Information and Advice for the Lancaster District’s Third Sector – 26 May 22

We are working with the local voluntary and community sector and Lancashire and District-wide partners to support VCFSE organisations and people living in our communities. We encourage you to share this page with others.

An archive of previous editions can be found here.

Click headings below to expand each section.

Digital Directory of Services Voluntary Sector Briefing
Bulletin subscribers should have received an invitation and booking link for the first Briefing and Q&A session, taking place at 2pm on Wednesday 8 June.

If you would like to find out more about this project, how you can get your services list, and the benefits to your group or organisation – but haven’t yet seen the invitation – please contact us.

If you want to attend but already have commitments on 8 June, we will be running the event at least once more and would like to make sure you have the chance to attend – again, please do contact us to let us know.

Lancaster District Community Wellbeing Fund
New: grants of between £500 and £2000 are available to fund activities which positively improve physical or mental health and wellbeing.

See the funding section for more information

Lublin Refugee Appeal
The Lancaster district has close ties with the Polish city of Lublin, having been twinned since 1994. Lublin is situated just 70 miles from the Ukraine border and is one of the first places refugees travel to on arrival in Poland. As a result, Lublin has seen an enormous influx of refugees, and the Mayor of Lublin has reached out to the city’s friends for help as it struggles to support so many vulnerable people.

A result of calls from our community for a practical method of collective help to be organised, a fundraising page has been set up by Lancaster District CVS, which will see all donations sent to Lublin to help our twin city and the refugees that they are supporting.

To find out how to donate, visit our dedicated fundraising page.

DHSC Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Health and Wellbeing Fund
The aim of this fund is to support VCSE organisations who can provide a holistic support offer to assist women experiencing reproductive health issues.

Funding of between £200,000 to £600,000 per applicant is available over a period of three financial years to expand or develop projects or programmes.

Closing date 9am, Friday 5 August 2022.

Find out more here.

Register for meet the funder webinars (2pm, 24 May and 25 May) by emailing [email protected]

Elizabeth & Richard Wilson Charitable Fund – supporting the communities of Lancaster, Morecambe, Carnforth & surrounding areas
The fund has the opportunity to provide grants to organisations and individuals for the following purposes:

  • To further the religious and charitable work of the Church of England and Methodist Church
  • To enable Parish Churches and Methodist Chapels to be kept in good order and repair
  • To help young people develop their physical, mental and spiritual capacities.
  • Support under 18s through scholarships, bursaries, maintenance allowances etc.
  • To further the objectives of the Scout Association and Guide Association or any other charitable youth organisation.

The Charitable Fund invites applications for grants of between £50 and £5,000 but applications for any amount will be considered.

Deadline for current round of applications extended to 10th June 2022. Next deadline is 30th November 2022.

For more information and applications forms, please email [email protected] or call 01524 63371

Community Health Champions Fund
A reminder that this fund, which provides up to £10k for projects which get people talking about health and wellbeing, giving our communities the chance to get the facts about healthy lifestyles, is open for applications.

Project ideas submitted by 5pm on the last working day of each month will be considered at a panel meeting ten days later.

Find out more and apply.

Lancaster District Community Wellbeing Fund
The Lancaster District Community Wellbeing Fund is a small grants programme for community groups within the Lancaster District. The programme is aimed at smaller local organisations – with an annual income of less than £100,000 – within the voluntary, community and faith sector providing activity to make a positive difference to the lives and wellbeing of adults.

Grants of between £500 and £2000 are available to fund activities which positively improve physical or mental health and wellbeing.

Please note we are offering this fund separately from the Community Health Champions Fund, which focuses on health education opportunities and access to health services. The Wellbeing Fund aims to fund specific activities – such as meditation, healthy cooking, isolation-reducing social activity, or sports lessons to name but a few examples.

In order to distribute the fund widely, there will be four targeted rounds (rural areas, BAME communities and young people, older people, and deprived areas).

For full guidance and a link to the application form, visit the LDCVS website.

