Do you want to sit alongside key decision-makers in Nottingham?

Can you connect Nottingham’s strategic decision-makers with local communities and voluntary organisations in the city?

Can you talk about the voluntary and community sector’s role in making Nottingham a better city?

Have you got what it takes to be a voice for the voluntary and community sector?

The One Nottingham Board is the strategic partnership for Nottingham. It is a voluntary partnership and is made up of private, public, faith and voluntary and community sector representatives. Its aim is to work together to champion Nottingham and improve the city through collaboration, taking a shared approach to tackling disadvantage and addressing the city’s key priorities.

One Nottingham (ON) is recruiting a Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) Representative, together with up to three substitutes, to join the One Nottingham Board.

Download the application pack, which contains everything you need to know.

The application pack includes:

• A: Information about the Role (pdf)
  
  
• B: How to Apply and Nomination Form (link downloads Word document)
  
  
• C: Background paper - What is the one Nottingham Board? (pdf)
  
  
• D: List of current One Nottingham Board Members (pdf).

The deadline for applications is 5pm on Monday 2 October 2023.

An appointment process with shortlisting and interviews will then take place.

For further information about the role, please contact:
Lorel Manders, ON Partnership Manager: general@onenottingham.org.uk, or
Jules Sebelin, NCVS Chief Executive Officer: juless@nottinghamcvs.co.uk.

Joint CYPPN and VAPN Meeting
Thursday 14 September 2023, 10am to 12 noon
Online via Zoom

NCVS has been hosting joint meetings for the Children and Young People's Network (CYPPN) and Vulnerable Adults' Providers Network (VAPN) for some time now. These meetings are set to continue, but we think it's time for a new name.

At the September meeting, we'll be proposing that we call ourselves Nottingham Voluntary Sector Network going forward. Hopefully, this will help to reflect the breadth of our discussions and indicate that all VCSE partners are welcome.

(For admin purposes, NCVS will continue to maintain an understanding of members' primary interest in either children and young people, adults, or all age groups - should there be a need to separate or target information in future.)

Come and join us, if only to tell us that you have a better name suggestion. You'll also get to hear the latest news on the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care System, updates on NCVS strategic plans, and we'll be asking you to explore the 'hot topics' and emerging trends for your organisation.

Register your place to ensure you receive the Zoom meeting link.

Nottingham Communications Group
Tuesday 10 October 2023, 2pm to 3pm
Online via Zoom

We've had a great response since we announced a relaunch meeting for this group in our last NCVS e-bulletin. There's plenty of time to register your interest if you haven't done so already. This is a network for people working in the VCSE sector in Nottingham who have the responsibility for communications in their organisation. Bring your ideas for how we can support each other and get this group restarted.

Register your place to ensure you receive the Zoom meeting link.

Leaders of Volunteers Network (LoVN)
Wednesday 25 October 2023, 10am to 12 noon
Online via Zoom

The well-established online networking meeting for anyone with an interest in managing, supporting or leading volunteers.

Register your place to ensure you receive the Zoom meeting link.

If this leaves you spoilt for choice, there's actually no need to choose between the Networks. You can attend all three meetings if you'd like to! Just remember to register your place.

Join us for an afternoon of insights and collaboration as we bring together Nottingham's voluntary, community, and social enterprise sector organisations.

Add the date to your calendar now:

Thursday 30 November 2023, 1pm to 4pm
A free online interactive event

More details coming soon...

If you are interested or have questions, please email emma@nae.org.uk and saad@nae.org.uk before 3pm today (Thursday 31 August 2023) for details on how to apply for membership of the consortium.

The Nottingham Mela has previously been managed by three existing and permanent consortium partners: New Art Exchange (NAE), Nottingham Asian Arts Association (NAAA), and Nottingham City Council (NCC). These partners are now seeking to expand it to a wider group of people with the skills and commitment to help put the Mela back on the map of community celebrations in the city and on a more sustainable footing for the future. Ultimately, its aim is for Mela to secure sustainable long-term funding to support its growth and future ambitious developments. The appointment of an expanded consortium is the first step in that journey.

In order to be appointed to the consortium you will be asked to attend an initial collective online information session at 5pm on Tuesday 5 September 2023.

This grant round opens at 9am on Monday 4 September and will close once 40 applications have been accepted, or at the latest by Friday 29 September 2023.

