Welcome to the E-Training Bulletin - a listing of training opportunities and consultation events of interest to voluntary organisations and community groups in the Bedfordshire and Luton area. If your organisation provides training opportunities for voluntary sector staff, trustees or volunteers and you would like a listing in this bulletin, please click here.

September 2010

First Aid for Appointed Persons - 7 & 14 September

This workshop will provide you with an Appointed Persons First Aid certificate, valid for three years, as a nominated person to take charge in an emergency. It is suitable for small organisations that require a member of staff or volunteer to have basic lifesaving skills.

Delivered by: Voluntary and Community Action
Date/Time/Venue: 7 & 14 September, 6.30pm to 9.30pm, Bossard House, West Street, Leighton Buzzard.
More info: Kim Mead, 01525 850559, email, website.

Fit for Funding - 8 September

CVS is running a series of FREE funding workshops to help meet the demand from groups for funding and development advice and guidance.

Delivered by: Community & Voluntary Service (CVS)
Date/Time/Venue: 8 September, 7pm to 9pm, CVS, 43 Bromham Road, Bedford
More info: Jan Warnier, 01234 354366, email, website.

Getting Ready for Funding - 9 September

All funders require a minimum level of organisation on your part, so that they can feel that their money will be properly spent and managed. Getting Ready for Funding will cover all aspects of what an organisation needs to think about and have in place before they are ready to apply for funding. The workshop will help you plan projects and activities and identify the people, skills and support necessary to raise funds successfully.

Delivered by: Voluntary and Community Action
Date/Time/Venue: 9 September, 6.00pm to 9.00pm, Bossard House, West Street, Leighton Buzzard.
More info: Kim Mead, 01525 850559, email, website.

Risk Assessment - 16 September
The aim of this workshop is to enable participants to understand the law relating to risk assessment and to understand the process to follow to write a suitable and sufficient risk assessment which complies with legal requirements. Participants will be able to take part in an exercise where participants will write a risk assessment thus giving them “hands-on experience”.

Delivered by: Community & Voluntary Service (CVS)
Date/Time/Venue: 16 September, 9.45am to 4.30pm, CVS, 43 Bromham Road, Bedford
More info: Jan Warnier, 01234 354366, email, website.

Fit for Funding - 23 September

CVS is running a series of FREE funding workshops to help meet the demand from groups for funding and development advice and guidance.

Delivered by: Community & Voluntary Service (CVS)
Date/Time/Venue: 23 September, 2pm to 4pm (at Project 229, Kempston) More info: Jan Warnier, 01234 354366, email, website.

Developing a Funding Strategy - 23 September

A fundraising strategy is a plan that sets out what your organisation is set up to do; its main tasks, funding priorities over a period of time e.g. on to three or five years, costing for these, how you intend to raise that money and what you will do at the end of this period.

Delivered by: Voluntary Action Luton
Date/Time/Venue: 23 September, 9.30am to 4.30pm, Voluntary Action Luton 15 New Bedford Road, Luton LU1 1SA
More info: Jean Myrie, 01582 733418, email, website.

Tendering for Success - 28 September
Over the last few years government organisations have increasingly replaced their grant funding of the voluntary sector with public service contracts. Many are now procured through open and competitive tendering and some are ‘large
and complex’. Effective tendering requires a knowledge of the relevant legislation, policy drivers, and the step-by-step procedures involved in ‘tendering for success’. It also requires a clear understanding of what procurement officers want to see in your tender document and how to ensure that your tender
scores well at the appraisal stage.

Delivered by: Community & Voluntary Service (CVS)
Date/Time/Venue: 28 September, 9.30am to 4.30pm, Weatherley Centre, Biggleswade
More info: Jan Warnier, 01234 354366, email, website.

Ocotober 2010

Fit for Funding - 2 October
CVS is running a series of FREE funding workshops to help meet the demand from groups for funding and development advice and guidance.

Delivered by: Community & Voluntary Service (CVS)
Date/Time/Venue: 2 October, 10am to 12 noon, CVS, 43 Bromham Road, Bedford
More info: Jan Warnier, 01234 354366, email, website.

Getting the Most from Your PC - 5 October
Always wondered what is inside that computer case? Want to know how to solve basic problems on your computer? This half-day workshop will look at what components make up a computer and introduces participants to some of the basic principles of how a computer works and how to solve some common problems.

Delivered by: Community & Voluntary Service (CVS)
Date/Time/Venue: 5 October 9.30am to 12.30pm, Bossard House, West Street, Leighton Buzzard
More info: Mandy, 01234 354366, email, website.