Energy Redress Scheme & Innovation and Carbon Emissions Reduction Fund
The funds, created by payments from Ofgem registered companies who may have broken industry rules, are open for grant applications from community organisations.

Fund priorities include helping people who are most at risk from cold homes and high energy bills, the development of innovative energy products and services, and energy-related activities aimed at reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

Find out more and register for fund access.

Co-op Local Community Fund
Co-op want to support groups that bring people together to access food, improve people’s mental wellbeing, provide opportunities for young people, and help people protect local biodiversity or tackle climate change.

The more Co-op members that support your project, the more money you’ll receive. In most areas, this is between £1,000 and £3,000 on average. You’ll get a minimum of £1,000 to support your project.

Deadline for applications 29 May 2022.

Find out more and apply.

The Lancaster Volunteer Centre Website is slowly building, with more and more visits each week from prospective volunteers. If you haven’t registered yet, you can do so by visiting the site and following the quick and simple sign-up process.

The service is completely free of charge and is an excellent way to find new volunteers, as well as direct traffic to your own volunteering sections on your website.

Our Volunteer Centre manager Mark is on hand to support you in whatever way you need and you can contact him via email at [email protected].

Independent Monitoring Board Volunteers – HMPs Garth and Wymott
New volunteers are needed to join the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) at prisons in the North West of England. The IMB helps to ensure that proper standards of care and decency are maintained. The time commitment is approximately 2 to 3 visits per month. Expenses and training are provided.

Find out more on the LDCVS volunteering website.

Active Lancashire Club Support Survey 2022
Organisations delivering sports and physical activities are invited to complete this survey which will influence the training and support package offered to clubs and community groups by Active Lancashire.

Complete the survey here.

Planning to use the 2021 Census
The UK Data Service is running a series of online workshops on using the 2021 Census. Apply for a place by Tuesday 14 June for a unique opportunity to access free workshops aimed at participants from the voluntary and community, and public sector. 

With the release of the 2021 census due to start shortly this is an opportunity to plan your research with support from UKDS.

Find out more and apply.

Small Charity Week 20 – 24 June
This year’s Small Charity Week focuses on connecting charities. To facilitate these connections, you can sign up to offer and/or receive advice on a number of relevant topics during the Big Advice Days.

Sign up to receive advice

Sign up to give advice

Find out more about the week, and register your own events.

Shared Prosperity Fund
What does the government’s Shared Prosperity Fund, designed to replace European structural and investment funding, mean for charities?

This detailed recording of a discussion hosted by New Philanthropy Capital outlines the fund and explains how voluntary organisations can access its opportunities.

Finding a NEET Solution
This new report from the Youth Futures Foundation finds that on current trends it will take over 150 years before there are no longer any young people who are ‘not in education, employment or training’ (NEET) in England, and makes several policy recommendations based on prevention rather than cure.

Read more here.

Charity Digital Skills Survey 2022
If you work for a charity or a non-profit organisation, social sector organisation or a funder, based in the UK, Charity Digital would like to hear your views about your digital skills and support needs. Survey results will be used to lobby funders.

Respondents will have the chance to enter their charity for a prize draw offering £500 in unrestricted funding.

Take the survey here.

Wellbeing Walks in Regent Park
Every Wednesday, 3pm. All are welcome for a walk around the park and a visit to the café (or just meet in the café if the weather is bad…)
 
The walk will also be an opportunity to engage with the North Lancashire CAB, who hope to have a member of their Advice Matters team in attendance.
 
 
Care to Share – Feedback on Mental Health Services
LSCFT has partnered with mental health charity, Lancashire Mind to launch a new research campaign to map current community attitudes towards regional mental health services and help shape future provision. 
 
Entitled Care to Share, the campaign will collect anonymous feedback from individuals who have been diagnosed with a mental health condition or have experienced NHS or local community mental health services.

The findings will form part of a research paper, which will be shared with the Trust to help make positive changes for future service delivery.

Find out more and take part here.

AgeUK Lancashire Good Day Call Service
This new service people age 65+ living in Lancashire the opportunity to have a call service on a weekly basis to try to combat loneliness.

