Tag Archive for: Voice

Cambridgeshire VCSE Survey 2023 – How you doing?

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As we move into 2023, you could be forgiven for thinking that the voluntary and community sector (VCSE) is just moving from crisis to crisis. After surviving and supporting those around us so well through the years of COVID, we now find ourselves in a cost-of-living crisis.

Many have said that while they thought they were battling on in covid, they are struggling to keep going and don’t know what the future looks like. The demands for services are higher, the costs of delivering are higher, and the expectations for services are higher than ever, yet the funding hasn’t changed. This shockwave of need in our sector has a huge impact, and we know this. However, like all things, we need to make a case and draw a realistic picture of what you are facing and how Support Cambs partners can support you.

In the past, our annual 2023 Survey of Cambridgeshire Community Groups and Charities has been a vital source of information for funders and stakeholders along with us as infrastructure organisations in painting that picture and looking at resources.

This year we are also looking at health impacts and changes to health services. So this is a great way to give your views on this.

It gives us information on the issues and barriers you’re facing and therefore allows us to plan to ensure our services fit for purpose. This is even more relevant currently with so many changes happening around us.

Therefore, we ask as many individuals from charities, not-for-profit organisations and community groups to fill out the 2023 Survey of Cambridgeshire Community Groups and Charities. So that we can see what is happening across the county and if the struggles you are currently facing are the same as last year and other organisations or if there is something we all need to be aware of coming down the road.

 

Fill in the survey here

Closing date 20th March – for more information please contact mark@cambridgecvs.org.uk

Change is here – learn how you can engage with health

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Over the past year or so, Support Cambridgeshire has been heavily involved in integrating the VCS (Voluntary and Community sector) into the new Integrated Care System (ICS), the replacement to the CCG. As a result, we are excited to bring you some new pages to our website, which tell you how you can get involved and learn more about your voluntary or community group’s role in shaping your local area’s health and care services.

New ICS pages – the team here has been working hard to provide more information on the health changes. Currently, we have three pages, one around what the ICS is, our VCS Health Alliance and the Staff Support Hub. All of these are for your knowledge so you can integrate with the services and get your voice heard.

Voice Blogs– as part of the new work embedding VCS into this new system, several Voluntary and Community representatives attend high-level health meetings. Here you can read a summary of the meeting. If you have a question or want to add something to an agenda, go through the VCS rep; they represent the sector, so your voice matters.

In the future, we will need new representatives to attend these healthcare meetings. However, we can offer support and training to upskill you to do this effectively. So contact Support Cambridgeshire if you want to chat about this.

Health Alliance – One of the ways that support Cambridgeshire has created ladders up to the decision makers is through the Health Alliance, a meeting which allows the voices of the VCSE to get heard. Representatives from the boards attend along with a wide range of VCS reps, from small community groups to countywide providers. Are you interested to know more? Contact Debbie.

Adult Education Budget Consultation 2021-22

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You still have time to have your say on improvements to Adult Education in our live consultation. If you have already taken part, thank you and if not, we would be delighted if you could share your views via consultation survey by 10am on March 15.

 

The Consultation

 

We are keen that local residents, businesses, colleges and other stakeholders get to share their views on how we best use the Adult Education Budget. We have launched a consultation on additional policy changes, which follows the consultation we launched at a similar time last year.

Proposed changes are outlined within the following consultation questions, and we welcome any feedback from our providers, stakeholders, and local residents to inform our thinking as we continue to reform and shape the delivery of AEB in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

Responses from this consultation will be used to support the ongoing development of our long-term vision for skills, the AEB funding rules and and the new Economic Growth and Skills Strategy which is due to be published early this year.  You have until 15th March 2022 to send us your feedback. We look forward to hearing from you.

 

Thank you

Parminder Singh Garcha, Senior Responsible Officer, Adult Education Budget.

 

Fill in the survey here

The State of the Sector 2022 Survey – We need your help!

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As we move into 2022, the past two years have hugely impacted our voluntary and community sectors.

 

In the past, our annual State of the Sector survey has been a vital source of information for funders, stakeholders along with us as infrastructure organisations.

It gives us the information on the issues and barriers you are facing and therefore allows us to plan to make sure our services are fit for purpose.

 

Therefore, we are asking as many charities, not-for-profit organisations and community groups as possible, to fill out the survey, so we can see what is happening across the county post-COVID.

 

Fill in the survey here

Closing date 21st March 2022 – for more information please contact mark@cambridgecvs.org.uk

Help design a new Independent Living Service

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Join a focus group and help Cambridgeshire County Council design new homes for life for people with health and care needs.

