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.
The Essex Alliance is sharing this training opportunity on behalf of Mind in West Essex.
The Essentials workshop is the foundation for workplace wellbeing, and it’s at the core of everything we do at The Mental Health Toolkit.
This half-day session takes you through the Mental Health Continuum – the spectrum of mental health that we are all on – and introduces you to the Emotional Needs & Resources approach.
Unmet emotional needs trigger symptoms of mental ill health. Understanding how to meet them helps you understand what you need to be well, and enables you to take care of yourself and those around you.
The dates below have been fully funded by Essex County Council, and are offered free of charge for staff and volunteers of any VCSE organisations working in Essex.
Stagetext, a deaf-led charity based in Colchester, has some free deaf awareness training for people working or volunteering in Essex in arts, culture, museums or heritage venues.
When: Tuesday 22nd September Where: Chelmsford City Museum, Wells Suite in Essex Time: There are two available sessions, in the morning or afternoon: 10.00am to 12:30pm or 1:30pm to 4.00pm. How to book: Click on the link below to find out more.
Ace Music Therapy have announced the next 2 blocks of free Wiggles and Jiggles groups for babies and their mums in Chelmsford this autumn.
This fun and friendly group combines music, movement, and baby massage to support babies’ early development while giving parents a chance to connect, chat, and enjoy time with their little ones.
Designed and delivered by a qualified Music Therapist and Paediatric Physiotherapist, the sessions combine live music, baby massage & movement to support childhood development, enhance parent-child bonds, and improve maternal mental health.
This evidence-based program uses music as a clinical tool to promote communication, emotional regulation, creativity, and self-confidence. These benefits are especially impactful for mothers experiencing postnatal depression (PND) or isolation, as research demonstrates that structured baby classes improve maternal mood, enhance early interactions, and foster secure attachments. Babies gain from the developmental benefits of live music and tactile activities.
The sessions will be led by Amelia – our CEO & HCPC Registered Music Therapist and Natalie – Paediatric Physiotherapist from Happy Little Feet. The sessions are gentle, engaging, and accessible for babies of all abilities, including those with special needs, from 12 weeks to pre-crawling.
The group will run for 6 weeks, with resources given to parents for practising some of the skills learnt in the group at home. The group can accommodate up to 8 babies and their mums (one parent should attend the entire block where possible.)
Please note – our aim with this group is to reach the people who need it most – Please do not share the group details on social media at this time, we are trying to reach social prescribers, family support teams and those who work with vulnerable parents, who can signpost the mothers they support to our group.
September – October Group (For Babies that will be between 12 weeks + pre-crawling between these dates)
We are sharing this information on behalf of Fareport.
We are delighted that Essex County Council have agreed funding for our short training course, focused on Digital Skills for the Community and Voluntary Sector.
The course is designed specifically for charities, community groups and VCSE organisations in Essex, and covers practical digital skills in cyber security and GDPR, digital marketing and storytelling, online income generation, data and impact reporting, and using automation and AI responsibly within mission‑led organisations.
The course will start on the 6th of October, and runs 1 day a week, live online with our expert trainers.
If someone in your team or your network would benefit from the training, you can find all the details on our website:
Parents 1st UK are looking for an exceptional individual to lead our Board of Trustees and help shape the future of our charity as we continue to grow, strengthen our impact and support more parents and families.
If you share our values and can bring strategic insight, sound judgement and a commitment to making a difference, we’d love to hear from you.
Today, more than 24,000 people in Essex are living with dementia, and its impact reaches far beyond those diagnosed, affecting families, carers, friends, neighbours, colleagues, and professionals. With numbers expected to rise significantly by 2030, it is more important than ever that we work together to ensure our services, communities, and support are ready for the future.
2026 marks an important milestone as Greater Essex, (ECC, Southend and Thurrock) refreshes its Dementia Strategy. The strategy sets out our shared vision to help people live well with dementia through priorities such as prevention, timely diagnosis, information and advice, support for carers, dementia-inclusive communities, and high-quality care. As part of the refresh, we are reviewing what is working well, where there are gaps, and what improvements are needed.
We want this strategy to be shaped by the people it affects most. Every voice matters, and we are particularly keen to hear from people across Essex’s diverse communities so the refreshed strategy reflects a wide range of experiences, needs, and aspirations.
Your feedback will help us build a strategy that supports people living with dementia, their families, and carers, and helps make Essex an even better place to live.
Become a Mental Health First Aider (MHFAider®) and be trained to provide first-level mental health support and early intervention – whether it’s in your workplace, a volunteer role, or the community.
You’ll be certified as a MHFAider for 3 years and also gain access to exclusive resources, ongoing learning, and 24/7 digital support.
Mind in West Essex offer Mental Health First Aid training, with the next course taking place in Harlow on September 23 and 24.
Throughout this two-day training course, you’ll gain:
The knowledge, awareness and skills to spot signs of someone experiencing poor mental health
The confidence to start a conversation and signpost someone to appropriate help
The support to feel empowered and motivated to carry out the role.
Essex County Council is looking for volunteer Public Contributors to support the work of its Health Determinants Research Collaboration.
This is a voluntary role rather than paid employment. It offers local people an opportunity to use their lived experience and perspectives to help shape research intended to improve health and wellbeing across Essex.
Public Contributors will help ensure that research reflects the issues that matter to residents and communities, and that local people have a meaningful voice in how it is developed.
Further information about the role and how to apply is available here:
The Essex Alliance is sharing this funding opportunity on behalf of Essex County Council.
The Families First Neighbourhood Grants Programme (FFNGP) is a £2.5 million grant programme which will fund targeted early intervention support for children, young people and families. The programme is funded through the Department for Education’s Families First Partnership Policy.
Eligible organisations can apply for a grant from £15,000 up to £60,000.
All funding projects and programmes will run for 30 months (two and a half years). They are required to start 1 October 2026 and finish 31 March 2029.
Who Can Apply
Applications are invited from voluntary and community organisations and not-for-profit organisations, including:
voluntary and community sector enterprise (VCSE) organisations
registered charities
community interest companies (CICs)
not-for-profit organisations limited by guarantee
charitable incorporated organisations (CIOs)
community benefit societies or co-operative societies
What It Can Fund
The FFNGP will fund targeted early intervention projects and programmes that enable children and families to:
address challenges early
build resilience
achieve positive and sustainable outcomes
Applications can be focused on direct work with children (five years plus), young people, parents and carers or a combination of those through whole family support.
We will fund projects and programmes that are already active, or have recently been delivered, and are known to achieve good outcomes.
Where It Covers
The grants programme covers the 12 districts within our administrative area (excluding Southend and Thurrock).
For the purpose of the FFNGP, a neighbourhood means a clearly defined local area within Essex. This includes a:
housing estate
ward
village
town
Applicants must explain why a neighbourhood has been chosen and how the proposed activity responds to local need. Prioritisation will be given to applications which target areas where need and demand levels are greatest.
How to Apply
The application window is open from Thursday 9 July 2026 until Monday 17 August 2026.
