If you are a charitable organisation in your first year of operation, or with an annual income of less than £250,000, you could benefit from one of the 2,650 grants of £500 up for grabs via Local Giving's Magic Little Grants 2022 programme. Working with the People's Postcode Lottery, Local Giving is offering charitable organisations the chance to apply for funding that can be used to launch new projects, support existing ones, or cover core costs associated with ongoing work. The funding provides the opportunity for charities to develop projects around any of the following themes: Improving mental wellbeing Enabling community participation in the arts Preventing or reducing the impact of poverty Supporting marginalised groups and promoting equality Improving biodiversity and green spaces Enabling participation in physical activity Responding to the climate emergency and promoting sustainability Increasing community access to outdoor space Schools that are registered as charities are able to apply, and applications can only be made once for the 2022 grant by any one group. If you have been awarded a Magic Little Grant in previous years, you will need to have completed and returned your monitoring forms for those years before you can receive another grant. For the 2019 monitoring form, click here. For the 2020 monitoring form, click here. For the 2021 monitoring form, click here. It only takes 15 minutes to apply and if successful, you’ll receive funding within six weeks. Click here to find out more and apply!

16th March is Young Carers Action Day and The Carers’ Centre are inviting 3SG members to join them and take action for young people who are looking after their siblings, parents and other family members. Young carers supported by The Carers’ Centre often speak of how vital it can be for them to feel recognised, heard and connected to others. Listening to their experiences, the Centre has released a short video detailing the 3 key tips young carers want those working with children and young people to hear. We would encourage all members of 3SG to watch and share this video so that we can start to get young carers the support they deserve. Caring is a lot for young people take on and can mean they miss out on the things that most kids do like seeing friends and regularly going to school. National research out today shows an alarming lack of support, coupled with a dramatic rise in time spent caring, is leaving thousands of young carers feeling ‘lonely’, ‘exhausted’, ‘worried’, ‘burned out’ and ‘stressed’. Key findings from the Carers Trust survey*, show: More than half (53%) of young carers and young adult carers said the amount of time they spend caring per week had increased in the past year At least a third of respondents said their caring role resulted in them either ‘always’ or ‘usually’ feeling ‘worried’ (36%), ‘lonely’ (33%) or ‘stressed’ (42%) The pandemic continues to negatively impact the lives of young carers and young adult carers. 59% said they felt more stressed and 47% reported they felt less connected to others as a result of the pandemic Becca, a young carer in Bath and North East Somerset, said: “Loneliness for a young carer is thinking you are the only one like you and none of your friends will understand. You feel like you’re trapped in a box.” Please watch our video and share the tips included so we can get young carers the support they need this #YCAD2022. *Link to full Carers Trust Survey can be found here

Local charity, BaNES Third Sector Group (3SG) in partnership with Citizens Advice are hosting a series of ‘Spotting Fuel Poverty’ workshops in March and April for charities in Bath and North East Somerset which support local residents hit hardest by rising heating and energy prices. According to charity, National Energy Action (NEA) the energy price cap rising by over 50% from 1st April 2022 will push over six million people into fuel poverty due to an average increase in energy costs of almost £700 per year. In Bath, many families, individuals and older people are already feeling the pinch and struggling to heat their homes. The Spotting Fuel Poverty workshops are aimed at helping charities and community groups identify who among their beneficiaries may be in fuel poverty and how they can offer help with benefits, grants and energy saving advice. Each workshop will focus on the following topics; How do you recognise if someone is in fuel poverty? How can people save money while staying warm and healthy? How can people find their way through the maze of financial help available? The workshops will be held on three dates, two in-person events including a buffet and drinks and one online event: 5.30-7.30pm Thu 17th March (register here) - held at 3SG, Fairfield House (BA1 3QJ) 2-4pm Tue 29th March (register here) - online event 12-2pm Tue 12th April (register here) - held at 3SG, Fairfield House (BA1 3QJ) The workshops are free to attend and funded by Western Power Distribution’s Community Matters fund for combating fuel poverty in the South West of England. You can register at: www.bit.ly/3sg-fuel Local charity, 3SG, is an independent membership network representing over 170 local charities, social enterprises and community groups in the Bath and North East Somerset area. 3SG provides training, advice, support and networking events as well as one-to-one consulting. Miles Lloyd, Co-ordinator at BANES 3rd Sector Group (3SG) commented: “Current energy price rises are a daunting prospect for everyone but fuel poverty can mean genuine hardship for those in our community who can’t afford to heat their homes or even cook hot food. We hope by bringing together local charities at these workshops, we can help to reach more residents in the community who are showing signs of fuel poverty and in turn provide practical advice on sources of financial aid and energy saving tips.” Sian Francis, Research and Campaigns Manager at Citizens Advice, Bath and North East Somerset commented: “We are receiving a huge increase in enquiries from people worried about how to fund the 50% rise in electricity and gas prices from 1st April. Some low-income families, individuals and older people are shockingly faced with choosing between heating and eating. As the cost of heating and cooking rises many people on a low income will have to spend at least 40% of their benefits on energy costs which leaves less money to buy food and other necessities with no increase in income to fund it. These workshops couldn’t be more timely, if we don’t act now as a community to support people facing fuel poverty there’s a high risk of illegal loan sharks targeting financially vulnerable people with tempting but unsustainable loans.” To find out more about the Spotting Fuel Poverty workshops visit www.bit.ly/3sg-fuel or for other 3SG events supporting local charities visit https://www.3sg.org.uk/eventpage or email contact@3sg.org.uk

