Voluntary Sector Briefing

Welcome to our first November newsletter!

Now that the clocks have moved back and the evenings are darker, we are looking forward to two annual winter events;

Firstly, our annual Conference and AGM takes place over two days via Zoom this week, with a stellar line up of speakers, including The Rt Hon. Lord David Blunkett and Victoria Marsom, Head of England at Friends of the Earth. We are looking forward to an exciting and wide ranging event reflecting the pressing issues we are all facing, including:

  • diversity and inclusion
  • the climate emergency
  • what we can learn from the experiences of Covid
  • the Voluntary and Community Sector Emergencies Partnership and how can organisations can engage with it

Our conference is open to staff and volunteers at voluntary sector organisations, as well as statutory sector colleagues. We still have some places available so please do spread the word and book your place below - please book each day that you wish to attend.

If you need support or advice about completing a funding application, or about any other membership related matter, please email memberservices@communities1st.org.uk or phone Christine or Isobel on 01727 743018.

 

Best wishes,


Stephen Craker

Chief Executive

 

 

 

COMMUNITIES 1ST INFORMATION AND SUPPORT

 

 

 

 

If you want more information you can visit our website: www.communities1st.org.uk/Covid-19Updates or contact our Voluntary Sector support team on 01727 743018.

 

 

 

INFORMATION TO SUPPORT VOLUNTARY AND COMMUNITY SECTOR ORGANISATIONS

 

 

2021 Conference and AGM - 17th-18th November
Strength, Safety, Kindness: Through the Pandemic and Beyond

Book your place now at the Communities 1st AGM and Conference.

We are delighted to present an exciting and diverse range of speakers including former Cabinet minister The Rt. Honourable Lord David Blunkett and Chris Cloke, former Head of Child Protection Awareness at The NSPCC.  

The event will take place over two days, via Zoom. Please book a place on each day you wish to attend and when prompted, choose one workshop to attend on each day.

The conference is FREE but places are limited, so BOOK NOW. 

 

 

Stronger Together Networks
The CVS Team will host our quarterly Stronger Together Networks (STNs) in November. The STNs are a great opportunity to come together and discuss pressing issues with other members working in the same areas and tackling similar issues. Each STN lasts 1.5 hours and the discussion is divided in three main sections with a presentation, table discussions and members updates. We would particularly like to welcome organisations that have never attended an STN before, it is a fantastic chance to network and learn from the experiences of others. If you would like to know more, contact Isobel or Agnese, details below. 

The six policy areas covered by the STNs are mental health, disability, culture & environment, transport, older people, and children & young people. You can find all dates and times for each STN below:

  • Culture & Environment - Tuesday 16th November, 2.00 – 3.30pm facilitated by Agnese Cigliano
  • Transport - Wednesday 24th November, 11.30am – 1.00pm facilitated by Agnese Cigliano
  • Older People - Wednesday 24th November, 2.00 - 3.30pm facilitated by Isobel Hatfield
  • Children & Young People - Thursday 25th November, 10.30am -12.00pm facilitated by Agnese Cigliano

Please note that the STNs for Mental Health and the Disability took place earlier in November.


For the full agenda and to sign up, please email the facilitator(s) of the STNs you're interested in attending at isobel.hatfield@communities1st.org.uk and agnese.cigliano@communities1st.org.uk

 

 

Able2Enable
Communities 1st has launched the Able2Enable project, across St Albans, Hertsmere, Welwyn Hatfield, Broxbourne and East Herts. We are looking for organisations to become Able2Enable Allies, organisations willing to work with us to host a supported volunteer. Volunteering should be accessible and open to everyone. Sometimes people need a bit of extra support to volunteer and overcome barriers such as a lack of confidence and motivation, difficulty communicating, problems completing application forms or anxiety about travelling to unfamiliar venues and meeting new people. Able2Enable works with these individuals to enable them to get into volunteering positions.

There are many benefits for organisations hosting a supported volunteer. We can offer you a committed volunteer to support your work, access to our ongoing support, training and guidance to make your workplace more accessible and inclusive to our volunteers, and support to ensure that our volunteer is able to take on the role. You will benefit by having a committed volunteer to support your work and the satisfaction of supporting your local community. Hosting a supported volunteer can also help make your organisation more diverse.