The MSE Charity is a grant-making charity, launched in May 2008 by founder of the acclaimed Money Saving Expert website, Martin Lewis OBE. It supports UK voluntary groups to deliver financial life skills which make a lasting impact on the way people think, behave and manage their money.

The themed grant in this round is for projects focused on working with adults who are specifically impacted by a life change (bereavement, retirement, relationship breakdown, homelessness, offenders, or resettlement (migrants/refugees)), to develop the personal financial life skills which are essential to navigate through the transition they are facing.

Grants of up to £8,000 will be available (an increase of £500 from previous rounds).

Full project cost recovery will be considered, but costs must only relate to the project itself and not the organisation's core funding.

Each grant round is limited to the first 40 accepted applications, so please apply early in the month to ensure your application is considered.

Deadline for applications: 5pm on Friday 15 September 2023

In partnership with the National Autistic Society, Thea and Peter Boshier have established a new grant scheme, The Boshier Grant Scheme.  

Grants of up to £25,000 will be awarded to registered charities throughout the UK, who share the National Autistic Society’s vision to create a society that works for autistic people. If you are unsure what this means, please refer to the list of priority areas in the eligibility criteria at the website link below.

Your project must start before 31 March 2024 and you must be able to provide evidence of expenditure, outcomes and beneficiary numbers. They will not fund core costs (the running costs of your organisation, including administration costs, accountancy and audit costs, general office costs). However, they will consider all costs related to a project (including staff costs and overheads).

If you have any questions that are not answered in the online guidance, please contact Boshier.GrantScheme@nas.org.uk.

Grant applications are open until 11.59pm on Sunday 1 October 2023

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has made available a £10 million Suicide Prevention Grant Fund to support suicide prevention activities delivered in England by non-profit organisations.

The strategic objectives of the fund are:

• to support non-profit organisations to configure their suicide prevention services and activities to better meet the increased demand seen in recent years
• to support a range of diverse and innovative activity that can prevent suicides, both at a national and community level.

The fund is particularly interested in supporting organisations that aim to support “groups of concern”. These are children and young people, middle-aged men, people who have previously self-harmed, autistic people, pregnant women and new mothers, people in contact with the justice system and mental health services.

Funding requests are capped at £750,000. For funding requests of less than £10,000, fewer details are expected in the application form.

If you are a frontline worker or team and have identified a training course that will help you in your current work with people experiencing homelessness, but your organisation is not able to fund it, St Martin-in-the-Fields Charity may be able to help through the Frontline Network.

To apply for training, applicants need to be registered with the Frontline Network. Registration is free. You need to either be a frontline worker or a manager who works directly with service users.

Individuals can apply for up to £500 to cover the cost of training and groups can apply for up to £1,500.

Closing date: 5pm on Monday 13 November 2023

The Reaching and Supporting Armed Forces Communities programme will award grants of up to £100,000 over a period of up to three years.

This programme will fund projects that deliver significant changes or improvements for Armed Forces communities where there are hidden or compelling needs. They want to hear from those who know the most about what is needed.

If you apply for a grant, you need to show how this would help to address hidden, compelling and complex needs, particularly those of vulnerable Armed Forces communities who are most impacted by cost of living challenges, and where evidence has highlighted gaps in support and provision.

NCVS Volunteering Development Officer, Dave Thomas, writes:

One topic of conversation among Leaders of Volunteers at the moment is whether there are lower numbers of new volunteers coming forward. This is widely reported as a national trend, and Nottingham isn’t totally exempt. However, in Nottingham, local organisations don’t seem to be as badly affected as some of the national ones.

Is this because we are a student city with hundreds, or even thousands, of new short-term residents moving in each year, keen to volunteer?

Is it the wide variety of well-crafted opportunities that we offer in Nottingham, many of which can be found at Search for Opportunities on the NCVS website?

I’d like to think that the good practice and tips we share at the Nottingham Leaders of Volunteers Network (LoVN) also plays a part in retaining volunteers, despite the pressures of Covid and the cost of living crisis.

Recently, I spotted an interesting blog by Ben Roberts on the nfp Research website with the title How charities can beat the volunteering slump.

