Voluntary Action Camden e-Bulletin – 24th June 22

Become a VAC member and help us connect and amplify the many voices of the Voluntary and Community Sector in Camden.
Membership is free, including our practical help, which can be accessed here.

Click on the link box above, join us today and add your voice to ours.

We also have opportunities available to join the VAC team, surveys, events and other opportunities from around the Camden area.

The CAP works in partnership with community organisations to develop good practice in understanding, supporting and actively engaging with users that may be experiencing mental illness.

The project seeks to break down barriers and raise cultural awareness across and within communities in a sensitive and confidential manner.

To learn more about the CAP’s mission, how the project works, our partners and how to get in touch, please click here

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

Community Safeguarding Partnership’s upcoming sessions
It’s not too late to grab your free ticket for the Community Safeguarding Partnership’s upcoming sessions.
Free for VAC members, organisations and groups delivering services to under 18’s in Camden:

Virtual Women and Girls’ Personal Safety and Awareness.
Monday Jun 27th 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Learn more and get your ticket here

Virtual Introduction to Safer Recruitment: for small orgs and community groups.
Monday Jul 11th 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Learn more and get your ticket here

Focus on Organisational Development this Summer with Link UP!
Link UP London provides access to bespoke skilled support for charities, social enterprises and community groups for free.

Link UP Volunteers have industry specific knowledge in areas of crucial importance to any charitable organisation’s development such as finance, legal, human resources, communications, data analysis, social media, and much more.

Book a chat here
Or sign up directly here

TfL bus service review
Available until 12th July

TfL are looking for your feedback in their bus review consultation
Following a review of London’s bus network, TfL has launched a public consultation proposing changes to bus routes, including some in Hammersmith and Fulham borough.

Find out which bus routes are included and take TfL’s survey here

Camden New Town Community Festival
Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th July in Camden Square Gardens NW1

Saturday, 4pm-8pm includes Jazz, poetry and ‘open mike’
Sunday, 12pm-6pm is a day for Families.

To book a stall (Sunday only), volunteer or make a donation please contact the Festival team on 020 7485 6827 or email: festival.mlcc@yahoo.co.uk

Camden Safer Neighbourhood Board (SNB) AGM
12th July.

The meeting will start at 6.30 with the formal AGM. It will be followed from 7.15/30 with a discussion around the subject of `Building trust and confidence in policing’. Speakers will include Sophie Linden the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime.

To join, please email camdensnb@somerstown.org.uk

Russell Cooke Charity bulletin
In their last newsletter, the Russell Cooke Charity bulletin summarised the key changes that would be brought in by the Charities Act 2022.
The Government has now published an implementation plan explaining when the changes made by the Act will be legally effective. The first changes are expected in Autumn 2022, with the rest taking effect in Spring or Autumn 2023.

To keep up to date or learn more about regulatory and legal updates for charities, visit their website here

Birmingham University & Camden adult social care survey
Birmingham University is working with Camden Council to find out how adult social care may be helping to make people’s lives better, what works well and what is not working.
The research includes 2 confidential interviews, one at the start and another approximately six months later. These interviews would ask about your life, how things may be changing for you, and what you may (or may not have found helpful. Lasting 30-45 minutes the interviews will take place either over the phone or via zoom, depending on preference.
To thank participants there is a £20 shopping voucher available for the first interview, and an additional £30 voucher for the second

If you are interested or would like to know more about the research please contact Philip Kinghorn on p.kinghorn@bham.ac.uk or on 07754 708 202

Camley Street Festival
Sunday 26th June, 11-4pm.
Camley Street Underpass, Near 120 Camley Street, N1C 4PG

Join us for a fun-packed day as part of this year’s London Festival of Architecture for the grand opening of ‘Connecting Camley Street’ – an art installation designed by local young people and artists Rochester Square – by Deputy Mayor Nazma Rahman at 1pm.
With fantastic performances by local musicians, complimentary food for local residents and the chance to have your say on future plans for the redevelopment of Camley Street.
Contact us to learn more at camleystreet@camden.gov.uk

North London Cares vacancy: Programme Coordinator (Social Clubs)
Deadline: 11.59pm 4th July 2022

North London Cares seeks to bring together people across Camden and Islington to tackle loneliness, increase connections and reduce isolation.
One of our wonderful Social Clubs Coordinators is off on her travels from September, so we are looking for a new full time Programme Coordinator to start in August.

For more details or to apply, please click here

C4WS Women’s Group vacancy: Voluntary Facilitator
Deadline: Friday 8th July
Hours: Estimated 5-6 hours fortnightly

The C4WS Women’s Group prides itself on being a peer-led space for women in the C4WS network.
The group meets fortnightly and connect over a variety of activities including painting, crochet, card-making, workshops, spa experiences, and events/day trips.

