This is a fully funded programme until March 2025 through the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund, a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda.

The aim of the Growth Accelerator is to keep social entrepreneurs in business, protect and create jobs, and to help them grow.

The Growth Accelerator involves:

• Masterclass training modules in growth strategy, from leading University of Leicester School of Business academics, using a cutting-edge digital learning platform
• Free 1:1 consultancy support from CASE (Cooperative and Social Enterprise Development Agency) and Community Enterprise Engine; and
• Peer support growth circles, to develop partnerships and collaborative offers and crowd source solutions to your challenges and opportunities

Taking part in this project gives you a new strategic planning toolkit, inspiration on how to grow your social enterprise, and the connections and collaborations to make new, exciting and fundable projects a reality.

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Project Partners

The programme is delivered by the University of Leicester School of Business (ULSB) in partnership with the Cooperative and Social Enterprise Development Agency (CASE), and Community Enterprise Engine (CEE).

• ULSB offers leadership and management programme expertise, most recently co-developing and delivering the Government‘s Help to Grow: Management course.
• CASE has been supporting the growth of the social economy in Leicester for over 40 years.
• CEE was born from 5 years of leading social enterprise support at Voluntary Action LeicesterShire and was formed to help community venues diversify their trading income streams.

University of Leicester Benefits

As part of this programme, you will receive a University of Leicester IT account and ID card during the length of this project.  Your ID card will grant you access to the School of Business Brookfield campus on London Road where meet up spaces are available in the ULSB Hub. There will also be opportunities for you to access the talent of School of Business staff and students through volunteering, projects, and placements.

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Eligibility

To be eligible for support from the Growth Accelerator you need to:

• Be from an existing social enterprise and based in Leicester;
• Be a charity, CIC, cooperative or not for profit company
• Be trading for community benefit; have social objects in your articles/governing document, and reinvest into your social purposes

This project is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Read more about the Leicester City Council Shared Prosperity Fund.

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If you’d like us to send you a programme enrolment form, or have any queries, please email ulsb.business@leicester.ac.uk

This new approach involves the use of NHS data to group (or ‘cluster’) people together who have similar health conditions and sociodemographic factors, to predict social care needs.

The aim is to use these clusters to develop an intervention to help people get support with their social care needs (e.g. from community groups, charities and self-management etc.)

They are currently doing exploratory interviews with people living with long-term conditions, and also anyone who is involved in the care of people with long-term conditions (including health care professionals, social care professionals, people working within community groups or charity sectors, database managers and people who are carers). This is the study they are currently recruiting to, to find people views on the new approach and how this relates to their experiences of multiple long-term conditions.

They have two websites:

One for people living with multiple long-term conditions – https://southampton.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cUVqjqvnSkPuGAC  

And one for health and social care professionals – https://southampton.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_beftuZrABBjGtGC

Join us for Ethical Property Foundation for their 21st Year Webinar Series – new online property topics designed to empower local voluntary organisations to manage their premises, owned or rented, with property knowledge and confidence.

Webinar Series Highlights

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1. Title: Negotiating & Managing Your Lease – BOOK YOUR PLACE HERE

Date: 8th February 2024
Time: 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Venue: Hosted via Zoom by EPF

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2. Title: Everyday Premises Management – BOOK YOUR PLACE HERE

Date: 14th March 2024
Time: 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Venue: Hosted via Zoom by EPF

The webinars, delivered by experienced property professionals and with follow up guidance and resources, are tailored to help voluntary organisations across the UK with practical know-how to manage their premises sustainably.

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Timing
This engaging webinar is offered at no cost to participants and features a dynamic 1-hour session.

The content includes a 45-minute presentation followed by an interactive discussion to address participant queries and insights.

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Bookings
EPF will handle all bookings, either through its management system or via agreed-upon platforms like Eventbrite.

Event details can be found on there website at https://propertyhelp.org/learning/

Job title: Service Manager

Scale: Adopted: PO2 – £36,648.00 starting salary

Park Lodge Project is seeking an experienced service manager to lead its Clarendon Park Hub.

You will be responsible for delivering excellent accommodation and support services to young people impacted by homelessness.

You will do this by leading a team of dedicated support workers to deliver person centred support. Acknowledging that many of the young people who live with us have suffered traumas within their lives, you will be inspired to develop a psychologically informed environment and strive for continuous improvement in the services we can offer young people.

