‘Untold Stories’: Sussex University media project looking for local charities to work with

15/05/2014

‘Untold Stories’: a collaborative project between local charities and MA students in the School of Media, Film and Music, University of Sussex. 

Untold Stories is a project run and funded by the University of Sussex’s School of Media, Film and Music.

Untold Stories aims to help local charities to raise their profile by

  • giving them in insight into how the media/journalism work
  • producing high quality web content in the form of an audio podcast.  This is their ‘untold story’ – a human interest story that encapsulates the work the charity is doing in Sussex or illustrates an issue facing that charity.   Read more ›

Funded places on suicide alertness, suicide intervention and mental health training

15/05/2014

From Grassroots training.

“We are very happy to be able to offer a number of funded suicide alertness, suicide intervention and mental health training places, provided by Public Health, Brighton & Hove City Council.

“We are asking participants to contribute a small amount (£6 for half-day, £16 for 2-day) towards the cost of the training. This will go towards essential admin, as well as refreshments and venue hire, and will allow us to provide more training in a more sustainable way. Please note that funded places are not available for the ‘MHFA: Mental Health First Aid’ course.” Read more ›

Gants of up to £15,000 for projects to support unemployed people to develop skills

15/05/2014

The ESF Community Grants Fund Round Two is now open for applications from charities and not for profit groups in Brighton and Sussex.  Grants of up to £15,000 are available for projects that support unemployed people to develop skills and progress towards employment. Part of the grant can also be used to capacity build organisations (training for staff etc).  You must be a constituted group (no individuals can apply) and have an income of less than £300,000 in the last financial year. Read more ›

Free IT help for Brighton & Hove charities

30/04/2014

Do you have an IT problem you need help to solve? American Express have tech experts that can help.

American Express® Campus 21 Development Programme in association with Community Works.

Working in the community American Express is pleased to offer an opportunity for up to ten registered charities to participate in its development programme offering technology expertise to local charities.

The financial services company is looking for registered charities that have a specific, IT related project which its technological experts can help support on a one-off basis.

For an opportunity to receive this support registered charities must qualify as follows:

  • Require IT expertise
  • Must have resource to support our team over a 10 day period commencing 9th June through 26th Jun
  • Must have organised hosting space (for web based requests)
  • Must have a domain name (for web based requests)
  • Access to equipment suitable to the task i.e. Computer Hardware and access to the Web.
  • Provide input into a launch event and promotional poster.
  • Be present at the launch event on the 26th June, offering an opportunity to promote your charity.

If your organisation meets the above criteria, please submit the following to Lisa Mytton at Community Works on lisa@bhcommunityworks.org.uk:

  • Contact Name
  • Charity Name
  • Brief details of Technical project

Deadline for showing interest is Friday 2nd May. Applications will be shortlisted based on the above criteria and American Express will be in contact to further assess suitability.

For further information about how Campus 21 works, please contact the following staff from American Express who will be able to help:

Conor Scott Conor.j.scott@aexp.com

Emma Idle Emma.J.Idle@aexp.com

 

Free Courses with Safety-Net Summer 2014

24/04/2014

‘Our Decision’ Safer Recruitment with Safe Network

Tues 29th April   9:30am – 12:30pm at the  Brighthelm Centre

BOOK YOUR PLACE<http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/safety-net-906180167>

Aim of course: To support VCS organisations with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) application process and effective decision-making related to the level of supervision and DBS checking required for different roles.

 

‘Online Safety’ with Safe Network

Tues 29th April   12:45am – 3:30pm at the Brighthelm Centre.

BOOK YOUR PLACE<http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/safety-net-906180167>

Aim of course: To increase organisational awareness of e-safety and access to resources

 

Community Group Child Protection Training

This course is an introduction to safeguarding and child protection issues for those working in small community groups. You will gain a basic understanding of your role in establishing a safe environment and safe working practices in protecting children and young people from harm and abuse.

Thursday 15th May        6pm – 9pm     Safety Net Portslade
Wednesday 28th May   1pm – 4pm     Safety Net Portslade
Wednesday 9th July      6pm – 9pm    Safety Net Portslade

BOOK YOUR PLACE<http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/safety-net-906180167>

Safeguarding for Summer activities

Wed 18th June                10am – 1pm Safety Net Portslade

BOOK YOUR PLACE<http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/safety-net-906180167>

Will you be working with children and young people this summer?

Make sure that you know how to keep children and young people safe during your activities.

You will gain a basic understanding of your role in establishing a safe environment and safe working practices in protecting children and young people from harm and abuse.