The service is free, and anyone including health professional or family members who are concerned for a person’s wellbeing can refer into the service by calling AgeUK Lancashire’s 0300 303 1234 customer services number. 

They are keen to contact those isolated from family and friends and are vulnerable, those may include people who are house bound and have limited mobility to access services outside the home.

Health & Care Bill
The Health and Care Bill has passed through the final Parliamentary stages and received Royal Assent, meaning it will form part of UK law.

To support a more integrated approach, the eight Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) in Lancashire and South Cumbria will be closed down and a new Integrated Care Board (ICB), known publicly as NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria, will be set up from 1 July 2022. This new organisation will be responsible for NHS spend and the day-to-day running of the NHS in Lancashire and South Cumbria.

Find out more about what the bill means for local NHS services in this briefing.

BA (Hons) Youth Work and Community Practice at UCLAN – placements and recruitment
UCLAN are keen to find work placements for students on this degree course. To discuss these opportunities, email Jenny Lamb, course leader, at [email protected]

Places are still available for the second intake to this course, starting September 2022 for people who are interested in becoming qualified youth workers. The course is recognised by the JNC, meaning students graduate as professionally qualified youth worker.

For more information, see the UCLAN website.

CYPMAF – Next Meeting
The next Children & Young People Multi Agency Forum meeting will be held on Thursday 30 June, 9.30am – 11.30am.

This will be the final CYPMAF meeting prior to the summer, which is generally full of really useful updates regarding availability of support and activities over the holidays.

To join the meeting, and the CYPMAF mailing list, contact Sharon Phillips at [email protected]

Jubilee & Me – Lancashire Adult Learning
Families can enjoy this free online event, suitable for younger children and their parents. Celebrate the Jubilee and receive free craft resources through the post to help you your little Kings and Queens take part in a Royal photoshoot.

25 May, 4pm – 5.30pm, online

Find out more and book.

Staying safe online – new classes from Childnet
These newly launched videos, presentations and lesson plans cover the important topics of healthy relationships, digital wellbeing and online pornography and are designed to equip and enable educators, parents and carers, to support young people aged 11 and over with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

Access the lesson plans here.

Lancashire County Council Education Strategy 2022-25
The new strategy sets five priorities for the Council:

  1. Improve take-up and outcomes in early years
  2. Further reduce exclusions, both permanent and suspensions
  3. Address rising numbers of Elective Home Education (EHE) where this is not in the best interests of the child
  4. Improve outcomes for vulnerable groups including those eligible for Free School Meals, Children In Need, children with a Care Plan, and Children Looked After, as well as those with SEN support and those with an EHCP
  5. Increase the number of children and young people in Education, Employment or Training (EET)

To achieve these aims, a ‘Team Around the School (TASS)’ approach will drive partnership working.

Read the full strategy, and find out more about the TASS approach.

Lancaster Music Festival Search For a Star 2022
The festival is running a SEARCH FOR A STAR competition in which acts will receive practical guidance to prepare them for performing on stage and progressing in the music business.

Applicants must be aged between 14 and 20, a band, group or solo artist playing mainly original popular modern music of any genre and resident in the Lancaster district.

Find out more and apply.

Our Queen, Our History – Lancashire Adult Learning
Adults are offered this free online evening course where they will learn about the Queen and the major events of her reign through talks and interactive activities.

Thursday 26 May, 5pm – 7pm

Find out more and book.

Basic Awareness of Paediatric First Aid
This short introductory course will provide learners with the knowledge and basic lifesaving skills needed to assess and respond to a child or infant that is unresponsive and not breathing.

The skills will include how to deliver cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on a child and baby and how to access and use a defibrillator. Learners will also be able to recognise and treat choking.

9.30am – 12pm, Wednesday 8 July, Bolton-le-Sands Library

Find out more and book.

Build digital skills – free introductory course
Your Digital Pathway is a new, free introductory level digital skills course from Santander, developed in collaboration with the Institute of Coding and the award-winning TechUP initiative based at Durham University.