The Student Union at the Dartmouth Avenue has many different spaces for local charities and organisations to use for student volunteering events. See the Dartmouth Avenue (thesubath.com) webpage for full information about the space and view the brochure here. How do I run an event at Dartmouth? Email volunteers@bath.ac.uk with details of what you would like to run, and when, and we’ll help you set it up. What kind of events can be held at Dartmouth? The University is keen to use this space for student volunteering activities that involve local groups and benefit the community. For example, training or information events, art initiatives, gardening projects, or Easter/Christmas card making sessions. All ideas are considered so do get in touch to discuss. Please note that the event, session or project will need to involve students in order to be delivered at the venue What facilities can we use on site? Are there any costs to hire equipment? Equipment can be used free of charge. Please let us know of any equipment you’d like to use in advance so it can be reserved for you. Tables and chairs - There are a number of desks, soft and hard chairs and smaller coffee style tables, which can be moved around to suit your event. Wifi – There is Wifi on site which doesn't require a password. To use: Open the Wi-Fi settings on your device Select 'WiFi Guest' from the list Once you are connected, open your web browser and refresh the page. Your browser may open automatically Select your authentication method to continue Poster boards - There are clip frame poster boards available, plus posters can be put up with blue tack on the glass doors and back walls of rooms. Please ensure these are carefully removed at the end of your event. Projector - There is one projector on site with a HDMI cable to connect to a laptop. Flip charts - There are no flip charts, however there is a large white board on wheels with pens which can also be easily transported and put into place anywhere on site. Kettles - There are 3 kettles on site available for use. What would we need to bring with us? Food and drink – Currently there are not food or drink outlets at Dartmouth (apart from a snacks vending machine and a hot drinks vending machine) so all would have to be brought in. Crockery and cutlery – There is a very limited amount of crockery and cutlery (e.g. half a dozen teaspoons), which you can use but you might wish to bring in your own to ensure you have enough for your event. Materials for your event – pens, paper, blue tack, etc. Is there anything we can’t use? The Combat sports and Cue Sports areas are unable to be used as all equipment in there is owned by the University clubs/societies. Should you wish to discuss doing a collaborative activity with one of the University clubs, email susocieties@bath.ac.uk Do we need insurance to run an event? All activities run by the SU are covered by the SU’s insurance, hence another reason why we ask for partners to involve our students in the planning and/or delivery of events. Do we need to do a risk assessment? Yes. All risk assessments are done by the Student Union so the Volunteer team will work with you on this. Do we need to send you our Volunteer Policy, Health & Safety Policy and any insurance documentation ahead of the event? For the majority of events you will not need to do this as the events will be involving students in some way so will therefore be covered by the SU or University policies. We will let you know if you need to send any other documentation, dependent on the event. What are parking arrangements? There are 14 car parking spaces, plus 2 disabled spaces. Reception staff can print out visitors parking passes which must be displayed in the car windscreen. What accessibility is there on site? The site is fully accessible. The main building, boxing studio, store building and scout hut are on ground level and accessible to wheelchair users via ramps. The dance and yoga studio are accessible by stairs or a lift. Can we invite members of the public to our events? Yes if there is a group of named, invited people to be there with the student volunteers. General ‘open to the public’ events are not allowed. Can we bring alcohol onto the premises? Dartmouth is an alcohol-free site. However, if an event has a small amount of alcohol present (i.e. a small glass of prosecco on entry), it may be permitted on a case by case basis. Can we use the space for hot desking? There are some hot desks available which can be used on the same day as any events you are running. Please request this when planning your event so a desk can be reserved. Can activities continue in the holidays without students? Yes, if it’s part of an established set of events. It may be that some students are able to help in the holidays as many stay in Bath outside term time. Find out more here.

The West of England Sustainable Technologies Scale Up Programme is offering sustainable business support for CIC's, via a three year programme funded through the European Regional Development Fund and delivered by the global No.1 business incubator SETsquared Partnership in partnership with the University of Bath. There are two strands of support available, which include a 12-hour government-funded business support and/or academic research support from experts at the University of Bath. The programme is open to all organisations exploring ways to be more sustainable in operating in any sector. There is a criteria of needs to meet for your organisation to be accepted onto the programme. To be considered for support, the organisation needs to be a registered Limited Company or Community Interest Company either in Bath & North-East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset, or South Gloucestershire region. To find out more, register your interest, and to read examples of organisations who have benefited from the programme, click here.

