Following our announcement for training in March on Building Resilience in Ethnically Diverse Communities, we are happy to announce confirmation of a further two training sessions.

This training is fully funded for Nottingham organisations. Our priority audience is paid members of staff, trustees, and volunteers from Nottingham VCSE sector organisations, particularly those that serve ethnically diverse communities.

• Wednesday 17 April 2024 at Broadway Cinema, Broad Street, NG1 3AL. The session is repeated so please choose either the morning or afternoon session.
  • Morning session - 9.30am to 12.30pm. Register here.
  • Afternoon session - 1pm to 4pm. Register here.

There are a small number of places remaining on the 8 March session at New Art Exchange, so register quickly if that date is preferable.

If you have any questions about this training or have a booking query, please call 0115 934 8400 or email ncvs@nottinghamcvs.co.uk.

We are really pleased to present to you ‘Local Routes to Change: Racial Health Inequalities in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire’.

This report is the culmination of three years of working on the Race Health Inequalities (RHI) agenda, featuring Nottingham’s first RHI Summit and a series of community workshops to test and develop actions to drive change.

As the executive sponsor of the RHI work, NCVS would like to pay special tribute to Clive Foster and Donna Sherratt, co-chairs of the RHI programme, for their outstanding leadership. Their call to action in the report’s foreword is compelling and profound. You can read more information and access the report here. 

Could you lead the next phase of of the RHI Programme?
We have another call to action as we are looking for a new leader or co-leaders to carry on the work of the RHI Programme. Both Clive and Donna will be stepping down from their leadership roles in early spring to pursue other challenges. They will be handing over a thriving programme with incredible potential to drive change. To find out more about this exciting opportunity, please see here. Please note, the deadline for expressions of interest is Thursday 29 February 2024.

Tuesday 30 April 2024, 11am to 2pm
The Vine Community Centre, Bobbers Mill Road, NG7 5GZ

This event is a unique collaboration between HWNN and its respected partners at Nottingham City Place-Based Partnership, and us here at NCVS.

The Roadshow is open to everyone, including members of the public, community organisations, and our health and social care partners.

Join this free event and have the opportunity to:

• Connect, engage with, and learn from community organisations showcasing their impactful work.
• Participate in interactive and engaging sessions, and possibly even win a prize!
• Enjoy a tasty lunch and some cakes for afters!
• Quiz HWNN’s Chair and CEO
• Hear about the work that is being delivered through the current Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy.
• Hear from the Director of Public Health about plans for the future Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy for Nottingham City.
• Hear about the findings from HWNN’s recently published Report on Specialist Mental Health Services in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.

HWNN has created a poster for you to download and share amongst your contacts. 

Thursday 14 March 2024, 10am to 12 noon
Online via Zoom

This is the new name for the combined networks which used to meet as the Children and Young People's Providers Network (CYPPN) and Vulnerable Adults' Providers Network (VAPN).

NCVS will be hosting and facilitating a varied agenda, with presentations, collaborative workshops, and time for networking.

We look forward to seeing you there. Please register to ensure you receive the Zoom meeting link.

We are sad to hear the news that Redthread's Youth Violence Intervention Programme (YVIP) is closing. The Redthread service at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) and Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (SFH) will be decommissioned on 30 April 2024. 

Redthread has been running a YVIP service across Nottingham since 2018 and has supported 1,016 children and young people during this time. After April, Redthread will no longer work out of Queen's Medical Centre (QMC) and Kings Mill Hospital (KMH), However, they will continue to advocate for the voices of children and young people while also delivering their vital work. They are continuing to look for future funding opportunities and are currently working through the delicate process of closing the service.

Their next steps are:

• February: Continue to support children and young people referred into the service as normal.
• March: Will only accept ‘live’ referrals for hospital inpatients.
   

Kirsty Chidwick and the team would like to thank the key partners involved, as well as the people who have enabled their work to run so successfully for the last five years.

