Nottingham Community and Voluntary Service (NCVS) is working in partnership with the Nottingham City Council Public Health team and local NHS services to develop a team of Community Champions.

We are actively seeking volunteers to join a new network of people who will support our local communities to achieve healthier lifestyles. Volunteers will help to signpost local residents to advice and support on health and wellbeing issues.

If you are looking for a new challenge or considering volunteering for the first time, we would like to hear from you. As a Community Champion we will offer you initial training to undertake the role as well as opportunities for further development and training as the role progresses.

If you are a community organisation hosting volunteers and you would like your volunteer team to have the chance to develop new skills and opportunities in support of the local communities you work with, we also invite you to get involved.

Recruitment is still open for the role of Database Assistant (share the advert) and Community Engagement Coordinator (share the advert) within the NCVS team.

The closing date for both vacancies is 12 noon on Monday 25 April 2022.

Please take a look and share our adverts widely with your networks.

Charities will need to ensure that their governing document allows them to hold remote meetings if they want to continue to do so after today (Thursday 21 April 2022).

Since April 2020, charities have been able to hold meetings by telephone or online, even if their governing document does not allow this. This enabled many charities to continue to operate during lockdowns and when people were isolating or shielding due to Covid-19.

However, now that most restrictions have been lifted, the Charity Commission has said that charities need to comply with their governing document.

Charities can make changes to their governing document. More guidance about this has been published on the regulator’s website.

See the latest guidance.

The rescheduled online consultation event that was to take place this evening over Microsoft Teams has now been cancelled because very few people had registered to attend. Participants have been offered a direct conversation with the Nottingham City Council Engagement Team instead.

Meanwhile, this survey remains open until midnight tomorrow (Friday 22 April) and anyone who hasn't yet had their say is encouraged to use this. You can also email the team directly at engage@nottinghamcity.gov.uk.

The face-to-face public consultation meeting scheduled for Friday 22 April, from 9.15am to 10.30am at Bulwell Children’s Centre (Steadfold Close in Bulwell) will go ahead as planned. All are welcome. No booking is required.

SFiCE Foundation wants everyone to know that it is now working almost exclusively from its new premises at SFiCE House, 75A Raleigh Street, Nottingham NG7 4DL.

Please help to spread the word around the vulnerable adults of Nottingham who need their services. Service users are slowly adapting to the change. The Social Cafe, which used to be at Hill View Community Centre, now operates from the new address.

The FSI (The Foundation for Social Improvement) and NCVO (National Council for Voluntary Organisations) have become the joint legacy providers of the Small Charity Coalition Helpdesk and associated services following the winding down of the small charity membership body from 31 March 2022.

The FSI and NCVO have agreed a partnership between the two membership bodies which combines their expertise and existing support for the benefit of the small charity sector and builds on the legacy of the Small Charities Coalition.

According to NCVO, 82% of the charities in the UK are small charities. Some 92% of NCVO’s members are small charities, which emphasises the demand for these services. FSI and NCVO will offer more support for these organisations during its Small Charity Week campaign this year (20-24 June 2022).

Severn Trent is encouraging its customers to vote for their favourite projects to receive funding as part of its recent partnership with the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

In this round of funding, a number of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire organisations have been shortlisted to receive awards through the Severn Trent Community Fund to help communities care for nature.

The public vote is open until Sunday 24 April 2022.

You can vote once in each Award category.

Wednesday 4 May 2022, 10am to 11am, online via Zoom

Join us via Zoom to meet Sue Heyes, Severn Trent Community Fund Officer for the Nottinghamshire area, as she takes you through the Severn Trent Community Fund criteria and answers any queries you may have.

NCVS is hosting this 'Meet the Funder' event to help you assess if Severn Trent Community Fund could support your group/organisation, and how to apply to the fund. Join Sue Heyes from Severn Trent and Pauline Dorey, NCVS Group Development Officer, to learn how to make the best of this funding opportunity. 

Closing date for applications: Monday 23 May 2022

This is the first of many cultural projects that Historic England aims to deliver over the next three years in order to shine a light on the diversity of our heritage.

Historic England wants to fund community-led projects that recognise and/or celebrate:

• Places where ordinary people work and live
• Working class communities and areas
• Work and workers
• People from lower socio-economic backgrounds
• Heritage related to places with low social mobility
• Social housing
• Industrial heritage
• Community heritage
• Rural stories
• Coastal towns.

Each project should enable people to creatively share overlooked or untold stories of the places where they live and encourage communities, groups and local people to examine and tell their own stories in their own ways.

Applications are invited for grants of up to £25,000, with a special interest in funding a number of smaller projects up to £10,000.

Full guidelines are on the Historic England website.

Wednesday 27 April 2022, 12pm to 1.30pm
Online via Microsoft Teams

The theme of this forum will be the new Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy for Nottingham (2022-2025).

The Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy (JHWS) is a statutory requirement. It sets out the local strategy for addressing the health and wellbeing needs of the local population. The Health and Wellbeing Board has recently agreed a new JHWS for Nottingham city, which will be delivered over the next three years. You can still help to shape the programme delivery plans.

Aims of the session:

• To introduce the new online and interactive Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy for Nottingham city (2022-2025)
• To raise awareness and understanding of the four priorities within the JHWS
• To hear forum attendees ideas on what the specific challenges are within these four priorities and what we should all be doing to make a positive difference to Nottingham communities, so that our delivery plans can be as good as possible and informed by a wide range of experiences
• To explain to attendees how we plan to deliver the JHWS in Nottingham and how they can continue to contribute to its implementation.

To book your place on this virtual session or for more information, please contact debbie.hemsley@nottinghamcity.gov.uk.

Once you have confirmed your attendance the Teams invite will be forwarded to you.

Saturday 14 May 2022, 12 noon to 5pm
The Pilgrim Church, Queens Walk, The Meadows NG2 2DF

As a result of the Windrush Scandal in April 2018 you may be aware that many people in our city have suffered losses, such as loss of employment, home, access to NHS services and sadly, most importantly, lack of dignity.

The Nottingham Windrush Response Project is run by the Pilgrim Charitable Trust and based at The Pilgrim Church in the Meadows. It aims to increase awareness of the Home Office Windrush Status and Windrush Compensation Schemes reaching all sectors of our community.

The Pilgrim Charitable Trust is holding an Open Day to explain more about the project and other services that the charity provides to the community.

To find out more, telephone 07877 233117 or email windrushnotts@gmail.com.

Wednesday 6 July 2022, 10.30am to 12.45pm

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

Tuesday 26 July 2022, 10.30am to 12.45pm

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 18 May 2022, 10.30am to 12.45pm

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

Cost: £25 per participant

Thursday 5 May 2022, 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

Tuesday 10 May 2022, 10.30am to 12.30pm

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

Wednesday 22 June 2022, 6pm to 8pm

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

Cost: £20 per participant

Wednesday 18 May 2022, 6pm to 8pm

This two-hour online session is intended for trustees who have completed our 'Being a Trustee' course, who want to further develop their involvement and awareness of trustee duties and improve their personal skill set.

Cost: £20 per participant

Wednesday 14 September 2022, 6pm to 8pm

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

Tuesday 21 June 2022, 10.30am to 12.30pm

This new two-hour online session will explain the basics of health and safety, then take you through the process of carrying out a risk assessment in an organisational environment.

Cost: £20 per participant

Tuesday 28 June 2022, 11am to 1pm

What is the right structure for your organisation? This 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

Wednesday 27 April 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

Thursday 13 October 2022, 6pm to 7pm

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

Tuesday 14 June 2022, 6pm to 7pm

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

Thursday 28 April 2022, 6pm to 7pm

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

Wednesday 25 May 2022, 10am to 12pm

For some time, we’ve been asked about training that goes beyond the basics of managing and supporting volunteers. In this new two-hour online session, we’ll explore some of the real-life issues that you are facing.

Cost: £20 per participant

Wednesday 11 May 2022, 10am to 12pm

A two-hour online course 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

Tuesday 12 July 2022, 10am to 11am

A one-hour online session to help your volunteer role descriptions stand out, ensuring you attract enthusiastic 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 10 May 2022, from 10am to 11am
Online via MS Teams

A free online workshop run by Nottinghamshire Police Counter Corruption Unit that will aim to:

• Increase understanding of inappropriate relationships between Police Officers and vulnerable members of the community, including sexual misconduct
• Raise awareness of the warning signs typically associated with these inappropriate relations.

Audience: This webinar is aimed at professionals and volunteers from all sectors who are interested in learning more about abuse of professional position, and may be of particular interest for those who support vulnerable clients. The session will be most appropriate for services based in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.

Thursday 9 June 2022, from 10am to 4:30pm (registration from 9:30am)
Clifton Campus, Nottingham Trent University NG11 8NS (onsite parking available)

Opportunity Nottingham has supported people experiencing multiple disadvantage in Nottingham city for the past eight years. Their final learning event on 9 June will celebrate key project findings and highlight areas of work that are essential to take forward when the project finishes at the end of June.

The agenda will include a final evaluation summary, the launch of a film about the power of working in partnership, Expert Citizens in conversation and a look to the future with Changing Futures. There will also be a choice of workshops, hosted by the PDU, exploring:

• Being part of a network - the National Expert Citizens Group
• Housing First - why it’s needed and why it works
• Psychologically Informed Environments: building the evidence
• A live Q&A on the findings of Opportunity Nottingham.

