Wandsworth Care Alliance

Voluntary Sector Forum – December 2024 highlights

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On Wednesday 4th December we had our last Voluntary Sector Forum meeting of 2024. Which took place at Caius House in one of the well-equipped modern meeting rooms, where we had presentations and updates shared. Thank you to everyone who joined us.

Abi Carter our Voluntary Sector Representative on the Health and Wellbeing Board shared an enlightening presentation on the role of the Board and how the voluntary sector voice can influence decisions and plans relating to Health and Care.

241202 Wandsworth HWB overview for WVSF (4.12.24)Download

We had updates from Children and Young People’s Alliance, Older People’s Alliance and Mentoring Opportunities for Developing Organisations, which was given by Wandsworth Care Alliance’s Development Manager, Ravi Vyas.
Give us feedback on how they receive funding information from us via this survey.

  • E-mail (ravi@wandcareall.org.uk) if you’d like to join the Children / Young People and/or Older People’s Alliance.
  • E-mail (ravi@wandcareall.org.uk) if you need any support with setting up your organisation, with funding help (finding and writing), networking opportunities, and capacity building.
  • E-mail (alice@wandcareall.org.uk) if you need any support with social media, marketing, and branding and fundraising. For more information on these mentorship programmes for branding click here and for fundraising support sessions click here.

Wandsworth Borough of Culture updates on the next steps for the voluntary sector, were given by Arts and Culture Officer, Chief Executive’s Group Wandsworth Council, Roisin Kerslake-Sim.

Voluntary Sector LBOC slides – 27.11.2024Download

Doing Good In Wandsworth is WCA’s new newsletter for matching voluntary organisations to sponsorships and resources from local businesses updates were given by Wandsworth Care Alliance’s, Volunteering Project Officer, Jummy Olaleye.

The Doing Good In Wandsworth newsletter aims to promote and make aware the work, initiatives and needs of local charities to local businesses and corporations in the borough and even outside of the borough. With this newsletter we want to see charities get the support they need and highlight the support of local businesses and corporates to the community.

Take a look at our first newsletter – Doing Good In Wandsworth

Sign up to our Doing Good In Wandsworth newsletter here.

Updates were followed with some presentations from Wandsworth Council on Wandsworth Council’s Winter Plan, which was given to us by Hollie Stone and Melissa Barker, Public Health Lead, Health Protection Team.

Wandsworth Winter Health 2024 – Slides and Information PackDownload
  1. A link to a Microsoft Form which VCS can complete to request printed copies of cold weather and vaccination posters – https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=rPXT2QP4vkmUnxSnB010p20x_vJLX0ROppFyT52VYTtUQTlMM085MDNRNFY4S0c4UjRHSzlHQUNLMi4u
  2. Please get in contact with healthprotection@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk if your organisations is having any events before the end of January where you would like the roving team to attend to deliver winter vaccinations and/or information sessions. 

Paradise Cooperative, Eve Rogers shared a good news story on how they evolved their corporate volunteering offer as an alternative (and lucrative) model to generate income for their organisation – this clearly inspired other organisations present to think how they might do something similar.

VSF Paradise PhotosDownload

After an insightful sharing of updates and presentations from our speakers, the floor was open to the room to share updates, achievements, concerns or potential joint actions in the borough.

We had organisations in attendance such as:
Wandsworth Older Peoples Forum
WCEN
Happy Homes
The Heart and Lung Choir
Power2Connect
Generate
Wandsworth Council

For updates on when our next one will be please visit our eventbrite page here.

Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month

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Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, held each November, aims to highlight the unique mental health struggles men face and encourage open conversations about mental health. While many men experience anxiety, depression, and stress, societal pressures can make it difficult for them to seek help, often resulting in silence and isolation.

Poor mental health can affect people of any gender, but mental health outcomes for men and women aren’t equal. Due to societal expectations of masculinity, men are less likely to talk to others about their feelings, so they suffer in silence.

This awareness month challenges stigmas, encourages men to seek support, and emphasises the importance of mental health services tailored for men. Through increased awareness, we can promote healthier coping strategies and foster supportive environments for men everywhere.

Tips for supporting Men’s Mental Health:

  • Encourage open conversations.
  • Normalise seeking therapy or counselling.
  • Promote self-care routines and healthy outlets for stress.
  • Foster supportive environments for men

Here are few organisations that provide support for men’s mental health:

To share resources for this article please contact communications@wandcareall.org.uk

IVAR – Women’s Health Conference

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On 11th September we attended the Women’s Health Conference at the Wandsworth Town Hall, hosted by the Mayor of Wandsworth, Councillor Sana Jafri, in collaboration with Women of Wandsworth.

One of the topics discussed was cervical screening; Wandsworth has some of the lowest cervical screening uptake rates in England, particularly in South Asian communities. Wandsworth Care Alliance, in collaboration with research organisation IVAR, have been doing some outreach to organisations that engage with women from a South Asian background. We want to understand potential barriers those women face in relation to uptake of screening, and some of the opportunities we can use for driving uptake.

Read more about the background of the project here.

Some of the findings from this event are written below:

Advertising cervical screening

  • We should broaden our thinking and target specific groups of people. For example, where do mums go? Stay and play sessions, play groups, etc. – let’s put up posters or leaflets there.
  • Can we do some outreach in smaller community groups or organisations?
  • Can we use social media or WhatsApp groups?