Trent Dementia has informed us of a change of venue for their Dementia Drop In, which will now be held at Cleaves Hall, Castle Gate, NG1 7AS. Sessions are held on the third Wednesday of every month, with the next drop-in being held on 20 March 2024, 10.30am to 1.30pm.

Applications are open from:

• Thursday 1 to Wednesday 28 February 2024 (reviewed in April 2024)
• Wednesday 1 to Friday 31 May 2024 (reviewed in July 2024)

Funding is available for registered charities and smaller voluntary organisations benefiting people in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire through the Boots Charitable Trust. On average, the Trust gives about 50 grants per year, ranging from £100 to £10,000, although applications for larger amounts will be considered.

The Trust's main focus is on the following areas:

• Health
• Lifelong Learning
• Community Development
• Social Care

Deadline for applications is Friday 29 March 2024, 5pm.

The Fat Beehive Foundation has grants of up to £2,500 available for charities currently working with refugees or within social justice or housing. Charities must have an annual turnover of less than £400,000. 

The grant is to be used for web or digital products such as website creation or renovation, marketing campaigns, or to aid with digital fundraising. To see a list of previously funded projects, please click here.

The Foundation cannot fund:

• General IT, software, or hardware.
• Organisations without the internal structure to make the project a success.
• Charities that already, or are planning to, use Fat Beehive Ltd. services.
• Organisations set up to promote religion.

The Foundation has additional grant priorities with deadlines occurring later in the year. We will provide updates closer to each subsequent deadline; alternatively, you can visit the Fat Beehive website.

There is no deadline for applications.

The Masonic Charitable Foundation is currently providing grants for charities working within the following priorities:

• Early Years (children aged zero to five years).
• Children affected by domestic abuse.
• Children with special educational needs and disabilities.
• People with dementia and their Carers.

Charities must be registered with the Charity Commission and have at least one year of audited accounts. 

Small grants - £1,000 to £5,000 per year for a maximum of three years

• Annual income of between £25,000 and £500,000
• Unrestricted fund that can be used at the charities discretion. However, full use and purpose must be clearly stated in any reporting.
  
• Total grant amount must not exceed 20% of the charities total income (averaged over two years).

Large grants - £10,000 to £60,000 to be spread over one to three years

• Annual income of between £500,000 and £5million.
• Restricted funding - projects must have defined  goals and budgets e.g. salaries, equipment,  training, monitoring and administration.

To see a list of previously funded projects, please click here.

There are quarterly deadlines for applications, starting on Friday 15 March 2024, 5pm.

Help the Homeless is currently providing grants of up to £5,000 for charities working to tackle or prevent homelessness. Charities must be registered with the Charity Commission in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland, or be a registered Scottish charity, and have an annual income of less than £500,000. 

The grant is to cover capital costs only and can't be used to pay for IT or computer equipment or running or core costs. Applications are to be made online only, and charities must wait at least two years after receiving a previous decision (if applicable) before submitting a new application.

To see a list of previously funded projects, please click here.

Last year, a number of national charities jointly promoted a volunteer event to mark the coronation of King Charles III. This was the Big Help Out, and it is being run again this year at the end of Volunteers’ Week (Monday 3 to Sunday 9 June 2024).

Here at Nottingham CVS, we will always prioritise local voluntary groups, so we acknowledged the Big Help Out but didn’t promote it. Now, in its second year, we have an opportunity to use the national publicity that it will generate to attract, retain, and celebrate volunteers in our local communities. We encourage you to start planning now for Big Help Out's forthcoming publicity campaign...

Tuesday 12 March 2024, 9.30am to 4.30pm
Victoria Hall, Norfolk Street, Sheffield, S1 2JB
Price is £35 plus Eventbrite fee.

SAYiT, a Sheffield-based LGBTQ+ youth charity, is hosting a conference to bring together professionals, academics, and community members to explore the impact of being a minority within a minority and the unique needs faced by people with intersecting marginalised identities. 

There will be a range of speakers and workshops with a focus on improving service provision and recognition of unique identities, as well as encouraging collaboration in developing solutions to provide culturally competent and holistic support.

