NCVS e-bulletin - Thursday 2 May 2024

The Nottingham Community and Voluntary Service (NCVS) e-bulletin will be back in a fortnight. The deadline for contributions and comments is Monday 13 May 2024. Email communications@nottinghamcvs.co.uk

Did you know we keep an archive of past NCVS e-bulletins? View the archive here.

The deadline for nominations is Friday 19 August 2024

The aim of the Black Achievers Awards is to recognise and promote the achievements of our BME community. This year Hon. Alderman Merlita Bryan and her team will be celebrating 11 years of hosting the awards.

Nominations are open for all nine categories including the Community Award 2024 which is sponsored by Nottingham Community and Voluntary Service (NCVS).

Please be aware that the nomination system is based around the quality of information provided for the sponsors to decide on the winner, not by public vote.
Self-nominations are accepted.

The black-tie event will take place on Saturday 26 October at the Nottingham Belfry Hotel, Mellors Way, NG8 6PY. The host for the evening is one of the first Black comedians on BBC - Rudi Lickwood - with a track record of over 25 years in the industry. There will also be performances from across the East Midlands.

It will be a night of glamour not to be missed. Early bird tickets are available to purchase through the website. Please email theblackachieversaward@gmail.com for more information.

The Awards will be officially launched by KuKu Connect at The Hilton Hotel, Milton street, NG1 3PZ on Wednesday 8 May 2024, 6pm to 8.30pm. Register for the launch event here.

Wednesday 8 May 2024, 12 noon to 1pm
Online via Microsoft Teams

Thriving Nottingham, funded by Nottingham City Council and developed by Thrive Tribe, is a new, free health and wellbeing service coming soon to revolutionise health support for residents in Nottingham.

Health care and community professionals are invited to one of Thriving Nottingham's launch webinars, where they can learn more about:

• Thrive Tribe
• Patient offering
• Referral routes
• Eligibility
• Working together
  

First Tuesday of every month, 2pm to 3pm (starting on Tuesday 7 May 2024)
St Andrew's Church with Castle Gate URC, Chaucer Street, NG1 5JT

The British Red Cross Refugee Services in Nottingham is starting a brand-new project that is designed to support those within the asylum and immigration systems to try and find appropriate housing once they receive legal status in the UK.

The aim of the project is to:

• Prepare asylum seekers for when they receive their Leave to Remain and explain what the next steps are.
• Teach people what to expect when they call the council’s homeless team.
• Explain in detail what the Homeless Reduction Act 2017 is and how it will apply to them.
• Teach people about the barriers they could potentially face and ways they can try to overcome them.
• Discover the various housing options that are available, along with their limitations.
• Teach people the various household bills they will have to pay once they find a property (council tax, water, gas, electric, etc.).
• Encourage people to start thinking about budgeting and ask themselves which subscriptions they could afford (e.g. Netflix, Disney+, etc.).
• Explain how to apply for Universal Credit as well as Child Benefit and PIP (if applicable).

If you have any questions, please email Samantha Lee, Project Coordinator at SamanthaLee@redcross.org.uk. 

The deadline for applications is Sunday 19 May 2024

Wellbeing of Women has partnered with Holland and Barrett to offer grants of up to £5,000 to small, grassroots organisations and community groups to support women, girls and people from underrepresented groups.

They are seeking projects that cover the following areas:

• Projects that aim to improve information, education and support for menstrual health and related gynaecological conditions (PCOS, endometriosis, adenomyosis, fibroids, PMDD, and menopause).
  
  
• Support people and groups that are often underrepresented in mainstream healthcare, information and services, for example, people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds, LGBTQI+ people, people living with disabilities, deaf people, blind and partially sighted people, people experiencing homelessness and addiction, and people living in areas of economic deprivation.

There is no deadline and organisations are encouraged to apply at any time

Aviva has partnered with Crowdfunder to give charities and social enterprises the opportunity to raise up to £500,000. Organisations can submit an application at any time; once approved, they can then create a page detailing the project and start collecting donations. Aviva will match each individual donation up to £250. Their focus areas are financial wellbeing and climate change, however, all eligible projects will be considered.