At each session, there is also an opportunity for members to stock up on toiletries, sanitary products, and clothing. Every member can also claim for travel reimbursement.
We are looking for somebody who will coordinate the group and facilitate its sessions going forward. The position is voluntary only (expenses reimbursed).

To apply please send your CV and a cover letter (no more than two A4 sides) to jobs@c4wshomelessproject.org
NB: The position requires an enhanced DBS check. Training around processes and policies will be provided.

Pascal Theatre Company: Vacancy for Heritage Project Manager
Deadline: 13 July 2022

Pascal Theatre Company are looking for an experienced, freelance Project Manager to work part-time on a two year Women’s Heritage programme. The appointee will oversee all strands of the project. These include managing community workshops, events, film, research and the development of website resources. Close collaboration with the Director is required to realise the main aims, outcomes and outputs. Work will be hybrid and hours are flexible.

For further information, please contact Sally: sally@pascal-theatre.com

The Royal Free Charity vacancy: Volunteer Team Database Administrator.
This is a part-time role, 22.5 hours per week over 3 days in the office. Maternity Cover, initially 9 months with a possible extension to 12 months

The main task of the role is to manage the volunteer database and communicate with the volunteers.
To apply please submit a CV, equal opportunity form and supporting statement addressing how you meet the criteria set out in the job description and person specification.

To view the full job description and apply please click this link or email your request to peopleteam@royalfreecharity.org

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

Ask the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan and Deputy Mayors about issues that matter – from cycling to jobs, the environment to housing and more – at the annual State of London Debate 2022.

To find out more please click here

Local Newsletters:

SHAK
Latin American House
Creative Lives
Healthwatch Camden
Young Camden Foundation
AWN
West Euston Project (WEP)
London Sport (sign up)
Forum+ 
Charity Tax Group
Dragon Hall Newsletter

The income threshold for applicant groups has been increased to allow a wider variety of VCS groups to apply, the use of space now includes Hot Desking and VAC support to get you going is stronger than ever!

VAC is administering the scheme. Our intention is to keep the process as simple as possible to minimise any administrative burden on the groups, VAC and of course the organisations providing space.
Not all venues are part of the scheme so please do check out our room hire directory here
For more information and to see if your group is eligible visit our website here or contact Ricky at rsingh@vac.org.uk

Applications Invited for Next Round of the Building Strong Communities Fund
Deadline: 1pm on Monday 8 August 2022

London’s communities have been hard hit by COVID-19. Some communities have been disproportionally affected, many of whom already experience long term inequality and disadvantage in areas such as health, employment, housing and access to green spaces.

The Mayor of London is offering funding for London equity-led voluntary and community sector organisations to enable communities to shape their recovery from COVID-19, through community-led projects.

To learn more about the details and outcomes, please click here

Christmas Challenge 2022 applications are now open! Apply for funding from the Childhood Trust.
Closing date: Friday 1st July

The Childhood Trust is London’s child poverty charity, dedicated to alleviating the impact of poverty on children living in the capital and offers financial support to children’s charities in London through matched-funding campaigns. We are looking for charities that have an existing supporter base and an appetite to engage with us and with the public.

Charities who participate in our campaigns receive workshops on how to run a successful fundraising campaign, one-to-one support on any aspect of the campaign, connections with other charities working with children and young people across London, raised profile and visibility through broader campaigns and events and other activities to raise awareness of the issues around child poverty.

To learn more, please click here
Or email campaigns@childhoodtrust.org.uk

The Weavers’ Company Fund
Deadline 14 July

Small registered charities can apply for grants of up to £15,000 for projects working with young offenders; prisoners and ex-prisoners as well as young disadvantaged people at risk of criminal involvement.

Priority will be given to smaller organisations which offer direct services with an income of not more than about £250,000. Funding is available for those helping disadvantaged young people, those from 5 to 30 years of age and groups supporting offenders and ex-offenders, particularly those under 30 years of age

To learn more, please click here

Launch of Government’s VCSE Health and Wellbeing Fund 2022-25
Application Deadline 5 August 2022: 9am

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), and NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSEI), the system partners, are seeking applications from VCSE sector organisations for the next round of the Health and Wellbeing Fund.
The system partners value the significant contribution that the VCSE sector makes towards improving health and care. The VCSE sector is a key partner in delivering strategic priorities and improving health and wellbeing across England.

To support this, the system partners are jointly releasing the VCSE Health and Wellbeing Fund 2022 to 2025 to support projects and programmes led by VCSE organisations.
The theme of the 2022 to 2025 fund is women’s reproductive wellbeing in the workplace.

For more details, please click here

Trust for London Local Action Poverty Fund
“Trust for London has once again teamed up with Crowdfunder to launch the Local Action Poverty Fund.
Using the power of the crowd, we’ll be helping projects to find the funding and support they need to turn their ideas into a reality.”

