Voluntary Action Camden Newsletter – 4th August 2023

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

We also have our usual range of information on events and opportunities from around the Camden area.

On the 8th June we launched the CEO network and on the 18th July VAC and Volunteer Centre Camden brought you the first event for the new Trustee Network, both of which went very well, with a good attendance.

These endeavours are designed to allow members to learn from one another’s experiences, to share and discuss their concerns and help Camden’s VCSE leadership connect.

Such connections and support structures can only work to strengthen us all. They will help us to discuss sector responses to the difficult times we are experiencing and provide links and avenues of easy communication so that no network member will need to stand alone, or struggle on without somewhere to turn.

The experience and knowledge that exists within our sector is vast. Through sharing and collaborating we will all thrive.

To learn more please visit our CEO Network page and, or our Trustee Network page
For any enquiries, please email info@vac.org.uk

Crowdfunder Sports: an introduction to successful crowdfunding
Wednesday 9th August: 12 – 1pm, online
As part of the Active Together programme, Crowdfunder is running a series of free online workshops to show sports clubs and teams how crowdfunding can be an effective way to raise funds.
Join the event online and hear about the successful crowdfunding journey of London Thunder Basketball Club, including their experiences, hints and tricks which will apply to any grassroots sports club, thinking of using the platform.
To learn more and register, please click here

Community Grants available for Camden charities
The Landsec Futures Community Grants programme is a £20m fund that aims to deliver around £200m of social value by 2030, supporting at least 30,000 people from underrepresented socio-economic backgrounds towards long-term employment.
The grants are designed to help organisations continue their great day-to-day work tackling the challenges faced by our community, and charities and local not-for-profits in Camden can apply for grants of up to £3,000 each quarter.
The deadline for this round of applications is Monday 14th August at 5:30pm.
More information on the grant applications is available here

Wellcome Collection: Events for Young Adults
This August the Wellcome Collection is inviting young people to join them for a series of free events, films, performances, talks and workshops, inspired by the latest exhibition ‘Genetic Automata’.
Free pizza, popcorn, pick’n’mix and soft drinks will be provided at all five events.
The events are for 14-19 year olds, extending to 25 years old for disabled young adults who may need to access additional support in their education or training.
To find out more about this series, please click here

Active London conference – save the date & register
Active London 2023, the capital’s largest annual conference dedicated wholly to the future of physical activity and sport will return on 17th October.

The conference will bring together all corners of the sport and physical activity sector and beyond to educate, inform, share thought-leadership and learnings, and provide opportunities for networking and collaboration.
To register your interest and secure Early Bird tickets, please click here

Make Every Contact Count Training
Camden Council’s free MECC Training is still running regularly, with 3000+ people trained since 2016!
MECC is about using conversations you’re already having with residents, to deliver brief but beneficial advice, support and signposting to someone who may be struggling.

The next courses are running on 17th August and 6th September
To book your place, please click here

Women+Health vacancies: Temporary/Bank Receptionists
Closing date 10th August 2023

Women+Health is a Camden Charity delivering affordable complementary therapies, counselling services and classes to women and families from the local community.
We are recruiting Receptionists to join our busy team. Applicants must feel confident in working on their own, and will need strong communication skills, relevant experience on a front desk reception, good knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, the ability to work independently and manage own workload and experience with booking systems
To learn more and apply, please click here

Mind in Camden vacancies:
Mental Health Social Prescribing Link Worker
Closing date: 29th August
To learn more and apply, please click here

Community Mental Health Recovery Support Worker
Closing date: 15th August
To learn more and apply, please click here

Community Practice Lead
Closing date: 15th August
To learn more and 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

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

Cost of Living Fund launched
Applications close on 16th October

The £76M Community Organisations Cost of Living Fund launched on the 24th July.
The fund is designed to support organisations across England to maintain or expand critical cost of living services.
Funds of between £10,000 and £75,000 are available to frontline organisations delivering the following services:

•    food and emergency supplies – food and other ‘banks’
•    emergency shelter – homelessness services
•    safe spaces – domestic abuse services and youth services
•    warmth – warm spaces / hubs
•    financial and housing advice.

The fund is part of the £100M for charities announced in the Spring Budget. It will be administered by the National Lottery Community Fund.
For more information, please click here

New GSK Health Inequalities Programme – Opens for Applications
Application deadline: Monday 14th August: 5pm

The GSK Health Inequalities programme is open to registered charities that are at least one year old, located and working in the UK, with a total annual income of between £20,000 and £150,000.
Up to 15 charities will receive up to £10,000 in unrestricted funding and access to training and development valued at £2,700.
For more details, please click here

Camden Community Partner Fund 2024 to 2031
Camden Council’s Community Partner Fund is now open for applications. The deadline to submit a completed Expression of Interest form is 12 noon on Wednesday 20th September 2023.

