Voluntary Action Camden e-bulletin 10th July 2020

Voluntary Action Forum Follow up

The Voluntary Action Forum on Wednesday 1st July was on the Disproportionate Impact of Covid-19 on the BAME Community & Health Inequalities.  You can view the presentation and recording on the forum web page.
On 9th July we hosted a workshop with Locality on Re-Opening Community Buildings.  You can view the presentation, video, and a range of resources on the VAC website here.

VAC AGM

14th July 2020 5 – 6pm will be held online.  Join us for an update on VAC’s work and hear from the chair and trustees about our plans for the future. Book online here.

Free School Meals through the COVID Summer Food Fund- deadline today!

Many children are eligible for free school meals and they won’t be able to access the COVID Summer Food Fund if they don’t register today!
Register here

Free support to carers in Camden

Mobilise provide free support for carers, including daily ‘virtual cuppas’, where carers can meet for a chat, some empathy and some uplift . We also offer 1:1 support/coaching calls for carers too, with our in-house carer’s coach (a carer herself).  Find out more at the Mobilise website.

Bloomsbury FA Holiday Football Camp

3 locations: Acland Burghley, Kings Cross Academy, Castlehaven.
10am – 3pm (staggered drop off/pick up)
Week 1: Mon 20th Jul – Fri 24th Jul
Week 2: Mon 27th Jul – Fri 31st Jul
Week 3: Mon 3rd Aug – Fri 7th Aug
Further weeks tbc
Ages: 7-11 (school years 2 – 6)
Full price from – £40 per day to Full bursary rate – £8 – varies by location.
E: info@bloomsburyfootball.com M: 07561 705 232
Book now: www.bloomsburyfootball.com

Camden Pop-Up Business School – StartUp

The Pop up Business School (PUBS) is an alternative to traditional business start-up support and aims to work in specific communities to teach people how to start a business without borrowing money or a formal business plan.
7th September to 18th September. Sign-up here.

Camden Climate Citizen Panel – Apply now

The panel will play an important role in continuing to empower citizens on climate issues and committing to the delivery of Camden’s new Climate Action Plan at a borough-wide level.
Panel members will meet quarterly for a two-year term to review the council’s progress against the projects and initiatives set out in Climate Action Plan. Members will receive a £150 voucher per year.
Applicants that live or work in the borough, with an interest in the climate crisis or an eagerness to learn more, are encouraged to apply. Further details here.
The application period runs from Thursday 2 July to Friday 24 July.

Residents invited to share their experiences of Covid-19 with Public Health

Camden and Islington’s Public Health team would like to invite you to share your experiences of daily life during the pandemic through an online discussion. We will be holding online group discussions in July and August to learn more about how the pandemic is affecting you during this time.
If you decide to take part in a discussion you will be provided with a £10 shopping voucher as a thank you for your time.
Please contact: covid19survey@islington.gov.uk for more information.

Activities and Services in your community

Camden Disability Action
West Euston Partnership (WEP)
Healthwatch Camden – read the latest Annual Report here
Women and Health will be holding a Virtual Quiz on 29th July. Details soon.

Somers Town Big Local  and the Crick Covid-19 Community Fund

Up to £3,000 to local organisations and groups that are responding to the COVID-19 crisis and supporting the community. Applicants have to be located within a mile of the Crick and responding to the COVID-19 situation to the benefit of the local community, either directly or indirectly. More info here.
Maximum grant is £3000. Deadline 29th July. Email engage@crick.ac.uk

London Community Response – 3rd Wave

Grants to cover up to six months of your costs for the work you are seeking funding for (from the time the grant is awarded), though it can be for a shorter period (e.g. activities over the summer).  Where possible we will offer unrestricted grants, though this is more likely if you are applying for a small grant.
Three strands to the current funding programme – crisis, enable and adapt.
Small grants up to £10k.  Large grants up to £50k.  Full details here.

