With the new lockdown, even more people will be having to stay at home and turn on their heating – if they can afford to. Now more than ever it’s important to raise awareness to vulnerable consumers of how to stay warm, how to use less energy, and how to pay less. Are your staff and volunteers aware of the support available? CAN is offering free 90-minute online training to help people provide support and information where needed.
Many mutual aid groups and Good Neighbour Schemes are even more active in the final run-up to Christmas. Just one example is Thorpe Helping Hands, operating across south-east Norwich.
Every VCSE organisation has a duty to safeguard volunteers, staff members, participants and donors, and to have appropriate and proportionate policies and procedures in place. Likewise, staff and volunteers themselves need to aware be aware of their individual responsibilities to themselves and to their clients, service users and hirers.
Our CANConnect service, working in partnership with Future Projects, operates throughout the former North Norfolk Clinical Commissioning Group area. CANConnect has worked regularly with Redwings Horse Sanctuary in Aylsham in offering social events aimed at bringing together people from across the area who are experiencing loneliness and social isolation.
There are definite benefits to registering as a charity, not least of which is credibility when applying to potential funders. Making your case to the Charity Commission needs to be done in an organised and planned way.
The organisers of activities and events are responsible for ensuring people’s safety and wellbeing during their time there, but it doesn’t mean the village hall volunteers and staff are absolved from responsibility. it’s helpful to have a closer look at why it’s especially important for hall committees to have the right policies and procedures in place.
At CAN we help and support a great many community projects to find the funding they need to make their vision a reality. Finding the right funder can be a minefield, and a complex process that takes time and commitment.