He has a few useful reminders of the pressures on existing and potential volunteers and offers suggestions for solutions. I’d be interested to hear your thoughts about Ben’s analysis and what works for us in Nottingham.

Email your comments to davet@nottinghamcvs.co.uk.

We've had a great response so far, with many groups coming forward to express interest in the Victoria Embankment Memorial Gardens volunteer celebration event. This is planned for Saturday 7 October 2023 from 11am to 2pm.

We'll be sending out booking forms and background information in the next few days to everyone who has been in touch, asking you to confirm your specific needs on the day.

So, if you'd like to join in with the celebration, email us now with your name, your organisation’s name and contact details, using the subject line 'Embankment Memorial Gardens volunteer event': volunteercentre@nottinghamcvs.co.uk.

Running from Monday 8 September to Sunday 17 September 2023

Brought to you by the National Trust, supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery and run by thousands of local organisations and volunteers, Heritage Open Days (HODs) brings people together to celebrate their heritage, community and history.

Every September thousands of volunteers across England organise events to celebrate our fantastic history and culture. It's your chance to see hidden places and try out new experiences – all of which are free to explore.

Last year more than 45,000 organisers and volunteers ran nearly 5,000 events across the country, attracting one million visits. Around one-third of visitors had not visited a heritage site/event in the past year while 80% of festival-goers said their visit made them more proud of their local area.

You can search for events in Nottinghamshire, and across England, at https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk.

In our next NCVS e-bulletin, to celebrate Heritage Open Days, we'll provide an update on the local Heritage Buddies project, a partnership between NCVS and Historic England.

Sunday 10 September 2023, 12 noon to 6pm
Nottingham Arboretum, Waverley Street NG7 4HF
Free to attend

The Nottingham Green Festival evolved from the Nottingham Peace Festival, with the aim of education and action around sustainability and the climate crisis. This year, the Festival is celebrating its 30th year. It is run and organised by volunteers.

The event features 100 local small green businesses, craft producers, food producers, live music and voluntary/campaign groups.

Wednesday 13 September 2023, 12pm to 12.45pm
Online, free to attend

As part of their new Innovation Insights series of webinars, East Midlands Academic Health Science Network (EMAHSN) invites you to attend this free webinar focusing on involving people with lived experience to transform mental health services.

Everyone is welcome to attend, however, this webinar would be of particular interest to anyone working within a mental health or other health setting who wants to improve the way they work with patients and the public. It would also be of interest to governors, carers, service users and public contributors.

Friday 13 October 2023, 9.30am to 2pm at the Council House, Nottingham

Working together with young people, with partners from the voluntary and community sector, and from business and the statutory sector, Nottingham can develop a Local Offer that truly works for Care Leavers.

This conference will explore some of the key objectives for Nottingham's Local Offer, including developing care leavers' skills for independent living, helping them play an active role in their community, and improving access to public transport. Through workshops and discussion you can join the conversation and discover how to help.

You will hear directly from care experienced young people, and understand better their realities and their aspirations. The event will consider the barriers that need to be removed for care leavers to succeed in life, discuss solutions to the challenges they face, and inspire attendees to make change happen.

If you would like to reserve your place at this event, please email caroline.johnson@nottinghamcity.gov.uk to confirm your attendance. 

Wednesday 11 October 2023, 10am to 12.30pm

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 24 October 2023, 10.30am to 1pm

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 29 November 2023, 10am to 12.30pm

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

Cost: £25 per participant

Wednesday 15 November 2023, 10.30am to 12 noon

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

Monday 9 October 2023, 11am to 1pm

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 19 October 2023, 10am to 12.15pm

A new interactive hands-on workshop for organisations and community groups who want to practice their skills and would welcome constructive feedback to further develop their skills in writing successful funding applications.
Cost: £20 per participant

Tuesday 10 October 2023, 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 Marshal through the basics. As a result, they will be better equipped to carry out these very important roles.

Cost: £20 per participant

Tuesday 7 November 2023, 6.30pm to 8.30pm

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

Tuesday 16 January 2024, 10.30am to 12.30pm

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 11 October 2023, 6pm to 8pm

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

Monday 8 January 2024, 10.30am to 12.30pm

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

Tuesday 19 September 2023, 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 cost of living funding and recovery support as well as other general funding.