In partnership with The Business Exchange the Charity Conference & Expo is back for 2022. The event will be returning to Bath Racecourse on Thursday 19th May. The day will provide opportunities for local businesses, charities, and not-for-profits, to connect, share learnings and growth with far reaching benefits to our surrounding communities. Our last expo took place in early February 2020, just before the pandemic hit. Following its success in 2020, we are excited to be looking forward to hosting the Charity Conference & Expo once more for 2022. In 2020, there were over 600 sign-ups to various parts of the day which included a networking breakfast, expo and eight educational seminars. The day created a real buzz with lots of new connections made and a real hunger for growth and collaboration, little did we know at the time what was going to happen next and the challenges ahead. Through the lockdowns, The Business Exchange worked with the event’s sponsors accountants and business advisors Milsted Langdon and Stone King law to keep the community connected, hosting a week-long digital conference in 2021 and Reward an awards scheme hosted at the end of 2020 to champion the hard work and resilience of the Third Sector – one of those most effected by the pandemic. In early January 2022, James Carlin BEM, Founder of B&NES 3SG, approached Anita Jaynes, Founder of The Business Exchange to see if a charity conference and expo was in the running for this year. After several cups of coffee a plan was hatched to work in partnership to take the event to the next level and really help the not-for-profit community in its recovery as we emerge from the pandemic. Anita Jaynes, The Business Exchange, said, “Working in partnership with 3SG is a real opportunity to connect more charities, not-for-profits and local businesses than ever before. The community is desperate to get back out there, meet new people, forge new relationships and take organisations to the next level. The Business Exchange Charity Conference & Expo in partnership with 3SG is designed to do just that. The day will be jammed pack with opportunities to learn and be inspired by others success stories.” James Carlin BEM, Founder, B&NES 3SG, added, “We are really excited to be working with The Business Exchange to put on our first large scale event for more than two years. We have lined up a great mix of speakers to inform and inspire plus there will be plenty of networking opportunities throughout the event.” THE DAY’S SCHEDULE Networking Breakfast The 2022 conference will begin on Thursday 19th May with a networking breakfast at 8:30am for 100 delegates. Attendees will hear from guest speaker Hamish Evans, Co-Founder of Community Interest Company, Middle Ground Growers who will share his experience of running a successful crowdfunding campaign raising over £96,000 with 545 supporters in just 69 days, enabling them to build an ecological farm for Bath. The Expo At 10am the expo will open to visitors with over 35 exhibitors set to take stands from the not-for-profit sector and those who provide services to support it. The expo is free to attend, but delegates must register their attendance. Charity/ Third Sector exhibition stands are priced at £60 and business stands are £120. Seminar Sessions There are a number of seminar sessions planned for the day including: Charities Vital Signs Report with Quartet Community Foundation Volunteering opportunities in B&NES with 3SG Social Media Workshop with Naturally Social Becoming a B Corp ESG (Environmental Social and Governance) with Transform ESG Digital Transformation with Digital Wonderlab Finance FAQs with Milsted Langdon Further details and more seminar sessions will be added to the day’s agenda in the coming weeks. All seminars are free to attend thanks to the support of our sponsors, but registration is essential. Tickets are bookable via Eventbrite. For specific questions around the conference and expo please email: press@tbesw.co.uk or call: 01225 300043.

A new in-depth article by The Catalyst provides a useful introduction to data and data science, and highlights the benefits of utilising your organisation's data to increase efficiency and streamline your work within the third sector, and ultimately get the most out of the information you have. Charities can collect vast amounts of data daily, but knowing what to do with it and how to analyse it to benefit your organisation is another matter. You can start to harness the power of your data to boost your organisations goals by exploring their article here. The article covers the different types of data, how to gather and analyse data and then utilise findings appropriately to improve service, alongside case studies of real charities utilising data effectively. Read the full article here

There are an estimated 1.5 million households and individuals in the UK who do not have digital access. This divide can severely disadvantage those not connected, increasing health inequalities as well as social isolation. To help alleviate this, there are currently two separate offers which may be of interest to those who are currently not able to take advantage of internet connectivity due to financial constraints. The first offer is from Vodafone, who are aiming to connect up to one million users by the end of 2022 by offering free SIM cards and data via UK charities. Details can be found: https://www.vodafone.co.uk/mobile/everyone-connected/charities-connected. This offer together with support for learning how to use the internet safely and effectively will help support disadvantaged individuals have more choice and control to access information and services as well as being able to keep in touch with others. A separate offer comes from Hubbub with Virgin Media O2, who is launching a £400,000 fund to make tablets and free data available to community organisations across the UK. The fund is exclusively supporting organisations such as local authorities, charities and social enterprises who work closely with temporary accommodation services, such as centres for refugees, housing for those at risk of homelessness or women’s refuges. Details of this offer can be found here: https://www.techlendingcommunityfund.co.uk/

