The National Emergencies Trust has launched a £1.2m Local Action Fund with Crowdfunder UK to help voluntary and community organisations overcome the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. The fund offers support to organisations including UK charities, CIC’s, churches and other religious organisations by helping them to counter financial challenges created by the pandemic, including the inability to fundraise in the usual ways, reductions in staff and volunteers, and increased demand on their services. Up to £10,000 in match-funding is available to either launch new local initiatives or to enable them to continue existing services. Eligible services include: health and wellbeing services; services addressing food poverty; and community response coordination. The deadline for applications is the 22nd October 2021. Funding to Help Voluntary & Community Organisations Impacted by the Covid-19 Pandemic (UK)

NCVO research and insight manager, Anya Martin, looks at the key findings of the Almanac 2021 and what they show about the UK’s voluntary sector. Click here to read more.

Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) increased the frequency of their UK charity surveys from March 2020. These surveys help charities, donors, government and everyone interested in the work of charity to understand the impact of the crisis on the sector and giving. Read the latest results here.

Over the course of several years, diagnoses of autism have been on the increase in the UK.

Based on the number of referrals in the system, there are around 100,000 children and 1,000,000 adults in the UK with autism.

Our free online course will develop your understanding of the diverse condition of autism and gives practical suggestions when working with autistic individuals. 

The aim of the free course is to provide a better awareness of the term ‘autism’ and autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and how to support individuals with autism.

Qualification: Level 2 Certificate in Understanding Autism

Browse our library of free courses here

On Tuesday 12th October  12:00 – 1:00, there will be an online “meet the funder event” as part of our ongoing Funders Fair events. On the 12th it will be the Heritage Fund who will be speaking and taking questions. If you would like to attend please contact admin@sobus.org.uk,  who will let you know the details.”

We are looking for residents who have lived experience of Safeguarding to join an exciting new initiative called the London Voices Group.

The group aims to bring together people with lived experience of safeguarding from each local authority to join the regional London Voices Group tapping into and sharing local approaches.  The London Safeguarding Adult Board has commissioned Healthwatch Kingston to coordinate the group to ensure its work is co-produced moving forwards.

 This exciting role requires:

  • Two years commitment to the role
  • Attendance at monthly virtual regional meetings

If you would like to find out more about this role, please contact Shazia Deen Head of Safeguarding for Adults at shazia.deen@lbhf.gov.uk.