Voluntary Sector Briefing

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On 20 July Communities 1st held our Annual Voluntary Sector Conference at Oaklands College. It was a fantastic day, we were delighted to welcome around 100 colleagues from over 50 voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise organisations. We enjoyed a motivational keynote from Pro Bono Economics, six inspiring workshops and various one-to-one advice sessions.  

Click here to view the programme, details of our fantastic speakers and presentations from the day.   We are already looking forward to next year! 

Our Annual Conference is just one benefit of Communities 1st membership.  We have now sent out the membership renewal emails for 2023-24.  Please look out for this in your inbox and let us know if you have any questions.

We’d like to take this opportunity to wish you an enjoyable and restful summer, whatever you’re doing. It is vital to the resilience of our incredible voluntary sector that staff and volunteers take a break when they can.

Stephen Craker
Chief Executive

VOLUNTARY SECTOR NEWS

How to fill gaps on your trustee board
Organisations in the voluntary sector often need support when reviewing the skills or experience on their trustee board. Here are some tips to help you with identifying gaps, recruiting trustees, and removing barriers that prevent people from taking on these roles.

Railway Tickets Office Closures
Several train companies are planning to close ticket offices in railway stations across the country over the next three years. A public consultation is currently being held in relation to these plans.

This consultation closes on the 1st of September

Want to have your say? Information on how to take part in the consultation can be found here

MEMBERS SPOTLIGHT

Bapa's Meals
Bapa's Meals is a non-profit community interest company that seeks to make a positive impact on the lives of the poorest and most vulnerable individuals around the world. Their primary objective is to provide regular meals to underprivileged children, addressing a crucial issue where families often face the difficult choice between feeding their children, sending them to school, or putting them to work. 

By ensuring that these children receive nutritious meals, Bapa's Meals not only alleviates immediate hunger but also removes a significant barrier to education. When the burden of providing food is lifted, children are more likely to attend school regularly and perform better academically, ultimately paving the way for a brighter future. This educational empowerment can have a transformative effect, potentially breaking the cycle of poverty for the entire family.

While the primary focus is on sustaining the food program, Bapa's Meals also remains responsive to emergency situations, stepping in to provide aid when unexpected crises occur. For instance, they recently raised awareness and funds during the Oxygen crisis in India, demonstrating their commitment to being there for those in need.

Driven by a personal journey and a desire to honour the founder's late father, Bapa's Meals aims to make a difference in a world characterized by inequality and unmet needs. They invite individuals to join them on this meaningful journey, whether through one-time or regular donations, fundraising efforts, providing ideas and feedback, or volunteering.

If you would like your organisation to feature in Members Spotlight please email memberservices@communities1st.org.uk

COMMUNITIES 1ST INFORMATION AND SUPPORT

If you want more information you can visit our website or contact our Voluntary Sector support team on 01727 649940.

INFORMATION TO SUPPORT VOLUNTARY AND COMMUNITY SECTOR ORGANISATIONS

Communities 1st Membership Renewal
Communities 1st membership year runs from 1st of June to 31st May each year.
You should by now have received an email inviting you to renew your membership with Communities 1st. Please check your emails and renew at your earliest convenience.

Did you know that membership of Communities 1st entitles you to a host of member benefits including access to funding support, free promotion of your volunteer vacancies and discounted training.  Please click here to learn more or contact memberservices@communities1st.org.uk

Time to register for Stronger Together Networks
There are 10 themed Stronger Together Network Meetings coming up this quarter.

  • Children and Young People
    Monday, 4 September 10.30 am – 12.00 pm
  • Older People
    Tuesday, 5 September 10.30 am -12.00 pm 
  • Culture and Environment
    Wednesday, 6 September 2.00 – 3.30 pm
  • Disability
    Monday, 11th September 2.00 – 3.30 pm
  • Transport
    Wednesday 13 September 10.30 am – 12.00 pm
  • Volunteer Managers
    Wednesday, 13 September 2.00 – 3.30 pm
  • Mental Health
    Tuesday, 19 September 10.30 am – 12.00 pm
  • Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
    Thursday, 21 Sept 10.30 am – 12.00 pm
  • Refugees and Asylum Seekers
    Thursday, 21 September 2.00 – 3.30 pm
  • Community Spaces
    TBC

Every session will be packed with useful information that’s relevant to your work and the potential to make excellent new connections.

To book your place follow the link to What's on Calendar or Stronger Together Networks page.

Have your say on creativity in Hertsmere
Hertsmere Borough Council are working in partnership with CounterCulture Ltd to develop a Creative Strategy for Hertsmere, which will set out how they can support local arts and culture to create new experiences and opportunities for residents and visitors alike. 

They want to hear the views of people living and working in the borough on their experiences and contribution to creativity locally, as well as how they could improve and enhance cultural opportunities across Hertsmere to make them more widely enjoyed, more accessible and more impactful for both residents and visitors.  

Please complete this short survey to share your views on  Creativity in Hertsmere. The closing date is Friday 18th August. 

If you have any queries about this survey, or the Creative Strategy more generally,  please contact Liz Gore, Policy Manager at liz.gore@hertsmere.gov.uk or on 020 8207 2277.  

