Voluntary Action Camden

Introduction to Social Media and Digital Marketing Video and Resources

Many charities and small community groups have an interest in using social media to engage with their service users, as well as share information about their work and the difference they are making. However, many of us are unclear which channels to focus on, what are goals are and how we actually use and manage social media effectively.

This two-hour workshop will cover:

  • Benefits for charities and small groups of using social media
  • Establishing goals, objectives and targets
  • Understanding your audience
  • Branding and positioning
  • Marketing channels
  • Content and posting
  • Tracking engagement and success

Additional Resources

Workshop slides

Workshop notes

User Persona Template

Social Media Management Tools

Annual Calendar Marketing Template

 

18th November Voluntary Action Camden Forum: Overcoming Digital Divide

Participant list for this session here

For this months forum we looked into overcoming the digital divide. We know many have be working to help residents to get online and use technology, overall we found that the main issue is access to broadband.

Resources and information mentioned in the workshop:

West Euston Partnership newletter can be accessed here: https://www.westeustonpartnership.org/about-us-2/newsletters/

Anyone wanting to explore online community courses (arts, crafts, exercise, digital skills, employability) with WMC, please get in touch: patriciat@wmcollege.ac.uk
WMC courses currently running (face to face – covid secure: https://www.wmcollege.ac.uk/courses/computing-and-digital-skills/1018

Restart Project can possibly help with repairing tablets: https://therestartproject.org

The resource pack ABC and NLC put together can be found alongside other info on the work our partners are doing on the digital divide http://www.ageingbetterincamden.org.uk/bridging-the-digital-divide

https://abilitynet.org.uk/ – Providing Free Online Tech Support and IT Courses;
https://wavelength.org.uk/what-we-do/ – WaveLength gives media technology to lonely people living in poverty.
https://www.onlinecentresnetwork.org/projects/DevicesDotNow – Everyone Connected (formerly DevicesDotNow) is a project aiming to improve people’s quality of life that has been made harder during the Covid-19 pandemic through lack of access to digital technology and skills training.

Adult Community Learning which can help with digital skills: https://www.camden.gov.uk/about-adult-community-learning

Unity Works – We are still helping people with learning disabilities to get connected and learn skills (face to face) to access zoom and WhatsApp. We also have a full weekly zoom timetable for people with LD to access. Broadband access has been a big challenge or helping people to connect to public wifi/understanding what is safe, inputting passwords etc

Winch – Tablets and phones were provide to some of our service users – Opened courses with parents for children under 5 and/or new parents. Learnt that people are craving face to face but making sure its all Covid Secure. Children and Young people had problems with getting online access where we tried to assist.

CDA – Funding has been provided for technology support. Service not launched just yet, looking at the service design and possible collaborations with other groups. Looked into some face to face opportunities to assist/coached with tech at the greenwood centre (covid safe). Also for laptops and assisted technology depending on needs. Possibly also having a kind of cafe so people can meet in person and online to be assisted on using technology.

Introduction to Microsoft Teams Workshop Video

As a result of the pandemic, many charities and community groups have had to swiftly adapt to delivering services and engaging with their stakeholders online. Many of us are now familiar with technologies like Teams and Zoom but we don’t necessarily know enough about how to use them to make the most of collaboration and remote working.

This one-hour session will focus on how to set up and use Teams to support collaboration and remote working.

What we will cover:

  • An introduction to setting up Teams
  • An overview of the Teams space and functionality
  • Using Teams for telephony
  • Common problems

 

This workshop is delivered in partnership with the Worshipful Company of Information Technologists, Voluntary Action Islington and Voluntary Action Camden. Data about your booking will be shared between Voluntary Action Camden and Voluntary Action Islington for monitoring purposes only.

 

21st October The Future of Food Projects in Camden

Powerpoint Presentation

Resources and information mention in the workshop:

Email – Michele.debroglio@coop.co.uk for info about coop foodshare scheme and co-op stores’ community donations.
Email – will@timetospare.com – if you have any questions re Time to Spare
Camden Covid information page – https://www.camden.gov.uk/covid-19 
Brilliant work done by “Lifeafterhummus”

Participant list for this session here

A Hands on Approach to Choosing and Setting Up a CRM System Workshop Video and Notes

This two-hour online workshop introduced delegates to the concept of using a CRM system and database to record and manage your work. We showed how to assess your requirements for a new system, and what you need to think about before you embark on such a project. Delegates came away with working templates of a requirements specification and a scoring mechanism. These can be used to appraise the various CRM systems in the market or evaluate your existing in-house systems and databases.

What we covered:

  • What is a CRM and why use one
  • Review requirements: processes, data and priorities;
  • Demos of different CRM systems
  • Review specifications sheet and scoring sheet
  • What are your options?

 

Workshop Presentations and additional resources:

** please note, many CRM platforms do offer discounts to charities so always check to see if you qualify for free or reduced rates on licenses and additional modules.

