Author: Julie

STAYING WELL FUND OPEN TO REDCAR & CLEVELAND APPLICATIONS

Posted on by Julie

Redcar and Cleveland Voluntary Development Agency, in partnership with Tees Valley Rural Action is delighted to announce the opening of the Redcar and Cleveland Staying Well Fund on behalf of the Durham, Darlington and Teesside Mental Health and Learning Disability Partnership.

This is an opportunity for Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations to apply for either revenue or capital funding to support new pieces of work from £2,500 to £5,000 that align to the NHS Community Mental Health Framework, which sets out its ambition and challenge to local providers to redesign and realign community mental health teams alongside primary care and voluntary sector services.

Funding is centred around the core community mental health framework principles of which we would welcome bids in line with the following ethos to support our local communities to stay well.  Funding applications will need to address one or more of the following:

  • Bids that support local communities to stay well; for example, this may include supporting individuals with conditions impacting their mental or supporting individuals who are currently in recovery.
  • Bids that enable individuals to contribute to their local communities and to become active participants.
  • Bids that support transitions between services to reduce waiting times and allow for warm transfers: actively supporting individuals to make initial links with, and access, other services where this would best meet their needs. Collaborative working across partners and organisations would be strongly welcomed.
  • Bids which promote individuals supporting their physical and mental wellbeing.
  • Bids which improve quality of life especially in underrepresented groups or those with health inequalities.
  • Bids which recognise the health inequalities of local populations and underrepresented groups in either accessing services or staying well within their local communities.
  • Bids which are people-led and demonstrate that they have spoken to and involved local communities within the design of the activities the applicant is proposing.
  • Bids that show that they have drawn upon the infrastructure and strengths of the area in which they propose to work within and how the proposed work can add value.
  • Bids that lead to a reduction in social isolation.
  • Bids which provide a proactive outreach offer as well as in-reach.

The deadline for applications is 9am Monday 13thMarch 2023 and applicants will be notified by the week commencing 20th March 2023.

Download the guidance notes Staying-Well-Application-Process and you can apply by clicking here: for the online application 

Village Halls Week 2023 New Year Round 2 of Nuts & Bolts Funding Training

Posted on by Julie

The development of a grant application can be a tricky and overwhelming task. We have teamed up with Woodsmith Foundation and RCVDA to provide the background work that is required to start writing quality grant applications.

Our fun and interactive sessions will include a speaker from the Woodsmith Foundation (formerly Sirius Minerals Foundation) to ensure Redcar & Cleveland groups can produce quality applications to meet their funding guidelines.

This is your opportunity to meet the funder and develop your funding application skills. We will be detailing, tips and trips and do’s and don’ts. Giving you an opportunity to use case studies and develop your own applications on the day.

Over two separate dates and venues.  Each day is the same time. Registration from 9:30am, session is 10am-1pm. Lunch is provided.

24th January 2023  – FROG, Grange town United Community Hub, Derwentwater Road, Grangetown, Middlesbrough, TS6 7PY.

26th January 2023 – ECHO Building, Emmanuel Church Office, Macnay Street, Saltburn-by-the-Sea, North Yorkshire, TS12 1LE.

Sometimes 1 day just isn’t enough therefore RCVDA will be offering 1 to 1 tailored sessions to support your future funding applications.  Once the face to face training sessions are completed an online highlight video will be available on our website.

To register your place please click to secure your spot numbers depend on venue so please don’t miss out.

Applications now open for Tees Esk and Wear Valley (TEWV) NHS Trust Resilience Funding – Round 2 – Staying Well

Posted on by Julie

Following the success of the first round of funding from Tees Esk and Wear Valley (TEWV) NHS Trust, which focussed on the mental health challenges faced as a consequence of the Covid pandemic, we are delighted to announce a new round of one year funding for Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise, (VCSE) organisations in Stockton and Darlington to deliver projects which look to redesign and realign community mental health.

NHS England Community Mental Health Framework sets out its ambition and challenge to local providers to redesign and realign community mental health teams alongside primary care and voluntary sector services.

Funding for round 2 is centred around the core community mental health framework principles of which we would welcome bids in line with the following ethos to support our local communities to stay well.  Funding applications will need to address one or more of the following:

  • Support local communities to stay well. This may include supporting individuals with conditions impacting their mental wellbeing or those who are currently in recovery.
  • Enable individuals to contribute to their local communities and be active participants.
  • Support transitions between services to reduce waiting times and allow for “warm transfers”. By this we mean actively supporting individuals to make initial links with, and access, other services where this would best meet their needs.  Collaborative working across partners and organisations would be strongly welcomed.
  • Promote individuals supporting their physical and mental wellbeing
  • Improve quality of life especially in underrepresented groups or those with health inequalities.
  • Recognise the health inequalities of local populations and underrepresented groups to either access services or stay well within their local communities.
  • Projects and or services that are people led and demonstrate they have spoken to and involved local communities within the design of the activities the applicant is proposing.
  • Applicants can demonstrate they have drawn upon the infrastructure and strengths of the area it is working within and how it can add value.
  • Reduction in social isolation.
  • Provide a proactive outreach offer as well as in reach.