Community Spaces Launches
Hertfordshire County Council have now launched a community spaces directory to help residents find accessible welcoming places near them. In addition, there will be information about ‘cool spaces’ which will offer safe places to escape the heat, meet new people and find out more about the local support available. 

To register as a Community Space, please visit: Community Spaces | Hertfordshire County Council

Services for Young People - consultation about future service priorities

HCC Services for Young People is exploring options to redesign its services for young people in Hertfordshire due to budget constraints and changes in Children's Services. To gather input and perspectives on future priorities, they have created a Stakeholder Consultation Survey and Young People Consultation Survey. We encourage everyone to participate and share their thoughts. Both surveys will close on 9 October 2023

TRAINING AND WEBINARS

Multiply Project for Your Staff and Volunteers

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. Through a wide range of short learning sessions including Excel, Managing Personal Finances and Presenting Data, these can all be accessed online in your own time. If you, your staff or volunteers are interested please email training@communitites1st.org.uk for more information, or call us for a chat on 01727 649950.

Digital Training Offer for Communities 1st Members

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

Being a Charity Trustee

Thursday 21 September 2023
7-9 pm online

This online course is for aspiring, new and established trustees. Participants will learn about the roles and responsibilities of a trustee and what it means to be a charity trustee. 

This course is fully funded for trustees serving on the boards of Hertfordshire Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations.

Click here to find out more and to register your place.

New Leaf College

New Leaf College offers hope for the future despite life's challenges, offering opportunities, learning from other student's experiences and equipping students with skills to make changes to support their well-being. 

The college offers sessions in Stevenage, Watford, Ware and Hemel Hempstead as well as continues to provide sessions online. 

They would like to work with partners who may be able to offer access for residents to join their online sessions from a local venue. If you can provide a venue, please call 01442864966 or contact louisa.whorrod@nhs.net

Please visit the New Leaf College here.

EVENTS
VACANCIES

Cleaner/Caretaker

Hours: 7.5 hours

Salary: £10.80 / hour 

Full Details: You can view the full details of this role here

How to Apply
You can send your application for this role via email to us@communities1st.org.uk or you can call us on 01727 649900.

About The Role
The Cleaner / Caretaker role is to provide a comprehensive cleaning service at the Phillimore Community Centre managed by Communities 1st and to provide 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.

Office Coordinator

Hours: A part-time role of 25 hours per week over 5 days, the position is based at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore.

Salary: £19,500 pa 

How to Apply
For a full job description and person specification please contact The Operations Manager:
Coordinator@barbarabus.com

About The Role:
Are you a special kind of person who has what it takes to do a special kind of job? The Office Coordinator role is positively challenging yet highly rewarding, supporting wheelchair users with their transport requirements. You will leave every day knowing you've achieved something good, given back to society and helped someone to do something that could seem impossible.

In an office-based role, the Office Coordinator assumes responsibility for the day-to-day office operations, is highly organised with exceptional office and people skills. With a genuine desire to ‘make it happen,’ the Office Coordinator is a clear communicator who is patient and has excellent proven experience.

Joining a small, dedicated and effective team of highly regarded volunteer and paid staff, you are able to carry out the many steps which are necessary to enable the valued user to get "out and about" and do things that many of us take for granted.

Fleet Coordinator

Hours: A part-time role of 20 hours per week over 4 days, the position is based at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore.

Salary: £15,600 pa  

How to Apply
For a full job description and person specification please contact The Operations Manager:
Coordinator@barbarabus.com

About The Role:
Are you a special kind of person who has what it takes to do a special kind of job? The role of Fleet Coordinator is a positively challenging yet highly rewarding role supporting wheelchair users with their transport requirements. You will leave every day knowing you've achieved something good, given back to society and helped someone to do something that could seem impossible.

Predominately working outdoors in the beautiful grounds of the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore, the Fleet Coordinator is responsible for the care and upkeep of 10 vehicles based at HQ and 2 local satellite branch vehicles.
With a genuine interest in vehicles, knowledge of health & safety and exceptional people skills, the Fleet Coordinator is a clear communicator who is patient and has excellent proven experience.

They are able to effectively demonstrate the wheelchair operating systems so that drivers are able to transport their passengers with confidence in safety and comfort.

Joining a small, dedicated and effective team of highly regarded volunteer and paid staff, you are able to carry out the vital job of caring for the vehicles which are necessary to enable the valued user to get "out and about" and do things that many of us take for granted.

Cleaner / Home Helper

Hours: Flexible part-time hours. Work is available Monday to Friday between 9 am and 4.30 pm.

Location: Work locally across Hertfordshire.

Salary: £11.10 per hour PLUS paid holiday pay.

How to Apply: To apply please send an email to recruitsouth@ageukherts.org.uk or call 01923 627 055

About the role:
The work involves cleaning, shopping and other domestic duties such as changing bed linen and helping with the laundry. You always see the same regular clients, allowing you to become that vital contact that keeps them independent and living in their own homes.
For full details of the role please go to Age UK Hertfordshire | Become a Home Helper

No application deadline