The event is open to anyone supporting LGBTQ+ people, with particular relevance for those working in frontline youth and community support services. 

Sunday 3 March 2024, from 1pm
The Covid Memorial Tree at the Forest Recreation Ground, Gregory Blvd, NG7 6HB

Nottingham lost over 5,000 people during the COVID-19 pandemic. To remember those lost during the pandemic, Nottingham City Council will be holding a day of remembrance as part of the Marie Curie Day of Reflection. People are invited to reflect, join together in a minute of silence, and lay a daffodil by the memorial tree. Nottingham City Council will also be lit up in yellow to mark the day.

Friday 8 March 2024, 10.30am to 3.30pm
Nottingham Women's Centre, 30 Chaucer Street, NG1 5LP

Nottingham Women's Centre is delighted to invite you to International Women's Day celebrations at their centre on Chaucer Street. This year's theme is 'Inspire Inclusion'. The day will consist of coffee and chat, connecting with other women, hot food, and workshops and activities from some fantastic organisations, such as Notts SVSS, When Women Gather, and Nottingham Muslim Women's Organisation.

To take part in International Women's Day on social media, you are invited to use the hashtags #InspireInclusion and #IWD2024.

Thursday 11 April 2024, 10.30am to 1pm

This online training will give you a basic understanding of the roles and responsibilities in safeguarding adults and how to respond to concerns.

Cost: £25 per participant

Wednesday 24 April 2024, 10.30am to 1pm

This online training will give you a basic understanding of the roles and responsibilities in safeguarding children and young people and how to respond to concerns.

Cost: £25 per participant

Wednesday 28 February 2024, 10am to 12.30pm

This online training will give you a basic understanding of the role and responsibilities of a Designated Safeguarding Lead Person for an organisation working with vulnerable children and young people.

Cost: £25 per participant

Tuesday 14 May 2024, 6pm to 7.15pm

This online training explains your safeguarding responsibilities as a trustee for an organisation working with vulnerable adults or children and young people.

Cost: £15 per participant

Wednesday 17 April 2024, 10am to 12 noon

This online training covers the basic information that all trustees should know.

Cost: £20 per participant

Wednesday 15 May and Wednesday 22 May 2024, 10.30am to 12.30pm

This online training, delivered across two (two-hour) sessions, will equip you with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to become the meeting chairperson you want to be. Your booking will automatically register you for both sessions on 15 and 22 May 2024.

Cost: £40 per participant

Thursday 21 May 2024, 10am to 12.30pm

This online training will give you the opportunity to practice your skills and receive supportive and constructive feedback, helping you to develop your ability to write successful funding applications further.
Cost: £20 per participant

Wednesday 19 June, 10.30am to 12.30pm

This online training takes you through the basics of being a Fire Warden/Fire Marshal and will prepare you to carry out this very important role.

Cost: £20 per participant

Tuesday 4 June 2024, 6pm to 8pm

Learn the basics of taking effective minutes in this online training – and make note taking easy.

Cost: £20 per participant

Tuesday 11 June 2024, 10.30am to 12.30pm

This online training will teach you the basics of health and safety, and explain the process of carrying out a risk assessment in your organisation.

Cost: £20 per participant

Thursday 21 March 2024, 10am to 11.30am

Learn our top tips for writing funding applications for your organisation or community group in this online training.

Cost: £10 per participant

Tuesday 9 April 2024, 6pm to 8pm

This online training will refresh your knowledge as a trustee, update you on current issues, improve your personal skill set and help you develop your role for the benefit of your organisation.

Cost: £20 per participant

Thursday 28 March 2024, 10am to 11am

Identify barriers to volunteering and develop ideas to minimise and remove them during this training, to ensure your organisation isn’t missing out on great volunteers.

Cost: £10 per participant

Thursday 23 May 2024, 10am to 12 noon

This online training, previously called “How to be a Better Leader of Volunteers”, takes you beyond the basics of managing and supporting volunteers and will explore some of the real-life issues that you’re facing as a Leader of Volunteers.

