HMRC is reminding charities that engage with many different types of workers to know when a worker is entitled to the National Minimum Wage. This will depend on whether an individual is classed as either a worker, a volunteer or a voluntary worker.
Particular attention should be given to any volunteers paid a nominal amount over and above genuine out of pocket expenses. Any payment, whether cash, benefits in kind or promise of future payment is likely to mean they are a worker for minimum wage purposes and so should be paid for all hours worked.
A webinar is available to give you more information about the national minimum wage and unpaid workers or those paid on an ‘expenses only’ basis.
The Essex VCSE Alliance is recruiting for individuals who are looking to work together to improve things for the sector from voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations.
We recently reviewed the focus and our three goals are:
< Strengthen collaboration within the sector
< Strengthen collaboration across sectors
< Driving membership and through the Essex Map, events and Alliance membership
To help improve the sector we are currently looking for people who align with one of more of these strategic goals and who share a passion to strengthen the sector and the community we serve.
If you’d like to join us, and help shape how we build our community of communities, please complete the form below. Once completed, this will be reviewed by our existing Steering Group members at our next meeting in April therefore the deadline for expression of interest is Friday 8th April 2022.
The Essex County Council are inviting individuals and small community groups from target areas of Essex to bid for money from our new Community Challenge Fund.
ECC have launched a new £500,000 fund to help people improve their local area. Residents know their communities best and have great ideas for what they need. We want to help them bring those ideas to life and make the most of what their area has to offer.
Bids to the fund can be made now with grants of between £300 and £2,000 will be available. It covers Tendring, Basildon, Colchester, Canvey Island, Harlow and rural Braintree. These are the six areas of priority identified in our Levelling Up strategy.
Perhaps you have been sitting on an idea for a while of how you can enhance your community and it has just lacked the necessary funding to get it started. If so, then this fund is for you.
Examples of how the fund could be used are:
• training and equipment to share skills and create training opportunities,
• printing for a local event or newsletter,
• hosting and promoting an online magazine for young people,
• setting up a local community seed exchange,
• providing taxi or licensed hire vehicles to bring isolated residents together,
• setting up a clothes swap in a community hall.
The fund is simple to apply for, so don’t worry if you have never applied for funding from a Council before.
Age Well East have many different vacancies available on their website including business development roles such as Individual Giving Fundraiser and Trusts and Foundations Lead.
To view all of their vacancies please follow the below link;
The Essex VCSE Alliance is recruiting for individuals who are looking to work together to improve things for the sector from voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations.
We recently reviewed the focus and our three goals are:
< Strengthen collaboration within the sector
< Strengthen collaboration across sectors
< Driving membership and through the Essex Map, events and Alliance membership
To help improve the sector we are currently looking for people who align with one of more of these strategic goals and who share a passion to strengthen the sector and the community we serve.
If you’d like to join us, and help shape how we build our community of communities, please complete the form below. Once completed, this will be reviewed by our existing Steering Group members at our next meeting in April therefore the deadline for expression of interest is Friday 8th April 2022.
RideLondon – one of the world’s greatest cycling events – returns this year on Sunday 29 May 2022 with a new route taking in the picturesque towns and villages of Essex.
The RideLondon-Essex 100 is a unique opportunity to ride 100 miles on traffic-free roads through the heart of London and neighbouring Essex. This event will welcome 25,000 cyclists beginning on the Embankment in central London, taking in the sights of Essex before returning to London to finish at the iconic Tower Bridge.
The formal process for charities to register for the event has now closed but Essex County Council has an allocation of 150 stakeholder tickets which it has opted to allocate to local charities. The tickets are priced at £89 each. The average return for charities on a single RideLondon entry is £800.
I wanted to make you aware of something we’re really proud of.
This year BBC Essex wants to celebrate and say thank you to people living in our villages,
towns and cities who make where we live a better place.
Every day we hear stories of people doing incredible things for each other and their
communities. Now it’s time to recognise them for all their hard work.
Whether it’s caring for someone in need, being a brilliant neighbour, or inspiring children in
the classroom, if you know someone who is really making a difference to our lives then you
can nominate them for an Award.
