Suffolk Community Action

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Young people in Suffolk vote in biggest numbers yet ‘Make Your Mark’ is an annual consultation run by the UK Youth Parliament where young people aged 11-18 have the opportunity to vote inform UKYP’s campaign for the next year by voting for their top issue from a list of 10. This year, over 920,000 young people voted nationally and Suffolk had a fantastic turn-out of 13,906!

15 Suffolk organisations needed for Social Impact pilot project We are all aware of the rising need to demonstrate the Social Impact our organisations have and how they add Social Value to our communities. However, the world of Social Impact Measurement can be perceived as complex, resource heavy and expensive! We are seeking 15 organisations across Suffolk to take part in a pilot and be prepared to publicise the fantastic work that we know is happening which improves people’s lives on a daily basis.

Rural communities: The end of the road for local banking? A new report by The Campaign for Community Banking Services (CBBS) highlights the accelerating rate of bank closures. The CBBS says that 1,200 communities across the UK have lost all their banks and hundreds more will do so in the next five years.

Communities across England are set to benefit from more than £132.6 million Communities across England are set to benefit from more than £132.6 million after the Big Lottery Fund and EU have joined forces. The Big Lottery Fund is matching funds from the European Social Fund (ESF) 2014-2020 to provide joint investment in 61 local projects tackling poverty, promoting social inclusion and boosting local economies.

Positive meeting held about the future of Castle Hill Community Centre We were very pleased to hear that there is a strong desire to keep the centre at the heart of the local community, and there was some discussion around getting interested parties to meet together again, to consider whether a partnership might be formed.

How do you grow your community? Let us know! A new campaign, Grow Your Community, has been launched in Suffolk to recognise the positive changes people make to their communities and to inspire others to grow their community. Community Action Suffolk (CAS) is asking people to visit www.growyourcommunity.org.uk and share how they grow their community to make it a better place. This could be something as simple as looking after a friend’s children, picking up litter on your street or doing some shopping for an elderly neighbour.

Understanding the insurance needs of voluntary and community sector organisations in Suffolk Community Action Suffolk currently provides an extensive range of insurance products for voluntary and community sector organisations in Suffolk. We now have an opportunity to influence the development of a new insurance project for the sector. CAS is hoping to identify what the insurance needs are of voluntary and community organisations operating in Suffolk. If you are a voluntary and community organisation operating in Suffolk we would be grateful if you could fill out this quick survey. The survey will run until Friday 23 October 2015.

Welcome to new CAS members We would like to introduce you to new members to Community Action Suffolk every fortnight, and we extend a warm welcome to: New Horizons Club

Community Action Suffolk events

Upcoming CAS training courses Whether you're interested in writing a good funding application or need an award in food safety, we have a wide range of courses available. CAS members receive a discount on the cost of training, for example £25 compared to £40 for our Writing A Good Funding Application course. If you would like to book on a course, please click a link below for booking instructions. 22 Oct Introduction to the principles of Youth Participation, Bury St. Edmunds 4 Nov Level 2 Award in Health and Safety in the Workplace, Lowestoft 11 Nov Project Planning Course, Hadleigh 12 Nov Level 2 Emergency First Aid at Work, Ipswich 17 Nov Managing Volunteers course, Ipswich 19 Nov Introduction to Safeguarding Vulnerable People, Ipswich 25 Nov Level 2 Food Hygiene course, Ipswich 26 Nov Risk Assessment Course, Ipswich 7 Dec Writing a Good Funding Application Course , Lowestoft 8 Dec Project Planning Course, Ipswich 10 Dec Trustee Roles and Responsibilities course, Ipswich 14 Dec Fire Awareness Course, Stowmarket View all our training courses in our events calendar.

Meet and network with local groups These events are for voluntary and community sector organisations. All locality network and volunteering network events are free to attend and you can book online today. View all our networking events for 2015 in ourevents calendar.

Locality networking events 22 Oct Felixstowe (previously 28 Oct) 3 Nov Stowmarket 19 Nov Bury St. Edmunds 1 Dec Ipswich 3 Dec Framlingham Volunteering network events 4 Nov Haverhill 17 Nov Stowmarket 24 Nov Ipswich

Suffolk news

Empowering children, young people and vulnerable adults to use digital technology safely Listening to, and understanding the online experiences of children, young people and vulnerable adults has been fundamental to the success of the annual e-Safer Suffolk Cybersurvey.   In 2014, we received over 2,600 responses to the Cybersurvey. Today we need your help and commitment to reach this year’s target of 4,000. Any organisation working with groups of children (min age 10), young people or vulnerable adults can help by encouraging their service users to take part. So if you’re working with these groups – please support them to have their views heard and acted upon. Every organisation that takes part in the Cybersurvey will require an access code. To receive your code please contact: engagement.hub@suffolk.gov.uk   The e-Safer Suffolk Partnership is supported by Suffolk County Council, the Local Safeguarding Children Board, Adult Safeguarding Board,  Suffolk Police and Suffolk PCC.   Closing date for responses is Monday 30 November   If have any questions regarding the content of the cybersurvey please contact: Marisa Batson, Co-Design Lead, Children and Young People's Services, Suffolk County Council. Email:marisa.batson@suffolk.gov.uk

Royal visit to Lowestoft community projects The Princess Royal visited a number of community projects in Lowestoft on Tuesday 13 October 2015, accompanied by Community Action Suffolk’s Patron, Lady Euston. Her Royal Highness visited CAS members Catch 22, DreamworXand Access Community Trust on her visit to the county, her fifth visit to meet Suffolk charities in the last five years.

