Free training from Brighton & Hove Community Learning

06/11/2013

Please contact 294 287 or email communitylearning@brighton-hove.gov.uk for more information and how to book a place on any of these courses

Food safety

Are you volunteering for a community group, or receiving benefits and hoping to work in catering? This two day free course will provide you with a Level 2 Certificate in Food & Hygiene. There is also an assessment at the end of this course.
This is a 2 week course (x2 three and a half hour sessions) There is no crèche facility.

Level 2 Food Safety – Central Brighton

Date & time: Wednesday 22 & 29 January, 10am – 1.30pm
Venue: BrightonTown Hall, Bartholomew Square, BN1 1JA

Level 2 Food Safety – Central Hove

Date & time: Monday 3 & 10 March, 10am – 1.30pm
Venue: HoveTown Hall, Norton Rd, Hove, BN3 4AH
Tutor: James Aldcroft

Food Hygiene Foundation course

This short informal course will cover the basics needed to volunteer or work in a kitchen. The course will offer a great starting point for people who want to move onto the Level 2 food hygiene qualification, but need to know the basics first.  We will look at; hand hygiene, storing food, best before and use by dates and much more to help you feel more confident when working in a kitchen.
This is a 2 week course. There is no crèche facility

Date & time: Tuesday 13 & 20 May, 10am – 12 Midday
Venue: Brighton Town Hall, Bartholomew Square, BN1 1JA
Tutor: James Aldcroft

First Aid for Babies and Children

You will find out about: Managing burns and scalds, how to deal with choking, the recovery position and basic life support for babies and children.
This is a 2 week course. There is no crèche facility

First Aid for Babies and Children – Central Brighton

Date & time: Thursdays 13 & 20 March, 10am – 12 Midday
Venue: Brighton Town Hall, Bartholomew Square, Brighton, BN1 1JA

First Aid for Babies and Children – Central Hove

Date & time: 27 February & 6 March, 1-3pm
Venue: HoveTown Hall, Norton Rd, Hove, BN3 4AH

First Aid for Babies and Children – Old Boat Corner Community Centre

Date & time: Thursday 6 & 13 February, 1- 3pm
Venue: Old Boat Corner Community Centre, Carden Hill, BN1 8GN
Tutor: Agnes Munday

 

Good Food Grants now open for applications

29/10/2013

Brighton & Hove Food Partnership’s Good Food Grants programme is open for another year. The deadline for applications is Friday 7th February.

Community groups and schools in Brighton and Hove can apply for one-off grants of up to £800 for projects that aim to improve the health, skills and confidence of local residents though healthy eating, increased cookery skills and food growing.

Money in Mind project nominated for an award

28/10/2013

The Money in Mind project has been kindly nominated for a Sector Star award. The award winners will be announced at the launch of Community Works, on Wednesday November 27th, 7pm at Community Base.

Many thanks to whoever nominated the project. Money in Mind helps small groups in Brighton & Hove to manage their finances more effectively. It is a partnership between the Resource Centre and Impact Initiatives, and is funded by the Big Lottery Fund. Groups can get free one-to-one support, free examination of accounts, and free downloadable accounts systems and written information.

Members of the Community and Voluntary Sector Forum can vote online for a special Members Choice award, in addition to the awards given in a range of categories. Voting closes on Friday November 8th. Contact the Community and Voluntary Sector Forum on info@cvsectorforum.org.uk or 810230 to find out more about the event and how to vote.

 

One to one support and advice for groups and organisations from CVSF

24/10/2013

CVSF has 20 days of free support available for groups and organisations in Brighton and Hove from now until the end of March 2014.

They anticipate that this will include short telephone conversations or interventions but are also able to offer more intensive support for around 7-10 applicants.

The support and advice could be on:

  • Management
  • Governance
  • Policies and procedures
  • Fundraising
  • Monitoring and evaluation
  • Human resources
  • Equalities
  • Legal structures
  • Financial management

Other groups and organisations have received provision such as independently facilitated meetings, policy and procedure reviews, good governance guidance and business plan reviews.

If you are interested it is worth talking through the options with them.

Call Jan Aram on 01273 810244 or email jan@cvsectorforum.org.uk

Brighton and Hove Community Health Fund – Round 2 now open!

23/10/2013

This fund aims to support and fund small community groups (annual income below £35,000) based in Brighton or Hove, addressing a particular health issue or wanting to run a health related activity. They are keen to reach groups who are just getting started and those working in under-represented communities. The fund can give:

  • one to one support (before and after your application) to help set up a group or develop your grant application
  • a grant (£500-£1500) to your group to help achieve your project or activity
  • the chance to meet similar groups to share skills, knowledge and solutions to any problems you might face

The next deadline is 5pm Friday 10th January 2014. For more information or to talk through an idea:

Call: 01273 409440

Email: mary.carruthers@sussexgiving.org.uk

Website: http://www.cvsectorforum.org.uk/Resources/community-health-fund (scroll to the bottom of the page for guidance notes and application form)

Information Session: Tues 3rd Dec 6-8pm at Friends Meeting House, Ship Street

Mental health promotion small grant

23/10/2013

The public health team within Brighton & Hove City Council has identified funding for small grants of up to £1500 (one-off, not recurrent) for mental health promotion projects.