 

Christmas Get Together
Communities 1st are holding a Christmas get together for our member organisations. Come along to meet colleagues from Communities 1st and our member organisations, and enjoy a mince pie or two! If you have specific dietary requirements, please email details to memberservices@communities1st.org.uk

Where: Fleetville Community Centre

When: Monday 6 December 2021

Time:  Drop in anytime between 4pm- 6pm

  • Please register here.

 

Weekly Coffee Mornings for Member Organisations
Our weekly Virtual Coffee Mornings for voluntary sector organisations take place every Wednesday at 10am via Zoom. Drop in to say hello, tell us what you are working on, what support you need and to hear from other local voluntary sector organisations at our weekly Virtual Coffee Mornings for voluntary sector organisations, every Wednesday at 10am.

The sessions are friendly, informal and constructive. You don’t have to come every week, come along whenever you are able to.

To register, visit www.communities1st.org.uk/calendar or for more information please email memberservices@communities1st.org.uk or phone Christine on 01727 743018

 

 

TRAINING AND WEBINARS

HCF practical courses online
This November you can benefit from many of HCF's practical courses delivered online!

 

Work on your impact reporting - How can you show that you are making a real difference in order to build trust, rapport and credibility for your services? This course series will help you build your knowledge and skills on how to collect relevant data in order to demonstrate impact and create reports.

  • Collecting relevant data and asking the right questions - Tuesday 16th November 2021, 10.30am -12.00pm. Book here.
  • Assessing and communicating your impact - Monday 22nd November 2021, 10.00am - 12.30pm. Book here.

 

 

MEMBER NEWS AND OTHER INFORMATION

 

 

St Albans and District Council Community Project Fund
SADC Community Project Fund opens on 22 November. Please register to attend the launch event on Thursday 25th November - 6.00 pm - 7.30 pm Register here.

SADC Community Project Fund Advice Surgeries
In past funding rounds, organisations who attend a Funding Advice Surgery have a significantly higher success rate, book your session below:

 

 

 

Local Plan Focus Groups
Hertsmere Draft Local Plan is open for consultation.

As part of our role to represent the voluntary sector, Communities 1st are holding two focus groups at which VCSFE organisations can share their views on the proposals. The results of the focus groups will form the recommendations we put forward from the local voluntary sector on the proposals and will be fed into the formal consultation. These focus groups will not stop organisations from responding individually.

These sessions are particularly relevant to organisations delivering services in Hertsmere and surrounding areas. Book your place to one of the focus groups below:

 

Next Event with Green Connections
Green Connections has a wonderful event planned in November: an outdoor Winter Forage in Bushey Rose Garden.

Find more information and sign up here.

 

Radlett & District Museum's Latest Display
The Radlett & District Museum is very pleased to announce the launch its latest display entitled ‘The Story of our Shops’.

The display includes specially selected pictures of shops and adverts covering over 100 years of retailing in Watling Street, covering The Oakway to Theobald Street. You would be surprised to see the long list of different traders that here were in 1939, where you could buy anything from a lawnmower to a teacup, or from a pen to pheasant!

Plan your visit and learn about the rich history of Radlett and the surrounding area.
More information about the Museum and Radlett can be found on their website at radlettmuseum.com or by contacting info@radlettmuseum.com

 

 

National Safeguarding Adults Week Starts on Monday!

Communities 1st want to draw your attention to National Safeguarding Adults Week. This is an opportunity to reflect on the role of your organisation in safeguarding within the community and learn more about your safeguarding duties and what you can do to provide effective safeguarding.

Over the course of the week we will share more resources and information, please follow our social media for more updates as well as the hashtag #SafeguardingAdultsWeek

Ahead of National Safeguarding Adults Week, you can check the resources provided by the Ann Craft Trust here.

We also want to take this opportunity to announce that Communities 1st are joining the NAVCA #AreTheySafe Campaign and we will keep working on our ongoing commitment to raising awareness on safeguarding.

 

 

 

 

 

 

VACANCIES

Youth Talk are Hiring
Youth Talk are in recruiting mode. They have two great opportunities to join the Youth Talk team and help them make a difference to the lives of local young people.

 

Operations Manager (£32,500 pa) -

Due to the forthcoming departure of their operations manager, Youth Talk is now looking for an experienced and organised manager to take responsibility for the efficient and safe day to day operational running of their service and office. More information here.

 

Community Fundraiser (6 months fixed contract, £24,000 pa pro-rata for the duration of the contract) -

Youth Talk are looking for an energetic and enthusiastic Community Fund-raiser to join their team – initially on a six-month basis with the potential to extend as the organisation learns more about future fundraising requirements. More information here.