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It’s completely free to sign up to be a member, and membership ensures you will be first to hear about all of the services we offer to the voluntary sector. 

NEW FUNDING PORTAL LAUNCHED BY VAC

We are delighted to  launch a new funding service for Camden community groups and charities.

Our new Voluntary Action Camden 4 Community Portal is a fantastic resource to help groups search for the latest funding opportunities, as well as access helpful guides and funding news and information. This replaces our ‘current funding’ page on the VAC website.

We would like to thank the Community partnership Team at Camden Council who have made it possible for VAC to host this excellent resource for Camden groups and charities. Keep an eye out for some training dates in the New Year on how to use and make the most of the funding portal!

Find our more about the new funding portal on our website: https://vac.org.uk/funding-search/

If you would like help with finding grants or your funding applications, either get in touch for a conversation or fill in our form to request our support.

NEW GROUPS NETWORK MEETING ON MONDAY 18TH DECEMBER 

Our New Groups network for charities, community groups and social enterprises who are starting out in the Camden area is meeting next week. This is a great opportunity to meet like-minded people and build links and resilience – find the meeting link in our Events and Training section further down.

Events and Training section

Volunteering round up
Take a look at this volunteering round up from NCVO, with a look back at highlights from 2023 as well as a look forward to what’s relevant to the volunteering sector in the year ahead. 

Every week VAC checks various sources for the latest funding opportunities relevant for Camden groups.
You can visit our website for a round up of the latest opportunities added this week:  Search for Funding – Voluntary Action Camden (vac.org.uk)

If you need help sourcing or applying for funds, get in touch with our consultancy service, free for all Camden groups!

Energy support scheme for VCSEs
Groundwork are set to launch a new funding stream in the new year. Grants for energy efficiency improvements will be available for your community building in January 2024. This new funding for capital improvement can change your community building’s energy efficiency, subject to eligibility criteria. If you think this is for you please get more information here. 

Two Magpies fund for local charities and not for profits
Two Magpies is an organisation that funds projects supporting women who have experienced abuse and children growing up in poverty. They focus on charities working in Camden, Haringey, Islington and Westminster. Find out more here. 

Beacon Lodge Charitable Trust for the safety and care of children
Funding support for children, families and carers, Beacon Lodge is an independent grant-making charity inviting new applications from small charities and not for profit companies with an annual income of under £200,000. New applications will open on the 31st of January 2024. 

Camden Community Festival Funding 2024-25
For events that encourage community participation and involvement – this fund aims to sustain and develop culture, creativity and community in Camden. Apply for support for your community event here. 

Future Camden Fund for Small Business
The Future Camden Fund is a programme to support small businesses to build a better future for Camden and its residents. VCS organisations can apply, with food co-ops, community kitchens, social enterprises and plant based businesses being a particularly good fit.

Camden 4 Community – Funding alerts and news for the VCSE 
Search for Funding – Voluntary Action Camden (vac.org.uk)                                                                  

VAC UPCOMING TRAINING:
Open to VAC Members only
If you are a voluntary service or group delivering services in Camden and are not a member of VAC, please join here: https://vac.org.uk/get-involved/membership

CAMDEN NEW GROUPS NETWORK
Monday 18th December, 12:30 
VAC is inviting you to participate in the Network’s online meeting on Monday, 18^th of  December 2023 from 12:30 to 13:30. You will be meeting like-minded people and discuss the challenges they have met with and ways to deal with them. This is a closed group for peer support for anyone VAC have supported over the past year and for starting up groups and individuals that have contacted VAC recently or are thinking of contacting VAC for support in choosing how to register and what legal structures to choose from.
Those of you who have  missed the first meeting of the New Groups Network can still join in by following our MS Teams meeting link: CLICK HERE. 

For more information contact Vania Guetova at vguetova@vac.org.uk

Rethink Advocacy service is currently running a drop in advocacy session at the Greenwood Centre, 37 Greenwood Place, London, NW5 1LB for people with Learning Disabilities. Please come along on 19th December at 2pm.  Please call Sian Phillips 07483 332490 for more information.

