Information & advice for the third sector across Lancaster District – 6 Oct 21

Join us at our AGM 2021
The Trustees, staff and volunteers of Lancaster District Community Voluntary Solutions have great pleasure in inviting you to join us at our virtual Annual General Meeting.

Join us to learn about our work over the last year, find out more about the new LDCVS business plan, and have your say on the issues that affect you in our open forum.

Date: Thursday 21st October 2021
Time: 3.10 pm (doors open 3pm) – 4.30 pm.
To attend: Click here to register

Our AGM is open to all, but voting rights are restricted to LDCVS members.
Become a member now by signing up here.

LDCVS re-opens The Eric Wright Charitable Trust (EWCT)
Lancaster District CVS is pleased to announce the launch of this year’s Eric Wright Charitable Trust Fund (EWCT).
All smaller local organisations working within the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector are encouraged to apply for financial help in providing activities that will make a positive difference to the lives and wellbeing of people of any age.
The grant is available to organisations with an annual income of less than £50,000 (you do not need to be a registered charity to apply). Organisations that have received awards from the fund are welcome to apply again.
The submission deadline is 5th November 2021
Click here to start your application.
Email Sharon [email protected] or telephone 01524 555900 for more information about the grant.

Urgent Response Fund (URF)
The URF is available for charities and community groups in need of resources to effectively deliver projects/activities to support the basic health and wellbeing needs of vulnerable members of the community in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the lockdown and from March 2021 to the gradual easing of restrictions.
No minimum or maximum award amount. Applications are reviewed monthly.
Click here to find out how to start your URF application.

Together for Our Planet by The National Community Fund
The National Lottery funding is offering funding to support communities across the UK to take action on climate change. Projects should reflect the applicant’s community needs and can cover areas in; food, transport, energy, waste & consumption, and the natural environment. The grant is offering funding from £1,000 to £10,000.

Applicants do not need to be an expert in the areas of interest. The application deadline is 18th November 2021 (5 pm).
Click here to find out if you are eligible and how to apply.

Connect Fund
The Connect Fund was established as the social investment infrastructure fund. Its objective is to improve the social investment (SI) market in England by supporting and strengthening the infrastructure, so it can better meet the needs of charities and social enterprises.
The Connect Fund currently has four programme areas – Equality, Diversity and Inclusion; Post Covid-19 Recovery; Peer Networks and Challenge Funds. The Fund does not provide grants and/or social investment to frontline charities or social enterprises for direct service delivery unless the proposal is directly linked to improving the social investment market in England. The average grant size varies across the different funding strands. The grant is available until March 2024.
Click here to apply or find out more. Download the application guidance note here.
For further information, email [email protected]

Marketors Charity Grants Programme
The Marketors are launching a Charity Marketing Grants Programme, offering an opportunity to all smaller charities to apply for grants for marketing campaigns that will have a real impact in support of their cause. These grants are for funding marketing campaigns and are not available for staff costs, capital investment, hardware or infrastructure work or SEO/PPC activity.
Five charities will be selected, with a top grant of £10,000 and 4 grants of £2,500. The grant is for registered charities with an annual turnover that is less than £100,000. The application deadline is 10th January 2022.
Click here to find out more or to start your application.

Food grant – deadline Sunday 10th Oct
This year’s Lancashire Community Food Grant Scheme is now open for applications. Community food organisations can apply for up to £1,000 to support projects that provide emergency food and/or tackle food insecurity, focusing on supporting those most in need. The application deadline is 10th October 2021.
Click here for more details about the grant.

Lancaster District Street Aid – helping people stay off the streets
The Street Aid initiative has been launched by Lancaster City Council in partnership with Lancaster BID, Lancaster and Morecambe Area Police and Lancaster District CVS. Street Aid helps people who are, or have been, on the streets to apply for a grant to help them get off, and stay off, the streets.
Types of support that can be applied for via the scheme include access to housing, furniture and other home essentials, education/training courses, clothing for job interviews, transport to interview/place of work, and help with searching for a job.
Maximum application value of £750. Applications are reviewed as submitted.
Click here to find out how to apply for the Lancaster Street Aid.

