Nottinghamshire Community Foundation is managing the application process for local groups wishing to apply for a new fund made available by the Co-op.

In conjunction with the NET Coronavirus Appeal Programme, the Co-op Fund has been set up to effectively and efficiently support local voluntary and community organisations that are helping vulnerable people impacted by the Covid-19 crisis.

This is restricted funding that can only go towards sustainable food poverty programmes that tackle the Co-op’s funding priorities.

A new £1.4 million fund from Arts Council England will launch this month (November 2020) to support voluntary, community and faith groups and social enterprises with increasing social connectedness and helping communities cope with the impact of Covid-19.

Grants of between £25,000 and £50,000 will be available through the Thriving Communities Fund for projects that bring together place-based partnerships to improve and increase the range and reach of available social prescribing community activities.

A £1.4 million fund has opened for charities developing or adapting their services in response to the coronavirus crisis.

The Peter Sowerby Foundation is inviting charities to apply to its Increasing Access Fund, which will make grants available to ensure key services can continue amid Covid-19 restrictions.

Felicity Dwyer, from Stepping Up Training, talked to us about accredited training for Leaders of Volunteers - the ILM Level 3 Management of Volunteers Qualification. In this useful session, she encouraged us to go for this qualification and explained how much time it is likely to take. She is happy to respond to any questions that you might have. To find out more, visit the Stepping Up Training website or contact Felicity directly at felicity@steppinguptraining.co.uk

Sarah Merrington is a very experienced Leader of Volunteers and is a trustee of the Association of Volunteer Managers (AVM). In this specially recorded video, she talks about her own experiences of managing and supporting volunteers and about how the AVM has supported her and the range of activities and services it has to offer.

Join the network

Do you recruit, manage, co-ordinate, or otherwise lead volunteers in Nottingham City? If so, we would encourage you to join our Leaders of Volunteers Network (LoVN).

We are very friendly bunch with members whose experience ranges from complete beginner to old hand. It’s completely free to join and our meetings are currently taking place online for the foreseeable future.

There are only a few days left to book your place on our next training event for Leaders of Volunteers.

Introduction to Volunteers and the Law (Part 1 and 2) 

Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19 November 2020, 10am-11am, £20 per participant

This two-part virtual course will close for bookings at 9am on Monday (16 November).

Develop your understanding of some of the legal requirements that relate to volunteering in this virtual interactive course and explore topics such as a legal definition of volunteering, health and safety, data protection and safeguarding. Find out more in this short video.

Please note, you are required to attend both parts.

There are only a few days left to book your place on our next training event for trustees!

This interactive webinar will run on:

Wednesday 18 November 2020, 6pm-8pm

Cost: £20 per participant

The event will close for bookings at 12noon on Monday (16 November 2020).

This two-hour session covers the important information you need to know as a trustee, whether you are new to the role or long-established.

The session will explain what the Charity Commission expects of you as a trustee and what you should know. You will learn about the size of the charity sector, a little about the types of legal structure available for charities and what guidance and support there is to enable you to fulfil your role.

15 and 17 December 2020, 1.30pm-2.45pm

Full cost: £25 per participant

A two-part online course providing basic understanding of roles and responsibilities in the safeguarding of adults and how to respond to concerns. You are required to attend both sessions.

21 and 27 January 2021, 1.30pm-2.45pm

Full cost: £25 per participant

A two-part online course giving a basic understanding of roles and responsibilities in the safeguarding of children and young people and how to respond to concerns. You are required to attend both sessions.

21 and 22 December 2020, 1.30pm-2.45pm

Full cost: £25 per participant

A two-part online course giving a basic understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the Designated Safeguarding Lead Person. You are required to attend both sessions.

19 January 2021, 1.30pm-2.45pm

Cost: £15 per participant

An interactive online session for trustees (or members of Management Committees) of organisations whose activities put them in contact with vulnerable adults or children. 

The PDU aims to promote and facilitate collaborative learning and the sharing of good practice among professionals and volunteers from all sectors, in Nottingham and neighbouring areas, who work with people experiencing multiple disadvantage (understood as a combination of mental ill-health, substance misuse, homelessness, offending and domestic abuse, among other issues).

Contact our coordinator Filipa Santos for more information by sending an email to enquiries@pdunottingham.org or calling 0115 934 8428 or 07483 354 441.

Join our free online hub www.pdunottingham.org

Follow us on Twitter @NottinghamCVS #PDUNottingham.

The PDU offers a unique opportunity for voluntary and statutory sector workers who support people experiencing multiple disadvantage across Nottingham and neighbouring areas, to connect, learn collaboratively and share good practice and expertise.

By participating in our events, you will have the chance to develop your knowledge and skills and extend your professional network by making links with other local organisations.

We are very pleased to announce that the PDU will soon be launching our own e-learning package!

We have partnered with Opportunity Nottingham and Framework to develop a suite of free e-learning modules that will be particularly relevant to anyone working with or providing support to people who experience multiple disadvantage.

The PDU e-learning suite will cover good practice themes such as being more psychologically informed and aware of the impact that traumatic experiences can have on service users and staff. It will provide insights and tips into how you can improve your own practice and support your colleagues and service users.

All our upcoming events are fully booked. Email enquiries@pdunottingham.org if you would like to be added to the reserve list for any of the events in the calendar.

Free support is available for local charities, Community Interest Companies (CICs) and social enterprises through the new D2N2 Skills Access Hub.

The hub, part-funded through the European Social Fund, aims to support local Small to Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) from any sector - including the types of organisation listed above, within the D2N2 region (Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire) by identifying and addressing the skills gaps in their workforce.

Do you know a Covid community hero in Nottingham that deserves recognition?

The Nottingham Post and Nottinghamshire Live is looking for nominations for its new Covid Heroes initiative, set up in partnership with Amazon.

Natalie Fahy, Editor, said: "We want to recognise those that have gone above and beyond during the pandemic. We don’t want to pick a winner - they’re all winners as far as we’re concerned - but we will contact as many of your heroes as possible to shine a spotlight on them in December."

Parents and carers are being asked to take part in a survey to help Nottingham City Council further understand local childcare needs.

It is hoped that as many Nottingham families as possible will be able to take part in the Childcare Sufficiency Assessment (CSA) Parental Survey. The council is keen to ensure local views are taken into account, particularly at this time, when Covid-19 is having a big impact on the way people work and their childcare needs may have changed.

The deadline for responses is Monday 23 November 2020.

Please help share this survey with your relevant service-users and networks, by clicking the link below.