Training

Third Floor, Reading Central Library, Abbey Square, Reading RG1 3BQ

Does your organisation need a web site? Or do you already have one but want something that looks more modern or is easier to maintain? If you need help with setting up a web site this is the session for you.

We’ll go through everything you need to get started – how to set up a simple and easy to maintain web site with static and blog/news pages. We’ll be using WordPress, which is completely free and is one of the easiest content management systems to set up and learn, used by millions of web sites worldwide.

This is a hands-on computer training workshop, so by the end of the session you could even have your own site up and running and ready to add your own graphics and content!

If your organisation can afford to spend a few pounds per year we’ll also cover purchasing your own domain and getting it going with to your new website.

Please register on Eventbrite at www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/build-a-website-for-beginners-tickets.

Making Every Contact Count (MECC) is an approach to behaviour change that utilises existing day-to-day interactions that organisations and individuals have with other people to support them in making positive changes to their physical and mental health and wellbeing. The Reading MECC project will adopt the broader definition of MECC, known as MECC+. This includes conversations to help people think about wider determinants to their health, such as debt management and welfare advice.

MECC training for front-line staff and volunteers: The half day training session will prepare you with the knowledge and confidence to make appropriate use of opportunities within your role to raise the issue of lifestyle choices and know where to signpost to.

Attendees will:
-Have the ability to identify opportunities with individuals and understand how to make effective approaches in promoting health in the context of their working relationship with the individual, and overcome barriers and concerns
-Understand what response and actions are appropriate in supporting lifestyle issues, how to measure their impact, and how to signpost clients to appropriate services.

The training focuses on how to identify appropriate situations in which to use the MECC approach; participants will be encouraged to use the MECC approach with their client groups whenever this is considered beneficial.

Date of training session: Thursday 26 January 09:30  – 12:30 or 13:30 – 16:30. To book a place please go to www.reading.gov.uk/trainingapplication.

Making Every Contact Count (MECC) is an approach to behaviour change that utilises existing day-to-day interactions that organisations and individuals have with other people to support them in making positive changes to their physical and mental health and wellbeing.

What are the benefits of this approach?

Staff and volunteers:
-Have the competence and confidence to deliver healthy lifestyle messages, to help encourage people to change their behaviour and to direct them to local services that can support them – “right place, first time”
-Are able to offer tailored advice to an individual’s circumstances and work with individuals and communities from their perspective
-Are trained in the theory and delivery of elements of behavioural change, which as a transferable skill can be applied beyond lifestyle and health determinants

MECC helps improve the accessibility of advice and support services to all, whilst making them more community focused.

The half day training session will prepare you with the knowledge and confidence to make appropriate use of opportunities within your role to raise the issue of lifestyle choices and know where to signpost to.

Date of training session: Friday 27 January 09:30 – 12:30 or 13:30 – 16:30. To book a place please go to www.reading.gov.uk/trainingapplication.

Third Floor, Reading Central Library, Abbey Square, Reading RG1 3BQ

Trustees play an essential role in our society, making our charity sector work. It’s a hugely rewarding role but it’s not always easy to get all the information you require to be sure you are carrying out your role as effectively as possible. This training will help give you an overview of what’s expected of trustees as well as providing a networking opportunity with your fellow trustees from the area.

The areas covered are will include:
-Basic structure of a voluntary organisation
-Trustee duties and liability
-Trustee Roles
-Choosing/understanding your organisation’s structure
-Your constitution
-Reporting
-Organisational policies

The training is suitable for new and existing trustees and will also give a valuable introduction to anyone thinking of taking on the role. You will leave with an improved knowledge of what the position entails along with how to limit any liability you might face.

The course is free but please register at www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/trustee-training-tickets to confirm your place

Click here to register - it's free!

Third Floor, Abbey Square, Reading RG1 3BQ

What is the course about and who is it for?
All voluntary and community groups are legally required to have basic health and safety measures in place. A key step to achieving this is to have a representative from your group who has received basic health and safety training in the workplace and understands how to undertake risk assessments.

RVA, in conjunction with Redkite Training Solutions, are hosting a one-day health and safety in the workplace training course, which will include risk assessments.

This course will emphasise what you can do to ensure that your service users, volunteers, colleagues and of course you yourself are kept safe when you are carrying out your work, activities and services, as well as helping you to identify and address potential hazards.

Duration and learning objectives: Duration: 1 day (09:30  – 16:00)
This programme will enable you to understand:
-The roles and responsibilities for health, safety and welfare in the workplace
-How risk assessments contribute to health and safety
-How to identify and control the risks from common workplace hazards
-The procedures for responding to accidents and incidents in the workplace

Cost and booking: The course is provided by an external health and safety expert. We have managed to secure a reduced rate of £35 per participant (plus £2.70 Eventbrite booking fee).

To ensure maximum participation and space, this course is limited to 12 participants. Please therefore book early at www.eventbrite.co.uk or using the link below:

Click here to register

Third Floor, Abbey Square, Reading RG1 3BQ

Whether you are a new organisation, have recently grown, changed committee members or are in the process of dealing with change this practical session will help you understand and improve your budgeting process. This will be useful to trustees, including chairs and treasurers as well as Chief Execs as the session highlights the key roles in setting and benefiting from a sound budget.

