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
Suicide First Aid Children and Young People
Thursday 10th October 2024
Aimed at those working with or supporting children and young people.
A one- day programme for educative and community settings on how to have a conversation with children and young people that could save a life.
It is an accredited unit of learning in Suicide Prevention and endorsed by Skills for Health. It is a first aid approach.
Cost:
£40
Suicide Prevention First-Aid Lite Training Course
Thursday 7th November 2024
The Suicide First Aid course gives learners the knowledge and tools to understand that suicide is one of the most preventable deaths and some basic skills can help someone with thoughts of suicide stay safe from their thoughts and stay alive.
The training will equip you with the tools to enable you to ask the right questions and signpost people to the right support.
The course is interactive friendly and empowering.
Cost: £20
Reducing energy and water bills, and dealing with utility debt
Tuesday 22nd October 2024, 10.30 am - 12.30 pm
This session will provide training, advice and useful information to practitioners & volunteers who work with low-income and vulnerable individuals, including families, those with long-term health conditions and the elderly.
By attending this session you will better be able to advise and support the clients you work with to save money on their bills through various ways and deal with utility debt. Including;
- Financial help from the government for energy bills
- Discounts available to those on low incomes - Warm Home Discount (if applicable), Thame Water Discounts.
- Hardship funds from suppliers/Household Support Fund if applicable.
- Reducing costs by reducing energy/water usage
- Dealing with utility debt, and trust funds for debt grants.
- The Priority Services Register for those with health conditions/vulnerability
- Funding for insulation and boiler improvements for low-income households.
- Comparing costs and switching to get the best deal
- Useful sources of information.
Business Planning for Village Halls & Community Buildings
Tuesday 22nd October, 7pm - 9pm
A business plan gives a hall management committee the opportunity to examine itself, its working practices and what it is trying to achieve – an opportunity for introspection. It gives an overview of the charity and its assets, the hall, its aims, how it works, its financial background and status. It identifies community and market led need and gives consideration to how the charity can be more sustainable for the future.
Fundraising Success for Community Buildings; Part 1
Wednesday 20th November 2024, 10.00 am - 12.30 pm
We discuss “evidencing the need” when making funding applications. The funder needs this community-based evidence to assess the demand for your project, the wider support for it in the community, and the way you involve your community in project design will directly impact on your fundraising success. It benefits your committee too as well, because input from local residents can inform decisions, as well as boost fundraising, and may be a great source of practical and technical help.
Feedback from funders tells us that this community consultation is often missing in applications. This session will look at simple ways you can collect evidence and stories to make the most compelling case in your funding applications. We will look at how you can run social media polls, user group surveys, face to face surveys.
- “Use CCB's simple” community consultation tool to collect evidence and identify community-led support and design for your project.”…
- Learn how to develop your bespoke consultation
- Who will you survey? where, when and how?
- How to understand, use and share the feedback you get
Fundraising Success for Community Buildings: Part 2
Wednesday 11th December 2024, 10.00 am - 12.00 pm
We discuss “evidencing the need” when making funding applications. The funder needs this community-based evidence to assess the demand for your project, the wider support for it in the community, and the way you involve your community in project design will directly impact on your fundraising success. It benefits your committee too as well, because input from local residents can inform decisions, as well as boost fundraising, and may be a great source of practical and technical help.
Feedback from funders tells us that this community consultation is often missing in applications. This session will look at simple ways you can collect evidence and stories to make the most compelling case in your funding applications. We will look at how you can run social media polls, user group surveys, face to face surveys.
- “Use CCB's simple” community consultation tool to collect evidence and identify community-led support and design for your project.”…
- Learn how to develop your bespoke consultation
- Who will you survey? where, when and how?
- How to understand, use and share the feedback you get
National Training
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.
