London Plus News
The war in Ukraine: London Plus’s response
In this blog, we outline London Plus’s response to the war in Ukraine. A key part of this response was to collate information on London’s charities and community groups into a single Ukraine support document.
Palace for Life Foundation: A Social Prescribing Story
In this blog, EnRico from Palace for Life Foundation in Croydon discusses his organisation’s social prescribing referral process. This includes the barriers that they face and the benefits of being based in the voluntary sector.
Food insecurity blog series: The cost of living & food banks
This blog series explores the current cost of living crisis, why this has led to an increase in food bank usage, and the role & capacity of food banks to support Londoners.
One Westminster: Case Study
The second case study in our ‘Linked In: Link Workers in the voluntary sector’ series is from One Westminster. Concia Albert explores how link workers based in the voluntary sector support patients and integration with the NHS.
Ukraine Support
Weekly Ukraine – London touchpoint call
Every Tuesday 10.30 – 11.15am.
We are hosting a weekly Ukraine/London touchpoint call every Tuesday. It’s open to London’s voluntary and community (VCS) organisations to share information, updates and best practice. Contact Emily to join or to find out more.
London VCS response WhatsApp group
Our London VCS response WhatsApp group is set up to help coordinate London’s response to the Ukraine crisis. It’s open to the VCS sector, including Ukraine-specific groups, and local & national VCS organisations. Specific requests can be posted, and relevant organisations can quickly respond to help. Feel free to join and share the WhatsApp invite with your networks.
Ukraine support needs survey
Our Ukraine – Support needs survey aims to collate specific emerging needs from VCS organisations around volunteering, financial and goods donations. It also includes an invite to the WhatsApp group. Feel free to share this with your networks.
Ukraine Support Document
We’re continuing to share and develop our Ukraine signposting resource document as the situation develops. Please continue to share and contribute.
Training: An introduction to trauma-informed practice
10th May – 24th May
Thrive LDN is delivering weekly training in trauma-informed practice in humanitarian crises for professionals and volunteers in community & grassroots organisations supporting the Ukraine response.
Thrive LDN: Mental health & wellbeing support for displaced Ukrainians
Thrive LDN and partners have put together a short guide for supporting the mental health and wellbeing of displaced Ukrainians arriving in the UK.
Sector News
Mayor of London’s Health & Wellbeing Newsletter
The monthly publication will highlight the Mayor’s work for Londoners in health, including partnerships with the voluntary sector! Want to stay informed? Register to receive the newsletter.
Dormant Assets Scheme
As part of the government’s Levelling Up Agenda, the Dormant Assets Scheme promises £44million of funding for charities and social enterprises. The funding will be unlocked to help tackle youth unemployment, support communities in deprived areas and give people in need access to finance.
Young Londoners Research ProgrammeThis programme from Partnership for Young London (PYL) offers grants of up to £8,000 to explore access to youth services and develop innovative youth-led approaches.
Deadline: 18th April.
The UK opens more welcome hubs for Ukrainian refugees
Welcome hubs are being set up at airports, ports and train stations across England to welcome Ukrainian refugees, the government has announced. Hubs are already running at airports including Gatwick, Stansted, and St Pancras train station in London.
Events & Training
Tech for Good London
12th April, 5.30pm – 8pm.
This Tech for Good London event will encourage attendees to pitch topics or questions, setting their own collective agenda. Sign up for the virtual event here or the in-person event here.
Smart working for charities
14th April, 10 -1pm.
Smarter Not Harder is offering UK charities free training to help staff develop their skills and knowledge. They run training sessions on topics including delegating and time management.
The Power of 10
Starts 26th April, 11am – 12pm.
Stop the Traffik is inviting participants to coordinate action to disrupt human trafficking across London. The Power of 10 consists of two workshops (See PDF). Register your interest with Feena or Kevin.
Vision for Volunteering Update
6th & 7th May.
NCVO, Volunteering Matters, NAVCA, AVM and Sport England are launching the new Vision for Volunteering report at the Volunteer Expo in Birmingham.
Digital Inclusion London Network
26th May, 2 – 3.30pm.
HEAR have re-started their Digital Inclusion London Network meetings, held every 2 months via Zoom. The next date is 26th May. Please email Christine to register your interest.
Community is the best medicine
6th to 9th June.
The King’s Fund’s Community is the best medicine virtual conference is where health & care professionals and community organisations will join to explore the role of communities in health and wellbeing.
The Voluntary Data & Digital Transformation Conference
19th & 20th July.
This year’s conference will assess the progress the third sector has made in its digitalisation efforts since the pandemic, and offer insight on how charities of all sizes can continue to advance.
Training: Two new free e-learning courses from Solace
Solace has launched two free e-learning courses aimed at those who want to improve their support for the emotional well-being of asylum seekers and refugees.
