August always seems to be a quieter month at work and we have taken this opportunity to develop our programme of training courses up until the end of the year. There is a wide variety of courses on offer with substantial discounts if you are a member.
If you work with volunteers then you may wish to join the Recruiting, Retaining and Managing Volunteers course on 17 September. This is an ideal stepping stone on your way to achieving the 6 Point Promise accreditation.
A reminder that our awareness sessions are open to all, so please feel free to promote these to your volunteers.
Best wishes,
Helen Ives-Rose Deputy Chief Executive Officer
Training for Organisations
Professional Boundaries
This online Professional Boundaries training session will help you to understand how to develop and maintain professional relationships that adhere to appropriate boundaries.
This one-day course will explore the challenges of recruiting, retaining and managing volunteers. It is ideal for staff who have this responsibility as part of their role. If you have not already achieved 6 Point Promise accreditation this is an ideal opportunity to get started!
Where: Ver House, Park Industrial Estate, Frogmore, AL2 2WH When: Wednesday, 17 September 2025 Time: 10am - 1pm: Recruiting & Retaining Volunteers 2pm - 5pm: Volunteer Management
Herts voluntary organisations: £70 Statutory and non-Herts organisations: £400
If you wish to take your first steps towards volunteering, this one-hour session will aim to answer the how, where, when, why and what of volunteering. The session will cover an understanding of volunteering and its roles, volunteering with benefits, researching volunteering roles and identifying skills. This online session is for anybody who is looking to embark on their volunteering journey.
In this session, learners will explore the relationships between objectives, outputs, specific aims, and outcomes, highlighting their connections to strategic goals and overall impact. Participants will gain skills in converting objectives into tangible outputs and transforming specific aims into measurable outcomes. The session will also cover at least three effective methods for data collection. Lastly, it will provide an insight on developing a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation framework to support these processes.
Every organisation that handles private data is required to comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This training course will clearly outline your legal obligations, explain how to adhere to these laws, and guide you on how to manage client data safely and confidently.
In this training, you will learn important strategies to achieve financial sustainability for your organisation. The session will cover effective tools and methods to improve your fundraising efforts. You will find out how to identify potential funders who share your mission and explore different ways to diversify your income sources. This approach will give you the knowledge needed to ensure your organisation’s financial stability.
Where: Online When: Tuesday, 21 October Time: 10am - 1pm
If you're a new or aspiring trustee, this course will equip you with essential knowledge about trusteeship. It covers the fundamental aspects of the role within a charity, highlighting the motivations and rewards that come with being a trustee. You'll learn why trusteeship is crucial to the charity sector and gain a realistic understanding of what serving on a board entails. This includes an overview of the responsibilities, challenges, and the significant impact you can have as a trustee.
Even small groups need to ensure a board of Trustees is in place. Come to this online session to find out about Trusteeship, as well as how to ensure your group complies with obligations such as policy formulation, safeguarding, and accountability correctly.
This online session is an introduction to full cost recovery and how to apply this knowledge to funding applications. No previous knowledge is needed to attend the course.
Join this session to understand:
What is meant by full cost recovery
Your direct costs and overhead costs, and how to factor these into an application
How to apply the full cost recovery concept to future grant and funding applications.
Where: Online When: Wednesday, 10 December 2025 Time:
By the end of this session, learners will have a solid understanding of the fundamentals of fundraising and be able to identify and apply various fundraising techniques effectively. We will cover essential legal and ethical considerations and focus on building strong donor relationships. Additionally, participants will develop a tailored fundraising strategy and engage in practical activities to enhance their confidence and skills in fundraising.
Nobody wants to hear the news that they have developed dementia and it is currently the biggest killer in the UK, ahead of heart attacks, strokes and cancer. There is a lot of fear and stigma attached to a diagnosis, which can make living with dementia (and caring for someone with it) very hard.
Join us to for a presentation by Jan Payne, a Dementia Friends Ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Society, to learn more about dementia and the ways we can all help to improve the quality of life for those living with it.
Wednesday, 10 September 12pm - 1pm This session is free to attend
Join this 2-hour CPD accredited training on Women and Gambling Related Harms led by GamCare's Women's Pathway Programme.
This training is aimed at practitioners working directly with women, to feel more confident in identifying gambling-related harms, and how to respond and signpost for support. During this training, we will cover the gambling-related harms women experience, either from their gambling or someone else's.
Tuesday, 30 September 2025 1pm - 3pm This session is free to attend
Communities 1st offers its members access to an extensive programme of e-learning.
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
Learn the main principles and key responsibilities of safeguarding adults at risk through this Certified Course. It supports mandatory training requirements for providers in adult social care sectors.
Date: Thursday, 18 September 2025 Time: 10am - 12.30pm Location: via Zoom
Price: £20 - Hertfordshire VCFSE organisations and £40 - non Herts VCFSE
