Grantfinder sessions at Community Works

The council’s free funding search service to community and voluntary organisations will be hosted at Community Base on the following dates:

  • Friday 17 May
  • Thursday 20 June
  • Tuesday 23 July
  • August TBC
  • Tuesday 10 September

Appointments take approximately one hour and are available on the above dates between 10am and 2pm

Grantfinder is a comprehensive internet-hosted database that contains UK and EU funding initiatives including Government funding streams and Charitable Trusts.

To achieve the most beneficial results from the search, a clear idea of your funding requirements should be identified before attending. You should be actively looking for funding and be planning to make an application shortly afterwards.

You will be need to provide feedback on how the search has helped progress your fundraising.

To make an appointment please contact Donna Edmead by emailing [email protected] or call her on 01273 291112

Introduction to Social Enterprise – Free 5 week course

Kennedy Street have now opened up their wait list for their free community connections programme – An introduction to social enterprise.

Starting 17th April, 10-2

Do you know anyone who is interested in developing:

  • Scoping out their community project idea?
  • Building a business for good idea?
  • Setting up a not for profit community project?
  • Connecting with other amazing people in the community who want to make a difference?

This 5 week programme is aimed at individuals or community project volunteers that want to meet one or more of the following aims:

  • Improving the quality of life for under privileged and disadvantaged members of our community
  • Promoting social cohesion
  • Proposing a new or innovative idea • promoting inclusion and drawing excluded people into community engagement
  • Improving the community

You can secure your free place with a £20 fully refundable donation at:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/kennedy-st-cics-community-connections-programme-tickets-56040733342?ref=eios

Community Works 1-1 Advice Surgeries

Community Works are starting new, monthly one-to-one advice surgeries at their offices in Community Base, for groups working in Brighton & Hove. If you want to talk over an issue, or just ask for general advice, they can support you with a wide range of topics. These include, but aren’t limited to Funding, Monitoring and Evaluation, Governance,  Volunteering, Policies and Procedures, Strategy and Planning. The sessions are free but you do need to book a place.

Dates: The last Tuesday of each month, between 2pm and 4.30pm

Venue: Community Works, 3rd Floor Community Base, 113 Queens Road, Brighton BN1 3XG

Who Should Attend?

The one-to-one advice surgeries are for anyone working or volunteering within a Brighton & Hove charity or community group. Members of Community Works will get priority. If your organisation isn’t a member, please get in touch with Community Works to discuss how you can join.

To book

Contact [email protected] or call 01273 234023 to book a 30 minute slot.

Community Works Mentoring Programme

Community Works Mentoring programme matches people who work or volunteer in leadership positions for voluntary and community organisations in Brighton, Hove, Adur or Worthing with experienced, volunteer mentors who provide one-to-one support over a set period of time.

After a matching event which sees the pairing up of mentees and mentors who have complimentary interests, you will be expected to meet around once a month for up to nine months.

What is mentoring?

A mentor will help a mentee to understand their work and personal aspirations and challenges. They’ll create a climate of openness and trust, supporting mentees to grow and develop as leaders, and in turn building the capacity of their organisations.

I’m interested in being a mentee

Mentees are people in leadership positions in voluntary or community organisations, regardless of whether your role title reflects this. Throughout the programme, you will be appropriately challenged by a mentor in order to help you problem solve, overcome barriers, and to develop your own inner mentor. Since we launched the Mentoring Programme, over 105 charity workers, volunteers and trustees have benefited from being a mentee. Find out more.

I’m interested in being a mentor

Mentors are people who want to give something back to their local area, are keen to support the development of others in the charity sector, and who would benefit personally from sharing their experience. We’ll match you with someone who works or volunteers in a voluntary and community organisation and who will benefit from your skills and experience. You’ll support them to successfully solve challenges and develop their capacity as leaders in the sector. Find out more.

How to apply / Deadlines

This year, the application process takes place via SurveyMonkey.

Please submit your application for being a mentor by 5 April, or for being a mentee by 26 April.

