Voluntary Sector Training Alliance
Supporting the voluntary sector
The Volunteer Centre West Berkshire and Connecting Communities Berkshire have partnered together to provide a training resource for the voluntary sector in West Berkshire.
Training isn’t always about developing new skills, our workshops will help you to better understand problems you may be having and will support you with planning and implementing solutions to them. Please contact Rachel or Tim to discuss further.
If your training need is not being met please let us know what course you are looking for. Please fill out this form to let us know your training needs.
Local West Berkshire Training
Bitesize Training: Reducing Water Bills
Free Online Training: Help Clients Cut Their Water Bills
Wednesday 4th June, 12:30–1:00pm | On Zoom
Water bills have just jumped by up to 40% in parts of Berk-shire supplied by Thames Water – and many of the people you support could be paying more than they need to.
Join Helen Dean, expert lead on CCB’s Family Fuel and Water Poverty Project, for a fast-paced, 30-minute lunchtime session packed with practical tips and tools you can use straight away in your work with low-income and vulnerable clients.
In just half an hour, you'll learn about:
- Thames Water discounts for those on low incomes
- Support for customers in debt
- The Priority Services Register – essential for clients with health needs or vulnerabilities
- Simple ways to reduce water use – and cut bills at home
Whether you’re a support worker, adviser, volunteer or frontline practitioner, this bitesize training will boost your confidence to help others save money – at no cost to you.
Volunteers’ Week Workshops, Free, On-line, 2-12 June 2025
At Ygam we recognise the importance of volunteers working across the UK to support young people. That’s why for Volunteers’ Week 2025 we’ve put on a selection of our free workshops to tailor to the variety of different roles and settings that you help in.
Early Help – volunteers working in early intervention services such as outreach projects, social prescribers or mentorship for a young person
Uniformed Groups – for example Scouts, Guides, Cadets, St John Ambulance and any other uniformed youth organisations
Community & Faith Leaders – those working with young people in marginalised communities such as refugee support, ethnic minority groups, LGBTQ+ or within faith communities
Youth Work Settings – for general and varied youth volunteering or if you fit in more than one category
Sports Organisations – anyone volunteering in a youth sports setting
Gaming & Esports – such as digital volunteers, gaming or esports clubs or those volunteering with young people who focus mainly on gaming activities
Health & Social Care – roles like hospital volunteers, link workers or youth befriending services
Safeguarding Training for South of England, 30th June-3rd July, on-line, free
Who is this for?
✓Teachers and youth workers including pastoral support, SLT, Headteachers, DSL, DDSL’s, Head of Year, Head of Department/Curriculum
✓Health and Social Care Professionals including Early help Practitioners, Nurses, GP’s, Social Prescribers
✓Family Support Professionals
✓Foster Carers
✓Parents, Carers and Guardians
✓Youth Offending Officers, Community Development Workers, Youth Mentors, Social Workers
✓Anyone who attends or is a part of a Safeguarding Children Partnership
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our team by emailing training@ygam.org
At Risk Programme
The At Risk Programme (ARP) is a fire safety guide for those involved in the care of the community. It lays down the minimum recommendations for the protection of residents who are at risk from fire. As part of the partnership approach Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service can supply the following resources to support agency partners, families and the end user.
This training package is designed to enable you to work with Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service to protect vulnerable residents living in the community from the risks of fire. It has been designed for use by anyone that supports residents of Berkshire The aims of the At Risk Programme the increased risk of fire to vulnerable residents living in the community Who is more at risk The protection measures and additional equipment that is available When to make a referral to the Fire Service How to make a referral to the Fire Service To book onto one of upcoming At Risk courses, please follow the link Sign up for the At Risk Programme.
To find out more about the courses or book yourself and members of your organisation on to one of the training programmes, contact the Prevention Team at prevention@rbfrs.co.uk.
Cyber Security on-line free webinars,
June-October 2025
The South- East Police Cyber Crime Team are running free webinars throughout the year on online safety .
The South East Cyber Crime Unit is a collaborated team covering the four Police services of Thames Valley Police, Surrey Police, Sussex Police and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary. The unit is made up of teams which investigate cyber crimes as well as proactively educating individuals and organisations across our communities in how to defend against and be more resilient to cyber crime, through our dedicated Cyber Protect team.
Please consider signing up to our webinars to learn all kinds of useful information which will help to keep you and your loved ones safe in a digital age. This collection has 22 events in total which includes Cyber Security for Businesses, Online Safety for Women and Girls as well as General On-Line Safety for all ages and parents and carers webinar on on-line safety for children. The parent and carer sessions are really good with great feedback from earlier sessions.
Link for the calendar of sessions through June to October. Police - South East Cyber Crime Unit Events - 23 Upcoming Activities and Tickets | Eventbrite
The online help sessions will take place every 3rd Monday of each month with hourly sessions starting from 11am and ending at 3pm.
Individual one-to-one sessions are also available online or by telephone at other times.
Individuals who wish to participate in the help sessions need to e-mail to book a place and a time
help@s-b-s.org.uk or telephone 0800 7720723
Family Transitions Triple P parenting course
This group assists parents who need extra support to adjust and manage the transition from a two-parent family to a single-parent family. It focuses on skills to resolve conflicts with former partners and how to cope positively with stress. Groups are run monthly.
To book your place, please call or email : 01635 503090 RPC@westberks.gov.uk
National Trainings
The Centre for Voluntary Sector Leadership (CVSL), an Academic Centre of Excellence in the OU Business School. It provides learning opportunities and resources to help you develop and strengthen your leadership practice in the voluntary sector.
Courses include:
Developing leadership practice in voluntary organisations
Level 1: Introductory Free Course 15 hours study
This course provides an opportunity for people who work within voluntary organisations, as paid employees or staff, to develop energetic, practical and thoughtful leadership practice.
Collaborative leadership in voluntary organisations
Level 1: Introductory Free Course 24 hours study
This course will help you to reflect on and develop collaborative leadership practices that will make a difference. It is aimed at people who work within voluntary organisations as paid staff or as volunteers, or for people who work regularly with voluntary organisations, such as public sector staff or politicians.
Involving Volunteers
Level 1: Introductory 14 hours study
This short course on volunteering has been developed by Volunteer Scotland and the Centre for Voluntary Sector Leadership (CVSL) and the main driving spirit comes from the volunteer’s perspective. The course is about the essential things you need to consider to ensure a positive experience for individuals engaging in volunteering.
Free Safeguarding Awareness Training for Workers
Who Enter People's Homes
Free Safeguarding Awareness Training for Workers
Who Enter People's Homes
Recognise the signs of possible abuse and neglect in homes you visit and help keep children safe
Do you know how to recognise the possible signs of child abuse and neglect?
Every day, thousands of children and young people are normally seen by lots of different adults like family members outside of the home, teachers, health and social workers and neighbours.
Due to COVID-19 and social distancing measures, children and young people are spending much more time at home and we know isolation can put some children at a greater risk of abuse and neglect.
Postal workers, delivery drivers and workers who regularly visit homes are well placed to spot any emerging safeguarding concerns or signs of possible abuse and neglect.
To support you, we're temporarily making our paid-for online safeguarding course (It's your call) free for you to access.