Could it be beneficial for you to know more about problematic gambling harm? GamCare offers free 90 minute webinars online, and CPD accredited training, funded by the National Gambling Commission. Currently over 0.5% of our population are considered problem gamblers and 7% of the population of the UK are negatively affected by gambling, which is one in 12 people either directly or indirectly affected by gambling-related harms. As a quick overview, this free CPD accredited webinar will look at signs of problematic gambling for women predominately, as often women don’t talk about gambling. They will discuss those most at risk and affected, how others are affected by problematic gambling by someone else in the home and also provide signposting to all of GamCare's free services. GamCare is the leading charity in the UK helping people with problematic gambling or experiencing gambling harms for over 30 years, best known for the National Gambling Helpline. They are currently delivering sessions to all UK professionals across all public sector groups and charities. Please see dates below. 8th April at 10am 12th April at 2pm 13th April 10am 20th April at 10am 26th April at 10am 5th May at 2pm 11th May at 1.30pm 12th May at 10.30am 16th May at 9.30am 18th May at 2pm 25th May at 9.30am 26th May at 9.30am The zoom webinar is informal and relaxed. If you would like more information, or to book your place, please email Clare.Leakey@gamcare.org.uk. Clare is also available to attend your networking events or team meetings, and deliver a mini session based on your needs if that is easier for you and the team. There are also sessions on young people/adults gaming and gambling available.

Want to help challenge ageism in physical activity? Researchers at the University of Bath are inviting local people aged 60 and over - and their friends and families - to come forward to help with a new project to challenge negative stereotypes about growing older and tackle ageism in physical activity. They want to recruit members of the public to help to create short, entertaining video-clips that give a different perspective, spark conversations, and make people stop and rethink what we see as normal for older adults when it comes to keeping active, and promote inclusivity. The aim is to show people working in the physical activity industry what is holding older users back, or putting them off, and convince them to be more age inclusive. No filming experience is necessary - just willingness to get involved and be creative! All generations are welcome and participants will be paid for their time. They are holding an online session to learn more about the project today, 22nd February at 6pm, as well as an in-person session at Bath City Football Club on 26th February at 9am. Learn more here: https://www.facebook.com/filmactiveproject. To sign up to the events or leave your email address for someone to get in touch with you, go to https://bathreg.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/film-active-project. If you have any questions about it, please contact Ella Burfitt at emb82@bath.ac.uk or 01225 384387

With the job market in the third sector being so competitive and the cost of living increasing, this may be the time to review the salary you’re offering. To help support employers, Charity Job has a brand new salary checker tool to benchmark your offer. This will give you a typical range, based on advertised roles in the last twelve months. You also need to consider the size of your charity and the current state of the jobs market and the economy. You may need to look at the highest end of the range for certain roles that are currently in the most demand, such as fundraisers. To use this tool, you'll need a Charity Job account* (it's free) and then follow this link: https://www.charityjob.co.uk/recruitertool/salarychecker With nearly half of charities reporting hard to fill positions, if you’re currently hiring, you may also want to check out this handy article on 'How to Attract More Job Applicants in the Current Market'. *If you're unable to create a Charity Job account then please email miles@3sg.org.uk

Do you work with or support families, young people, SEND families and parent carers or adults needing care or support? You’ll find lots of information on Live Well B&NES. As well as providing information, signposting and support to discrete groups of people, Live Well B&NES is also a tool that can be used by organisations and groups to support the people with whom they are working. Live Well B&NES also has a handy ‘My favourites’ facility where people can bookmark organisations, support and resources relevant to their needs. Live Well B&NES provides, in a single place, Bath & North East Somerset’s SEND Local Offer, Universal/early help family information and information and signposting for adults needing care or support. The resource complies with legislation, including the Care Act 2014 (information and advice duty), SEND Code of Practice and the Childcare Act 2006. Services, organisations and groups can self-register for free, quickly and easily. The resource is complemented by Live Well B&NES Facebook, where a range of news, activities and information is shared. Our Youth Info. Instagram account shares a wealth of information aimed at young people. Find out more: https://livewell.bathnes.gov.uk/ www.facebook.com/livewellbathnes www.instagram.com/Youth_Info_Bathnes Contact the team anytime: Livewell@bathnes.gov.uk

