Voluntary Action Camden

Voluntary Action Camden e-bulletin – 23rd September 2022

 


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VAC Weekly Newsletter
23rd September 2022

Become a Member

VAC Membership
As a VAC member you will be part of a dedicated network through which you can express your views and contribute your knowledge and expertise to the benefit of your organisation and all the Camden VCS.

Membership is free, click on the link box above and join us today

Highlights

This week we have a bumper edition, and we once more spotlight our important work with Google to provide office space for small organisations in Camden.
We also have information on a range of local events and opportunities from around the Camden area.

VAC administered Google Grants
The VAC administered Google Grants scheme is still ongoing.

VAC have been funded by Google to provide up to £300 per quarter for small organisations looking to book one-off spaces to work in or to hold community sessions and training, and up to £600 for the ongoing rent of office and hot desking space.

It is available to small voluntary or community sector organisation with income under £150,000 a year looking to book a venue in Camden,

To find out more, please click here
or get in contact with Ricky at Rsingh@vac.org.uk

VAF: The Camden VCSE Sector in the New Health System 

On 21st September VAC hosted the Voluntary Action Forum: Delivering the North Central London VCSE Strategy. It was a great session with useful insights from local groups. This is just the beginning of designing the way we want to work within the new health system in Camden and in North Central London.

Read more about the session here

Camden Children’s Services BSL Video

Camden Council has published its first video explaining Camden’s children’s services and the support available to families in the borough in British Sign Language (BSL). The video, which features signing interpreters as well as full English subtitles, gives a detailed summary of services and support available for children and families, including Children in Need, Early Help and Child Protection services.
Watch the video here

The “B” Word Series Events 

Every Wednesday from 5th October at the London Irish Centre.

The series of events hosted by IamI includes the Spoken Word sessions ‘Enough Words’. Team up with facilitators to work towards producing your own piece and perform live to family and friends. The Melanin Rising Workshop explores the ingredients, special properties and the making of skin cream. Book your space here

Black Entrepreneurs Event 

Wednesday 5th October: 6pm-8pm

As part of Black History Season, Camden is hosting a Black Entrepreneurs event to provide tools for business owners and start-ups to succeed in the world of business. Hosted by Ndu Uchea (Word on the Curb) and a panel of industry experts, the event will be an opportunity to gain invaluable insight into areas including building confidence, resilience and overcoming self-sabotage.

To sign up, please click here

Startup School for Seniors 

Advantages of Age is offering online courses for Londoners aged 50+ looking to start their own businesses.

The course is delivered online by entrepreneur Suzanne Noble and business coach Mark Elliott. They create a fun, interactive learning experience and support you to progress week by week. Fully sponsored places are available to residents of London.

Register your place on the next available course here.

EcoCounts Workshop: Reduce your bills and your CO2 

Monday 26th September at Islington Climate Centre: 7pm-9pm

We all need to save money on our energy bills, so come and find out how other people have been doing it. Pick up tips about how to swat the kilowatts and cut the carbon through group discussion and input from practitioners. Entry is free.

For more information contact Adam on adam.hardy@ecocounts.community

LIFT: Affordable Coworking Spaces 

LIFT can help entrepreneurs from underrepresented backgrounds in Camden, Islington, Hackney and Tower Hamlets to access co-working space, no matter your financial situation. This includes people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, women, lone parents and people with disabilities, who are underrepresented in these industry sectors.

For more information, contact lift.futures@islington.gov.uk

Addressing Poverty in London:

London Challenge Poverty Week: 17-23 Oct 2022 

London Challenge Poverty Week is coming up soon. It is coordinated by 4in10: London’s Child Poverty Network. Find out more here.

London Child Poverty Alliance Summit: 20 Oct 2022

The London Child Poverty Alliance are hosting the London Child Poverty Summit on 20 October. Find out more and book your tickets here.

Call for ideas around addressing poverty 

Together with Joseph Rowntree Foundation, New Local has launched a Call for Learning & Ideas to explore local approaches to addressing these challenges. Find out more here.

Help shape Clean Air Action in Camden 

Camden Council is consulting on a new Clean Air Action Plan which sets out their plan for the next 4 years to clean Camden’s air. Share your thoughts and ideas to shape their projects and policies, and find out how you can help by reducing air pollution and protecting your health.

Learn more here

Institute of Health Equity Report: Fuel poverty, cold homes and health inequalities 

This report reviews the evidence on both the direct and indirect impacts of fuel poverty and cold homes on health; the effects of inequalities and the relationship between health inequalities and climate change. It makes the case for prioritising reducing fuel poverty through policy suggestions at both the national and local level.

Read the report here.

Government Scheme to Cut Energy Bills

A new government scheme will see energy prices for non-domestic energy customers such as businesses, charities and public sector organisations cut – protecting them from rising energy costs. The scheme will cover energy use for 6 months from 1 October 2022 to 31 March 2023, and is in addition to the Energy Price Guarantee for households.

