We're not quite ready to bring you our Nottingham State of the Sector 2021 report - especially as the survey is still open for responses (please see that as another friendly nudge to add your voice if you haven't yet done so) - but we can announce that the latest edition of the UK Civil Society Almanac has just been published by NCVO.

NCVS partnered with NCVO (National Council for Voluntary Organisations) to host their online Members' Assembly for Nottinghamshire last month. The event was an opportunity to consider wider cultural, political and economic developments within the VCSE (voluntary, community and social enterprise) sector and how this relates to the experiences of local organisations.

The UK Civil Society Almanac, published annually by NCVO, is the definitive publication for anybody interested in the current state of the voluntary sector and its role in civil society.

The UK Civil Society Almanac 2021 contains an enormous amount of information on organisations of all types and sizes. Drawing on a range of sources, it provides a snapshot of what voluntary organisations do, their income and spending, workforce, volunteering and impact.

All of this data helps all of us to assess our work. You can read key findings here.

We'll be referring to the UK Almanac as we analyse local responses to our State of the Sector survey. However, most importantly, we need good local data to make recommendations for change locally.

At the risk of repeating ourselves, we urge you to complete our Nottingham State of the Sector 2021 survey before it's too late. The survey closes tomorrow. 

Given recent headlines of how the change in the energy price cap is affecting people, Groundwork Greater Nottingham is reminding you of their Green Doctor service.

Groundwork's Green Doctors can ensure that people are being as efficient as they can be and are receiving any discounts or assistance with their energy bills that they are entitled to.

Alongside the reduction in Universal Credit payments, it is even more important that people are confident they are spending as little as they should be on their energy bills, to ensure the money they do have isn't paying for unnecessary energy usage.

The service provides either in home visits or a phone consultation service, depending on people’s requirements and location within Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.

If you would like to know more about the service or make a referral, contact Mike on 07771 362853, email michael.blackham@groundworknottingham.org.uk, see the Green Doctor website or the Facebook page.

Highlanders United Society are a local refugee football team who have been supported by NCVS group development staff. They sent us this photo (taken on 25 September), showing the team enjoying the sports kit we were delighted to pass on to them.

The photo shows six players wearing blue football shirts. These were some of the sportswear items left in the NCVS basement after the closure of our Community Sports project. The sports kit is in much better hands now.

Included in the photo are the team's three founders: Maluse Mtombeni (Chairperson), Tumelo Hove (Secretary) and Johnson Sibanda (Treasurer). 

Sohan Sahota from the local drugs and alcohol service BAC-IN has written an article for national publication Drink and Drugs News (September 2021 edition), looking at the importance of cultural understanding to meet the treatment needs of minority ethnic communities.

Drink and Drugs News (DDN) is the monthly UK magazine for all professionals in the drug and alcohol field, and individuals looking for information and support with addiction.

This new Fund, launched in October 2021, focuses on the LGBT+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans) community and is specifically for the people of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.

The Spencer Trust Fund supports projects that will help LGBT+ people to get the right support, advice, opportunities and development to become healthy and active.

Grants are available to groups who aren't already funded to specifically benefit the LGBT+ community. Your project or activity should benefit a minimum of 70% LGBT+ people.

Grants of up to £400 will usually be allocated, with an additional discretionary £200 available. The board will meet bi-monthly to review applications.

Deadline: 12 noon on Tuesday 26 October 2021

The Triangle Trust is currently accepting applications from across the UK for projects that work with young people with criminal convictions (up to the age of 25 years) to find meaningful and secure employment.

The Coalfields Food Insecurity Response Fund Phase 2 is now open for new applications to tackle food poverty. Due to exceptional demand in Phase 1, the Trust has decided to relaunch the fund with another allocation of £100,000. 

This is a rolling application process, with no application deadline. Decisions will be made on a weekly basis, and the programme will close when all funds have been allocated.

