London Plus March 2022 Newsletter

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London Plus News

Support for those affected by the Ukraine crisis
Our up-to-date list has information on support for those affected by the Ukraine crisis, including London-based organisations. It also includes how you can support via emergency appeals and potential opportunities to volunteer.

Food insecurity blog series: The cost of living & food banks
Our new blog is the first in our food insecurity series. It explores the rising cost of living, why this has led to an increase in the use of food banks, as well as their role & capacity to support Londoners.

Palace for Life Foundation: A Social Prescribing Story
In this blog, EnRico from Palace for Life Foundation in Croydon discusses his organisation’s social prescribing referral process. This includes the barriers that they face and the benefits of being based in the voluntary sector.

We googled “Levelling Up” so you didn’t have to…
In this blog, we outline a quick summary of the Government’s Levelling Up white paper and the responses from voluntary and public sector organisations.

Learning Together: Social Prescribing & Mental Health
16th March, 1- 2.30pm.
Our first workshop in partnership with Inside Out Wellbeing will explore the impacts of social issues on mental health & wellbeing, challenges for social prescribers and the benefits of social prescribing.

Social Prescribing, Intersectionality & Mental Health
30th March, 1- 2.30pm.
Our second workshop with Inside Out Wellbeing will discuss social prescribing & intersectionality, including culturally-informed support, a case study and mental health support.

Sector News

International Women’s Day 2022
On 8th March, it’s International Women’s Day 2022. This year’s theme is #BreakTheBias, calling for action to remove bias making it difficult for women to move ahead. Download resources here.

Social Prescribing Week 2022
It’s #SocialPrescribingWeek until 11th March. We’ll be sharing resources and blogs from our London Social Prescribing Network on our social media to celebrate the week. See our Facebook pageTwitter profile and LinkedIn page.

Young Londoners Research ProgrammeThis programme from Partnership for Young London (PYL) offers grants of up to £8,000 to explore access to youth services and develop innovative youth-led approaches.
Deadline: 18th April.

Reshaping Financial Support Network
The Local Government Association is inviting voluntary organisations working on financial inclusion to join its new, free network with resources to strengthen financial inclusion strategies.

Events & Training

Southwark Funding Conference
9th March, 10 – 2.30pm.
Join national and regional funders, and local charities and community groups at 2022’s Southwark Funding Conference.

Briefing on Cost of Living pressures
15th March 11:30am.

The Mayor of London Communities team’s online event outlines expectations for the cost of living and how to access advice services, hosted by the Deputy Mayor, Dr Debbie Weekes-Bernard, and speakers including Debt Free London.

NCVO & Zurich: Cyber Resilience Webinar
16th March, 10 – 11am.
This webinar is the third in a series of virtual risk workshops hosted by NCVO in partnership with Zurich.
Organisations of any size, sector or location are potential targets of cybercrime.

Local Black and minority ethnic leadership during the pandemic
21st March, 2:00 – 3.30pm.
This free online workshop by the Open University Centre for Voluntary Sector Leadership (CVSL) brings together researchers, service providers and leaders of black and minority ethnic organisations.

Supporting vulnerable girls: for voluntary organisations 24th March, 10 – 12pm.Clinks’ workshop is aimed at voluntary organisations in London that target issues facing vulnerable girls & young women to better safeguard them.

Stronger Things 2022
29th & 30th March, online and in-person.
The New Local’s community power event offers virtual and in-person opportunities to network with local government & NHS leaders and will highlight inspiring stories & insights.

Jewish Volunteering Network (JVN) Conference
31st March, 9.30 – 1.30pm.
The JVN, in partnership with the Jewish Leadership Council, will be reigniting volunteering at their in-person conference, free for CEOs and volunteer managers of JVN and partners, and £50 for non-partner organisations.

Impact measurement for trustees
4th April, 4 – 6pm. 
This free, in-person seminar run by NPC and Clothworkers’ Company will explore what questions trustees should be asking their charities to inform decision-making.

Pricing your services: for voluntary organisations 5th April, 10 – 12.30pm.Clinks’ short training course outlines pricing your services; aimed at senior staff of small voluntary organisations that support women, girls, and/or racially minoritised groups in London.