Coffee, chat and charity connections
This free service from CAST matches up peers across the voluntary sector every two months for a virtual chat about all things digital. It’s open to anyone working for a social or voluntary organisation with an interest in digital.
New Economy Programme: free training
Stir To Action have 80 free places on their New Economy Programme workshops for minoritised ethnic communities, young adults and those living in areas of deprivation.
Resources
Wellness Action Plan resourcesThe mental health charity Mind has published guidance on Wellness Action Plans. These are an easy, practical way of helping staff support their mental health at work. Read more
Support for fuel poor households
The Warmer Homes Programme is a pan-London programme offering free advice and financial support for fuel poor households by the Greater London Authority, supported by NHSE/I (see PDF).
Young People Ukrainian Crisis
National Youth Agency have a useful resource with guides, toolkits, and signposts for those working with young people in England to help navigate conversations about the crisis in Ukraine.
Free ‘bite sized’ surgery sessions
Locality is offering free ‘surgery’ sessions for community organisations in London with their consultancy team, including on topics such as funding, and local data.
Get free items donated by local businesses
A Good Thing is a ‘matchmaking’ platform to link charities up with local businesses who have donations, including equipment, products and spaces. Sign up for free to request items.
The Charities Act 2022: what you need to know
Find out about new technical changes to charity law. The Charities Act 2022 intends to simplify regulation and make it easier for charities to do things like amend their governing document and sell property.
Funding
Civil Society Roots Programme
The programme aims to strengthen organisations supporting communities impacted by structural inequalities including Black, Asian and minority ethnic, disabled and LGBT+ Londoners.
Deadline: 22nd April.
The London Music Fund Amplify London is looking to fund grassroots organisations providing training opportunities and industry pathways in music for young people over 14 years old.Deadline: 22nd April.
The Thomas Wall Trust
The Thomas Wall Trust have grants of up to £5,000 for projects or expenses for charities that equip disadvantaged adults with communication skills for employment.
Deadline: 2nd May.
The Recovery Loan Fund
The Recovery Loan Fund provides loans to UK charities & social enterprises impacted by Covid-19 who need funds to help them survive, recover and grow.
Deadline: 20th May.
Historic England: Celebrating Working Class Histories
Historic England’s grants are for grassroots and community organisations that focus on celebrating working-class histories. They aim to encourage volunteering opportunities for people facing loneliness.
Deadline: 23rd May.
John Coates Charitable Trust
The Trust is offering financial assistance to UK charities that work in: education, the arts, healthcare, heritage & the environment, and societal & community cohesion.
Deadline: 27th May.
The Arnold Clark Community Fund
Up to £1,000 is available for charities & community groups whose work falls into the following categories: food banks, toy banks, housing and accommodation, and poverty relief.
Rolling Deadline.
Covid Reflections funding
Covid Reflections is a newly registered charity that is awarding grants to individuals and organisations who aim to reduce negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.
No deadline.
City Bridge Trust Transition Funding
The programme can provide funding for eligible organisations for up to two years. The maximum grant is £50,000 per annum.
No deadline.
Small grants for charities for digital projects
The Fat Beehive Foundation is providing small grants of up to £2500 for websites and digital products for small UK charities.
No deadline.
The Allan and Nesta Ferguson Charitable Trust
The Trust accepts applications in response to the current pandemic but also for longer-term projects. Applications can be submitted at any time, as applications are reviewed monthly for funding requests up to £50,000.
No deadline.
National Lottery Community Fund: Reaching Communities
Large grants are available to voluntary & community organisations for projects making positive changes in their local communities.
No deadline.
LGBT+ Futures Equity Fund
Small grants of up to £25,000 are available for community-led LGBT+ groups and organisations for running costs, projects and organisational/leadership development.
Rolling deadline.
Transition Funding Programme
City Bridge Trust’s Transition Funding Programme provides funding for eligible organisations for up to two years, under the streams: ‘Connecting the Capital’ and ‘Positive Transitions’.
No deadline.
Prince of Wales Charity Fund
UK-registered charities supporting grassroots projects in diverse and deprived communities can apply for single or multi-year grants of up to £5,000. The next round closes in May.
Rolling deadline.
Crowdfunder: Local Action Fund
Match funding is available from Crowfunder and the National Emergencies Trust to help community organisations overcome the effects of the pandemic and open new streams of income.
No deadline.
Reports
Manifesto for A Child Poverty Free London The London Child Poverty Alliance, a group of charities committed to tackling child poverty in the city, has published its Manifesto for a child poverty-free London.
Living Standards Index for London
Policy in Practice has estimated poverty rates in London using data as part of a project to create a living standard index for low-income Londoners funded by Trust for London, with data from 15 London Boroughs.
Small AND Mighty: The Life and Legacy of the Small Charities Coalition
Small Charities Coalition’s final report is about looking forward and considering the road ahead for small charities and the stories to be celebrated.