Coronavirus Community Support Fund

A £200m fimd aimed at small to medium organisations:
~ To increase community support to vulnerable people affected by the COVID-19 crisis, through the work of civil society organisations.
~ To reduce temporary closures of essential charities and social enterprises, ensuring services for vulnerable people impacted by COVID-19 have the financial resources to operate, and so reduce the burden on public services.
Full details on the National Lottery Community Fund website.

Lists of Emergency Funders

• Civil Society
• Ian McLintok’s LinkedIn blog
• NCVO’s funding central site is currently free for non-members.
• Charity Bank 
• Grants Online

VAC AGM

14th July 2020 5 – 6pm will be held online.  Join us for an update on VAC’s work and hear from the chair and trustees about our plans for the future. Book online here.

VAC Events

Voluntary Action Forums: (web page here)
Wed 15th July Funding for BAME Organisations
Wed 29 July Space and Place – what role for buildings?
VAC AGM Tuesday 14th July 5pm
SPLN (Social Prescribing Learning Network) Venturing Out (date tbc)
Keep in eye on our Events Calendar to book and for more info.

Camden Voluntary Action Forum

The forum is open to all Camden voluntary and community  groups and organisation, community activists, social entreprenuers, volunteers and anyone interested in local voluntary action.  The next forum on 15th July will focus on funding for BAME organisations. Full details and booking here.

These sessions will be hosted on zoom.  Ideally you will need a PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone with camera or microphone but you can also join by telephone as well. Click on the link or use the meeting ID.  You will also need the password if one was set. Short guide to joining a zoom meeting.

Safeguarding Courses:

VAC is working with funders so that safeguarding courses can continue online.  Further details to come. There are some basic safeguarding videos on the home page and on the COVID19 Update page.
Tel: 020 7 284 6575 | Email: dogunyemi@vac.org.uk email (Mon – Wed)

More details on the VAC website: https://vac.org.uk/events/

Psychological First Aid online course

Public Health England has launched an updated Psychological First Aid (PFA) digital training module, aimed at all frontline and essential workers and volunteers.
The course aims to increase awareness and confidence to provide psychosocial support to people affected by COVID-19.  The course is free, and no previous qualifications are required. It takes around 90 minutes to complete and the learner can complete it at their own pace.

Ubele Fundraising Support for BAME Organisations

Every Thursday at 3:30pm Ubele host fundraising webinars on a variety grant funds that are available with techniques on writing better applications. These webinars are free of charge and the presentations/resources are uploaded on our website.
Registration for Fundraising Webinars here.

Camden Safeguarding Children Partnership

New virtual training safeguarding training sessions for July 2020.
Due to the current social distancing restrictions in place in light of COVID-19, the CSCP has worked with our experienced trainers to ensure that safeguarding training can still be made available to multi-agency partners.
Parental Mental Health and the Impact on Children 13 July, 10.00am-12.30pm
Full details and how to apply here.

Women+Health online group classes via Zoom

Aiming too help people feel calm, grounded, & centred during lockdown. We are currently running 4 online classes per week:
~ Tuesdays at 1pm, ‘Mindfulness for Women’ with Camilla (women only)
~ Wednesdays at 6:30pm, ‘Yoga Nidra’ with Lina (men & women welcome)
~ Thursdays 6:30pm, ‘Gentle Hatha Yoga’ with Diana (men & women welcome)
~ Fridays at 1pm, ‘Sound Healing’ with Catherine (men & women welcome)
All classes are donation classes – and all money we receive goes towards helping Women+Health survive while our doors are closed. The classes are FREE if people cannot donate.
All info to join classes and to donate can be found on our JustGiving page:

Respect online domestic abuse training

Respect has secured funding from the London Community Response Fund to offer free online training to Frontline Workers who support or have an interest in service users with domestic abuse issues.
Workers from the third sector; local authorities; counsellors/therapists; university lecturers, students or researchers; police; housing officers; healthcare staff; policy-makers etc.  – as long as the organisation they work for or the services they provide are based in Greater London.
Working with women using violence in intimate relationships 16-29 July
Better engagement with perpetrators 31 July-13 August
Adolescent to parent violence and abuse 15-28 August
Apply here.  Any questions, please email abigail.jones@respect.uk.net

