Find support with

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 about local opportunities?

You can find out more using these organisations below:

Volunteer Centre (01273) 737888

Brighton and Hove Volunteer Search (01273) 234000

Skills Exchange (01273) 810230

Active Student (01273) 644145

It's Local, Actually (01273) 296747

 

I’m 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, or call (01273) 606160.
  • The Money in Mind project offers free one-to-one support with managing money and budgeting, for community groups in Brighton & Hove with an annual income of £35,000 or below.
  • Skills Exchange brokers free professional advice and support. (01273) 810238.
  • CVSF hosts a monthly drop in where you can ask questions about our services, get support and advice to connect you with other partners around the city. Please call 01273 810230 for more information.
  • 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. 
  • The Community University Partnership Programme (CUPP) Research Helpdesk gives advice and support to organisations on research issues. Contact the Helpdesk on (01273) 643229.

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. 
  • The most direct source for local information is BH Local Information Service
  • Lots of links to local health information can be found at Information Precriptions, a site run by the City Council
  • It's Local, Actually has information about the community and voluntary sector in Brighton & Hove and news of upcoming events and opportunities.
  • 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. Call (01273) 292724.
  • Safe In The City 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 online, or by phone on 01273) 292929.
  • CVSF publishes a weekly newsletter called Dialogue which features news about Brighton & Hove. Sign up here.

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. 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. There is also the useful Community Buildings Network.

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

  • On 1 December 2012 the Criminal Records Bureau and Independent Safeguarding Authority merged to become the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Information about what the DBS does is available on the Home Office website. If you have been asked to apply for a DBS check, you can find further information about the process and what you need to do on the GOV.UK website

  • Safety Net is registered as an umbrella body to countersign applications 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. 

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

  • In partnership with the TDC, CVSF are now running a programme of subsidised training events for the Community and Voluntary Sector. See the training page for upcoming courses or email training@cvsectorforum.org.uk 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, or by phoning (01273) 234049.
  • The Trust for Developing Communities run Community Engagement training, accredited Working in Community Organisations (WICO) and Free Community training (in partnership with CVSF) telephone number (01273) 262220.
  • Voluntary Sector practitioner training is also available from Brighton Housing Trust.
  • SafetyNet offers regular training to voluntary and community sector groups in child protection.
  • The Hangleton & Knoll Project offers free and low cost training to residents and community and voluntary sector groups operating in the Hangleton and Knoll area. You can find a leaflet on their website here or call Lulu on 881446 for more information.
  • Local training from British Red Cross is available on their website here.
  • The Resource Centre can offer additional training support to some groups. 

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 or by phoning them on (01273) 606160. Some groups can also get one-to-one help with fundraising from the Resource Centre – see their website for details.
  • The Impetus Performance Development Service can provide advice on developing a funding strategy and can carry out bid writing on a paid for basis.
  • 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.
  • CVSF produces a weekly email newsletter called Dialogue for its members, which often has information about new grants and funding streams.

How do I publicise my group and its activities?

  • You can always send information to CVSF to publicise in its weekly newsletter or on its email discussion list. Send it to laura@cvsectorforum.org.uk.
  • The Resource Centre has list of local media contacts.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.

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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