Find support services available

Find support services available

As well as CVSF, a number of other organisations provide support to community groups and charities, and we are often asked about these different services. The following FAQs should provide you with lots of answers to the most commonly asked questions.

 

I’d like to do some voluntary work, where can I find out more? I’m also looking for a volunteer, who might be able to help my organisation?

Where can I get advice about running or developing our organisation?

There are lots of organisations in the city who provide information on a range of useful subjects.

  • Information sheets on different aspects of running an organisation are available from the Resource Centre online at www.resourcecentre.org.uk/information or call (01273) 606160.
  • Business Community Partnership brokers free professional advice and support through their Skills Exchange scheme. (01273) 810276 or http://www.bhbcp.org.uk/
  • Impetus offers a Performance Development Service which provides  organisational development, business planning and management support to voluntary sector organisations that employ staff, including organisation health checks, policy and procedure development, monitoring, finance systems, governance, human resources and management advice, interim management and problem solving. They can be contacted on (01273) 229381 or see http://www.bh-impetus.org/performance_development_service/index.php
  • The Community University Partnership Programme (CUPP) Research Helpdesk gives advice and support to organisations on research issues. See http://www.brighton.ac.uk/cupp for more details or contact the Helpdesk on (01273) 643229.
  • Support for Groups - a website for community and voluntary organisations looking for support in everything from fundraising to monitoring and evaluation http://www.supportforgroups.org.uk/

Where can I find more general information about Brighton and Hove?

  • ESCIS (East Sussex Community Information Service) is database of almost 8000 local and community organisations in East Sussex, Brighton and Hove. See http://www.escis.org.uk
  • As a source of local information the most direct replacement is BH Local Information Service http://www.bhlis.org/  
  • Lots of links to local health information can be found at www.ipbh.org.uk, a site run by the Primary Care Trust
  • Active for Life is a project jointly funded by Sport England, Brighton & Hove City Teaching Primary Care Trust and Brighton & Hove City Council to get more people, more active, more often in Brighton & Hove. See http://www.activeforlife.org.uk/index.html or call (01273) 292724.
  • www.safeinthecity.net is the community safety website for Brighton and Hove. If you want support with community safety matters, or to speak to staff trained to deal with hate crime, either go to their website for more details on contact the hotline on (01273) 294646.
  • The Coast to Capital mission is to provide joint public and private sector leadership to drive sustainable private sector led growth and job creation across an area reaching from Brighton & Hove to Croydon and including the Gatwick Diamond and West Sussex.  They do this by boosting enterprise and embedding an even stronger enterprise culture.
  • Information about waste collections, recycling, graffiti, drug litter and fly-tipping is available at www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/cityclean, or call (01273) 292929.

Now I know where to find general information and information on running a group, but how do I find out about practical things like getting printing done or hiring a meeting room?

  • There are lots of different sources of help in Brighton and Hove. The Resource Centre offers a range of help aimed at smaller groups, including printing, photocopying and equipment hire as well as providing access to computers. See www.resourcecentre.org.uk or call (01273) 606160.
  • There are hundreds of rooms available for groups to hire. Sizes, prices, facilities and accessibility vary widely but good on-line sources of information include Venue Search at http://www.communitybase.org/venuesearch/search.asp. There is also the useful Community Buildings Network website at www.communitybuildings.org.uk.

How can I get Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Checks done?

  • Safety Net is registered with the CRB as an umbrella body to countersignapplications on behalf of others who are not registered. Safety Net will accept applications from voluntary, and community organisations within Brighton & Hove, East and West Sussex that do not wish to register in their own right. http://www.safety-net.org.uk/

What sort of training is available to people running community groups?

  • The Working Together Project provides training for community groups in Brighton and Hove and across Sussex, on a wide range of subjects. You can see their latest training programme on their website at www.workingtogetherproject.org.uk, or phone (01273) 810248 for more details.
  • SCIP, the Sussex Community Internet Project provide a range of IT training courses, the details of which can be found on their website at www.scip.org.uk, or by phoning (01273) 234049.
  • Community Development Training is available through The Trust for Developing Communities, who can be contacted on (01273) 262210 http://www.trustdevcom.org.uk/training

And what about funding help?

  • The Resource Centre has some details about selected funders that have proved useful to local groups in Brighton and Hove. You can find out more here http://www.resourcecentre.org.uk/funders or by phoning them on (01273) 606160.
  • The Impetus Performance Development Service can provide advice on developing a funding strategy and can carry out bid writing on a paid for basis. http://www.bh-impetus.org/performance_development_service/index.php
  • Brighton and Hove City Council’s Community and Equality Team also offer support to community and voluntary sector groups and organisations. You can use their grant-finder software if you contact them.  The team also administers other sources of community development monies and Council grants. They can be contacted on (01273) 810230 or by email at communitiesteam@brighton-hove.gov.uk or visit http://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/index.cfm?request=b1000039
  • Novas Scarman provides small grants and development support to community groups in Brighton and Hove. We have;

CanDoNet.works: (CDNW): Promotes peer to peer support focusing on what communities Can Do and hence helping to build social capitol and resilient communities. Contact Cynthia Marin for further information on 01273 234854

Children Can Do: is an innovative support and micro funding programme which works with children and young people aged 8 - 13 years who live in Brighton & Hove. The programme is usually focused on new, or small, community groups who work with children with greater needs and fewer chances. Contact Sue Barnes for further information on 01273 234856

Can Do Health: is a funding scheme that is primarily for small and emerging community groups in Brighton and Hove, whose activities are intended to have a positive impact on communities Health and Well Being. Contact Nora Mzaoui for further information on 01273 234014

For more information about Novas Scarman look at their website at www.novasscarman.org.

How do I publicise my group and its activities?

  • You can always send information to CVSF to publicise in its ezine or on its email discussion list. Send it to laura@cvsectorforum.org.uk.
  • If you have leaflets that you would like to distribute, The Working Together Project may be able to include them in their occasional mailings, for a small charge. Contact them on (01273) 810248 for more information.
  • The SCIP email list has 1,000 members and has been running since 1998. It is open to anyone interested in the local community across Sussex and is a great place to share news or ask for help. Join the list for free at www.scip.org.uk/sciplist
  • There are lots of community newsletters and magazines across Brighton and Hove, taking and publishing a range of information, some with advertising space to sell, some without. To find out who they are and what they do, visit the CVSF’s website at www.cvsectorforum.org.uk
  • Community Base’s reception has leaflets and posters on groups and events and you can take information in for display or send your information to them http://www.communitybase.org/reception/

I’d like to get more involved in my neighbourhood. Do you have any suggestions?

Brighton and Hove is a city made up of many individual neighbourhoods, many of which have a neighbourhood forum or Local Action Team. For more information and contacts for getting involved please visit:



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