The last 18 months or so have been challenging, not least for volunteers and volunteer recruitment. During the pandemic, Lancaster District CVS has looked closely at how volunteers, and volunteer involving organisations, engage with each other and as part of a sustainable plan for future volunteering in our district, we have invested in a new online platform which will, eventually, underpin our Volunteer Centre offer.
You can REGISTER as a volunteer-recruiting organisation by visiting our new website here.
It is a very simple process and should take you mere minutes. Once registered, our Volunteer Centre manager, Mark, will contact you to discuss your volunteer requirements, whether straightforward recruitment and promotion of roles, or training, or anything else related to volunteer engagement. The new platform is very much in its infancy, but we are confident that it will prove to be a valuable tool in helping you find and recruit new volunteers.

Community Learning Network
The Lancaster District Community Learning Network is a network of community education providers and community development organisations that are passionate about developing the skills of people living and working in our communities. We aim to provide educational pathways by offering a wide range of courses that can lead to people gaining new skills that are valuable in all areas of life and work. We are working to provide community-led, community-based opportunities and your support in helping us to understand your community needs would be most welcomed. You can find out more about the Community Learning Network vision and goals by visiting our website here

We would like to invite you and your community to complete our 10 minutes survey so that we can find out more about the skills and interests you would like to discover. We would very much appreciate this survey being shared with your community residents, people that use your services and people looking to learn and develop their skills and confidence. You can complete the survey by clicking here.
Email [email protected] for paper copies of this survey.
We are in the process of arranging information briefings, personal invitations, presentations and we very much look forward to discussing this network with you soon. In the meantime, please do share across your networks and your communities.

North West Social Prescribing Network: Have you joined the Thriving Communities Network?
The Thriving Communities Network online network is designed for voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise groups and organisations. The network aims to encourage communities to:
    • collaborate, discuss, share learning and gain new ideas
    • engage with colleagues across England and in your region
    • connect with individuals via messaging, and become friends
Click here to find out how to join the network.

Date: Thursday 14th October 2021

The next voluntary community faith and social enterprise leaders forum will take place on Thursday 14th October, 9.30 am – 11 am online (link below). The leadership forum was formerly held on the first Thursday of each month but this has been changed due to a clash with a local health meeting. The Bay Integrated Care Partnership meetings which we are working alongside and contribute to now hold their meetings on the first Thursday morning of each month in preparation for the new health social care system coming into place next April. This will now provide an opportunity for us to feed-forward information from the Integrated Care Partnership meeting to you. We hope this new time & date will work for you.
If you would like to discuss any aspect of this meeting or would like more clarity or simply want to catch up over a coffee, please email Yak: [email protected] or call 01524 555900. Hope to see you at the meeting.

Click here to join us at the next Leadership Forum.

You’re invited to the Friendship Matter Conference by Spring into Action
Spring into action is hosting a Lancashire Friendship Matters Conference for people with learning disabilities and/or autism and their supporters – staff, family and more
There will be lots of activities, talks and things to get involved with throughout the day.
Date: 3rd November @ 11am
Location: Civic Arts Centre and Theatre, 155 Union Road, Oswaldtwistle BB5 3HZ, Lancashire.
Click here to get tickets for the event.
If you need help registering, please contact us on 01254 457026 (Monday -Thursday) or email Lucy at [email protected]

Thriving Communities webinar in November: Sharing the Evidence – what you told us is important and what we have found
Thriving Communities is a national support programme for voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise groups, supporting communities impacted by COVID19 in England, working alongside social prescribing link workers.
Join the next free webinar in the Thriving Communities series by the National Academy for Social Prescribing’s academic partners about the latest headlines and insights from their reviews of the evidence for social prescribing.
Date: 9th November 2021
Time: 3-4pm
Click here to register.

Free Tickets for CPD and Theatre About Young Carers
Lancashire Young Carer’s Service, Lung Theatre and The Dukes are giving away free tickets to see the award-winning play Who Cares at the Dukes Theatre this Friday and Saturday, and also free CPD training sessions.
Date & time: Friday 8th October 2021
3.30 – 6.30 pm, CPD Training
7.30 – 8.45 pm, a free performance of the award-winning play Who Cares
8.45 pm – 9.15 pm, a post-show Q&A
To book or for further information, email [email protected]

Lancashire Women’s Peer Networks
Peer Networks is a government initiative that brings together diverse cohorts of business leaders so you can discuss your business challenges in a safe space with peers. The programme is an 18-hour action learning programme to support women leading SME’s and the not-for-profit sector, in Lancashire.