There are 8 categories:
• Volunteer
• Community Group
• Fundraiser
• Carer
• Great Neighbour
• Key Worker
• Environment
• Together award
We’re delighted to have twelve prestigious judges from Essex on the awards panel this year including Sally Gunnell OBE, Russell Kane, Lee Mead, Barry Hearne MBE, Bishop Guli Francis-Dehqani and Lance Corporal Richard Jones.
You can nominate someone you know at bbc.co.uk/makeadifference, where you can also see full Terms and our Privacy Notice. Nominations are now open and will close on the 29th of April 2022 at 11:00pm. The winners will be announced at our Make a Difference awards ceremony in September.
Sexual assault can, and does, happen to anyone, regardless of their age, gender or any other factor. It is any sexual act which occurs without consent; you cannot give consent if you are drunk or under the influence of drugs, or if you have said nothing or have not been asked. Being in a relationship does not automatically mean that you give consent, and you have the right to change your mind if you have already said yes. Sexual assault is a crime, for which responsibility lies solely with the perpetrator. It can be perpetrated by a stranger, someone you know or are related to, or someone that you are in a relationship with.
SARC’s (Sexual Assault Referral Centres) are available to anyone who has experienced sexual assault, regardless of whether they have, or intend to, report to the police. They offer a range of services, including crisis care, medical and forensic examinations, emergency contraception and testing for sexually transmitted infections. They can also arrange access to independent support, as well as referrals to mental health support and sexual violence support services. Many people do not know about the SARC’s and what they offer or are hesitant about contacting them. It can be very hard to discuss sexual assault, but the teams at the SARC’s are specially trained and extremely compassionate and understanding.
Our Healthwatch Essex Trauma Ambassador, Rosie, shares her experience of using the Essex SARC;
“I knew SARC’s existed, from documentaries on TV. So, I knew about them, but I didn’t realise that there was a SARC where it was, stand-alone, specifically for that in Brentwood. They (the police) asked me if I wanted to go – like, it was my choice – if I wanted to go to the SARC to get looked over. And I decided, yes, and so the police took me there, they escorted me there, and I was there for about two hours. And I hadn’t eaten all day because of what had happened, but they kept feeding me. There were two ladies, and they were really, really nice, as well. They kept me really calm throughout, kept checking in on me. Then when I was having all my examinations or whatever, they were so friendly, they were so nice. I got to share with them about other stuff I had been doing, and we was talking about different things on Netflix and, all different things really. And it was like, it was all, it was actually quite a pleasant experience in a weird way…
“When you go in there … It was clean, it was quiet, which was nice, because the one worry I had was, ‘oh my god, am I going to walk in there, is there loads of people in there?’ But it was just me. And the two women in there were so lovely. I actually – not enjoyed the experience, that’s the wrong word – but I didn’t mind being there, because they were just so nice. And like, one of them did all the tests, while the other one was keeping my mind off things, so we were talking about different things, and she was just so lovely. They were so, so nice. And they give you clothes, obviously, if they have to take any of yours, which is nice, and stuff like that. I had a really good experience, because these two women were just so kind and caring and thoughtful, and it wasn’t a case where it was just like, ‘right, we’re doing these tests,’ and that’s it. They made sure that I was okay, they made sure I was comfortable, they made sure I’d eaten enough, they went above and beyond. And really importantly, there was no pressure. From the outset, they said that, but there was no pressure, there was no, ‘you should really…’ or anything. It was down to me. And I was able to be myself and talk about what I do for a living, really. And they were really good, they were amazing, and I thank them so much because they just made me feel so much better about the situation.
“And then, obviously, after all that the police took me back and then I was able to just go home. And then the next, couple of days later, I had a phone call in regard to further support from the SARC. I got support from their ISVA (Independent Sexual Violence Adviser) and, when I was worried, and needed someone to speak to, I rung the SARC and they was able to signpost me for support there and then.”
Rosie has shared her experience in the hope that it may reassure others who would benefit from contacting their local SARC but may be unsure about doing so.
Individuals can telephone their nearest SARC to make an appointment or ask someone else, such as a healthcare professional, 111 call handler, friend or family member to do this. SARC’s are available 24 hours a day. Adults who access a SARC will have the option of reporting the incident to the police. There is no pressure for them to do this and it is their choice to make. Referrals for children are managed via children’s social care and / or police services.
