Give us your views on a new Wandsworth Town Hall voluntary community sector hub
Wandsworth Council is excited to announce a new 1,700sqft ground floor space at the Town Hall dedicated to a Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) Hub. We invite local organisations to provide input on how this space can best serve their needs.
How to Give Feedback:
Online Survey: Take the survey.
Focus Group: Join the in-person session on May 24th. Sign up here.
For questions, email the Wandsworth Voluntary Sector team at voluntarysectorteam@wandsworth.gov.uk.
For more information please find flyer here: VCS Hub – Wandsworth Town Hall
What people working in Wandsworth want for better networking events
Our Voluntary Sector Forum was a great time with 43 of us in the room from over 30 different organisations who work with the community. Thank you for those of you who came on the day.
The point of this event was to meet local organisations and ask, how can we make our forum events better? Together, we’re looking forward to build more empowering networks for people who work with the community in Wandsworth.
In this article we share the results of ideas in the room, and ways you can join in at our community informed events for non-profits, and community projects in Wandsworth.
What do you like about attending networking events in the sector? You told us
Getting out, meeting people, sharing food, and changing up the routine. Hearing interesting stories, catching new ways of working collaboratively, and learning new things.
What are your biggest challenges to attend an event? You told us
Being too busy, location, lack of capacity, lack of purpose, no built-in time to network, no reason to attend, not knowing who will be there, not having clear communication. Start and end of the working day are better times.
What excites you most? You told us
Contact information being shared in creative ways, some reimbursement for travel/time, knowing who will be there. Having targeted relevant and inspiring information. A calendar of options to enable choice. Sharing, valuing and appreciating each other. Time efficiency with a smooth running order. Creative formats with clear benefits like skills, benefits, wellness resources.
Good follow ups!
How can we make events open accessible and inclusive to all? You told us
Good travel links to venues, sharing advance information. Having a mix of online and in-person meetings. Vary the timings, but the end and start of the day works well to get away from the to do list easily. Think about incentives and engaging ways to include everyone.
We’re taking this feedback onboard to create an exciting new set of events and switch up the agenda. Do you want to come along to an upcoming event?
We have a Children and Young People Forum happening on Tuesday 23rd April – 10am
And save the date for our next VSF – Wednesday 5th June – 10am
Cost of living: support and advice
The cost-of-living crisis has become a huge worry for individuals and families across the UK. The rising cost of energy and everyday expenses such as food has been having an impact nationally as well as locally.
The burden of maintaining a decent standard of living seems to be becoming more daunting each day. There are also huge concerns about how the crisis is impacting people’s mental and physical health.
At Wandsworth Care Alliance we have been investigating the impacts of the cost-of-living crisis on the local community and how it’s been impacting them since 2022. The aim of our report was to gain insights into how it is impacting people’s mental health, physical health, lifestyle, and financial status. We conducted a survey in which 165 people took part in and from that we found that 14% of people were concerned about food costs and 22% were negatively thinking about the future.
People who are most vulnerable whether due to physical health, mental illness or financial status have been the most affected by the cost-of-living crisis so far. One response from a survey participant was “Through my work at Wandsworth food bank, I am speaking with people who are badly affected by the cost of living crisis every day and hearing about how it is troubling their mental and physical health due to a lack of money for essentials such as food, gas and electrics.”
Read the latest report here and discover more about what we investigated and found.
What is next?
Recently Wandsworth Council announced a council tax freeze which means for Wandsworth residents they will pay the lowest council tax in the country. The council is also increasing it’s cost of living support package to £15 million. You can find out more information on this here.
There is also a wide range of support and advice available on Wandsworth cost of living hub and a free helpline available too.
Healthwatch England conducted a survey indicating that a considerable portion of respondents struggle to afford essential healthcare expenses such as medications, dental care, and transportation to medical appointments.
Read more here.
Resources:
Free gym and Swim Scheme: Residents are reminded that more people are now eligible for free gym and swimming sessions at council leisure and sports centres. Young people who are on free school meals can receive free sports activities and swimming and adults who are on certain benefits are also able to get access to the gym. Learn more and see if you’re eligible for the free gym and swim scheme.
Talk Wandsworth: Wandsworth offer various mental health services one of which is called Talk Wandsworth. They provide free confidential talking therapies for people over the age of 18 for problems such as stress, worry and low mood. You can refer yourself or be referred by a healthcare professional. Learn more here.
Wandsworth food bank: If you’re unable to cover food and essentials Wandsworth food bank is available, find out more information here.
Family Action
Family Action transforms lives by providing practical, emotional and financial support to those who are experiencing poverty, disadvantage and social isolation across the country. They help strengthen families and communities, build skills and resilience, and improve the life chances of everyone they work with. Family Action work to tackle some complex and difficult issues families are facing such as financial hardship, mental health problems, social isolation, learning disabilities, domestic abuse, substance abuse and alcohol problems.
With our findings from the cost-of-living report we found that 14% of participants were concerned about the increase of food costs. “I have to buy less, eat less. I look for the reduced-price items in the shop and have smaller quantities and eat what I can afford.” Approximately 57% of the participants said the cost of everything (particularly household bills) has increased and they are struggling to buy necessities. One participant shared they had gone into debt for the first time as a result. Family Action carries out vital work to help families, they have two services which aim to provide quality discounted food for families and another to ensure young people have access to healthy breakfasts they need to thrive at school. They also help with mental health support by offering a free family line which allows parents/carers to talk through the pressures they are facing in confidence. Family Action always need volunteers and donations to deliver their vital work.
Volunteer
Donate
Events in the area:
Enable Community – Warm Hub
Enable community are running a free hub where you’re able to come into a safe warm space at Wandsworth Council’s Community Hubs.