The course has been created to support people who want to take the first step on the pathway to building their digital skills, and can help students:

  • Return to, or start work, or to pivot your career
  • Return to, or start education
  • Set up a business online

Registration deadline 29 June.

Find out more and apply.

School for Social Entrepreneurs Community Business Trade Up Programme
Projects or businesses that trade for community benefit (such as charities that fundraise by sell goods, CICs and other types of social enterprise) are encouraged to apply for this new programme which offers:

  • Training to help you build income, confidence, resilience and impact
  • Up to £5,000 in match trading
  • A community business peer mentor
  • Networking opportunities with other programme members.

Application deadline 28 June.

Find out more and apply.

Dementia Service Manager at AgeUK
Age UK Lancashire is seeking a knowledgeable, experienced and compassionate Manager to lead and develop our Dementia Services across their area of benefit.

Salary: £30,000 per annum
Contract: Full time, permanent
Location: Burnley/Lancaster/Lytham/Ormskirk
Closing date: 19 June 2022

Find out more and apply.

Retail Store Manager at Cancer Research
Cancer Research are looking for a commercially aware manager with a passion for charity, keen to engage with the local community.

Salary: £21,775 – £26,825 per annum
Contract: Full time, permanent
Location: Lancaster
Closing date: 22 June 2022

Find out more and apply.

Assistant Director – NHS North West Leadership Academy & Leadership and Lifelong Learning Team
Working alongside the Executive Management Team, the postholder will lead the Senior Management Team to intelligently commission leadership development interventions ensuring a focus upon future focused leadership.

Salary: £47,126 – £53,219 per annum
Contract: Full time, permanent
Location: Manchester
Closing date: 6 June 2022

Find out more and apply.

Bookkeeper / Finance Officer at The Gregson Centre
This is your chance as an experienced accountancy person to contribute to the further development of the much-loved Gregson.

Please email [email protected] for an application pack.

Closing date for completed packs: 10am, 7 June 2022.

Health Advocacy Support Worker at Global Link
Global Link is seeking an empathetic, but assertive, part-time Health Advocacy Support Worker to support asylum seekers and refugees access both mental and physical health services, and encourage participation in health and well being activities in the Lancaster District.

Salary: £24, 338 – £25,872 pro rata
Contract: Part time, 17.5 hours per week, 12 months
Location: Lancaster district
Closing date: 4 July

Find out more and apply.

Senior Social Value Consultant at The Shared Value Business
TSVB are looking for looking for an individual with an excellent understanding of the complexity of creating social value, and who can design and deliver projects such as social sustainability strategies and social value action plans for a variety of multi-sector, diverse clients.

Salary: £40,000 (pro-rata) depending on experience
Contract: 0.8 – 1FTE (by negotiation) fully flexible
Location: Home based with travel to offices in Morecambe and to client sites

For more information, download the application pack.

Family Court Adviser (Social Worker) at CAFCASS
Family Court Advisers  work directly with vulnerable children and families, to advise the family courts on the best course of action for the child or young person. They provide case analysis and recommendations to the court.

Salary: £38,974-£43,459
Location: Lancashire including Blackpool, Preston, Blackburn and Burnley
Closing date: 29 May 2022

Find out more and apply.

Independent Sexual Violence Advisor at Victim Support
The main purpose of this role is to provide quality support to children and young people who are victims and survivors of sexual violence. The postholder will be responsible for completing comprehensive initial needs and risk assessments, developing and delivering personalised safety and support plans for clients, many of whom have additional vulnerabilities and have complex needs.

Salary: £17.812 – £25,437 per annum
Contract: Part time, 28.5 hours per week, permanent
Location: Ulverston
Closing date: 11 June 2022

Find out more and apply.

Fundraising Officer at Cumbria Action for Sustainability
The officer will help implement donor and corporate fundraising strategies, increase core funding through development trust and foundation fundraising, and research opportunities for the organisation’s funding pipeline.

Salary: £12,600 – £15,000 per annum
Contract: 22.5 hours per week, for 12 months.
Location: Home or office (Penrith)
Closing date: 14 June 2022

Find out more and apply.