Safety of Women at Night
Monday 25 April 2022, 2pm to 3.30pm
These sessions are part of Nottingham's partnership response to improving the safety of women and girls in our city. They are being funded by the Nottinghamshire Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner through the Home Office Safety of Women at Night fund. The aim is to build a zero-tolerance approach to violence against women and girls in Nottingham.
Register via Eventbrite

Understanding and Responding to Domestic Violence and Abuse
Tuesday 17 May 2022, 9.30am to 1pm
Free for Nottingham city workers
Are you looking to increase your understanding of domestic violence and abuse? This half-day course will help you build up a toolkit of information and strategies to use in your workplace and everyday life.
Register via Eventbrite

Non-Domestic Abuse Stalking Awareness
Tuesday 24 May 2022, 9.30am to 12pm
Free for Nottingham city and Nottinghamshire county workers
The session is suitable for any worker or volunteer who may have contact with people experiencing stalking that is not related to domestic abuse.
Register via Eventbrite

First Touch is a new play which raises awareness around abuse and race in football. Artistic Director, Adam Penford, and writer Nathaniel Price have been working with David Lean, sexual abuse within football survivor and campaigner, in the writing of the play. Performances run at Nottingham Playhouse from Saturday 7 May to Saturday 21 May 2022.

Thanks to their 50:50 appeal (donations from Nottingham Playhouse audience members), the Playhouse is able to offer free tickets so that those who wouldn't ordinarily attend can see this important play.

This opportunity is for an organised community group visit, facilitated by staff of the organisation, and tickets are subject to availability. If you would like to enquire or find out more, please email isabellea@nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk, including the following information:

• A brief summary of your organisation/charity, its work and the impact it has on the people it serves
• Who your organisation works with (e.g. location, age group, ethnicity, etc.)
• The size of your group.

Please note that the age suitability for the play is 14+ years due to the content. Read more about the play here.

Voice Up offers young people (aged 14 to 26) a chance to be a part of the decision-making process at City Arts. The panel will be advocates for the organisation and help shape the youth programme, ensuring it is relevant for them. It will include monthly meetings, where members will share ideas and discuss relevant topics, as well as supporting the planning of upcoming projects.

Young people can find more details about this opportunity and apply via the City Arts website.

The first session takes place on Monday 25 April. However, due to the short notice, it's not a problem if applicants miss the first meeting and all are encouraged to apply anyway. You must live in Nottingham City or Nottinghamshire.

Application deadline for this round of bursaries: Friday 29 April 2022

National Youth Agency (NYA) works in partnership with the Network of Regional Youth Work Units in the design and delivery of these bursaries. The bursaries have been made possible by £790,000 of Government funding to widen access and secure youth work training for Levels 2 and 3.

Applicants in the East Midlands can apply via this online form.

Please email nya@nya.org.uk with any questions about the scheme.

Sign up by Tuesday 31 May 2022

Localgiving is a non-profit fundraising platform for grassroots organisations which offers its members exclusive access to a number of grants, match funds and fundraising awards.

Localgiving is offering a free six month trial to groups raising funds and providing vital support for refugees such as access to education, mental health services, food, hygiene products and clothes. This offer is open to organisations working with all refugees, whether from Ukraine or anywhere else, provided that they have not been an active Localgiving member in the last two years.

Find out more on the Localgiving website.

Surveys are open until the end of April 2022

The STAR-WB (Survivors Transforming Antislavery Research on Wellbeing) research project looks at survivors’ access to psychological recovery and wellbeing support and experience of services, and involves survivors at the centre of the project as peer researchers.

The project is run by researchers from the University of Birmingham (UoB) and University of Nottingham (UoN), in partnership with Survivor Alliance.

There are two surveys. One is aimed at survivors and people with lived experience of modern slavery and human trafficking, and the other is aimed at service providers. If you are a service provider who also has lived experience, please feel free to complete both surveys.

Complete the Survivor survey.

Complete the Service provider survey.

User testing is taking place during April 2022

The Charity Commission is improving the way trustees are asked to ‘classify’ their charities on the online register. These are the categories that explain how you fulfil your purposes, and who you help.

The Charity Commission has already consulted with charity sector bodies and representative groups in different sub-sectors on draft proposals and received useful feedback. Now, the Commission wants to hear from more grassroots organisations – from the people who will be providing the information and using the new system once it is up and running.

Read more about the proposals and how to get involved.

Deadline for responses is Friday 6 May 2022

The Civil Society Group has been working to help charities that are experiencing problems with banking. This short survey will help to understand the scale of the challenges so that they can advocate on your behalf to the Charity Commission, government, and the banking sector. It should take you 5-10 minutes to complete.

Please encourage any groups you know who may have had a problem with banking to complete this survey.

Complete the charity banking survey.

This consultation closes on Monday 16 May 2022

A new draft strategy has recently been developed to review the way unpaid carers of all ages and health conditions are identified and supported in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.

The strategy has been co-produced with carers with lived experience and in partnership with both Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire County Councils and local health partners, to ensure all local carers can access the support they need, regardless of where they live.

Please take a look and share your views on the proposals.