NCVS e-bulletin - Friday 20 December 2024

The Nottingham Community and Voluntary Service (NCVS) e-bulletin will be back in a fortnight. The deadline for contributions and comments is Monday 6 January 2025. Email communications@nottinghamcvs.co.uk

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

Are you a budding social entrepreneur in Nottingham or a voluntary sector organisation considering trading in Nottingham? The Social Enterprise Accelerator’s free workshops and 1:1 support programme is here to help you decide if social enterprise is the right path for you and guide you in getting your social enterprise or trading arm off the ground.

Don't miss out! The 2024-25 programme wraps up at the end of March, so take advantage of this free business support while you can.

Here’s a taster of what’s coming up in the new year:

• Governance and legal structures for social enterprise
  Topics covered include: different legal structures that are available to social enterprises, and the essential elements of good governance.
  
  
• Enterprise-ready: Social enterprise start-up programme
  Topics covered include: business values, business models and feasibility, sustainability, action planning, sales and marketing, pitching and finance.
  
  
• Finance for start-ups - Social Enterprise
  Topics covered include: record-keeping and cashflow forecasting, financial management, pricing and introduce the different revenue streams that may be available to you. 

Register your interest in the SEA programme online and follow the SEA Eventbrite page to keep up to date with workshops.

Contact NCVS’s Social Enterprise Development Coordinator, Chris Hill, for more information. Chris can be reached by phone at 07564 041430 or email at chrish@nottinghamcvs.co.uk.

180 Degrees Consultancy (180DC) Nottingham is a free, student-led consultancy service specialising in charitable organisations and social enterprises. Based at the University of Nottingham, their objective is to support the development of areas within your organisation that may require additional resources beyond your current capacity. The ultimate goal is to empower organisations like yours to achieve their maximum potential and make a significant social impact. 

The team can assist with:

• Competitor analysis and market research
• Evaluation and impact measurement
• Finance, fundraising revenue generation, grant application
• Human resources and people management
• Marketing and social media
• Partnerships
• PR, communications, event ideas
• Strategy and operations

They are currently looking to work on new projects within the community. The project cycle runs for 10 to 12 weeks, with the next project cycle beginning in February. Please reach out to the team via email at nottingham@180dc.org in December or January if this would be of interest to your organisation. 

For large grants, the deadline for applications is Friday 31 January 2025
For small grants, the deadline for applications is Friday 28 February 2025

Funding is available for projects that benefit their local community, with a particular focus on improving education, the lives of children and young people, those with disabilities, and the environment.

Small grants of up to £250 and large grants of between £250 and £3,000 are available to registered charities, state sector schools, and non-profit organisations; they will not fund Community Interest Companies (CICs), individuals, or Local Authorities.

The deadline for applications is Sunday 16 February 2025

Better Community Business Network (BCBN) has grant funding of up to £3,000 for non-profits, charities and small but credible community projects that are able to demonstrate their positive impact on their communities.

The grant criteria is quite broad, but you must be able to demonstrate how your project will benefit your local community.

There is no deadline given.

Grants of up to £10,000 are available for registered charities making a positive difference in local communities across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The Morrisons Fund prioritises applications from small charities—those with an income of less than £1 million—but applications from larger charities are welcome.

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.

Volunteers often bring creativity and innovation to organisations, but their contributions can also raise important questions about copyright. Understanding and addressing these issues proactively can protect both the organisation and its volunteers while fostering a positive and productive working relationship.

With practical steps and relevant information, read Dave's latest blog and make sure you're hot on the latest best practices and guidelines for managing copyright in volunteer contributions. Stay informed and ensure your organisation is well-equipped to handle these important issues effectively.

Tuesday 18 February 2025, 11am to 1pm
Middle Street Resource Centre, 74 Middle Street, Beeston, NG9 2AR

We are taking LoVN to Beeston, in partnership with NCVS Group Development Coordinator - Broxtowe, Helen Oparinde.

