As the sponsor of the Place-Based Partnership (PBP) Race Health Inequalities Programme, NCVS is extremely proud of the progress that has been made over the last year.

• The Culturally Competent Maturity Matrix: Addressing Race Health Inequalities (‘Maturity Matrix’) was formally launched at Nottingham’s first ever Race Health Inequalities Summit in May.
• The Summit was attended by over 200 leaders from across the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire system.
• Focused work is continuing to develop and refine the workstreams from the summit workshops, with a full Theory of Change based report due in November.
• The ‘Maturity Matrix’ has been shortlisted for a national HSJ Award in the NHS Race Equality category.
• The maternity focus of the Summit has gained the attention of the Ockendon Review of Nottingham’s maternity services.
• Donna Ockendon will address the attendees of the Majority Black Led Churches at their Black History Month Breakfast.

But, the success is bittersweet.

Honouring the legacies of our lost Leaders

In June we learned of the passing of Dr Rosemarie Thompson - wife, mother, champion for Black healthcare equality, and Director of B’Me Against Cancer. It should also be noted that Rose was the inaugural Chair of the Race Health Inequalities Group, and we are forever grateful for her passion and drive in putting the work on such a dynamic path.

In April we learned of the sad death of Leslie McDonald, another tireless campaigner against inequality and injustice. Leslie led Nottingham Counselling Service for 17 years and was a driver behind the ‘Maturity Matrix’. His loss is deeply felt.

Clive Foster and Donna Sherratt, Co-Chairs of the Race Health Inequalities (RHI) Group, have asked us to share:

It was an honour to take on the baton from Rose Thompson to lead the RHI Group. Her determination, compassion and consideration to improve health outcomes for Black minorities was second to none, and Leslie McDonald always provided that challenge to raise our game on this agenda at the meetings. They will both be fondly remembered and dearly missed.

Though not an active member of the RHI Group, we would also like to acknowledge the loss this summer of Valentine Nkoyo, a founder of the Mojatu Foundation. Valentine will forever be remembered for her local, national and international work to tackle FGM and the plight of vulnerable women.

While these leaders will all be missed, it is incumbent on those left behind to continue to honour their legacies and carry on fighting until race health inequalities no longer exist.

We're grateful to Clive Foster MBE for providing this update, referring to the breakfast event as "outstanding". You can see the impressive participant turnout in the photo above (courtesy of Clive).

On Saturday 7 October 2023, the University of Nottingham hosted a Black History Month breakfast in partnership with the Majority Black Led Churches (MBLC). The event brought together over 80 civic and faith leaders across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, focusing on learning from the past and shaping the future.

There was a strong focus on health disparity issues with one of the keynote speakers being Donna Ockenden, chair of the independent review of maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH), who used the occasion to share some startling statistics. One of these is that 3.3 per 1,000 white babies die around the time of birth, compared with Black babies dying at a rate of 7.5 per 1,000.

Donna Ockenden encouraged the church leaders to support and engage with the review. There was also an opportunity to share the work of the Place-Based Partnership on Mental Health and to share the Race Health Inequalities 'Maturity Matrix'.

During the event, Pastor Dr Ezekiel Alawale said: “The Majority Black Led Churches is committed to creating partnerships with all sectors of civil society to raise the aspirations of Black people in the city of Nottingham. Change doesn’t just happen. People make it happen.”

Professor Katherine Linehan, Pro-vice chancellor for Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and People for University of Nottingham said: “It was a huge pleasure to host breakfast for our key partners here at the university. We are committed to working together to enhance opportunities for young people from Black communities in Nottingham and beyond."

Come and join our supportive team in this full time (35 hours per week) role.

We are looking for a creative individual who can identify the most important issues
for Nottingham’s voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector. You
will be able to recognise opportunities for the sector and produce strong communications which demonstrate how NCVS can help to influence positive
change for local communities.

The role will work collaboratively with a range of team members across the whole of NCVS to strengthen and integrate our communications and marketing materials - including this e-bulletin!