Getting the Most from Your PC - 7 October

Delivered by: Community & Voluntary Service (CVS)
Date/Time/Venue: 7 October 9.30am to 12.30pm, CVS, 43 Bromham Road, Bedford
More info: Mandy, 01234 354366, email, website.

Consortia Working for Contracts - 07 October
It is becoming increasingly clear that local government organisations and the NHS are replacing many grants to the third sector with contracts. It is also clear that Commissioners, in order to gain cost savings, are pooling their budgets (the aggregation agenda) and gearing up to put out to tender larger and more complex contract opportunities. These are often not accessible to many individual third sector organisations, even those who are currently delivering the required services.

Delivered by: Voluntary Action Luton
Date/Time/Venue: 7 October, 9.30am to 4.00pm, Voluntary Action Luton 15 New Bedford Road, Luton LU1 1SA
More info: Jean Myrie, 01582 733418, email, website.

Demonstrating Need and Understanding Outcomes - 12 October
This workshop will build on the skills you gained from the Fit for Funding workshop and will:

• explain how to identify and explain need for your work
• define aims, outcomes, targets and milestones

Through using practical examples and an interactive workshop we aim to make sense of some of the most common problems groups have when making funding applications.

Delivered by: Community & Voluntary Service (CVS)
Date/Time/Venue: 12 October, 7pm to 9pm CVS, 43 Bromham Road, Bedford
More info: Jan Warnier, 01234 354366, email, website.

Effective Performance Management - 13 October
The workshop is for managers, other staff and trustees involved in managing the performance of staff, both paid and voluntary, and in monitoring the performance of the overall organisation.

Delivered by: Community & Voluntary Service (CVS)
Date/Time/Venue: 13 October, 9.45am to 4.30pm CVS, 43 Bromham Road, Bedford
More info: Jan Warnier, 01234 354366, email, website.

Introduction to Marketing - 14 October
This course will give you an understanding of the place and power of marketing in an organisation. You will be able to apply practical techniques to increase the effectiveness of your promotions, advertising, direct marketing and online activity.

Delivered by: Community & Voluntary Service (CVS)
Date/Time/Venue: 14 October, 9.45am to 4.30pm CVS, 43 Bromham Road, Bedford
More info: Jan Warnier, 01234 354366, email, website.

Costing for Funding Applications and Contracts - 20 October
This course is aimed at anyone who has to get involved in working out or approving the costs for a project or activity — managers, trustees, finance staff. While it focuses on an activity, the material will be useful for those with overall budget responsibilities.

Delivered by: Community & Voluntary Service (CVS)
Date/Time/Venue: 20 October, 9.45am to 4.30pm at the Weatherley Centre, Biggleswade
More info: Jan Warnier, 01234 354366, email, website.

Staff Supervision and Appraisal - 21 October
This one day course will provide participants with a best practice framework within which to work, and a working knowledge of the issues surrounding support and supervision of staff.

Delivered by: Voluntary and Community Action
Date/Time/Venue: 21 October, 10am to 4pm, Bossard House, West Street, Leighton Buzzard.
More info: Kim Mead, 01525 850559, email, website.

Creating Your Own Website - 26 October
You don’t have to spend lots of money to get your organisation a website! And you don’t need to learn a new language! This half-day workshop will look at how you can use software you probably already have to develop a basic website and publish it to the internet. The workshop will also provide lots of tips on how to make your website useable and attractive.

Delivered by: Community & Voluntary Service (CVS)
Date/Time/Venue: 26 October, 9.30am to 12.30pm, Bossard House, West Street, Leighton Buzzard
More info: Mandy, 01234 354366, email, website.

November 2010

Fit for Funding - 01 November
CVS is running a series of FREE funding workshops to help meet the demand from groups for funding and development advice and guidance.

Delivered by: Community & Voluntary Service (CVS)
Date/Time/Venue: 1 November, 10am to 12 noon, CVS, 43 Bromham Road, Bedford
More info: Jan Warnier, 01234 354366, email, website.

Managing Redundancies - 2 November
A time of redundancies is always difficult and much stress and distress for staff and management can be avoided by following clear, structured and fair processes that comply with both legislation and good practice. The course is for Managers or senior managers who may be involved in managing redundancy processes. Resources, such as sample letters to use at each stage, will be provided as part of the course pack.

Delivered by: Community & Voluntary Service (CVS)
Date/Time/Venue: 2 November, 9.45am to 4.30pm CVS, 43 Bromham Road, Bedford
More info: Jan Warnier, 01234 354366, email, website.

