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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. 

VAC Training for Members

• CEO NETWORK: Creating a Workforce for the Future – 6 days left to book! 
• GDPR – Advanced
• Safeguarding and Social Media – Polarising, misinformation, and online predators
• Safeguarding for Volunteers – virtual workshop
• CAMDEN NEW GROUPS NETWORK  peer support meeting

See details and book a place in our Events and Training section

VAC seeks Treasurer – Join our Board of Trustees

We are seeking a new trustee to take on the exciting role of Treasurer to join our experienced and passionate Board of Trustees. Find out more on  VAC website:
https://vac.org.uk/vacancies/treasurer-of-board-of-trustees/

Creating a Workforce for the Future
30^th November 8.30am – 10.00am
There are just 6 days left to book yourself onto VAC’s second CEO Network event: Creating a workforce for the future.

Understanding what skills are existent or missing in the voluntary sector workforce is an important step to better supporting the sector. We will be joined by Rebecca Young, our guest speaker from NCVO. This is a free session for Camden VCS CEOs. Tea, coffee and light refreshments will be provided at the Old Diorama Arts Centre, 201 Drummond Street, London NW1 3FE .
For more information please contact: Keith Morgan at kmorgan@vac.org.uk
To book a place visit VAC website: https://vac.org.uk/get-involved/forums-and-networks/camden-ceo-network/  

CONNECT  LEARN  SHARE

VAC NEW GROUPS NETWORK 

This is a Network for all the new groups that VAC have provided with consultancy support recently and for any community group or individual considering starting a charity, social enterprise or community group. The Network will be discussing the common challenges and requirements that you face when starting a new charity, social enterprise, or community group. You will have the opportunity to share experiences with others and seek the advice and support of your peers. If you want to join email Vania at vguetova@vac.org.uk

Cost of living community workshops announced
Camden’s voluntary and community sector has played a critical and ongoing role in supporting residents most impacted by the rising cost of living. The council are organising a series of community workshops to identify ways in which voluntary sector organisations, community and faith groups, public services and active citizens can work together to provide support to those who need it most.

This community response project will be making small grants of between £5,000 and £25,000 available to organisations to develop long-term partnerships that support and improve outcomes for those most impacted by poverty and economic exclusion. There are a number of workshops being held from Monday 4^th December – Wednesday 13^th December. To see details and find out more about the Cost of Living Fund, please register your interest and sign up to a conversation HERE.

Becoming a school governor
Could you make a positive impact on a school in Camden? School governors are one of the largest groups of volunteers in the country. It’s a great opportunity to use your life experience and skills to make a real difference.

We want to ensure that our school governing bodies reflect the diverse communities they serve. Find out more. 

Alternative COP Climate Conference for Londoners 
The Camden New Journal and Islington Tribune newspapers are hosting a COP climate conference at the London Irish Centre on Saturday, December 9, 2023. There will be panel discussions throughout the day as well as an eco Christmas market. Speakers include Mariana Mazzucato, Anna Minton, Kwajo Tweneboa and Roger Hallam. Entry is free. 

Find out more about Census 2021 Outputs
Camden Council is putting on a briefing on the Census 2021 outputs. Come and find out more about the outputs of the 2021 and tell us how you use the population data for Camden that we collate and make available (namely the Borough Profile, the Business and Employment Bulletin, the State of the Borough report), and to tell us how we might improve access and usability. Register your interest on Eventbrite.

Age UK launches Warm Heart Camden Campaign 
Almost 1 in 4 older Londoners are now living in poverty and the number of Londoners over the age of 50 living in poverty has increased by 5% over the past decade. With many older residents in the borough now skipping meals and going without heating to save money, Age UK Camden is asking individuals and businesses to get involved and donate. All donations welcome, big or small. For example, if you are eligible for the winter fuel allowance, but don’t need it yourself, you could choose to donate the amount to help those who need it this winter.  All donations will be used within the borough of Camden to help deliver Age UK Camden’s vital services to older people.

