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As you may be aware, East Sussex Public Health is currently collaborating with partners across the system to find out more about how residents of East Sussex experience loneliness and how we might work better together to address this issue, thereby increasing community wellbeing.

So far local authorities, the NHS, the Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector and others have been involved in designing and developing the project – supported by Collaborate CIC.

Read a summary briefing which describes this work in more detail.

Could you help with this participatory research to find out about people’s experience of loneliness and connection?

A key part of this partnership approach to the project involves the participation of wide variety of staff (and volunteers) from the public and VCSE sectors in conducting and capturing brief conversations with residents with whom they are in contact – for example, as part of their existing day-to-day work activities.

What is needed

• Do you have team members who interact directly with residents? (this project is seeking to reach people of all ages and is particularly keen to hear from those in East Sussex most affected by loneliness – see page 3 of the briefing).
• Would you be able to ask some or all of them to ask 3-5 questions during the course of their normal interactions, and capture the responses?
• Are you able to release these people for 1-2 hours to take part in an online briefing session to take place in early September?

Any support you can provide to the project will be useful as part of our participatory research team. Even if you or your colleagues only have the capacity to engage with a handful of people, each contribution will help to build a picture of loneliness and connection across East Sussex.

How you will be helped:

• Collaborate CIC will provide an online briefing and support to help each ‘questioner’ to understand what they’re tasked to do and why, and training in the ‘appreciative enquiry’ mode of questioning
• You will receive a toolkit for the questioners to take away and refer to as necessary – including the questions to ask and a method for capturing the answers
• After the enquiry phase is complete all participating organisations will be invited to take part in workshops to understand what’s been heard and start to designing our response.

GET IN TOUCH NOW to take part and make sure the residents you work with are represented.

Please email jenni@collaboratecic.com  indicating the resources you have available to support the participatory research (ideally by Friday 27 August 2021 at the latest).

For example, you may wish to share:

• the number of staff/volunteers that could participate;
• the locations/settings/services within which they operate; and
• the broad demographics of people with whom they could engage (where possible)

Reducing Harm: ambitions for a healthier relationship with alcohol in East Sussex

East Sussex has a new multi-agency alcohol harm reduction strategy. This strategy has been developed with participation of over 20 local stakeholders across the county to address the complex problem of alcohol related harm using a systems approach. It sets out five ambitions to be achieved over the next five years:

• Ambition 1: reduce number of people drinking above Chief Medical Officers recommendation 14 units per week (risky drinking population)
• Ambition 2: improve access to treatment services for people who could be benefiting (reduce those who are dependent on alcohol and have unmet need from 84% to 75% by 2026).
• Ambition 3: reduce the 5,224 people who are dependent drinkers by a quarter to 4,000 by 2026
• Ambition 4: increase holistic support for parents and children, reducing number of children living with an alcohol dependent adult by 25% from 1,960 to 1,470 by 2026
• Ambition 5: reduce alcohol related harm in Hastings: Hospital admissions (narrow measure) to be similar to national average by 2026; Alcohol specific mortality in Hastings to be similar to the East Sussex average.

The latest data shows over of quarter of the 16+ population (around 120,000 people) in East Sussex are drinking at risky levels. In addition, over 5,000 local people are dependent on alcohol. A recent survey in East Sussex (summer 2020) identified that residents have been consuming more alcohol and drinking more often during lockdown.

The East Sussex Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy will be available on the East Sussex County Council website in August 2021. Partner organisations have already started work to implement the strategy and achieve the ambitions by 2026.

For more information contact Colin Brown: Colin.Brown@eastsussex.gov.uk.

We’re looking for a friendly, resourceful person to help us develop, facilitate and support the vibrant, dynamic and connected voluntary and community sector in Eastbourne.

In the role, you’ll be helping us developin, facilitate and support a vibrant, dynamic and connected voluntary and community sector in Eastbourne, building capacity in individuals and groups to support local activities and initiatives which benefit Eastbourne’s community.

The post holder will work as part of a team of Community Development Officers for Eastbourne, Wealden and Lewes District.

📍 Home-based / Eastbourne
⏰ Part-time
💷 £16,443.85 per annum
📆 Apply by Friday 23 July 2021

Find out more and apply

East Sussex Senior’s Association are pleased to advise that they are working hard to ensure a packed programme of events to celebrate national Older People’s Day on 1 October – events will take place throughout October across East Sussex. Last year, events had to move online only due to the pandemic but this year there will be a mix of in-person and online events to hopefully provide something for everyone.

