Policy Pulse Newsletter

We held our Conference and AGM at the end of last month where we enjoyed being able to meet so many of our members old and new. The benefits of meeting in person cannot be underestimated. If you could not make it to the conference or could not book onto your preferred one to one sessions and would like a chat, please get in touch. The presentations from the day as well as a short highlights video can be seen here.

Our Stronger Together Network meetings and Networking Breakfasts are another opportunity for networking and sharing views on what is happening in your particular sector are joining. We have a few more STNs in July and then we are taking a break until September. The next Networking Breakfast is on 8 September in St Albans so save the date!

Finally a gentle reminder that for many of you membership expired at the end of May you can renew by using this link.  

Best wishes,

Sadie M Charles
Assistant Manager: VCFSE Partnerships

The government has pledged to unlock £440m from dormant bank accounts to support youth services, financial inclusion, and minority-led organisations. The new strategy is set to strengthen the voluntary sector and deliver long-term change for communities.

Measles cases are rising. Settings like schools, childcare centres and youth groups should check that staff and attendees are protected. The resources provided below wil help you to promote the MMR vaccine and know the steps to take if a case is reported.

Durham University is inviting charities, voluntary groups and social enterprises across the East of England to take part in the Third Sector Trends Survey 2025. This major study explores how organisations are working, what’s changing, and what support is needed.

The findings will inform national and local understanding of the sector – and the more responses from our area, the more useful the results will be for you and your peers.

It only takes 10–15 minutes and is open to all voluntary and community organisations, no matter your size or activities. Every voice counts.

Take part here: Third Sector Trends in England and Wales 2025

The survey is anonymous, and results will be published later this year.

VCSE organisations are teeming with data and insights — but many lack the time, tools, or support to make the most of it.

The latest VCSE Barometer Survey (16 July – 6 August) focuses on how your organisation uses, needs, and shares data, and how you work with research and researchers.

Nottingham Trent University wants to hear from you:

• What data do you collect and use?
• What support or access do you need?
• How confident do you feel sharing data or engaging in research?

Your answers will help shape future support, training, and tools designed around the real needs of the voluntary sector.

When emergencies happen, local people are often the first to step up: from checking on neighbours to helping at community centres. More recognition and support for these spontaneous volunteers is important for building resilient, connected communities.

A concerning scam has emerged specifically targeting smaller charities, potentially leading them to engage in unintentional money laundering. In this scheme, an organisation offers a charity a generous donation, typically around £5,000, but then mistakenly sends £10,000. Afterwards, they claim it was an error and request a return of £5,000. By accepting the initial donation and refunding the excess amount, the charity inadvertently becomes involved in laundering potentially illicit funds.

Charities must remain vigilant against this type of scam and exercise due diligence when accepting larger donations. The consequences of falling for such a scam can be incredibly damaging.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Hertfordshire Business Advice Team: TS.businessadvice@hertfordshire.gov.uk

Hertsmere Women's Table Tennis Club is a not-for-profit organisation located at Borehamwood Baptist Church Hall, Furzehill Road, Borehamwood. Established in October 2024, this club is exclusively for women and welcomes participants of all ages, backgrounds, and skill levels.

Inclusivity is at the core of our mission, and we actively encourage women from all ethnicities, faiths, and sexual orientations to join us. Our membership is growing, and the club has become a thriving, welcoming space for women to enjoy sport, build community, and enhance their wellbeing while socialising with one another.

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A reminder that for many of you membership expired at the end of May. During June, we had a grace period when you could continue to receive membership benefits. This grace period will expire at the end of July - remember to renew soon to continue enjoying your membership benefits.  

Communities 1st has 12 Stronger Together Networks for local charities and community groups to connect, collaborate and support each other’s missions. As a member, you are encouraged to attend these online meetings to share resources, knowledge and opportunities for working in partnership, to build meaningful connections and make a difference together.

You are invited to attend the next quarterly networking breakfast for existing, new and enquiring member 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: 8 September
Time: 9.30am - 11.30am
Venue: St Albans. Venue TBC

We look forward to welcoming you!

Attention third sector organisations! We’re excited to share a valuable resource from The Saltways. Their guide helps you create professional-quality videos using just your smartphone, ideal for charities, councils, and community groups.

The step-by-step guide covers content planning, phone setup, lighting, and audio techniques for great results. Ethical storytelling tips are included, especially for organisations working with vulnerable communities, along with budget-friendly equipment recommendations.

As part of their St Albans Greener Together project, St Albans City & District Council is offering a free in-person workshop on 'communicating climate' to St Albans community based organisations on Wednesday 24 September from 9:30am-12:30pm. Please register by 31 July.

Let’s Give is a reverse volunteering platform that allows you to connect directly with individuals who match your needs - based on skills, availability, and passion. Potential volunteers create Let's Give profiles through our volunteer signup form. They provide information about themselves and their interests. All your organisation needs to do is visit the platform and toggle the search criteria for results appropriate to fill your role! This webinar will explain what Let's Give is and show you how to use the platform as a member of Communities 1st.

If you missed the workshop delivered by The Saltways at our conference on 26 June, we're excited to share this valuable opportunity with you. Join The Saltways on 24 July at 3pm for a workshop designed to help charities, community groups, and social enterprises create a culture of content creators.

In just one hour, you'll learn simple techniques to dramatically improve video quality, ethical approaches to capturing authentic stories from the communities you serve, and practical tips for filming in various environments. Perfect for organisations of all sizes, this workshop requires no previous experience or expensive equipment—just bring your smartphone and your passion for sharing your organisation's story. Limited spots available. We will let you know about other workshops taking place in the coming months. 

A training session is available for staff responsible for venue bookings and speaker arrangements in Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk, but it is not open to private sector employees. It will cover the Prevent Duty, its importance, and key principles for conducting due diligence when hiring venues or arranging speakers.
Scheduled sessions are on 25 September, 28 October, and 26 November via MS Teams. 

Please email prevent@hertfordshire.gov.uk for more details. 

Hours: 37 hours per week
Salary: £34,055 pro-rata
Main places of work: Ver House, Park Estate, Frogmore, AL2 2WH plus various community locations across Hertfordshire

This role leads the day-to-day delivery of Communities 1st’s support for voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) organisations and volunteer centre engagement. You will play a key role in supporting community groups to be welcoming, accountable, effective and sustainable, and lead engagement with both new and established organisations.

Hours: 37 hours per week
Salary: £30,803 pro-rata
Main places of work: Ver House, Park Estate, Frogmore, AL2 2WH plus various community locations across Hertfordshire

The role combines day-to-day service management with broader strategic input and business development support, helping embed a culture of enterprise across Communities 1st.