29 Oct: Improving mental health for BME communities Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) and Healthwatch Suffolk have organised a half-day conference - ‘Inspiring progress in improving mental health for BME communities’ - to explain more about the initiative, which has been designed to increase understanding of the issues faced by the county’s diverse communities when accessing and using mental health services. For more information please click here.

Sports to support BBC Children In Need BSC Supplementary School, currently supported by BBC Children In Need, is organising a sports marathon on Saturday 7 November 2015 at St Helens Primary School, Ipswich, IP4 2LT (2pm to 4pm). Children, parents, staff & volunteers will be trying to go around the sports circuit as many times as possible to raise money for the BBC charity event in the week leading up to the main “Children In Need” national fundraising evening on 16 November. BBC Children in Need is the BBC's UK corporate charity and they provide grants to projects in the UK which focus on children and young people who are disadvantaged. Covering all corners of the UK they support small and large organisations which empower children and extend their life choices.

Do you have something to promote in and around Woodbridge? If you are a local organisation or charity who would like to promote events or encouraging volunteers to join you, then don’t forget to let Woodbridge Library know. There is an information folder where posters can be left, along with an information stand where you can leave leaflets or postcards which people can pick up as they go about their business in Woodbridge. If you would like to drop information in, or send it electronically so that is can be printed off, please let in touch with Helen Scrivener the Library Manager via 01394 446510, Helen Scrivener Helen.Scrivener@suffolklibraries.co.uk

Village Hall chairs for sale The Ansell Centre in Hadleigh has 50 stackable chairs which they would like to sell. They would be suitable for a village hall. For more information, contact Jan Dicks at the Ansell Centre.

Other Suffolk news: How does loneliness and social isolation affect your organisation and those you work with? Bury St. Edmunds Town Council's Citizen awards (closes 5pm, 21 Oct) 5 Nov: Procurement Training Workshop Community governance review consultation (closes 9 Nov) 27 Nov: The 3rd East Suffolk Partnership Annual Forum Babergh & Mid Suffolk Community Achievement Awards (closes midday, 31 Dec)

Funding

Suffolk Community Foundation – High Sheriff’s Fund Grants up to £1,500 are available for work with young people (aged 8-25) that addresses citizenship, community safety and crime prevention which tackles issues such as: Bullying Vandalism and arson Anti-social behaviour Homelessness Internet safety Personal safety Road safety Knife crime Drug and alcohol abuse/awareness Community cohesion, especially with older people and minorities The Foundation will consider applications from charities, voluntary and community groups in Suffolk whose primary aim is to improve the quality of people’s lives. For this particular fund, schools can also apply subject to the project being an extra curricular activity.   Deadline: 18 December 2015 | Apply

Edge Fund (short deadline!) Edge Fund supports those taking action for a just, equitable and sustainable world. Funding is available for work that challenges abuses of power and aims to bring an end to the systems that cause injustice. This could be the economic system, political system, or any system that discriminates against people based on their identity or background (eg class, ability, gender, race, nationality, religion, sexuality, age or other factors)   Deadline: 25 October 2015 | Apply

Morrisons Foundation The Morrisons Foundation provides grants towards projects undertaken by registered charities undertaking projects with the aim of improving people’s lives They is no limit to how much you can apply for, although the project must benefit people in the UK. It also supports Morrisons colleagues' fundraising by match funding their efforts pound for pound ­ up to £500­ twice a year. Further Information

CAS members can sign up to receive our monthly Funding newsletter which contains many more funding opportunities and news. Become a CAS member today.

Local events & training

24-30 Oct The Lullaby Concerts, venues across Suffolk 24 Oct Wheldon's annual Apple Day, Sudbury 24 Oct Red Gables Garden Project fundraising sale, Stowmarket 27 Oct DanceEast, Dare to dance: a workshop for boys, Ipswich 27 Oct Avenues Group, Disability Focus Day, Ipswich 29 Oct Improving mental health for BME communities 31 Oct The Erasmus Foundation, Erasmus Day of Light, Woodbridge 5 Nov Procurement Training Workshop 7 Nov Talitha Koum, Quiz night, Ipswich 27 Nov The 3rd East Suffolk Partnership Annual Forum 4 Dec Community Action Suffolk, Volunteering Summit, Kesgrave If you are CAS member and would like your event listed here, just email us! Community Action Suffolk promotes our members' events and training in good faith and is not accountable for their content or organisation.