Governance Surgery – Free advice for trustees

06/10/2015

Community Works has organised a Governance Surgery on Wednesday 4 November, 6-8pm at the BMECP Centre for trustees, management committee members or anyone in charge of the governance of their organisation. Drop in anytime to speak to one of a range of experts and network with fellow trustees and management committee members.

The aim of the event is to bring together all of the expertise, information and advice you could need if you are a trustee or are considering becoming one, to answer those questions you might be afraid to ask or don’t know who to ask.

To find out more, including how to book your place, visit: http://bhcommunityworks.org.uk/governance-surgeries-2015/

The event is free. It is taking place as part of national event ‘Trustees Week’  http://trusteesweek.blogspot.co.uk/

Community Health Fund: deadline 15th January 2016

02/10/2015

Brighton and Hove Community Health Fund: a fund for ‘healthy’ community groups

  • Does your group help to address a health issue?
  • Do you have an idea for a healthy project or activity?
  • Are you a new group that would like help to develop?

This fund could provide the funds and support that you need.

  • one to one support to help set up a group or make an application
  • grants available (up to £1,500)
  • the chance to meet similar groups to yours

The fund particularly welcomes applications from groups supporting BME or LGBT communities or groups supporting older people/intergeneration projects. For more information contact Lisa Mytton:

Information Session: Thursday 3 December 6pm to 8pm at BMECP

Website: bhcommunityworks.org.uk/members/advice-support/community-health-fund/

The next deadline for applications is 5pm Friday 15th January 2016.

Due East grants for local groups in Whitehawk, Manor Farm and Bristol Estate

16/07/2015

Due East have announced the following grant programmes for groups in Whitehawk, Manor Farm, and Bristol Estates:

1.Piggy Bank – Youth Fund

Youth Funding – bids for share of £6,000.00 for Youth projects in and/or benefiting young people in the Whitehawk, Manor Farm, and Bristol Estates.

2.Community Health and Wellbeing Fund

Just over £2,500 is available for grants of up to £500 per application. The overarching theme for grants is to support projects that impact on the health and wellbeing of  the community.

3.Cancer Champions Project Community Chest

Applications are invited for grants of up to £500 for projects that contribute to the Cancer Champions Project goals:

  • Increase knowledge about cancers amongst all the diverse groups and communities in the DueEast neighbourhoods
  • Recruit and train volunteer Cancer Champions from across the three neighbourhoods
  • Raise awareness of the importance of cancer screening and early symptom awareness and increase rates of attendance at screening
  • Identify barriers local people face in accessing cancer screening and taking other preventive measures and provide practical actions to help break these barriers down
  • Help local people feel more comfortable talking about cancer
  • Improve knowledge in the neighbourhoods of  DueEast about services to support people living with cancer

4.Challenge 2015 ! Community Chest

Applications are welcome primarily from individuals or groups of people who have  signed up to take the Challenge 2015! already this year, but applications will also be considered from  groups of local residents and community groups for projects that help meet the goals of the DueEast Challenge 2015 ! initiative :

  • Provide local people with a chance to get together to take part in  new activities that will help them to feel better about themselves and especially to improve their  mental health and wellbeing.
  • The activities can be anything that contributes to the 5 Ways to Wellbeing :
    • Connect – get together with other people to do something. Seek out someone you enjoy spending time with.
    • Get Active – take part in a physical activity even if it is as simple as a walk near your home or somewhere you love .
    • Keep Learning – Have a go at something different , learn something new or pick up a fresh skill.
    • Take Notice – Take a minute to look around and find a moment of calm and stillness and take a fresh look at your surroundings.
    • Give – Do something new for someone else or that will be of benefit for your friends, family or wider community.
    • Grants of up to £200 are available to fund activities that local people set up as part of Challenge 2015!

NB : Projects funded by the Challenge 2015! Community chest should be completed by end of December 2015 .

5. DueEast Multi-cultural , Minority Ethnic and Inter-Faith Project Community Chest

Applications are  welcome from  groups of residents from  cultural , faith  and BME ( Black and Minority Ethnic ) groups in the neighbourhoods of the DueEast area.

Grants of up to £250 are available for projects that help meet the following objectives :

  • Enable new community activity to take place involving residents from cultural , ethnic and faith groups who have  previously not carried out community activity in the DueEast area.
  • Bring together people from different cultural ethnic and faith backgrounds in inclusive and accessible activities so that  these differing traditions can be celebrated and better understood in the local community

How to Apply ?

Decide which pot of funding you want to apply for.

Complete the simple two sides A4 application form for each funding source to be returned by 5pm 17th September  along with a one minute youTube video detailing the project, and a commitment to attend one public voting event in late September/ early October.

Application forms available from http://dueeast.org.uk/downloads/category/4-grants – email info@ses-partnership.co.uk.  – Text/voicemail 07974571300.

If you want any help or support in developing your project ideas or making your application contact the Serendipity community development team: info@ses-partnership.co.uk

Information on organising community events

24/06/2015

Thanks to funding from the Big Lottery, we have updated and improved our information on Organising Community Events.

Printed information sheets on a range of topics to do with organising community events.

