Here you can keep up with the latest from Reading’s 900+ voluntary organisations and other voluntary sector news from around the area.
What volunteering means to me – call for submissions to our exhibition
7 March 2019
As part of this year’s Volunteers’ Week (1 to 7 June) and the Reading Volunteer Awards 2019, Reading Voluntary Action will be working with partners to curate an exhibition on the theme of ‘what volunteering means to me’. We are seeking creative visual representations of what volunteering means to those involved in or benefiting from voluntary ...
Information drop in for disabled people and their families
4 March 2019Open information drop in for disabled people and their families. Friendly welcome, cup of tea & cake and a chance to find out about the following: How to get out and about to social, cultural and physical activities. Advice and information from a welfare rights adviser. How to get involved in volunteering and a variety of projects to get ...
NCS The Challenge are looking for community partners
4 March 2019NCS hosted by The Challenge invites you to inspire the next generation, and get involved with our summer programme this year. We have a number of partnerships that involve working alongside teams of young people aged 16-17, along with DBS-cleared NCS staff. Become a community partner A team of young people will visit your organisation on three ...
Understanding Universal Credit – Friday Club for claimants
27 February 2019In March, New Directions are running a Friday club for people claiming Universal Credit who need some support This is a 4-week, relaxed group where people can practice using the journal for the Universal Credit system. As we know, many people are struggling with this and it is leading to difficulty accessing Universal Credit. It is aimed ...
The Lion’s Den community grant scheme is back
27 February 2019Reading Lions Club will be holding their next Lion’s Den community grant event on the 12 June 2019. Their aim is to reach out to small groups and charities in Reading and award grants for local community projects. They will be distributing grants of up to £750 each. If you are involved in a local community project in Reading or ...
Last two free places for the ‘How to Cost Yours Services’ workshop
27 February 2019The funding climate is changing and there has been a shift away from block grants towards ‘direct payments’ and/or ‘commissioned per unit’ funding. Is your group or charity up to speed on these changes and do you understand enough about how this will affect what services you plan and how to budget for them? If you ...
First Ready Friends Befriending Forum of 2019
27 February 201938 people came along to the Community Hub in Reading Central Library for the first Befriending Forum of 2019, demonstrating the amazing variety of voluntary and community organisations (VCOs) that work in Reading, and beyond. The event offered a mixed menu of activities and themes, to suit the varying needs of the participants. Feedback on ...
Help Reading become a Trauma Informed Community
27 February 2019Why is prevention so crucial? Abuse, neglect and other Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) often travel from generation to generation – not because people are bad, but because they don’t get enough support. At least half the children in an average classroom will suffer ACEs. The Wave Trust On Tuesday 2 April, Linda Davies and Rosemary Croft, two Wave ...
Reading Volunteer Awards 2019
27 February 2019
Nominations are now open for the Reading Volunteer Awards 2019! Reading Voluntary Action is delighted to announce that we are now accepting nominations for the third annual Reading Volunteer Awards. As in previous years, we will be hosting an awards evening to coincide with Volunteers’ Week 1-7 June, celebrating those in our community who volunteer their time, ...
Intergenerational schemes to reduce loneliness and social isolation
26 February 2019
Anyone who has seen Channel 4’s Old People’s Home for 4 Year Olds or Be More Us from the Campaign to End Loneliness cannot help but be moved by the almost magical impact of intergenerational schemes. Reading’s Loneliness and Social Isolation steering group is keen to hear from any older people’s services, local care homes and ...
Employment Law Update: ‘The Good Work Plan’
25 February 2019This article gives an overview of the government’s Good Work Plan, identifying the key areas that are likely to change in employment law and actions that organisations could be taking to get ready for these changes. What is the Good Work Plan? At the end of last year, the Government published it’s Good Work Plan, which sets ...
Do you have a room to spare and some time to care?
21 February 2019Reading Borough Council (RBC) urgently need more carers to help change the lives of vulnerable adults in Reading. Could you support and care for an older person in your own home, and share your everyday life with them? RBC are expanding the Shared Lives scheme to support older people – to help them keep their independence ...
Users of stroke services help shape future of charitable service
21 February 2019Following a feedback event hosted by the Stroke Association, the charity has produced a report detailing the commitments of the Reading and Wokingham Stroke Recovery Service to take action to improve service-user experiences. The feedback event held in November 2018 invited all of the service’s clients from the past year to provide feedback (verbally or in ...
Can you help AutAngel find office space in Reading?
21 February 2019AutAngel are a small but expanding Community Interest Company run by and for autistic people. As a result of getting funding to run more activities for autistic adults they are looking for an office in Reading with space for at least 2 desks. They would love to hear from anyone who knows about some available space. Get ...
Visit my Mosque – Abu Bakr Mosque open day on 3 March 2019
20 February 2019The Muslim community from West Reading would like to extend a warm invite to the wider community to attend Abu Bakr Mosque’s open day on Sunday 3 March 2019 running from between 12.00 – 16.30pm. The Trustees, staff, and volunteers from the mosque would like to welcome anyone wishing to attend the open day as it will provide an opportunity ...
Free resources to develop financial resilience
19 February 2019We have updated the funding and finance section of our Knowledge base with links to free resources to help your charity build financial resilience, including: a free reserves calculator from the Wise Owl Partnership guidance on a simple reserves policy from Sayer Vincent full Charity Commission guidance on building resilience (CC19) You can take a look here at our ...
Charity set up toolkit from the Small Charities Coalition
19 February 2019The Small Charities Coalition has launched a free digital tool to help people set up small charities and register with the Charity Commission. The new toolkit charitysetup, aims to guide people through the process of setting up a charity in a clear and concise way. You can also find further resources on setting up a group here in the RVA Knowledge ...
Conversation with Brighter Futures for Children
19 February 2019Are you working with disadvantaged families in Reading? Following on from the market place event Brighter Futures for Children would like to meet with voluntary organisations to discuss their work and help inform future planning and commissioning. This forum will provide an opportunity for you to find out more about the new children’s services company and share ...
National Lottery Grants for Heritage
18 February 2019The National Lottery Grant for Heritage is an open programme for all types of heritage projects. Heritage can mean different things to different people. It can be anything from the past that is valued with the wish to pass it on to future generations. As a guide, this could include: oral history cultural traditions nature natural and designed landscapes community archaeology historic buildings, monuments and environments collections of objects, books or documents ...
Magic Breakfast – National School Breakfast Programme
18 February 2019The Government’s National School Breakfast Programme (NSBP) is being delivered by Family Action and Magic Breakfast to schools in disadvantaged areas of England. Funding is available to start or improve breakfast provision in over 1,770 schools on a first come, first served basis. What is on offer? A start-up grant of up to £500 for essential resources to ...