Our ideal candidate will be a skilled and enthusiastic communicator, able to interpret and adapt information for diverse audiences, with proven experience across a range of communication channels. You will have a flair for writing powerful and engaging stories which illustrate the impact of our work and the value of Nottingham's VCSE sector.

Salary: £26,945 - £29,945 per annum

The closing date for applications is 12 noon on Monday 6 November 2023.

Share our full advert (pdf) with your networks.

Please help us to promote this vacancy as widely as possible, because this role could soon be helping your organisation to get noticed. 

Laura has created a video which explains how to use the app so you can really enjoy green spaces across Nottinghamshire. The team behind the app want you to know that "finding time to go outdoors, get some exercise and enjoy nature is a great way to look after your mind and your body".

Laura and Kate will be explaining more about the app on Notts TV's evening news and chat show next Tuesday 17 October. Tune in between 5.30pm and 6.30pm.

We're sorry to let you know that the meetings scheduled for 24 and 25 October 2023, and highlighted in our last e-bulletin, are unable to go ahead at this time.

Sadly, these events have been cancelled.

These meetings were designed to report on the recommendations and potential next steps for voluntary and community sector grant funding from Nottingham City Council, following extensive consultation earlier in the year.

Thank you for your interest if you had already registered to attend. We have emailed everyone personally who signed up. If you noted the events in your diary (24 October at New Art Exchange and 25 October at Queens Walk Community Centre), please remove these dates.

We'll keep everyone informed as new information becomes available.

After receiving a fantastic 150 entries from across the health, care and voluntary sector, the shortlist for the first ever Health and Care Awards has been announced.

The awards have been organised to celebrate success across the Nottingham & Nottinghamshire Integrated Care System (ICS). The awards are being run in partnership with the Nottinghamshire Lieutenancy as part of their commitment to mark 75 years of the NHS.

NCVS is delighted to see our former colleague, Kashmeera Gorecha, shortlisted for her work in tackling health inequalities. Kashmeera's contribution came through a partnership project between NCVS and local NHS services to improve the uptake and understanding of talking therapies in South Asian communities.

We're rooting for you, Kashmeera! We also send congratulations to all nominees.

The winners will be announced at a ceremony held at Nottingham University on Tuesday 24 October 2023. One winner from the categories will be selected to win the overall Lord-Lieutenant’s Health and Care Award.

You can keep up to date with the category winners and overall award winner by following @Notts_ICS on Twitter between 7.15pm and 8.30pm on 24 October.

The Nottingham Awards 2023 event was held at the Council House on Thursday 5 October, following the historic 727th official Goose Fair opening and dinner.

The awards, which are supported by One Nottingham and sponsored by Let’s Move Nottingham, celebrate those who have helped to make Nottingham the great city that it is, with each winner having made a lasting contribution.

Many congratulations to the voluntary and community sector award winners:

• Mark Avison was recognised as an outstanding community volunteer who helps to tackle anti-social behaviour and crime throughout Nottingham.
  
  
• Kerry Devine, Chief Executive Officer of Improving Lives, was recognised as an innovative leader, ensuring the charity provides exceptional support to improve the lives of people with complex health and social needs in Nottingham.
  
  
• Adam Pickering organises the highly successful Green Hustle and helps to transform neglected areas of the city to be more welcoming for nature and people.

On 1 October 2023, TuVida became the new provider of services for young people who care for someone in the city of Nottingham and throughout Nottinghamshire. The new service is known as Young Carers Notts, and there is a new website at www.youngcarersnotts.co.uk.

Previously, support was delivered by the Action for Young Carers (AYC) service within the Carers Federation.

While not a voluntary sector provider, some of you may have been involved with partnership events and workshops organised by EMAHSN.

The Government and NHS England have relicensed England’s 15 Academic Health Science Networks to better reflect their role as the innovation arm of the NHS. So, the new name for EMAHSN is Health Innovation East Midlands.

The role of Health Innovation East Midlands is to bring together partners from across all sectors involved in health and care including the NHS, social care and public health, patients, research, third sector and industry - to identify, test and spread new technologies and better ways of working. The aim is to save the NHS money, generate economic growth, empower health and care staff, and improve the experience and outcomes of patients.