Cost: £20 per participant

Wednesday 12 June 2024, 10am to 12 noon

This online training takes you beyond the basics of managing and supporting volunteers and will challenge you to consider the difference that volunteers make to your organisation.

Cost: £20 per participant

Tuesday 23 April 2024, 10am to 12 noon

In any group of volunteers, there’ll be occasional disagreements, personality clashes and conflicts. Although these are hopefully rare events, this updated, online training will prepare you for when they occur.

Cost: £20 per participant

Tuesday 2 July 2024, 10am to 11am

Start your journey into the exciting and rewarding world of volunteer leadership with this online training that explores the volunteer journey from start to finish.

Cost: £10 per participant

Thursday 9 May 2024, 10am to 12 noon

Although the law has little to say about volunteers and volunteering, what it does say is important. This online training will help you develop an understanding of some of the legal requirements that relate to your volunteering programme.

Cost: £20 per participant

Wednesday 10 April 2024, 10am to 11am

Are your volunteer opportunities struggling to attract people, or people with the right interests and skills for your organisation? This online training will teach you how to enhance your volunteer role descriptions and make them stand out.

Cost: £10 per participant

The Practice Development Unit (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.

Wednesday 13 March 2024, 10am to 12 noon

An online forum for professionals, volunteers and people with lived experience of severe and multiple disadvantage (SMD) who are passionate about employability, skills led recovery and resettlement, or new to this area and curious to learn more.

The theme for this session is 'Ask the Experts - DWP'.

Thursday 18 April 2024, 10am to 12 noon

An online forum for professionals, volunteers and people with lived experience to consider ways for services to more effectively meet the needs of their neurodiverse clients. While not considered a core tenet of severe multiple disadvantage (SMD), a significant percentage of beneficiaries supported across the Changing Futures programme are neurodivergent.

The theme for this session is 'Navigating Vulnerability: Understanding the Increased Risks for Neurodivergent Individuals'.

The British Red Cross is hosting workshops for organisations, professionals, and volunteers in Nottingham who work with people who might be experiencing loneliness.

The workshop will explore the signs of loneliness, develop skills of support, and deepen the learners understanding of the barriers people can face when trying to build connections. It can act as a CPD session, with learners being able to better support people in their community, enabling them to build positive connections to help ease feelings of loneliness.

For an informative video about the workshops, please click here. To book, click here.

If you are unable to make any of the dates or times listed, please contact Anish by email at anishnathwani@redcross.org.uk or by calling 07709 406597.

Wednesday 28 February 2024, 10am to 1pm
Online

Sheila McKechnie Foundation (SMK) is hosting a free online workshop for young people, aged between 18 and 25, who are already campaigning online but are looking for new ideas or are new to the field of campaigning and want to learn more.

Goals covered within the workshop include:

• How to successfully reach different key audiences.
• How to quickly come up with high performing pieces of social media content.
• Develop social media content for your campaigns.

National Numeracy is a charity working to support adults to gain the confidence and skills they need with numeracy to progress in work and life. This is a CPD accredited course that has been designed to support key stakeholders in Nottingham and across the East Midlands gain additional skills to help them change attitudes to numeracy across their communities. We advertised their February dates in our 25 January e-bulletin, National Numeracy has now added dates for March, which can be accessed through the link below. 

Sessions will include two, 3-hour sessions, held over Zoom.

Monday 4 and 11 March 2024, 1.30pm to 4.30pm.
Friday 15 and 22 March 2024, 1.30pm to 4.30pm.
Monday 18 and 25 March 2024, 9.30am to 12.30pm.
Wednesday 20 and 27 March 2024. 9.30am to 12.30pm. 

This programme is fully funded and supported by Experian. If you are unable to attend after registering, it is important that you let National Numeracy know by emailing
training@nationalnumeracy.org.uk as soon as possible

A Good Thing CIC is a non-profit online platform that connects charities across the country with businesses that have things to give away.

