Introducing the ‘Your Essex Community’ Learning Series
Posted on: September 29, 2025
We’re excited to launch the Your Essex Community Learning Series, brought to you by Active Essex in partnership with Essex communities and organisations. Through this series of free webinars and online seminars, we aim to support, equip and inspire community groups, voluntary organisations, local leaders and grassroots networks across Essex.
What is the Learning Series?
As part of the Your Essex Community place-based offer, these sessions are designed based on insights gathered directly from local communities. They focus on the issues, skills, and challenges that matter most — whether that’s funding, community engagement, impact evaluation, leadership, or inclusive communication.
Each session is hosted online, making it accessible across the county. You can join live, ask questions, engage with facilitators and peers — all with zero travel required.
Upcoming Sessions & What You’ll Learn
Here’s a rundown of the forthcoming Learning Series webinars (all free to attend):
| Date / Time | Title | What You’ll Gain |
|---|---|---|
| 23 October, 2-3pm | Securing Grant Funding Successfully | Tips, strategies, and real examples of how to write compelling proposals — from both small and large grant perspectives. |
| 11 November, 10-11am | Utilising Marketing to Promote Your Offer | Practical marketing methods, language, campaign ideas, social media approaches — delivered by the Active Essex Marketing team. |
| 11 November, 11am-12pm | Engaging Local Communities Effectively | Approaches to community leadership, resident-led initiatives, building belonging, and creating system change through local engagement. |
| 3 December, 10.30-11.30am | Effective Leadership for VCS During Change | Navigating uncertainty in times of reform, funding shifts, and organisational pressures — resilience, courage and adaptive leadership. |
| 21 January 2026, 12-1pm | Inclusive Language and Communication | Gain tools to foster equity, accessibility, and amplify community voice; explore the Social Model of Disability and inclusive communication. |
| 5 February 2026, 4-5pm | How to Demonstrate Your Impact | Learn the fundamentals of impact measurement: planning, data collection, analysis, reporting — and making your case with confidence. |
Whether you’re fairly new to running a community project or a seasoned lead, these sessions are built to add value — practical tools, peer learning, and insight to help your organisation grow stronger.
Why It Matters
In Essex, we see a wealth of voluntary organisations, resident groups, and community networks doing vital work. Yet many face shared challenges: limited funding, competing priorities, evolving local structures, and navigating change. The Learning Series is part of our commitment to help meet those challenges head on — not by prescribing solutions, but by building skills, sharing best practice, and growing collective capacity.
As we roll out more sessions, the Learning Series will evolve — shaped by your feedback and the emerging needs across the county.
Join Us
Sign up now to access the webinars and be part of a growing community of practice across Essex. You’ll be able to attend live and revisit recordings (where available).
We look forward to seeing you in a session soon — and to building stronger, more empowered communities across Essex.
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