We have some exciting news to share! Our Volunteer Centre has undergone a rebrand and we are now known as the “‘Basildon, Billericay and Wickford Volunteer Network”, with a brand new logo. We feel this better describes the partnerships we have with our third and public sector organisations and are keen for the Volunteer Network to have its own identifiable brand that can be better known in the community. Behind the scenes we are working on developing our volunteer offer and are developing our new Volunteer Network website which will be our “one stop shop” for all things volunteering – watch this space!
Please get in touch if you’d like to talk about any volunteering opportunities (formal or informal) you might have that we could help you promote – volcentre@bbwcvs.org.uk
Donations will be quarantined for 72 hours and customers required to use hand sanitiser before browsing the clothes rails and handling the bric-a-brac on the shelves, under plans drawn up by the UK’s charity shops as they prepare to reopen their doors in June.
According to the Guardian, Barnardos will be among the first to start trading, with plans to reopen 70 of its 700 UK shops in England from 8 June. Read the full article here.
The Government has freed up £150m of funding raised through dormant bank accounts to support social enterprises and charities working through the Covid-19 crisis.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden announced he would speed up the release of £71m of new funds and reallocate £79m already released to help charities’ responding to the coronavirus outbreak. The “Coronavirus Community Support Fund” is open for applications, with funds due to be distributed by The National Lottery Community Fund.
Following the positive response to May’s virtual Dementia Friends Information Session, the Billericay Dementia Action Alliance, in association with Anisha Grange Care Home is announcing a number of new dates that have been added to the series!
Over the one hour live-stream session, you will gain a greater understanding of dementia, learn how we can all contribute to make our community more dementia friendly, and get insights into how local businesses can become more accessible to those members of our communities, both living with and caring for loved ones with dementia.
The virtual events will be taking place on:
Basildon, Billericay & Wickford CVS are putting together a peer network for the third sector in their area.
They plan to have a private group initially consisting of the leaders across our borough’s non-profit organisations. Eventually they intend to expand this network to support a broader range of roles and discussions to suit you. If you want to be a part of this development and have your say, answer three questions and register your interest.
Mind in West Essex have collaborated with The Wellness Society to produce a free online course for managing anxiety during the coronavirus outbreak.
“In this course we explore what stress and anxiety are, as well as introducing you to several tools for dealing with anxiety and methods for preventing and reducing physical anxiety symptoms (i.e., autostress).”
An honest look at opportunities, challenges, tips and ideas for raising money for creative projects during the Covid-19 pandemic
The creative industries are facing a number of extraordinary challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic.
This webinar will bring together some fundraising experts, to share honest knowledge, wisdom and tips for organisations and individuals needing to rethink their approach to public and private investment in creative projects.
This event is facilitated by always possible, in collaboration with Essex 2020, funded by Essex Partners.
The response to coronavirus (COVID-19) has demonstrated the contribution that communities make to public health. Community life is essential for health and wellbeing, and we are all more aware of the value of social connections, neighbourliness, sense of belonging, control, and mutual trust.
This blog discusses the roles and activities of communities following the outbreak of COVID-19, and their resilience in the face of new challenges posed by this pandemic.
Community action
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, communities have sprung into action. Neighbours are connecting and looking out for each other more than usual, informal support groups in local areas have organised to support people in need, and now there are over 2000 groups listed on the mutual aid website established during the pandemic.
Solidarity is felt in communities across the world towards those who are helping us all. Many people have stepped forward as formal volunteers; in the NHS, community hubs and local charities.
ONS weekly research into social impacts of COVID-19 has seen a steady increase in community spirit over recent weeks;
nearly two thirds of adults (64.1%) saying other local community members would support them if they needed help during the pandemic (up from 57% previous week)
three in four adults (77.9%) saying they thought people are doing more to help others since the pandemic (up from 67.9% previous week)
nearly two in three adults (62.6) had checked in on neighbours who might need help at least once in the last seven days (up from 53.8% previous week)
over one in three adults (37.5%) had gone shopping or done other tasks for neighbours (up from 27.7% the previous week)
Ensuring no one is left behind
Communities have shown and built their resilience over recent weeks, but extra support is needed to support the seldom heard, isolated and excluded individuals and communities. Not everyone can contribute to or benefit equally from neighbourhood action, and those that are already disadvantaged may find it challenging to maintain resilience and participate in social networks in the face of the outbreak. Volunteer and community organisations play a valuable role here.
The role of the voluntary and community sector (VCS)
The VCS has always been a key player in the public health system, and this is even more evident in the current situation. They are often closer to and better at connecting with marginalised groups than other sectors and are ideally placed to implement more community-centred approaches. Their role in reducing health inequalities is essential. National charities and larger VCS organisations support the vital work of local organisations by helping to co-ordinate efforts across the sector.