In due course, details will be provided to let people know where to pick up a brochure of events or how to access the web version. In the meantime if you are a member of a club, society or association that might like to put on an event such as a talk, coffee morning, bowls demonstration, open garden. etc. for the over 50s please contact Sue Dunkley at sue.dunkley@eastsussex.gov.uk.

Coach Core is an apprenticeship programme targeting 16-24 year olds who are not in education or employment. It delivers an inclusive and impactful sports and activity coaching apprenticeship that develops the talents of young people and provides them with a range of vital skills for employment and life.

The apprenticeship is a 15-18 month position with an employer, working 30 hours a week. One day of that will be spent with the tutor, learning and preparing for the assessments. The rest of the time the apprentice will be working for the employer, providing community coaching and supporting the business. With this, and all the additional experiences and opportunities Coach Core offers, the young person not only has a qualification for their CV, but also a coaching portfolio and tangible work experience that gives them every chance of success once the programme finishes. Many Coach Core apprentices are offered full-time work by their employers at the end of their course, and 92% of our apprentices are in work or education 6 months after graduating.

The apprenticeship qualification on offer is the Community Activator Coach (a level 2) – the apprentices are trained and practiced at delivering sports provision at a community, grass-roots level. What that means is that the Coach Core programmes have an impact on more than just the apprentices – through the work they do, their communities get access to all the benefits that sport and physical activity offer: physical and mental health, positive role modelling and the social benefits.

The apprentice requirements are:

• Aged 16-24 when applying
• Availability for full-time employment 30 hours a week for 15-18 months
• Be available to attend a recruitment event (14th and 15th of July)
• Enthusiasm for teaching others and growing sport in your community
• Able to provide a reference. This can be an individual from your school, college, place of work or sports club

What we’re NOT looking for is anyone registered for further education, full-time employment or training. Sorry, but this isn’t the programme for you.

Interested in applying? Please complete the application form.

Have a look at the Apprentice FAQs and visit the Coach Core website for more information.

Congratulations to Medi Tech Trust and The WayfinderWoman Trust in Eastbourne and Sussex Pathways in Lewes – the three East Sussex-based winners of the 2021 Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service is the highest award given to charitable organisations. This year, it was awarded to 241 organisations across the UK.

Medi Tech Trust

Medi Tech Trust is a registered charity providing medical equipment and training for the community.

On receiving the award, the charity said:

“Medi Tech Trust is extremely proud to announce that our charity has been awarded this high honour. Throughout 2021 thousands of PPE items – face shields, masks, gloves and gowns – were sourced and donated to East Sussex NHS, care workers and the vulnerable. [We] also assisted in the distribution of face visors donated by two fraternal organisations to Sussex care homes and the hard of hearing. Two Community Initiatives already benefit 250,000 doctors’ patients in East Sussex – we’re aiming to double this number during the summer.”

Read the full statement

The WayfinderWoman Trust

WayfinderWoman, run by and for women, helps build self-confidence and skills for women who are facing disadvantage and support them in transforming their lives. In the 10 years since it was first conceived WayfinderWoman has helped approximately 900 women from across the UK with their free workshops, coaching and drop-in advice centre.

The founder and Chair, Laura Murphy said:

“I am so excited that our wonderful volunteers have been recognised by the Queen in this, Volunteer’s Week. They’ve each brought their skills and enthusiasm, working with unstinting commitment to help other women have better lives. They’ve built long lasting friendships as a result and had a lot of fun along the way.”

Read the full statement

Sussex Pathways

Sussex Pathways is a criminal justice charity based in Lewes, East Sussex. They work within prisons and communities with the aim of reducing offending behaviours and empowering ex-offenders to make positive life choices. Their team is comprised of staff, trustees, and volunteers. They work with offenders and victims of crime primarily within Sussex, but are able to facilitate out of area work when capacity allows.

Margaret Carey, MBE JP, Chair of the Trustee’s said:

“I am absolutely thrilled that the amazing work of our volunteers and staff has been recognised in this way. They show absolute dedication to the task of helping people to change the way they live in the community, and this benefits every one of us.”

Read the full statement

Now that the Census 2021 collection operation is coming to a close, the Office for National Statistics (ONS), who run the census in England and Wales, would like to take this opportunity to thank 3VA and the local voluntary & community sector for our contribution to its success.

The response to Census 2021 has exceeded all expectations with households across England and Wales making sure they count when it comes to local services like school places, GP surgeries and hospital beds.

