Overview of our Group Support Programme
As part of our Strengthening Groups Workstream, Community Action: MK supports the local VCSE (Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise) Sector groups and organisations in Milton Keynes. We offer support and guidance on setting up, managing and developing community groups and charities, and we can also help with starting or developing community-led/ volunteering projects.
We offer a tailored support on a one-to-one basis and signpost you to the relevant events and training opportunities. We provide support around funding, developing your group, forward planning, communications and good governance.
Other Support & Opportunities
As part of our Volunteering Service, we offer support with volunteering, including volunteer recruitment and volunteer management best practice. To find out about our volunteering service, visit our Volunteering section here.
As part of our Strengthening Sector Workstream, we help groups and organisations connect with the wider VCSE sector in the City, including the various issue-based networks and partnerships across. Through this we facilitate opportunities to share your insights into the experiences of the services users and communities that you support in order to shape how the local services are being designed. Find out more here.
As part of our Strengthening Communities Workstream, we deliver outreach and community development work in the expansion areas (also known as the growth areas – the new estates being developed in Milton Keynes). As part of this, we support local residents to start new groups and projects that will benefit their local communities and give them the tools to develop these. Find out more here.
Information Sheets and Templates
As a first step, we encourage you to look at our information sheets and templates here, covering a range of topics – anything from taking first steps to start a new group or a community-led project, making sure that you have the right policies and procedures in places and through to some useful tips around communications, finance and funding.
Support with Funding
Visit our dedicated funding page to see the latest local and national funding opportunities, which we also share through our weekly newsletter.
Our Information Sheets have a section dedicated to Funding & Finance, where you can find some useful tips about preparing and writing funding applications.
If your group or organisation has an income below £30,000, you can sign up for free on the My Funding Central platform to access their funding database and run your own funding searches. Otherwise, our team can run a funding search for you – to request this, please complete this short form.
Online Support
If you can’t find what you’re looking for or think you might require more in depth support, there are a couple of options.
Online Support Sessions
You can book a slot an one of our online support sessions on either Tuesday or Thursday, so you can meet and chat to our friendly Support Team. The at these online sessions are for organisations and individuals are delivered through an online video call – you can register on: bit.ly/CAMKSupportSessions.
Request Support Online
Alternatively, please complete and submit the short online form below. The Support Team at Community Action: MK will contact you regarding your query.
Face-to-Face Support
Where possible, we can arrange a face-to-face meeting – this will be either our office in Central Milton Keynes or at one of our community outreach locations. To arrange this, please get in touch with our team.
Contact Us
For more information, please contact our Support Team, support@communityactionmk.org or call 01908 661623.
We will aim to contact you as soon as possible, but please allow at least 3 working days for us to get back to you.
What other said about our work
It is very valuable having an organisation that has its ear to the ground, is up to speed with local developments and the needs of the community. Also, to have an organisation that can pull together resources, networking opportunities helps with not having to reinvent the wheel the whole time. Jane, MK SENDIAS