Aims of the workshop
-To build understanding of the importance of budgeting
-To build confidence and ability to build a budget
-To leave the workshop having started the work to ensure a sound budget for the coming financial year
Delegates are encouraged to bring along their current budget and/or financial information to work on but a model organisation will also be used as an example.

Learning outcomes - The content covered will be tailored depending on the needs of delegates on the day. However typically attendees will:
-Understand the basis on which budgets may be built
-Understand how to identify fixed and variable costs
-Be able to create a flexible budget
-Consider the impact of uncertainty, risk and contingencies
-Be able to explain their budget to key stakeholders

Target audience: The workshop will be open to up to 8 delegates. Post course support is available with each organisation entitled to up to one hour’s post course email support to follow up issues covered on the course.

Cost: The training is at RVA's reduced rate of £40. FREE places are available for RNN members using the usual promotional code.

Please register at www.eventbrite.co.uk or using the link below:

Click here to register - It's free!

Training room, Third Floor, Abbey Square, Reading RG1 3BQ

Aim: To help you develop the knowledge and skills to work well with your local media at a time of austerity and fast-changing media.

Learning outcomes - The workshop will help you to:
-Understand how local media works (press emphasis)
-Identify key elements of a powerful story
-Write a strong press release
-Effectively approach journalists
-Get your stories and pictures quickly picked up by the media
-Use social marketing to help boost your web traffic

Who it’s aimed at: People who work within the local voluntary sector (charities, community groups) who want to use the power of the local media to help them raise their profile, fund-raise, campaign and recruit volunteers.

Cost: £30 or free for RNN members using the usual promotional code - please contact us if you need this.

Please register at www.eventbrite.co.uk or using the link below:

Click here to register - it's free!

Abbey Square, Reading RG1 3BQ

Does your organisation need a website? Or do you already have one but want something that looks more modern or is easier to maintain? If you need help with setting up a website this is the session for you.

We’ll go through everything you need to get started – how to set up a simple and easy to maintain website with static and blog/news pages. We’ll be using WordPress, which is completely free and is one of the easiest content management systems to set up and learn, used by millions of websites worldwide.

This is a hands-on computer training workshop, so by the end of the session you could even have your own site up and running and ready to add your own graphics and content!

If your organisation can afford to spend a few pounds per year we’ll also cover purchasing your own domain and redirecting it to your new website.

The course usually costs £20 plus booking fee - a few free places are available for RNN members!  Members should have received their discount code already by email - please contact us if you need it.

Details and tickets at www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/build-a-website-for-beginners-tickets-33275671429.

Swallowfield Drive, Reading RG2 8UH (Bus route 6)

This course is designed to appeal to anyone who wants to know more about their community and how they can become more active.

It is suitable for those who are keen to get involved in their community and want to know more, and those who are already active in their communities and would like to develop their knowledge further.

Content:

- What is community?

- Getting involved – why and how

- Starting a group

- Local democracy

- Power and powerlessness

- Equalities.

This course is FREE to Whitley residents, £25 for others. To book please email trisha.bennett@btinternet.com.

For more information please call 07799 146615.

Third Floor, Reading Central Library (rear doors), Abbey Square, Reading RG1 3BQ

RVA and RCVYS are working in partnership to deliver safeguarding training specifically aimed at Trustees and those running unincorporated groups and community associations (please note this is not training for front-line staff).

Trustees hold the overall responsibility for the actions of their groups and it is essential to know your safeguarding responsibilities to give you the confidence to run your group effectively.

By the end of the session you will be able to:
-Demonstrate an awareness of the safeguarding issues that could emerge in your organisation.
-Describe key principles and best practice in terms of your responsibilities to safeguard individuals involved with your organisation.
-Identify resources to help you and your staff/volunteers to safeguard effectively.
-Identify next steps for yourselves and your organisation in terms of meeting your safeguarding responsibilities.

The training is free but please register at www.eventbrite.co.uk to book your place.

Third Floor, Reading Central Library, Abbey Square, Reading RG1 3BQ

RVA are hosting a further Buildings Forum for Reading-based community and voluntary groups.

Community buildings are valuable places for local people to meet, do things together and receive services. Many groups are facing the impact of tighter budgets. RVA are therefore hosting a session to explore how your group can continue to flourish and maintain a community presence through sharing buildings. It is also an opportunity to meet other groups, share your experiences of works well and to receive resources and updates.

There are many benefits of considering sharing a community building, such as ensuring Reading’s community and voluntary groups maintain a presence in the community, reduced running costs and enabling you to share the space with a like-minded charitable organisation/creating a community hub.

This session is free but please register at www.eventbrite.co.uk to confirm your place. If you are unable to attend, please cancel within 5 working days to enable someone else to attend.

Abbey Square, Reading RG1 3BQ.

If you are new to the role of treasurer, have done it for a while but would like to be sure you’re doing the right thing, or would like to find out more about being a treasurer this course is for you. If you aren’t yet volunteering as a treasurer but would like to, RVA can then help place you with an organisation to put your new skills into practice.