Community snow clearing 
Every winter Camden council grit key roads and footpaths in Camden. If you’re able to, you can also help keep your local pavements clear from snow and ice for your community.
Camden residents and community groups can be provided with snow shovels and bags of grit salt for this. Find out more about this offer, our library stall giveaways and request free snow shovels and grit here.

Camden’s Disability Oversight Panel
Invites all disabled residents, carers and supporting VSC organisations to attend its forthcoming public engagement session ‘The Housing Allocations Journey – hearing from you’.* This is taking place on Tuesday 5 December 2023 at The Crowndale Centre, 218 Eversholt Street .
With BSL Interpreters and Caption/ Speech to Text Support. You can contact disabilityoversight@camden.gov.uk or call 0207 9743 578 to register, and for transport help.

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 by no later than 12pm on Wednesday for inclusion in the Friday newsletter. 

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:  https://vac.org.uk/our-services/fundraising/current-funding-opportunities/

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

THE PHOENIX WAY: Children and Youth Round Now Accepting Applications

About the Fund

The Phoenix Way, led by The Ubele Initiative and supported by Global Fund for Children, is a grant-making initiative aimed at transforming Black and racially minoritised communities. It was established in partnership with six Regional Leads and with the support of several new UK funders, including The Youth Endowment Fund and the Lloyds Bank Foundation for England & Wales. We are excited to announce that The Phoenix Way: Children and Youth Round is now open for applications. 
Application Deadline is Sunday December 3rd. 

Please click here for more details. 

Lloyds Bank Foundation’s Funding Programme for Specialist Small Charities Opens 

We are open for applications from Wednesday, 1 November 2023, 10am.                            More Details: Please click here for more details. 

Apply to the Camden Youth Dance Festival in February 2024
Schools, colleges, and community groups are invited to apply to take part in the Camden Youth Dance Festival, an annual celebration of dance by young people across Camden, which is taking place on Wednesday 28 February 2024.
It’s a fantastic chance for young people from schools and community groups in our local borough to showcase their talent on a professional stage at renowned dance venue The Place, King’s Cross.

• When: The festival will be taking place on Wednesday 28 February 2024, 7pm
• Where: The Place, 17 Duke’s Road, London WC1H 9PY
• Deadline for applications: Monday 11 December, 6pm. Apply here.

Dancers must be aged 11 to 18. Pieces can be up to seven minutes long, with no more than 25 dancers per group.
Apply by filling in the online form. If you want more information about the festival, please email maria.ryan@theplace.org.uk.

The National Lottery Community Fund
The UK Fund 
The UK Fund

We’re looking to fund organisations that want to do more to help communities come together and help make us a better-connected society UK-wide.                                            Funding size £500,000 to £5 million                                                                                    Deadline: ongoing

Reaching Communities
The Reaching Communities Fund from the National Lottery Community Fund is for projects that make a positive impact in and across communities.
Deadline: ongoing

The King Charles III Charitable Fund is set to launch its Small Grants Programme in January 2024.
This new programme focuses on supporting projects that contribute to the environment, countryside, social inclusion,  health and wellbeing, education, heritage and conservation. Each year, the fund will allocate grants of up to £5,000 to about 100 community-based organisations, including Charities, Community Interest Companies, and Parish Councils.
To qualify for this funding, organisations must:

• Be a registered non-profit organisation in the UK.
• Have an annual income below £1 million.
• Have completed at least two years of operational activities.
• Possess less than six months of free reserves.

