Our focus is to support small, local, specialist charities with an income of £25,000–£500,000 where our three-year unrestricted £75,000 grant and support to develop, can make the greatest impact. We’ll support charities that understand the complexity of the issues people face and are best placed to make a genuine difference to people’s lives.
Please take some time to read the eligibility information and then select one of the themes below that best represents the work that your charity does.
We will let you know as soon as possible if your application is not able to progress to the next stage, to reduce the time it takes to get a decision. This means that we’ll be in touch with a decision any time after you apply. We aim to give feedback to everyone who’s completed an application for funding. If your application does not progress past the first stages, our feedback will be focussed on the eligibility criteria and programme fit. We can give more detailed feedback later in the process.
This survey will ask about the voluntary sector infrastructure support offer in Essex.
Voluntary Sector Infrastructure Offer is the ‘support that enables community groups and voluntary organisations to build greater resilience, self-sustaining capacity and capability to deliver activities and services. Strategic representation, liaison and partnership working across sectors.’
In Essex the organisations that deliver this support are normally called CVS and are core funded by the Essex County Council (ECC).
ECC are reviewing this support offer to make sure that it is effective and delivering what you need in order to succeed, this survey is part of a period of engagement with the voluntary community sector, the CVS and other stakeholders, for example districts and health partners.
The CDS Action Charitable Trust makes donations to community organisations who operate in the same communities as CDS to promote health and well-being. So far over £431k has been shared with local organisations supporting causes as varied as canoes for scouts to sign language groups. Applications are invited from charities, social enterprises and community groups in Norfolk and Waveney, Leicestershire, Essex, Oxfordshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire with grants ranging in scale from £500 to £5,000.
Applications are reviewed every three months by a group of trustees made up of CDS employees.
Applications are invited from charities, social enterprises and community groups. We regret we cannot fund individuals. Organisations should be based in the same communities as CDS CIC; Norfolk, Waveney area of Suffolk, Essex, Bedfordshire, Oxfordshire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Lincolnshire.
Applications must demonstrate clear social value and support health and well-being of local populations. Funding should not be used for maintenance or on-going costs after 12 months and applications should show evidence of how they will meet previously unmet needs. We do not fund staff costs.
The Healthwatch Essex Trauma Card has been created by the Healthwatch Essex Trauma Ambassador Group, a group of people with lived experience of trauma.
The card is designed to be a tool to empower cardholders to make those they are interacting with aware of when they are experiencing the effects of trauma, and to inform those in receipt of the card about trauma and how to more effectively support, and work with, those living with the effects of trauma.
All Trauma cardholders carry the card to present in health and care settings when they experience a situation which has generated a trigger from them.
Trauma is by nature unpredictable and affects so many areas of life for those who live with it. It can manifest in the most mundane and unexpected of situations; for example, at a dental appointment or visiting a chiropractor, chatting with another carer at a support group or taking your child for a health check. It can result in the individual withdrawing and disengaging from these services, which leaves them in a position where they may not receive the level of care and support that they need and are entitled to.
The Healthwatch Essex Trauma Ambassador Group have created the Trauma Card as a tool to empower cardholders to make those they are interacting with aware of when they are experiencing the effects of trauma, and to inform those in receipt of the card about trauma and how to more effectively support, and work with, those living with the effects of trauma.
If you would like to carry a trauma card, or speak to someone about the project, please contact our Information & Guidance team:
Would you like to support a growing charity committed to supporting the improvement of health and wellbeing in North East Essex?
Are you interested in joining a charity who are beginning a new journey?
Anglian Community Trust (ACT) was formed in 2014 to ‘promote and protect the social, mental and physical health, welfare and well-being of people in the community of North East Essex, and surrounding areas’. Since that time ACT has distributed around £500,000 in donations to local charities and community groups.
In 2021, the board of trustees was reformed, with a new and distinct purpose taking forward the legacy work, but effectively creating a new, exciting approach. Dedicated to our new vision of “We will help you to create change to improve lives for the long term”, we are keen to grow our board who share our values of:
Long term impact
Equity for all
Kindness
Honesty
Compassion
Planet friendly
There are exciting times ahead for ACT in collaboratively making decisions about how our funding can be used to make a real difference to the health and wellbeing of communities in and around North East Essex, both by supporting impactful projects/services and by identifying further investment and fund-raising opportunities.