Smart working for charities 
14th April, 10 -1pm.
Smarter Not Harder is offering UK charities free training to help staff develop their skills and knowledge. They run regular training sessions on topics including coaching, delegating and time management.

Vision for Volunteering Update
6th and 7th May.
NCVO, Volunteering Matters, NAVCA, AVM and Sport England are launching the Vision for Volunteering report at the Volunteer Expo at the Birmingham NEC.

Superhighways data training
Superhighways have launched their new data training programme to support smaller charities and community groups. Their first workshop is on 14th March.

Resources

Wellness Action Plan resourcesThe mental health charity Mind has published guidance on Wellness Action Plans. These are an easy, practical way of helping staff support their mental health at work. Read more

Data First Aid
Need an expert to look at data or need advice to make it visually appealing? Pro Bono Economics are offering charities and social enterprises pro bono support.

Support for fuel poor households
The Warmer Homes Programme is a pan-London programme offering free advice and financial support for fuel poor households by the Greater London Authority and supported by NHS England/Improvement (see PDF).

Why volunteering makes you feel good
Read Michael Ashe’s (CEO of Kensington & Chelsea Social Club (KCSC)) recent blog on his experience of volunteering and why volunteering makes you feel good.

Free advice for faith-based organisations
Faith Action offer free advice and guidance sessions for faith-based organisations. If you’d like to receive support from the FaithAction team, please email them or call 0800 804 8829.

Data protection & cybersecurity
NCVO have guidance and resources on cyber risk management, GDPR, data protection law for charities and community groups.

Funding

Poundland Foundation: Kits 4 Kids 
Grants of up to £750 for new kits are available for grassroots sports clubs supporting children under 18 across the UK.
Deadline: 13th March.

The UK Youth Fund: Thriving Minds
This unrestricted grant is for UK charities that seek to benefit young people aged 8 to 25. It aims to improve mental health support and provision for young people and youth workers.
Deadline: 20th March.

Social Enterprise Support Fund
The National Lottery is offering grants of between £10,000 and £100,000 to support social enterprises impacted by Covid-19.
Deadline: 24th March.

Youth Investment Fund Phase 1This fund is a £10-million grant for small-scale capital projects around youth provision, open for the London Boroughs of Tower Hamlets and Barking & Dagenham.
Deadline: 31st March.

Rewilding Innovation Fund
This round focuses on community engagement rewilding projects, particularly those following community ownership models, community co-design and developing the health benefits of rewilding.
Deadline: 31st March.

The Place Makers Fund
Grants are available from the L&Q Foundation for local organisations and charities that are committed to changing lives and enhancing communities.
Deadline: 1st April.

The Sasha Foundation
The Foundation will provide financial support and guidance to charitable organisations that support young people suffering from mental health issues, or those confronting drug abuse issues.
First Deadline: 1st April.

John Coates Charitable Trust
The Trust is offering financial assistance to UK charities that work in: education, the arts, healthcare, heritage & the environment, and societal & community cohesion.
Deadline: 27th May.

The Arnold Clark Community Fund
Up to £1,000 is available for charities & community groups whose work falls into the following categories: food banks, toy banks, housing and accommodation, and poverty relief.
Rolling Deadline.

City Bridge Trust Transition Funding
The programme can provide funding for eligible organisations for up to two years. The maximum grant is £50,000 per annum.
No deadline.

LGBT+ Futures Equity Fund
Small grants of up to £25,000 are available for community-led LGBT+ groups and organisations for running costs, projects and organisational/leadership development.
Rolling deadline.

Reports

 

NCVO: The Road Ahead 2022
The Road Ahead report is NCVO’s annual analysis of the changing environment for those working or volunteering in the voluntary sector. It explores trends that are likely to have an impact on voluntary organisations.

Transcending resilience
PYL’s new report explores how young people from minoritised communities with racialised identities respond to aspects of adversity in their lives. Contact Sandra for more information.

Ethnic inequalities in healthcare
The NHS Race and Health Observatory’s report [PDF] is the first of its kind to analyse evidence of ethnic health inequality through the lens of racism. It indicates ethnic inequalities are present across a range of areas.