q&A for Assembly Members March 2009
• Gold Star / UKOWLA 'Baobab Tree' October 2009 Conference Report
• 'Going for Gold' Video Documentary - click here to order free DVD copies
• Using the media to promote your work - Wales Africa Community Links: Media Guide

Gold Star Communities - Interactive web links:

• View the links to community and sectoral linking groups currently active in Wales, and organisations involved in supporting linking.
• View the video resources site for the Gold Star Communities network on Youtube.
• View the photographic resources site for the Gold Star Communities network on Flickr.
• View the Wales community links map for the Gold Star Network on Googlemaps.
• Thinking of Linking? View or download the ultimate reference guide here - the UKOWLA Toolkit for Linking.

Mobilisation, Activity and Project Resources:

• UKOWLA Toolkit for Community Linking
• 'Twinning for Tomorrow's World' - Council of European Municipalities and Regions

• The International Health Links Manual: a guide to starting up and maintaining long term international health partnerships

• What difference are we making? A toolkit on monitoring and evaluation for health links

• Fairtrade Foundation 'Fairtrade Towns' site and Fairtrade Towns Action Guide
• Faith in Action: Working towards the MDGs - Toolkit for Faith Groups
• UN Millennium Campaign information and toolkits
• Youth Action on the MDGs - UN Millennium Campaign
• Local Government Association Resources for Twinning and LGA database of twinned towns
• Millennium Villages
• CIVICUS MDGs Campaign Toolkit for Civil Society Organisations
• The Converging World - Community Action on Climate Contraction, Convergence and Offsetting
• Transition Towns information, network and wiki-web
• The Energy Saving Community and Low Carbon Economy - Climate Change Info Resources
• The Ethical Trading Initiative

Policy and Advocacy Resources:

• UN MDGs Progress Report 2008
• The DFID Community Linking Scheme (see BUILD's consultation paper)
• Crisp Report on UK - Global Health Links, Global Health Partnerships - the UK Contribution to health in developing countries
• DfID White Paper Eliminating World Poverty - Making Governance Work for the Poor
• Dept for Education & Skills, International Strategy "Putting the World into World Class Education"
• Irish Aid Report, 'Linking betweenIreland and the South' 2006
• MDG Africa Steering Group 'Achievening the MDGs in Africa' Report 2008
• Commission for Africa
• Africa and the MDGs - Halfway Progress Brief 2007
• UN Millennium Development Goals - official site for the MDG indicators
• End Poverty 2015
• The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (and child friendly version)
• Other Useful Organisations and Links - UKOWLA Site

Funding Resources

• Gold Star Communities Grants Scheme
• UKOWLA Toolkit on Linking - Chapter on "Resourcing the Link"
• Sustainable Funding Cymru offers guidance, resources and links to assist voluntary groups in developing a strong income base, through schemes such as direct debits, subscriptions, fundraising, payroll giving, internet giving, corporate sponsorship and events.
• SMIDOS provide tailored training and advice on the above specifically to Small-Medium International Development Organisations, and have produced the SMIDOS Introduction to Fundraising Course Pack available here.
• The Welsh Assembly Government 'Wales for Africa' scheme provides strategic level funding for the development of Wales' international sector activities.
• DfID (the UK Government Department for International Development) are currently developing a Community Linking Scheme, and we expect to be able to link to further information about these from early 2009.
• The Waterloo Foundation in Wales fund a range of projects, and also produce a very helpful list of other funding sources.

Useful Sources of Up-to-date information for Wales Community Link Groups:

• WCVA Membership E-Bulletin: free "E-membership," available to groups and individuals, gives you access to a fortnightly update of latest funding information, opportunities, contracts, policy consultations, and other news for the Wales voluntary sector.
• WCVA Sustainable Funding News: up-to-the-minute information on funding sources for Welsh voluntary sector organisations, and ideas for diversification.
• WISEN Monthly E-Newsletter: information on activities, events and opportunities across Wales' International Sector Networks - E-mail here to subscribe.
• UKOWLA produce an occasional newsletter for linking groups across the UK.
• Some groups may find the Fairtrade Towns Yahoo discussion groups useful

Useful Links & Tools for Planning Exchange Trips

• FCO Travel Advice. Check the FCO Travel Advice pages for the latest official advice. This include what you will need to get in terms of Medical Innoculations.
• Travel Insurance. It is VITAL that all individuals participating in an exchange visit are covered by comprehensive and appropriate travel insurance; ordinary travel insurance is not suitable as this does not usually cover humanitarian / development environments, medical emergencies, conflict issues and specifically repatriation. You need to get a policy which specifically covers these issues. Useful companies include Banner Insurance.
• Cheap phone calls to African Partners - by dialling a special discount code you can massively cut bills of phone calls to and from African countries. Use the International Callchecker from MoneySavingExpert to find out how.
• Photographs