Community Engagement & Development

If you require information on how we can help you please contact:

Community engagement

It’s important that patients and communities have a say on how services are planned and delivered, so that people have access to the health services they need and where possible provided locally.

The CVS Community Engagement Team work with a range of community forums, networks and individuals, to raise awareness of health issues and gather feedback on current and planned health and care services.

• People with disabilities
• Older people
• Gypsies and Travellers
• Eastern Europeans
• Carers
• Young people
• Veterans
• Seldom heard groups.

By getting involved you can ensure service planners meet the needs of the public.

Working with General Practices

The team also works with GP surgeries, helping them to develop and grow their Patient Participation Groups. PPGs make a number of positive contributions, including providing a patient’s perspective, helping to promote health & wellbeing, improving communication and influencing service development.  If you would like to get involved, contact one the of team or speak with reception at your GP surgery.

Community development

At CVS we are keen to help build a strong and sustainable voluntary sector that helps our local communities thrive. We can help you if you are about to start a new community group, trying to develop your existing group, need help with your management committee or managing people, or are looking for funding.

There are lots of useful resources available to help you set up your group; take a look and if you need help to work through setting up a new group please get in touch with us

https://www.nandscvs.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Charity-set-up-checklist-v.2.0.pdf

https://smallcharities.wpengine.com/

https://www.thirdsectorprotect.co.uk/blog/starting-a-community-group/https://smallcharities.wpengine.com/

https://www.resourcecentre.org.uk/information-category/starting-a-group/first-steps-for-new-groups/

How we work with you

We work with local partners and people to develop communities and improve the health and wellbeing of the local population. Working with people is central to our work and we collaborate with a range of providers.

We have developed an organisational health check to help you understand the strengths and weaknesses of your organisation. Your group can carry this out themselves, or someone from CVS would be happy to assist you.

Access our health check for voluntary and community organisations

Face to face or virtual sessions

We can offer one-to-one support. This includes advising you on how your organisation operates, how to ensure that you are carrying out your activities safely and legally, how to plan for the future, and how to grow your organisation.

You can book to attend a session with a development worker. The initial session will last up to one hour and includes an action plan and up to two follow up sessions. Dates for sessions are advertised on our website and through our news channels.

Telephone support

You can call us between 10am to 4pm, Monday to Friday on 01636 679539. If our lines are busy, we will call you back. A member of staff will provide advice or signpost you to the support you need. If we are unable to assist you, we will direct you to specialist support.

Training

We want to reach as many people as possible, so we also offer support via workshops and training. Please go to our Training page for further details.

Other Support

Telephone Conferencing facility

If you are struggling to keep in touch with your members, perhaps because not everyone can access the internet or online applications, such as Zoom. We are able to provide your group access to our telephone conferencing facility. This will allow you to talk to multiple members of your group at the same time.

If you would like to know more about this service, please contact our Development Team on 01636 679539.

Support for groups

Below is a list of helpful resources for community and voluntary groups. If you are unable find what you are looking for, please contact a member of our team, who would be happy to help. We provide ongoing support to groups and currently we have a number of new initiatives to help groups continue and recover.

• [7th September 2020] Updated NCVO practical support for charities, voluntary organisations and volunteers during COVID-19 can be found by following this link
• [28th April 2020] The Home Office’s #YouAreNotAlone domestic abuse campaign aims to raise awareness that if anyone is at risk of, or experiencing, domestic abuse, they are still able leave and seek support.
  • People that are affected by domestic abuse may be harder to reach at this time and we really need your help to promote the campaign and raise awareness of the support available. We have worked with key partners and charities to produce the attached partner pack for you to use and, if appropriate, share with your networks. The pack currently contains social media assets, an email banner and online badge to show you are supporting the campaign, a poster and leaflet with support information, as well as additional brand posters, which you can print as required to display in windows and relevant environments.  The Partner Pack can be found by following this link.

• [3rd April 2020] Useful templates for Volunteer led Shoppers Support Scheme from Newark and Sherwood CVS, you are welcome to adapt to suit your organisation:
  • Volunteer Shoppers Support Scheme – Essential user guidance
  • Volunteer Shoppers Support Scheme – Mileage and Expenses Claim
  • Volunteer Shoppers Support Scheme – Volunteer Agreement
  • Volunteer Role Description – role guidance
• [3rd April 2020] Coronavirus: Scammers and Fraudsters Advice for Community Groups from Victim Support
  • Download the factsheet by following this link
• [2nd April 2020] Financial Support – Community Fund is currently launching a COVID community fund – £1 million pounds is available to registered charities, constituted voluntary and community organisations and Parish and Town Councils who are actively responding to the needs of vulnerable people in Nottinghamshire communities.  Grants of between £200 up to a maximum of £10k are available via a short online application form available at https://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/business-community/community-and-voluntary-sector/supporting-voluntary-sector/covid-19-community-fundAs a priority, NCC are especially interested in:
  • Projects that directly help vulnerable people affected by the effects of COVID-19, such as by providing access to food, toiletries, necessities, as well as projects to help people in isolation; and
  • Projects that are already set up and helping vulnerable people now.
• [2nd April 2020] Local Government Association – guidance re vulnerable people https://www.local.gov.uk/protecting-vulnerable-people-during-covid-19-outbreak
• Nottingham and Nottinghamshire community support and volunteering hub
  • [2nd April 2020] The updated Community Support Hub is now live, you can visit the site by following this link
  • You can use this both request help and, if you scroll down, to offer your organisation’s help.  There is also some guidance for volunteers.
  • Otherwise, please send enquiries to: enquiries@nottscc.gov.uk
• Covid-19 Mutual Aid UK is a group of volunteers supporting local community groups organising mutual aid throughout the Covid-19 outbreak in the UK. We focus on providing resources and connecting people to their nearest local groups, willing volunteers and those in need. You can visit their site by following this link.
• Planning the coordination of spontaneous volunteers in emergencies an HM Government document dated June 2019. Read the document at the following link.
• Coronavirus: Advice for your organisation; a page listing resources from NCVO
• ACAS Coronavirus advice for employers and employees. Follow this link to visit the site
• Changes to the DBS ID checking guidelines can be viewed by following this link
• NCVO practical support for charities, voluntary organisations and volunteers during COVID-19 can be viewed by following this link
•  Association of British Insurers – COVID-19 insurer commitments (including volunteers using their own cars) can be read at the following link