The meeting is kindly being hosted by Middle Street Resource Centre in Beeston to provide groups in Nottingham City and Broxtowe the opportunity to come together, connect, and network.

Middle Street Resource Centre is just opposite the Middle Street Tram Stop, which also has a bus stop right outside.

This meeting will be co-facilitated by NCVS team members, Dave Thomas (Volunteering Development Officer) and Helen Oparinde (Group Support Coordinator - Broxtowe). Come along to meet your fellow Leaders of Volunteers in person, share good practice and ideas, and celebrate your successes. Tea, coffee, and biscuits will be provided.

Please share your ideas for agenda items and topics for discussion with Dave by emailing davet@nottinghamcvs.co.uk or calling 07564 040 767.

Places are limited, and it's important that you book your place. So if you'd like to attend, please register now. Full details and venue information will be shared with registered attendees in advance of the meeting.

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.

Do you live in Aspley, Beechdale, Bilborough, Bulwell, Sneinton, St Ann’s, or Strelley? Do you want to learn to ride a bike? Or can you ride but need more confidence? Would you like to get out for a walk and meet new people? How about having a go at Nordic Walking? Travel Well can help!

Sign up now to start activities in January with Ridewise and Runspire to learn how to ride, develop cycling confidence and confidence on the roads, join a social wellbeing walk, or learn Nordic Walking - a great way to exercise your whole body at your own pace. 

Travel Well Nottingham is the Active Travel Social Prescribing Project in Nottingham and is part of a national pilot that aims to support people to become more active, manage mental and physical wellbeing, manage long-term health conditions, and address social isolation. You can find more information about the project, a calendar of activities, and details for how to get involved by clicking the button below.

Friday 7 February 2025, 10am to 3pm
Derby (exact location tbc)

An Innovate UK-funded event involving community groups in climate action will be held in Derby. It is open to all community groups and interested parties across the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) region (Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, and Nottinghamshire).

The event will focus on building knowledge, understanding, and capacity across communities/community groups to tackle climate change and support wider sustainability initiatives. If you’re a community group based in this area, then you are welcome to attend!

There will be presentations from a range of expert speakers and interactive table discussions on specific topics such as funding for community energy projects, promoting and growing community groups, and real-life project case studies.

 An invite to register your place will be sent out at the beginning of January, and each community group will be limited to two attendees per group.

Friday 28 February 2025, 9am to 5pm
Trent Conference Centre, Trent Vineyard, NG7 2PX
Tickets are £130 to attend in-person or £80 to attend virtually

Join Harmless—the national centre of excellence for self-harm and suicide prevention—as it leads National Self Harm Awareness Day 2025 with its annual flagship conference. Featuring a range of expert speakers and leading academics, this is your opportunity to join delegates from across the sector for an engaging day of specialist and evidence-based content.

Speakers include representatives from:

• Department of Health and Social Care
• National Suicide Prevention Alliance
• Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
• Gambling With Lives
• Harmless and The Tomorrow Project

The theme for 2025 is Every Life Matters, But Who Do We Save? The Competing Demands on Services When Delivering Life-Saving Self-Harm and Suicide Prevention Work. 

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.

Thursday 9 January 2025, 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 9 January 2025, 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

Thursday 27 February 2025, 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

Thursday 13 February 2025, 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

Monday 3 March 2025, 6pm to 8pm

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

Cost: £20 per participant

Wednesday 5 February 2025, 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 25 February 2025, 10.30am to 12.30pm

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

Cost: £20 per participant

Tuesday 21 January 2025, 6pm to 8pm

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 12 March 2025, 10.30am to 12.30pm

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

Wednesday 22 January 2025, 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

Wednesday 26 February 2025, 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 5 March 2025, 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 30 January 2025, 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

Thursday 23 January 2025, 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

Wednesday 12 February 2025, 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 29 January 2025, 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 15 January 2025, 10am to 12 noon
Online via Zoom

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 'Trauma-informed employability'

Wednesday 22 January 2025, 1pm to 2.30pm
Online via Microsoft Teams

Led by Allison Woodhead, Neurodiversity Clinical Lead, Offender Health Nottinghamshire Healthcare Foundation Trust. Ally will be speaking about the development of the neurodiversity pathway, working systemically to create a supportive, adjusted prison environment and the many improvements that have already been seen through high quality joined up thinking and working, between prisons and community providers/services.