Useful Links:

• Guidance Notes
• FAQs

Link:
https://www.kccf.org.uk/small-grants/

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) FUNDING
We are pleased to be launching the second round of our ‘Your Station, Your Community’ Improvement Fund 2024/25, to support local groups, charities, our customers, and communities on our line of route.
The fund will support causes that are of key importance to us and local communities on our network, and which will build lasting social value for those communities.
For further information on what we are looking for in an application and the criteria please see our application guide. The details are available online:

https://www.thameslinkrailway.com/about-us/corporate-and-social-responsibility/your-station-your-community-improvement-fund
Applications close: 15^th December 2023

Camden 4 Community – Funding alerts and news for the VCSE 
 https://funding.idoxopen4community.co.uk/camdencommunity 

More funding news and information on VAC website at 
https://vac.org.uk/guides-and-resources/fundraising/funders
                                                                   

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

Managing and Complying with GDPR – Virtual workshop, Tuesday 28th November: 2-3pm – FREE
Are you the person directly responsible for managing GDPR at your organisation and ensuring your compliance with current legislation? Do you advise, induct or provide support to colleagues on the proper collecting and processing of users’ personal data and information? If there is a problem relating to data protection to people turn to you to sort it out? This online workshop aims to provide you with up to date knowledge and understanding of the UK GDPR.

To book follow the link and instructions on the VAC website:
https://vac.org.uk/event/managing-and-complying-with-gdpr/

Creating a Workforce for the Future – in person event for the Camden CEO Network, Tuesday 30th November 08:30 – 10am

Are we creating enough non-traditional employment pathways into the VCS? Are we replenishing the talent pool? How do we remain a competitive employer? We will be joined by Rebecca Young, our guest speaker. Rebecca is the Lead Policy and Influencing Manager at NCVO and works to ensure government policy supports charities and volunteers. Rebecca has been involved in publishing policy reports including, ‘Planning for tomorrow’s VCS workforce’ and will be sharing new insights and data. You will have the opportunity to join discussion tables.
Tea, coffee and light refreshments will be provided at The Old Diorama Arts Centre, 201 Drummond Street, London NW1 3FE 

This event is open to Camden VCS CEOs only. To book follow the link and instructions on the VAC website: https://vac.org.uk/event/ceo-network-creating-a-workforce-for-the-future/. Sign up to the Camden CEO Network here: https://vac.org.uk/get-involved/forums-and-networks/camden-ceo-network/
For more information please contact: Keith Morgan at kmorgan@vac.org.uk

NEW! Virtual Workshop: Safeguarding and Social Media – Polarising, misinformation, and online predators.

Thursday 30^th November, 10am – 11.30am

With its volume, reach and speed, social media can encourage millions of users to adopt extreme political or social positions. In this workshop, we will look at the impacts of online groups, tribes, and communities; how they polarise for profit, and at times validate dangerous behaviour.
With a focus on grooming, algorithms and the spread of disinformation that promotes division among communities, we will explore the role of safeguarding online in our increasingly digitalised world.

To book follow the link and instructions on the VAC website: https://vac.org.uk/event/virtual-workshop-safeguarding-and-social-media/

Virtual Introduction to Safeguarding for Volunteers    Thursday 30th November, 1pm – 2.30pm 
To Book please visit Eventbrite at: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/virtual-introduction-to-safeguarding-for-volunteers-tickets-757728836347?aff=oddtdtcreator
For more information please email dogunyemi@vac.org.uk  (Mon – Wed)

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, please register for the event on Eventbrite to receive the next meeting’s link:
https://vac.org.uk/event/camden-new-groups-network-vac-exciting-new-project-3/
For more information contact Vania Guetova at vguetova@vac.org.uk

OTHER EVENTS AND TRAINING: 

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

Festive events on Hampstead Heath
Join Heath Hands for festive wreath-making workshops and other festive events on Hampstead Heath. Wreath workshops cost £20 per person and start on 8^th December – we can sometimes run free workshops for local community groups – contact us for more info. We’ll also be hosting a photo exhibition and book on for our FREE January forest bathing workshops for a good start to 2024. More info: https://www.heath-hands.org.uk/whatson

Hampstead Heath calendar and other Heath goodies
Are you looking for Christmas gifts to support your local green space? Why not buy a Hampstead Heath calendar or book of walks from the Heath Hands webshop? Or you could give someone the gift of a wildlife home adoption or a Friends membership – great for last-minute gifts to arrive in inboxes on Xmas day!

