Policy Pulse Newsletter

We are looking forward to our Annual Conference for local charities and community groups which will take place from 9.30am to 2pm at St Peter’s Church, St Peters Street, St Albans, Herts AL1 3HG.

It promises to be an inspiring day, with opportunities to network with colleagues, participate in a choice of workshops and receive tailored guidance at our one-to-one advice sessions. We are especially pleased to welcome our keynote speaker, Emma-Jane Hampsheir-Gill, National Youth Participation Lead at St John Ambulance and #Iwill Ambassador. She will be discussing “Approaches to Engage Young Volunteers.” A complimentary lunch will be provided.

We still have some places available so please click here to register for your free place.

We also want to acknowledge Christine Halpin, our Head of Partnerships and Capacity Building, who has been integral to organising our annual conference for the past few years. Christine will be leaving us this month to join Children in Need, but she may return next year as one of our guest funding advisors. If you cannot attend the entire event, we encourage you to drop by and bid farewell to Christine.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Stephen Craker
Chief Executive

Recycling old tech can support digital inclusion by providing essential tools to the digitally excluded. This initiative reduces electronic waste and promotes digital literacy, fostering greater accessibility within communities. By recycling devices, we can bridge the digital divide and enhance connectivity.

St Albans Greener Together, an exciting project to encourage climate action across the District, was launched at SustFest Expo.

The project aims to create a network of residents, community groups, and businesses committed to a more sustainable future. Backed by St Albans City and District Council, it has been developed with the assistance of the University of Hertfordshire.

We are delighted to invite you to attend Communities 1st‘s annual conference and AGM taking place on Tuesday 16 July. This year’s theme is “Supporting an Inclusive and Sustainable Future”.

This event promises to be a vibrant and inspiring day filled with valuable workshops, engaging speakers, and ample networking opportunities. After a complimentary lunch, we will be treated to a fascinating keynote speech by Emma-Jane Hampsheir, National Youth Participation Lead for St John Ambulance and an #Iwill Ambassador. Emma will speak about approaches to engaging young volunteers.

Delegates will have the opportunity to participate in two workshops from a choice of six and also attend up to three one to one advice sessions.

Booking for the workshops has now opened using this link. Please choose one workshop from each of the two sessions and you may also choose up to three one to one sessions.

Date: 16 July 2024 Time: 9:30am until 2pm Venue: St Peter’s Church, St Peter's Street, St Albans AL1 3HG

We are pleased to inform you that we have achieved the Local Infrastructure Quality Accreditation (LIQA), demonstrating the quality of our offer and impact in supporting local voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations.

This accreditation, valid for three years, is awarded following an independent assessment of a portfolio of evidence provided against a set of criteria based on the four functions of infrastructure which are leadership and advocacy, partnerships and collaborations, capacity building and volunteering. 

By attaining the LIQA, we have demonstrated our ability to deliver each of these functions to a high standard. Our services are responsive to and deeply embedded within the needs of the local VCFSE sector, and we are dedicated to working in partnership to achieve our goals.

Communities 1st and St Albans City and District Council have put together a guide to services for older people living in St Albans City and District. It includes services that are provided by local statutory, voluntary and charitable organisations that help improve and enhance local residents' quality of life. Physical copies of this guide will shortly be available at the Civic Centre on St Peter's Street. 

Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) is developing their first ever strategy for people with physical disabilities – a plan of action which will set out their goals for the next five years.

HCC want people with lived experience to be involved in its development. This is a great opportunity for the VCFSE sector to help advocate for the communities we represent and encourage people to have their say.

As part of this process, people with lived experience are being invited to take part in a survey. A series of online focus groups have also been arranged which commence in July.

As your local CVS, Communities 1st has been asked to help disseminate the survey, encourage people to respond and take up the opportunity to attend one of the online focus groups.

Family & Health Commissioning Services is pleased to announce the upcoming My Teen Brain Online Training for Hertfordshire practitioners. This 1-day CPD course is for those working with parents of teenagers and/or working with teenagers in Hertfordshire. It provides an opportunity to understand teenage brain development and the adolescent developmental process and consider both risk and resilience.

If you would like further information about the course please email EHcommissioning@hertfordshire.gov.uk

Hertsmere Borough Council is hosting their Back2Bowls Summer Tournament in on Wednesday 24 July. There are limited spaces, however it is free and open to all. All equipment is provided and there is a no experiences needed. 