You will need to act quickly for this opportunity as the closing date is Friday 13 October 2023 (tomorrow)!

As part of its annual giving, CharityJob is offering charities the opportunity to receive a share of a £90,000 donation.

To qualify, you’ll need to be a charity with 50 or fewer employees. Then all you need to do is complete this simple form to be in with a chance of receiving a share.

Read about last year's winners.

Applications will be reviewed and successful charities notified by week ending Friday 10 November.

Another one for quick action. Apply before 5pm on Sunday 15 October 2023.

JustGiving and Fundraising Everywhere have joined forces to launch their new Digital Learning Grant.

They are giving 100 fundraisers the opportunity to learn, network, and get one-to-one support to boost their digital fundraising skills and confidence.

Applicants should be committed to regularly engaging with the content and applying it to a digital fundraising project they’re working on now. Progress will be reviewed at the end of six months so only apply if you’re willing to attend the training, use what you learn, and can report on how it’s affected your fundraising at the end of the grant.

Deadline for applications: 12 noon on Friday 24 November 2023
Applications will start to be assessed as soon as they are received.

This programme is funded by the Department of Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) and The National Lottery Community Fund.

The funding is for organisations to give extra support to young people in areas where they may be at risk of anti-social behaviour. For instance, to fund extra hours of youth work for additional activities that give these young people more places to go and positive things to do.

Projects in most Nottingham city ward areas (please check) are eligible to apply for funding between £30,000 and £100,000. All funding must be spent by 31 March 2026.

To apply your project must:

• benefit young people aged 11 to 18, or up to 25 for young people with SEND
• effectively engage with young people at risk of anti-social behaviour
• deliver more hours of youth work than you are already providing
• show how you involve young people in deciding how your project works
• deliver youth work that is open access and free from barriers to attend
• deliver youth work that is run by trusted adults such as qualified youth workers, youth support workers, or experienced volunteers.

Deadline for applications: 5pm on Thursday 16 November 2023

Pathway Fund, a new Black and Global Majority-led social investment wholesaler, is collaborating with open innovation organisation, Do It Now Now (DiNN), to deliver a cutting-edge enterprise development programme supporting Black and Global Majority-led charities and social enterprises.

'Make It Big with Pathway Fund’ will provide 12 UK-based charities and enterprises with £30,000 grant funding, bespoke support and training. They will help your organisation build your financial resilience and operational readiness, raise social investment and, in some instances, prepare for asset acquisition.

The fund will focus on two impact areas: 

• Climate and Racial Equity
• Poverty Alleviation and Racial Equity.

Buttle UK can provide individually tailored grants of up to £2,400 for children and young people who have experienced a crisis that has recently had a significant and enduring impact on their wellbeing and educational engagement.

Applications are only accepted from frontline professionals working for a registered charity, housing association or public sector organisation who: 

• are working directly with the children/young person
• have made a full assessment of the child’s or young person’s needs
• have carried out at least one home visit (optional for schools and colleges).

If successful, the professional will need to manage the funds, upload receipts within eight weeks of receiving the grant, and complete an evaluation survey.

Buttle UK aims to respond to applications within three working days of receiving them. Good applications, which answer the questions well, can be awarded within the same week.

Full eligibility criteria is on the Buttle UK website.

National Academy for Social Prescribing (NASP) has launched a new project to explore shared investment funds for community-based social prescribing activities and infrastructure. With support from The National Lottery Community Fund, they will work directly with health commissioners, providers and potential investors to develop these new funding models.

These funds would put collaborative design at their centre. Over the coming months, NASP will be exploring models for these funds. The aim is that a wide range of people - from link workers to commissioners to public health teams to voluntary organisations to residents - would work together to identify where the needs are greatest in their area and how to plug the gaps in provision.

If you haven't already done so, book your free place at the next Leaders of Volunteers Network (LoVN) meeting. Join us for the online Zoom meeting from 10am to 12 noon on Wednesday 25 October 2023.