Richmond Women’s hub
This event is to help empower women to thrive. It will allow women to connect with other women and take part in free activities.
Do you have more resources to share on this article on the cost of living? Email communications@wandcareall.org.uk so we can share resources and support one another.
How your health priorities make a difference to services
Healthwatch Wandsworth have a survey live now to find out what the most important health priorities and social care issues are to focus on for Wandsworth.
Healthwatch priorities won’t stop you from telling us about any issue, and we’ll keep sharing news. What priorities do is help us to focus our research and conversations on the issues that matter most, to effect change.
How our priorities shape action in services and the community
We make sure NHS leaders and decision makers hear your voice and use your feedback to improve care. We can also help you to find reliable and trustworthy information and advice.
To make sure people’s experiences help make health and care better we need to focus our energies on a few topics each year.
Tell us about the topics in health and social care that are most important to you and your community so that we can make sure we work on providing information and pushing for change on things that matter to people in Wandsworth.
What difference we’ve made – an example
Local carers told us there were many ways care could be improved by involving carers when someone leaves hospital. We’ve advocated for change and there have been quite a few! Nationally the Department of Health and Social care told hospitals and social care services that they need to ensure carers are identified, that their needs are assessed and that they are signposted to help as part of the process when someone leaves hospital. Locally St George’s Hospital have committed to this and are making these improvements to how they work.
Why we need priorities
We need to focus our energy on a few things each year so we can build enough research and insight to make a difference. We can move on to other things in other years. By announcing what our priorities are and what is important, local leaders of health and care services take notice of these things and it motivates them to improve things.
What we’re hearing most about
We’re already hearing that people think that the following are important topics to focus on:
- Getting appointments with GPs and Dentists
- Mental Health
- Dementia
- Homelessness and housing
Tell us what you think
Are these the most important topics for you and your community? Does there need to be more information or improvements in the way health and social care services support people’s health when facing these issues? Or are there other topics?
We want to hear how health and social care issues affect you and people you care for. What would make things better?
Change takes time, and by setting priorities we don’t expect these issues to be fixed. But there are things we can do to move change forward by making your stories heard. We want to hear what the most important conversations are to you.
Free training and development round up
We share upcoming opportunities for the voluntary sector to connect and upskill for free.
This free lunch time webinar delivered by PCC will explore:
- What is collaboration?
- An overview of the interpersonal skills needed for collaborative working to thrive.
- The benefits of collaborative working
Book here for the 60-minute free workshop:
Communicating Impact
Dunhill Medical Trust is partnering with the team at Moore Kingston Smith Non-Profit Advisory and the University of Birmingham’s School of Social Policy to deliver high quality training. The programme is aimed particularly at community-facing organisations working to support older people to thrive in safe, healthy, and well-connected homes and communities.
Their first free webinar – which will be on Impact – will take place on November 28th. This webinar will be run by Karl Leathem, from Moore Kingston Smith Non-Profit Advisory who has worked with hundreds of community-facing organisations over twenty-five years, assisting them with evaluating and communicating social impact.
For more information click here. Or email sarah.allport@dunhillmedical.org.uk to book a place.
How to get press coverage
On Thursday 23rd November, the council are hosting a ‘How to get press coverage’ for your business (organisation) event at Tooting Works, with journalist Rebecca Burn-Callander former enterprise editor of the Daily Telegraph. The link to book is here.
Skills and Employment Practitioners’ Share Best Practice
The South London Skills & Employment Community of Practice meet to share best practice with quarterly one hour sessions online. Aims are:
- Help strengthen the understanding of the skills and employment support available in South London.
- Identify funding opportunities and support consortium applications to bring more funding into the sub-region.
- Upskill yourselves and others through sharing of best practice.
Who’s invited?
Anyone delivering programmes or hoping to connect with skills and employment practitioners across South London. Including adult education providers, community based practitioners & VCS representatives, JCPs, employment support providers, external signposting organisations, social prescribers, borough employment practitioners and training providers.
27th November 2-3pm
Click to register your interest, or find out further information, please contact admin@southlondonpartnership.co.uk.
Inclusive family financial education
free funded workshops for practitioners to help children and families learn about money. The training is delivered by the Campaign for Learning and is funded by the Money and Pensions Service.
No specialist knowledge is needed to attend any workshop running up to 12 December 2023
Help older homeowners to improve their homes
free webinar 30th November – open the flyer
Mental health awareness training
Ongoing training from MHFA England – find courses
Safeguarding
SWL ICB free Lunch and learn sessions for Adult safeguarding awareness week.
Monday, 20 Nov, 12:00-13:30: What’s My Role in Safeguarding Adults? Registration
Tuesday, 21 Nov, 12:00-13:00: Organisations Working Together: Community Safety: Registration
Wandsworth Safeguarding Children Partnership events
- Intra-familial Child Sexual Abuse (Friday 24 November 2023 at 9:30am – 5:00pm)
- Threshold Document Workshop (Thursday 30 November 2023 at 10:00am – 12:00pm)
- Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and Breast Flattening / Ironing (Thursday 30 November 2023 at 10:00am – 11:30am)
7. Forced Marriage Case Review and Lived Experience (Monday 4 December 2023 at 10:00am – 11:30am)
Enhancing the welfare advice offer
This online workshop is for organisations who offer welfare advice. The session is delivered by the SWL & St. George’s Mental Health NHS Trust. The purpose is to understand the best way to enhance the welfare advice offer for Wandsworth service users.
29th November 3pm-4pm
Click here to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 337 618 404 327
Passcode: JeRbsC