Those who received funds in Phase 1 can apply again if your monitoring report is complete and/or you have less than £250 e-Voucher credit left.

The Blakemore Foundation offers two types of grants for community groups and charities within the company’s trading area, which includes the East Midlands.

• In Kind Donations – donations in the form of goods to local community and charity events. Donations must be collected from Blakemore Retail SPAR stores or Philpotts stores. Applications are usually processed within 4 weeks.
  
  
• Monetary Donations – money up to the value of £200 to support specialist
  equipment, community events and on-going charitable work. Applications usually take up to 8 weeks to be processed

There are no deadlines. Applications are assessed on an ongoing basis.

Details of how to apply are on The Blakemore Foundation website.

Volunteer Local is the NCVS Volunteer Centre drop-in service in the local community. We provide face-to-face support to local people wanting to volunteer, as well as to voluntary and community sector groups looking for volunteers. We can take you through all the latest volunteer opportunities and best practice.

Do you want to volunteer, or do you know someone who wants to volunteer and would like some guidance on which opportunities might suit?

Come and talk to us at Bulwell Riverside, Main Street, Bulwell NG6 8QJ each Friday between 10am and 1pm.

You can also search for volunteer opportunities on the NCVS website. There are currently 300 active opportunities on our site.

Green social prescribing is a way of connecting people to nature-based activities and green groups, projects and schemes in their local community for support with health and wellbeing. Often this will be through a referral from a Link Worker based at a GP practice or another primary care professional.

Our scheme in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, called GreenSpace, is all about improving people’s mental health. Green providers, social prescribers, voluntary organisations and community initiatives will help connect many more people with nature-based activities, helping everyone to feel better.

Now in its 29th year, Nottingham’s Mental Health Awareness Weeks are here, running from 11-22 October. Our GreenSpace programme fully supports this important initiative.

There is a great choice of activities, information sessions and social events including allotment tours, yoga, football and some relaxation sessions all run by local groups and organisations.

Mental health problems can affect us all. Evidence shows that being connected to nature and, through doing this, connecting with other people helps us experience lower levels of stress, fatigue and anxiety, among other benefits.

Take a look at the programme of events and activities and see if there is something you fancy, or just make the most of any good weather and get outside in your local green space.

October is Black History Month in the UK, recognising the contributions that Black people have made over many generations.

Nottingham City Libraries have teamed up with local authors from Nottingham Writers' Studio to provide a selection of works from the much celebrated ‘Black Lives’ collection that was curated and published by the Writers' Studio.

Throughout the city, as part of Mental Health awareness, local poets in the community will be showcasing their work in Hyson Green, The Meadows and St Ann’s. Find out how to get involved with the following events here.

• Hyson Green Library “Racism and Identity” Monday 18 October, 5pm to 7.30pm
• The Meadows Library “What does Black culture mean?” Monday 25 October, 5pm to 7.30pm
• St Ann’s Valley Library “Windrush”, Thursday 28 October, 5pm to 7.30pm

You can find other event listings for Nottingham on the national Black History Month website here.

Tuesday 9 November 2021, 10.30am to 11.45am

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

Cost: £15 per participant

Thursday 18 November 2021, 10.30am to 1.45pm

An online course giving a basic understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the Designated Safeguarding Lead Person.

Before registering for this Designated Lead course, participants should ensure they have attended the NCVS Introduction to Safeguarding Children and Young People course (or alternate refresher training) within the last three years.

Cost: £25 per participant

Thursday 6 January 2022, 10.30am to 1.45pm

An online course giving a basic understanding of roles and responsibilities in the safeguarding of adults and how to respond to concerns.

Cost: £25 per participant

Wednesday 19 January 2022, 10.30am to 1.45pm

An online course giving a basic understanding of roles and responsibilities in the safeguarding of children and young people and how to respond to concerns. 

