CARA is looking for an Allocations Coordinator to join their team, either full-time (35 hours) or part-time (21 or 28 hours). The post of Allocations Coordinator is a busy, fast-paced position that requires excellent organisational skills. It involves supporting CARA’s counselling team which is currently made up of 14 staff counsellors/therapists and 25 sessional counsellors who provide therapeutic support to CARA clients from premises across mid and north Essex. The role will involve working alongside our existing Allocations Coordinator to arrange and manage appointments, oversee CARA’s counselling waiting lists and undertake general administrative tasks. CARA is looking for someone with a problem-solving mindset who thrives in a busy, challenging and rewarding role.
For job description and person specification, click here.
Description: Come along to this informal session to find out how your voluntary group, CIC, social enterprise, church, school, sports club or charity can use the free easyfundraising platform to benefit from unrestricted funding. Becky from easyfundraising will show you how your volunteers, staff and supporters can use the easyfundraising platform to raise donations for free for your organisation when they shop with leading retailers.
What to expect:
• A live demonstration of how the website works
• Instructions on how to get your organisation set up
• Tips on how to raise as much as possible
• A Q&A session with Becky If you would like to set up your free easyfundraising page ahead of this session, you can do that here: www.easyfundraising.org.uk/community
On Saturday 22nd April, it was the 30th anniversary of the death of Stephen Lawrence.
The goal of the Stephen Lawrence Foundation is to ensure that the next 30 years look different from the last. They believe that meaningful change starts with tangible actions and are asking as many people as possible to commit to taking one action on Stephen Lawrence Day that will positively impact the lives of young people from marginalised backgrounds so that together, we can honour Stephen’s life and legacy, and build a fairer, kinder and more equitable society in his name.
Do you want to hear what the latest front-line data from across the Citizens Advice service is revealing about the impact of the cost-of-living crisis?
The service’s monthly cost-of-living data briefings look at the trends whether government interventions are working. Hear from experts both from Citizens Advice and guest speakers as they present and talk to a range of data covering the very latest trends and insight from the Citizens Advice service which, whilst constituted of hundreds of local charities, utilises a shared client database and enquiry coding system.
The Coronation of king Charles Ill is taking place on Saturday 6th May and to celebrate this momentous occasion, we are asking everyone to join us and share their creative skills to form a community masterpiece.
Cathartic CIC are asking you to design your own Coronation stamp design! All the designs will come together to form a large digital artwork of THE NEW KING CHARLES I1I DEFINITIVE STAMP, featuring all your amazing designs!
No matter what age or what ability, we want you to come together and take part! 2ND Your drawing will be part of history and
be included in the Big sovereign stamp!
For more information please click here. For your design please click here.
A government-funded programme has been launched to help voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations (VCSEs) in England bid for and win public sector contracts.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) today launched the VCSE Contract Readiness programme, which includes a series of online training sessions and webinars for charities hoping to secure local and national government contracts.
DCMS acknowledged that VCSEs face “distinct challenges” when bidding for contracts, adding that it is committed to developing policies and practices to increase their participation.
The programme will be jointly delivered by the School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE), Social Enterprise UK (SEUK) and Voice4Change England (V4CE).
Programme ‘will improve the skills and knowledge of VCSEs’
As part of the programme, charities and social enterprises will be offered a range of webinars, short and long courses which will be delivered by SSE.
Participants can also access an online hub that contains resources on how to engage in public sector procurement.
“The expertise of VCSEs means they are often ideally placed to help create compassionate, responsive and efficient public services,” said Claire Dove, VCSE crown representative.
“The VCSE Contract Readiness programme will help to address some of the barriers that have prevented VCSEs entering the public sector market.
“It will improve the skills and knowledge of VCSEs on how to bid for contracts and provide them greater opportunity to enter public sector supply chains. This in turn gives the government the opportunity of having a diversity of suppliers in its procurement chains.”
DCMS: VCSEs play ‘vital role’ in public service delivery
Last week, DCMS published an action plan detailing how it intends to increase commercial engagement with civil society and address barriers to participation.
It said that VCSEs are in a “unique position to deliver social value in public procurement” and play a “vital” role in public service delivery.
“Central government has committed to diversifying its supply chains alongside ensuring contracts are awarded on the basis of not only price, but also the supplier’s social impact. This not only provides VCSE organisations with the much deserved recognition for their positive contribution to society, but also ensures the additional social benefits that can be achieved in the delivery of contracts are taken into account,” it said.
“DCMS is committed to improving its awareness of VCSEs in its sectors and the markets it purchases from, with the aim of increasing VCSE appetite to participate in procurement bids and reduce barriers to participation.”
West Essex has funding from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (formerly Public Health England) and NHS England to fund community projects that reach out to people at risk of suicide. We are in Wave 4 of this funding which has already started in other parts of Essex.
The Aim of the Wave Four Programme:
Build resilience to Mental Health problems in local communities
Promote positive mental health in local communities
To reduce the stigma of self-harm and suicide.
To increase the community-based support for those at risk of suicide, including in high risk groups.
To reduce the incidence of self-harm and repeated self-harm.
To reduce the impact of self-harm and suicide.
Who we want to help:
1. Projects that support men, especially middle-aged men, and young men where there is an emerging risk of self harm and suicide.
2. Projects supporting men in high risk groups:
In the care of Mental Health Services, including
With a history of self-harm.
In contact with the Criminal Justice system
Working in specific occupations – construction and farming.
Vulnerable groups – People of colour, LGBTQ+, Veterans, Homeless and rough sleepers, survivors of domestic/sexual abuse
Men who haven’t used mental health services but have underlying risk factors/triggers/stressful live events eg bullying, relationship breakdown, loneliness/social isolation, bereavement, financial issues etc., and which are likely to have been impacted by COVID.
Three quarters of men who complete suicide have NOT sought help – how can your project reach them?
If your organisation has an idea that will get out and connect with men, you can apply for up to £3000 to get your project moving.
Tune into “The Briefing” for all the latest stories from the system.
And why not join Physician Associate, James Catton “In Conversation” with a variety of fascinating guests from across the patch.
Catch a new episode every week.
We’ve gathered a wide range of experts to provide the resources you need to navigate the cost-of-living crisis and help our communities. From governance and planning to attracting new funding, we can help you gain insight and plan for uncertainty.
The impact of the cost-of-living crisis for charities is being felt on many fronts. Far more people are likely to rely on charity support, operational costs are increasing and donations are declining with household budgets squeezed.
With resources already stretched after two years supporting communities through the pandemic, this combination of rising costs, increased demand and income decline is concerning for us all.
People may not want to talk about the subject as they might be worried that they will get into trouble, they are embarrassed, scared, or feel that carrying a knife makes them feel safer.
This page and downloadable resources are to help you prepare for a conversation with someone about whether they are carrying a knife, why they are doing this and what you can do if they are.
It’s important to remember that very few young people carry a knife, but it is always important to have conversations with young people on serious issues, to reassure them they are safe, that there are trusted adults they can talk to and where they can go for help.
You can watch our films below or keep reading to get to our downloadable resources:
If you are worried about knife harm and knife crime, either for your child, yourself of someone you know then we hope the following information and advice will help.
Knife crime is any crime involving a knife or a sharp or bladed object. This includes carrying a knife, owning a banned knife, threatening someone with a knife, trying to buy a knife if you are under 18, injuring or fatally wounding someone with a knife or intending to injure or harm someone with a knife.
The leaflets below will help you understand the signs and consequences. We need to educate our children that in reality very few people carry a knife and carrying a knife will not offer protection. In fact, it is more likely that doing so will lead to them being hurt or them hurting someone else.”