Applications will close in August 2024

Groundwork's VCSE Energy Efficiency Scheme will help voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations across England deliver more efficient services for people and communities by saving money on their energy bills. The scheme is funded as part of a package of over £100 million of support being delivered by the Government to help frontline delivery organisations with the increased cost of living.

Applicant organisations must be a VCSE, based in England, and deliver frontline services. They must be able to demonstrate that they are financially sustainable, require support around energy and are not suitable for blended finance or loan support through other schemes.

We're regularly updating the funding news on our website, so click the button below and find the fund for you!

Dave Thomas, Volunteering Development Officer at NCVS, continues his series of articles in support of Leaders of Volunteers.

While many of us are still using old-school solutions such as Excel and Google Sheets to manage our volunteer programmes, an increasing number of Leaders of Volunteers tell me that they are either using or thinking about using specialised software for this task.

In his most recent blog, Dave takes a deep dive into some of the different Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems out there. What do you look for in a CRM system?

Tuesday 7 May 2024, 10am to 12 noon
Self Help UK, 21-23 Pelham Road, Carrington, NG5 1AP

Manage, support or lead volunteers? Join Dave, Volunteering Development Officer at NCVS, for our next in-person networking meeting designed for people to share experiences, give and receive advice and network with people who understand volunteers and volunteering.

If you have any questions about LoVN or this event, please contact Dave Thomas at davet@nottinghamcvs.co.uk. Places are limited and you must register to guarantee your place.

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

Our scheme in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, called GreenSpace, was one of seven government Green Social Prescribing Test and Learn sites.

While the National Test and Learn may have ended, NCVS continues to embed green social prescribing into health systems to make nature-based/outdoor activities an intervention of choice to support people to improve and maintain their mental and physical health and wellbeing.

The latest GreenSpace bulletin is available to read.

You can view it in your web browser now. If you would like to receive future issues directly to your inbox, please email greenspace@nottinghamcvs.co.uk with a request to be added to the mailing list.

If you wish to share any events or stories happening in your organisation, or relating to green social prescribing or nature-based activities, please get in touch with the GreenSpace team. The deadline for submissions for the next bulletin is Monday 20 May 2024.

Wednesday 8 May 2024, 12.30pm to 1pm
Online via Microsoft Teams

Working Well East Midlands is hosting a virtual information session to discover the most effective way Independent Placement and Support in Primary Care (IPSPC) can help you, your patients, or your employees support people to find and retain employment.

For any questions, please email the team at workingwell@emc-dnl.co.uk.

Tuesday 16 May 2024, 12.30pm to 1.30pm or 2.30pm to 3.30pm
Level 4 Foyer of the Royal Concert Hall, Theatre Square, NG1 5ND

To support Dementia Action Week, the Alzheimer's Society and Nottingham City Council are hosting two free-to-attend Dementia Friends Information Sessions. The sessions will last for an hour and will give you the opportunity to speak to one of their friendly Dementia Friends Ambassadors and learn more about dementia, how it affects a person, and what you can do to help people affected by dementia in your community.

To book to attend one of the sessions, or to find out more, please email healthandwellbeing@nottinghamcity.gov.uk. To find out more about the free and easily accessible personalised support and advice service for anyone affected by dementia, please visit the Dementia Connect Nottingham and Nottinghamshire website.

More event listings on our website

Head over to the dedicated 'External Events and Training' page on our website to view more events and training opportunities from Nottingham's Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector.

If you would like to submit an event to feature on this page, please fill in our online event submission form. Events will be approved for publication on the NCVS website at our discretion, taking into account our aims and mission.

Our full Training and Development programme is available to view on our website. All courses take place online via Zoom.

We have new sessions and new dates for 2024/2025. Book now.