Date & time: The cohort starts on the 13th October 2021. Sessions will run on Wednesday mornings from 9.30 am to 12.00 pm. There are 11 places available, which means only 1 place can be allocated per organisation.
Click here to register and find out if you are eligible.

Fundraising Support Officer at Age UK Lancashire
Age UK Lancashire is seeking a creative, motivated and focused individual who is keen to develop their fundraising skills to help secure income from grants, trusts and tenders, and through supporting Age UK’s regular giving and legacy strategies. The successful applicant will join a small, supportive team, committed to raising funds so that the charity can continue to provide essential, high quality, responsive services to the older people of Barrow, Lancashire, Blackpool and North Sefton.
This role would suit someone who enjoys fundraising, working collaboratively and has empathy with the work of Age UK’s Lancashire and Barrow.
Salary: £19,838 pro-rata
Hours of work: Flexible, 28-35 hours per week
Closing date: 21st October 2021 at 5 pm (early applications welcome)
Interview date: 25th October 2021
Visit here to start your application.
For an informal discussion about the post please contact Alison Read, Business Development Director on 07805 427658 or email [email protected]

Youth Worker/Case Worker at CancerCare
CancerCare is looking to expand its Re-Fresh young people’s support group with a new Youth Worker/Case Worker.
The successful candidate will be an integral part of the youth services provision co-delivering with another youth worker. The Re-fresh peer support group currently meets two nights each week and enjoys a full programme of off-site activities during the school holidays. The group is made up of young people aged 12-17 years, all of whom are experiencing a cancer diagnosis or bereavement within their family or friendship group.
Salary: £12,111.84 (FTE £25,233)
Hours of work 18 hours/week (inc. evenings, Wed & Thu)
Closing date: Midnight, 24th October 2021
Click here to find out more about the role and start your application.
For more information, email [email protected]

Mental Health Services Lead at Lancashire Mind
Lancashire Mind is recruiting for a Mental Health Services Lead to oversee the development and delivery of Lancashire Mind’s Wellbeing Coaching and Active Monitoring service offers. The Mental Health Services Lead will be managing several contracts and ensure compliance. A central aspect of the role is working in partnership with stakeholders both internally and externally to ensure the successful development and delivery of services.
Salary: £ 27,742- £30,451 pro rata
Hours of work: 28 to 35 hours (full-time) per week, flexibility for the right candidate.
Closing date: 11th October 2021 at 9 am
Interview date: 21st October 2021
Visit here to start your application.
For more information, call 01257 231660.

Four Young Persons Workers needed at We Are With You
With You in Lancashire is We Are With You’s largest young person’s substance misuse service, delivering interventions to young people up to the age of 25. They are four job positions for candidates who are passionate about supporting Children and Young People, as well as developing themselves professionally. Applicants will need to be resilient, outcome-focused and committed.
Salary: £21,240 – £25, 390 (dependent on experience)
Closing date: 10th October 2021
Click here to download the application pack.
For more information email [email protected] (please quote the reference number in all correspondence).

Team Manager at Changing Futures
Changing futures is looking for people to lead a multi-disciplinary team of professionals as part of the Lancashire wide Changing Futures programme.
The ideal candidate will have experience in social care, housing, health, criminal justice or relevant charitable and voluntary organisations, with a good understanding of partnership working, operating procedure development, case management and problem solving.
There are 3 roles available, one in the East (Blackburn), North (Lancaster) and Central (Preston) areas of Lancashire, with candidates able to express a preference as to which area they would want to lead.
Salary: £40,000 to £47,000
Closing date: 8th October 2021
Click here to download the application pack and apply
For more information email [email protected] or call 01254 585512

Lancashire and South Cumbria Health Equity Commission (HEC) – Now available
The Lancashire and South Cumbria Health Equity Commission (HEC) recently concluded the launch of the new HEC. Attendance and participation at the event were the biggest seen as a system-wide event across Lancashire and South Cumbria. Visit here to watch the full recording.
The focus is understanding what system partners want the Health Equity Commission to do and where the future focus should lie to make a step-change in health equalities for people in the region.
Interested individuals and organisations can join the special workshops on Housing and one on Children & Young People in October. Email [email protected] to participate.
You can also contribute your ideas, views and concerns about health equity in your area by clicking here to complete the questionnaire.