Deadline for applications is 5pm Thursday 29th September 2022 and applicants will be notified within 10 days of the closing date.

Download the application and guidance notes for Darlington here TEWV Application Form Darlington

For VCSE organisations in Stockton on Tees please visit HERE or email enquiries@catalyststockton.org using the title Resilience Funding – Round 2 – Staying Well.

 

 

Big Local Big Changes

Posted on by Julie

We are super excited to announce that East Cleveland Villages Big Local has reviewed their development plan and are about to launch under a new name and new title.  This means a rebrand to something everyone will come to know and recognise.

East Cleveland Villages Big Local is being renamed and will become East Cleveland Good Neighbours – Connecting Communities.  Together with a new development plan for the area and new direction of travel for East Cleveland Good Neighbours – this is an exciting time for East Cleveland.

We believe that the change will be much easier for the community to connect with and relate to.  The partnership team has worked with a consultant and engaged with the community to develop an easy-to-understand development plan with clear themes that will benefit the communities of East Cleveland.  Following a period where COVID halted the progress of implementing the plan – now is the time to move forward.

To launch their new name, they would like to invite you to an event with a difference.

They are inviting community groups to come along and find out more and take part in a Chicken Soup event! At the event community groups will have the opportunity to pitch their ideas to the room audience who will then vote on their chosen cause.  The winners of the vote will be awarded a grant of £500.

All we are asking is that community groups are working on the themes of our development plan and the delivery is in our allocated area of East Cleveland.  On the launch evening we will be taking pitches from those working on our themes 2, 3, 4 and 5, see below for information.

The date of the event is 1st October at Loftus Community Hub CIC – Home of the East Cleveland Good Neighbours Food bank (The old Loftus Social Club, West Road, Loftus, TS13 4RG)

Groups will discover more about the themes over the next few weeks via their social media pages but for now the themes are:

Theme 1.  Developing the skills and confidence of local people and organisations

Theme 2. Young People

Theme 3. Health and Well Being

Theme 4. Being neighbourly – Connecting Our Communities

Theme 5. Campaigning and Strong Local Voices

Also, on the evening there will be a market stall event to find out more about the themes and how community groups can get involved either as a delivery partner or to access funding.

What’s not to get involved with? …. This is your chance too network with other organisations in the local area, a chance to find out more about the plans for East Cleveland Good Neighbours – Connecting Communities moving forward and an opportunity for funding.  We may even treat you all to some cake!!

Please follow social media groups and pages or contact info@teesvalleyruralaction.co.uk for more information.

 

Going Green Together Launch Events

Posted on by Julie

Going Green Together is very excited to announce the launch of our new project, supported by the National Lottery Community Fund and County Durham Community Foundation. As well as expanding the resources we’re currently offering through the Going Green Together website, we’re inviting VCSE organisations in the North East and Cumbria to join a special cohort to access training and courses in order to reduce their carbon footprint and learn how to make their working practises more environmentally conscious.

To celebrate the launch of this programme, and to let you know how to get involved, we’re hosting a range of online and in-person events in mid-July. These events will include a presentation of what we’ve done so far, the aims of Going Green Together, what’s coming up and what we’re looking for in applicants for our training cohort. The events will also involve break-out sessions to provide a taster of future activities, and to let us know more about your environmental needs. They will also include an opportunity to meet other organisations in your region, to begin building a climate support network of your peers.

This is a fantastic opportunity for those who are looking to make their first steps towards environmental reform within their organisation, those who want to discover more, and for those who are already embedding environmental practise in their organisation but who are looking to collaborate with and help other organisations do the same.

The first event will be an in-person launch and networking event on Tuesday 12th July, 2-4.30pm, at VODA’s new Spirit of North Tyneside venue in Wallsend Customer First Centre. You can sign up to this free event here: https://www.vonne.org.uk/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=472

This will be followed by three online launch events. While each of these will have a regional focus, anyone from the North East or Cumbria is invited to attend whichever event they prefer based on their availability. These are as follows:

 

There will be a limit on spaces for each event, so be sure to reserve your ticket soon!