 

Protective Behaviours

Tues 6th and Tues 12th May     10am  – 4pm Kings House,  Hove.

Book with B & H Core Skills<http://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/content/children-and-education/childrens-services/childrens-services-training>

*   Children’s Services staff, school staff, foster carers and CVS groups working in Brighton & Hove – FREE

Protective Behaviours (PBs) is a safety and life skills programme which starts from the belief that we cannot be scared into feeling safe.  It therefore avoids a focus on scary scenarios and rigid sets of rules for how to deal with unsafe situations (which tend to induce fear and guilt).  Instead it teaches an ability to recognise when we are not feeling safe and provides skills and tools to enable individuals to take action and get help when they need it. The approach encourages everyone to develop their personal networks of support, to explore letting people know when we need to talk to them and building problem-solving skills. PBs also recognises that life is also about taking risks and trying new things and that this is part of our development and an important life.

This two day course teaches an ability to recognise when we are not feeling safe and provides skills and tools to enable individuals to take action and get help when they need it. It also recognises that life is about taking risks and trying new things and that this is part of our personal development and an important life skill

 

Safeguarding and Child Protection

One day Wed 11th June 10 – 4pm Brighton *£50 per person*

BOOK HERE<http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/safety-net-906180167>

Please note that this course was previously titled CHILD PROTECTION LEVEL 1.

This 1 day course covers issues relating to all age groups up to 18.

Participants will gain an understanding of their role in establishing a safe environment and safe working practices in protecting children and young people from harm and abuse. The course will also look at identifying signs that a child might be at risk and responding to keep the child and themselves safe. It will also cover background information about the law and child protection.

 

Safeguarding children with Disabilities

Tues 24th June     10am – 4pm Safety Net Portslade *£50 per person*

BOOK HERE<http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/safety-net-906180167>

This course is for those who are involved with working with children and young people (2-25 years) with disabilities and who want to increase their awareness in this area.

It is also a suitable alternative for anyone undertaking their three-yearly safeguarding update.

Helping Teenagers to Keep Themselves Safe Thursday 12th June 10 -4pm Safety Net, Portslade *£50 per person* BOOK HERE<http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/safety-net-906180167>

Protective Behaviours is a life skills, assertiveness and safety awareness programme. It is about building confidence in exploring what safety means and what can get in the way of us acting for our own safety. The programme looks at ways of understanding our personal response to risk and safety and helps develop tools and resources to keep ourselves safe.

This course looks in more detail at risk taking behaviour in teenagers as a part of their transition to adulthood and how Protective Behaviours can be used to increase young people’s understanding of personal safety and emotional literacy.

Suitable for those working or volunteering with young people aged 12 – 19yrs

 

 

 

Community Works Mentoring Programme

23/04/2014

Are you involved in a community group and would like some help to increase your skills and confidence?

 

Would you like someone independent to be a sounding board for your ideas?

 

Would you like help over a 6 month period?

 

Community Works is launching a new Mentoring Programme which will run from May to October this year. The types of things you could ask for help with might include:

  • Setting up a formal structure for a small community group
  • How to survive in the long-term
  • How to manage volunteers or work more collaboratively with them
  • Finding funding
  • Improving the governance of your group
  • Forward planning and looking to the future
  • Refining your group’s objectives

The purpose is to support individuals to improve day to day practice, develop leadership skills or tackle challenging project management issues through one-to-one mentoring.

They aim to match around 12 individuals (mentees) to experienced mentors who will meet regularly over a 6 month period to tackle an identified support need. They have already signed up 12 highly experienced mentors who are waiting to meet you!

If you are interested you must:

  • Be working or volunteering for a community group, charity, or voluntary organisation in Brighton and Hove
  • Have a particular project, issue, or skill development need that you can identify as needing support with
  • Be able to get the approval of your management committee (or chair of the group), supervisor or line manager to participate
  • Be able to ensure your management committee (or chair of the group), supervisor or line manager can actively input to the evaluation process.

To apply, please return the following to Community Works by Tuesday 29th April:

For more information or an informal chat:

Organisations who took part last year:

  • Cascade Creative Recovery
  • Do One Good Thing
  • Forward Facing
  • Grace Eyre
  • Homeopathy in the Sussex Community
  • Lunch Positive
  • Starling housing Co-op
  • Trailer Trashed

“A fantastic experience, with benefits which will make a huge impact and be long lasting. The initial goals agreed between myself and mentor were met effectively, with unexpected and additional impact on other areas of my own work, the delivery of the project, and the management of the organisation” previous mentee.