Aims of the workshop
-To build understanding of the role of a treasurer in a small voluntary organisation
-To ensure the ability to deal with the specifics of the finances of a small voluntary organisation.
-To leave the workshop confident about the issues that are likely to face the treasurer of a small organisation.

Learning outcomes
The content covered will be tailored depending on the needs of delegates on the day. However typically attendees will:
-Understand their financial responsibilities as trustees
-Understand the particular requirements for the accounts of a small voluntary organisation
-Be aware of corporate governance issues facing small voluntary organisations
-Be ready to resolve issues with record keeping and know where to get help if they need it
-Be able to determine if the organisation they volunteer with needs an audit or independent examination of their accounts.

The workshop will be open to up to 12 delegates. It will be aimed primarily at new volunteers who wish to act as treasurers in Reading’s voluntary sector.

The course is at our reduced rate of £40 for Reading-based charities and community groups. There are a limited number of FREE places for RNN members using the usual promotional code - please contact us at info@rgneighbours.net if you need this code.

Tickets are available from Eventbrite at www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/treasurer-training-tickets-36579868371.

Third Floor, Reading Central Library, Abbey Square, Reading RG1 3BQ

RVA, RCVYS and St Barnabas Fellowship of Churches are holding a workshop for voluntary sector groups in Reading on the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS).

The workshop will cover
-Background and policy context
-Regulated Activity and the role
-Levels of DBS disclosure
-Completing the DBS form
-Organisational processes and the update service
-Working with individuals with unspent convictions
-Responsibilities and liabilities
-Help, support and advice available

This course is for anyone who works or volunteers for a voluntary and community group and is responsible for processing DBS checks, or supervises or manages others. It is also useful for Trustees and Managers of charity’s to gain an overview of the DBS system to inform their safeguarding procedures.

The course is free but please register at www.eventbrite.co.uk to confirm your place. If you are unable to attend, please cancel within 5 working days to enable someone else to attend. By booking a place on this course, your organisation is agreeing to pay £50 per place for non-attendance or late cancellation.

Third Floor, Reading Central Library (rear doors), Abbey Square, Reading RG1 3BQ

RVA and RCVYS are working in partnership to deliver safeguarding training specifically aimed at trustees (including committee members) of charities and community groups in Reading (please note this is not training for frontline staff).

Trustees hold the overall responsibility for the actions of their groups and it is essential to know your safeguarding responsibilities to give you the confidence to run your group effectively.

By the end of the session you will be able to:
-Demonstrate an awareness of the safeguarding issues that could emerge in your organisation.
-Describe key principles and best practice in terms of your responsibilities to safeguard individuals involved with your organisation.
-Identify resources to help you and your staff/volunteers to safeguard effectively.
-Identify next steps for yourselves and your organisation in terms of meeting your safeguarding responsibilities.

You will also have the opportunity to meet fellow trustees and managers from the local voluntary sector and share your best practice.

The course is free but please register at www.eventbrite.co.uk to confirm your place. If you are unable to attend, please cancel within 5 working days to enable someone else to attend.

110 Amersham Road, Caversham, Reading RG4 5NA

All voluntary and community groups have a duty to keep their service users safe from harm. As most charities and community groups run through the hard work and dedication of volunteers with little or no paid staff, it is important that volunteers receive basic safeguarding training.

RVA are hosting this mini workshop, which has been designed with volunteers of community groups in mind.

By the end of the course volunteers will be able to:
-Describe circumstances that can make adults vulnerable to abuse
-Recognise possible indicators of abuse
-Respond in line with the safeguarding procedures if abuse is found or suspected
-Report and record appropriately
-Recognise your duty of care to safeguard adults
-Understand the importance of professional boundaries and the consequences of breach

The course is free but please register at www.eventbrite.co.uk to confirm your place. If you are unable to attend, please cancel within 5 working days to enable someone else to attend.

Third Floor, Reading Central Library, Abbey Square, Reading RG1 3BQ

Whether you are a new organisation, have recently grown, changed committee members or are in the process of change this practical session will help you understand and improve your budgeting process. This will be useful to trustees, including chairs and treasurers as well as Chief Execs. The session highlights the key roles in setting and benefiting from a sound budget.

Aims of the workshop:
-To build understanding of the importance of budgeting
-To build confidence and ability to build a budget
-To leave the workshop having started the work to ensure a sound budget for the coming financial year.

The content covered will be tailored depending on the needs of delegates on the day. However typically attendees will:
-Understand the basis on which budgets may be built
-Understand how to identify fixed and variable costs
-Be able to create a flexible budget
-Consider the impact of uncertainty, risk and contingencies
-Be able to explain their budget to key stakeholders.

The workshop will be open to up to 8 delegates. Post-course support is available, with each organisation entitled to up to one hour’s email support to follow up issues covered on the course.

The training is at our reduced rate of £40. There are a limited number of FREE places for RNN members using the usual promotional code - please contact us at info@rgneighbours.net if you need this code.

Please register at www.eventbrite.co.uk.