Read more here

Canopy: Looking for Partner Organisations 

Canopy is looking for a partner organisation who are working with young people, based in Camden and interested in the environment. They have a project funded by the National Lottery Community Fund and are looking for a partner to deliver with them in Spring/Summer 2023.

For more information, please contact jake@canopy.si.

Free Specialty Coffee Traineeship with Well Grounded 

Get free training, accreditations, work experience and job opportunities in coffee on an 8-week Alpro-sponsored programme this October.

You’ll learn everything you need to be a barista, take on a 4-week work placement and go into work in the coffee industry.

To apply, please contact info@wellgroundedjobs.co.uk

Latin American House vacancy: Office Manager 

Closing date: 3rd October

Latin American House is looking for an Office Manager to be the key person of the organisation’s central operations, providing an effective administrative support function at their Centre.

For more information and to apply, please click here.

Newsletter Submissions
Please send any information (approximately 50-75 words long) that you would like included in our weekly newsletter to social@vac.org.uk

Cost of Living Support in Camden
We are all feeling the impact of the rise in the cost of living. We have collected a range of links below to help people to manage some of the challenges associated with the higher cost of living:

Home (shine-london.org.uk) – save money on energy bills
https://findfood.camden.gov.uk
Help With the Cost of Living | London City Hall
Free and impartial help with money, backed by the government | MoneyHelper
WISH Plus – Camden Council – Energy efficiency advice and income maximisation checks
Cost of Living Signposting Resource | London Plus

Cost of living crisis: Joint statement
The Directory of Social Change has united with other sector infrastructure bodies across the UK to call for an urgent response to the cost of living crisis.

The statement urges the government to urgently deliver meaningful financial support to those in the greatest need, and to provide targeted financial assistance for those charities, voluntary organisations and communities that are on the frontline of this crisis.

Read the full statement here.

Collective action letter: charitable food aid is not the solution to financial hardship
The Independent Food Aid Network (IFAN), together with the Trussell Trust and Feeding Britain, is gathering signatures from individuals working and volunteering with food banks, community kitchens and other organisations providing food poverty relief for a joint letter to the new Prime Minister. The letter asks for urgent action to end the need for charitable food aid as a solution to financial hardship

Find the letter here

Local Newsletters:

SHAK
Young Camden Foundation (Funding Newsletter)
AWN (sign up)
London Sport (sign up)
Fitzrovia Community Centre
Coram’s Field Community Newsletter (sign up)
CAWH Newsletter

If you would like your Camden VCS newsletter added to this list, please email social@vac.org.uk

The Baobab Collective Fund 

Closing date: 5pm on 25th September

Baobab have announced a new £3 million fund to grow, sustain, and strengthen Black and Global Majority communities that are resisting racial injustice in the UK.

Learn more here

The People’s Project Fund 

Closing date: 12 noon on Friday 7th October 2022, or when an application limit has been reached.

The National Lottery is giving community organisations the chance to apply for funding of up to £70,000. After a national campaign the winners will be decided by public vote.

Learn more here

Resident Opportunities and Empowerment Grant
Closing date for applications: 2nd October 2022

This new grant is intended to enable non-profit making organisations with social housing sector experience to help tenants take an active role in how their home is managed.

Learn more here

GLA Funding: Warmer Homes Programme
With energy bills continuing to rise, the Mayor is urging Londoners, local authorities, and community organisations to raise awareness of the Warmer Homes programme with anyone who may be eligible.
The scheme offers free energy efficiency grants of up to £25,000 to households with a residual income of up to £20,000 per year after rent/mortgage and council tax.

Learn more here

To re-discover funding removed from this list, please see our newsletter archive here

Other available funders include:

Health Event at the London Irish Centre.
Wednesday 28th September in the Macnamara Hall: 11am-3pm

This event is run in partnership with Irish in Britain and involves various physical and mental health support, exercise sessions, massage and access to social prescribing services.
It is open to everyone, so feel free to drop in.

Free Health & Well-being Opportunities for Adults in Camden
In response to the current cost of living crisis, Castlehaven Community Association has launched a brand new programme of free activities and workshops, providing adults in Camden with free access to health & well-being activities and learning opportunities.
From weekly Self Defence, Pilates, Mindfulness & Boxercise sessions to one-off workshops such as Foraging, and CV Writing, we have opportunities for everyone to cultivate healthy habits

For more information please click here

An open training session on gambling, its impact and related harms.
2pm – 4pm on 26th September 2022, Online

The subject of gambling and its associated harms is acknowledged by experts as a serious health issue, with far reaching consequences. It negatively affects finances, mental health and relationships, not just for the gambler but for the those around them. If you would like to know more about gambling addiction and related harms, please join this free CPD accredited webinar

To register please click here

Free workshops for the Camden Community from Hampstead Theatre and The Winch
Hampstead Theatre and The Winch are delighted to launch a programme of free workshops for the Camden community.  Uniquely devised in partnership with residents from the local area, ‘Community Creates’ will provide free arts and crafts activities in various local locations from September 2022 through to 2023.

