Voluntary Action Camden

Voluntary Action Camden e-bulletin 27th August 2021


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VAC Weekly Newsletter
27th August 2021

News  |  Funding  |  VAC Events  |  Other Events  |  Jobs & Volunteers  |  Offers & Resources

Highlights

Afghanistan; Video Competition; Learning Together; Thriving Communities Webinar; AntiUniversity Festival; Stop Hate UK; Camden New Town Festival; Changes at Hopscotch; Workshops from VAC; Here and There Exhibition + Newsletters + Resources + funding + jobs + volunteers & more

Feature 

Afghanistan

The VCS Emergencies Partnership (via London Plus) are collating information on the current situation. If you have relevant local information to share send to info@vac.org.uk so that we can upload to the VCSEP spreadsheet (please send Org Name, Website, Contact, Type of Activity by 31st Aug). There is a VCSEP national meeting on 31/8 and we should know more then including Red Cross collection points.
If you are planning a collection – the list of items to collect is here.
The request for DBS checked greeting volunteers is currently filled.
Refugee Action and Refugee Council have set up emergency appeals.
The Borough Resilience Forum is making preparations for arrivals to undertake their mandatory covid quarantine at an approved hotel. If you are able to support refugees quarantining with items from the above list contact BRF.
The council have made a statement here. Reports in the Ham & High and CNJ.

 

Video Competition for Young People “A Better Future”

Create a 2 minute (max) video on the theme ” a better future”.  Age categories 10-12 and 13 – 16.  Send you video to irene@cutmoose.com by 28 August.
Screening at the Camden New Town Community Festival on 12 September.

Learning Together

Involved in social prescribing already or want to get involved?  Join Learning Together, a free learning and development programme starting this Autumn.
~ Build new partnerships and network across sectors
~ Share and explore challenges and learn from others
~ Champion your work in social prescribing and supporting communities
Find out more here and apply by 17th September.

Thriving Communities webinar: Understanding Social Prescribing

Tuesday, 7 September. 3 – 4pm.
A new series of Thriving Communities webinars to learn more about what social prescribing is, how it works and how community groups can use it in your communities. We will be hearing from NHS England and NHS Improvement as well as community organisations who employ social prescribing link workers.

Antiuniversity Festival 2021

This year’s edition of Antiuniversity Festival opens in just over two weeks time, with a packed programme of nearly 70 walks, talks, workshops, experiments and interventions. Find out more here.

Stop Hate UK – Hate Crime Champions Training

Stop Hate UK are providing training for VCS groups interested in knowing more about how to use their 24-hour helpline to report hate crimes and hate incidents in Camden. This training provides an overview of all forms of Hate Crime and Hate Incidents, the impact on victims and communities and how you can help.
Thursday 30th September, 2pm-3.30pm, via Zoom.  Book at Eventbrite.

Camden New Town Community Festival

Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th September in Camden Square Gardens
Saturday Jazz, poetry & “open mike” 3.30 – 6.30
Sunday is family day – noon – 6pm
Parade, activities, live music, local history, green corner, food and refreshments
To book a stall, volunteer or make a donation please contact the Festival Office on 020 7267 9586 or Email: festival.mlcc@yahoo.co.uk

Changes at Hopscotch

Read the letter from Hopscotch CEO Benaifer Bhandari, explaining the changes at Hopscotch.

GDPR and Cyber Security Workshops

VAC have three online IT workshops planned in September
~ Introduction to Cyber Security and Keeping your Systems Safe  – 7/9/2021 10:30am -12pm
~ An Introduction to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) – Part 1 21/9/2021 3-5pm
~ An Introduction to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) – Part 2  28/9/2021 3-5pm
Full details and booking here

Here and There: Stories of British Bangladeshis in Camden

​​​​​​​This exhibition was commissioned by the Bengali Workers’ Association (BWA), curated by Faridha Karim and was first exhibited in 2011 at the Surma Centre, Robert Street, the home of the BWA.  You can now view it online.

Newsletters

RecommendMe for events in Camden
Young Camden Foundation
All Ways Network
Small Green Shoots
Fitzrovia Youth in Action

National


See the Funding pages on VAC’s website for all the latest information.
Access the Idox Camden 4 Community grant search here.

