November 2022
Welcome to our Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) monthly newsletter, packed full of the latest news and information about Tower Hamlets' diverse and thriving voluntary and community sector. The commitments made about the VCS by partners in Tower Hamlets (including the VCS themselves) can be found in the partnership VCS Strategy.
Keep reading to avoid missing out on the latest funding and training opportunities as well as links to surveys and consultations.
 #BefriendingWeek, 1-7 November, is the highlight of the year at Befriending Networks.
It is a chance to celebrate and raise awareness about everything Befriending.
East London Cares brings bring older (65+) and younger (18+) neighbours together to share friendship, time, and new experiences. Love Your Neighbour programme creates one-to-one friendships, with younger volunteers visiting older friends on a weekly basis. The programme delivers up to 12 free, intergenerational Social Clubs across the borough every month, with activities including dance workshops, jazz concerts, history walks and much more.
To get involved or refer someone, please visit the website or call 020 7118 4949
Council wins £5m research boost to address health inequalities
Tower Hamlets Council and its partners have secured a £5m funding award through a new national scheme to boost support for research to address health inequalities.
The funding, awarded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) for a Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC), will significantly increase the council’s capacity to work with local communities to address the social, economic and environmental factors that impact people’s physical and mental health.
The NIHR has announced the multimillion-pound investment for 10 pioneering HDRCs across the UK, to provide the capacity and capability for local authorities to undertake public health research to address the wider determinants of health and health inequalities.
A further three councils will be receiving development award funding during 2022/23, with the prospect of them becoming full HDRCs the following financial year.
The award will support collaboration between the council, Tower Hamlets Council for Voluntary Services (THCVS), Queen Mary University of London, University of East London, London Metropolitan University and others, with partners taking a lead in delivering innovative research on the wider causes of health inequalities.
 The Future of Community Health
Queen Mary University of London and Social Action for Health are inviting residents to join a conversation on "The Future of Community Health".
Young adults will be sharing their insights and priorities for health in East London, exploring how to build trust in the community, the health priorities of young people and representation of diverse voices in research. The event will provide an opportunity to network and discuss what happens next.
There will be community leaders, Voluntary, Community sector Organisations and charities, academics and local residents.
14 November 2022
4-6pm
The Octagon at Queen Mary University of London
327 Mile End Road
London
E1 4NS
Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Directory for Refugees and Migrants in London
The MHPSS Directory is a broad and detailed list of organisations providing mental health and social support services to migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in London and Greater London. The Directory lists 120 organisations offering services that include:
- Social support,
- Legal advice,
- Family support,
- Wellbeing-focused services,
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 Maths Skills for Life
The New City College (NCC) is launching a new Free fully funded programme to help adults to improve their numeracy skills.
Adults can learn skills to help them:
- Upskill at work,
- Manage their money,
- Support children with homework,
Courses are 15 hours in total (three hours each week over five weeks), there is an option for intensive study. The courses take place at all NCC campuses with daytime and evening options and an option for online courses.
50+ Programme
Tower Hamlet Council is funding a 6-month paid placement, paying at London Living Wage, which will create 20 (full time equivalent) opportunities across a variety of industries aiming to start the 50+ programme in February 2023.
The 50+ programme provides paid work experience and strives to remove barriers for long-term unemployed residents which will allow them to gain access to the labour market. Participants will obtain necessary skills and confidence during work placements which is needed to overcome challenges upon returning to work.
Eligibility criteria:
- Tower Hamlets resident,
- Over the age of 50,
- Required to register with Workpath
Please contact for more information: 50plus@towerhamlets.gov.uk
Micro Internship Programme
The Micro Internship programme connects organisations with a student intern from Queen Mary University of London.
The programme aims to connect organisations with a Queen Mary student who will commit 40 hours of their time to a project. Spread over a set 5-week period, working hours are flexible to suit the host and student. Projects are devised by the host organisations, with clear outputs and deliverables and relate to real organisational needs.
The Micro internship programme aims to provide students with training on skills such as communication and time management and on how to add experience on their CV upon completion.
Example project themes include data analysis, fundraising, research, report writing, marketing, financial and mathematical modelling and business development.
Deadline for project proposal: 28 November 2022
qTech Programme
qTech is a Programme at Queen Mary University of London, designed to support local non-profit organisation to grow. The programme aims to give local organisations knowledge, technology or techniques that can help drive the organisation forward at no cost,
Organisations will be paired with a talented Queen Mary student, a practitioner and an academic who will provide specific acceleration need to grow and develop to move rapidly to the adoption for new technology.