Community resilience
Having a strong community infrastructure and supportive social networks are factors that help communities withstand and adapt to shocks. The importance of community resilience during emergencies is recognised nationally and internationally. The UK Community Resilience Development Framework sets out actions for Local Resilience Forums to ensure communities are central to response and recovery. These include identifying local community networks and assessing differing needs, supporting community-led social action and working alongside VCS partners.
International guidelines from the Global Inter-Agency Standing Committee offer further recommendations on the role of organisations in facilitating the conditions for community mobilisation, self-help and social support.
Many factors impact on a community’s ability to be resilient and thrive. The World Health Organisation recommends measuring community resilience by considering the different social, human, cultural, environmental and economic capacities.
Strengthening communities – the role of public health
Understanding community needs and strengths and building local action are part of the public health response and can help build resilience.
We know from our research that it is essential to facilitate the conditions for communities to thrive. This includes:
the role of community development, especially in marginalised communities, in order to increase people’s control over their health and wellbeing;
having a strong and co-ordinated voluntary & community sector, reaching out to those in need through responsive and innovative ways;
ensuring basic needs are met through employment, housing, food, income, natural environment and education, as prerequisites for community engagement and action;
maintaining two-way communication and decision-making between communities and organisations, to ensure needs and priorities are understood and addressed;
skilling the workforce in working with communities, using strengths-based approaches and coproduction;
utilising community-centred approaches to provide support and services, alongside professional-led services;
coordinating a place-based offer that is integrated across agencies and delivered at a small neighbourhood level.
Maintaining community resilience
The pandemic has not only highlighted the importance of communities but also investing in a community-centred public health system. In order not to lose these gains as we recover from the pandemic it is vital to maintain the centrality of communities and continue to strengthen community resilience through our ongoing efforts to improve the nation’s health and wellbeing.
PHE will be continuing its Healthy Communities work to support localities in taking a whole system approach to community-centred public health. We have a growing library of practice examples and welcome additions related to community-centred work during COVID-19. Communities everywhere are showing care, compassion and co-operation to get us through these difficult times. During this public health crisis, the voluntary and community sector and organisations who have responded so expertly and our thanks and recognition must go to them.
Some resources you may find helpful:
Thrive in Trying Times free online learning programme for community mobilisation and wellbeing during COVID-19 from FutureLearn.
Do you want to make a difference to health and care in Essex?
Healthwatch Essex is seeking a new CEO and up to three new Trustees to join its Board. Have you got what it takes to ensure that we are a thriving ‘independent voice for the people of Essex, helping to shape and improve local health and social care services’?
Click here for the role profiles and details of the application processes.
Ten million UK adults have been volunteering in their community during the coronavirus crisis, and most say they will carry on after the lockdown ends, according to new research.
The study also found that Britons have been extending a financial helping hand to local businesses. More than £1bn was spent on services and goods that people knew they would never be able to use during the pandemic, including payments to home cleaners and gardeners.
Since the crisis took hold, millions of Britons have been serving as an informal “volunteering army”, whether it is helping with grocery shopping for others, picking up prescriptions, ringing up people living alone, or helping out at a local food bank.
According to the research from insurer Legal & General and the Centre for Economics and Business Research, one in five UK adults (19%) has volunteered their time for community activities since the start of the lockdown on 23 March.
With each individual contributing, on average, about three hours of their time, the work this volunteer army is doing is estimated to have an equivalent economic value of more than £350m a week.
The researchers said “Britain’s community spirit has doubled down in lockdown” and that these volunteers were a key part of the “national infrastructure” during the crisis.
Nigel Wilson, Legal & General’s chief executive, said: “We have become a nation of volunteers during the Covid-19 crisis. And – judging by the millions who plan to continue after the lockdown – it is a change that is here to stay.”
Two-thirds of those who have volunteered (67%) have been doing grocery shopping for neighbours, friends and others, while a quarter (26%) have collected and delivered medicines or prescriptions. Meanwhile, 16% of those donating their time have volunteered to phone people who may be struggling with loneliness or other issues. This is all on top of the help being provided via the NHS volunteer programme launched on 24 March.
The research found that millennials – typically defined as those born between the early 1980s and the late 1990s or the start of the 2000s – were the least likely age group to volunteer, but that when they did, they gave up the most time: an average of 3.5 hours a week on grocery shopping, and 4.4 hours if volunteering in other ways.
Meanwhile, across all those surveyed, more than three-quarters (78%) said they planned to continue helping those in need after the lockdown.
The researchers also found that many households had tried to help those who help them, and were continuing to pay cleaners, gardeners and other workers for services they knew they would never be able to use under lockdown. An estimated £637m was spent on unused goods and services between the start of the lockdown and the end of April – a figure that has now risen to more than £1bn.