For more information and to sign up please email community.services@hertsmere.gov.uk

Fully funded holiday activity camps have returned for the summer holidays, providing eligible children and young people with the chance to meet friends, learn new skills and enjoy nutritious food. Families who are eligible should get their booking code from their school or email haf@herts.ac.uk.

On 1 July 2024, Unseen Echoes launched successfully in St Albans, drawing a significant crowd and notable guests, including High Sheriff Annie Brewster JP and Mayor Cllr Jamie Day. Their presence highlighted community engagement in this impactful project.

Unseen Echoes aims to shed light on domestic abuse's hidden impacts through powerful imagery and personal narratives. It is part of the larger Echoes initiative, empowering survivors and fostering community education.

The evening featured a heartfelt talk by Christopher James Hall, the project's visionary, whose words resonated deeply with attendees. The exhibition, filled with admiration and contemplation, captures resilience and hope through each photograph.

The exhibition is hosted by St Paul's Church in St Albans until 17 July and will be shown at St Albans Cathedral in November.

We are offering Communities 1st members access to an extensive programme of e-learning. Training is available from the following categories:

• Digital Skills
• Equality, Diversity & Inclusivity
• Essential Skills
• Food and Hygiene
• Health & Safety
• Leadership & Management
• Mental Health & Wellbeing
• Personal Development
• Policy & Legislation

All training is available now.

£125 gives access to 25 people per organisation to any of the courses.

£200 gives access to any of the courses to 50 people per organisation.

If you would like to take up this excellent offer but are not currently a member of Communities 1st, please contact memberservices@communities1st.org.uk.

Please email Juli Riley, Head of Engagement and Skills, Communities 1st for further information Juli.Riley@communities1st.org.uk.

Do you have staff or volunteers who do not have a GSCE grade C/4 level Maths? We can offer courses free of charge to improve the number confidence of your workforce. A wide range of short learning sessions including Excel, Managing Personal Finances and Presenting Data, can all be accessed online in your own time. If you, your staff or volunteers are interested please email training@communities1st.org.uk for more information, or call us for a chat on 01727 649950.

Para Dance UK aims to develop and promote dance as an inclusive leisure activity across the country for those who would otherwise be excluded. Para Dance UK offers and runs courses online for people who want to provide their own inclusive dance classes.

A limited number of fully funded courses (worth £650) are available to those who live or work in Hertfordshire. (A deposit is required) Once you complete the IDT course, you can run your own dance sessions and will receive six-months of Affiliate Membership for free. Benefits include support to develop your professional practice, and guidance to set up groups and run sessions within your community under Para Dance UK's ethos and ethics, insurance cover and access to CPD courses.

At present there are around 900,000 people in the UK that have Dementia. It is anticipated this will soon reach 1.6 million in 2040. This session will give you the opportunity to learn more about what it is like to live with dementia and turn that understanding into action.

Please note this session online is via Microsoft Teams

Online Session
10 July, 11am - 12pm

Introduction awareness session for staff and volunteers in the voluntary sector, Healthcare staff and the public on how to be better at talking about death, dying and loss which covers bereavement. The session will be a look at why don’t we talk about death, what a good death is for yourself, communication techniques​, empathy vs sympathy​, some the theories of loss and what to do and say. The session is to help people feel more confident in supporting people who might have a palliative care diagnosis and those who are bereaved. We will explore the social context of death and dying, considering the impact on good end-of-life care and bereavement support.

Please note this is an online session on Zoom and is being delivered by Alison May, Community Engagement Manager, Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care.

Online Session
17 July 2024, 1:30pm -3pm

Hours: : 25 hours per week 
Salary: £25,000-£27,000 pro-rated, dependant on experience
Location: Office and location based for meetings and events,
working pattern can be flexible and will be discussed. 

Hours: 35 hours per week Full-time but part-time is possible.
Salary: £21,000 – £25,000 (full-time)
Location: St Albans

Hours: 7.5 hours per week (Hours to be split across two weekdays from 3:00pm onwards.)
Salary: £23,496 – £25,000 p/a pro rata
Location: Ware Wellbeing Centre or Bishops Stortford Wellbeing Centre. (Mentoring will predominantly take place across East Hertfordshire with the potential for travel to other areas of the county as per service need e.g. North Hertfordshire.)