News, Funding, Training Opportunities and More for Barnet's VCFSE Community ![]() Welcome to the Community Organisation Support Newsletter from Inclusion Barnet for Barnet Together (10th October) Here's the latest updates, opportunities, and events from our vibrant Voluntary, Community, Faith, and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) sector! Thoughts, comments, queries or anything you'd like to feature in the next newsletter? Get in touch with Caitie, Community Organisation Support Communications Officer, at caitie@inclusionbarnet.org.uk For VCFSEs looking for focused support, funding, news and events for their work with Children, Young People and Families, contact Young Barnet Foundation. Latest Funding NewsMcCarthy Stone Foundation - Christmas Connections The Christmas Connections programme is all about connecting older adults over the Christmas period. Grants of up to £1,000 will be available to support organisations running activities for people over 65 in their community over the festive period. Funding will only be open to organisations with an annual income of LESS than £250,000. Registered Charities, Community Groups and Community Interest Companies are eligible to apply. Activities must take place between 1st December, 2023 and 2nd January, 2024. ![]() Funding for Organisations Delivering Services to Blind & Partially Sighted People (London) Sight loss charities and other specialist organisations that support blind and partially sighted people in London are invited to apply for funding from the Vision Foundation’s Vision Fund. This funding round has two funding streams:
Across both funding streams, the Foundation is particularly keen to support organisations who demonstrate a strong commitment to involving experts by experience, i.e. blind and partially sighted people or people at particular risk of sight loss, in their work. Deadline: Tuesday 31st October ![]() The Community Ownership FundThe Community Ownership Fund is a £150 million fund to support community groups to take ownership of assets which are at risk of being lost to the community. Funding is provided by The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Who can apply: Public Sector, Non-profit How much you can get: up to £2 million. Find out more or make an application here Deadline: 31st March, 2025 ![]() Cosaraf Charitable Foundation - Hardship GrantsThe Cosaraf Charitable Foundation provides funding of up to £500 to help people in significant hardship with the following: Household items, Basic Living Expenses (Utilities or food); Work- or education-related expenses, Rent arrears and Council tax arrears where there is a clear and obvious risk of homelessness.Applications will only be accepted where they are made on an individual’s behalf by a third-party social organisation (e.g. charity, public body, social landlord, voluntary organisation, school etc.) acting as a referral partner who will manage the grant. To be eligible for a small grant or donation, the following criteria must be met:
This grant is open to applications. ![]() ![]() Inclusion Barnet Community Organisation Support Membership![]() Become a Community Organisation Support Member Today! Do you need help finding fundraising opportunities? Do you need support to raise your organisation’s profile? Want to attend training sessions, gain advice on business planning, and network with other VCFSE organisations? Our Community Organisation Support team is here for you! Join our FREE membership to access:
Training & EventsSubstance Misuse Awareness Training Change Grow Live Barnet are offering substance misuse awareness and comprehensive training on October 25th at 10am-11:30am over Teams. This Training will cover:
If you would like to be invited to this training, please can you confirm by email Kevin Farrell barnet.training@cgl.org.uk by Friday 20th October
![]() Celebrating Black History Month in Barnet Black History Month, from the 1st - 31st October, is dedicated to celebrating communities and cultures all around the world. This year's theme, ‘Celebrating our Sisters’, highlights the crucial role that Black women have played in shaping history, inspiring change, and building communities. ![]() Unseen - domestic abuse of blind and partially sighted people The Unseen is the first ever research into the shocking scale and nature of domestic abuse among blind and partially sighted people The report, was researched and compiled by the charity SafeLives, highlights a lack of relevant knowledge and experience among organisations and professionals working in both the fields of sight loss and domestic abuse, and puts forward proposals for how to tackle the challenges and break down the barriers to accessing help. The Vision Foundation have created a video to share with organisations that support or come into contact with people who may be affected by this. 1 in 12 visually impaired people in the UK may be experiencing domestic abuse.![]() Advice First Aid: delivered by Citizens Advice Barnet Citizens Advice Barnet are keen to engage with community groups to raise awareness of, and increase trust in, advice services and support the delivery of Advice First Aid (AFA). Advice First Aid is a free training session with lunch provided. The next session is due to take place on Tues 31st October. If you would like to attend please contact Nadya Bari, Project Manager on 020 8440 6356 or email nbari@barnetcab.org.uk ![]() Black History Walks View the streets of London from an African/Caribbean perspective and hear stories that the typical history books and tour guides never cover. Join this interactive presentation to hear about Black World War 2 heroes, Ancient African architecture, museums of stolen goods, amazing black films, scientists/inventors, secret food history, black gold, pirates and much more. When: Sat, 28 Oct 2023 12:30 - 13:30 Where: Colindale Library, 7 Bristol Avenue, London, NW9 4BR ![]() Online Green Skills course available to anyone over 16! Are you looking to learn more about potential careers and opportunities, especially green jobs? Do you want to develop skills for employment and build confidence to enter or re-enter the workforce? Do you prefer an on-demand digital learning course that can be taken at your own pace? EY and Microsoft have launched the Green Skills Passport, a free, online learning program focused on green jobs and developing skills for the workplace for individuals aged 16 and older. Through a 10-hour virtual course participants can learn about key topics such as:
Green Skills Passport: sustainability skills and green jobs program ![]() ![]() Lived Experience Network The lived experience network's vision is that fewer lives are lost to suicide and anyone affected by suicide receives the best possible support. The network is for people who have experienced or live with suicidal thoughts, people who have attempted suicide, people living with or in relationships with those who have suicidal thoughts, and those bereaved by suicide. ![]() News & OpportunitiesFREE Upshot Demo Sessions Upshot helps organisations, who make a difference, become more insight-led. Using a MEL (Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning) approach, they provide an easy-to-use online system for funders and delivers of all sizes to monitor, evaluate and learn from their data. Barnet Together, with funding from the council, are excited to be able to offer eligible members the opportunity to use the Upshot platform for FREE for one year and at a reduced cost of £200 + VAT for the second year (following that, members will be offered a further one year at a discounted rate, before transferring to a full price Upshot membership in year 4). Sign up for our free upcoming demo session on any of the following dates and discover how Upshot can elevate your Monitoring & Evaluation efforts. ![]() More from Barnet TogetherNeed a space to hold your workshop or meeting? At Inclusion Barnet, we run two libraries in Barnet that have meeting rooms available for hire. With discounted rates for community groups, and potential to welcome up to 30 people, the spaces are flexible to suit your needs. Cost of Living Crisis We now have a dedicated Cost of Living Crisis page on our website where we're compiling both local and national information, resources and guidance linked to the Cost of Living Crisis, and the impact on Voluntary Sector organisations. Do let us know if you have any activities and support that needs to be added. Sign up to Barnet Together Alliance partners' Newsletters...
![]() Sign up to Barnet’s voluntary sector Manifesto The aim of the Manifesto is to create better understanding and deeper cross-sector collaboration between organisations working within Barnet. 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 If you have any news to share in this or Inclusion Barnet's Barnet Together Environmental e-newsletter then email barnettogether@inclusionbarnet.org.uk |