Cost: £25 per participant

Wednesday 20 October 2021, 10.30am to 12.30pm

Do you manage a space, office or building? This new two-hour online session will take your Fire Wardens and/or Fire Marshall through the basics. As a result, they will be better equipped to carry out these very important roles.

Cost: £20 per participant

Tuesday 2 November 2021, 6pm to 8pm

This two-hour online session covers the basic information for all trustees, whether you are new to the role or long-established.

Cost: £20 per participant

Thursday 4 November 2021, 11am to 1pm

Are you acting as secretary or note taker, or do you need to record meetings? Learn how to take effective minutes and make your task easier. This two-hour online session replaces our previous face-to-face three-hour course and will take you through the process of producing a 'minute'.

Cost: £20 per participant

Wednesday 8 December 2021, 10am to 12noon

What is the right structure for your organisation? This new two-hour online session will explain your options and provide you with some useful tips to help you through the process of registration and beyond.

Cost: £20 per participant

Tuesday 25 January 2022, 10am to 11.15am

For organisations and community groups who are new to applying for funding, or for those in need of a refresher. Relevant for groups applying for COVID-19 funding and recovery support as well as other general funding.

Cost: £10 per participant

Wednesday 27 October 2021, 10am to 11am

In this one-hour online session, we will identify some of the barriers that potential volunteers face to becoming involved in your organisation and share ideas to remove these barriers.

Cost: £10 per participant

Wednesday 10 November 2021, 10am to 12.15pm

A two-hour online course (with short break included) for Leaders of Volunteers to start to develop an understanding of some of the legal requirements that relate to your volunteering programme.

Cost: £20 per participant

Wednesday 1 December 2021, 10am to 11am

This one-hour online session aims to share some ideas about how best to deal with the inevitable disagreements, personality clashes and conflicts that arise from time to time among a team of volunteers.

Cost: £10 per participant

Tuesday 7 December 2021, 2pm to 3pm

A one-hour online session to help your volunteer role descriptions stand out, ensuring you attract enthusiastic volunteers.

Cost: £10 per participant

Wednesday 12 January 2022, 10am to 11am

This one-hour online session looks at methods that have proved to be effective in volunteer leadership, including the best ways to plan, involve, support and retain volunteers.

Cost: £10 per participant

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

Join our free online hub www.pdunottingham.org

Follow us on Twitter @NottinghamCVS #PDUNottingham.

Tuesday 26 October 2021, from 1pm to 4pm
Online via Zoom

A free online event exploring key learning and good practice on supporting people facing multiple disadvantage effectively through the ending of relationships of support. This event will explore endings from two perspectives: the closing down of time-limited support services and psychologically informed endings.

Wednesday 10 November 2021, from 9.30am to 1pm
Online via Zoom

A free online event exploring the role of work-related activity in recovery and resettlement for people facing Severe and Multiple Disadvantage (SMD). This event will seek to challenge stigma and limiting beliefs around people’s readiness for employment or skills development activities.

Tuesday 23 November 2021, from 9.30am to 4.30pm
Online via Zoom

We are pleased to announce an online development day dedicated to women’s experiences of severe and multiple disadvantage (SMD). There will be a range of workshops and talks to choose from, covering topics such as Housing First for women who sex work, the impacts of losing children into care and the experiences of women from minority ethnic backgrounds.

This day will also hold the launch of a Nottingham-based piece of research exploring some of the specific challenges faced by women experiencing multiple disadvantage.

The full programme for the day will be announced soon. Participants will be able to register to attend all sessions or a selection of them. For now, we encourage you to email enquiries@pdunottingham.org to register your interest and save your place.

For frontline workers supporting people in Nottinghamshire County only (excludes City)

These courses have been funded by Nottinghamshire County Council, so please be sure you are eligible before booking. All enquiries to training@harmless.org.uk or call 0115 880 0281.

