Bradgate Park Trust – New woodland setting

Throughout this summer we’re looking to work with community groups to offer a free outdoor learning session at Bradgate Park.

Each two-hour session will be led by a Bradgate Park ranger who will take your group through an inspiring morning of activities including natural art, bushcraft skills, and wildlife exploration.

The sessions have been designed to inspire key community figures and group leaders to develop skills, gain confidence, and take ideas in delivering activities outdoors as well as encouraging time in nature, even where facilities are limited.

The woodland workshop is located within the tranquil woodland by Hunts Hill car park with nearby rest room facilities. Complementary transportation to and from the park is included in the session.

Contact Amy Chambers E: development@bradgatepark.org T: 07977 816865

Take action on energy and climate change

Carbon Literacy Training focuses on building the knowledge and motivation for participants to take meaningful action to address climate change.

The training is accredited by the Carbon Literacy Project (https://carbonliteracy.com) which to date has approved the training of over 32,000 individuals and nearly 3000 organisations.

This training takes place online over two mornings: Friday 10th June and Friday 17th June, 9.30am to 12.30pm. Attendance at both sessions is required to complete the course. To register, use the online form here.

The training addresses:

  • Understanding the core relevant points of climate science, greenhouse gases and what drives climate change
  • What a ‘carbon footprint’ is, and key high-carbon activities for individuals, organisations and countries
  • Key actions that can be taken individually and collectively to reduce your (or your organisation’s) carbon footprint, related to energy, travel, food and purchases
  • Developing a personal action plan of your own next steps

The training format is interactive and friendly with plenty of time for questions and group discussion.

Participants who attend the whole training and complete a short form outlining their pledged actions can be recognised by the Carbon Literacy Trust as ‘Carbon Literate’

De Montfort University is an accredited ‘Carbon Literate’ organisation and has been delivering Carbon Literacy Training since 2020. In 2021, DMU was ranked as the UK’s number one university in the People and Planet league for its comprehensive and ambitious plans to work towards ‘net zero’ emissions through its energy use, travel and procurement.

If you are interested but cannot join on these dates please email zerocarbon@dmu.ac.uk to enquire about potential future dates and other support available.

Consultation – Plans to become a net zero county by 2045

A major consultation has been launched by the council on proposals to make the county cleaner greener and healthier.

Residents, businesses, councils, universities and others are being urged to help shape ambitious plans to make Leicestershire a net zero carbon county by 2045 by getting involved in a major consultation.
Leicestershire County Council is inviting people to comment on how changing the way they travel, how they run and maintain their homes, and how what they buy from day-to-day can help to protect the environment.

Running over three months, the consultation focuses on a net zero action plan which sets out key goals including:

  • Reducing carbon emissions generated by transport
  • Reducing energy use in buildings – plus improving energy efficiency and adding new renewable energy generation
  • Supporting businesses to go green and grow the low carbon economy
  • Supporting communities to tackle climate change
  • Increasing the removal and storage of carbon in natural systems like soil and forests

The consultation is open until 26 July and includes a planned social media campaign with the hashtag #NetZeroLeicestershire, a Facebook live and discussions with young people – as part of the wider engagement process.

To learn more about our net zero ambitions and to fill in our survey please visit the council’s net zero web page.
For copies of the questionnaire in other formats, please email NetZero@leics.gov.uk

UK Shared Prosperity Fund workshops

We are now organising a programme of workshops in June:

14th June 2022 – USKPF Overview: This will provide an overview of the fund and our approach in developing an Investment Plan

21st June 2022 – Communities & Place

22nd June 2022 – Supporting Local Business

23rd June 2022 – People and Skills

Dates, Times and to book to attend the workshops, please complete the registration form on the following website: UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) (leicester.gov.uk)

We want those attending the workshops to come away with a strong understanding of the UKSPF process, it’s’ criteria and the commissioning timetable we will be working to in Leicester.

And as the commissioning body we want these workshops to provide us with the evidence and insight about what our city, citizens, communities and businesses need so we can present to central govt a robust and compliant UKSPF investment plan for the city by the end of July.

This Investment Plan will provide local organisations with a clear, evidenced set of priorities that the UKSPF will be expected to achieve in Leicester and a timetable against when we will spend the fund to achieve them.