A programme and more information is available both from Hampstead Theatre here
And The Winch here

VAC is looking for an SEO Volunteer
VAC has gone through the process of developing a brand proposition, values and redesigning our website, but we now need some assistance to ensure our website is properly optimised so that we can better reach those in Camden who are looking for our help.
We are looking for an expert SEO volunteer who can help VAC handle SEO for our website so its pages are represented accurately in search engines, presenting information in ways that make it easier to find the organisation.

For more information please click here

Volunteering with VAC! Join our Community Links Team
Are you able to commit to at least 2 hours per week and interested in supporting people in your community to access health and wellbeing services?

Community Links Volunteers are a part of the Care Navigation and Social Prescribing Service in Camden. They support social prescribing in a variety of ways including signposting residents to community-based activities, helping with referrals, motivating users to connect with new interests and activities, accompanying residents to appointments and introducing them to a range of different opportunities in Camden.

For more info and to apply, please click here
Or contact Mandira Manandhar on mmanandhar@vac.org.uk or 020 7284 6573

Kilburn Older Voices Exchange vacancy: Coordinator.
KOVE are looking for someone with sound administrative skills and a knowledge of charity organisation to support their activities and help develop a more age-friendly Kilburn. You’ll need to work freelance, flexibly, from home for two days a week. A warm-hearted commitment to the full citizenship of all older people is essential.

To view the full job description please click here
The application process starts with an informal phone conversation with the former coordinator, Mel Wright. To apply for this role, please contact: melwillwright@gmail.com

The Salvation Army’s mentoring programme looking for volunteer mentors
The Salvation Army’s mentoring programme supports survivors of modern slavery and are looking for volunteer mentors.
We aim to support, empower and champion individuals to set and achieve their goals, build confidence, and establish life in community.
You would be paired with a fellow mentor to meet with a mentee fortnightly for 12 months. We are looking for female and male applicants.

If you would like to discuss this opportunity further, please contact ATMSMentoring@salvationarmy.org.uk

Lifting Limits are recruiting a Trustee with expertise in Fundraising
We are looking for a new trustee with experience in fundraising and implementing fundraising strategies.
Lifting Limits’ mission is to challenge gender stereotyping and promote gender equality, in and through education.

For more information, please read the role description here.
The position has a rolling deadline, so please apply as soon as possible!

Long Covid survey
The Community Links team at VAC are working with the University of Southampton to facilitate a study into Long Covid. If you had, or think you had, Covid 3 or more months ago and yet continue to experience symptoms that are not explained by any other health conditions the study would like to talk to you about your experiences.

Symptoms can include, but are not limited to: exhaustion, memory or concentrations issues, breathlessness, persistent headaches and muscle aches, chest tightness, palpitations, dizziness and sleep disturbance.
As a token of appreciation there is a £15 shopping voucher available for participation.

The Community Links team at VAC can also assist Camden residents with access to the long covid clinic at UCLH.
For further information please contact Nasrin at nrashid@vac.org.uk or Donna Clutterbuck at LongCovid@soton.ac.uk or on 07721520243

Stakeholder workshop: What does it mean to live a good life in Camden?
Tuesday 27 September: 3pm – 4:30pm

This online workshop by London Borough of Camden is about ‘Good Life Camden’, a wellbeing framework which is being built to measure what it means to live a good life in Camden.
They are seeking the perspective of organisations working in Camden on what your beneficiaries, customers or service users tell you is important to them – from health, to education, to civic participation – and any data you can share to help build a framework with the people of Camden.

To register your place, please click here

Healthy Start scheme
The Healthy Start scheme supports pregnant women and families to eat healthily and to access vitamins.
Do you receive income support? You could get help to buy milk, fruit, vegetables and infant formula.

If you’re pregnant or have children under the age of 4, the Healthy Start scheme can give you:
£4.25 each week from the 10th week of your pregnancy
£8.50 each week for children from birth to 1 year old
£4.25 each week for children between 1 and 4 years old
All pregnant women and families with young children can also get free Healthy Start vitamins from children’s and health centres.

To apply, please click here

Past Voluntary Action Forums: Resources

You can find presentations, recordings and resources from past forums here.

Got an item for the e-bulletin?

Send your item to social@vac.org.uk by noon on Thursday for publication in the following day’s edition. The e-bulletin comes out every Friday. Submissions should be 50 – 75 words. Please send plain text or a format that can be copied (ie not embedded in an image). Send links to documents rather than attachments. Make sure to include contact details.

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