The Fund is for Camden organisations who are deeply rooted in their communities and will provide unrestricted funding for seven years from April 2024 to March 2031.
More details about the fund, including guidance notes and the application form, can be found here
The Community Partnership Team will be hosting three online sessions so organisations can find out more about the fund. To register for a session, please visit our website
If you have any further questions, please email vcs@camden.gov.uk

Suicide Prevention Funding
The government is due to make available a £10 million grant fund for suicide prevention VCSE organisations in England across 2023-24 to 2024-25.

The broad purpose of the fund will be two-fold. Firstly, to support the VCSE sector to meet the increased demand, in part brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic and the Cost of Living crisis. Secondly, to support development of innovative preventative activities/services aimed at people at elevated risk of suicide.
The aim is to launch the fund in the coming months.
If you are interested, please sign up to the “Find a Grant” portal, so that you receive notifications once it is launched. You can do so here

Engaged Environmental Science funding
Closing date for outlines: Wednesday 20th September

NERC Engaged Environmental Science funding opportunity is open for exemplar projects that demonstrate excellence in engaged environmental science research.
We welcome: •    environmental science research responding to both scientific and public needs •    equitable partnerships with charities and other intermediaries •    leaders in public engagement with research
Applications successfully shortlisted at outline stage will be provided with a partnership bursary and invited to submit a full application.
For full information, please see the UKRI Funding Finder

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

Other available funders include:

• Camden Giving
• Grants Online
• My Funding Central
• Idox Camden 4 Community
• VAC main funding page

Celebrate this year’s exciting collaboration projects between UCL master’s students and our local Voluntary & Community Sector. Engage with talks, poster presentations, and a social mixer to explore the work our students have done to produce useful and useable knowledge that can benefit you.

You may well find yourselves getting inspired for ways your own organisation could be involved for 2023-24!
Register here or contact CRIS@ucl.ac.uk for any questions.

Are you new to writing grant applications? Do you struggle with writing successful funding bids?
In partnership with All Ways Network (AWN) VAC are pleased to offer all our members a place on one of our ‘Writing a Successful bid’ workshops.

These interactive workshops will take place online between July and September and are accompanied by 1-2-1 surgeries to ensure you leave with the confidence, and tools required to create a good funding application.
To learn more, please click here

Camden Adult Community Learning service (ACL) is looking for volunteers to support tutors who deliver ESOL classes in various Community Centre locations.
We are looking to offer volunteer placements by the end of October 2023.
If you are interested in volunteering with the ACL, please send your CV and a cover letter outlining the reason for your interest in volunteering to Joanna.Basinga@camden.gov.uk, as well as any questions you may have.

SPCA Vacancies:
Applications for both positions close on 13th August
Programme Manager
Saint Pancras Community Association is looking for an experienced Programme Manager with exceptional programme and project management skills.
To learn more and apply, please click here

Facilities Manager
Saint Pancras Community Association are looking for an experienced Facilities Manager to ensure the Community Centre maintains it’s Health and Safety requirements, to organise bookings, and keep the centre clean and tidied to the highest possible standards.
To learn more and apply, please click here

STBL Vacancy: Community Business Development and Fundraiser
Closing date: 10th August
We are looking for someone with the drive to lead community fundraising initiatives and provide community business support, helping to create a more sustainable and scalable business models for both SBTL and the groups we serve.
For more information and to apply, please click here

Mind in Camden vacancy: Resources Director
Applications are invited for this key leadership role in Mind in Camden, an innovative and highly respected mental health charity.
We are looking for someone with substantial management, administration and human resources experience to manage a small team of staff engaged in providing Admin, IT, HR and Premises support to the organisation.
The post holder will be joining our Finance Director, Operations Director, CEO and Service Managers in the Senior Management team.
We welcome diversity, and applications from experienced Office/HR/Admin Managers taking a step up into a more responsible position are welcome.

To download an application pack, please click here, or phone 020 7911 0822 (24hrs), or email recruitment@mindincamden.org.uk
 

Social Prescribers Innovators Programme  
A new initiative is being delivered by the Camden Care Navigation and Social Prescribing Service, hosted by Age UK Camden (AUC) and Voluntary Action Camden.
The project aims to develop volunteering within the service as a way to help retain existing social prescribers and to support successful recruitment to new social prescriber roles.
Contact Mandira at mmanandhar@vac.org.uk if you are interested in volunteering on this new venture.

Free School Meals for London’s Primary School Children
The Mayor recognises that families are in urgent need of support. The meals will help families with the spiralling cost of living by ensuring that children in state-funded London schools will receive free school meals in the next academic year.
To find out more, please click here

Operation Warrior: Support for Veterans
Hawley Amateur Boxing Club and Maverick Stars Trust are starting a new initiative to help Military Veterans get back into shape. These free boxing sessions are designed to work towards both physical and mental wellbeing.
For more details, please contact HawleyABC@CamdenBoxingClub.com

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
North London Cares: Upcoming Clubs
Castlehaven Community Association (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

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