If you have been sexually assaulted, please remember that it was not your fault. There is help and support available to you whether you want to report the assault to police or not. Healthwatch Essex Information & Guidance Service can provide you with details of your local services by calling us on 0300 500 1895, email info@healthwatchessex.org.uk or text/WhatsApp 07712395398. If you are in immediate danger please call 999 and access help as soon as possible.
The Mental Health Support Teams in Schools (MHSTs) are running two online recruitment events at 12.30-1.30pm and7-8pm, on Wednesday 20 April (Via Eventbrite/Teams).
These events will be hosted by senior management, and will provide a great opportunity for prospective applicants to share their experience and expertise and receive feedback around where they might best fit, in terms of available roles across the MHSTs, so book your place now:
These online recruitment events will enable prospective applicants to understand:
The MHSTs service throughout Hertfordshire & West Essex.
The functions and activities of MHSTs and how we to help children and young people’s mental health and emotional wellbeing.
The different vacancies and roles (currently available in existing teams including the Special Educational Needs (SEN) team and those opening in the future, for the September team expansion launch across Hertfordshire & West Essex).
Prerequisites for job roles and courses – including trainee Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP) and EMHP Supervisor roles.
There will be plenty of opportunities to ask questions and meet current team members.
Please come along to this event and find out more about joining the team and/or E: hpft.hwemhst@nhs.net with any questions.
Community360 have published a report on the many challenges and success stories faced by local communities and what has worked well for them.
Titled, ‘We’re Not Going Back’ the report has been put together by Community360 on behalf of the sector. They have listened and recorded testimonies from the general public, charitable organisations and local communities as well as conducting surveys to monitor the state of the sector by capturing information about the operation, challenges and opportunities faced by leaders and local citizens.
This report also comes on the back of the The North East Essex Health and Wellbeing Alliance community conference held last year with Professor Sir Michael Marmot, Director of the Institute of Health Equity.
Titled Communities Can…Build Back Fairer, the conference aim was to raise awareness of how living through Covid has highlighted a host of inequalities in health outcomes.
The conference was the first phase of a commitment from local leadership that there must be systematic change to ‘Build Back Fairer.’
We’re Not Going Back is also linked to the report, Communities in Crisis, which was commissioned by C360, working with the University of Essex, to create an archive of oral histories that explores the experiences of local voluntary and community sector leaders prior to and during the pandemic. The research presents a broad cross section of organisations (in geography, income and capacity) that support people of all ages and affected by multiple disadvantages.
Tracy Rudling, CEO at Community360 said: “We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has contributed to this report from our local citizens, and local voluntary community organisations.”
She added: “From this information we now have an opportunity to push for an equitable, productive, and more prosperous future that improves everyone’s quality of life. Our collective experiences have shown how much can be achieved when we work together and target our skills and resources.
We have learnt more about what we value and why we will not go back to ‘normal,’ when for many ‘normal’ is an unsustainable, prejudiced, or imbalanced set of conditions.
We feel strongly that we must take the learning from experiences over the last two years and turn it into actions that can potentially have long-lasting impact on the challenges we are identifying and strengthen the projects that have supported communities so well. Our ambitions are to build on these strengths highlighted in this report and to provide a framework for positive action in the future. This report is our call to further action.
Our next steps are to tackle health inequalities and organisation sustainability very directly. We will do this by championing the sector, developing the Marmot leadership group will be the catalyst for much of the work as it will strengthen the collective voice of local groups and people. We will embed more support for leaders, be that funding, volunteer recruitment, building partnerships or promoting the work they do.
We believe in the community organisations working in Colchester but know they face daily challenges to do what is best for local people and to keep operating. To date, we have invested time in helping to access funding for distribution to them, over £600,000 in twelve months but want to extend this work further.”
Community organisers champion and support local residents across the Borough. Their staff are skilled and connected to their purpose and their experiences highlight complexities, challenges and opportunities.
One such organisation is Refugee Action Colchester who has been a vital support system to refugee and migrant communities in the Borough for a few years and has continued to experience increasing demand through 2020 and into 2021.
“We were delighted to contribute to this report.” Said Maria Wilby, Senior Caseworker and CIC Director of Refugee Action Colchester. “The only way to go forward is to build partnerships and resilient communities which can thrive when the world is shaken, as when Covid-19 emerged. The impacts of these challenges must be learned from and recorded so we know how to build better. The We’re Not Going Back report does exactly that.”