Category: News

  • Volunteering for Health

    What is volunteering for health?

    Voluntary Impact Northamptonshire was awarded the NHS Volunteering for Health Programme. Over the next three years, in partnership with the Steering Group, they will be developing a strategy to embed volunteering in Health & Social Care across Northamptonshire. 

    The project will run until June 2027.  

    John Soto from Voluntary Impact Northamptonshire fills us in on the challenges and activities, finishing with an opportunity to have an input by completing their survey:

    “With the Volunteering for Health project we aim to tackle the following areas:

    – Lack of Coordination: Volunteering is fragmented across organisations with no system-wide alignment. 

    – Diversity Gaps: Volunteer demographics often don’t reflect the communities served. 

    – Poor Information Sharing: Volunteer opportunities are not effectively communicated across organisations. 

    – Recruitment & Retention Issues: Difficulty attracting and keeping volunteers in health  

    Conference and Survey Findings

    VfH held a conference and opened a survey to hear directly from organisations.

    The conference was attended by 40 people representing 34 different organisations. The engaging discussions, enthusiasm and solution-focused approach of all involved helped to identify areas of improvement. These included:

    – Diversity training on recognising and addressing barriers and the importance of continuing to engage with communities to build trust.   

    -Looking at reframing volunteering opportunities offering flexible, virtual or short-term opportunities to increase accessibility.

    – Importance of recognising volunteers’ value and holding social events to increase volunteer retention.

    – Qualities needed in a volunteer platform to ensure it is both easy and effective for the organisation while providing a personalised approach for the volunteer.

    – Producing clear descriptions to help volunteers understand their role in achieving the organisation’s goals.

    – Importance of mental health and wellbeing support for volunteers and staff.

    The survey found that most volunteers were sourced though word of mouth, social media and other platforms. The main challenges faced by organisations were retention, lack of interest, adjustments, language, lack of time and unsuitable roles. The main challenges for volunteer diversity were due to need for interpreters and wheelchair accessibility. 

    While all organisations matched their opportunities to volunteers, only some organisations adapted their roles to suit the candidates. Flexible roles and clearer polices would make volunteering more accessible.

    What’s next for VfH?

    We are looking to continue to map volunteering in the health sector in Northamptonshire, so we can identify duplication, gaps in coverage, barriers between systems, good practice in volunteering and move towards solutions and drive a strategywith our working groups. 

    Also, our delivery partners will continue to roll out their projects with our funded Test & Learn initiatives, and through our partners supporting organisations with training and development.”

    If you would like to complete their survey please follow the link – Volunteers for Health, Northants. Survey

    Or to get in touch with John please email – johnsoto@voluntaryimpact.org.uk

  • Launch of Aspire NN Funding Fair 2025.

    Launch of Aspire NN Funding Fair 2025.

     

    Funding Fair for North Northants not-for-profits unveiled as new organisation Aspire NN ‘hits the ground running’.

     

    Securing funding will now be much easier for local not-for-profits thanks to a series of free online and face to face workshops and presentations as part of a Funding Fair set to take place this February and March. 

     

    These events are being organised by new partnership organisation Aspire NN – a collaboration of six charities and social enterprises in North Northamptonshire – which has been made possible thanks to recent funding from North Northamptonshire Council.

     

    Kate Williams, Chief Executive of Groundwork Northants, said: ‘We want to hit the ground running with Aspire NN so we can provide the support that our voluntary sector really needs and deserve. Our Funding Fair will provide funding information, advice and support for any local organisations that wish to benefit. This will enable local groups to apply for and secure the funding they need to run activities as well as purchase equipment which benefit the community.”

     

    The Aspire NN Funding Fair will consist of a mix of online events and in-person workshops and presentations at different venues across the north of the county. Advisors from a wide range of funding bodies including the National Lottery, Northamptonshire Community Foundation and Lloyds Bank will be taking part. 

