The Essex Alliance is sharing this on behalf of the Making It Count Project, a partnership between Essex County Council and the University of Essex.
In speaking with many community and voluntary sector organisations, a key challenge they face is evidencing the impact of their work. Many have told us that the issue is not counting activities, but demonstrating outcomes such as:
Increased confidence
Reduced isolation
Sense of belonging
Improved wellbeing
Long-term change
These outcomes matter deeply, but they can be difficult to measure consistently and meaningfully.
Addressing this challenge is at the heart of the Making It Count project– a partnership between the University of Essex and Essex County Council. This project aims to support Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE) organisations by creating a simple, practical toolkit to help them measure their impact. We are looking for VCSE organisations and community stakeholders in ESSEX to join us in developing this toolkit together.
There will be opportunities to contribute through:
Workshops
Feedback sessions
Reviewing draft approaches
Sharing challenges and priorities from practice
Whether you work in a food bank, community organisation, wellbeing service, social prescribing programme, volunteer-led project, or another community setting, your experience could help shape the future toolkit.
Are you delivering services in Essex and interested in getting involved? Contact us below.
The Essex Alliance is sharing this news on behalf of Essex County Council.
The Community Exchange is a FREE of charge platform connecting commercial businesses with voluntary services, social enterprises and community groups.
It acts a notice board for organisations to exchange:
volunteering time
materials or equipment
work placements
training and apprenticeship opportunities
careers support
Check out our Suppliers’ Offers to see what is on offer. Simply use the email address provided next to what you are interested in.
Or if you can’t find what you’re looking for, add what you need help with to our Wishing Wall. Just submit your answers to the below questions to Craig.Johnson@essex.gov.uk.
Mind in West Essex have added several new dates for their online Suicide Awareness workshops. The sessions are free for anyone who lives in Harlow, Uttlesford or Epping Forest (or £30 for people outside of West Essex).
This 2.5-hour workshop aims to give you the knowledge and confidence to have supportive conversations with people who are feeling suicidal, so they can access the help they need.
It covers everything from the law, language, statistics and stigma around suicide to risk factors, possible warning signs, having supportive conversations and available support and resources.
Alcohol Awareness Week takes place from 6–12 July 2026, providing an opportunity to get people thinking and talking about alcohol and the role it can play in our lives.
Organised by Alcohol Change UK, this year’s theme is ‘Alcohol and me’, encouraging us to take a few minutes to reflect on our own relationship with alcohol and consider how it may be affecting our health, wellbeing and everyday lives.
Alcohol can often feel like a normal part of many social occasions and everyday experiences, from celebrations and nights out to relaxing at home. Alcohol Awareness Week offers an opportunity to think about our drinking habits without judgement and to better understand the impact alcohol can have.
For some, this might mean learning more about alcohol and its effects. For others, it could involve cutting down, trying an alcohol-free alternative or seeking additional support.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach, and even small changes can be a positive step.
Finding support in Essex
If you, a friend or a family member are looking for support, there are organisations and community services available across Essex.
The Essex Map is a free online directory designed to help local residents discover community groups, charities, services and activities in their area.
By searching The Essex Map, you can explore local organisations and support services and find help available within your community.
Alcohol Awareness Week is an important reminder that it is okay to reflect on our relationship with alcohol, ask questions and seek support when we need it.
Taking the time to think about ‘Alcohol and me’ could be the first step towards making a positive change.
Join the Parents 1st UK team as a Marketing Assistant (Maternity Cover)
Location: Essex (home-based with occasional travel across Essex) Hours: 15 hours per week (hours can be worked flexibly, but must include Tuesdays and Thursdays)
We’re looking for a motivated Marketing Assistant to join the Parents 1st UK team. This is a fixed term contract to September 2027 to cover maternity leave.
If you’re creative, passionate about helping others, and have at least 1 years’ experience in marketing, then we’d love to hear from you!
We are seeking:
– An all-rounder – you must have experience of social media, paid ads, email marketing, copywriting and asset creation
– An individual with a high level of attention to detail and a positive can-do attitude
– A confident communicator with excellent IT skills
– Someone who is well organised and able to manage multiple projects at once
The Men’s Health Community Fund is a partnership between the Department of Health and Social Care, Movember, and People’s Health Trust, and offers £6.3 million in grants to voluntary and community voluntary sector organisations (VCSEs) in England to support men and boys aged 16 and over to improve their physical and mental health.