TUNES VIBES GOOD TIMES – Steel Pan Music CIC

Thanks to an award from Camden’s Cultural Education and Learning Support Fund,  we’re now holding weekly sessions for local young people to take part in making music using acoustic steel pan and percussion, and to learn about steel pans’ rich heritage and fascinating connection to Camden. By providing this project at no cost, we welcome a wide audience of young people who may not otherwise have direct access to culture.
Mondays from 6pm The Warren Centre, Whitfield Place. WIT 5JU
For more information contact hi@steelpanmusic.org.uk
www.steelpanmusic.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 19^th December at 2pm.  Please call Sian Phillips 07483 332490 for more information.

BOLO Business Podcast Live Panel  

Camden Town Hall 1st December Free –  Black Owned London (BOLO) bring you this business podcast, the live final episode of a series looking at inspiring individuals seizing opportunities. It will be an interactive panel discussion inviting audience engagement – a great opportunity to celebrate Black businesses, leadership, and the vibrant culture of Camden.  Full information

Join us at ODAC on Tuesday 12th December to toast the end of the year with ODAC and Camden Giving.
2023 has been another great year at ODAC, with thousands of people from our vibrant community utilising our spaces weekly for creative endeavours, gatherings, and collaborative projects. And it has been for Camden Giving too, as they continue to ensure Camden’s wealth benefits citizens and grassroots charities.
Expect nibbles, entertainment and stalls and the opportunity to revel in the festive spirit!
RSVP by filling by clicking the invite above and filling in the form. If you RSVP, you’ll get your first drink free!

RESPECT TOLERANCE KINDNESS
Free workshops and training for all in the NEW YEAR
Visit educateagainsthate.com to learn how you can protect your pupils and join in :
25 January 2024 — Safeguarding Against Radicalisation (Virtual)
https://cscp.org.uk/courses/safeguarding-against-radicalisation/

27 February 2024 — Discrimination and Unconscious Bias (Face-to-Face)
https://cscp.org.uk/courses/discrimination-and-unconscious-bias-2024/

25 March 2024 — Online Safety Training — CEOP (Face-to-Face)
https://cscp.org.uk/courses/online-safety-training/

Mind in Camden Is Recruiting
There is a vacancy for a Mental Health Link Worker at Mind in Camden, which is a part-time fixed term position with a probable extension. The closing date for applications is 13.00 on Tuesday 5th December 2023. You can find out more information here. 

The Royal Free Charity is seeking an ambitious and talented Welfare Rights Supervisor to join their Support hub team.

This is being offered as either a part-time or full-time role, 30 or 37.5 hours per week, over four or five days. If you would like to view the job description please email jobs@royalfreecharity.org or check the link Welfare Rights Supervisor – Royal Free Charity
If interested, 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.

Impact Hub Community Engagement Manager Vacancy
The job advert for Impact Hub’s  Community Engagement Manager is now live – this role will be shared by Impact Hub  and Knowledge Quarter , and will be responsible for leading community engagement and outreach activities related to their  new space on Regent’s Place which opens in January 2024.
They are particularly interested in hiring someone with a local connection or lived experience.
All the details can be found on their website including details on how to apply.

Volunteer Centre Camden:

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 

Make a difference in your community – join Castlehaven’s Board of Trustees! 

Castlehaven Community Association are recruiting trustees with finance, IT, environment, equality, diversity, and inclusion skills who can offer their expertise and share their vision. Applications from all backgrounds are encouraged, especially those who live and work in Camden. Email ernie@castlehaven.org.uk to request an application pack and help shape CCA’s future.

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 (sign up)

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

Looking for a previous newsletter entry? Find it in our archive here

Find presentations, recordings and resources from past forums here

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

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