THCVS are excited to introduce the Tower Hamlets CVS (not-so) Digital Programme.

so, why "not-so digital"?

While the world turns to video calls and online meeting and training, we're championing face-to-face, hands-on training. Our mission? To upskill small voluntary community groups, charities, and social enterprises, particularly those from ethnic minority backgrounds struggling the most with the ultra-fast digital transformation the planet is going through. By accommodating groups of up to 10 organisations, we aim to bridge the digital divide they face – from simply navigating the current digital world to fully realising the potential digital can have within their organisations.

This programme, and its forthcoming workshops, highlight our commitment to equip every community group with the right tools and knowledge. Your digital evolution starts now!

Discover the initial steps towards this transformative journey in my blog post "Navigating Digital Challenges". And stay tuned for future editions tailored by our talented team, each spotlighting their unique expertise and insights.

Jonathan Garcia / Digital Development Officer / Tower Hamlets Equalities Hub Coordinator

Tuesday 12 September / 10.00am to 2.00pm / Old Town Hall Stratford, 29 The Broadway, E15 4BQ

Calling all Voluntary, Community & Social Enterprise Organisations/ Groups of Tower Hamlets to meet the funders at the East London Funders Fair!

This funder's fair for the not-for-profit sector across North East London including Barking and Dagenham, Hackney, Havering, Newham, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest. Join us to meet a range of funders and get the chance to ask questions and find out about new and exciting opportunities.

Representatives from The National Lottery Community Fund, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Citybridge, Clarion Housing Group, Wakefield & Tetley, Sport England, The Diana Award, Charity Bank, East Wick Growth Fund, Compass Wellbeing, and The East End Community Foundation will be presenting new funding available, explaining their application process, and answering any questions you might have.

Not only will you be able to network with the funders, you will be in a room filled with like-minded people and be able to form connections and partnership opportunities.

Wednesday 18 October / 10:00am to 12:00 pm / in-person / Tower Hamlets CVS @ The Green House. 244-254 Cambridge Heath road. E2 9DA

Drawing inspiration from the National Cyber Security Centre's recommendations for small charities, this training promises a human touch, limited to just 10 participants, to ensure everyone gains personalized insights. Agenda:

• Backing up your data
• Protecting your charity from malware
• Safeguarding smartphones and tablets
• Using passwords to defend your data
• Warding off phishing attacks

Thursday 19 October / 10:00am to 12:30pm / Online and in person / Tower Hamlets Professional Development Centre, 229 Bethnal Green Road, E2 6AB

Join us to better understand the puzzle of local health and care services and who is doing what and how the VCS can influence.

There has been a lot of change in the way the NHS has been structured since July last year into the integrated Care System. In the borough the focus that we have been working with the ICS to develop a VCS collaborative that can create opportunities for the sector to influence, create solutions and embed approaches. The opportunities in the borough are:

• Working at a neighbourhood level with the Primary Care Network and Localities
• Neighbourhood forums and localities programme
• The community health services review
• THT health inequalities funds and how the sector can make a difference.
  

The session will have presentations from:

• Vicky Scott - update on VCS alliance with the ICS
• Amy Gibbs - Update from THT
• Tim Hughes - Partnership Programme Lead - Localities & Neighbourhoods Programme
• Zereen Rahman Jennings - Community Health Services review
• Phil Warburton and the Mental Health Alliance
  

Followed by a workshop to enable us to:

Map what is currently happening and what are the decision-making structures
Where can we get involved and have influence to strengthen collaboration, influence funding approaches.

Thursday 16 November / 10.00am to 12.00 pm / in-person / Tower Hamlets CVS @ The Green House. 244-254 Cambridge Heath road. E2 9DA

In today's digital environment, having a robust online presence isn't just an advantage - it's essential. Whether you're a building a community group from scratch or a small charity giving it's first steps, understanding the digital landscape can elevate your outreach, impact, and growth.

Join us for this interactive workshop where we'll dive into the importance of an online identity and its role in your organisation's mission, key strategies and resources available for community groups and small charities free or a discounted price and practical steps to build and enhance your online footprint.
Don't let the digital world pass you by. Equip your organization with the tools and insights needed to stand out online and make a lasting impact. Whether you're starting from scratch or looking to refine your current online strategy, this workshop is designed to empower you at every stage of your digital journey.