You will see the potential in young people and the staff team and be motivated to develop service delivery to ensure excellence for the young people we support.

You will be a skilled communicator, forming good relationships with stakeholders, staff and young people alike.

You will lead an accommodation hub, where approximately 40 young people live and are supported, across a range of properties by your team of support workers. You will be capable of supervising, supporting and coaching staff teams to deliver high quality supported accommodation services.

The successful candidate will be an experienced manager within the health, social care, housing, or youth work sectors.

Once in receipt of your CV, we will arrange for you to complete an application form should we wish to pursue your application further.
Please send a CV in the first instance to eddie.bailey@parklodgeproject.org

Details of the Friendly Communities approach at that time can be found here: https://valonline.org.uk/how-to-start-a-friendly-community/

Using the feedback from the consultation, VAL has assisted LCC colleagues to look at how this approach can be implemented by meeting individually with a number of VCSE organisations who completed the consultation.

This has led to the initiative being rebranded as Friendly Connected Communities.

The concept of Friendly Connected Communities of Leicestershire is a simple and easy way to help and support communities to be more resilient, and to help individuals to feel welcome, supported, safe and integrated wherever they live in Leicestershire.

A guide to Friendly Connected Communities of Leicestershire aims to support communities around Leicestershire to coordinate this approach, which can be accessed here.

The How to Start a Friendly Connected Communities guide goes into more detail on implementing this approach such as who can be involved and sustaining the approach. The guide can be accessed here.  

In addition a Friendly Connected Communities of Leicestershire Supporting Values and Principles document outlines what the core values and principles are of a Friendly Connected Community, which can be accessed here.   

If your community group or organisation wishes to endorse and support a Friendly Connected Community approach you are invited to commit to those core values and principles and to contact Leicestershire County Council to request a copy of the Friendly Connected Communities logo.

You can contact Leicestershire County Council for this purpose by emailing: leicestershirecommunities@leics.gov.uk

Kevan Liles MBE receives his Lifetime Achievement Award by new CEO of VAL, Kevin Allen Khimani. 
[Image by Saul Morgan]

The VAL Awards, originally established in 2019, has become an annual tradition for the Leicester-based Voluntary Action Leicestershire charity ‘hub’ and a chance to shine a spotlight on the invaluable work of volunteers, community groups, and charities that go above and beyond to make a positive impact, and whose dedication and passion make Leicester and Leicestershire a better place for us all to live.

The ticketed event, which was compered by BBC’s Rupal Rajani and CEO of VAL, Kevin Allen Khimani, was held in front of a packed audience of over 230 guests in the Grand Hall at Leicester’s The Grand Hotel.

Speaking for the first time as newly appointed CEO of Voluntary Action LeicesterShire, Kevin Allen Khimani said;

“Tonight we are both humbled and inspired by the many individuals and groups working within our charity and voluntary sector in Leicester and Leicestershire.  Like you, I have shed many tears listening and learning about some of these incredible individuals, who, without their tireless efforts and determination, so many people would live more difficult lives.  I’m immensely proud that the VAL Awards 2023 enable us to celebrate some of these inspirational people and stories that might not otherwise be recognized.”

He continued;

“If you have been inspired by the finalists and winners celebrated in this year’s awards, I’d ask you: “what are you doing to make life better for others?”  At VAL, we support over 3500 charities and grassroots organisations that all need support, so we invite anyone to get in touch with us and, together, we can help connect you to a cause or project that inspires you enough to get involved – and help others lead a better life.”

Lesley Vernon, Chief Engagement Officer at MHBS:

“Congratulations to all the charities and individual winners and nominations who have dedicated their time, resources and passion to help strengthen our communities. Being a mutual Society, this is at the heart of our purpose too, and together we can create a brighter and more inclusive future for all. Your efforts have truly made a difference and will inspire others to join in helping our communities thrive.”

Monies raised by the local sponsors allowed the event to run without charge to all finalists and their chosen guests, so special thanks must go to headline sponsor, Market Harborough Building Society, alongside Aspire Pharma Ltd; Fraser Urquhart Media; PPL PRS; Meesh Consulting and Paragon Sales Solutions.