As well as ensuring the good governance of the charity, the Board of Trustees actively work to promote ACT’s objects and to maximise impact on reducing inequalities and improving wellbeing.
Please get in touch if you have:
A passion to help shape and develop the direction of the charity
An interest in joining a charity who is rebranding and looking for new opportunities
An understanding of the local social and political environment
Integrity and commitment to our objectives
Strategic thinking/planning
Excellent communication skills and the ability to be non-judgmental when helping the Board make decisions
Ideally you will bring connections with local business and the community, and we are particularly looking for experience of finance and commerce.
We encourage and welcome applicants from currently under-represented groups and with a variety of diverse backgrounds, interests and experiences who are committed to improving our local communities and enhancing people’s lives.
If you would like to apply, please send us your CV and a covering letter to: [email protected]
Community360 is calling for volunteers to help support the NHS and partners to discharge patients from hospital to their homes.
With the NHS facing huge challenges, volunteers are urgently needed locally to fill ‘Home from Hospital’ roles. These volunteer roles will help people stay safe and well in their homes this winter after being discharged from hospital.
“If you would like to give something back to our local hospitals, we would love to hear from you.” Said Cat Wright, Volunteer Centre Manager at Community360. She added: “Our Home from Hospital Volunteers provides simple, practical support to isolated people after they leave hospital. We ease their worries about being discharged whilst they are in hospital, assist them in the transition back to their homes and continue to visit for 6 weeks afterwards.
This support really helps with their recovery process at home, helping them to settle back into their community and giving them confidence again. If you only have an hour to spare a week you could make a real difference to someone’s life. We know many people are living on their own and will rely on this support.”
Pat Deburca has been volunteering for community360 wanting to give something back to the community and the hospital that has helped him in the past. “The best thing about becoming a befriending volunteer is seeing the trust the patient puts in you, and how much it is appreciated, getting them from hospital and back into their own homes, It is so rewarding, and you can really see what a difference you are making.”
Community360 also helps with things such as organising transport home from hospital, distributing winter welfare packs and signposting to charities or social groups in the area.
All volunteers will undertake induction training specific to the project and includes boundaries, safeguarding, health & safety. They receive continued support from the team and reimbursed for any travel and out of pocket expenses. For more information on these roles please log onto:
For further information please contact Community360 on 01206 505250 or email [email protected]
Or Sonia Shelcott Millriver Publicity 07775 613079
Community360 is an independent charity Established in 1968 to assist charities, voluntary and community organisations in Colchester and Braintree (300+) through any activities which provide representation, enable development, encourage liaison, nurture strategic partnerships and provide support to promote voluntary action.
Our frontline services are developed in response to local needs and not only assist established community groups but are designed to address unmet needs, with project development defined by the communities we work with to improve their outcomes and life opportunities.
These include Community Development, Community Transport, Shopmobility, Volunteer Centre, Timebank and Community Accounts. We signpost members of the public, provide training for low level skills, apprenticeships and volunteer recruitment. Groups receive assistance on fundraising, business planning, constitutions, policies/procedures, monitoring/evaluation and Quality Marks.
Sitting on the board of a charity, and consulting for another, I recognised a need to make this program on how to have challenging conversations in the workplace available to other charities.
We have developed a program specifically for all not for profits, based on the work we have done with charities, so that they too can benefit from and develop an effective leadership culture of trust & transparency.
“As a growing startup we wanted to create a framework for our team to help with challenging conversations at work, to enable the growth of individuals and the organisation. Having run Suparna’s program to the ELT effectively, we are now rolling it out to other managers in the organisation and will now run this for all new starters. Suparna’s program has helped us have more open communication within the organisations, managing up and down. I would recommend this program to all other charities.
Lainey Gough, Director of Operations & Impact, Access Social Care
“As a growing startup we wanted to create a framework for our team to help with challenging conversations at work, to enable the growth of individuals and the organisation. Having run Suparna’s program to the ELT effectively, we are now rolling it out to other managers in the organisation and will now run this for all new starters. Suparna’s program has helped us have more open communication within the organisations, managing up and down. I would recommend this program to all other charities.
Lainey Gough, Director of Operations & Impact, Access Social Care
“As a growing startup we wanted to create a framework for our team to help with challenging conversations at work, to enable the growth of individuals and the organisation. Having run Suparna’s program to the ELT effectively, we are now rolling it out to other managers in the organisation and will now run this for all new starters. Suparna’s program has helped us have more open communication within the organisations, managing up and down. I would recommend this program to all other charities.
