NCVS e-bulletin - Thursday 20 February 2025

Welcome to this edition of the NCVS e-bulletin—your perfect excuse to put the kettle on and skip that email you've been putting off! This month, we've been busy bees developing a new 'Meet the…' series, moving to a business LinkedIn page, and going out and about in the community.

In this e-bulletin, you'll find:

• New training opportunities to upskill your learning
• The chance to win a £50 gift voucher with Travel Well
• A different way of engaging new volunteers
• Conferences and workshops
• Latest job and funding opportunities

And so much more. Happy reading!

We're always looking for new ways to champion, support, and strengthen our voluntary sector. Our new 'Meet the…' Series is one way we’re doing just that—bringing sector experts directly to you!

These sessions will feature presentations and opportunities for Q&As, so get that pen and paper ready!

Coming up…

With the Social Enterprise Accelerator (SEA) project coming to a close at the end of March 2025, why not make the most of the expertise on offer and register your spot on these training sessions now?

• Meet the Buyer: Hear the very latest updates on the city council and NHS commissioning strategies, plus learn what it’s like to be a commissioned service from our sector speakers. Wednesday 12 March 2025, 9.45am to 1.30pm at the Nottingham Contemporary, NG1 2GB.
  
  
• Practical Marketing Approaches for Social Enterprises: This hands-on training session, delivered by Mark Smith of The Brand Strategy is designed to help you turn your mission into clear, compelling marketing communications that connect with the right audiences. Tuesday 18 March 2025, 10am to 1pm at the Belgrave Centre, Talbot Street, NG1 5GG.
  
  
• Outcomes and Impact Measurement for Social Enterprise: Fully understanding the impact of your work and the outcomes you achieve is key to the success of your social enterprise. Tuesday 25 March 2025, 10am to 1pm at The Nottingham Mechanics Institute, 3 North Sherwood Street, NG1 4EZ.

Your social enterprise deserves to thrive; why not give it the best chance by gaining valuable insights and practical skills from these expert-led sessions?

Welcome to the new Team Talk centre, your one-stop shop for all things tips, tricks, and resources. Here you'll find the latest from the team at NCVS.

There are plenty more blogs, think pieces and helpful resources on our website. 

The deadline for applications is Monday 24 February 2025, 12 noon

Small grants of up to £5,000 per year are available to UK-based registered non-profit organisations.

The theme for this funding round is social inclusion and health and well-being. Successful applicants must have an annual income of less than £1 million and have completed at least two years of activity.

This fund is open to applications throughout 2025 and 2026, panel meetings will meet every month to review applications

Public Health Small Grants funding of up to £1,000 is available for community groups. organisations and volunteers who work in Nottingham City to improve the health and wellbeing of local communities.

They will prioritise initiatives that aim to reduce unjust and preventable health disparities for residents of Nottingham City.

There is no stated application deadline

Y-NOTTS is a charity registered with the Charities Commission. They have funding available to support young people, aged 16 to 30 years of age, living in Nottinghamshire and seeking to further their training and personal development where there is no alternative funding available.

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

An online networking meeting for anyone with an interest in managing, supporting or leading volunteers.

Share your experience, give and receive advice, and network with people who understand volunteers and volunteering.

If you have any questions about the LoVN or this meeting, please contact Dave Thomas, Volunteering Development Officer at Nottingham CVS, by emailing davet@nottinghamcvs.co.uk.

Active travel social prescribing connects people to walking, cycling, and wheeling activities to improve health and wellbeing, often via referral from healthcare professionals.

The 'Travel Well' project operates in Nottingham neighborhoods, enabling referrals to activities like cycle training, bike repairs, and guided walks. NCVS works with partners, including Nottingham City Council and local organisations, to deliver this support.

Two Care Coordinators help manage referrals and ensure access to these services, promoting active travel as a way to enhance mental and physical health.

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.

Thursday 27 February 2025, 3pm to 4pm
Online via Microsoft Teams

This session will discuss existing research to address: How do people who use substances experience accessing and living in homeless hostels?

We will discuss themes such as living in fear, the power of human connection, the need for emotional safety, and the use of restrictive practices.

The webinar will enable you to hear from one of the authors of the report to learn more about the existing research on this topic, Twinkle Choksi.

Thursday 20 march 2025, 1pm to 2.30pm 
Online via Microsoft Teams

Join Lisa Murphy (Chartered Forensic Psychologist) and Emma Telling (Assistant Psychologist) from Change Grow Live (CGL) for an insightful session exploring the psychological barriers faced by service users with Severe Multiple Disadvantage (SMD) during ADHD assessments.

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 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

Monday 3 March 2025, 6pm to 8pm

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

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

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

Tuesday 25 March 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

Tuesday 4 March 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

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.

Friday 7 March 2025, 10.30am to 4pm
Nottingham Women's Centre, 30 Chaucer Street, NG1 5LP

Join Nottingham Women's Centre, Notts Sexual Violence Support Service, When Women Gather, Juno Women's Aid, POW, and Nottingham Muslim Women's Network for a day celebrating self-care, activism, and community.

