One Camden

Information and Resources for Camden

Are You Interested in Becoming A Community Health Advocate Volunteer?

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Do you live, work or volunteer in Camden? Would you like to support people in your community to improve their health and their access to services that will help them to maintain good health and wellbeing?  Voluntary Action Camden (VAC) is developing a programme to train volunteers to become Community Health Advocates and link them with GPs and Community Centres so that we can work together to improve the health of people in Camden.

If you have a few hours per week to spare and would like to develop your skills and knowledge in the area of Health Awareness and gain experience which may help you with future employment opportunities, then read on.

VAC is offering free Royal Society of Public Health Level 1 training to those who want to volunteer their time to become Community Health Advocates. The RSPH Level 1 training is a two day course, with a 20 question multiple choice test at the end of the second day of training.  It could provide a useful skill set and experience for people who may be interested in following a health related career path in the future.

After completing the training, VAC will support local teams of volunteers to act as links between the community and GPs through activities and services run or organised via community based ‘Health Hubs’.  You may wish to take advantage of additional opportunities to increase your knowledge around smoking cessation, cancer awareness, diabetes etc. or you may want to take up opportunities to access other free training to become a qualified ‘Walk Leader’ or ‘Chair based exercise instructor’.

Some of you may want to play a more active role in advocating for the services that the community feel they need in order to become healthier and most importantly stay healthy into old age.

The next course will be run on 3rd and 4th October 2013 at VAC’s offices 293 – 299 Kentish Town Road (next to Iceland).  For further information please contact:

Ricky at acharles@vac.org.uk  or phone 020 7284 6550 or

Sue Dowd sdowd@vac.org.uk or phone 020 7284 6559

The RSPH training is provided FREE by VAC and further training and development opportunities will be offered to Health Advocate Volunteers.

‘Improving population awareness and early detection of cancer in the London Borough of Camden’.

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Are you interested in taking part of a research that is being carried out by London Cancer?

This research is about cancer awareness messages that might help encourage people to go to their doctor earlier with possible signs of cancer.

If you take part in this research, you will read a number of messages and answer a number of questions about how you think or feel. It will take approximately 20 minutes of your time.

You will be paid £5 after completing the questionnaire.

To take part, please click on the link shown below. Once you click on the link, you will be shown an information sheet that tells you all about the study. You will then be asked to give your consent to take part, before being taken to the study itself which is a questionnaire.

When you are ready to take part, please click on this link: http://www.healthattitudes.co.uk/city/
This questionnaire is aimed at women over the age of 65, Bangladeshi people over the age of 40 and people aged over 40 living in either St Pancras & Somers Town, Kings Cross, Kilburn, Kentish Town, Gospel Oak and parts of Camden Town with Primrose Hill with no post 18 education.
The researchers specifically want to reach people who don’t have post-18 education (as these are the people who are least likely to access advice or see a GP about possible signs and symptoms of cancer).

‘Improving population awareness and early detection of cancer in the London Borough of Camden’.

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There is currently research being conducted by City University aimed at improving early detection rates and treatment of cancer, particularly within the Bangladeshi Community in Camden.
The researchers are trying to reach,
• Women over the age of 65
• Bangladeshi men and women over the age of 40.
• Men and women over the age of 40, living in the following Camden Wards: (St Pancras & Somers Town, Kings Cross, Kilburn, Kentish Town, Gospel Oak and parts of Camden Town with Primrose Hill).
The researchers specifically want to reach people who don’t have post-18 education.
Participants will be paid £5.00 for taking part.
Contact Ricky to find out more and get involved: 020 7284 6550 – acharles@vac.org.uk