Learn more here

Other available funders include:

• Civil Society
• Ian McLintok’s LinkedIn blog
• Charity Bank 
• Grants Online
• My Funding Central
• Idox Camden 4 Community

Learn more here

Making Every Contact Count – Supporting residents with the cost of living crisis
30th June and more!

Making Every Contact Count (MECC) is about assisting front line workers to support residents by using opportunities in conversations we’re already having to signpost further support.

Making Every Contact Count have added a new short online course, covering the basics of MECC, the impacts of the cost of living crisis and information on how best to support residents who are struggling financially.

Courses are free to staff working in Camden and Islington, to book a place, please click here

Scholarships for the Black community – Imperial College London
As part of Imperial College London’s investment in their drive to increase Black inclusivity amongst their student body and promote the uptake of STEM subjects in the Black community, including 50 scholarships available over the next 5 years, Imperial are hosting a number of exciting upcoming opportunities for Black students.

Revolutions in Engineering (RiE) – Revolutions in Engineering is a two week project-based experience at Imperial College London for Black undergraduate engineering students that runs between the 11th-22nd July.
Researchers of African heritage or Afro-Caribbean heritage are under-represented in the UK engineering-research community. Imperial wants to help change this and are inviting all Black students with African-related heritage who are in year 2 or 3 of an engineering or computing degree to apply. The programme is being provided at a full scholarship worth £1,500, though you will need have accommodation in London and pay for your own travel.
Apply for the programme here

A date for your diary: The Camden Mela
A celebration of our culturally diverse community together again.
The Camden Mela is coming up on 17th July at Coram’s Fields from 12pm – 6pm

If you would like to apply for a stall, please email nasim.ali@kcbna.org.uk

Free Mental Health First Aid Training
Rethink Mental Illness are funded by the council to deliver Mental Health First Aid Training sessions to anyone based (live/work/study/volunteer) in Camden or Islington.
The sessions are delivered online, or in person, and if the delegate attends all sessions and completes the online work, they will receive a Mental Health First Aid qualification

Upcoming courses include:
Mental Health Awareness (Online)  – 28th June – 3.5 hours
Mental Health First Aid (In Person) – 20th and 21st July – Location TBC in Camden or Islington – 2 days
Mental Health First Aid (Online) – 20th, 21st, 27th and 28th July – 4 x 2.5 hour sessions

For other courses and to book, please click here

‘Sculpture in the air’ at Coals Drop Yard
Recently unveiled at Coals Drop Yard, the Woven Wonders installation by artist Sheila Hicks, who is known for distinctive colours and natural materials, will be viewable until October

Umoja Health Forum looking to recruit Volunteer Organisers
Umoja Health Forum is a voluntary organisation which leads thirteen small African organisations from Sub – Saharan Africa, providing health and social care, addressing both physical and mental health.
We are looking to recruit Volunteer Organisers for different projects, which involve planning a variety of weekly activities for local residents.
These include promoting and delivering projects, recruiting local residents, general managing, monitoring and reporting on project work.
All volunteer travel and expenses paid.
Interested candidates should email Umoja at: umojahealthforum54@gmail.com or call Chikwaba Oduka on 07970418893, to express their interest or find out more.

These market stalls will be situated on Buck Street and Camden Market between July and August 2022, in the heart of Camden and London.
The offer includes a market stall, a funding contribution to purchase initial stall equipment and access to enterprise support training.

To arrange a call to find out more, please email economicdevelopment@camden.gov.uk
or visit the website here

VAC Community Directories
VAC is pleased to announce the launch of our new Community Directory services for Camden groups.
Our online directories provide a space for voluntary and community groups in Camden to promote their services and activities. Searching the directory then allows residents and other stakeholders in Camden to easily connect with groups and access services and valuable support.
You can search our Directories to find and connect with groups, find community space to rent or hire and find healthy activities and social opportunities in Camden’s green spaces and parks.

VAC Training Resources
VAC deliver regular training for Camden voluntary and community groups. We also run seminars on topical policy issues and themes, and host regular events aimed at the specific needs of the local community.

To view our on-demand resources, please click here

Civic Futures 2022: Open for applications and nominations
Deadline: Monday 4 July 2022

Civic Futures 2022 is open for nominations and applications and welcome you to apply or nominate someone you think would make a great addition to this year’s programme.
Civic Futures is a Fellowship Programme facilitated by Koreo, Dark Matter Labs and The Young Foundation, in partnership with the Greater London Authority (GLA)

If you want to take part in Civic Futures then you can express your interest here
Or to nominate someone else, please do so here

Past Voluntary Action Forums: Resources

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

Our mailing address is:
Greenwood Centre, Greenwood Place, London, NW5 1LB

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