Welcome to the Barnet Together (23 September 2021) newsletter featuring news, grants, training opportunities...

With two funding opportunities exclusively for the Barnet VCFS you are going to need to mark some time out in your diaries to consider and make some compelling funding applications. But don't worry Debra Yardley from the Young Barnet Foundation and I are on hand to help! Do get in touch.
 
Ellen Cheshire, Voluntary and Community Sector Support Lead ellen@inclusionbarnet.org.uk 

Barnet Community Innovation Fund - Round 2

Following the success of the pilot scheme in Spring 2021, the joint initiative with local NHS partners and Barnet's volunteer and community sectors represented by Barnet Together, are opening a second round of funding. A pot of £320,000 will be open for applications from 1 October 2021 and will close on 5pm on Monday 1 November.

The four funding priorities in Round 2 are:

1. Mental Health and Wellbeing support particularly focusing on pandemic related crisis support and interventions
2. Initiatives that promote Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
3. Sustainable Green Spaces for healthy leisure projects
4. Projects supporting Families, Children  and Young people, with a particular focus on family health

Debra Yardley and EIlen Cheshire will be able to support anyone looking to find a partner organisation or be that critical friend to ensure your application is the best is can be. If you have any questions about the fund, please contact Marta Montague, Community Innovation Fund Manager.

Government Launches Loneliness Engagement Fund 

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is providing grants of between £15,000 and £50,000 for communications and engagement activity that will help reduce feelings of stigma and encourage people to help themselves and others. 

Charitable, benevolent and philanthropic organisations in England can apply as long as they have a proven track record of engaging with one or more of the following target groups:

• Young people aged 16-24
• People with diagnosed mental health conditions
• People living alone
• People from lower income households
• Unemployed people
• Disabled people

The funding can be used for:

• Developing content and resources to engage specific target audiences.
• Testing content with target audiences.
• Disseminating messaging directly through existing networks and channels.
• Research into target audiences to support future activity.
• Training community leaders or 'ambassadors' to deliver messages within their networks (for example, developing toolkits, running webinars, training events).
• Evaluation of activity delivered using this funding eg to determine reach, reception, outcome and impact.

All funded activities must take place by 31 March 2022.

The value of the grant requested must not represent more than 50% of the applicant's annual income.

Deadline: Wednesday 13 October,
12 noon.

The Faith New Deal Pilot Fund 

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has announced a new £1 million fund called ‘The Faith New Deal Pilot Fund’ which aims to help faith groups support communities during COVID-19 recovery.

Faith-based organisations based in England can apply for up to £200,000 to deliver a service in partnership with local public institutions, local authorities and others, to support one of the following:

• Mental wellbeing and loneliness
• Debt Advice
• Employability
• Food Poverty
• Increasing community engagement through volunteering

Deadline: Thursday 7 October, 23:59 

Local area committees given £400,000 each to fund community projects

Barnet's three Area Committees have £400,000 each per year to fund community requests. The funding can cover a wide range of infrastructure projects for communities. Recent examples include: restoration of community centres and park pavilions, new play equipment in parks and schools and the creation of tree trails and parks projects.

If you have an idea, you should initially raise this with your ward councillor who can then propose it for funding through the appropriate Area Committee. For more information contact Graeme Clayton, Community Infrastructure Coordinator.

Head of Community Services at Inclusion Barnet

We are looking for someone to lead on delivery of our voluntary sector support activity, working as part of our successful Barnet Together partnership with Young Barnet Foundation and Groundwork London. 

As well as attending senior meetings as the representative of the voluntary sector and leading sector groups, you’ll lead on developing our membership offer and making sure this is communicated to community groups.  You’ll also be working collaboratively with wider system partners to implement the voluntary sector manifesto and ensure they understand the sector’s capabilities.  Alongside this, you’ll have responsibility for oversight of our Healthwatch and Partnership Libraries contracts, ensuring that these services thrive and develop. 

Closing Date: Saturday 9 October

Do you know people who struggle to use the internet? Do you need help to get online? 

Get Online Week (GOW) is an annual event and takes place 18 - 24 October. Barnet Council and BOOST are supporting the event by promoting digital literacy skills which are vital for carrying out a range of day-to-day tasks for work, education, news and more.

Register your group or join an online meeting to plan activities as well as to raise awareness of digital inclusion across Barnet. Follow #BarnetGetOnline and contact TheBarnetGetOnlineNetwork@Barnet.gov.uk for more information.

SIGN UP TODAY!! Event next Monday

Message from...

BEH NHS Trust – Community Transformation Staff Networking Virtual Coffees

Monday 27th – Friday 1st October

Community Mental health Services are changing to be: (1) responsive when people ask for help, and (2) work better with community teams 

To create better links with the Community Teams, we are hosting a virtual Coffee MeetUp. All you need to do is agree to have a coffee!  Register here.

On Monday 27th September, you will get introduced to your coffee buddy. Arrange to have a coffee and let us know how it went

All we hope is that you have fun meeting someone new.

For More information & to Sign up  

Free funded Training for support into careers in inclusion

The Centre for Accessible Environments is recruiting again to offer funded inclusive design and accessibility training  for disabled Londoners aged 18-30 years.  

Trainees will be provided with training delivered in 2 day modules over 9 months, starting in October 2021 – on topics like the principles of inclusive design, access auditing, website accessibility, designing for neurodiversity and more.

Students will also get hands-on experience from shadowing an access professional.

For more information on the Pathways Academy and how to apply can be found on their website or contact pathways@cae.org.uk.

Closing Date: Friday 1 October

Training opportunities for Women

Are you working with any unemployed women who are seeking opportunities to return to work?

Women in Travel CIC offers FREE employability support, access to mentoring and the chance to connect with employers and like-minded women, who are ready to grow and thrive together.

For any information email info@womenintravelcic.com

Maxability is seeking two new Trustees to strengthen its Board and help to grow its unique, inclusive arts charity for the future. 

Maxability offers a range of weekly classes in its fully equipped ceramics studio in Northwest London, run by experienced ceramics tutors, for disabled people, including those with mental health issues, older people, and people on low incomes.

Maxability is looking for Trustees: 

• Who are passionate about the arts as a tool for social change and well-being, and who care about making a difference for disabled and marginalised people.
• Who can commit to being active trustees and contribute to the growth and security of the charity.
• Who are decisive, flexible and speak their mind, and thrive working closely in a small group to support the charity and its staff. 

and who can bring skills / experience in one or more of the following:

• HR / management 
• A background in ceramics 
• Fundraising
• IT and communications (including PR, website, social media)
• Disability services/rights
• Art therapy and art education 

Lived experience of disability/long-term health conditions/mental health issues, including as parents/carers, and of social exclusion, would be an advantage. 

You do not need to have previous trustee experience to apply.

For more information and to apply, please email info@maxability.org.uk

Sign up to Barnet’s voluntary sector Manifesto

Barnet Together is calling for community, voluntary and faith groups as well as statutory organisations and businesses operating in the borough of Barnet, to sign up to the Barnet Voluntary Sector Manifesto.

The aim of the Manifesto is to create better understanding and deeper cross-sector collaboration between organisations working within Barnet. By signing up to the Manifesto, groups and service providers agree to adhere to the values within the document. 

If you are a representative of a group, service provider or business based in or serving Barnet, then you can sign up to the Barnet Voluntary Manifesto.

#WorkingTogether
#StrongerTogether
#BarnetTogether

Communities Together Network 

For more information about local events, national campaigns and updates from Barnet Council, drop Danusia an email and ask to be added to the Communities Together Network bulletin.
Danusia.Brzezicka@Barnet.gov.uk