This in turn will allow you or your organisation to develop ideas into project proposals. Unlike the Community Renewal Fund process of last year, there will not be a mad scramble to piece together detailed project plans in a few weeks.

Leicester City Council will not, and nor are we expected to, submit a list of funded projects this summer. Consequently these workshops are not opportunities to pitch ideas but to share your experience and insight so we can arrive at the right priorities for Leicester’s UKSPF Investment Plan.

However we do feel it is right at this stage to manage expectations. The £9m UKSPF grant we have been allocated

  • does not come close to covering existing EU funded projects
  • is being asked to deliver against a broader range of outcomes, and
  • has replaced a city/county geography with a city/7 district model which makes pooling resources harder to do – especially in areas covering business and skills support

Essentially we are being asked to do more with less and in a more fractured funding environment. This is isn’t to say the funding doesn’t represent a significant opportunity but it is important that this context is understood not just for the workshops we will host but in mapping out your own organisations’ funding plans between now and 2024/25.

Rosie’s Article – Volunteering

Rosie is a freelance writer who has recently graduated from the University of Gloucestershire with a degree in English Language. In her spare time, Rosie can be found in the countryside walking her dog, or making her way through her bookshelf! You can contact Rosie on: rosie.buckley@thewritersdiary.co.uk

Volunteering can be a fantastic way to give back to your community and do something meaningful with your free time. Studies have shown that volunteering can boost your mental and physical health and make you feel healthier and happier.

Volunteers Week is taking place between the 1st and the 6th of June. It is an annual event where the UK celebrates volunteers and gives thanks for the contribution that they make, meaning it’s the ideal time to get involved with charitable projects in your local area.

If you’re looking for inspiration, here are eight ways you can give back to your community.

1. Visit the elderly
Older people are extremely vulnerable to loneliness and social isolation. A recent survey found that 1.4 million elderly people in the UK often feel lonely. Loneliness can have a huge impact on an older person’s physical and mental health and contribute to a wide range of health conditions including heart disease and depression.

Volunteering to visit the elderly can provide a valuable source of social interaction and help tackle loneliness and isolation in the older population. According to Helping Hands Home Care: “Whether you’d like to pop and visit older people in their homes once a week for a chat, develop essential life skills in communication, or even start a whole new chapter of your life, there are opportunities in every sector.”

2. Volunteer at your local school
Schools look for volunteers to help with a wide range of activities such as listening to students read, supporting teachers in the classroom, or helping at school events. Volunteering in a school can teach you valuable skills, especially if you want to pursue a career in the education sector.

Get in touch with schools in your local area if you would like to find out what volunteering opportunities are available.

3. Serve food in a homeless shelter
Homeless shelters provide an essential source of warmth, food, and socialisation for many homeless people in the UK. Shelters are always looking for volunteers to help prepare and serve meals and helping in a homeless shelter can be extremely rewarding. Visit Crisis UK for more advice on how to become a volunteer in a homeless shelter.

4. Donate blood
Giving blood saves lives and every blood donation can save up to three lives according to the NHS Blood and Transplant. The NHS needs more than 6,000 donors to give blood at sessions across England to meet patient needs and more donors are needed urgently.

You can register to become a blood donor and book an appointment by visiting www.blood.co.uk or calling 0300 123 23 23.

5. Volunteer at an animal shelter
Animal shelters are constantly looking for volunteers and taking care of animals can be lots of fun! Being a volunteer at an animal shelter can also improve your emotional and physical health and make you feel happier. Various studies have shown that interacting with animals can lower stress levels and blood pressure.

6. Coach a youth sports team
If you enjoy being active or have skills in a particular sport, coaching a youth sports team could be the ideal volunteering opportunity for you. You’ll get to pass on your skills, share your passion, and act as a positive role model to the team.

7. Arrange a park clean-up
Organising a clean-up in your local park is an easy way to reduce pollution and fight climate change. It will also create a cleaner and healthier environment for your local community to enjoy. Pick your clean-up location and day and ask people to get involved in the event by posting on Facebook or other community platforms online. Check out this blog for tips on how to arrange a successful community clean-up.

8. Donate clothes
Most people have piles of clothes that they no longer like or wear. Donating your unwanted clothes will help those less fortunate than you and give your unloved pieces a new home. Donating clothes will also help fight climate change by reducing the amount of textile waste going to landfills.