Winners of the VAL Awards 2023 are confirmed as:

City Charity of the Year
Big Difference Company

County Charity of the Year
Helping Hands Community Trust

Social Enterprise of the Year
Team Hub CIC

Volunteer-Led Organisation of the Year
Feed the Need Coalville

Trustee of the Year – sponsored by Paragon Sales Solutions
Eileen Richards

Fundraiser of the Year – sponsored by PPL PRS
Chris Shaw

Charity & Business Partnership of the Year – sponsored by FU Media
Pedestrian

Kathryn Burgess Volunteer of the Year – sponsored by Meesh Consulting
Jas Kainth

Inspiring Leader of the Year – sponsored by Aspire Pharma
Jaimini Bharakhada

Charity of the Year – sponsored by Market Harborough Building Society
Helping Hands Community Trust

Lifetime Achievement Award
Kevan Liles MBE

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Click here to view our VAL Awards 2023 page, view pictures of our winners and find out how you can get involved in 2024!

Pictured: VAL Awards 2022 Volunteer of the Year Winner, Praful Thakrar – Shreeji Dham Haveli. Photo by Saul Morgan.

The VAL Awards, originally established in 2019, has become an annual tradition for the Leicester-based Voluntary Action Leicestershire charity ‘hub’ and a chance to shine a spotlight on the invaluable work of volunteers, community groups, and charities that go above and beyond to make a positive impact, and whose dedication and passion make Leicester and Leicestershire a better place for us all to live.

 

The ticketed event will be held on Friday 10 November in the Grand Hall at Leicester’s The Grand Hotel.  The awards are made possible by the generous support of local businesses, which include headline sponsor, Market Harborough Building Society.  Confirmed category sponsors include Aspire Pharma Ltd; Fraser Urquhart Media; PPL PRS; Meesh Consulting and Paragon Sales Solutions.  Monies raised allow the event to run without charge to nominees and their chosen guests.

Finalists for each category are as follows:

City Charity of the Year

1. One Roof Leicester
2. Big Difference Company
3. Cook E-Learning Foundation (E2)

County Charity of the Year

1. Helping Hands Community Trust
2. Falcon Support Services
3. The Jubilee Food Bank

Social Enterprise of the Year

1. Team Hub
2. The Hub Educational Services CIC
3. Leicester Community Links CIC

Fundraiser of the Year – sponsored by PPL PRS

1. Darren Bradbury
2. Chris Shaw
3. Arif Voraji

Trustee of the Year – sponsored by Paragon Sales Solutions

1. Glynis Wright
2. Eileen Richards
3. Jay Webb

Inspiring Leader of the Year – sponsored by Aspire Pharma

1. Rehana Sidat – Jamila’s Legacy CIC
2. Jaimini Bharakhada – Belgrave Neighbourhood Co-operative Housing Association (BNCHA)
3. Dee Dixon – Goldhill Adventure Playground
4. Grant Paton – Advance UK
5. Lindsay Young – The Friendly Bench CIC

Volunteer Led Organisation of the Year

1. Leicestershire Junior & Youth Disability League
2. Fleckney Kitten Club
3. The Baldwin Trust
4. Feed the Need Coalville

Charity & Business Partnership of the Year – sponsored by FU Media

1. Pedestrian Ltd
2. Leicestershire Cares
3. Axiom Energy

Kathryn Burgess Volunteer of the Year – sponsored by Meesh Consulting

1. Kathy Oliveira – Helping Hands Community Trust
2. Richard Bryt – Arnold Lodge
3. Wayne Francis – Home-Start Horizons
4. Graham Pote – Eyres Monsell CYP
5. Jas Kainth – Living Without Abuse (LWA)

Kevin Allen-Khimani, CEO at VAL, commented:

“It has been wonderful and awe-inspiring to see so many amazing nominees come through for this year’s VAL Awards – the first in my tenure as CEO. I am incredibly proud of the challenges the sector has overcome in the last few years, and very much look forward to celebrating all the amazing achievements on awards night.”

Lesley Vernon, Chief Engagement Officer at MHBS:

“Giving back is at the heart of everything we do and we’re proud to support an event that recognises the hard work and dedication of the amazing volunteers and charitable organisations in our local community. We look forward to honouring the remarkable nominees and coming together to celebrate their achievements next month.”

Voluntary Action Leicestershire looks forward to an unforgettable awards ceremony and invites you to join them in celebrating the outstanding individuals and groups that make our community stronger and more vibrant.  Ticket sales are still available, at the time of issue.

For more information about the awards click here.