     

    Led by Groundwork Northamptonshire the other Aspire NN partners are Serve, Volunteer Action, Northamptonshire ACRE, Support Northants and the North Northants Social Enterprise Network. This is a three-year project designed to support the local voluntary sector. 

     

    In addition to organising an annual Funding Fair Aspire NN will provide organisational support such as start up guidance for social enterprises and community groups, help for charities wishing to increase their earnings potential, volunteer recruitment advice and much more. 

     

    The 2025 Aspire NN Funding Fair events programme includes:

     

    • Tuesday, 4th February 10.30am-12.30pm: Northamptonshire Community Foundation Funding

    • Thursday, 6th February 7pm-8pm: Trustee responsibilities and fundraising

    • Tuesday, 11th February 10.30am-12.30pm: Charity Bank

    • Thursday, 13th February 10.30am-12.30pm: Different funding and how to apply, led by Lloyds Bank Foundation

    • Tuesday, 25th February 1.30pm-3.30pm & 7pm-8pm: Hints and tips on writing a good application, led by Northamptonshire Community Foundation

    • Wednesday, 26th February 1.30pm-3.30pm: Rural Community Buildings Loan Fund and NN Sustainable Food network, led by NACRE Village Halls Advice

    • Thursday, 27th February 10.30am-12.30pm: Co-op Funding in the Community

     

    For more information about these events and the full programme and to book a free place visit: https://aspirenn.org.uk/funding-fair-2025/

  • Aspire NN: New Collaboration Launches Between Council and Volunteer, Community and Social Enterprise Sector

    Aspire NN: New Collaboration Launches Between Council and Volunteer, Community and Social Enterprise Sector

    Groundwork Northamptonshire has been confirmed as the lead provider for a new collaboration – Aspire NN – between North Northamptonshire Council and the voluntary sector. The new contract will provide infrastructure support to the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector across North Northants.

    The VCSE sector provides valuable support to people across North Northamptonshire and in February 2024, Executive approved the North Northamptonshire Council Council Communities Strategy 2024-2027 and announced a £600,000 investment into VCSE Infrastructure across North Northamptonshire over a three-year period.

    Following a robust procurement process, Groundwork Northamptonshire have been appointed as the lead provider in a new VCSE collaboration for North Northamptonshire.

    Groundwork Northamptonshire will now work alongside five other organisations who bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to deliver support to community groups, voluntary organisations and social enterprises across North Northamptonshire.

    The collaborative leadership between Groundwork and five other key partners based in North Northamptonshire include Support Northamptonshire, Volunteer Action, North Northants Social Enterprise Network, Serve and Northamptonshire Acre.

    Cllr Mark Rowley, the council’s Executive Member for Housing and Communities, said: “Residents are at the heart of everything we do, and we have always worked closely with the partners and the voluntary sector to ensure everyone has the best quality of life possible. It is hoped that this new collaboration will further grow on the work that has already been started across North Northants – creating a different and refreshed offer that is rooted in sustainability, trust, need and makes a genuine impact.”

    Kate Williams, Executive Director of Groundwork Northamptonshire said:

    “Groundwork Northamptonshire are thrilled with this decision, we have worked hard to build a robust partnership that will support strong, dynamic and sustainable change for the VCSE sector. Now, more than ever, the key roles that the VCSE play are crucial, but we recognize and understand the vulnerabilities and strains the sector faces, this partnership is going to work hard to offer genuine support and development for the sector over the next three years.”

    The VCSE Infrastructure contract will run for three years with the option for a further one-year extensions subject to funding being available.

    Our website, www.aspirenn.org.uk, will provide access to a wide range of resources for VCSE organisations across North Northamptonshire or contact Groundwork Northamptonshire on 01536 526453 to chat about what support they can offer.

    Leaders of the six local organisations that make up the new Aspire NN partnership. Left to right: Pratima Dattani (Support Northamptonshire), Nicola Toms (NACRE), Kate Williams (Groundwork Northants), Tony Gibbs (Serve), Rachel Dixon (Volunteer Action), Alison Holland (North Northants Social Enterprise Network).