28 April 2019
NPC launches new impact management website for charities
New Philanthropy Capital’s joint venture project Inspiring Impact has launched a new website, using National Lottery funding. The website is aimed at small and medium charities that do not have a dedicated impact management team to find practices to improve impact.
The website provides free how-to guides and self-assessment tools, and resources from the sector including research, diagnostic tools, outcome frameworks and surveys. Read more.
Free e-learning modules from the Charity Digital Code of Practice
Zoe Amar, Chair of the Charity Digital Code of Practice has teamed up with the Cornwall Museums Partnership to create an e-learning project.
This includes two e-learning modules to help organisations to use the code. The first is an introduction to the code, exploring challenges faced by charities and how the code of practice can help the VCSE sector. The second module looks more closely at the principles of the code and how they can be applied to the learner’s organisation. This includes leadership, culture, strategy, skills, managing risks and adaptability.
You can read more about this here and you can access both modules on the Cornwall Museums Partnership’s website.
Call for applications to join a virtual learning club for the voluntary sector
The Centre for Voluntary Sector Leadership (CVSL) based at The Open University is looking for participants interested in undertaking the Centre’s courses onIntroducing Leadership in the Voluntary Sector and Collaborative Leadership in Voluntary Organisations.
Following a successful local learning club piloted in Milton Keynes, the Centre is looking for participants to join a virtual learning club i.e. a learning club with virtual facilitation through webinars and social media. To create a good learning environment those participating will commit to doing the courses within indicative timelines, to allow for the maximisation of the benefits of facilitation. Places on the course will be limited and will be allocated on first come first served basis. These online courses can be accessed here. Find out more
Baring Foundation invites organisations to apply to be a sector support body for creative ageing for England
The Baring Foundation is seeking applications from an organisation or organisations to form a sector support body to act as an advocate for creative ageing in England and to encourage awareness and innovation. Up to £250,000 over 3 years is available and the application deadline is 14 May 2019. Find out more here.
Improving Health and Wellbeing Survey
NHS Milton Keynes Clinical Commissioning Group, Milton Keynes Council and the voluntary and community sector are now working with local people to promote and support good self-care and resilience. They have developed a survey as part of an ongoing conversation where they want to find out what self-care means to people and their communities, and learn from this to spread approaches to self-care that work.
The aim of this project is to help people across Milton Keynes use their own skills, strengths and community assets to improve their health and wellbeing. Your views are really important.
The survey can be accessed via the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/VGVNNFP
It should take less than 10 minutes to complete the survey. All responses will be treated in strict confidence. Thank you for your support in completing this short questionnaire.
NEW GROUP: Milton Keynes Community of Practice
Friday 10th May: 09.30am – 12.00pm
MK College, Chaffron Way, MK6 5LP
Do you work with children and young people to support mental health and well-being? Are you joining up with:
- Peer-based, collaborative learning
- Sharing good practice and ideas
- Creating new knowledge and understanding to advance your professional practice
- Addressing common concerns and set of problems?
We are forming a Community of Practice (CoP) for people working (at least initially) in the Milton Keynes Voluntary and Community Sector. This will be a co-produced group, so who is part of it and what will take place as part of it will be decided by its members. Although face-to-face meetings are very important, most CoPs include online participation.
We are acting as facilitators because our research ‘Where are the safety Nets?’ (see the report here) indicated that such support would be helpful; people we have asked tell us that the proposal is sound and needed.
To find out more about a Community of Practice, read this short paper here.For some interesting and inspirational stories, click here.
Are you intrigued? We truly hope so. Please express your interest by signing to this event by Friday 3rd May. Sign up here
Community Action: MK live show at Secklow Sounds
Tune in to Secklow Sounds community radio on Wednesday 1st May at 1pm to hear from Anna & Julie at Community Action: MK, and other colleagues working on our community development projects on the ground. We’ll be talking to some interesting guests who are involved with the Big Local project in Conniburrow to hear how projects like this help to reduce loneliness and social isolation, and more.
A recent episode of Nesta’s podcast, Future Curious, discusses loneliness and why so many people feel less connected in the age of technology.
“Nowadays, despite technology, we’re less and less connected to the people around us and we are no longer part of communities in the way we once were.”
Volunteers’ Week 2019
The national Volunteer’s Week 2019 is fast approaching – 1-7 June.
Volunteers’ Week is a time to say thank you for the fantastic contribution volunteers make. During the week, hundreds of events and celebrations take place across the country, saying thank you to volunteers and recognising their invaluable and diverse contribution to the UK.
Here at Community Action: MK we have started to plan our activities to make sure we celebrate the amazing volunteers and volunteering opportunities in Milton Keynes!
We will be giving a special focus to volunteering during the week through our blogs, social media channels, and at our events.
We are calling all local groups and organisations – get in touch with us if you:
- Have any specific volunteering roles that you would like to promote as a ‘Volunteering Opportunity of the Day’ during Volunteer’s Week and/or
- Would like to share with us and publicise any inspirational case studies of your wonderful volunteers who are giving their time to support your services.
To express your interest and submit your volunteering roles/ case studies, please email support@communityactionmk.org by 17th May 2019!
To find out more about the Volunteer’s Week and access a whole range of resources to help you get involved visit: https://volunteersweek.org
Volunteering opportunity of the week
Receptionist for Clearly Speaking
Clearly Speaking is an organisation offering Specialist Children and Family Support.