Priority will be given to projects that promote positive mental health, enable emotional resilience, challenge stigma, address inequalities and make use of the Five Ways to Wellbeing message (connect, be active, take notice, keep learning, give).

Applications need to be submitted by November 25 and notification of awards will go out before December 20th 2013.

For an application form, with more details, contact clare.mitchison@brighton-hove.gcsx.gov.uk

Making your data speak: Data analysis and reporting tools

15/10/2013

CVSF is hosting a peer support session on information and data management.

Date: Tuesday 26th November 09.30-12.30

Venue: Conference Room, Community Base

Description: In this session, we will discuss how to tease a story out of the data we collect and how to produce reports that best tell this story. We will be looking at some practical examples of data analysis and/or reporting tools in use, and how to go about implementing similar tools in your organisation on a restricted budget.

Programme:

9.30: Arrival coffee/tea

10.00: Welcome and introductions

10.20: Teasing / Telling a story out of the data we collect – introductory remarks:  Why do we do it? who for? what story do we tell? What data do we use? How do we go about it? – Manu Fruteau (SIS)

10.35: Solutions in practice (A): Reports integrated in (bespoke) database application – Simon Hicks (SEAP)

11.00: Solutions in practice (B): Using external tools – Crystal Reports / Excel – Manu Fruteau (SIS)

11.25: Some available (and affordable) tools and resources – Manu Fruteau (SIS)

11.30: Q&A’s

12.15: What next

12.30: Close

The session will be led by Emmanuel Fruteau, IT and Communications Manager at Sussex Interpreting Services with support from Simon Hicks, Resources Manager, SEAP. The session will be a test case for how future sessions could be run and we anticipate that those attending will be pro-active participants in the session, bringing along their own knowledge and experience and willingness to share this with their peers. Due to the technical nature of this session participants will be asked to fill out a short survey on their experience of data management tools/systems and expected outcomes prior to the session to ensure we are covering needs.

As this is a trial, we also anticipate that those attending will provide additional feedback on the experience and share their insights with us to help us in developing our future framework for peer learning/support sessions.

To register for the session please contact, Jan Aram, on jan@cvsectorforum.org.uk or 01273 810230 .

Help with managing your group’s money

15/10/2013

Local accounting firm Clark Brownscombe are hosting a seminar on Running your Finances Well, on Wednesday 6th November at Community Base.

This seminar will cover banking and financing; insolvency and the responsibilities and liabilities of trustees; and effective financial management for different types of charities.

Guest speakers are from CAF Bank, Jeremy Knight & Co Insolvency Practitioners and Clark Brownscombe Limited. The cost is £24 per organisation. Please email jogiles@cbhove.co.uk for more information.

Don’t forget, if you are a small community group in Brighton & Hove, you can always get free one-to-one support with managing money from the Money in Mind project.

Blogs, Tweets and Press Releases

15/10/2013

Tuesday 22nd October, 6pm- 8pm,
Room 4, Friends Centre,
Brighton Junction

Based on their extensive experience, speakers will offer hints and tips to help you get the most out of your marketing and PR activities and increase your organisation’s profile both on and offline.

Cost is £10 – £40, a small number of bursaries are available for very small organisations.

For more information or to book a place contact fabia@cvsectorforum.org.uk or 01273 810230.

Sector Stars – Community and Voluntary Sector Awards 2013

10/10/2013

“Small Group – Big Achiever – a category for small, mainly volunteer-led groups who might run on minimal funding and have been very active in, and have had a huge impact on, their community”

This is CVSF’s second year of running these awards that were really well received last year and helped to raise the profile of the sector. If you would like to give thanks and celebrate the impact of a small community group please do fill in the nomination form (which can be found on the CVSF website – www.cvsectorforum.org.uk/informing/news/sector-stars) and return it to Lisa Mytton by 12pm on Monday 21st October.

Lisa Mytton
Community Health Fund Development Officer
Direct line: 01273 810237

There are 9 other categories as well –

For community groups, voluntary or non-profit organisations:
1. Biggest Impact in the City
2. Small Group – Big Achiever
3. Most Creative Engagement Method
4. Best Committee or Trustee Board
5. Best Partnership or Collaboration

For an individual or team of individuals:
6. Outstanding Volunteering Contribution: adults
7. Outstanding Volunteering Contribution: young people
8. Most Effective CVSF Rep
9. Lifetime Achievement

Additional category:
10. ‘CVSF Members’ Choice Award’

For more information visit: http://www.cvsectorforum.org.uk/informing/news/sector-stars