In his latest good practice article for Leaders of Volunteers, NCVS Volunteering Development Officer, Dave Thomas, writes:

Two of the many hats that Leaders of Volunteers wear are those of Volunteer Supporter and Volunteer Supervisor. Often these two hats seem interchangeable, but it is good to think of them both as separate parts of volunteer leadership with quite different functions.

In my Mind your language article (back in July 2021), I suggested that the language of volunteering should, as far as possible, be different from the language of employment. So while “Support” may be an appropriate term to use in our context, I really dislike “Supervision”.

Try things like Time-out, One-to-one, or Volunteer time.

For me, support is the ongoing, informal process that we provide in every contact with every volunteer. It is the basis of the relationship that we develop with them. It is about ensuring:

• They feel welcome
• They know what they are doing on that day’s volunteering session
• They have the resources they need to carry out their role
• They are thanked and appreciated
• We recognise that they might be having a bad day and that we care about them as a person.

All this happens alongside the day to volunteering activities. Very often it is also a two-way process where the volunteer will support other volunteers, service users, staff colleagues, and even us as a Leader of Volunteers.

In my experience, this is as much as some Leaders of Volunteers provide. However, I believe that they are missing an important part of volunteer leadership by not wearing the “supervision” hat...

On Saturday 7 October 2023, fourteen volunteer-involving organisations took part in “Cheers for Volunteers” at the Victoria Embankment Memorial Gardens. The event was designed to celebrate volunteers in the south of the city and to generally promote volunteering.

All sizes and types of organisations had stalls. Nottingham Green Guardians and Parks Volunteers, Community Health Champions, the Nottingham Hospitals Charity, and Age UK Nottingham and Nottinghamshire were well represented. Smaller groups included Empowerment for Heya, and the Memorial Gardens Association, who look after the site.

Emmanuel House had a sample of stock from their city centre shop, Sustrans offered children’s colouring and other activities, and the National Justice Museum brought some disturbing photographs of children in detention. Macmillan Beyond Diagnosis, St Ann's Advice Centre and Fareshare Midlands had information and giveaways. Healthwatch Nottingham and Nottinghamshire and Versus Arthritis also attended.

Pictured above, Davia McKoy (right) and Kate Lisle (left) looked after our NCVS stall, while Dave Thomas, our Volunteering Development Officer, walked the site in a coordinating role.

The event was blessed by unseasonably good weather. Both current and potential volunteers came along, but not quite in the numbers that our organisations would like. However, it was a great opportunity for networking and to meet people we hadn't seen in person for a very long time, or in some cases, people who had previously met only on screen.

Particular thanks and credit must go to Sophia, the City Council's Green Space Development Officer, who approached NCVS with an idea which turned into this event. In addition, she provided the brownies and the tea and coffee as well as doing much of the organising behind the scenes and on the day.

As always, we have some lessons to take from this event for when we do another one next year. (There will be another one!) We would welcome any feedback you have. Please email davet@nottinghamcvs.co.uk

Nottingham is celebrating Black History Month this October. Black History Month recognises and celebrates the contributions of Black people to British society.

The theme this year is Saluting our Sisters, honouring the achievements of Black women who are often forgotten. There will be cultural and community events taking place across Nottingham as part of the month.

Nottingham City Council listed some of these events in their recent news bulletin.

Thursday 9 November 2023, 9am to 1pm
Notts County Football Club, Meadow Lane Stadium, Meadow Lane NG2 3HJ
Free to attend, with free lunch and parking

This event, organised by Nottingham Financial Resilience Partnership, is for those working either in the field of tackling or preventing financial difficulty, or in the field of mental health. The date has been chosen to coincide with the national 'Talk Money Week' from the Money and Pensions Service.

There will be presentations from national, regional and local speakers, and participative discussion workshops.

Importantly, the event will result in recommendations / actions for the city. This is a crucial opportunity for frontline workers and others for improved future working.

You must reserve your place in order to attend.

Thursday 11 January 2024, 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

Tuesday 6 February 2024, 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 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

Wednesday 24 January 2024, 12 noon to 2pm

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

Tuesday 20 February 2024, 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 14 November 2023, 1pm to 2.15pm

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

Wednesday 10 January 2024, 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

Wednesday 21 February 2024, 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

Thursday 8 February 2024, 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 severe and multiple disadvantage (SMD). This is 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.