Recently, a firm from Nottingham has signed up to their platform, and the A Good Thing CIC team anticipates some lovely freebies for VCSE's in Nottingham. Previous donations include laptops, clothing, stationery, bags of cement, bamboo poles, ladders, baseball caps, and shoes. 

An organisation can register if they:

• Are a charity registered with the Charity Commission.
• Are a Community Interest Company (CIC). 
• A Community Benefit Society.
• Registered with HMRC as charitable for tax purposes.

Creating a free account with A Good Thing takes about 30 seconds, and you will then be alerted by email any time a business nearby has things to give away.

Think Dads Training
Think Dads is a campaign created by Small Steps Big Changes (SSBC) to promote a positive father-child relationship. A hugely successful conference was held in October 2023 which resulted in lots of requests for information on how to get further involved in delivering Father Inclusive practice. SSBC is now hosting seven training sessions on Think Dads Training at the Trent Conference Centre, NG7 2PX. Sessions will run until July. For a full list of dates and to book, please click here.

Fathers Information Pack
Compiling advice from healthcare professionals, the SSBC team has created a free-to-download guide to help expectant and new fathers. With everything from preparing for labour, feeding, and play to looking after your new baby’s health. The guide is also available with Arabic, English, Kurdish, Polish, Romanian, Tigrinya, and Urdu translations. To download your copy, click here.

Think Dads Campaign Toolkit
Developed with local dads and packed full of bespoke Father-Inclusive materials, the toolkit will aid a more Father-Inclusive Nottingham. Through this toolkit, you will have access to posters, social media graphics, videos, window stickers, and pin badges. For more information on the toolkit, please click here. Or to order the posters and resources, please complete this form.

Please note that this is a new campaign, and SSBC would like to hear your feedback on the current resources available and the impact they have on your organisation’s approach to working with fathers.

Father Friendly Service Standards
Organisations are invited to become a Father Friendly Organisation, SSBC has created a toolkit, including a Maturity Matrix, an Organisation Checklist, and a Service Setting Checklist, to support this work. To get involved in delivering Father Friendly Service Standards, please email ncp.ss.bc@nhs.net.

Entries close Thursday 29 February 2024.

The Charity Awards are a brilliant opportunity to highlight the good work of VCSE organisations in your area. Applications are welcome from large and small charities: there are many categories to nominate for. 

There is no charge to submit an entry. Shortlisted charities will be given four tickets to attend the presentation ceremony on Tuesday 9 July 2024 and vouchers to redeem against Civil Society Media products and events.

Deadline for responses to this consultation is Wednesday 3 April 2024.

MaPS undertook a major commissioning exercise for debt advice in 2021/2022. They now invite organisations and individuals involved in all areas of debt advice, including referring organisations, and other interested stakeholders to give their views on the proposals. The initial focus of this consultation is on the provision of community-based services. 

Submissions can be made via the response form.

If you are unable to complete the form through the above link, responders can complete their response in the body of an email or letter. You must answer all mandatory questions and make it clear which question you are answering for all parts of your response. Responses can be sent by email to
debtconsultation-responses@maps.org.uk or by post to Money and Pensions Service, Borough Hall, Cauldwell Street, Bedford, MK42 9AP.

Deadline for completion is Wednesday 28 February 2024.

Charity Finance magazine's annual Charity Banking Survey is now open. The Survey uncovers the state of the charity banking market and helps people compare banking services with others. 

All respondents will receive a copy of the final report as well as a chance to win a £100 John Lewis voucher.

The survey is confidential. If you have any problems completing the survey please contact the Charity Finance team on 020 7819 1200.

Deadline for completion is Sunday 10 March 2024. 

A new economic plan for Nottingham has been developed, which gives a clear strategy for growth in the city in the next 10 years.

The vision will be delivered across four themes:

• People and skills
• Enterprise and investment
• Infrastructure and regeneration
• Liveability and experience

Nottingham City Council would like to hear from private, public, and VCSE partners, residents, and stakeholders.