The application forms can be found by following the links above.

Telephone: 01273 234023

Website: bhcommunityworks.org.uk

Food Safety Training 13th May 2019

Level 2 Food Safety Award (Catering) for food projects

Description

This training is run by Brighton and Hove Food Partnership.

Do you volunteer or work for a community group or organisation that involves food, such as a surplus food project, lunch club, food bank or community garden?

This is a certified Food Safety Level 2 course delivered by David Taylor. http://www.davidtaylortraining.co.uk/

Places are limited to two people per organisation although if you have more please let us know and we will put them on a waiting list.

What to bring: A form of ID, pen, paper and enthusiasm. We will provide tea, coffee and refreshments but please bring your own lunch.

The course covers:

  • Introduction to food safety
  • Food safety hazards
  • Temperature control
  • Refrigeration, chilling and cold holding of foods
  • Cooking, hot holding and re-heating of foods
  • Principles of safe food storage
  • Personal hygiene
  • Cleaning and disinfection
  • Pest control
  • Legislation relating to food hygiene

At the end of the day there will be a short examination. Please arrive by 9:15 in order for a prompt 9:30 start.

Cost: £10 booking fee if you are a volunteer in a community food setting on no or low income (use code VOLUNTEER-LI), £25 if you are a volunteer who has an income (use code VOLUNTEER-IE), £50 if staff member

To book:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/level-2-food-safety-award-catering-for-food-projects-tickets-58369921005

If you have any queries or questions please contact Helen Starr-Keddle on [email protected] 07850 002596

New smoothie bike for hire

Pedal your way to tasty, healthy snacks with our new smoothie bike! Now available to hire, our “fender blender” is suitable for children aged 6 – 14. It will be great for fetes and fairs and allows children to create a delicious fruit smoothie using the power of their own pedalling.

Crowdfunding for Community Groups workshop

Date and Time

Tue, 12 March 2019, 18:30 – 20:30 GMT

Location

The Bevy, 50 Hillside, Brighton, BN2 4TF

Details

Have you got a community based project that needs funding?

This event is for community groups and organisations in Brighton & Hove who are interested in crowdfunding.

Come along with your ideas for the chance to work through your project plans and find out more about how Crowdfunding could work for you.

You’ll also hear about the Projects that Matter Campaign that we’re running with the CriSeren Foundation and how you could be one of the 5 local causes to receive £1,000 towards your first crowdfunding ask.

The workshop will be run by Crowdfunder.co.uk the #1 community crowdfunding platform, having raised over £60m for business, charity and social enterprise projects across the UK.

Topics to be covered:

  • Introducing Crowdfunder
  • What is crowdfunding?
  • What makes a good crowdfunding project?
  • Three steps to success
  • Accessing advice and support

To book

Places are limited so please book your spot early. Places are allocated on a first come first served basis.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/crowdfunding-for-community-groups-brighton-hove-tickets-55961805266

 Please notify the organiser if there are any adjustments you require in order to participate fully at the event, and we will do our best to meet those requirements where possible.

Resource Centre support for East Brighton groups doubles in 2018

Resource Centre support work with volunteer run community groups in East Brighton area has almost doubled in the last year. Our latest report to East Brighton Trust shows that we have continued to provide essential support with our Accounts Examination and Design & Print service. In addition, demand for one-to-one support and consultancy, in all aspects of running a group, has more than doubled. It has been inspiring to see so many new groups, run entirely by local people, emerging and finding their feet over the last year. This adds to the many groups that continue to do what they do so well, understanding the needs of their community and taking action to support local people and bring them together.

One-to-one support and consultancy

We provided 56 one-to-one support sessions (compared to 22 in the previous year) to 20 different groups. Seven of these groups are either new or had never used the Resource Centre before.

Collectively, they help and improve the wellbeing of a wide range of local people from ‘the cradle to the grave’ and lots of people in between.

They help improve the local woods, parks and outdoor spaces; provide lunches for children, families and older people; organise events that are free to local people; provide art and dance activities; run community buildings; investigate local history; create newsletters; and provide a hub where local people can come together to build networks and friendships.