 

  • Wednesday 23 March 2022, 11 am to 1pm on Zoom – open to people from East Cambridgeshire
  • Tuesday 29 March 2022, 1:30 to 3:30pm on Zoom – open to people from Cambridgeshire

The first new homes are being planned for Ely and will support you to live your life as independently as possible. And stop you needing to move if your health or care needs change.

Tell the council what you would want in the homes for you – or the person you care for.

 

You’ll get a free £10 Love2Shop voucher for taking part.

 

Call 0330 355 1285 to book or visit: https://www.healthwatchcambridgeshire.co.uk/independent-living

Follow on consultation for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Children and Young People’s Mental Health Strategy

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We received the below information regarding some events happening around Planning Events on the new Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Children and Young People’s Mental Health Strategy.

Please find attached (Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Children and Young People’s Mental Health Strategy Planning Events Info)and below the booking links for the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Children and Young People’s Mental Health Strategy Planning Events taking place in January 2022. Please note that these events are now ONLINE events and not face to face events.

 

Existing ticket holders: If you have previously booked onto one of the events, you do not need to do anything. You will be sent a link to attend the online session which replaces the face to face event (times and dates will remain the same)

If you have not booked: Please secure your place at one of the online events using the booking links below or attached within the flyer.

 

Get involved in planning mental health services for children and young people in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough

There will be a new Children and Young People’s mental health strategy for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough from April 2022. This will be a plan which tells us how services and projects will help children and young people aged 0 to 25 who have mental health problems. The strategy will be owned and shared by the Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Board as part of the wider mental health system.

An organisation called taproot is running discussion events to engage local people with deciding the priorities of the strategy. The events are open to professionals, service leads, parents/carers and young people (as long as they are appropriately supported to take part by an accompanying adult). Attendees will be sent relevant information before they come. To book tickets, follow the booking links in the table below.

 

Date  Location  Time  Booking link 
12th January 2022  ONLINE

Via Zoom

 6:30pm to 9pm Book tickets
13th January 2022  ONLINE

Via Zoom

 4:00pm to 7pm Book tickets
17th January 2022  ONLINE

Via Zoom

 1:30pm to 4:30pm Book tickets
19th January 2022  ONLINE

Via Zoom

 1:30pm to 4:30pm Book tickets
20th January 2022  ONLINE

Via Zoom

 1:30pm to 4:30pm Book tickets

If you have any questions about the events, or about the strategy process, please contact ben@taproot.org.uk

ICS December Newsletter

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As the Integrated Care System (ICS) develops, there have been many advances. To keep you all in the loop, please find the latest newsletter explaining how the transition is progressing, while also announcing the appointment of the CEO designate and critical programmes of work that will be going ahead in the new year.

Click here or on the image below

 

Omicron – VCS Gets Ready

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Updated on 13/12/2021

A note from Julie Farrow, CEO at Hunts Forum. She recently was contacted by the CCG regarding government announcement and the support VCS can offer with the vaccine role out.

 

Dear Colleagues

Following the announcement yesterday of the increase in vaccinations required to stem the wave of Omicron, I writing to you to ask you to ‘be ready’ for a potential call to support the vaccination effort. 

WHAT CAN VCS DO?

Now

CCG has put a call out for volunteers via the national Volunteer Scheme for more volunteers: https://nhsvolunteerresponders.org.uk/i-want-to-volunteer/volunteer-roles/steward-volunteer. Would you please promote this amongst your networks?

Moving forward

We are unsure if  the National Volunteer Scheme will meet demand.  It is prudent to ask VCS groups in Cambridgeshire to also think about what they can do to support either by signposting existing volunteers to NHS Responders or

  • Assessing your capacity to manage staff and volunteers
  • Identify staff and volunteers willing/able to help (marshalling, admin)
  • Identify staff and volunteers willing to become untrained vaccinators (need an enhanced DBS check and 2 days training)
  • Have your response ready – Yes we can help – No we don’t have capacity

Things are moving very quickly and there is genuine concern that health may come under pressure.

Please do watch out for more details as soon as I know more, I’ll be in touch.

Steward Volunteer (COVID-19 vaccinations)

Considering becoming a Steward Volunteer for NHS Volunteer Responders? Find out more about the responsibilities of the role and how to sign up.

Steward Volunteer (COVID-19 vaccinations)

Considering becoming a Steward Volunteer for NHS Volunteer Responders? Find out more about the responsibilities of the role and how to sign up.

 Take care

Julie