December 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.
Tower Hamlets Grants Engagement
Get involved, give us your views and help prioritise the new grant funding for the voluntary and community sector (VCS).
The Council's new Strategic Plan (2022-26) sets out priorities for the borough over the next four years. Supporting and working in partnership with the local voluntary and community sector is a key element of delivering the council's Strategic Plan. Our partnership VCS Strategy 2020-24 has a commitment for 'a more resilient and sustainable sector' and our new funding programme will contribute to this priority.
The Council is keen to hear your views about the new funding proposal and what you feel are the most important priorities for the borough.
This engagement is specifically seeking views on two proposed funding grant programmes for the period October 2023-March 2027, the Mayor's Community Grant programme and the Small Grants programme. However, you will also be able to provide any further comments you wish to share as we value all feedback.
Mayor's Community Grant Programme- Funding
The new proposed Mayor's Community Grant Programme funding aims deliver services between October 2023 to March 2027 and will include the following five themes:
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Tackle the Cost-of Living crisis- Focusing on improving financial and economic wellbeing of residents
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Accelerate Education- Focusing on improving educational attainment and development of children and young people
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Culture, business, jobs and skills- Focusing on increasing employment and skills opportunities for socially excluded residents
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Invest in public services- Focusing on improving wellbeing of residents and reduce isolation and inactivity amongst older people
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Empower Communities and fight crime- Focusing on addressing inequalities experienced by people reflecting different equality groups and address community safety issues impacting residents
The Small Grants Programme- Funding
The new proposed Small Grants Programme will provide one-off funding for time limited projects with different rounds throughout the year, includes the following five themes:
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Mayor's Youth Empowerment Fund- supports young people to design, bid and deliver projects for their peers,
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Mayor's Positive activities for young people- supports activities during school holidays,
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Community events- supports events that brings communities together, celebrate our diversity, national and regional celebrations,
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Community building- support organisation development which strengthens local organisations ability to deliver services,
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Community chest- very small grants to support community events and activities
The Tower Hamlets Grants Engagement survey is specifically seeking views on the two proposed future grant programmes for the period October 2023 to March 2027.
Engagement workshops on the new Grants Programme
We are organising a number of workshops aimed at the Voluntary, Community, Sector organsiations which are taking place on the following dates and venues. You can book for any of the five workshops:
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Thursday 15 December 2022 from 10am - 12noon at The Ecology Pavilion, Mile End Park, 125 Grove Road, London, E3 5RP.
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Saturday 17 December 2022 from 10am - 12noon at The Reach Community Hub, 11 Oliphant Street, Poplar, E14 0GB*
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Thursday 10 January 2023 from 5pm to 7pm at the Osmani Centre, 58 Underwood Road, Whitechapel, E1 5AW*
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Wednesday 18 January 2023 from 10:30am to 12:30pm, Online only
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Thursday 26 January 2023 from 10am to 12noon, Professional Development Centre, 229 Bethnal Green Road, London, E2 6AB- participation for this workshop is also available online
Information on the new proposed funding, survey and workshops will be updated on a dedicated webpage and on the council's social media channels.
*Indicates workshops are solely for smaller VCS organisations with annual incomes of less than £150,000 a year. The workshops for smaller VCS organisations will address both the Mayor's Community Grant Programme and the Small Grants Programme
£4k digital inclusion investment opportunity
National digital inclusion charity, Good Things Foundation, has launched round 2 of its Digital Capability Grant.
This is an opportunity for 150 existing members of their national digital inclusion network to apply for funding of £4k to help build their capacity to deliver digital inclusion support.
Please get in touch if you are planning to apply, we would be keen to work together: vcs@towerhamlets.gov.uk
And don’t forget…
Members of the Good Things Foundation’s network (free to join) are also able to apply for free mobile data from their National Databank and free mobile devices from their National Devicebank.
#FixTheDigitalDivide
 Outdoor Gym- Championing an active community
Do you want to do more physical activity but don't know where to start?
Or perhaps you love getting active and feel you could help others too?
Then help us in our mission to get Tower Hamlets moving.
Tower Hamlets Public Health are working in partnership with The Great Outdoor (TGO) to help Tower Hamlets' residents and workers to become more active and make strides towards the borough's long term health objectives. The Outdoor Gym Activation programme is providing (all 16 outdoor gyms in Tower Hamlets) with the following:
- Activities,
- Classes,
- Movement advice,
- Digital support
If you wish to become an activator and take on an important role in helping people in the gyms, please get in touch: enquiries@tgo-activate.com
 Get involved, tell us your views and help shape the new Tower Hamlets Partnership Plan
Your borough your plan.
Chaired by the Mayor, the Tower Hamlets Partnership brings together key stakeholders to improve services and outcomes for residents, working with residents and providing strategic leadership on complex cross-cutting issues.
We, the Tower Hamlets Partnership are keen to hear your views about Tower Hamlets, what you feel are the borough's challenges and opportunities, and what the future could look like, if we all worked together.
So tell us what you think. Take a few minutes to complete a short survey and help shape a shared vision and ambition for the borough, with a new Partnership Plan to 2028 to deliver better services and outcomes for everyone - people that live, study, work and visit the borough.
This survey will close on 30 January 2023.
Register for one of our residents’ webinars also.
Tower Hamlets Council calls for volunteers to host Ukrainian refugees
The council is asking residents to volunteer to host Ukrainian refugees as part of their Homes for Ukraine scheme
Tower Hamlets has a long history of welcoming and supporting newly arrived migrants, refugees and asylum seekers. As well as supporting refugees from Syria and Afghanistan to resettle in the borough, the council is supporting Ukrainian refugees as part of the Homes for Ukraine scheme.
The council’s Early Help and Children and Family Service is calling for residents who want to offer a home to people fleeing Ukraine to become hosts. Hosting a Ukrainian refugee is not only beneficial to those fleeing the war, it’s also a great opportunity to live with like-minded individuals.
Through the Homes for Ukraine scheme, the council will support residents who volunteer to support a refugee by:
- Completing checks to make sure accommodation is suitable
- Managing interim payments for guests - to cover costs until they are able to access further support
- Providing education places
- Referring to specific public health services where necessary
- Supporting guests to access local employment opportunities
- Administering the compensation payment to sponsors of Ukrainian guests.
People can become Air Quality Champions for their community
Residents are being called upon to help create a new webtool which will gather information to assess the local impact of poor air quality and what steps can be taken to improve it.
Tower Hamlets Council is recruiting residents over the next month (until January 3, 2023) to help develop the webtool. The council will capture the voices of local communities to understand how air quality impacts them, while creating solutions that will benefit our borough. There will be a particular focus on areas that are disproportionately impacted by poor air quality.
Residents can choose to also become Air Quality Champions and be a voice for their local communities. The Champions will work closely with the council to pave the way for cleaner air in their neighbourhoods by providing information, hosting education sessions, and generally raising awareness of air quality.
Tower Hamlets Civic Awards nominations now open
There are special people who live, work or study in Tower Hamlets who are dedicated to their community and improving the lives of others.
The Tower Hamlets Civic Awards are a great chance to thank the borough’s unsung heroes and heroines. If you know someone we should all be proud of, visit our website for more information and to make your nomination by Sunday 15 January 2023.
Updates on the Covid-19 pandemic December 2022
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 a 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
We hope you have found this bulletin useful. Contact us for any feedback or if you would like anything to be considered for inclusion in future newsletters.
Please contact us if you wish to unsubscribe from the Tower Hamlets VCS newsletter.
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