Nuts and Bolts of Funding Applications

Posted on by Julie

The development of a grant application can be a tricky and overwhelming task. We have teamed up with Woodsmith Foundation to provide the background work that is required to start writing quality grant applications.

Our fun and interactive sessions will include a speaker from the Woodsmith Foundation (formerly Sirius Minerals Foundation) to ensure Redcar & Cleveland groups can produce quality applications to meet their funding guidelines.

This is your opportunity to meet the funder and develop your funding application skills. We will be detailing, tips and trips and do’s and don’ts. Giving you an opportunity to use case studies and develop your own applications on the day.

Over three separate dates and East Cleveland Venues.  Each day is the same time. Registration from 9:30am, session is 10am-2pm. Lunch is provided.

26th July 2022  – Charltons Community Centre, TS12 3DA

18th August 2022 – Loftus Town Hall, Ts13 4HG – DATE CHANGED FROM 17th AUGUST

13th September 2022 – Liverton Village Hall, Ts13 4TB

Sometimes 1 day just isn’t enough we will be offering 1 to 1 tailored sessions to support your future funding applications.  Once the face to face training sessions are completed an online highlight video will be available on our website.

To register your place please click here to secure your spot numbers depend on venue so please don’t miss out.

Poster with dates for training course

 

Welcome to the Tees Valley Volunteering Charter

Posted on by Julie

A new volunteering charter, designed to help organisations give volunteers assurances on the quality of their experience launches today.

Tens of thousands of people take on voluntary roles across Tees Valley every year, making a huge contribution to the welfare of their communities, whilst having an enjoyable and rewarding time.

Developed by the Tees Valley Infrastructure Partnership (TVIP), the Charter features a list of statements which organisations pledge to work towards. These include, making sure volunteering is welcoming and accessible and providing volunteers with the support they need.

By signing up to the Charter, organisations show they value the contribution volunteers make and commit to providing a high quality and positive experience. The Charter is non-prescriptive, meaning organisations are free to put policies and procedures in place to meet the Charter’s statements in a way that suits them.

Catalyst’s CEO, Jon Carling, a member of TVIP said, ‘the Partnership is delighted to have worked together with colleagues across the Tees Valley to develop the Charter. When volunteers see the Charter featured on organisation’s website and in their premises, they know they are committed to providing the best volunteering experience possible’.

Mark Davis, Chief Executive of Middlesbrough Voluntary Development Agency, added “Volunteers tell us all the time how much they enjoy volunteering. They make such a difference to the lives of local people, and add a lot of value to the economy too. Organisations which sign up to the Charter will be showing a real commitment to supporting our volunteers.”

Organisations can sign up to the Charter from 1st July and will receive a copy of the Charter statements, along with a certificate to show their commitment to working to meet these. They will also be provided with suggestions of how they can tailor their practice to achieve the Charter statements.

If you are an organisation based in Darlington and would like to sign up to the Charter or for any further information please complete the form by clicking here.

For further information contact  TVRA’s, Julie Thornton, at info@teesvalleyruralaction.co.uk or 01642 213852.

If you are from one of the other areas in the Tees Valley please see below for your relevant contact:

Darlington: Julie Thornton – info@teesvalleyruralaction.co.uk

Stockton: Lucy Owens – lucy.owens@catalyststockton.org or click here

Hartlepool: Tracy Harvey – tracy.harvey@hartlepool.gov.uk

Middlesbrough: Lesley Spaven – lesley.spaven@mvdauk.org.uk or click here

Redcar and Cleveland: Carole Marshall – carole.marshall@rcvda.org.uk or click here

Tees Valley Volunteering Charter launched as Volunteers’ Week 2022 comes to a close

Posted on by Julie
Tees Valley Volunteering Charter launched

Volunteers across Tees Valley can be assured that they will have a great experience, as a new Volunteering Charter is launched.

Tens of thousands of people take on voluntary roles across Tees Valley every year, making a huge contribution to the welfare of their communities, whilst having an enjoyable and rewarding time. The Tees Valley Volunteering Charter can be adopted by organisations which deploy volunteers, and demonstrates their commitment to ensuring that volunteers are safe, valued, and that they undertake meaningful tasks which make a real difference to their communities.

The Charter has been developed  by the Tees Valley Infrastructure Partnership (TVIP), a group of voluntary sector bodies which provide advice, support and a voice for the thousands of voluntary community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations in the region.

Jon Carling, Chief Executive of Catalyst, which supports the VCSE sector in Stockton-on-Tees, said ‘The aim of the Charter is to enable our partner organisations to demonstrate to volunteers that they will have a safe, enjoyable and rewarding experience’.

