Dear ,

Welcome to the May issue of Policy Pulse, packed with important information and news from the central government and the Charity Commission.

This month, we are pleased to showcase the work of St Albans Mencap and share important updates regarding their planned service expansion to Hatfield.

We are also excited to showcase the upcoming Communities 1st events for the VCFSE sector that you won't want to miss. The Meet the Funder session presented by St Albans Lions Club will offer local organisations a chance to connect and learn about current funding priorities and programmes.

Additionally, the CVS team will host a Networking Breakfast in Hertsmere to facilitate building connections among community organisations. Be sure to check the events section below for detailed information, including dates, times, and registration details! 

Best wishes,

Kelly Wright
Voluntary Sector and Partnerships Manager

We are excited to announce that we are busy planning our annual conference for volunteers and local charities which will take place on Thursday 9 July at Verso Vineyard Church in St Albans.

We look forward to welcoming volunteers and local voluntary and community groups for a day of informative talks, insightful workshops, and of course, plenty of networking opportunities. Please save the date in your diaries and share it with your fellow volunteers.

Watch out for further information in the coming week!

On 21 April, the Charity Commission updated its guidance for charities and social media. The guidance has been updated to reflect the introduction of the Online Safety Act 2023.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport's plan for place-based philanthropy "Our Place to Give", aims to direct charitable funding and resources to specific neighbourhoods, cities, or regions to address unique, systemic issues. According to Civil society minister Stephanie Peacock, the roadmap “will help philanthropists across the country support local causes they are passionate about".

The government is consulting on further measures to prepare children for the future in an age of rapid technological change. This includes potential age restrictions on social media and other services such as gaming sites and AI chatbots, restrictions on addictive design features and risky functionalities, and better support for parents and families. Responses are welcome from everyone, including children and young people, whose voices are central to this process. There are three surveys to choose from:

Full consultation for anyone (civil society, industry and members of the public)

Survey for parents and carers of young people aged 21 and under

Survey for children and young people aged 10 to 21

This consultation closes at 11:59pm on 26 May 2026.

A survey from Charity Tracker showed 27% of people felt negatively about charities using AI, compared to 36% feeling positively and 37% unsure. A variety of uses of AI in the sector were put to the public to gauge attitudes on matters like using AI to decide who receives support, and AI for fraud detection or admin. The survey also asked for the biggest concerns with regards to AI: data security, loss of the human factor and the risk of serious mistakes scored the highest among respondents.

The Charity Commission has published updated guidance on how charity trustees should identify and manage conflicts of interest after seeing an increase in cases. The Commission issued advice to help trustees manage financial conflicts where a trustee or someone connected to them stands to gain monetarily or otherwise. The regulator’s guidance also covers conflicts of loyalty or obligations to another person or organisation that could influence a trustee's judgment. 

In a new video, an HSE Inspector shares practical guidance on managing stress and supporting workplace wellbeing.

In the video Jenny Skeldon, Principal Inspector for Health and Safety, explains what organisations can expect during an HSE inspection, and how proactive leadership can make a real difference, covering:

• The six key areas of stress: demands, control, support, relationships, role, and change
• How inspections follow the Plan, Do, Check, Act approach to managing risks
• Practical leadership actions using the five Rs: Reach out, Recognise, Respond, Reflect, make it Routine

Visit HSE's Working Minds campaign website to watch the video and read more from Jenny Skeldon.

For further tools, guidance, and real-world examples of managing stress in the workplace, visit the Working Minds webpages.

St Albans & District Mencap provides support to children, young people and adults with learning disabilities and mental health challenges, to communities across St Albans and surrounding areas.

Our SNAP programme provides specialist support and activities for children and young people with learning disabilities, creating opportunities for young people to build friendships, confidence and independence. 

The Trinity Community Project support adults with learning disabilities and mental health challenges, through a range of tailored activities, including arts and crafts, cooking classes, seated games and exercises, quizzes, live music, IT support and much more!