Making a Good Funding Application - 3 November
The course is for you if you want to develop your understanding of, and skills in, writing good funding applications. The aim of the workshop is to develop understanding of how to make grant applications to local authorities, companies,
trusts etc.

Delivered by: Community & Voluntary Service (CVS)
Date/Time/Venue: 3 November, 9.45am to 4.30pm CVS, 43 Bromham Road, Bedford
More info: Jan Warnier, 01234 354366, email, website.

Creating Your Own Website - 9 November
You don’t have to spend lots of money to get your organisation a website! And you don’t need to learn a new language! This half-day workshop will look at how you can use software you probably already have to develop a basic website and publish it to the internet. The workshop will also provide lots of tips on how to make your website useable and attractive.

Delivered by: Community & Voluntary Service (CVS)
Date/Time/Venue: 9 November,  9.30am to 12.30pm, 43 Bromham Road, Bedford
More info: Mandy, 01234 354366, email, website.

Minute-Taking Skills - 10 November
The course is suitable for people with no minute-taking experience, as well as for those who have taken minutes but want to reassure themselves that they are doing a fully-professional job.

Delivered by: Community & Voluntary Service (CVS)
Date/Time/Venue: 10 November, 9.45am to 4.15pm CVS, 43 Bromham Road, Bedford
More info: Jan Warnier, 01234 354366, email, website.

Finding the Right Funder - 11 November
Funding may be available from a variety of sources. However, the first step to successfully secure funds is to identifying the right funder(s) who would be willing to support your project. Finding the Right Funder looks at the range of funding bodies and how best to identify the right funders for your project.

Delivered by: Voluntary and Community Action
Date/Time/Venue: 11 November, 10am to 1pm, Bossard House, West Street, Leighton Buzzard.
More info: Kim Mead, 01525 850559, email, website.

Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults - 18 November
This is for you if you work with groups of adults who:

• are older
• have a disability or life limiting illness
• experience mental health issues
• suffer domestic violence
• vulnerable in any other way
• you want to develop a policy and guidelines for their protection and safety.

Delivered by: Voluntary and Community Action
Date/Time/Venue: 18 November, 10am to 4pm, Bossard House, West Street, Leighton Buzzard.
More info: Kim Mead, 01525 850559, email, website.

Third Sector Assembly - 23 November
Work to establish the Central Bedfordshire Third Sector Assembly began following consultation with the local voluntary and community sector to ascertain their views. The Assembly will provide voluntary organisations and community groups operating within Central Bedfordshire with:

• need clear mechanisms to ensure representation at meetings and events
• a transparent process for the third sector to agree whom it wants to represent them at meetings
• training, support and terms of reference for those representing the sector
• third sector representation at key meetings and partnerships
• opportunities for the third sector to discuss and debate the issues that affect them.

Delivered by: Voluntary and Community Action
Date/Time/Venue: 23 November, To be Confirmed, Rufus Centre, Flitwick.
More info: Kim Mead, 01525 850559, email, website.

Managing Volunteers - The Essentials - 25 November
This workshop is for people who are responsible for recruiting, managing and supporting volunteers and who want to make volunteering a positive experience for all involved.

Delivered by: Voluntary and Community Action
Date/Time/Venue: 25 November, 10am to 4pm, Bossard House, West Street, Leighton Buzzard.
More info: Kim Mead, 01525 850559, email, website.

December 2010

Volunteer Co-ordinators Networking Event - 1 December
This is a popular event and usually over subscribed. The content of the event still has to be agreed, more information will be available later on.

Delivered by: Voluntary and Community Action
Date/Time/Venue: 1 December, 12pm to 2.45pm, Delta House, Leighton Buzzard
More info: Kim Mead, 01525 850559, email, website.

Fit for Funding - 2 December
CVS is running a series of FREE funding workshops to help meet the demand from groups for funding and development advice and guidance.

Delivered by: Community & Voluntary Service (CVS)
Date/Time/Venue: 2 December, 7pm to 9pm, CVS, 43 Bromham Road, Bedford
More info: Jan Warnier, 01234 354366, email, website.

First Aid for Appointed Persons - 2 December
This workshop will provide you with an Appointed Persons First Aid certificate, valid for three years, as a nominated person to take charge in an emergency. It is suitable for small organisations that require a member of staff or volunteer to have basic lifesaving skills.

Delivered by: Voluntary and Community Action
Date/Time/Venue: 2 December, 9.30am to 4.30pm, Bossard House, West Street, Leighton Buzzard.
More info: Kim Mead, 01525 850559, email, website.