Free Data from Vodaphone

You can apply for free Vodafone SIMs, each loaded with 20GB data plus unlimited calls and texts to be used over 6 months. You can use these however you like.Multiple SIMs can be requested and repeat applications can be made if the organisation has a range of digital exclusion projects.
Applications will be reviewed and a decision to support made within 30 days. SIMs will be issued within 30 days of a positive decision and are ready for distribution from 1 September 2021. SIMs are available until 1 November 2022, or until the supplies run out. Full details and how to apply here.

eCargo Bike Grant Fund

Get up to 40% of the total cost of an ecargo bike, up to a maximum of £2,500 for two-wheel models and £4,500 for three-wheel models.  Maximum five bikes per organisation. Applications may include more than one organisation. Deadline 14 December.  Find out more here.

Mayor of London’s Sport Unites Fund

The Sport Unites Fund is offering grants of up to £50,000 for projects that use sport and physical activity to address one or more of these priorities:
~ Helping the most inactive people be more active
~ Improving people’s mental health and wellbeing
~ Decreasing isolation/loneliness
~ Strengthening connections in your local area and across communities
~ Reducing serious youth violence
Deadline: 12th November 2021. Find out more here.

Community Ideas Grants – Walking and Cycling

Grants of up to £5,000 for one year are available to projects that encourage walking and cycling activities, help get local communities active, improve health and wellbeing and reduce social isolation. Applicants can select from a list of template project ideas to deliver in their area and will receive additional support throughout the project process.
Applications for both grants are open until 10 September.
Find out more by clicking here, or call on 0207 239 1286 or email wcgl@groundwork.org.uk

Aviva Community Fund

Deadline 6th October. Grants of up to £50k are available for organisations to adapt or continue their vital services so they can help their beneficiaries during this time of need.  Find out more at the Aviva website.

We Make Camden Social Action Fund

Camden Giving has been awarded £90,000* to deliver the We Make Camden Social Action Fund. Organisations and individuals can apply for grants of £500-£1,500 for initiatives that support:
~ Social Action in the 4 mission areas (see below)
~ Social Cohesion
~ Local responses and solutions to challenges/ issues/ needs
In addition to the small grants, people can access support to apply, and you don’t need to be an incorporated community group or organisation to apply.
The “We Make Camden Kit” gives money and support to Camden residents and community groups who have great ideas for their communities.
Residents and community groups can apply via Camden Giving to receive up to £1,500 to deliver ideas that contribute to the four Camden missions:
~ Food poverty and sustainability
~ Diversity in positions of power
~ Health and sustainability of estates
~ Opportunities for young people

Grow Back Greener Fund now open

Grants between £10,000 and £75,000 are available across two themes: access to green space, and climate adaptation and water, to support local projects that will help create community gardens, revitalise parks, plant trees, create wildlife habitat, restore waterways and turn grey spaces into green. The fund will prioritise locations with poor access to green space and high vulnerability to the impacts of climate change.  Find out more and how to apply here.
Projects must be completed by November 2022.
Applications must be submitted by 5:00pm on Monday 13 September.

Strengthening Civil Society programme

New Barings funding to support expert legal ‘hub’ organisations. The funding is designed to help hub organisations to scale their activities to enable them to work with more civil society organisations to challenge discrimination and disadvantage and create long-term social change. Details here.

Lloyds Bank Foundation Racial Equity funding

Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales is to launch its Racial Equity funding for small and local charities that are led by and that support Black, Asian, and ethnic minority communities. Charities can apply for two-year unrestricted grants of £50,000 alongside development support.  Full details here.

NAVCA Funders List

A useful list of small trusts and foundations most useful to small charities.

Lists of Emergency Funders

 

VAC Events

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 organisations, community activists, social entrepreneurs, volunteers and anyone interested in local voluntary action. The Forum currently meets monthly online on the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 11am.
The Forum is taking a break in August – the next forum is on Wednesday 22nd September at 11am and is an opportunity to meet our new Chair, Benaifer Bhandari and we will also be launching our new image and website.   Book forums here.

Past Voluntary Action Forums: Resources

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

Safeguarding Courses:

Check back for details soon

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

Disability and Employment in Camden – A Conversation of Change event

Thursday, 9 September 1 – 4pm
Join CDA for a ‘conversation of change’ about what a new employment service could look like for Disabled residents of Camden.
The event will explore lived experience stories relating to employment of Disabled residents and people with long-term health conditions in Camden. Using the themes and topics from these stories, together we will come-up with initial ideas for a new employment service for Disabled people and those with long term health conditions. Full details and booking at Eventbrite. Access the Easy read version here.