Language

  • Let’s think about the type of language and specific words we’re using. “Cancer” and “screening” may already be scary words for some people; therefore, we need to have easily accessible information that explains everything clearly and concisely so people can be properly informed rather than scared.
  • Professionals should also be mindful of potentially complex terminology they are using with individuals who may not speak English fluently. There are sometimes no words for certain medical procedures, conditions or instruments in certain languages. For example, there is no word for “hysterectomy” in Urdu.
  • We should make specific wording choices and use diagrams and pictures in order to aid us in explaining things clearly.

Taboo topic

  • Cervical screening is often considered an embarrassing topic to talk about. It is important to have ‘ladies only’ sessions and follow up in the community, in comfortable/safe environments. You must meet people in the places they are already going.
  • It’s good to be well informed and know the science behind why screening is important (e.g. early diagnosis, correct information). This makes it less taboo as we know that it’s an extremely common practice that everyone goes through.
  • We should be having early conversations to show it’s a normal thing to talk about. This should be in schools or before people are sexually active or having children.

    Resources:
  • Cancer Research UK – Cervical Cancer Screening

If you’d like to discuss or add to this article, please contact communications@wandcareall.org.uk

Understanding and making use of shared resources in the voluntary sector

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As demand for services rises and funding becomes harder to get, organisations and funders must explore different methods to maximise the use of shared resources. One method is an “open and trusting” approach to grant-making, which focuses on improving efficiency, strengthening relationships, and amplifying impact.

This concept is being explored in-depth by the Institute for Voluntary Action Research (IVAR), which has worked with 30 public agencies across three networks — London Funders, Yorkshire Funders, and the Scotland Funders’ Forum — to develop practical tools and frameworks to guide the sector.

Funders who take a more open, trusting, and less complicated approach to giving grants can better support charities, especially in crises. By reducing paperwork and focusing on what charities really need, funders can build stronger relationships and help organisations achieve their goals with more freedom and flexibility.

Learning opportunities

To support funders in adopting this approach, IVAR has developed a set of practical resources to guide them. These resources, accessible on their webpage , offer valuable insights for funders looking to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their grant-making processes.

Funders interested in learning more about this approach can attend a webinar on Tuesday, 12 November, featuring case studies from organisations that have successfully adopted these methods.

Updated Charity Commission Guidance on Decision-Making

The Charity Commission has published updated guidance on decision-making, providing trustees with clearer insights on how to navigate complex and strategic choices. The guidance details seven key decision-making principles that trustees should follow:

  1. Act within your powers.
  2. Act in good faith and in the interests of the charity.
  3. Ensure you are sufficiently informed.
  4. Consider all relevant factors.
  5. Identify and disregard irrelevant factors
  6. Manage conflicts of interest
  7. Must ensure their decision is within the range of decisions that a reasonable trustee body could make

These principles are a reminder of the critical role trustees play in steering charities through challenging times. In addition to following the charity’s governing documents, trustees are encouraged to carefully document their decisions, ensuring accountability and transparency. By following these principles, trustees can make informed and strategic decisions that align with the charity’s mission, particularly when resources are stretched thin.

Both the IVAR resources and the Charity Commission’s guidance highlight the need for a forward-thinking, collaborative approach to funding and governance. By building trust, improving efficiency, and strengthening the decision-making processes, funders and charities can work together to navigate the increasing need and limited funding and creating a greater impact on the communities.

Transport and Social Isolation in Wandsworth

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Transport plays a crucial role in addressing social isolation in Wandsworth, a borough where many residents, particularly older adults and vulnerable groups, rely on accessible transport to stay connected with the community.

Inadequate transport options can lead to increased loneliness, as individuals struggle to attend social events, medical appointments, or even visit loved ones.

Improving public transport, increasing community transport services, and supporting active travel options like walking and cycling can combat isolation. By investing in transport solutions that prioritise accessibility, we can enhance residents’ quality of life, fostering stronger social connections across Wandsworth.

There are a few initiatives taking place in the community to help resolve the issues of transportation in the local community and help to help community members to feel connected with one another:

  • There’s a free bus service launching in Roehampton to help connect Roehampton to local amenities and transport hubs.
  • EstateArt organise several events to help members feel less isolated and more connected. One event is the walking groups in Roehampton that are held. For more information on this please visit their website here.
  • Healthwatch Wandsworth Assembly – Healthwatch Wandsworth are hosting an event around social isolation and ways to combat this. Join us to share free food, listen to great music and connect with each other. Together we can learn and share ideas on how best to tackle social isolation and find fantastic new events in the community from other organisations attending. Be sure to sign up, you won’t want to miss this!
  • Wandsworth Community Transport provides specialist transport services across the borough of Wandsworth for community groups and individuals with mobility problems.

    For support on transportation in the local area, there’s services below that can help. These services aim to make transportation more accessible and convenient for everyone in the community.
  • Dial-a-Ride: This is a free, door-to-door service provided by Transport for London (TfL) for people with permanent or long-term disabilities. It operates 7 days a week from 07:00 to 23:00.
  • Taxicard: This service offers subsidised taxi and private hire vehicle journeys for people with serious mobility impairments or those who are severely sight impaired.
  • Community Transport Wandsworth: This service provides accessible transport options for individuals and groups who find it difficult to use public transport due to age, disability, or other factors.
  • Freedom Pass: This pass allows free travel on most public transport in London for older and disabled residents.

If you have any more relevant resources to add to this article or would like to learn more contact communications@wandcareall.org.uk

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