Cost: £10 per participant

Wednesday 22 November 2023, 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

Thursday 9 November 2023, 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

Thursday 5 October 2023, 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

Thursday 21 September 2023, 10am to 12 noon

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

Tuesday 5 September 2023, 10am to 12 noon

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 17 October 2023, 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 Katie Hall, our PDU Programme Manager, for more information: enquiries@pdunottingham.org

Join our free online hub www.pdunottingham.org

Follow us on Twitter @NottinghamCVS #PDUNottingham.

These sessions are part of a series of interactive webinars to develop understanding and best practice around gambling related harms.

Gambling Related Harm and its impact on Women and Affected Others
Wednesday 6 September 2023, 10am to 11am
A person’s gambling behaviours can have social, physical, financial and mental health implications for those who are close to them. For every person who has a problem with gambling, it is estimated that another five to ten people are also negatively affected. In this session we will explore the topic of affected others, in addition to how gambling related harm more broadly impacts women and why a gender responsive approach is needed.

Register here

Please help to share our event poster (pdf) with your networks.

Gambling Related Harm and Cultural Responsivity
Wednesday 4 October 2023, 10am to 11am
In this session we will explore the topic of gambling related harm in relation to it’s impact on Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and Refugee/Asylum Seeker (BAMER) communities. We will discuss why a culturally responsive approach is needed to tackling problem gambling and addiction, what support is available and how to develop cultural responsiveness within your practice.
Register here

CA Plus (Community Accounting) has a free webinar programme which provides a good introduction to most areas of finance for voluntary and community organisations.

You can join live webinars, but all are recorded, so if you register and are then unable to attend at the time, you will automatically be sent a recording after the event.

The next session on Wednesday 13 September 2023 covers DIY Bookkeeping and financial controls, and is suitable for small organisations who do their own bookkeeping on spreadsheets and paper.

This 10-week course from Workers' Educational Association (WEA) starts on Tuesday 26 September and ends on Tuesday 12 December 2023.
WEA, 39 Mapperley Road, Nottingham, NG3 5AQ
Cost: Some free places are available (eligibility criteria applies) up to £168 per person.

Are you bilingual? Have you thought about using your language skills to help out in the community?

This community interpreter course gives you an introduction to the language and interpreting skills needed for this type of work. It can teach you foundational concepts to test your community interpreting skills informally with family or friends. This course can prepare you to help members of your family or community to overcome language barriers in their everyday lives. It can also help you decide if you’re interested in pursuing community interpreting jobs.

This free, online course from The King's Fund, where you can study at your own pace, is still available to access.

The introductory three-week course (two hours study recommended per week) is for anyone working in or interested in health and social care in its broadest sense, regardless of sector, experience, or role.

It will introduce some foundational ideas around leadership, kindness and compassion and explore why these qualities are so important.

Access is free for five weeks from the date you join online. Paid options are available.

Closing date for nominations is Monday 2 October 2023

The first ever This Girl Can Nottingham Awards aims to celebrate unsung heroes in Nottingham who support people to keep moving and enable physical activity. The awards are in partnership with Evolve Nottingham CIC, This Girl Can Nottingham, Active Notts, Get Out Get Active Nottingham and Nottingham Muslim Women's Network.

To mark Pension Awareness Week (11-15 September 2023), MoneyHelper’s pension specialists are hosting a free webinar to help people understand their defined contribution pensions and what to expect in retirement.

It will take place on Monday 11 September, from 2pm to 3pm via Microsoft Teams.

The webinar will explain the different types of pensions available, how they work and how you can understand what to expect in retirement. There will also be time for your questions.

Please note, this webinar is focusing on defined contribution pensions only. It will not cover any public sector pensions such as NHS or local government.

Applications are open until Friday 29 September 2023

Are you a frontline organisation with an interest in the criminal justice sector? Do you have a new and imaginative idea about how housing can help those facing social injustice?

Commonweal Housing is inviting front-line organisations to come forward with imaginative and original ideas for housing solutions to tackle injustices affecting vulnerable individuals in contact with the criminal justice system.

They are offering funding to successful applicants to carry out a feasibility study at a range between £5,000-£10,000. The proposed solution doesn’t need to be complete. The initial feasibility study is intended to explore whether or not the model is feasible financially, operationally, and in terms of likelihood of addressing the social injustice within the criminal justice system.