We closely support those with learning disabilities to develop social and life-skills, provide support and respite for families and carers, engage with opportunities to build confidence and independence all in a safe, inclusive environment. Through creating these communities, we have been able to tackle loneliness and help build people confidence, creating meaningful and lasting friendships.

Excitingly, we will be launching Trinity Community Project in Hatfield on 5 August 2026! Every Wednesday from 5 August, we will be providing a safe, inclusive and friendly environment where people can feel part of a community. We look forward to welcoming members of the community and beginning this exciting new chapter together.

Our Stronger Together Networks create an exciting opportunity for member organisations to connect and collaborate.

We are delighted to invite all members to our new series of in-person networks taking place this month. Please see more information and links to sign up.

You are invited to attend the next quarterly networking breakfast for existing and new members, and enquiring organisations.

Come along and enjoy light refreshments while making connections with other voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise organisations. 

Find out about all the membership benefits available, including:

• Funding advice and support 
• Help with volunteer recruitment 
• Training and workshops 
• Share your initiatives and projects and discuss local priorities and current trends. 

Date: 19 May 2026
Time: 9:30am to 11:00am
Venue: 

We look forward to seeing you there!

Join us for a virtual Meet the Funder session with St Albans Lions Club. 

This offer is open to all VCFSE  organisations based or working in St Albans area, including registered charities, CICs, and community sports clubs. 
The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session.

When: 21 May 2026
Time: 10am
Where: Online

This is a member only event.

To express your interest or to know more about Communities 1st membership, please email: memberservices@communities1st.org.uk

Everyone is welcome at the Age Without Limits Day – a free, fun community day celebrating later life.

You can expect a happy day, with a variety of exhibitors including skincare, nutrition and wellbeing advice, will writing services and later life planning, pre-loved fashion and fashion styling, accessories, and jewellery.

Communities 1^st is supporting the Age Friendly Community in St Albans and we are co-hosting with St Albans City and District Council.

The Age Friendly movement is aiming to bring all generations together!

When: 10 June 2026
Time: 10am - 3pm
Where: Trestle Arts Base, Russet Drive, St Albans, AL4 0JQ

Hours: flexible hours based on transport needs (Monday to Friday)
Salary: £12.60 per hour

Working for the community as a Community Transport Minibus driver for our Community Transport Scheme, you will provide a valuable service for our elderly and/or disabled members of the public who request transport from door to door. Many of our clients require assistance and therefore drivers need to be physically fit with a caring personality. If you like driving and have a caring nature this role could be for you.

The role is based primarily in Hertsmere, Three Rivers, Watford and Welwyn and Hatfield Districts, although you may be required to work throughout the county of Hertfordshire. On site parking is provided. 

Hours:8 hours per week
Salary: £12.60 per hour
Main places of work: Radlett.

The Cleaner/Caretaker will provide a comprehensive cleaning service at the Community Centres managed by Communities 1st and occasional holiday cover for office cleaning at Ver House.

The successful applicant will be required to open and close the community centre for occasional hirers as required both during the week and at weekends. Regular hirers of the centres have their own keys and do not need this service.

At The Sadie Centre, we provide a range of complementary therapies delivered by experienced professionals in a calm, welcoming environment. 

We are currently looking to grow and expand our team and are seeking skilled, self-employed therapists interested in part-time opportunities based at the Centre.

Our therapies currently include acupuncture (including maternity acupuncture), osteopathy, reflexology, Shiatsu, 1-1 Pilates, sports therapy & remedial massage treatments, hypnotherapy, massage, and launching soon, a health and wellbeing coaching service.

Our work supports clients with a wide range of needs, from stress and tension to musculoskeletal, digestive, and respiratory conditions, as well as pregnancy and fertility support. Sessions take place in four comfortable, private clinic rooms; with an accessible ground floor room available.

If you’re an experienced practitioner looking to join a supportive and growing team in a truly special setting, we’d love to hear from you.

To apply or find out more:
Email: sadiecentre@hertsmindnetwork.org
Call: 01462 678804

Please send your CV and a covering letter for the attention of Jenny Flynn, Head of The Sadie Centre.