Thursday 23 January 2025, 1.30pm to 4pm
Attenborough Nature Reserve, Barton Lane, NG9 6DY

Are you interested in delivering nature/wildlife activities in Broxtowe or Gedling borough and looking to set up a new community group to support your local nature and wildlife? Or perhaps you've started, but you're in the early stages and not sure where to go next? Then join Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust and Nottingham Community and Voluntary Service (NCVS) in this fully funded workshop.

Camille McCawley from Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust will share information about the Wilder Nottinghamshire Network, the benefits of joining, and how you can get involved. You'll meet like-minded groups from the local area where you can share ideas.

NCVS's Helen Oparinde, Group Support Coordinator (Broxtowe), will be joining the workshop to discuss:

• What legal structure to consider as you set up or as your group evolves
• What policies and procedures do you need to consider when delivering this type of community group?

If you're a group working in Broxtowe and would like to learn more about how Halen can support your project, read our Broxtowe page, or contact Helen directly at heleno@nottinghamcvs.co.uk.

Nottingham Recovery Network is now offering free Alcohol Identification & Brief Advice (IBA) Training and has just launched their brand-new Drug Awareness Training.

The Alcohol IBA Training session gives professionals the opportunity to develop their knowledge and skills around alcohol. The training focuses on units, the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), alcohol-related illnesses, and safe harm reduction advice.

All sessions are available for Nottingham City professionals and can be booked through Eventbrite using the link below.

If you have any questions or want to book a bespoke training session for your team, please email: info@nottinghamrecoverynetwork.com.

Get Grants has a set of free, 1-hour workshops designed to provide useful hints and tips.

Introduction to Fundraising Strategy Workshop
Thursday 9 January 2025, 11am to 12pm

An introduction to what Fundraising Strategy is all about and looks at how organisations can put themselves in the best possible position to meet future funding needs. Register here

Introduction to Events Fundraising Workshop 
Tuesday 4 February 2025, 12 noon to 1pm

Practical advice and top tips for consistently planning and delivering fundraising events to increase your fundraising success! Register here

Get Grants bid writing workshop 
Monday 24 February 2025, 12 noon to 1.30pm. Online via Zoom

Advice on writing successful applications and thinking about the common mistakes made by applicants.

In this friendly 90-minute session, you will have the chance to:

• Get an introduction to what bid writing is all about.
• Explore what grant applications look like
• Consider the importance of needs and outcomes
• Pick up lots of top tips to improve your bid writing
• Build your confidence and be inspired!

Register here

Join child rights experts from UNICEF UK for a practical and interactive introduction to children's rights as set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Learn how to apply a child rights-based approach to your work and make a real difference in the lives of children and young people in Nottingham.

The online sessions will be delivered in two parts:

• Part A: (Online) Wednesday 8 January 2025, 12.30pm to 2.30pm
  
  
• Part B: Online) Wednesday 15 January 2025,12.30pm to 2.30pm

Please email child.friendly@nottinghamcity.gov.uk to reserve a place. You can also use this email to sign up to receive the Child Friendly Nottingham e-bulletin.

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.

A Good Thing CIC is a non-profit online platform that connects charities right across the UK with businesses that have things to give away. Anything and everything can be given away via their platform to local communities: from carpet tiles, laptops, and brand-new branded water bottles to insulation, books, and even a baby grand piano!

