3VA

Blog

  • We’re hiring! Community Development Officer (Eastbourne)

    We’re hiring! Community Development Officer (Eastbourne)

    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

  • Vaccine hesitancy – small grants scheme

    Vaccine hesitancy – small grants scheme

    The NHS in Sussex is running a small grants scheme to improve uptake of the Covid-19 vaccine among groups with a lower than average uptake of the vaccination – these include (not exhaustively):

    • Ethnic minority and faith communities
    • People living in identified areas of deprivation
    • Young adults (18 and over)
    • Adults with a physical, learning or sensory impairment
    • The clinically vulnerable or those living with a long-term health need eg cancer patients and people with a mental health need.

    Applications are still welcome from voluntary and community sector organisations working with the above groups plus other communities with a lower than average take up of the Covid-19 vaccination. The maximum grant available is £5,000.

    How to apply

    Download an application form.

    The form should be completed and returned to Jaishree Dholakia at Jaishree.dholakia1@nhs.net by 31 July 2021.

  • Improving adult inpatient mental health services in East Sussex

    Improving adult inpatient mental health services in East Sussex

    East Sussex CCG and Sussex Partnership have just started a 12-week consultation about mental health inpatient beds in East Sussex.

    As part of a longer term plan, they are consulting on moving the Department of Psychiatry at Eastbourne Hospital to either Bexhill (preferred site) or Amberstone in Hailsham. The longer term vision is to move all inpatient services to one campus style site in order to provide integrated and joined up care.

    Further information and a digital consultation document can be viewed online.

    People can give feedback on the consultation in a number of ways:

    The team would be pleased to attend any community groups meeting face to face or online to talk about the plans.

    Online questionnaire

    Via an online questionnaire: please take time to read the consultation document before completing the questionnaire as it will provide you with the details of our proposals. It can be found in the useful documents section on the right side of the following page: yoursaysussexhealthandcare.uk.engagementhq.com/ris-es.

    Printed questionnaire

    Simply fill in the questionnaire included in the consultation document and post it using the freepost envelope provided. To request a copy of the document you can email your name and address to esxccg.eastsussex.mh@nhs.net or call 0300 304 0330. The questionnaire will be available in community languages and British Sign Language (BSL) and will be shared through interpreting service.

    Online and face-to-face engagement events

    Opinion Research Services (ORS) will be supporting East Sussex CCG and Sussex Partnership by undertaking some in-depth research with stakeholders, to complement the wider engagement. These will include three in-depth focus groups for mental health services users, and carers and family members of services users.

    The focus groups* will be taking place online via Zoom during the week of Monday 12 July to Friday 16 July.

    If you interested in taking part in one of these focus groups, please get in touch with ORS directly by emailing kara.stedman@ors.org.uk.

    *Please note that spaces at the focus groups will be limited, and a diverse group of people is being sought for each group, and to involve people from across the whole of East Sussex. This means that not everybody who expresses and interest in taking part in the focus groups will be able to.

    Invite a member of the programme team to your group

    By taking part in existing support groups or community meetings to which the Programme Team have been invited to present information and hear feedback about the consultation. If you are involved in a group with members who are interested in inpatient mental health services in East Sussex, and would like someone from the programme team to attend, please contact esxccg.eastsussex.mh@nhs.net or 0300 304 0330 to discuss options.

    Deaf BSL Users

    Deaf BSL users can share their views by using the free SignLive app that connects them to a qualified British Sign Language interpreter. More information about the SignLive service and when it is available can be found at www.eastsussexccg.nhs.uk/contact-us.

  • Get involved in Older People’s Day this October

    Get involved in Older People’s Day this October

    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.

  • 2023 Review of Parliamentary constituencies

    2023 Review of Parliamentary constituencies

    The Boundary Commission for England has published its initial proposals for new parliamentary constituency boundaries. The proposals increase the overall number of constituencies in England from 533 to 543 and aim to make them more equal in terms of the numbers of electors each constituency contains.