We supported groups to draft constitutions, policies and procedures; think about legal structures and report to the Charity Commission; keep their accounts and prepare their budgets; improve their communication and use of social media; apply for funding and evaluate their projects.

All the groups we support are run by local volunteers for local people. Those involved have a commitment to their community and a vision of how they can improve it. But often they have no experience in running a group and need to develop lots of new skills to do it effectively.

In our support sessions we work with people in a way that they feel comfortable. We ask them how they run their groups, what things they find difficult and get an understanding of their confidence levels and skills. We then help them to move forward in a way that suits them and their group, working good practice into their existing systems.

Feedback from groups

We ask groups for feedback after each package of support is completed. Out of 16 requests for feedback we received 11 responses. All of those who responded said the support they received was excellent, they felt more confident and their group would be able to work better as a result.

In the words of Brighton and Hove Filipino Community

Mireille has been very helpful and accommodating to us. She has been very specific with what requirements do we need for the submission of our application. She has guided us all throughout and has been so patient with us meeting the deadline. We are so grateful as a community that there are people who are there to help.”

Moulsecoomb Chomp said:

“The work Resource Centre does is imperative to supporting community groups of all shapes, sizes and persuasions.”

Account examinations

We carried out 17 Accounts Examinations for 16 different groups. This provides groups with an accurate summary of their accounts to share with members and funders. It also gives Treasurers the opportunity to check the procedures they are using and get some advice and support if they need it.

Feedback from groups

We received feedback cards from 69% of these groups.
They all said the service was excellent.

East Brighton Bygones said:

“Thank you so much for doing our accounts. It’s good to know we always have someone friendly and reliable to help us. If it wasn’t for you, it would be a lot harder for us!”

Metamorphosis and Splatt Art Group said:

“Very good explanation & suggestions and advice given. Very fast turnaround – just a week. Very well presented accounts which has already helped us in sending funding bids for our small groups. The Resource Centre enables our small community groups to function even better and removes some of the problems we encounter. Ongoing training will be taken up shortly to tidy up and streamline the accounts.”

Design and print

We did 26 different design and print jobs for ten different groups. This included production of newsletters, flyers and posters.

Thank you to East Brighton Trust

We would like to thank East Brighton Trust for supporting this work with a grant of £3,000. This grant supports just under half the work done in 2018, with the remainder (£3,130) being funded from Resource Centre reserves.

Brighton Soup’s next funding event 22nd March

It’s been a while, but Brighton Soup are getting ready for our spring soup community funding event.

Last time out Silvina de Vita pitched and won £415 in donations for her Arts & Crafts Project. Based at the Bevy, the project is helping to bring people together over creative activities.

This time Brighton Soup will be taking place at St Richard’s Community Hall, Hangleton on Friday 22nd March 2019.

If you need a little funding and support for your project, or have an idea to get one started, then apply at brightonsoup.org.uk/projects. You don’t have to be a charity, just someone with an idea that to help their community in a charitable way. #

Check the website for details or get in touch for a chat.

Tickets at brightonsoup.org.uk/ticket-office

Networking opportunity for groups working in Hanover & Elm Grove

Coffee & Croissant with Colleagues – Hanover & Elm Grove Hub Networking events

Date: Every first Wednesday of the month

9th January, 6th February, 6th March, 3rd April, 1st May, 5th June, 3rd July, 7th August, 4th September, 2nd October, 6th November, 4th December.

Time: 9:00am -10:30am

Venue: The Edge Community Centre, Pankhurst Avenue, Brighton, BN2 9YN

Facilitated by Trust for Developing Communities

In these sessions you will…

  1. Meet other people working or running activities in Hanover and Elm Grove
  2. Explore ways to work together more effectively
  3. Collaborate to meet community needs
  4. Become more confident working with communities

To register your interest book via Eventbrite on https://bit.ly/2SWt7o3

Email Emma on [email protected] for more information.