We’re thrilled that, in celebration of International Women’s Day, and for the seventh year running, Women’s Voices is back!   
 
Date: Wednesday 8 March 2022 
Time: 10:00 – 16:00 
Location: Google Academy London, SW1W 9SH 
 
We’re offering 30 charities who support, campaign and advocate for women and girls, the opportunity to spend the day with their own dedicated team of media and creative industry volunteers. You’ll work together to create action plans to raise your charity’s profile, build your brand, develop a creative campaign or reach a new target audience! 
 
With only 30 places available, we are looking for strong applications that clearly outline a specific communication challenge that you would like help to solve, along with how this support will impact your charity and the women and girls you work with. Find out more about the day and how to apply here.  
 
We’re also delighted to announce that Sophie Neary, Group Director for META UK & Ireland, will be our guest speaker for the event. Sophie is an experienced leader in marketing and a passionate advocate for women and girls.  
 
Applications close in less than a week! Make sure you apply by 12.00 on Monday 30 January. 

Women’s Voices returns this International Women’s Day – applications now open!

Going Green – Wednesday 8 March 2023

There is no denying the climate emergency. Extreme temperatures, droughts, floods and air pollution aren’t just distant issues in the future, they are happening here and now.

For a sector that takes pride in working towards a better world, charities have been surprisingly slow to commit to more environmentally friendly working practices within their own organisations.

But expectations and pressure on the sector are mounting, and charities, large and small, are waking up to the challenge. If doing the right thing isn’t motivation enough, there are more and more financial incentives to take your climate impact seriously: from donor expectations to funder requirements, the need to demonstrate your charity’s sustainability track record is increasing fast.

We know it’s difficult to commit time, resources and effort to improve your climate impact, especially with a cost-of-living crisis putting the sector under strain. But it is a necessary journey for all of us and time is of the essence.

Join us as we’re bringing together charities at various stages of their sustainability journey to discuss and explore how we can all do better on this vital issue, no matter where we currently stand.

Who should attend?

This conference is for anyone interested in making their charity more environmentally friendly. It has been designed with both larger and smaller charities in mind and will include useful information for those just starting out on their green journey as well as those looking for more advanced ideas on improving their sustainability.

The conference will be especially relevant to:

• Charity leaders and senior decision-makers
• Those in charge of operations of a charity (HR, Operations Directors, etc.)
• Those in charge of charity reporting (finance, accounting, impact)
• Charity trustees

More information and to book your tickets: https://www.dsc.org.uk/event/going-green-online-conference-2/?dm_i=6S7,86Q8V,40I2DX,XK29X,1

“It’s about listening to the young person, taking time at their pace to discover what they need and want, and making sure their voice is heard.”

Independent charity The Advocacy People is now supporting children and young people in Wandsworth.

But what is advocacy?

“Advocates work alongside young people who might need support to have their voice heard,” explains Matthew Hilton, CEO at The Advocacy People.

“We take time to find out who the young person is, what they feel, what’s important to them, and how they would like their life to be. We make sure their wishes are represented, and their rights are upheld, particularly when it comes to decisions being made about their accommodation, their health and their social care.

“Advocacy is also about helping the young person develop the skills and confidence to be able to speak out and express themselves as best they can: to take an active role in shaping their own life.”

The Advocacy People have provided services to children and adults in many parts of the South of England since the charity was founded in 1994.

“We’re really pleased and excited to begin working with young people in Wandsworth,” said team manager Jo Jarman.

“Over the years we’ve already been delivering advocacy in places like Bromley, Bracknell Forest and Kent, and we’ve established some great partnerships.  I’m proud that we are trusted to take on this new contract, and we’re very much looking forward to working with the excellent, vibrant groups supporting children and young people here.”

The Children and Young Person’s Advocacy service is there for 0–25-year-olds, including those who are looked after or privately fostered, young people leaving care, and children who want to make a complaint about their care. Advocacy support is also available for children who are disabled or have special educational needs, young carers, children on mental health wards, and children who are subject to Child Protection procedures, as well as 16–17-year-olds at risk of homelessness, and young offenders.

Together with partners in the borough, The Advocacy People will reach out to those groups whom they know would greatly benefit from advocacy, but who may not be aware of the service.

“It’s really significant for us, to be providing advocacy for Children and Young People,” said Jo.

“Part of our role is to equip young people with the skills to self-advocate that will see them through into adulthood.

“The advocates will be a stable, consistent presence, which is a good thing for young people, particularly around that age of 18 when other adults such as teachers and social workers may change or no longer be part of their lives.”

Child Protection is just one of many scenarios where an independent advocate is there to support.

When a Child Protection case is progressing, it is a traumatic time for all members of the family. The advocate’s role is to understand the child’s needs and wishes and represent these as a case is being considered by the local authority – and to be a support to a young person to speak up for themselves, if appropriate.  

Advocates spend as much time as is necessary with a child, observing them in different situations, and using things like games, drawing and role play to open up communication.

“It’s really important to recognise that children have their own needs,” Jo explains.

“Our role, no matter which type of advocacy is being provided, is to make sure the child’s voice is being heard, in the midst of what can be an awful lot of noise and clamour all around them.”

Professionals, families and children and young people themselves can make a referral to The Advocacy People by texting PEOPLE to 80800, by calling 0330 440 9000, by visiting the website www.theadvocacypeople.org.uk or by emailing info@theadvocacypeople.org.uk

Letters have been sent out to a cross-section of Wandsworth residents to join the new Citizen’s Assembly on air quality.