Register now and take the first step towards a powerful online presence for your cause! Agenda:

• Why it's crucial to establish an online footprint
• Simple steps to promote your group safely on the web
• A guide to the resources available for your organization

Do you live in Tower Hamlets and want to share your views on the Cost of Living? If yes, then we have a great opportunity for you! The Tower Hamlets Equalities Networks in partnership with Tower Hamlets Together are running a survey to find out how the cost of living affects you and your community. Your feedback will help us improve health services and make a difference.

The survey is open to anyone who is 18 or older and lives in Tower Hamlets. You can choose to do it anonymously or give us your contact details. If you do, you'll receive a £20 voucher that you can spend in many shops.

The survey will be open from August to end of September 2023. If you want to take part, please email jonathan.garcia@thcvs.org.uk

The Limehouse Project and Women Inclusive Team are jointly working to develop and coordinate the first ever Ethnic Minority Network in Tower Hamlets. The Aim of the Network is to raise the profile of the local BAME communities, share ideas and explore current issues.We aim to build a strong and supportive Network and become a resource for local BAME communities.

If you would like to join the Tower Hamlets Ethnic Minority Network, attend meetings and receive regular newsletters please complete the form here.

The Equalities Hub is key to the new direction for the Council’s equalities provision, providing a central strategic focus, responding to the community’s needs and issues. The Hub will be vital to bringing about a more coordinated approach to equalities in the borough. If you want to find out more on how to get involved or if you have information you would like to share with the networks please get in touch.

Tower Hamlets Council are gathering information to help with future planning for services, programmes, and other projects that aim to reduce different forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG) in Tower Hamlets. Share your views about local issues and needs for preventing and reducing VAWG in the borough. Your views are important and will contribute to Tower Hamlets becoming a safer place for everyone. Survey closes 10 October 2023.

Wednesday 6 September & Wednesday 4 October / full day in person

Thursday 28 September / 1.30 to 4.30pm & Monday 23 October / 9.30am to 12.30pm / 2 virtual half days

Local Health and Care staff are invited to this introductory workshop introducing Racism in Health & care services and its impact.

At the end of the workshop, learners would have:

• explored their understanding of racism, its root causes and how racism is maintained
• understood how racism shows up (covert and overt) and it impact on health inequalities
• explored what it means to be anti -racist and how it differs from business as usual
• reflected on what it means to develop an anti-racist approach in their work - including what support they may need going forward
  

The following courses are free and open to anyone who works or volunteers in Tower Hamlets or with Tower Hamlets residents in any capacity. For specific whole team training on any or several of the topics, please contact vawg@towerhamlets.gov.uk to discuss the options.

• Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Professional Champion Course
• Allyship and Misogyny
• Trauma Informed Practice and VAWG
• Violence Against Women & Girls (VAWG) & Non- English Speakers
• Harmful practices: ‘Honour’ based Violence and Forced Marriage
• Sexual Abuse Awareness
• Female Genital Mutilation Awareness
• Young People and Violence against Women and Girls
• Violence Against Women & Girls (VAWG) & Online Safety
• Introduction to Survival Sex
• LGBTQ+ Experiences of Domestic Abuse
  

All sessions can be found by searching ‘VAWG’ in the Learning Hub. Any queries or requests for specific whole team training, please contact: amy-kate.garwood2@towerhamlets.gov.uk or vawg@towerhamlets.gov.uk

Mondays / 12:30 to 2:30pm

From beginners to improvers, our instructors will help you to build your confidence to cycle. We teach Bikeability from complete beginners to improvers.
If you live, work or study in Tower Hamlets, grab a friend (or come solo) and join us to improve your cycle skills. Register in advance, places are limited!

Thursday 14 September / 1.00 to 2.00pm / on Zoom

This event is part of wellbeing Thursdays. This will be delivered in BSL and an interpreter will be provided for full access. Signhealth will deliver this interesting talk about anxiety and how to cope with it in your everyday life.

To book please contact amritpal.mistry@deafplus.org / 07784 922 362 or sumita.baines@deafplus.org / 07497 824 316

Tuesday 12 September/ 12.00pm to 4.00pm / The Art Pavilion, Mile End Park, London E3 4QY

Smoking is the single largest driver of health inequalities. Quit Right Tower Hamlets has been awarded another 5 years to provide tobacco cessation support to smokers/smokeless tobacco users in Tower Hamlets. Queen Mary University of London and Public Health are inviting all stakeholders to celebrate this momentous occasion.

• Discover effective strategies/advice for quitting smoking
• Learn about other health and wellbeing services available in Tower Hamlets
• Connect with others who share similar goals
• Engage with the general public/service users

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has made available a £10 million Suicide Prevention Grant Fund to support suicide prevention activities delivered in England by non-profit organisations. The funding period is from financial year 2023 to 2024 to the end of the financial year 2024 to 2025.

