Here you can keep up with the latest from Reading’s 900+ voluntary organisations and other voluntary sector news from around the area.
Voluntary Sector Market Place for Brighter Futures for Children [Readings’ childrens’ services]
18 December 2018Market Place opportunity for voluntary organisations providing support and activities in Reading for children, young people and /or their families. An early opportunity to market your organisation to the social care teams under the new governance of Brighter Futures for Children. If this is relevant for your organisation please book a table asap for the Victoria Hall ...
Befriending Forum 2019 – save the date
18 December 2018Following the success of the 2018 Let’s Make Reading Friendlier conference, RVA is pleased to announce the first Befriending Forum event of 2019, on Tuesday 19 February, from 12.30pm until 4.15pm, at the Third Floor Community Hub in Reading Central Library. With an agenda that includes: a presentation from The Jo Cox Foundation a workshop by The Jo ...
Paul Hamlyn Foundation Youth Fund – open for applications all year
14 December 2018The Paul Hamlyn Foundation Youth Fund supports organisations whose main purpose is helping young people (aged 14 to 25) in the most precarious positions, where making the transition to adult independence is most challenging. The Fund supports organisations which work with young people experiencing disadvantage in a way that recognises and builds on their strengths ...
Windrush Day Grants – open until 21 January 2019
14 December 2018The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is offering grants for charities and community groups to celebrate, commemorate and/or educate about the history of the Empire Windrush and the contribution of the Windrush Generation to British economic, social and cultural life. They are looking for innovative approaches, founded on active community engagement. They will fund projects and events that support the high-level objectives of the Windrush Day Grant, which are to celebrate, commemorate, ...
Heritage Lottery Young Roots Fund – open until 18 January 2019
14 December 2018The Heritage Lottery Fund’s Young Roots programme is designed for organisations that want to involve and work with young people aged 11 to 25, to encourage them to develop their own views about the culturally varied Heritage of the UK. Funding of £10,000 to £50,000 is available for projects lasting up to two years. Who can apply? Registered charities and trusts, community, voluntary and youth groups, community/Parish ...
Greggs Foundation Local Community Projects Fund – open until 28 February 2019
14 December 2018The Greggs Foundation Local Community Projects Fund is now open for applications from not-for-profit organisations with annual turnovers below £300,000. They are more likely to award grants – of up to £2,000 – to organisations who have a Greggs shop in their area. They are interested in projects that improve resilience within the community. This can ...
Comic Relief Children Survive and Thrive – opens January 2019
14 December 2018Comic Relief has announced the launch of a new funding initiative to develop child-centred approaches that address the comprehensive development needs of children during their early years, up to and including their transition to primary school. Who should apply Organisations that directly support families with young children. Organisations that have demonstrable experience in one of more of ...
Slides from the Cultural Commissioning Ready Workshop
13 December 2018There was a great turn out at the Cultural Commissioning Ready workshop on 13 December. If you weren’t able to attend, you can take a look at the slides here: Cultural Commissioning Ready Workshop Presentation The fund will open in January 2019 and a full specification will be available then (date to be confirmed). In the meantime, if ...
Local Charities Day – Friday 14 December 2018
12 December 2018Friday 14 December is Local Charities Day Local Charities Day, run by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, is all about showcasing the amazing work of charities and volunteers and showing how you make a real difference to your local communities. You can find out more here and here. A large part of this day will be taking place on social ...
Second year of Reading, Place of Culture funding – opens in January
12 December 2018Arts, culture, heritage and voluntary groups are being invited to bid for funding for the second year running, based on how they can help improve the quality of life of Reading residents. Funding is available to organisations to deliver participatory arts, culture and/or heritage community programmes by, with and for Reading residents, particularly those less likely ...
Polling Station Review – open until 2 January 2019
5 December 2018Residents are being asked for their views as part of the Reading Borough Council’s review of polling districts and polling stations in Reading. Every local authority must review its polling districts and polling places every five years, with a public consultation forming part of that review. It is important to note that the review does not ...
Subsidised Management Training from January 2019
5 December 2018Alan Hester Associates is offering Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) accredited training for managers of voluntary and community organisations in Berkshire. The training is subsidised by the European Social Fund (ESF), meaning that training, materials and support are free. Your organisation pays only a one-off ILM registration fee of £129 (normally £1,200). The course gives you ...
One more day to take part in Maternity Care Survey – closes 6 December 2018
5 December 2018Local Healthwatches have joined together (Buckinghamshire, Wokingham Borough, Oxfordshire, West Berkshire and Reading) to get mothers’ feedback on what was important to them while they were pregnant. The NHS will use their views to make maternity care better. The NHS have asked Healthwatch to run this survey, following the National Maternity Review. The review said that ...
Free webinars from The Foundation for Social Improvement – to celebrate Local Charities Day
5 December 2018Did you know that next Friday – 14 December 2018 – is Local Charities Day? Each year, Local Charities Day shines a spotlight on the incredible work local charities do to build healthy and happy communities in our country. To support our fantastic local charity members and celebrate Local Charities Day, the FSI will be running 15 free 30 ...
EU Settlement Scheme – grant scheme open until 1 February 2019
5 December 2018The Home Office has announced the launch of up to £9 million of grant funding, available to voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations to help vulnerable or at-risk EU citizens needing additional support when applying for the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS). The Home Office states that: Ensuring that vulnerable or at-risk EU citizens and their families are ...
Funding: Support for Children Leaving Care
5 December 2018Brighter Futures For Children is improving support and accommodation for young people leaving care. Brighter Futures for Children (BFfC) is a new independent organisation that is providing children’s services on behalf of Reading Borough Council. The main aim of BFfC is to protect and enhance the lives of Reading’s children. We help families find long term solutions ...
Free Employment Law Seminar with Blandy & Blandy
5 December 2018Employment Law Events 2019 Minimising Business Risks Are you a business or HR decision maker? Please join our leading Employment Law team at two free events in 2019, focusing on minimising risk within your business. Please join us at our 2019 Employment Law Seminar to keep-up-to date with recent and emerging changes in Employment Law, to minimise risks to your ...
RISC awarded RVA Safe + Sound
5 December 2018Congratulations to RISC who were recently awarded RVA’s Safe + Sound governance mark. We spoke to some of the team – trustee, Colin Date, HR Administrator, Jane Amin, and Sharon Fitton, a Collective member of staff – about the charity’s work and the process of applying for Safe + Sound. Tell us a little about RISC Colin: I ...
Cultural Commissioning Ready Workshop 13 December 2018 – funding streams released
4 December 2018Reading, Place of Culture invites voluntary sector organisations, cultural and arts groups to attend to attend a ‘Cultural Commissioning Ready’ workshop on Thursday 13 December, 11am – 1pm in the RVA Training Room, Third Floor, Reading Central Library. What is ‘Cultural Commissioning’? The Reading Cultural Commissioning programme, launched in 2018, aims to mainstream the commissioning of cultural activities for ...
Upcoming masterclasses from Thames Valley Business Growth Hub
28 November 2018Masterclass: Finance and Funding for Growth – 29 November 2018 This free half-day masterclass will provide you with information on a range of finance options for your business, from start-up loans and grants to equity investment, debt funding and crowdfunding. You’ll also learn how to put together a financial plan for your business, so you are ready to ...