Here you can keep up with the latest from Reading’s 900+ voluntary organisations and other voluntary sector news from around the area.
3 day Mental Health First Aid Course in Reading
24 March 2016A three day Mental Health First Aid programme: Tuesday 31st May 2016 9:30- 4:30pm Wednesday 1st June 10:00am – 1:00pm Thursday 2nd June 10:00am – 1:00pm Venue details will be confirmed on application What is a mental health problem? Mental health problems cover a wide range of issues – including stress, anxiety depression and substance abuse – that affect someone’s ability ...
Great turn out for Berkshire Healthcare Have your Say
24 March 2016Berkshire Healthcare held their annual Equality Grading event on 23rd March. The event gave the opportunity for patients and service users, and organisations to tell the Trust what is working and how they can improve, focusing on seven service areas In-patients (Mental Health) Community Mental Health Team Older people’s Mental Health Out-of-hours – Westcall Community Nursing Adult Speech and language CAMHS We had ...
Update from Reading’s Health and Wellbeing Board
22 March 2016The Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB) aims to improve health and well-being for people in Reading. It is a partnership that brings together Reading Borough Council, Health and Healthwatch Reading. “By working together on the delivery of national and local priorities, the Board’s purpose is to make existing services more effective through influencing future joint ...
National Banks Supporting Local Projects with Small Grants
21 March 2016The latest issue of Funding Digest features details about two small grants programmes from national banks aimed at helping support local projects. Santander Foundation Changes its Name and Launches New Grant Programmes The Santander Foundation has changed its name to the Discovery Foundation. This is to reflect the importance of its new flagship community programme – the ...
Reopened – Building Better Opportunities funding
21 March 2016Big Lottery Fund is matching funds from the European Social Fund for projects across England that tackle poverty and promote social inclusion. Local organisations will be able to bid to the Lottery to deliver activity against a specification that is locally defined. Addressing barriers to work in Thames Valley Berkshire Funding available: £1,317,540 for West of ...
Could you use a team of volunteers on Sunday 17 April?
16 March 2016A group of Sunday Assembly Reading volunteers are available on 17 April 2016 to help in the community. We are looking for a practical task, maybe planting trees or helping to decorate premises – we are open to suggestions! Interested? Contact us sundayassemblyreading@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/groups/SundayAssemblyReading/ Sunday Assembly Reading is a non-religious community group that meets once a month to sing ...
Reading’s Health and Wellbeing Board 18th March
16 March 2016The next meeting of Reading’s Health and Wellbeing Board is on Friday 18th March starting at 2pm in the Council Chamber. The agenda for this meeting includes: Reading Youth Cabinet giving an update on their campaigns on Mental Health and PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education) an update on service development and improvement across the comprehensive Child and ...
Care and Support Planning – the voluntary sector’s role
9 March 2016National Voices has recently published a useful discussion paper ” What is the role of Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Organisations in Care and Support Planning?” The paper aims to: demonstrate a range of roles for VCSE organisations in offering and developing care and support planning for people living with long term conditions and disabilities use case studies ...
Have Your Say about Berkshire Healthcare Services – 23rd March
9 March 2016Have you used these services in the past year? Come and share your experiences and experiences of the people you support In-patients at Prospect Park Hospital (Mental Health) Community Mental Health and Older people’s Mental Health Out-of-hours – Westcall Community nursing Speech and language CAMHS Talking therapies Berkshire Healthcare is keen to hear from anyone who is or has been using its services ...
Possible Third Sector Premises Bidding Opportunity
8 March 2016Reading Borough Council is currently advertising a large site for disposal, suitable for development. Marketing is being managed by an independent agent. Full details are available at the following link: http://www.id-devspace.co.uk/islandrdwest3/index.html Please direct any queries to the agents, using the contact details on the website above.
Open University launches free online course for voluntary sector
8 March 2016A free online course has been published by the Open University for those working, or interested in working, in the voluntary sector. ‘Introducing the Voluntary Sector‘ consists of eight modules, requiring a minimum of three hours commitment a week. The modules cover a range of topics: What is the voluntary sector? Values and beliefs Structure and functions of the ...
Citizens Advice Reading reaches out to those struggling with fuel poverty
7 March 2016Citizens Advice Reading (CAR) set up shop in the Broad Street Mall on Saturday 20 February to help residents struggling to pay their fuel bills. The event was organised as part of the Warm Homes Campaign which is run by National Energy Action (NEA). Many shoppers, concerned about their energy costs, took the opportunity to pick ...
Smart Works comes to Reading
2 March 2016It was smiles all round as Mr James Puxley Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of the Royal County of Berkshire and The Right Worshipful the Mayor of Reading; Councillor Sarah Hacker officially welcomed Smart Works to Reading at their launch event on 16th February. Smart Works is a UK charity that is focussed on helping out-of-work women ...
Reading Wellbeing Forum for the voluntary sector 28th
1 March 2016
The fourth Wellbeing Forum for the Voluntary and Community Sector will be on Thursday 28th April from 9.30 – 1pm. We will be focusing on measuring health and wellbeing outcomes. We will hear from Nick Karr from Triangle Consulting about the range of outcome stars that are available. We have asked a couple of funders to ...
Guidance published on tackling fraud in charities
25 February 2016The Fraud Advisory Panel, in conjunction with the Charity Commission, has published new guidance on tackling fraud in charities. The guidance is target at all charities, particularly at trustees and managers. Fraud is a know problem in the sector and proper financial controls are essential to manage the risk. A recent case saw a charity worker jailed ...
An easy way to keep your DBS checks up to date
25 February 2016Keeping Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks up to date can be a constant struggle for voluntary groups as well as being an unnecessary cost. The time it takes to check new staff and volunteers can cause significant delays in getting people to work where they are needed and, in some instances, can result in losing ...
Third sector premises – Bridge Hall Bidding Opportunity
24 February 2016Reading Borough Council’s Policy Committee has recently decided to close Bridge Hall and dispose of the asset. In accordance with the Third Sector Premises Policy Statement agreed at the same meeting on 16 February 2016, voluntary sector organisations have a period of 8 weeks to submit a bid for the property. Bids may be for ...
“Having a Volunteer from RVA Youth has been invaluable” – Could your organisation benefit from the efforts of a young volunteer?
22 February 2016Since its lunch in April 2015 RVA Youth has worked with a number of organisations to help them harness the skills, talents and enthusiasm young volunteers can bring. Having successfully completed a range of projects we are now seeking to expand access to the benefits an RVA Youth volunteer can bring to more local organisations. What ...
Are you a young trustee?
19 February 2016RVA is keen to hear from any under 35s who are working as charity trustees and would be willing to share their experiences with us. These insights will be used to inform our current initiative promoting and supporting trusteeship and diversity within trustee boards. If you could share a few thoughts, please get in touch via ...
Direct payments – could you provide services to meet the needs of vulnerable people?
18 February 2016At the Reading Care and Support Conference in September last year, we had a workshop to explore Reading Borough Council’s ambition to increase the take up on Direct Payments. As we know, adults who are over 18 years, live within Reading Borough and are having difficulties managing day-to-day tasks because of a disability or long-term illness, may be ...