The strategic objectives of the fund are:

• To support non-profit organisations to configure their suicide prevention services and activities to better meet the increased demand seen in recent years
• To support a range of diverse and innovative activity that can prevent suicides, both at a national and community level
  

This fund is open to non-profit organisations providing suicide prevention services, activities or interventions that meet the strategic objectives of the fund. The activities being funded and undertaken using the grant should be non-economic activities, meaning that they are delivered to service users free of charge.

Deadline: Monday 16 October 2023

The £76M Community Organisations Cost of Living Fund has been launched today (24 July 2023). The fund will support organisations across England to deliver critical frontline services. Organisations will be able to apply for funding to maintain or expand critical cost of living services from now until the end of March 2024.

Applications will be for amounts between £10,000 and £75,000. The funding is only open to frontline organisations running critical services in communities. The fund is part of the £100M for charities announced in the Spring Budget. It will be administered by the National Lottery Community Fund.

The City of London Corporation’s charity funder temporarily paused taking applications from May 23 as it switched over to new grant management software, with the aim of making the application journey smoother for organisations applying for funding. That process is now complete, and the trust is once again accepting applications through its new online portal.

Do you have an idea for a community project in your local area that you want to raise money for? Spacehive, a community fundraising platform helps communities raise funds to improve their local areas: everything from spruced up playgrounds and new street markets, to city farms and learning hubs. Together with the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, Spacehive can help you crowdfund the money you need to bring your idea to life. You could get as much as £10,000 towards your fundraising total. 

Rolling deadline until 30 September

Wakefield Tetley Trust will offer grants from £500 to £6,000 for local initiatives that support their fund priorities to support marginalised communities and individuals by:

• Supporting urgent work 
• Supporting core activities and services
• Making a practical difference  

Grants of £6,000 will be exceptional; most awards will average £3,000. Please get in touch with them first if you intend to apply for the maximum amount. Organisations with an annual turnover under £600,000 and a track record of delivery are eligible to apply. Deadline for applications are open on a rolling basis, but the round will close when funds are allocated and no later than 30 September.

Deadline Tuesday 31 October 2023

Magic Little Grants is open for applications for £500 grants. It has simple 20-minute application process and an outcome within six weeks. Organisations must be in their first year of operation or have an annual income under £250k. Funding can be used to launch new projects, support existing ones, or cover core costs.

Charities and not-for-profit organisations working with children and young people can apply for Project Costs grants for up to £15k from BBC Children in Need. No deadline.

The National Databank provides free mobile data, texts and calls to people in need via Good Things Foundation’s network of local community partners. Think of it like a ‘food bank’ but for internet connectivity data. Community organisations can apply to access the databank, enabling them to provide data to people in their communities who need it.

Do you run a community group or any small organisation that supports One Housing or Riverside residents? One Housing have made £250,000 available in 2022/23 through their new Community Fund to help fund projects that promote opportunities and wellbeing and tackle poverty in our communities. If you’ve got an idea that could make a difference, they want to hear from you.

This funding aims to help communities across the UK to address climate change.

National Lottery Community Fund are looking for projects that focus on the link between nature and climate. They want to fund projects that use nature to encourage more community-led climate action. The NLCF expect these projects to bring other important social and economic benefits. Like the creation of strong, resilient and healthy communities or the development of ‘green’ skills and jobs.

Grants of between £300,000 and £500,000 are available, with grants of £50,000 to £150,000 over 12 to 18 months also available to constituted groups or clubs, voluntary or community organisations, registered charities, CIOs, SCIOs, CICs and more. The deadline for applications is ongoing.

Grants of between £300 and £10,000 are available for charities, voluntary groups, schools, and local authorities in England to carry out projects that will improve their local community. The aim of the grants programme is to support communities to thrive by funding projects that build strong relationships in and across communities. The deadline for applications is ongoing.

Do you require support with putting together or reviewing funding applications? The East London Business Alliance (ELBA) is a charity brokering opportunities to connect the corporate and community sectors. They are currently offering volunteer support to organisations who need help with writing and reviewing grant funding applications.

Employee volunteers from across ELBA's member companies are able to assist you with writing the application and/or reviewing a completed application. In some cases, they may be able to write a grant funding application on your behalf.

Spaces are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. If you have any questions, please contact Orlaith: orlaith.mcguinness@elba-1.org.uk