Examples include: Developing customer engagement and interaction, evaluating the increased volume and range of data, developing an online portal, improving workflow processes, designing and developing a mobile platform.
There are more areas where qTech can support.
Skills for Londoners Community Outreach Programme
The Mayor of London, in partnership with the Workers Education Association (WEA) is launching a new Skills for Londoners Community Outreach Programme to help more Londoners into adult education, particularly Londoners more in need of support to access learning.
Grants of up to £9,000 will be offered to community organisations to support outreach activity and target Londoners most in need of adult education and refer them to adult learning opportunities.
To be eligible for the programme, organisations must be:
- A user-led London based community, voluntary, faith, cultural, grassroots organisation,
- A registered charity, social enterprise or Community, Interest Company that can demonstrate a track record of transparent financial accounting processes,
- Have an annual income under £250,000,
- Hold a UK bank account
Deadline for application is 13 November 2022
Safer community days of action planned for every ward
A series of community walkabouts and engagement days are launching in Tower Hamlets, with a dedicated safer community day of action planned for every ward over the next year.
The engagement days will be accompanied by the council’s safer communities mobile unit, which launched earlier this year. This provides a safe and accessible space for residents to speak to their local Safer Neighbourhood Operations team, report any issues and seek advice.
Residents are also invited to join officers on a walkabout around the local area, so those attending have an opportunity to show officers any areas of concern for crime and anti-social behaviour (ASB).
The engagement days kicked off in Hay Currie Street, Lansbury on Thursday 29 September, where local residents joined Cllr Ohid Ahmed, officers from the police and council as well as Tower Hamlets Enforcement Officers (THEOs) and partners in housing.
Further events in each ward will be taking place over the next 12 months. For the latest timetable of activity, please visit www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/SaferCommunityDays
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Healthwatch Advisory Committee
Member
Advisory Committee members play a crucial role in promoting and representing the patient voice, providing leadership and guidance, and supporting Healthwatch to deliver projects that are important to the local community and will improve health and social care for everyone.
To find out about the role of an Advisory Committee member and how to get involved, please follow the link.
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Updates on the Covid-19 pandemic November 2022
As you may have seen in the news, the numbers of people nationally with Covid-19 have been increasing and this has been reflected locally in Tower Hamlets. Our most recent data suggests that the numbers of people in hospital or seeking GP support for Covid-19 in the borough have decreased slightly, but there is still lots of virus around. To find out more about rates of Covid-19, the Office for National Statistics has regular updates here.
The NHS is offering an autumn Covid-19 booster vaccine to those in vulnerable groups to top up their protection for the winter, similar to the flu jab that is offered every autumn and winter. These vaccines may not stop you from becoming infected completely, but they will protect you from severe illness if you do catch Covid-19. To find out if you’re eligible, and where to get it, please see here. If you have any questions or need some more information, call our COVID-19 helpline on 020 7364 3030.
For regular updates from our Director of Public Health, Somen Banerjee, please see here.
If you have any enquiries about activities or events, please email PH-HealthProtection@towerhamlets.gov.uk
Book a Covid-19 Vaccine appointment.
Please check here for more updates from the Director of Public Health in Tower Hamlets.
If you need further advice, please call the council vaccination helpline on 0207 364 3030.
Funding Opportunities
The council recognises the contribution made by local Voluntary and Community Sector organisations (VCS) in responding to help people during the Covid-19 pandemic. The demand on local VCS organisations is high, leading to pressure on both finances and staff resource.
Current local grant opportunities for the voluntary and community sector include:
Through the Volunteer Centre Tower Hamlets, VCS organisations can also utilize the volunteering hub to access volunteers free of charge. Financial support is available through local, regional and national grant schemes, which can help organisations in the borough with unexpected costs, loss of income or new projects.
 Training opportunities
The council and local partners are offering VCS organisations high-quality training, workshops, courses and events to help organisations grow stronger and more resilient.
 Useful links
For information on infrastructure support to VCS organisations in Tower Hamlets, please visit Tower Hamlets Council for Voluntary Service.
For information on volunteering opportunities in Tower Hamlets, please visit Volunteer Centre Tower Hamlets.
Thank you for reading
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