Module 3 Mental Health Intervention online training
Tuesday 26 October 2021, 1pm to 5pm
Book your place here

Module 4 Suicide Intervention online training
Monday 18 October 2021, 9.30am to 3pm
Book your place here
or
Tuesday 26 October 2021, 9.30am to 3pm
Book your place here

Domestic Abuse and Technology (Nottingham City workers)
Monday 1 November 2021, 1.30pm to 4pm
Book your place here

Reflective Practice (City and County workers)
Tuesday 9 November 2021, 11am to 12.15pm
Please note this is a practical session, not training
Book your place here

The Advisory Committee deals with the recruitment and recommendation for appointment of Magistrates and may also investigate allegations of misconduct by Magistrates. Each Advisory Committee consists of both Magistrate and non-Magistrate members and should reflect the community it serves.

The Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Advisory Committee is currently seeking to recruit one non-Magistrate member.

Successful candidates will have good interpersonal skills and good judgement of character, and will possess the ability to interview candidates for the Magistracy.

These roles are voluntary, although travel expenses may be claimed, if appointed. Applicants must have time available to attend at least one full committee meeting per year, plus taking part in the sifting of applications (which may be done online) and at least 12 full-day interview sessions. Successful applicants must attend a two-day training session before they can take part in the work of the Committee.

Due to Covid-19, all interviews will take place online via Microsoft Teams.

For further information or to request an application form, please email:
NT-LegalAdminSupportTeam@justice.gov.uk

The deadline for applications is 12noon on Tuesday 9 November 2021.

Community Engaged Learning (CEL) is a proven, high impact way of learning that enables students, in collaboration with local organisations, to directly address identified real life issues related to their course subject.

Some student modules at Nottingham Trent University (NTU) still have capacity to accept projects from local charities. This includes modules within:

• Nottingham Business School (NBS) - a range of business related projects which may include (but are not restricted to) marketing strategy, research, budgeting and forecasting, funding, branding, consultancy, community engagement.
• Information Technology - projects must have a technical (development, design or building) component and be relevant to the fields of Computer Science and Technology. For example, they must include the development of software such as a website or an app or hardware such as a sensor or a robot. They cannot solely be paper based exercises (e.g. a business analysis report).

Could your organisation benefit? The Community Engagement and Volunteering Team at NTU can help you understand how best to work with NTU staff and students to turn your CEL project ideas into reality.

Please complete this short project briefing form with your proposal by 31 October 2021 or send any queries asap to volunteering@ntu.ac.uk.

Now in its sixth year, Charity Fraud Awareness Week brings together partners from around the world to improve the charity sector’s resilience to fraud and cybercrime.

The purpose of the week is to raise awareness of fraud and cybercrime affecting the sector and to create a safe space for charities and their supporters to talk about fraud and share good practice.

You can join in with the #StopCharityFraud campaign by signing up to a new fraud pledge, attend a series of free live one-hour webinars (which will also be available on demand afterwards), and access free resources and helpsheets.

See everything that's available on the new Prevent Charity Fraud website, launched by the Fraud Advisory Panel in collaboration with the Charity Commission for England and Wales.

As part of the development of a Speech, Language and Communication Strategy, 0-5 years, in Nottingham City, parents and carers are being asked their views on what is important in relation to their child’s speech, language and communication.

Responses will help to ensure that no child or family misses out on the support they might need.

Surveys must be completed by Tuesday 30 November 2021 and all participants completing the survey will have the opportunity to be entered into a prize draw to win £50 in vouchers.

The Commission on Young Lives is a major independent commission to evidence and design a new national system to prevent crisis in vulnerable young people and support them to succeed in life. It launched in September 2021 and is chaired by Anne Longfield CBE, the former Children’s Commissioner for England, and hosted by the Oasis Charitable Trust, who have decades of experience of working in and with communities, empowering families and vulnerable children.

They would like to hear from frontline, service and system leaders, commissioners and those with lived experience and ask specific questions about violence prevention.

The closing date for submissions is 30 November 2021.