The fund supports delivery of the Men’s Health Strategy for England by investing in preventative, community-led approaches that improve health and wellbeing and build understanding of what works to engage men.
It is designed for VCSEs in England that are already doing meaningful work with men and who want to strengthen, develop and share learning about what makes that work effective.
The fund is now open for applications and closes at 5:00pm on 15 July. To apply, please visit the government grants webpage.
Mid and North East Essex Mind are pleased to offer new Suicide Awareness workshops for organisations and the communities of Mid and North East Essex. This course is designed to help you have potentially life-saving conversations and provide practical tools to help stay calm, respond with confidence, and know what to say (and what not to say) when someone may be at risk. It looks at warning signs, and how to hold a supportive and boundaried conversation, whilst connecting the person to the right kind of help – without taking on the role of a therapist or clinician.
During this workshop, participants will:
– Discuss warning signs to look out for, even when the person may not be engaged with mental health services or specifically have spoken about suicide
– Learn appropriate language to use when talking about suicide
– Explore strategies for self-care both during and after conversations about suicide.
The Essex Alliance is sharing this opportunity on behalf of the University of Essex and Essex County Council.
We are inviting people to join the Making It Count Steering Group, a project run by Essex County Council and the University of Essex.
The project aims to develop a practical toolkit to help community organisations, charities, commissioners, and public health teams understand and show the difference their work makes.
We would like to hear from:
• Local residents who have completed feedback forms or surveys about services they have used (such as community groups, food banks, or wellbeing activities)
• People who work or volunteer in organisations that provide these types of services
If you are interested, please take a look at the attached flyer for more information about the role, support available, and payment for taking part.
The Essex Alliance is sharing this survey on behalf of Essex County Council.
Community Micro‑Enterprises (CME) are very small, local businesses—typically with eight or less staff—that provide highly personalised care and support. They offer a wide range of services such as personal care, cleaning, activities, trade services, therapies and wellbeing support. Focused on enhancing independence and wellbeing, they deliver flexible, tailored help and are often run by local people for their own communities, offering an alternative to larger organisations and care agencies.
Thurrock and Essex Councils are running CME projects to make sure people who receive Direct Payments or pay for their own care have enough local, personalised services to choose from. We have agreed to work together so that our CME projects run in the same way across both Councils. To achieve this, we want to work with people – rather than making decisions alone – to develop a shared approach for how we welcome and set up new micro‑enterprises. Our aim is to make sure the process and requirements for joining our programmes are proportionate, practical, and based on what people who use these services truly need and want.
We are asking for feedback from people who use CMEs, Direct Payments recipients, family carers, micro-enterprise owners, and social care professionals. We would really appreciate if you could take a few minutes to complete our online survey. You don’t need any prior knowledge of micro‑enterprises to take part—we want to hear from as many different perspectives as possible.
To access the online survey you can follow the link below:
Girls Life Club Project (GLC), a personal development programme for girls aged 11–16 based in Basildon and Laindon, Essex, is delighted to announce its FREE Open Day on Saturday 25 July 2026, marking the official launch of its flagship Summer Camp programme running 27 July – 27 August 2026.
The Summer Camp is a four-week, community-based programme designed to equip young girls with the life skills, confidence, and knowledge they need to thrive. Sessions cover five key themes:
Foundation and Mindset
Money and Financial
Literacy
Home and Independence
Digital Wellness and Relationships
Future Vision
What to Expect on Open Day
Members of the press, local families, community partners, and supporters are warmly invited to attend. On the day, guests can expect:
• Meet the GLC team, volunteers, and local parents
• A showcase of the Summer Camp curriculum and resources
• Information on how to enrol your daughter for the Summer Camp
• Meet the facilitators and see the full session curriculum up close
• Refreshments and a welcoming community atmosphere
“Girls in our community deserve a space that truly invests in them, their confidence, their futures, and their wellbeing. The Summer Camp is our biggest step yet in making that a reality. We can’t wait to open our doors and welcome families, partners, and supporters to see what we’ve built.”
— Phebi Adeoye, Founder & Programme Director, Girls Life Club Project
About Girls Life Club Project
Girls Life Club Project is a personal development programme for girls aged 11–16, run by Life Skills Community CIC (Company No. 17164034), based in Basildon and Laindon, Essex. Founded by Phebi Adeoye a paediatric nurse, public health specialist, and life coach. GLC provides a safe, empowering space for young girls to build the skills and confidence they need to navigate life. GLC exists because every girl deserves to grow up knowing her worth and her potential.