Summary
Volunteering is a great way to learn new skills, meet new people, and boost your health and happiness. We all live busy lives and you may find it difficult to make time to volunteer. However, just half an hour a week can make a huge difference to your community. Find out what volunteering opportunities are in your local area and start making a positive impact today!

 

Get involved in volunteering

If you’re inspired to get involved in volunteering, you can find out more on our VAL Volunteering website.

If you’re a voluntary, community or social enterprise organisation who wants more support with recruiting or managing volunteers, you can get in touch with us via:

helpline@valonline.org.uk
0116 257 5050

Barwell & Hollycroft Surgery Telephone Befriending Service

Article written by: Barwell & Hollycroft Surgery

Many GP practices are visited by patients who are struggling with loneliness. The pressures on GP surgeries mean that GP’s do not have the time to spend chatting to people to help alleviate their feelings of loneliness. The Jo Cox Foundation discovered that loneliness does more harm to people’s physical and mental health than obesity and smoking 15 cigarettes a day – anxiety stress insomnia, depression and dementia are also symptoms associated with loneliness.

To begin with it was really difficult to work out how best to develop the idea.  People’s time is precious and face to face Befriending is very valuable but many people do not have the capacity to take this on.  Telephone Befriending then began to seem a possible way of offering a service where people in full time work could give up some time a week talking to a Befriendee.

At first it was difficult to get started but the big change came with the introduction of Local Area Coordinators, financed by Social Services and Social Prescribers funded by the NHS. These people are linked to GP surgeries and do brilliant jobs of dealing with non-clinical issues that patients have. Referrals  from health professionals meant that a holistic approach was being satisfied so not only was loneliness addressed but things contributing to their loneliness (health, family issues, mobility) were also being looked at.

With this in place then referrals began to be made to us.

But wait! Referrals are fine but we didn’t have any volunteers so I was advised to look at VAL (Voluntary Action Leicestershire) and the Rural Community Council (RCC) who both offered very valuable advice. The need for DBS checks was discussed, training needs and funding opportunities identified.

Befrienders are there as Alerters not as people who solve the problems of the people they are assigned. If we have concerns then these are passed through our Coordinator who then contacts the person who referred the Befriendee to us.  We then step back allowing the professionals to take over.

Getting new recruits is always a problem but since advertising through VAL we have had 10 of our 41 Befrienders come to us.  We are delighted to say that one of those can speak a number of Indian languages and we have our first referral so this will hopefully mean a more meaningful interaction can take place.

After three years we are seeing that the benefits to this service don’t only serve the person referred to us but also the Befriender gets a great deal out of some very interesting conversations. Some long term friendships have developed and thrived.

We have also been nominated twice for the Hinckley & Bosworth Making a Difference Awards and were, along with 3 other organisations, finalists in the National Association of Link workers Awards for Community Groups.

A Warning Zone Volunteer explains why they got involved with the charity.

“I like being able to use my existing skills and love the enthusiasm and interest of the children.  Volunteering at Warning Zone is very flexible and allows me to give my time while still being able to engage in other activities”

Local Children’s safety charity needs more volunteers!  

Warning Zone wouldn’t function without the generosity of their volunteer guides who deliver sessions during school term times.  Some stay for the day, while others come for a morning or afternoon session.  The minimum guiding requirement is just 5 hours (2 sessions) per month.

In a “normal” year they will deliver lifesaving messages to around 10,500 primary school children in year 6 from Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland (and beyond!) at their state-of-the-art Life Skills Centre, based on Frog Island. Children at age 10/11years old are at a key transition period of their lives as they prepare to venture into secondary schools, where they will meet new friends and share new experiences.  They are likely to have more independence and will be responsible for their own safety, actions and behaviours.  Warning Zone’s aim is to educate young people on understanding risks, peer pressure, anti-social behaviour and consequences, presenting the real risks of life for children, delivered in an honest, compassionate and understandable way in order to encourage responsible behaviour and sound decision making while living full and active lives.