23rd September Re-opening Community Buildings with Locality – Follow-up Workshop

Re-opening Community Buildings with Locality

A Follow-up workshop with Locality

Powerpoint Presentation

Resources and information mention in the workshop:

Details on where QR codes are mandatory https://www.gov.uk/government/news/venues-required-to-enforce-rule-of-6-nhs-qr-code-posters-and-contact-logs

QR Poster – https://www.gov.uk/create-coronavirus-qr-poster 

For contact tracing: For visitors who don’t use the QR code you can use Time to Spare (www.timetospare.com) to log their details. Time to Spare is free for charities and can be used for a variety of purposes, including tracking monitoring and evaluation data for your activities. We can put you in touch with them if you would like (vcs@camden.gov.uk)

Signage: A reminder you can also find signs to print off here, along with sample risk assessments: https://www.camden.gov.uk/support-for-community-organisations#fsmp

Summary list of issues/tensions raised: 

  1. Balancing different users- those that want to stay safe vrs those that think it is all too draconian/a conspiracy
  2. Verify mask not wearing exemptions – many saying the have asthma as a get out (but lying!)
  3. Engaging / liaising with users about re-opening or changing rules within space – some good practice on this that has helped
  4. Multi-function spaces – which rules / indoor vrs outdoor – confusion when delivering wide range of diff uses and interpreting diff guidance
  5. Health vrs community wellbeing – some vulnerable groups so isolated that bringing them into space (and risk) might be worth it
  6. Financial concerns about staying afloat – affecting decisions about opening – e.g. letting churches hire space when they know it is probably flouting rules
  7. Support Group vrs Social Group – how to distinguish (latter not permitted)
  8. Charitable activity? (Does this relate to org delivering or not)
  9. Learning from what’s working online
  10. Access to digital important – people don’t have the IT to speak to family etc
  11. Duty of care to those leaving premises together – groups congregating outside after sessions
  12. Front of building checks – balance welcome and compliance – difficulty with track and trace for some vulnerable groups (homeless)

NB Further #BuildBackBetter resources here.

Introduction to Microsoft 365 Workshop Video and Notes

This workshop introduced charities and voluntary groups in Camden and Islington to the Office 365 platform (O365) and some of the key applications that facilitate remote working and collaboration. Using a live demo, we showed what O365 is and what it does, with a deep dive into some of its main applications, including: Outlook Office SharePoint OneDrive Teams.

Workshop notes

https://vac.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/0365-Workshop-Notes.pdf

Further Information

Visit our training calendar to check the latest events taking part in the IT and Digital Capacity Building Programme.

Contact Alex Charles, IT and Digital Manager for more information about the workshop or IT and digital support.

Safeguarding interview series 2: National Centre for Domestic Violence.10.06.2020

Anyone can  be a victim of Domestic abuse, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, socio-economic status, sexuality or background.

With shocking statistics revealing that domestic violence has surged nationally since the start of the corona-virus lockdown, VAC’s Safeguarding Lead talks to Brian Reilly, Training manager at the National Centre for Domestic Violence.

This award-winning free service allows anyone who has recently suffered or been threatened with domestic abuse or violence to apply for an emergency court injunction, usually issued within 24 hours of making contact.

They work in close partnership with the police, solicitors and other support agencies such as Refuge and Women’s Aid to help victims obtain speedy protection. Please email Brian Reilly at brian.reilly@ncdv.org.uk for information and training for your organisation.

Listen here: 

Please see: www.ncdv.org.uk for more information.

 

See, Hear and Respond Programme and Grant Information

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Barnardo’s, in partnership with The Department for Education (DfE), will be delivering a new and innovative programme across England that aims to support the most vulnerable children and young people who are often hidden from view.
We would like to hear from any BAME organisations working with or delivering services to:
  • *Under 5’s with a specific focus on under 2’s.
  • * Those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
  • * Children who maybe at increased risk of abuse, neglect and exploitation inside or outside of the home.
  • * Young carers and refugee children experiencing barriers to accessing services.
  • * Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic children experiencing barriers to accessing service
  • *Children not receiving support currently from statutory organisations
  • * Those who are at risk and/or experiencing adverse impact to their health and well-being

If your organisation is interested in working with us, please contact Leethen Bartholomew,Head of National FGM Centre via E-mail at: leethen.bartholomew@barnardos.org.uk

To find out more about this innovative programme please listen to our podcast interview with Leethen Bartholomew and VAC’s Safeguarding Lead Dianne Carlton-Ogunyemi here:
Programme information podcast

See here for support information on the Sea, Hear, Respond Programme

Useful links :
https://www.barnardos.org.uk/see-hear-respond 
https://www.barnardos.org.uk/support-hub 

COVID-19: National FGM Centre Podcast

 
In our first series of interviews, VAC’s Safeguarding Lead talks to Leethen Bartholomew, Head of The National FGM Centre, about the rise in Domestic Violence and child neglect cases, emerging stories of faith groups promoting and selling Covid-19 protection and miracle cures and the recent data that black, Asian and ethnic minorities are being dis proportionally effected by Covid-19.
He also offers advise to professionals and safeguarding leads who may be supporting BME communities, in terms of surviving the lock-down and the pandemic as a whole.
All referrals relating to FGM, abuse linked to faith and belief, breast flattening and other harmful practices, should be made through the usual safeguarding routes, designated safeguarding leads, children’s social care or the police.
Listen to the podcast here:

Infographic – Covid 19 and Harmful Practices

Useful Resources

The National FGM Centre
Hestia – Support adults and children in times of crisis
ajax-loader