Our new pack contains advice and information on all sorts of different aspects of running events, including:

All these pages are also available as free printed information sheets, separately and as a whole pack. Just drop into the Centre to collect a copy for free.

New network of co-operatives in Brighton & Hove

05/06/2015

MAIS (Mutual Aid in Sussex) is a new network that first met at the end of May. The idea is to have a monthly meeting of people involved in coops, but also open to individuals and groups doing cooperative work in the widest sense in Brighton & Hove and the surrounding area – informal food groups, people starting something up, as well as incorporated coops, CICs… They plan to meet at Coachwerks in Hollingdean on the third Wednesday evening of each month (address details below).

Please bring and share dinner and each month the plan is to have a bit more of a detailed presentation or talk from a coop, or a workshop on things like how to set up a coop, growing pains of coops, getting members and customers, etc.

For more information about MAIS, see https://maisnetwork.wordpress.com/

The next two meetings are
7.30pm Wednesday 17 June – to decide which events/talks/workshops at future MAIS meetings
7.30pm Wednesday 15 July

Coachwerks is a community arts and meeting space in Hollingbury and the brewing base for Bartlebys beer, who were part of getting MAIS off the ground. So their vegan beer will also be available at the Coachwerks bar each Wednesday! 19 Hollingdean Terrace, Brighton, East Sussex BN1 7HB

Small Groups Network: 9th June

22/05/2015

The theme of the Small Groups network meeting on June 9th is:

Safeguarding considerations for Small Groups

including what to do about the results of DBS checks

 

Tuesday 9th June, 2015, 13.15 – 15.45 (arrivals from 13.00)

The Brighthelm Centre, Stanmer Room (1st Floor)

 

Mel Parr from Care Co-ops, Jo Wren from Grow and Joanna Rowland Stuart from the LGBT Small Groups Network / Community Safety Forum

will be there to share their knowledge and experiences and we hope you will come to share yours…

Let’s make our communities places everyone can participate safely. To book on use link below:

 

http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/community-works-members-summer-conference-2015-registration-16767167048

 

Or call 01273 234023 if you want assistance to register.

National Citizen Service offers teams of volunteers to local organisations

01/05/2015

The National Citizen Service (NCS) is a National Government programme of personal development for young people. Groups of young people are guided by experienced and skilled team leaders and support staff to get jobs done for organisations.

The project is aimed at building their confidence in skills such as project management and leadership and helps put them to them to good use within their own local community. Albion in the Community have run this programme with great success for 3 years in Brighton and Hove.

This summer they have 180 young people aged between 16 and 18, who will have completed two weeks of challenge and skills workshops in their teams of 15. In the second two weeks, they plan and deliver a Social Action Project with a local organisation or charity.

They have 30 hours each to offer to their project – that’s 450 hours each team – a lot is possible in that time!. From sporting fun days to sponsored walks, from brightening up old people’s homes to creating a stunning professional mural in London Road railway station – anything is possible! They are now looking for a range of opportunities for this summer 2015 .

Contact:

‘H’ Zeida: 07876898035; 01273 878220

 

Information sessions about Community Works Mentoring programme

17/04/2015

The Community Works Mentoring Programme for 2015-16 is coming soon.

They are holding two Information Sessions for anyone who would like to find out more.

Whether you would like to take part as a mentor or whether you are seeking the support of one, you can come along to find out the details of the programme, criteria for taking part and speak to people who have participated in previous years. The aim is also to help you decide whether mentoring support will be the thing for you.

Book on to one of the following:

  • Tuesday 12 May 12:30-2:30pm or
  • Thursday 14 May 6-8pm

Both sessions will be held in the Community Works meeting room, 3rd Floor of Community Base, Queens Rd, Brighton.

Please email: mentoring@bhcommunityworks.org.uk to let them know to expect you.

For more information about the Mentoring Programme:

– http://bit.ly/1aZJOsb (programme overview)

– http://bit.ly/1FXVoBB (programme information)

Making the media work for you

05/03/2015

This free publication is a useful guide for community and voluntary organisations on using the media. It’s aimed at larger charities, but has some useful advice and tips for anyone getting to grips with publicising their organisation.

It’s written by journalists, and covers news media, social media and developing media campaigns.

You can download it at http://ejc.net/projects/Ongoing/making-the-media-work-for-you-a-guide-for-civil-society-organisations

 

Free workshop: What are funders looking for?

27/01/2015

This workshop for community groups is being organised by Community Works as part of their members’ conference. You can just attend this workshop, or go to the whole conference.

Date: Thursday 12 February 2015

Time: 1.00 – 3.45pm

Venue: Brighthelm Centre, North Road

Trainer: Paul Bramwell (formerly Working Together Project)

The session will look at the steps any community group needs to take before making an application for funding. The session is being led by Paul Bramwell and it will set out those steps to help community groups be ‘funding bid ready’.

Please note! As this is happening as part of Community Works’ wider conference, there are other sessions you might be interested in booking on to (particularly the ‘Sector Market place’ where you can find out about other support available to your group).

To book: http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/community-works-members-spring-conference-2015-registration-15135671200

When you book on please select ‘Small Groups Network’ from the afternoon sessions list.

If you have any problems with booking on to the session contact Lisa Mytton at Community Works on 01273 234031.