Training Opportunities for Asylum Seekers, Refugees and Immigrant Artists
WE RESTART is a Charity that connects asylum seekers, refugees, and immigrant artists with educational and skills training opportunities, offering free advice sessions, and facilitating access to free AEB courses, (especially ESOL, English and numeracy).
Our team is accessible via email in Arabic, Ukrainian, and English. To learn more about how you can be a part of this initiative, please reach out to contact@werest.art. The project is supported by Mayor of London.

Winter Holiday Activities and Food programme

The Camden Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Winter programme will run from 27 December 2023 to 5 January 2024 and is open for children and young people aged 5 to 16 who live in Camden and are eligible for free school meals.
The programme offers free, fun activities and nutritional education – from learning to make healthy meals, to creative activities, including photography, drama, arts and crafts, and sports such as football and basketball. A free hot meal is included as part of each day’s activities. The Camden HAF programme is co-ordinated by Young Camden Foundation on behalf of Camden Council, with funding from the Department for Education.
To find out more and book your places, visit haf.youngcamdenfoundation.org.uk, or if you have any questions please email info@youngcamdenfoundation.org.uk

Connect with Talk for Health’s peer support groups
For those looking for a deeper discussion and opportunity to improve their emotional health, Talk to Health are hosting a number of events to introduce people to their counselling programme. Join them for a taster session at Islington Town Hall on Tuesday 9th January or their full wellbeing programme starting Saturday 13th January.

Part time Community Animator – OK Club, South Kilburn 
Connecting with local people to build community in South Kilburn.

This is a new role that will use an asset based community development approach, engaging with the passions, gifts and skills of local people and developing the OK Club as a community asset. You will be someone who loves imaginging possibilities and working towards enabling others to turn ideas into reality.
Closing date 8th Jan 2024. Job description can be found here.

The Childrens Society has new roles in their new Wellbeing Hub
They are looking for a:
– Service Manager, 35 hours per week – details can be found on the website. Closing date: 31/12/2023.
– Volunteer Coordinator, 35 hours per week. Closing date: 19/12/2023.
– Finance manager, 24.5 hrs per week. Closing date: 17/12/2023.

Chef Manager: Kentish Town Social Enterprise Café 
Unity Works are seeking an experienced and enthusiastic individual to manage a social enterprise café in Kentish Town. The Cafe Manager will support and train people with a learning disability, whilst being responsible for the overall management and performance of the cafe. This role will include training catering tasks such as barista skills, customer service and culinary skills, and working in a dynamic team to provide a professional service delivering high quality food and drinks to the local community.

VCC Xmas volunteering roles 
Does your organisation have Christmas, Hanukkah or New Year’s volunteering roles? We’re currently gathering a list for people who are looking for volunteering for Christmas. Got something? Email sheila@volunteercentrecamden.org.uk 

Seeking Trustees with IT skills
Santé Refugee Mental Health Access Project are looking for new trustees. Please contact appletonruth@gmail.com.

Volunteering in Camden survey
VCC want to identify the latest volunteering trends and challenges in Camden. This anonymous survey will help VCC to focus their support in the areas that are needed the most. It will take approximately 2-4mins to complete: Survey

Local NHS Board looking for residents to join Data Access Group
NHS North Central London Integrated Care Board want to prevent people getting sick, act sooner when they do, support them to best manage their own health, and reduce health inequalities. To support this, they are resourcing the use of secondary data to identify needs, enable better prevention, more proactive care, and improve access and care pathways. Find out more here. 

Nominations for SMK National Campaigner Awards are now open
Each year, SMK celebrates the best campaigns and campaigners. Their interest is in finding those who have made change happen – most effectively, creatively and courageously. What all nominees have in common is the determination to secure a specific change that will make things better. Submit your nomination.

Local VCS Newsletters:

SHAK
Young Camden Foundation (Funding Newsletter)
Young Camden Foundation (Events and Training Newsletter)
AWN (sign up)
Fitzrovia Community Centre
Coram’s Field Community Newsletter (sign up)
CAWH newsletter
St Pancras Community Association (sign up)
Castlehaven in Bloom (sign up)
UCL Volunteering Service Newsletter (sign up)
Latin American House
London Irish Centre (sign up)
Castlehaven Community Association (sign up)
Heath Hands
Age UK Camden (sign up)
Somers Town People’s Museum

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