In order to be notified about free items, just create a free account with them (this takes 30 seconds) and you're good to go.

The Public Health, Healthy Communities Team ran a celebration and awards ceremony event on Wednesday 11 December 2024, for the Nottingham City Health and Wellbeing Community Champions to recognise the amazing work they have been doing across Nottingham and the positive differences they have made to people’s health and wellbeing.

This event had almost 100 people attend, with seven star winners showcasing their contributions to the city. They were presented with certificates by the Sheriff of Nottingham Councillor Ali and Director of Public Health Lucy Hubber. Attendees had the opportunity to network with other community champions and also service provider stalls.

The programme, which was initially set up with the help of Nottingham Community and Voluntary Service (NCVS), now has a network of over 200 health and wellbeing community champions, which include both individuals and local organisations.

A Health and Wellbeing Community Champion is a local trusted person who is passionate about improving the health and wellbeing of people in Nottingham City. Helping others by sharing key health messages and signposting citizens to health services and much more! Applicants are welcomed from both interested individuals (aged 16+) and local community organisations.

To find out more or become a Community Champion, click the button below or email the team at handwcommunitychampions@nottinghamcity.gov.uk.

The deadline for feedback is Friday 3 January 2025, 10am

Nottingham City Safeguarding Adult Board is in the process of developing its new three-year strategic plan for 2025-2028. Board members have already started thinking about what is of concern from a safeguarding adult perspective to the citizens of Nottingham and would like to share with you an initial high-level draft of this. What will sit behind this is a delivery plan that will outline the detail of the work to take place and is being discussed in January 2025.

There are four broad priority areas that enable a level of flexibility to include a wider lens and two specific types of abuse/neglect the Board intends to focus on. They are seeking feedback on the linked draft and have some questions they would like you to consider to help influence what is included.

Nottingham City Council is proposing a range of savings and income proposals worth £17.91m to help set a balanced budget for 2025/26. These proposals aim to focus on the essentials, maintain financial stability, and serve Nottingham's residents effectively. £10.788 million of these savings and income proposals require public consultation.

You can view proposals for public engagement using this link. Have your say by completing this survey (survey will close Monday 13 January 2025), or read more here.

Engagement events

• Wednesday 8 January 2025,12.30pm to 1.30pm, Loxley House. Hybrid online on Microsoft Teams and in-person. Register here

• Thursday 9 January 2025, 3pm to 4pm, Loxley House. A sign language-supported meeting with the Disability Involvement Group, deaf and hearing-impaired citizens are welcome to join this for the budget consultation component from 3pm to 4pm. Register here

If you have any questions please contact engage@nottinghamcity.gov.uk.

Boys and young men are having a tough time in Britain. The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) is taking a deeper look at what is holding them back.

Initially, the Lost Boys project will concentrate on these six areas: education, crime, health (including mental health), employment, fatherlessness, and the online world, including pornography.
They want to know what you think about the challenges facing young men and boys.

They would especially like to hear from those who work in sectors that support young men and boys, work in youth charities, or are young men or boys themselves to ensure our research is as robust and relevant as possible.

Nottingham City Council is working on a Survivor Engagement Project to gather insights from LGBTQ+ survivors of domestic abuse as part of their Safer Accommodation Strategy. This initiative aims to improve services and support systems by listening to survivors' experiences through interviews and focus groups. Participants will remain anonymous and receive a £20 voucher as a thank you. The project ensures accessibility and prioritises the safety and well-being of participants.

General VCSE sector resources

• Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Guide - The Association of Chairs has published new guidance on EDI for chairs and boards.
  
  
• Nonprofit AI Readiness Workbook- Register with some business information to download a workbook from Salesforce to better understand AI usage.
• The four emails that could help you raise more - Catch the key points from JustGiving’s recent talk with Alzheimer's Society. The team discusses their Great North Run stewardship journey, showing how simple tactics can be highly effective.

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