This week we reveal the results of our 2021-22 Annual Survey of the Third Sector in Bath and North East Somerset (BaNES) which has been published for the second year running. The findings give a clear insight into the challenges facing local charities and other non-profit organisations in the year ahead. In comparison to last year’s results this survey shows some positive signs emerging in the third sector but the dominant challenges are funding issues, the ongoing impact of Covid-19, demand for services exceeding capacity and concerns over staff wellbeing. The survey was conducted between October and November 2021 among 800 readers of the 3SG newsletter who were sent an online questionnaire. The majority of organisations which responded came from our 170 member charities, social enterprises and non-profit organisations. Each organisation submitted a single response to the survey to avoid duplication and this year 97 organisations responded to the survey compared to 72 in 2020. BaNES 3rd Sector Group, (3SG) is an independent, membership network representing over 170 local charities, social enterprises and community groups in the Bath and North East Somerset area and provides them with training, support, networking opportunities and one-to-one consulting services. We also work with a wide variety of stakeholders including local businesses, healthcare organisations, local authorities and civic bodies. The findings of 3SG’s survey highlighted six key areas of concern for the third sector in BaNES: Long-term funding & financial viability – 90% of respondents are worried about finding sustainable, long-term funding opportunities. 65% of organisations are concerned about their current financial viability, down from 74% in 2020. Over 77% of respondents were forced to seek new income streams in 2021 due to the pandemic and grants and trusts were listed as the top source of new income by 69% of organisations compared to 58% in 2020. Other sources of new income came from individual fundraising 32%, community fundraising 29%, philanthropy 27%, trading 21% and statutory funding 20%. Staff wellbeing – 84% of organisations are concerned about the wellbeing of their staff after the roller coaster of the pandemic and dealing with heavy workloads, fatigue, uncertainty and recruitment challenges. Impact of Covid-19 – 54% of organisations have been unable to re-open all of their pre-pandemic services leading to a lack of access to support services and activities in the community. Unmet demand for services – 46% of organisations are currently working at 100% capacity or over, up from 32% in 2020. The biggest unmet needs of charity beneficiaries included mental health needs, isolation, loneliness and getting access to support. Reasons given for this unmet need included funding problems, lack of volunteers and the impact of COVID restrictions. Volunteer Recruitment – 48% of organisations have difficulty recruiting volunteers up from 38% last year as many volunteers have stepped down due to the risks of Covid-19. Retaining volunteers is slightly less difficult than last year down to 37% from 45% in 2020. Using Reserves – 41% of organisations have three months or less of expenditure in their reserves. 33% of organisations are using their financial reserves to cover core costs up from 25% last year. Positive signs for 2022: Collaboration - 97% viewed collaboration as a positive and 77% of organisations are willing to collaborate more in 2022 with partners across BaNES such as church groups, businesses and universities. 53% of organisations collaborated with five or more third sector partners in 2021. Working Pattern changes – surprisingly the majority of organisations, 56%, were either not very or not at all concerned about changes to work patterns so it appears that the gradual return to hybrid or office working as well as a rise in home working hasn’t presented major difficulties for organisations. Only 30% stated work pattern changes as a moderate worry. Team Morale - Over half of organisations, 56%, felt that their team morale was good but 30% felt team morale was only fair. Next 12 months - 57% of respondents personally felt positive or fine about the next 12 months with 36% feeling worried. James Carlin BEM, Director at BaNES 3rd Sector Group (3SG) commented: “Our thanks to all the 3SG members and other local organisations who took part in this Annual Survey. It has given us a deeper understanding of the issues facing third sector organisations and despite some glimpses of optimism, these results show a clear and ongoing crisis of unmet needs in the community and charities in need of financial support. In light of the survey results I hope the wider community of BaNES will come together to support local charities as much as possible as they fight to recover from the pandemic by attending their fundraising events, making donations or giving time either by working in a charity job or as a volunteer.” Kate Morton, CEO of Bath Mind and Chair of 3SG’s Board of Trustees said: “3SG’s survey is unique in our region and is a powerful barometer of the challenges and ambitions of the BaNES third sector in 2021-22. This year’s results show that funding issues, Covid-19 restrictions, high demand, limited capacity, staff wellbeing and volunteer recruitment remain challenging. Mental health also continues to be a major unmet need across the BaNES community along with isolation, loneliness and access to services. However, it is good news to see that collaboration is on the rise between charities which will facilitate the sharing of limited resources to help local communities.” Claire Wynne Hughes, Philanthropy Executive for B&NES at Quartet Community Foundation said: “This timely report reveals the pressures so many organisations are under as they support local communities in Bath & North East Somerset through these challenging times. But it also reveals their flexibility and willingness to collaborate to best serve their communities. At Quartet we’re witnessing strong demand for our grants, which mirrors the report’s findings about the current role of grants and trusts as a vital funding source. It’s a cause for concern that so many organisations are running at full capacity and are concerned about long term funding. We all want to see a strong local community and voluntary sector, able to adapt and survive whatever the challenges.” To join 3SG or find out about how it supports charities and third sector organisations with training, advice, support and networking events visit www.3sg.org.uk or sign up for the 3SG newsletter http://bit.ly/3SG-newsletter. To find out about support for local residents in Bath and North East Somerset visit www.communitywellbeinghub.co.uk.