Lainey Gough, Director of Operations & Impact, Access Social Care
“How to help with challenging conversations to enable the growth of individuals and the organisation”
• Are you quietly seething because you are unable to express yourself?
• Does feedback make you want to shrink?
• Are you afraid to tell a colleague or a reportee what you think for fear of hurting their feelings?
• Is your lack of effective communication holding you back from effectively leading your team?
It is possible to communicate clearly, honestly AND with compassion. With simple, small tweaks you too can speak your mind with clarity and impact. Whilst being compassionate, to become the type of leader who inspires.
We are holding a free webinar on 25 January at 11am UK time, to give you a taster of how to have difficult conversations at work, avoid conflict, and be more effective.
Begin 2023 on a high and get this in your diary now!
This discussion will show you how to:
Avoid unnecessary conflict
Understand difficult conversations
Learn how to give feedback safely, and so it is understood
Receive feedback gracefully
Increase levels of confidence and
Help with career progression through effective communication
Become and inspiring leader, develop a trusted team
We look forward to sharing our experties on how to have effective conversations in the workplace whilst avoiding conflict.
Conference Theme for 2023: Keeping Access and Commitment High When Resources are Low
2022 has brought new developments in the field of self harm and suicide prevention, not least with the release of the new NICE guidelines for self harm. If you want to learn what this means for you, your organisation and your work, join us. On Wednesday 1st March 2023, The national centre of excellence for Self Harm and Suicide Prevention will be leading Self Harm Awareness Day on the theme of suicide prevention starts here. In line with this day of significance, Harmless will also host our eighth national conference with a range of expert speakers on a variety of topics pertinent to the field of self harm and suicide prevention.
As in previous years, the conference will be shaped around the following five strategic areas:
Collaborative partnership
Service user representation
Effective practice
Driving change
Overcoming stigma and discrimination
Our conference gathers together leading academics and experts in the fields of self harm and suicide.
We are charging a fixed fee of just £100.00 for Face-to-Face admission, to access quality, specialist, evidence-based, CPD-accredited content. We expect this event to be in high demand therefore we will also LIVE STREAM for a small fixed fee of £55.00. These fees will cover our administration costs, and help us to sustain our life-saving support sessions to those impacted by self harm and suicide across the UK.
We have an amazing line up of Confirmed Speakers:
Professor Nav Kapur
More great speakers to be confirmed
As ever, delegates can expect to take away from the conference a range of knowledge, inspiration and practical applications for the implementation in real life personal and professional situations. Learning from some of the leaders in the field, delegates will have access to sessions that can drive change in the field of self harm prevention.
Free Places – To apply for free/sponsored places for our 2023 conference, please contact: [email protected]
You are invited to attend Demystifying EOL Care for Family & Friends, the latest in a series of Compassionate Tendring events aimed at helping improve end of life care for everybody.
This event is suitable for anyone who has a personal or professional interest in the care provided for people at the end of life and will include presentations and open discussion relating to community led support and services, delivered in collaboration with Essex Family Carers, Action for Family Carers and Carers First.
The event will take place from 10am-12noon on Wednesday 25th January at the Dovercourt & Harwich Hub, 276 High Street, Harwich, CO12 3PD. Please email [email protected] to confirm your attendance (or accept the calendar invitation you may have already received), and please do share this opportunity to support a Compassionate Community approach with colleagues, friends and family. Further details below and attached.
Schedule
09.30 – 10.00: Arrival and refreshments
10.00 – 10.10: Scene setting
10.10 – 11.40: Presentations, discussion and feedback
If you are driven by a passion to make a difference, then we want to hear from you.
At Community360, we all play our part. We are a large, diverse family with a variety of skills working together to help grow our communities. Whether you have just started out in your career journey or already have experience, we would like to hear from you so we can build on your enthusiasm, strengths and skills.
Our current vacancies are;
Senior Engagement Officer – Essex Family Support Service Mat Leave Cover
Social Prescribers (Zero Hours) (Engagement Officers Band 1) – Colchester
Social Prescriber (Engagement Officer Band 1)
Home from Hospital Team Leader (Engagement Officer Band 3)
Part-time Scheduler/Administrator – Transport
If you are interested in working with Community360 we would love to hear from you.
Please email [email protected].uk or call 01206 505250