Activities at QCCA

Visual Impairment Gym Sessions:
QCCA Camden Health Kick are offering FREE gym sessions to those with a visual impairment with our qualified personal trainer.
Please call: 020 7267 6635 or email: Sarah@qcca.org.uk for more information.
Girls Only Sports:
QCCA Sports Department are offering a FREE multi-sports session on Tuesdays between 6:30pm – 8pm for 10 – 14yr girls. Please call: 020 7267 6635 or email: Frances@qcca.org.uk for more information.
Girls Only Zumba:
QCCA Camden Health Kick are offering FREE women’s only Zumba sessions throughout the week, delivered by a qualified Zumba instructor.
Please call: 020 7267 6635 or email: Sarah@qcca.org.uk for more information.
Girls Only Family Yoga:
QCCA Camden Health Kick are offering FREE women’s only yoga for all ages, delivered by a qualified yoga instructor.
Please call: 020 7267 6635 or email: Sarah@qcca.org.uk for more information.
Family Sports Sessions:
QCCA Camden Health Kick are offering FREE family sport’s sessions throughout the week for all ages.
Please call: 020 7267 6635 or email: Frances@qcca.org.uk or Sarah@qcca.org.uk for more information.

Active London 2021

Active London is the largest conference in London dedicated entirely to the future of physical activity and sport. Across two days (Tuesday 21 and Wednesday 22 September), Active London will bring the sector together again. Collectively, we will explore how the pandemic has brought out the best in people and organisations across the sector and seen new and innovative approaches created.
Full details and booking here.

SHAK are looking for a new treasurer

SHAK are looking for a trustee who is resident to the area.
The Treasurer will have responsibilities to Oversee the financial affairs of the organisation and ensure they are legal, constitutional and
within accepted accounting practice, and to ensure proper records are kept and that effective financial procedures are in place.
Full details and how to apply on the SHAK website.  The deadline for applications is: Monday 30th August by CV and covering letter.  Further information from John Boyle jboyle@shakonline.co.uk

Mental Health Welfare Rights Development Worker

£23,469 inc ILW 35 hours pW
Mind in Camden are seeking a Welfare Rights Development Worker to join our new core team within Camden. You’ll be responsible for maintaining up-to-date welfare rights information, supporting colleagues with challenging welfare cases and ensuring that the team is equipped to support people with welfare rights issues and linked up with other welfare rights providers.
Interview dates:  1st round: Wednesday 8th September   2nd round:  Wednesday 15th September
Closing date: Wednesday 1 September at 9 am
Full details can be found here.

Restrictions Eased – some guidance

With restrictions now eased the Government, CIPD and HSE have produced guidance on keeping workplaces safe. No specific official guidance for the voluntary sector has been produced yet.  CPID say that this easing shouldn’t signal a mass return to the workplace. Some guidance on hybrid working here.

Camden Youth Offer survey

The Council is asking young people aged 12 to 18 what they do in their spare time to help ensure the Council, our voluntary and community sector partners and other local amenities, including parks, galleries & museums, have the right activities and services available for them as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.
If you’re aged 12 to 18 – or you know / work with young people who are – there’s a short online survey for young people to complete and an optional prize draw for the chance to win a £50 voucher.   The survey closes on 18 September.

Supporting People with Long-Covid in Camden

The Camden team support people with signs & symptoms lasting for longer than 12 weeks (NICE) to be diagnosed as Long-Covid. They may occur in conjunction with other conditions.  Referrals need to come from GP’s or the Post-Covid clinic at UCLH. They should be sent to, camdenreferrals.cnwl@nhs.net
The Long-Covid team consists of Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy with a Rehab Assistant to support and  access to psychology if required.
Contact Rob Clarke on rob.clarke6@nhs.net for any information or enquiries.

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.
Get support and resources from Volunteer Centre Camden
The council has a  page of resources to help community organisations
UCL are looking for new volunteering opportunities to promote to their students.  Visit their info for recruiters page to find out more.

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.

Got an item for the e-bulletin?

Send your item to knunan@vac.org.uk or info@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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