3SG, as with many other charities, social enterprises and community groups, has managed many challenges over the past two years. We have worked collaboratively with our members and mobilised a significant volunteer service in response to the pandemic, increasing our support to organisations, helping to make a real difference to our communities in BaNES. Our priority going forward is to ensure we are in a strong financial position in order to continue to have an impact locally, be a strong voice for our members delivering infrastructure support, and be at the forefront of the changing health and care landscape as we move into the Integrated Care System (ICS). We are also managing changes to our leadership. At the end of April 2022, we will be saying farewell to our current Director James Carlin BEM, who is leaving to pursue other opportunities. During his tenure as Director, James has worked tirelessly to develop 3SG to become a thriving charity and infrastructure organisation, and is a champion for 3SG, supporting the wider third sector in BaNES and beyond. James’s work in establishing collaborations and partnerships has been exceptional while supporting a growing team who have the confidence and ability to drive the organisation. His leadership of 3SG and his response to the Covid-19 challenges has led to a formal recognition of a British Empire Medal, a Business Exchange Leader of the Year award, and 3SG receiving two Bath Life awards in 2021. The trustees are extremely sad to see James go, however, we are very grateful for the work and achievements he has made over the last five years, and for raising the profile of 3SG and the work of the third sector, widening our impact and influence at a local and regional level. Trustees are currently working on recruiting James’s successor, and we will plan any necessary interim arrangement if required. We wanted to thank you for all of your continued support for 3SG and we look forward to continuing to work with you. We will shortly be posting the position on our jobs page, as well as in our weekly newsletter that contains updates on news, events, jobs and more across Bath and North East Somerset. Sign up to our newsletter here: http://bit.ly/3SG-newsletter

Following the recent lifting of plan B measures, B&NES Public Health have updated the Covid-19 staff risk assessment (view here). This is intended as a guide for employers to use to assess any staff members’ level of risk to developing serious illness following an infection with COVID-19. The tool offers actions that employers and staff can take to reduce this risk to as low as is reasonably practicable. It is hoped that employers will find the tool useful when supporting staff to work safely, particularly those who have returned to work following the recent easing of restrictions on the 19th July when guidance to work from home was lifted. Please share the risk assessment with your networks and encourage employers to use it.

Adviza is delivering Workforce for the Future on behalf of the West of England Combined Authority in collaboration with BHF, MOBIE and other regional partners. Workforce for the Future provides free tailored, in-depth support to help ensure residents and your employees have access to the training and support they need to thrive. ​ An information session on the 2nd March at 2pm is being hosted by 3SG and a speaker from Adviza will cover all the free support and opportunities available for your charity. Link to event details here: https://www.3sg.org.uk/event-details/workforce-for-the-future-with-adviza-info-session 'The West of England Workforce for the Future programme has received £4m of funding from the European Social Fund as part of the 2014-2020 European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme in England. The Department for Work and Pensions (and in London the intermediate body Greater London Authority) is the Managing Authority for the England European Social Fund programme. The programme is open to any West of England residents, however the following groups are strongly encouraged to participate: People from black and minority ethnic backgrounds Those seeking training in industries where their gender is under-represented, e.g. women in the construction industry and men in care roles Those who have special educational needs People who are looking to re-skill People who are returning to work after a career break People without qualifications or who work in low-skilled roles Care leavers or young people who are not in education, training or employment Established by the European Union, the European Social Fund helps local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support skills development, employment and job creation, social inclusion and local community regenerations. For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/european-growth-funding . For more information on Workforce for the Future, please contact the West of England Growth Hub. The Growth Hub is the West of England Combined Authority’s dedicated business support service which offers free, one-to-one advice and guidance for SMEs. Read more, download the brochure, or apply for support here.

The first ever Love Your Park Bristol and Bath Volunteer Awards have been announced in recognition of the outstanding contribution made by volunteers to our parks and green spaces across our cities. Your Park Bristol and Bath in partnership with Bath & North East Somerset Council and Bristol City Council announced the awards at an online celebration with special guest, Chair of Natural England, Tony Juniper. Tony Juniper highlighted the role of volunteers in helping to tackle the climate and ecological emergencies. He commented “When ideas for our parks are community driven and owned they deliver real value. A volunteer force of local people getting involved in their green spaces is so vital.” The Award winners were nominated by their fellow volunteers and communities for award categories designed to demonstrate their impact in the local community. Winners of the ‘TLC’ category in the Love Your Park Volunteer Awards were the Friends of Hedgemead Park, Bath. Formed just four years ago the volunteers have enthusiastically carried out park restorative work including clearing overgrown bushes, planting flowers and producing an interactive guide to its magnificent trees. The park has is now more ecologically diverse, colourful and a more welcoming space to visit. A Special Mention in the ‘TLC’ Award category went to Bath Women’s Institute for their popular ‘Edible Garden’ within the Botanic Garden at Royal Victoria Park. This extraordinary garden is well loved by local people and visitors alike and is the result of the hard work by WI gardening volunteers. Grow Batheaston were given a Special Mention in the Happy and Healthy Award category for their project bringing people together to plant wildflower meadows, trees and vegetables in shared community green spaces around the Elmhurst Estate, Batheaston Playground and Penthouse Steps all of which support improved health and wellbeing of village residents. The overall award for Individual Volunteer of the Year, Bath was presented to Gill Gazzard of the Friends of Sydney Gardens who has been at the forefront of volunteering activities to enhance the park and make it more welcoming. Nominations for Gill highlighted her dedication and breadth of volunteering including at events, devising a tree trail, co-ordinating litter picks and co-leading the monthly Sydney Gardens volunteer gardening sessions. Gill commented “I love volunteering in this terrific park and want to make it even better. As a Friends Group we try to get the community involved and are looking forward to inviting people back again this year.” There was also a Special Mention for Ian Critchley of Friends of Henrietta Park for his outstanding volunteering. Nominated many times, people commented that Ian deserves great credit for ensuring this green space in Bathwick is such a special haven. A Special Mention also went to Tamsin Randle for her volunteering activities with Friends of Hillcrest Park including liaising with local residents to repair park steps and creating family friendly activities in the park. There were also awards for outstanding long service for an exceptional group of people with over 15 years volunteering experience in our local green spaces. In Bath the recipients were: Tricia Scammell (Manor Road Community Woodland), Henry Ford (Friends of Henrietta Park), Ian Critchley (Friends of Henrietta Park), Barry Cruse, MBE (Bath in Bloom). The Awards reflect Your Park Bristol and Bath’s work helping communities to develop a closer relationship with their local park and supporting groups in playing a greater role in shaping the future of their green space. Full results of the Love Your Park Volunteer Awards can be found on the charity’s website www.yourpark.org.uk

