This is a place where you can find out about opportunities that are available to your organisation. From funding streams to events and training, The Essex Alliance will keep you informed.
BelievePerform is pleased to be working with Active Essex Foundation to deliver a bespoke version of their Thrive programme, designed specifically for VCSE sector organisations working with young people and grounded in the core principles of common low-level psychological therapy approaches, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and positive psychology/mindset.
This programme is not intended to train attendees as therapists, rather it provides evidence-based tools and techniques derived from these common psychological therapy approaches that can be used to support young people aged 11 to 25 in building emotional resilience and practical skills to help them thrive.
Participants will receive some pre-reading/video that they will be expected to engage with ahead of the session, as well as content to access six short explainer videos, six practical tools, and six supporting infographics to reinforce and extend their learning after attending this workshop. Through this workshop, attendees will develop a foundational understanding of CBT and positive psychology theory and its practical applications.
They will learn how to apply some basic CBT-informed interventions in their work with young people to positively influence mental health and wellbeing. Participants will also gain deeper insight into common mental health challenges and the role they play in providing safe, informed support. Attendees will be supported to understand the importance of boundaries and in identifying appropriate referral pathways when further support is needed.
It will be expected that all attendees attend the full day to complete the training and to receive a certificate.
The consultation closes on 3 February 2026, so please take a few minutes today to make your voice heard.
Why Your Voice Matters
This strategy will shape how we work together across Essex to tackle health inequalities and improve outcomes for residents. Your insights are essential to ensure the strategy reflects the real needs and priorities of our communities.
What We’re Asking You
We want your views on the four key areas of the strategy, which will guide the Health and Wellbeing Board’s focus over the next three years, along with the priorities within each. Your feedback will help us confirm whether these are the right areas or highlight other pressing challenges we may have overlooked.
What’s in the Strategy
Our vision: All residents are enabled to achieve good health, in safe and thriving communities, with access to support when they need it.
To achieve this, the strategy focuses on four key areas:
Improving life chances for children and young people
Helping more people into and stay in work
Building healthy, resilient, and connected communities
Creating opportunities to improve health and reduce the impact of poor health
There are three emerging priorities against each of these, including improving mental health, reducing poverty, helping more people into work, creating healthy places, and promoting healthy lifestyles.
CARA is recruiting an Independent Sexual Violence Adviser (ISVA) to join their team. ISVAs provide vital emotional and practical support, as well as impartial information, to victims and survivors of sexual violence. This includes individuals who have reported to the police and those who are considering reporting.
The role of an ISVA includes:
Ensuring the voices of victims and survivors are heard
Supporting individuals to make choices that feel right for them
Accompanying clients to key appointments and court proceedings
Providing ongoing support after the legal process concludes, regardless of the outcome
For victims and survivors who are considering reporting to the police, ISVAs also:
Provide impartial information to support informed decision-making
Offer an overview of police processes and what to expect
Support individuals with their next steps
CARA provides an ISVA service to adults, young people and children who have experienced sexual violence across mid and North Essex, including Uttlesford.
Further information
To view the job description and person specification, please click here
Healthwatch Essex is delighted to be starting 2026 with an exciting opportunity to join their award-winning Carers Voices team.
They are currently recruiting a Carers Voices Officer to join the Information and Guidance Team.
This role is ideal for someone who is passionate about ensuring unpaid carers are heard and supported. The successful candidate will play a key role in reaching out to carers, engaging with them, and listening to their experiences to help shape and improve services.
You can find full details about the role and how to apply below:
Please help us spread the word by sharing this opportunity with your networks and including it in any relevant circulars. The webpage can be accessed here: 👉 https://healthwatchessex.org.uk/get-involved
Essex Family Forum has launched its 2025 Family Impact Surveyand is inviting SEND parents and carers across Essex to take part. The survey takes around 10 minutes to complete and covers key areas including Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), mental health, social care, therapies and diagnosis.
Feedback from families is vital in helping shape and influence positive changes to SEND services in Essex. SEND parents and carers are encouraged to complete the survey, and professionals are asked to share the link across their networks to reach as many families as possible.
The Essex Alliance is pleased to support Mind in West Essex with the recruitment of two paid positions.
Mind in West Essex is a local, independent mental health charity, affiliated to Mind, (the National Association for Mental Health) a charity with which we share common values and principles.
Our vision is for West Essex to be a place where people talk openly and positively about mental health, and where everyone gets the support and respect needed to live well. Mind in West Essex welcomes applications from people with their own personal experience of mental ill health.
• Volunteer Support Officer
Reporting to: Volunteer Coordinator
Location: Based in Uttlesford with occasional travel across the district and to Harlow
Hours: 12 Hours
Pay: £12.21 per hour
• Cleaner
Reporting to: Premises Coordinator
Normal Place of Work: The Mind Sanctuary, Potter Street, Harlow
Hours: 6 Hours Per Week
Term: Permanent
Pay: £12.21 per hour
These roles play an important part in supporting mental health services across West Essex.
Parents 1st are pleased to offer parents and caregivers the unique opportunity to join our friendly and informal group running in Basildon in January 2026 to create a personal lullaby for their babies with the help of professional musicians.
You do not need to be able to sing or to write music! A skilled, professional musician will work with you to help you create your lullaby from start to finish. The lullabies will be recorded, giving you and your family something to treasure for years to come.
Where: Northlands Park Family Hub, Davenants, Basildon, Essex SS13 1QX
When: Fridays 9th January – 6th March 2026, 10:30am-12pm (some sessions will be held online, please see flyer for more details)
Cost: Free
For more information and to register your interest in joining the group, please visit the Parents 1st website:
Active Essex and the Foundation invite eligible VCSE sector organisations who are working with, or looking to work with, 17-25 years olds experiencing low levels of emotional wellbeing using physical activity alongside other support, to apply for funding to become future delivery partners.
Essex Transition Age Mental Health & Physical Activity Project, funded through Wellbeing, Public Health, and Communities Team at Essex County Council, is an innovative 3-year project, which is now entering its second year.
For more information about the project, including priority cohorts, funding criteria and grant application process – Click Here
All applications must be submitted by 31st December 2025.
The Government has now launched its public consultation on proposals for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)across Greater Essex. This represents a significant opportunity for organisations, community groups, businesses, and residents to help shape what the future of local government could look like in our county.
Announced on 19 November 2025, the consultation covers all four unitary proposals submitted by councils across Essex, Southend-on-Sea, and Thurrock. It will run until 11 January 2026, giving organisations across the voluntary and community sector vital time to feed back their views.
These proposals aim to simplify how local councils work, strengthen local decision-making, and improve the way services are delivered. This includes ensuring councils reflect local identity, operate efficiently, and deliver high-quality public services.
This is a unique opportunity for the VCS to influence decisions that will affect communities for years to come.
Why this matters to Essex Alliance members
Local Government Reorganisation has the potential to reshape:
how services are delivered
how local priorities are set
how communities engage with decision-making
the future structure and scale of local authorities across Greater Essex
Your insight—as organisations working closely with communities—is key to ensuring these proposals reflect local needs.
All the councils in Essex are working together to propose changes to how they are run. Each council – whether district, borough, city or county councils – might have their own ideas to share with the government.
These proposals are based on:
making sure decision making is as close to communities as possible
delivering value for money and efficient local services
what’s good for local businesses and voluntary sector organisations
Some ideas will be the same, but some will be different.
You can read the four proposals that councils in Greater Essex have sent to government HERE.