 

Skills Exchange inviting applications for support

15/04/2014

What is Skills Exchange?

Skills Exchange is a network of professional firms, each of which has offered to provide their professional skills free of charge to voluntary and community organisations across Brighton and Hove who cannot afford to pay for these services. Support is offered for clearly defined, time-limited projects.

What sorts of firms are involved?

Members include architects, surveyors, accountants, solicitors, IT consultants and those who specialise in public relations, marketing, HR and design.

How is it managed?

Each firm is affiliated to Skills Exchange. The Skills Exchange Board meets bi-monthly to respond to requests for help from voluntary and community organisations. If a match cannot be made immediately, effort is made to find a suitable match. The process is supported by Community Works and the next deadline is Monday 12th May.

Examples of expertise available:

Legal advice, including but not restricted to Employment Law, Landlord/Tenant issues and Charity Law, Architectural advice; drawing of plans, gaining planning permission, surveying, building management, HR, Graphic Design, for example design of a logo, Website development, PR and Marketing, Strategy development and business planning, Organisational change, Financial management, Event Planning, Change management.

Is your organisation eligible to apply for support?

Skills Exchange will consider your application if:

  • You represent a not‐for‐profit organisation including charities, community groups and social enterprises, whose benefit is primarily within Brighton and Hove.
  • You do not have the funds to pay for the services you are requesting.
  • You can demonstrate the benefit to the organisation, staff, volunteers or service users.
  • You are able to demonstrate that the organisation has the resources to follow advice through.
  • You can nominate a contact/liaison person to ensure the project runs smoothly.
  • You are happy to take part in feedback, case studies and other evaluation.

Apply for support

The Skills Exchange Board next meets on Tues 20th May.

To make an initial application visit: http://www.skillsxchange.org.uk/apply/

Contact Lisa Mytton on lisa@bhcommunityworks.org.uk, 01273 234031 if you would like to chat through an idea.

Skills Exchange is a project of Brighton and Hove Community Works.

Small Charities Week Big Advice Day

15/04/2014

As part of Small Charities Week 2014, small charities across the UK will be able to access free advice from a range of specialists on 17th June 2014.

Advice will be available over Skype or on the phone from anywhere in the UK, as well as face to face in central London.

For more information, and to sign up, go to smallcharityweek.com/big-advice-day/

Free video production workshop: May 8th

09/04/2014

Media Trust is running a free video production workshop in Brighton at a centrally located venue on May 8th from 10am-4.30pm for charitable and community groups.

There are only 10 places on the course, and as these are not allocated on a first come first served basis they are asking people to complete an application form to enable them to target those groups they feel will get the most from this opportunity and from the subsequent mentoring available to them following the workshop.

All successful/unsuccessful applicants will be notified the next working day.

The Workshop

This introductory workshop is designed to help charities and community groups understand how they can turn their stories into short films, and will cover planning, recording and editing.  A hands-on learning environment will give practical guidance on using low-cost equipment and techniques that will make videos look professional, even on a low budget.

The workshop is part of Do #SomethingBrilliant, a two year campaign funded by Big Lottery that sets out to celebrate the inspiring stories from communities across the UK.

Who is it for

The Do #SomethingBrilliant video production workshop is for charities and community groups interested in creating their own video content for the web and broadcast platforms like Community Channel. Workshop graduates will be mentored through an assignment to create a short film about the great work they are doing in their community, a film that will inspire others to do something brilliant.

It is suitable for groups who perhaps have a bit of experience using video, maybe made a couple of videos, and would like to develop their skills.  Or for those who recognise the value of using video and are just starting to take their first steps and would like to learn more about the equipment, storytelling techniques, shooting and editing.

Please note, Do #SomethingBrilliant offers training and access to equipment only in the workshop context.  If you don’t have a camera to complete your project after the workshop, we have three video cameras available for hire from the Resource Centre.

Each organisation will need to apply and should be prepared to nominate two people to attend the workshop.

Contact Adam Perry adamp@mediatrust.org or call 07850 926 997 for an application form, or if you have any queries.

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Updated information on charity law

09/04/2014

We have updated our set of three information sheets on charity registration and requirements, to incorporate the new Charitable Incorporated Organisation structure and reflect the latest legal position.

  • Charity registration gives information about which  groups are required to register with the Charity Commission and how the registration process works
  • Responsibilities of Registered Charities is a brief summary of the legal requirements, aimed at smaller charities which are not limited companies
  • Charity Reporting and Accounts gives details of all the reporting and accounting requirements for registered charities and includes reference tables with all the income thresholds for different types of accounting, reporting and scrutiny of accounts.