At Warning Zone children hear real life stories and experience learning through interactive Zones led by our volunteer guides. The centre is split into 2.   There is a general safety zone – think arson, railways, water, electricity, road safety to name a few! And E-Safety – topics include online phishing, cyber bullying, sharing and use of inappropriate images, online grooming and more.   Both areas explore themes such as peer pressure, criminal responsibility and consequences, the importance of talking to a trusted adult, being a good friend, and mental health and wellbeing.

Volunteers range from 16 to 80+ years old, from all walks of life.  The day at Warning Zone is ideal for parents with children at school, fitting in with school drop off and pickups! It’s also great for people that have retired and are looking for a way to use their extensive, valuable skills and experience.  It really is a rewarding volunteering opportunity and a great way to give back to the community.

Warning Zone appreciates and celebrates their volunteer team.  There is a dedicated volunteer room where experiences are shared over biscuits and certificates are awarded to mark significant steps and contributions.  Days out are also arranged to thank and celebrate volunteers.

 

Ebay for change

Details of the ebay for change programme can be found here: https://pages.ebay.co.uk/ebay-for-change/

They are now getting ready to take on their fourth wave of sellers who will be selling on the platform in time for Christmas 2022 respectively.

Training will begin in September 2022.

If your social enterprise would like to part of the programme then you can complete an application here: https://pages.ebay.co.uk/ebay-for-change/

Working with Young People – Media Literacy and Digital Youth Work

As part of the Department for Digital Culture Media and Sport’s (DCMS) Online Media Literacy Strategy, the National Youth Agency (NYA), based in Leicester City, has received funding from DCMS to design a new module to upskill youth workers in media literacy skills, enabling them to discuss issues surrounding online safety with young people they support.

Many young people have grown up in a digital age with access to computers, technology, and the internet; making it essential that youth workers are able to effectively respond to young people’s changing needs in the new digital landscape.

The free course contains 5 micro-modules:

  • How the online environment operates, includes commercial motivations behind online platforms, digital advertising, and how and why digital communities are used by young people
  • How online content is generated and can be critically analysed, looking specifically at awareness of dis-information and how to fact-check to determine veracity
  • The risks of sharing personal data online, centring on how personal data can be used by others and the importance of protecting online privacy
  • Understanding how actions online have consequences offline, highlighting what behaviour is not acceptable online and the impact extended screen-time can have on wellbeing
  • How youth work can enable young people to engage in safe and positive online engagement, brings together learning from modules 1-4 and applying this knowledge to support young people with improving their safety and wellbeing in digital spaces

Volunteer and staff within the local VCSE youth sector may wish to access this free training.

Further details and how to book can be found here.

 

Orlando Fraser – New chairperson of the Charity Commission

Details of his appointment can be found here.

Orlando delivered his inaugural speech on 4 May 2022 at the Trustee Exchange Conference in London. Within that speech he states “ I want the work of the Commission I lead to be informed by 3 key values – fairness, balance and independence. “ You can find out more about his ideas regarding these values here.

He recognises the contribution of trustees. Explaining that

“Trusteeship requires personal sacrifices. It means giving time and energy you might otherwise dedicate to your careers, or your family, in serving your charity and the people it helps. We are all in your debt.”

He asks trustees to consider two areas where you could do something yet more for your charity.

  • The first concerns your legal duty of prudence as trustees, or as you may know it, managing your charity’s resources responsibly. “ Please think on this carefully and consistently, as your charity prepares to navigate the choppy waters ahead of the cost of living crisis, and other as yet unnamed crises. “Utilising the charity commission managing charity’s finances guidance might be a good starting. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/managing-charity-finances

If your charity is based in Leicestershire, supporting local communities and  would like help with managing your charity get in touch with VAL’s helpline 0116 257 5050 or helpline@valonline.org.uk. Your request for support will then be allocated to a member of the sector support team.

  • The second concerns the ongoing recruitment of trustees for the sector.  “As you will know from the research, you are statistically the most likely people to be able to recruit more trustees for your own charity. So please don’t lose sight of this special trustee superpower: advocate for your organisation, for the endorphins of volunteering, and the good work that you do. And, when recruiting new trustees, please work to make any recruitment drive as inclusive and diverse as possible, thus ensuring the continued excellence of the sector.”

VAL can provide support with recruiting operational volunteers and trustees. You can find out more about registering opportunities and obtaining one to one support here: https://valonline.org.uk/recruit-volunteers/