    In the 3VA area, some of the proposed changes include:

    • Eastbourne constituency would become known as the Eastbourne Borough Constituency and have some existing areas removed from the current make-up of the constituency including Jevington, Wannock and part of Willingdon. Source
    • Crowborough is currently in the Wealden constituency created in 1983 (made up of the towns of Crowborough, Uckfield, Hailsham and surrounding villages). The boundary of the Wealden parliamentary constituency differs from the boundary for the District Council (for example, Heathfield is in Wealden District but is part of the Bexhill & Battle parliamentary constituency). If the proposals go ahead this time, a new constituency called “Hailsham & Crowborough” would be formed (which includes Heathfield) with an electorate of 70,015. Under the changes, Uckfield would be paired with East Grinstead. Source
    • Lewes constituency would become known as the Lewes County Constituency and have new areas added such as Jevington, Wannock, part of Willingdon, Stone Cross and Hankham and existing ones removed from the current make-up of the constituency including Chailey, Barcombe & Hamsey, Ditchling & Westmeston, Newick, Plumpton, Streat, East Chiltington & St John, and Wivelsfield. Source

    For more information about the proposals, please read this Eastbourne Herald article.

    An eight-week consultation period is underway allowing residents to share their views on the plans. Go online at www.bcereviews.org.uk to view and comment on the proposals. Don’t miss out – contribute your local knowledge and have your say on what the new constituencies should be by 2 August 2021.

  • Free PPE for voluntary sector

    Free PPE for voluntary sector

    The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is offering free PPE (personal protective equipment) for use by voluntary sector organisations.

    You can express your interest in this free PPE by completing a short form with a few details and then a representative of DHSC will contact you to arrange delivery. Please note that the details you provide will only be passed to DHSC, and the PPE and the delivery are both free of charge.

    Full Support Healthcare has also committed to donate over £8 million worth of Type II face masks to charities, schools and good causes. If you represent a charity or good cause that would benefit from receiving a free donation of face masks, please contact Katie Mawston at kmawston@fullsupporthealthcare.com advising the following:

    • Charity/School/Cause Name:
    • Delivery Address:
    • Contact Name:
    • Contact Email & Telephone Number:
    • Number of cases required (1 case = 2,000 masks):
  • Life More Ordinary Grants

    Life More Ordinary Grants

    Applications are now welcome to this grant scheme funded by the East Sussex County Council Short Breaks for Children & Young People with Disabilities Service.

    About Life More Ordinary grants

    These grants are available to help young people aged from 8 to 21 to make new friends, enjoy social and leisure-time activities, take part in experiences and lead a ‘life more ordinary’! The scheme encourages organisations and projects to include young people who are disabled in their activities.

    Applications are especially welcomed from non-specialist groups, as well as those that already include young disabled people in their activities.

    • Grants for groups (3 or more) of young people who are disabled – aged 8 – 21 years.
    • Apply for any amount from up to £2,000 (funding is available for up to 90% of the total cost of your project)

    How to apply

    Download an application form.

    The closing date for receiving applications is Wednesday 30 June 2021 at 4:00 pm.

    Find out more

    If you have any queries or need help completing the application form , please contact:

    Brenda Lynn-Smith

    Phone: 01424 724150 | 01424 726031 | 07809 537555
    Email: brenda.smith@eastsussex.gov.uk

     

  • Coach Core Sports Apprenticeship

    Coach Core Sports Apprenticeship

    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.

  • Active Sussex Workforce Investment Fund Learning Event

    Active Sussex Workforce Investment Fund Learning Event

    Over the past 18 months, 3VA has been funded and supported by Active Sussex to partner with them on a project called ‘A Workforce To Get Sussex Active’. During this time we have also worked alongside similar projects that Active Sussex have funded with Active Hastings and Active Rother.

    As all three projects enter their third and final year, Active Sussex is running an online ‘Workforce Investment Fund’ learning event to share the impact and key learning from the projects. Participants will see presentations from the three delivery partners on how they have delivered the project in their area, the impact it has had locally, and the key learning from the project.

    Truly understanding, reflecting and representing the people who you are working with can be the difference between delivering a good project, and delivering a life-changing project. This event represents a fantastic opportunity to learn and innovate in your local area, and deliver placed-based initiatives which leave a meaningful mark on communities.

    So, if you are from a community group that would like to promote physical activity, a sports club, or from a local authority based in Eastbourne, Wealden or the Lewes District and want to be part of the drive to recover and reinvent following the COVID-19 pandemic, and you are interested in meeting the needs of different people in YOUR community, providing positive experiences of sport and physical activity for everyone…then we would love to tell you about some of the things we have been doing!

    Event details

    Active Sussex Workforce Investment Fund Learning Event
    Online
    Tuesday 29 June 2021
    10:00 am to 12 noon from
    Book now

  • 3 local organisations win 2021 Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service

    3 local organisations win 2021 Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service

    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