This will be a part time volunteer position (hours to suit). As a receptionist you will have a big part in helping our charity run, you will be the first point of contact for the charity and you will provide a variety of administrative support. You will be working very closely with the director and trustees of Clearly Speaking, You will handle activity club bookings and ensure messages and private and confidential information is recorded correctly.
You will be given the chance to gain valuable experience and qualifications with a very well recognized charity, previous volunteers have gone onto successful careers.
Responsibilities:
- Greet, welcome and direct visitor and families
- Answer, screen and forward any incoming phone calls while providing information when needed
- Receive and sort daily mail/deliveries/couriers
- Maintain security by following procedures and controlling access (monitor logbook, issue visitor badges)
- Update appointment calendars and schedule meetings/appointments
- Perform other clerical receptionist duties such as filing, photocopying, collating etc.
Sessional Tutor & Sessional Learning Support Assistant at MK Snap
MK Snap, a leading local charity based in Milton Keynes providing education, life and work skills programmes for adults with learning differences, currently have two vacancies available:
Sessional Tutor: To lead in the planning, provision, development and delivery of activity sessions and work training skills sessions for learners across the curriculum as and when required on a sessional basis.
£12.24 per hour to include planning and essential training (£23,868pa FTE pro rata ) – fixed zero hours contract
Sessional Learning Support Assistant: To assist in the planning, provision, development and delivery of activity sessions and work training skills sessions for learners across the curriculum as and when required on a sessional basis.
£9.18 per hour to include planning and essential training (£17,901pa FTE pro rata ) – fixed zero hours contract
For more information about the roles and to apply, please visit MK Snap website: mksnap.org/current-vacancies/
If you are interested in the positions you can also call and speak to a member of the team on 01908 690 330.
Various roles at MK Gallery
MK Gallery is recruiting for a number of roles which make a significant contribution to the realisation of MK Gallery’s vision to become a world class arts centre and tourist destination.
MAKE – Designer
Learning Coordinator
Marketing and Public Relations (PR) Manager
Administrator and Development Coordinator
Visitor Experience Assistant
Find out more about these positions here and make applications to Kate Chadwick, Deputy Director, at kchadwick@mkgallery.org.
Freemasons charity will now offer grants to cover core costs for small charities
The Masonic Charitable Foundation now offers small charities multi-year funding for running costs and other core funding expenses. The new grants are a maximum of £5,000 per year over three years and are available to charities with an income of £500,000 a year or less. The first round of grants for 22 small charities has already been announced. The grants are an extension of MCF’s current programme for non-ring-fenced grants for small charities, which are one-offs of £5,000 toward general charitable purposes. Find our more.
Arts Council England Invites Application to Small Capital Grants
Small Capital Grants are available for properly constituted arts and cultural organisations based in England whose capital project outcomes are arts focused and relate to the delivery of arts activity. You will need to submit an Expression of Interest between 11 April and 3 May. The application portal will then be open between 31 May and 5 July.
Government Announces New Village Hall Improvement Grant Fund
A £3 million fund to improve village halls and better connect rural communities across the country has been launched by the government. Village hall committees are now able to apply for grants of up to £75,000 towards refurbishment and alteration of their buildings, from improvement works on existing facilities through to new meeting rooms.
MK Snap Dragon Lunch and Tour
Wed, 1 May 2019
11:30 – 13:00
Take the opportunity to return to MK Snap for a Dragon Lunch and Tour – your chance to see MK Snap in action, meet our learners and hear their stories about our transformational work.
The Dragon programme is a new initiative which we believe will harness the potential of our partnerships, boost brand awareness and have a positive impact for us all. We recognise the power of Corporate Social Responsibility and the benefits in health & wellbeing, clear business values and improved productivity possible through this collaboration.
The Dragon programme is a great new opportunity for us to work together to develop a tailored experience and I look forward to discussing with you how MK Snap can help you.
MÓTUS 2019 JOURNEYS festival
JOURNEYS is a diverse, twelve week festival across Milton Keynes which engages with and explores the theme of JOURNEYS. Relating to artists, individuals, young people, communities, campaigns and political narratives, it has been designed to engage the people of Milton Keynes and beyond with dance: to see how the concept can relate to each individual and their personal story/identity and how sharing our journeys can positively impact others. The wonderfully varied twelve week programme is designed to offer something for everyone and is MÓTUS’ most extensive festival programme to date.
The full line up for the festival is now LIVE on our web-site and tickets can be purchased for all events/shows and workshops: https://www.motusdance.co.uk/journeys
Milton Keynes Surveying Workshop
Tuesday 21 May
11:30-14:30
AccessAble’s surveying workshop is taking place in partnership with Milton Keynes Council in May. This workshop is for anyone who is interested in collecting disabled access information from local venues or anyone who would like the opportunity to get out and about for a few hours. A free lunch and a £10 gift voucher are included as a thank you for attending.
Do you have news to share?
If you work or volunteer for a local group or organisation in Milton Keynes or have an interesting project going in your community and have news to share, please feel free to get in touch with us. You can e-mail your updates to support@communityactionmk.org.
Are you on our database?
If you are a new community group or an organisation in Milton Keynes and would like to join our database of local groups, please call us on 01908 661 623 or e-mail support@communityactionmk.org.