Co-Production Community of Practice
Wednesday 18 October 2023, 10am to 12 noon

Theme: Tools for Co-Production

This session is part of an ongoing community of practice that meets quarterly to support those with an interest in co-production. To promote continuity and maximum learning, we encourage participants to try to attend all sessions but are happy for new members to join our group. We deliver this Community of Practice in partnership with Framework and Nottingham Changing Futures.

Register here

Employability and Skills Community of Practice
Tuesday 14 November 2023, 1pm to 3pm

This is a bi monthly forum where people come together to learn about employability and skills in the context of severe and multiple disadvantage (SMD). It explores ways we can work with people to build on their strengths and interests and empower people through employment and learning opportunities to support their recovery and resettlement. It considers how staff and volunteers can build employability and strength-based working into their roles and organisational policies.

Register here

Working Residents Community of Practice
Tuesday 28 November 2023, 1pm to 3pm

A bi monthly forum where we work together to better understand the barriers to employment, training and education opportunities for people living in supported accommodation settings. We explore the challenges for both staff and service users and ways we can work together to share good practice and make positive system changes.

Register here

Enable provides high quality, integrated employment and skills programmes through a consortium of Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) providers. They are using the last of their ESF funding to offer this training.

To qualify for fully funded training, course participants must be employed within the D2N2 region.

Training is available for up to five members of staff from your organisation if employees sign up for a session with Enable's career coach by Friday 20 October 2023.

Units of study include: 

• Understanding Effective Team Working
• Diversity in the Workplace
• Understanding Conflict Management in the Workplace
• Understanding how to Lead Effective Meetings
• Understanding Innovation and Change in an Organisation.

Book in a calendar slot with the career coach.

For any questions about this offer, please contact enableenquiries@enable.uk.net.

Harmless is continuing to offer free training to workers and volunteers in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. The training is funded by Nottinghamshire County Council, Nottingham City Council and NHS Nottingham & Nottinghamshire ICB.

Training is delivered via Zoom or Microsoft Teams and is available on the following topics:

• Mental Health Awareness
• Suicide Prevention & Intervention
• Self Harm Awareness
• Suicide Bereavement.
  

See all training opportunities via Eventbrite or speak to a member of the
Harmless Academy team for more information or advice: training@harmless.org.uk.

Equation currently has availability on the following in person courses:

Understanding and Responding to Domestic Violence and Abuse
Thursday 14 November 2023 at Nottingham Mechanics, 3 North Sherwood Street NG1 4EZ
Open to anyone working in Nottingham city

Challenging Domestic Violence
Tuesday 28 November 2023 at Nottingham Mechanics, 3 North Sherwood Street NG1 4EZ
Open to anyone working in Nottingham city

Reducing Parental Conflict
Thursday 30 November 2023 at the Southglade Access Centre, Southglade Road NG5 5GU
Open to anyone working in Nottingham city 

Contact training@equation.org.uk for details of Equation's full training programme.

Monday 16 October 2023, 9am to 1pm
Online via Zoom, free to attend

This webinar is delivered by National Energy Action (NEA), the national charity working to end fuel poverty in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

It is specifically for frontline energy advisors and those who work directly with client facing fuel poverty and insecurity. It is open to professionals and volunteers from local authorities, non-profit organisations, community interest organisations and any other relevant teams.

The energy advisor bootcamp has been designed to address the challenges and complexities of assisting those in need during the colder months and to give a refresher on the most salient points of advice delivery in the face of the energy and broader cost of living crises. This webinar also aims to provide knowledge on government-led measures schemes for householders.

The event is also acknowledging that frontline advice delivery can be extremely challenging, and there will be time to look at mental health resilience and strategies around self-care over high stress periods.

Pathway Housing Solutions CIC is conducting research into the housing needs of vulnerable young people in Nottingham. This research will be used to help them to provide more effective support.

If your organisation works with young people, you are asked to share your insights.

No deadline is given.