Mark Davis, Chief Executive of Middlesbrough Voluntary Development Agency, added ‘volunteers tell us all the time how much they enjoy volunteering. They make such a difference to the lives of local people, and add a lot of value to the economy too. Organisations which sign up to the Charter will be showing a real commitment to supporting our volunteers’.

Developed by the Tees Valley Infrastructure Partnership (TVIP) the Charter gives volunteers across the Tees Valley assurance that their volunteering experience will be as positive and worthwhile as possible.

The Charter does not provide set criteria for how organisations ensure the quality of their volunteering offer, but provides a list of statements, which they pledge to work towards in their volunteering practice.

This gives volunteers the confidence that they are valued and supported but allows organisations the flexibility to apply the Charter statements in a way that suits them.

Organisations will be invited to sign up to the Charter from 1st July 2022, and will receive a Charter pack, including a suite of suggested examples to help develop, embed, and uphold good practice.

For the Darlington area to sign up to the Charter or for any further information please contact TVRA’s Business Development Manager, Julie Thornton at info@teesvalleyruralaction.co.uk or 01642213852.

For other areas please contact:-

Hartlepool – Hartlepower -Tracy.Harvey@hartlepool.gov.uk

Middlesbrough – MVDA – Lesley.spaven@mvdauk.org.uk

Redcar & Cleveland – RCVDA – carole.marshall@rcvda.org.uk

Stockton – Catalyst – lucy.owens@catalyststockton.org

Third Sector Trends in North East England 2022 – Survey Launch

Posted on by Julie

Third Sector Trends in North East England 2022

This long-term study on voluntary and community organisations, social enterprises, cooperatives, societies and clubs (the ‘third sector’ or ‘VCSE’ sector) started in 2010.

A lot has happened in the North East since we last did the survey in 2019. So it’s time to find out what has changed in the last three years.

Whether your organisation or group is big or small, flourishing, struggling or going on as normal, we need to hear from you.

It’s interesting, easy to do, and only takes about 10 minutes. You can do it on your phone, tablet, laptop or PC.

If you’re ready to start the survey, click this link:  Join the Third Sector Trends survey here

We build a picture of how organisations and groups work and what they achieve. This helps funding organisations decide how to invest in organisations like yours.

Further information on the downloadable document with links etc Third Sector Trends in North East England 2022 (002)

All answers are securely stored completely anonymously.
If you want to know more about the study, contact Professor Tony Chapman, St Chad’s College, Durham University, 18 North Bailey, Durham DH1 3RH, tony.chapman@durham.ac.uk

Announcing East Cleveland’s Big Jubilee Festival

Posted on by Julie

East Cleveland Big Jubilee Festival 2nd-5th June 2022 brings together rural communities and heritage, linking people in celebrating the Jubilee with a series of multi-generational living history-themed events and activities. The festival has been created by a community partnership led by Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum and involves:

Thanks to Arts Council England Let’s Create Jubilee Fund, County Durham Community Foundation, East Cleveland Big Local and the Big Lottery Fund for supporting the East Cleveland Big Jubilee Festival. In-kind support is provided by a range of local business and supporters. The festival builds on residents’ interest in local history, heritage, passion and community pride. Activities around East Cleveland’s villages will include making oral history recordings of local residents’ memories, exhibitions, schools’ activities, face-to-face and online dance workshops, a ‘ration book style’ record of the festival and costume making. Artists will lead sessions working with volunteers, a film including drone footage will be created and shared online, and audio and visual records will be stored for posterity and made available to the public through the internet. “Our partnership is overjoyed to have been awarded this funding which will allow our village communities to work together in a wide range of creative ways to engage residents in honour the Jubilee. On our journey out of the Covid pandemic, the festival brings opportunities for people to work together to achieve a goal by: being involved in their communities; making positive connections; building feelings of togetherness and belonging; and increasing intergenerational understanding. We can’t wait for the culmination of the festival in the form of our final spectacular dance performance on Skinningrove Jetty on the afternoon of Saturday 4th June. We’re very much looking forward to sharing our final video to celebrate the richness of our communities, their history, culture and natural landscape.” Jo Booth and Graham Banwell – East Cleveland Big Jubilee Festival Steering Group

For further information, images, branding or to confirm an interview please contact ecjubileefest@gmail.com or call Jo Booth on 07941 631486 #CreativeJubilee #LottoGoodCauses

We will provide this space for useful resources to access and download.

EC BIG Jubilee Festival Header

EC BIG Jubilee Crown

EC Big Jubilee Flag

EC Big Jubilee Bunting

Platinum Jubilee Tool Kit includes lots of colouring in sheets, download recipes and even bunting well worth checking out.