This grant programme is open for applications. Opening Date: 4th January 2022 Closing Date: 28th February 2022 , 2:00 pm Maximum grant awarded: £10,000 1. About the programme The Arts Council England (ACE) Let’s Create Jubilee Programme will focus on supporting voluntary and community organisations to develop new creative and cultural activities as part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June 2022. The programme is open to voluntary and community organisations whose charitable aims do not have to be based solely around arts and culture. For instance, this could include youth groups, parent/carer groups and volunteer organisations. Public-facing activity should take place in June near to the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Weekend which begins on Thursday 2nd June 2022. This programme has been created by ACE in partnership with UK Community Foundations (UKCF) with funds from the National Lottery. 2. What type of projects can be supported? ACE doesn’t want to be too prescriptive about what form the projects could take, it’s more important for you to consider how to deliver creative and cultural activities that your local communities will want to take part in, and potentially find an ACE funded artist, creative or cultural organisation who can help you deliver them. To be eligible, projects should engage with at least one of the artforms which ACE supports through its funding. These are: • Music • Theatre • Dance • Visual arts • Literature • Combined arts – including festivals and carnivals • Museum and library activities. Projects must also be of benefit to people and/or communities in Bath & North-East Somerset, Bristol, South Gloucestershire, and North Somerset. Please see the appendix in the Guide for Applicants for ACE’s definition of Culture and creativity, and for project examples. 3. Who can apply? Voluntary and community organisations, registered charities and social enterprises with charitable aims that don’t have to be based solely around arts and culture. Applicants must be based and working in Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire, and North Somerset. More information on eligibility can be found in the Guide for Applicants. 4. How much can I apply for? Applicants can apply for grants from £750 to £10,000. Applicants are strongly encouraged to partner with an artist, creative or cultural organisation that has been in receipt of ACE funding within the last 4-years. Please read the Guide to Applicants for further information. 5. Timescales This programme will open on the 4th January and closes for applications on Monday 28th February. All applicants will receive a funding decision by Friday 1st April 2022. The project can begin from 1st April so that preparation can take place such as rehearsals, workshops etc. Any public-facing activity should take place in June near the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Weekend which begins on Thursday 2nd June 2022. The project end date can be in August to include any evaluation and final payments. Please make sure you download and carefully read the guidelines below before applying for a grant. Also, there are accessible versions of the guidelines (including audio, large print and easy read) on the UKCF website. Download guidelines Apply online using the link below. You can return to your online application form as many times as is needed, and save it as you go along. The online application link can also be shared with colleagues, or other parties, if more than one person needs to contribute to the application. Apply online