How to Volunteer and How to Recruit Volunteers in Camden

Volunteer in Camden at Time to Spare.
Volunteer for the NHS at GoodSAM.
Join a neighbourhood Mutual Aid group.
Organisations that are signed up to Time to Spare can now request volunteers through a brokerage team making it much easier to access the volunteers. The brokers can help match volunteers with voluntary and community organisations who have a need for verified/ vetted volunteers. The service will also help to verify or carry out new DBS check with volunteers.You can use the Brokerage service to request volunteers with specific skills or background for community activity.
Get support and resources from Volunteer Centre Camden
The council has a  page of resources to help community organisations

Age UK Camden seeks Office and Internet Shopping Administrator Full Time

14 hours Office Administrator, 21 hours Internet Shopping Administrator
(at present this role will be working from home and the main duty will be answering the main phone line for Age UK Camden and internet shopping)
Local Government Scale 4 Scp 7-10 £24,101 – £25,426 pa + 6% contributory pension inc London Weighting. Permanent contract.
Need to be available to start on Wednesday 20th July and an induction session will be provided prior to this.
For further details and an application form visit the website www.ageukcamden.org.uk or email jobs@ageukcamden.org.uk
Closing date: Monday 13th July . Interview date: TBC will be via zoom

Calthorpe Project Treasurer Wanted

Calthorpe Community Garden is currently seeking an enthusiastic individual who understands the importance of strong governance to help enhance the lives of vulnerable people in the community. The Treasurer is an important and valuable part of the Trustee Board assisting in monitoring, understanding and communicating the accounts and budgets to the Board. The Treasurer should be able to highlight any improvements or risks for the financial wellbeing of the Calthorpe. Full details and how to apply on the website.

Director of Kentish Town City Farm

£30,000 – £40,000 per annum +pension  Closing date 24 Jul 2020
KTCF are seeking a visionary, strategic and courageous leader to realise our ambitions for the next exciting chapter at Kentish Town City Farm. The Farm Director is the key figurehead for the farm, providing leadership to an experienced and inclusive team of staff and volunteers, and ensuring financial growth. You will share our passion for changing lives by bringing people together, and our belief that every person has a positive contribution to make to the farm.  Full details and how to apply here.  Closing date: 6th August.

Paid work opportunities for people who have been laid off/ reduced income

Local Adult social care providers are still recruiting, and as they support the NHS to move vulnerable adults out of hospital to stay well at home, their need is growing. Contact Proud to Care.

Camden Social Prescribing and Care Navigation update

Social Prescribing and Care Navigation delivered by Age UK Camden, Voluntary Action Camden and Wish+ is operational, and adapted, as a point of access to services and support during the COVID 19 emergency.
Referral form can be found here. Minimum requirements are contact details and permission to contact the person needing support.
Freephone: 0800 193 6067 (please leave a message if no answer)
Secure NHS email (referrals only): camccg.socialprescribingreferral@nhs.net
Community Links email (enquiries and referrals): communitylinks@vac.org.uk

VAC Directory updates for reconnecting residents

As organisations start to vary their offer to Camden residents we are eager to hear what is emerging. Care Navigation and Social Prescribing is hearing from many residents are ready to reconnect with social and community activities. Please update the VAC Covid directory so residents can reconnect! If you are already listed on the Covid directory you should have received a link to update your record. Otherwise you can submit a new record using this link: https://www.tfaforms.com/4811729, or get in touch with alexcharles@vac.org.uk

VAC COVID-19 Pages

Covid-19 Community Directory  (Update your entry here) [Map here]
Covid-19 Update page.
Covid-19 Resources page

Keep in touch and up-to-date via the e-bulletin and @onecamden twitter.  We have a comprehensive COVID-19 update page and a resources page.

Our mailing address is:
Charlie Ratchford Centre, Belmont Street, London, NW1 8HF

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