As Jason Zawadzki, Deputy Director of 2021 Census Operations, acknowledged:

“I would like to thank you for your support over the last few months; it has been invaluable to us and contributed to the high response rates we have achieved. Your support in the lead-up to Census 2021 and in the period around Census Day has helped boost return rates. We’re committed to making sure that the census includes everybody, and your work with us has been a crucial part of the picture.”

What happens next?

ONS call the anonymised information it releases, census outputs. It plans to release the first set of census outputs to the public in spring 2022. More detailed outputs will be published over the following year. All of the information and analysis will be made available on a specially designed website.  Click this link to learn more about the progress and development of the Census 2021 outputs.

Thanks again for your invaluable support of Census 2021. Your efforts will help us produce outputs about your community and local area.

East Sussex County Council and People in Partnership are working together to explore how to improve the uptake of physical health checks for those registered with a severe mental illness.

Did you know that all GPs are expected to provide an annual physical health check for patients who are registered as having a severe or serious mental illness (SMI)? This is because people with SMI are more likely to experience poor health compared to the general population. The physical health check is important as it includes screening for common health issues as well as directing people towards different kinds of wellbeing support.

Join the Virtual Focus Group!

Monday 17 May 2021 from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm (via Google Meet)

The group will briefly discuss an invite letter (which we will send you upon confirmation of attendance). You will also be asked about what might prevent or encourage you to go to your annual physical health check.

Findings will be fed back to GP practices in Sussex, to help improve how they communicate with you and offer these health checks. Click here to check out the Padlet for further information!

The organisers would like this session to be as engaging and accessible as possible so please feel free to ask questions and take part in discussions! Notes will be taken through the session and participants will be asked to complete a brief consent form before taking part. The session may be recorded.

If you would like to take part or would like to know more, please contact Sara Candler at Sara.Candler@eastsussex.gov.uk.

‘A workforce to get Sussex active’ is a project focused on supporting physical activity providers in Newhaven Valley, Devonshire and Hailsham East to get more local residents physically active.

We asked all of the physical activity providers involved with the project what further training they would value most and two workshops stood out as being what most people wanted to do: Engaging Women & Girls and Inclusive Activity Programme. These workshops will take place in May and will be facilitated by experienced practitioners. All are welcome.

Engaging Women & Girls

Thursday 20 May 2021, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm

This online training workshop explains the sporting needs of young women and girls and defines the techniques for delivering successful sports programmes for young women. The workshop covers what works to both engage and retain female participants and includes case studies from projects that are successfully engaging females.

It will be delivered by Street Games and will equip participants with practical ideas on how to best engage women and girls in doorstep sport projects, sharing the latest insight from the Us Girls programme.

Find out more and register

Inclusive Activity Programme

Thursday 27 May 2021, 10:00 am to 12:30 pm

This online training workshop (although it’s titled ‘programme’ it is a single workshop) will equip you with the confidence and skills to engage and support disabled people and people with long-term health conditions in physical activity. It will be delivered by UK Coaching and Activity Alliance and funded through Sport England’s National Lottery fund.

Find out more and register

This project is not about income generation and we know that times continue (for all sorts of reasons) to be really hard right now. For that reason, we have decided to offer these training workshops free of charge and both workshops are being funded from the project’s limited training budget. All we are asking is that you make a deposit of £20 per workshop when booking your place which we will refund to you following your participation.

Following a lengthy recruitment process, 3VA’s Board of Trustees is delighted to announce that they have appointed John Williams as the new Chief Executive of 3VA.

Most recently the Chief Executive at Crawley Community Action, John has recent and relevant experience of the impact of Covid-19 on the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector. In Crawley he worked with local authorities and the NHS to put community action at the heart of the local pandemic response.

John also has hands on experience of the VCSE sector in his home town of Brighton, working both as a consultant providing change management advice and as a trustee for a start-up in Moulsecoomb. Previously, John was employed by the Workers Educational Association providing high quality education to disadvantaged communities across the UK to transform lives and increase social mobility.

Gary Walsh, Chair of 3VA’s Board of Trustees said:

“We are very much looking forward to John bringing his extensive experience to the role and progressing 3VA’s ambitious plans building on the fantastic work of former CEO Adam Chugg and all of the staff and volunteers of 3VA.”

John said:

“I’m delighted to be appointed Chief Executive at 3VA at a time when the community and voluntary sector have never been needed more. I’m looking forward to meeting the team and all 3VA’s partners across East Sussex and working collaboratively to deliver support and resources to our communities.”

The Board of Trustees would like to thank Jenny Watson and Miriam Wilkinson for stepping in as Interim Chief Executive and to acknowledge the role played by those staff who worked differently to secure consistency and continuity at 3VA over this period.