A recent article by Charity Digital offers some excellent and vital advice on how to put together an inclusive job advert for your charity. We have included the key points below. Truly inclusive job adverts are a powerful part of more inclusive hiring practices. Here are some practical ways to make your job adverts more inclusive. Don’t ask for people who’ve done the job before Do you need someone who’s done this role before, or do you need someone who has the skills and knowledge to be able to do the role? There’s a difference. Asking for previous experience excludes everyone who’s ever been told “I just can’t see you as a leader/manager/head of team.” And that tends to mean minoritised people. Keep it simple As many as 10% of us have specific learning disabilities like dyslexia. By some counts, the average reading age in the UK is around nine years old. And all of us benefit from short, clear, well-structured paragraphs. It doesn’t matter if you’re dyslexic, autistic, tired, distracted, or dyspraxic, it’s just easier to scan the page if it’s got clear headings and subheadings. Use simple, everyday words and steer clear of industry jargon. Use inclusive pronouns You don’t need to say “S/he will report to the head of team, who will manage him/her.” It’s hard to read, confusing, and it excludes all the people who don’t identify with those genders. Use the singular they (“they will manage the departmental budget”) or the relevant job title (“the head of team will manage three direct reports”). Eliminate coded language Who’s most likely to respond to a job advert that calls for leadership, drive, assertiveness and challenge? As you might guess, it’s likely to be mainly men. An advert calling for a supportive, collaborative, reflective manager? That’s likely to see more women applying. Coded language sends subtle signals about who an employer is looking for, and it can put otherwise excellent candidates off from applying. Use free browser extensions and websites like the Gender Decoder to see if your advert is gender coded, and seek out more neutral alternatives. Applied uses behavioural science to design fair and inclusive recruitment practices. Check out their job description analysis tool and job description template. Say the salary Not disclosing the salary tends to harm women and people of colour. It’s fine to include a salary range (like “£30 - £35k”), but don’t simply say “competitive salary” or “DOE (depending on experience)". Co-design the advert Improving diversity means different things depending on the makeup of your existing team. Your current team might have a great mix of ages, races, and nationalities, but poor class diversity. You might have excellent socioeconomic class diversity, but a total lack of disabled or neurodivergent staff. Identify the groups you most want to work with. “Collaborate or co-design the job advert with the specific group you are trying to work with” says Emily Horton, founder of More Diverse Voices. “There are some great guidelines out there, but as language and its impact are constantly changing, it’s worth getting people in the room with senior management, paying for their time and asking them what works for them.” Be honest about problems Every organisation has diversity and inclusion issues. Implying that your workplace is perfect is a bit like insisting that you don’t see race, so you don’t see racism or your part in it. In an imperfect world, your team will have its fair share of imperfections. It’s okay – in fact, it’s essential – to own up to them. “Can you link to your EDI policy or commitments?” asks Horton. “Can you link to your gender pay gap reporting or ethnicity gap reporting? Or at least say that you are aware it’s something you need to work on, which indicates a level of transparency and a nod towards the fact that true diversity and inclusion change takes time?” Outline solutions Identifying problems is an important first step, but publishing your ethnicity pay gap doesn’t make it a safer or more welcoming place for people of colour. You need an action plan. While you can’t outline your entire action plan in the job advert itself, make sure you let prospective applicants know that you’re committed to change, and how you’re making it happen. Don’t ask for a degree Access to university isn’t a level playing field. If your job adverts tend to ask for a university degree, ask yourself whether the job really needs one. Or are you just used to hiring graduates? Asking for an unspecified degree excludes huge numbers of people, especially people from poorer backgrounds. If the job needs specific knowledge that’s often learned via a university degree, you could say “must have a law degree or equivalent experience”, and outline specifically what knowledge or skills they would need. Advertise broadly “You can have the best job advert in the world, but if it’s not reaching the right people then it makes it redundant!” says Horton. Don’t rely on the same old channels if you want to reach new and more diverse recruits. Check out platforms with a specific focus like Black Young Professionals, 2020Change, Pink Jobs, or the Return Hub and, if possible, post your advert across a broad range of sites. No woke washing If greenwashing is hiding behind false eco credentials, woke washing is using language as a smokescreen to seem more inclusive than you are. If you’re talking about inclusion, make sure you’re taking concrete steps throughout your organisation - from communications to recruitment, operations to remuneration – to make inclusion a reality. Words alone won’t cut it. “Obviously it’s a good thing if employers are more intentional with how they use language, so they’re not unwittingly creating barriers or biases,” says Nick Parker, founder of language strategy agency That Explains Things. “But ’inclusive writing’ shouldn’t be seen as a quick ’hack’ to make yourself look better. That’s just straight-up dishonest. And if you change your writing but not your culture, you won’t fool people for long anyway.”

Bath Radio is a radio station for the city which builds on 55 years of broadcasting experience as a hospital radio. It aims to connect Bathonians through music, events and the arts. With a dedicated and diverse group of volunteer presenters, it delivers more than 50 hours of programmes each week, from music to local news. BA1 Radio, which trains and educates people in radio broadcasting, has been operating in Bath since 2018. The organisation has given many local people the opportunity to learn new skills and give a voice to the local community. During the pandemic they supported businesses and local charities through specialist programs and had 50 volunteers creating radio for Bath. The stations, which have similar styles and ethos, are coming together to form a new radio station for the city to provide great listening with a strong local flavour, showcasing all that the city and it’s people have to offer. Chair of Bath Radio, Julia Ferguson says, “We are excited about this collaboration; we will be bigger, better and stronger working together to create a new sound for Bath.” Chair of BA1 Radio, Samuel Maggs said, “We’ve worked hard over the past few years to establish a station and provide training. We’re excited to be merging with Bath Radio so we can combine knowledge and skills and offer better radio for the city!” In the meantime, all volunteers from both stations will be broadcasting on the Bath Radio stream until the new service is set up. You can listen online at www.bathradio.org.uk or via TuneIn radio - just search for Bath Radio. Further details of the new organisation will be announced later in the New Year.