Enjoy a full day of free activities, including arts and crafts, dance, workshops, inspiring speakers, stalls, and food. All women are welcome—no need to register, just come along at any time.

Please note: This is a women-only event (children and boys under 12 are welcome).

Wednesday 19 March 2025, 3pm to 6.30pm
Bowden Room, Newton Building, Goldsmith Street, NG1 4BU

This must-attend event, organised by Nottingham Trent University (NTU) is aimed at employers and professionals working with young people in all settings, providing an opportunity to:

Learn about the new apprenticeship and its JNC-recognised qualification

• Hear from sector experts on key issues in youth work
• Explore funding options, including government support and NatWest’s £3 million levy transfer scheme
• Network with other professionals, the course team, and NTU's apprenticeships specialists.

Whether you’re looking to train new youth workers, upskill your current staff, or advance your own career, this event will provide practical information and guidance, as well as valuable sector insights.

Friday 21 March 2025, 9.30am to 3pm
Indian Community Association (ICCA), 99 Hucknall Road, NG5 1QZ

Join Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Talking Therapies Service Conference, bringing together partners from across Nottingham City and South to collaborate, share insights, and shape the future of local mental health support.

This year’s conference offers:

• Updates on recent developments and future plans
• Opportunities to strengthen partnerships and improve collaboration
• Networking sessions and exhibitor stalls
• A complimentary lunch.

If you’d like to host a stall, please contact Martha Highton by email at martha.highton@everyturn.org.

Don’t miss this chance to connect and contribute!

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.

Free seven-week programme, for carers of people with dementia across Nottingham city and the wider county has experts guiding the group and also offers mutual support from other carers, refreshments, and a chance to get your questions answered in a relaxed and informal setting. Help with respite care may be available (subject to suitability).

• Every Tuesday from 29 April to 10 June 2025, 10.30am to 12.30pm. Edwalton Manor Care Home, Landmere Lane, NG12 4DG.
  
• Every Wednesday from 30 April to 11 June 2025, 1.30pm to 3.30pm. Bulwell Riverside, main Street, NG6 8QJ.

Booking is required; for more information or to reserve a place, please contact the team by phone at 0115 9786133 or by email at sue.cain@radfordcaregroup.org.uk.

This training is open to people in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire and is aimed at empowering people to help themselves and others to feel more comfortable, confident, and compassionate to talk about death and bereavement. The sessions are designed for individuals who interact with the public and aim to give basic skills to support community members experiencing grief.

This training is tailored for people such as:

• Community volunteers
• Library staff
• Local government employees
• Retail workers
• Religious or cultural organisation members
• Other individuals who regularly engage with the public in non-therapeutic capacities, such as hairdressers

This is a free, interactive training course designed to boost vaccination uptake in Nottingham and is aimed at people working with children and young people. This one-day (or two half-day) course will equip you with the knowledge and confidence to discuss the importance of vaccinations with the volunteers, parents, and young people that you work with.

Upon completion, you will gain a Level 2 Award in Encouraging Vaccination Uptake from the Royal Society for Public Health. Training can be tailored to your setting and can be delivered in person or online.

Co(l)laboratory is running collaborative workshops from March to April to support community-engaged research that drives meaningful change in Nottingham.

Who Can Join?
Anyone based or working in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire is welcome, including individuals and representatives from organisations like the NHS, councils, charities, schools, and community groups—as long as the focus is on the local community.

What’s in It for You?

• £50 per event attended
• Connect with like-minded people passionate about making a difference
• Help shape real university research launching in April 2026
• Get exclusive invites to networking and research events
• Gain access to specialist research skills workshops designed for local professionals

Workshops will be held at Nottingham Central library, 1 Carrington street, NG1 7FH on the following days:

• Wednesday 19 March 2025, 4pm to 6pm
• Wednesday 26 March 2025, 4pm to 6pm
• Wednesday 2 April 2025, 4pm to 6pm

Be part of a movement driving collaboration and positive change in Nottingham!

This consultation closes on Friday 25 April 2025

Take part in this consultation from the Association of Chairs and join a discussion about what a strategy for improving charity governance might look like.

You can get more details about the issues from their fuller consultation document here. Alternatively, email Joe Saxton at joe.saxton@associationofchairs.org.uk with your thoughts, or to arrange an online meeting, or if you have problems completing the online form.

General VCSE sector resources

• UK Poverty 2025 - This report sets out the nature of poverty in the UK in the run-up to 2024's General Election.
  
  
• Charity Pulse Report 2025 -  Register with a few details to read the latest report exploring the main trends in fundraising, digital innovation, and donor trust in 2025.
  
  
• Phoebe Sabin: Event fundraising in 2025 - Read this Civil society article on JustGiving's latest fundraising findings.

The Nottingham Community and Voluntary Service (NCVS) e-bulletin will be back in a fortnight. The deadline for contributions and comments is Monday 3 March 2025. Email communications@nottinghamcvs.co.uk

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

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