Due to staff changes, we're currently reviewing the delivery of our Top Tips for Writing Funding Applications and Deeper Dive into Writing Funding Applications training, and all sessions previously scheduled for 2024/25 have been postponed.

Tuesday 9 July 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

Thursday 1 August 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

Tuesday 28 May 2024, 10.30am to 1pm

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

Tuesday 10 September 2024, 10.30am to 12.30pm

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

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

Wednesday 6 November 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

Tuesday 23 July 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

Thursday 25 July 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

Thursday 4 July 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 our PDU Team if you need more information: pdu@nottinghamcvs.co.uk

Join our free online hub www.pdunottingham.org

Follow us on Twitter @NottinghamCVS #PDUNottingham.

Did you know the PDU Online Hub hosts a comprehensive e-learning suite? Check out this fortnight's PDU highlight below.

Wednesday 8 May 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 'Employer Engagement and In-work Support'.

Thursday 13 June 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 'What can I do to better support my clients whilst they are awaiting a diagnosis? Reasonable adjustments and good practice'. 

Gambling harm awareness training webinars are available, free of charge, for professionals who work with adults in Nottingham and for community and faith leaders.

The training will include information about national and local sources of gambling information, advice and support. It will be provided by GamCare, a national organisation.

• Monday 13 May 2024, 9.30am to 11.30am - register here.
  
  
• Wednesday 29 May 2024, 10am to 12 noon - register here. (Session specifically for community and faith leaders).
  
  
• Friday 31 May 2024, 9.30am to 11.30am - register here.
  
  
• Monday 10 June 2024, 1pm to 3pm - register here.

If you are a VCSE organisation in Nottingham City or a VCSE organisation recruiting to a job role which covers the Nottingham City area, you can submit a job advert for our website. Adverts remain on our website until the closing date. We feature new adverts once in the e-bulletin, where possible, depending on the volume of new adverts received.

There are lots more job listings on our website. You can view all the job vacancies available by clicking on the 'More Vacancies' button at the bottom of this section.

Sunday 23 June 2024, 10am to 4pm
The Arboretum, Waverley Street, NG7 4HF

Positively Empowered Kids Festival is working in partnership with Your Health Notts to host its fourth family wellbeing day and is on the lookout for more organisations, professionals, and services that positively impact a young person’s mental health and wellbeing to purchase a stall at the event. There were 2,300 attendees at last year's event, and they are anticipating over 3,000 for this year.

Please click here to sign up to become a stallholder. Please note there is a charge. For any questions or a discussion, the team can be contacted at events@pek.co.uk.

The event will be free to attend for families and there will be set zones for tots, kids and teens. View ITV news coverage from the festival on 2023.  

The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) is looking for inspiring stories from small charities about the incredible work they do to help celebrate Small Charity Week. 

Complete the short online form on the NCVO website by clicking the button below or emailing the team at stories@ncvo.org.uk.

The deadline for submissions is Monday 13 May 2024

Greater Manchester Centre for Voluntary Organisation (GMCVO) and Greater Manchester Poverty Action have been funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) to conduct a review that collates evidence from work that has enabled those affected by the economic injustice of poverty to articulate the issues that they face and what they feel are the most important things to invest in.

This evidence will be collated in a JRF ‘knowledge bank’ as part of a programme that seeks to act on the priority areas identified.

If your organisation has been involved in creating or is aware of any UK based evidence like this, they want to hear from you.

General VCSE sector resources and reports

• Legacy Trends Report 2024 - This report, from Smee and Ford, reveals the latest findings for the period up to December 2023. Did you know that Nottingham has one of the highest concentrations of legacy donations in the country? 
  
  
• Empower Half Hour resources - Mental Health First Aid England has compiled a set of resources to enhance and support your organisation's wellbeing activities.
  
  
• Time to end the dominance of short-term grants - The Institute for Voluntary Action Research (IVAR) has published its findings on the effects of short-term funding and how multi-year funding can be beneficial to charities looking for funding.

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