Wandsworth has pledged to review its Air Quality Action Plan and will set ambitious new targets to clean up the borough’s air.

It has set up the Citizen’s Assembly in order to hear the views of local people. A group of randomly selected residents will meet to learn more from experts, discuss what can be done to improve air quality and make recommendations to the council.

The process will be led by a team of independent facilitators with expertise in convening a Citizens’ Assembly from the social enterprise and community interest company Shared Future.

Letters have been sent to a cross section of local people. Anyone who receives a letter and is interested in joining should let the council know by the end of this month using the contact details on the letter. A representative mix of around 50 people who are interested will then be chosen to reflect local diversity.

They will attend for four sessions and will be paid a fee. Towards the end of the sessions they will reflect on what they have learnt and discussed and will write a series of recommendations and priorities.

Cabinet member for the environment Judi Gasser said: “Cleaning up the borough’s air is a top priority for us, and we want to ensure Wandsworth residents have a chance to shape the action we take. We all know pollution is harmful to our health and the wellbeing of our communities. Now we need to come together and come up with a robust, shared plan to do something about it.”

There will also be an opportunity for other residents to share their views with the Assembly before they come up with their recommendations. Details on how to do this will be given in due course.

NHS South West London is happy to announce we are now inviting grant applications from grassroots community and developing organisations within the Wandsworth voluntary sector to help communities participate in their local NHS. 

The NHS Wandsworth Community Grants Programme aims to support closer working relationships between small, developing, voluntary and community organisations and your local NHS. Through the grant programme which includes workshops, learning opportunities and networking events, voluntary and community organisations will learn about the local NHS and develop an understanding of how their own organisation fits and contributes.

Applications must be for new ideas not existing or core activity. We encourage potential applicants to create and test a new project idea which can be supported by a grant of up to £2,500.

You can apply for funding to deliver a project which responds directly to the following themes:

Theme 1

We are interested in supporting projects that highlight health inequalities across the Borough.  Health inequalities are unfair and avoidable differences in health across the population, and between different groups within society. These include how long people are likely to live, the health conditions they may experience and the care that is available to them.

Theme 2

We are interested in supporting projects that highlight issues arising from the cost-of-living crisis and how this is having an impact on people’s mental health.

We encourage applications for creative projects that seek to test / pilot a new idea and will generate the learning needed to create a sustainable project which can be taken forward beyond the life of the grant funding.

We are open for applications from Thursday 22^nd December 2022.

The deadline for completed applications is 5:00pm on Tuesday 31^st January 2023.

All projects must be completed by Monday 31^st July 2023.

• Being a recipient of one of our grants, we expect you to:

• Join our Thinking Partners Forum

Thinking Partners meets on a bi-monthly basis and focusses on equality and diversity issues. Membership of this group is made up of NHS South West London and healthcare transformation staff, representatives from community groups and organisations, patients, and individual Wandsworth residents.  A Thinking Partner is a person with expertise, experience and understanding of issues relevant to the community demographic/s they identify with or represent.

• Attend grant networking events and workshops

We will hold two workshops throughout the year to support grant recipients to learn from each other and to share best practice approaches to ensure their projects are successful.

As we come to work more closely, there will be more opportunities to get more involved with our work.

• On completion of your project:

• You will have provided a report (template for 3 monthly update and final report will be provided) describing the successes, what did not work, lessons learned and how your organisation benefited from taking part.
• You will have a greater understanding of the NHS and how your organisation can work with us.
• You will be familiar with the way Healthwatch and the Voluntary Sector Coordination Service in Wandsworth work, have engaged with the Voluntary Sector Forum and be aware of how you can get help to grow and develop your organisation.
• You will present your project at our annual networking event, including how it has informed your organisation and the ways it has promoted better access to healthcare for your community.
• You will have taken part in NHS South West London activities as described in Section 3 above.

• Application Process:

1. Applicants should complete the application form attached.
2. Completed applications must be received by Tuesday 31^st January 2023 and must be emailed to:  Tracy Walcott, tracy.walcott@swlondon.nhs.uk
3. NHS South West London projects will be selected based on:
4. The relationships and reach the organisation has with people whose voices are least heard.
5. How the project aims to reach groups who have trouble in accessing healthcare in the borough and the organisations commitment to developing a relationship with the local NHS.
6. We invite creative and new ideas for projects that engage and empower local people.
7. The project must be new and not a continuation of work already in place.
8. Single events will only be supported in the context of wider project activity.
9. Successful applicants will be notified of the outcome on Monday 13^th February 2023.

6.   How we will support you

We will support you by linking you in with appropriate training and advising you of any other partnership opportunities.

Community groups interested in making an application can get further information and feedback prior to applying by contacting the Wandsworth Voluntary Sector Coordination Service for support with your application by emailing: melanie@wandcareall.org.uk

Melanie is Wandsworth Care Alliance’s Voluntary Sector Coordination Service Development Officer. Her role is to provide practical and technical help and information to the local voluntary sector. This includes advice and support on funding sources and applications; advice on legal structures and governance; help with policies and procedures; training.  She supports WCA’s Chief execs network and produces the monthly funding bulletin.  Please get in touch if you need support with your application.

• Conflicts of Interest

The Community Grants Scheme is managed by NHS South West London. To ensure independence and transparency, no member of NHS South West London can be involved in submitting applications. Any conflicts of interest must be declared before project submission.

Download the Community Grant Application Form Here