New Citizens’ Representative available to support adults with physical and mental health needs
A new role of Citizens’ Representative has been developed with Community and Civic Commissioners of Morecambe Bay Poverty Truth Commission. The role, hosted by Citizens Advice North Lancashire and funded by the local NHS has been created to help people get the care and support they need and are entitled to, to alleviate the stress faced by people when accessing services.
Please refer patients with severe and enduring complex needs who require advocacy, and support to prevent them from falling into further poverty. Complex needs mean adults with health issues, mental, physical or both, whose health, recovery or access to health is being affected. Refer a client to Lorna by emailing [email protected] or calling 01524 400 404.

Mental Health at Work has created a toolkit for small organisations. The toolkit empowers employees to look after themselves and gives leaders the tools to support them too:
This toolkit contains:
• a handbook filled with advice and tips for small business owners and the self-employed
• a free and confidential mobile app for employees
• two practical tools to help you to start implementing change straight away.
Click here to access the tool kit.

New research: Extent of low pay in the Third Sector
As well as affecting 17% of workers, research by Living Wage showed low pay is a particular issue for women, disabled workers, those from racialised groups and part-time workers
The research revealed that in the third sector:
• 19% of women are paid below the Living Wage, compared to 13% of men;
• 20% of workers from racialised groups are paid below the Living Wage, compared to 17% of white workers;
• 29% of part-time workers earn below the Living Wage, compared to 9% of full-time workers; and
• 20% of disabled workers earn below the Living Wage, compared to 15% of those without a disability.
Click here to read the full report.

October is Black History Month
October is Black History Month (BHM) and this year’s theme is #ProudToBe. Download the campaign pack here.
Read the Connected Voice’s BHM interview with Sihle about identity, culture and language here.

Toolkit launched to support implementing a Living Wage in Social Care
The Living Wage Foundation has today launched a Social Care Toolkit, guiding adult social care providers and local authorities commissioning care who wish to pay their workers the real Living Wage. Adult social care is one of the lowest paying sectors in the UK. Nearly three-quarters (73%) of care workers in England are paid below the real Living Wage, a figure which represents over 600,000 jobs.
The toolkit also outlines the Living Wage accreditation process and shares best practices from care providers and local authorities implementing the real Living Wage in social care.
Click here to find out more and view the toolkit.

Government launches £500m support for vulnerable households over winter
Vulnerable households across the country will be able to access a new £500m support fund to help them with essentials over the coming months as the country continues its recovery from the pandemic.
The new Household Support Fund will be distributed by councils in England. This could be through small grants to meet daily needs such as food, clothing, and utilities. Cash will be made available to Local Authorities in October 2021. Click here to read.

Elections Bill – have your say (while you’re still allowed)
The Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (ACEVO), Bond, the Foundation for Social Improvement (FSI), National Council of Voluntary organisations (NCVO), the Small Charities Coalition (SCC) and Sheila McKechnie Foundation (SMK) are working together to look at some of the potential impact of the new Elections Bill.
The Elections Bill was introduced in July this year and it contains controversial new plans to introduce Voter ID. It also proposes several changes that may impact charities and not-for-profit organisations that campaign, including new rules which could require more organisations to register with the Electoral Commission when engaging in issue-based campaigning. Read more about how you can participate here.

Our organisational development team provide support on fundraising, governance, policies & procedures, safeguarding, DBS checks, monitoring and evaluation, media & marketing and setting up new community groups. If your organisation needs support whether it be listening ear, all aspects of volunteering support, payroll, independent examinations of accounts or funding guidance and support, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team:
Free one-to-one development support, contact [email protected]
Volunteering and Upskilling your workforce, contact [email protected]
Payroll, bookkeeping and independent examinations contact [email protected]
Or call 01524 555900 or email [email protected]