Training

  • Tue
    21
    Jan
    2020
    10:15 - 13:15Training Room, Community Place

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

    Whether behind the scenes in administrative roles or working directly with clients, volunteers play a vital role in supporting the work of organisations across our town.

    Given the central role that volunteers play in allowing organisations to achieve their objectives, it is perhaps surprising that many of those responsible for managing volunteers receive little or no specialised training.

    This bite size version of our Introduction to Volunteer Management training will focus on the process of recruiting the volunteers your organisation needs whilst providing an oversight of the legal aspects that need to be considered when involving volunteers in your work.

    What will be covered?
    Recruiting Volunteers

    • What to consider before involving volunteers in your work.
    • Developing a role description.
    • Promoting opportunities effectively.
    • Initial response and selection process.

    Keep it legal

    • Legal status of volunteers including how to deal with expenses.
    • Eligibility to volunteer – involving oversees volunteers and those in receipt of state benefits.
    • Top tips for your Volunteer Policy and Agreement.
    • What type of insurance you need.
    • What to do when things go wrong – volunteer problem solving procedures.

    This course is ideally suited to anyone who has responsibility for overseeing the work of volunteers, either as a Volunteer Manager or as part of a more wide reaching role.

    Please book online at www.eventbrite.co.uk. The cost is £10 for the sessions and includes refreshments and materials.

  • Tue
    11
    Feb
    2020
    17:30 - 20:30Training Room, Community Place

    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.

    Outcomes of this training are:

    • To better understand your role and legal responsibilities as a trustee
    • To understand how this role fits with other roles in the charity
    • To understand your reporting responsibilities
    • To know where to go for help and support
    • To feel confident in being an active member of your Board/Committee and helping to achieve your charities purposes

    To achieve this we will cover:

    • Introduction: ‘Trustee’, ‘Charity’ and legal structures
    • Trustee roles and responsibilities: 6 Main Legal Duties
    • Policies and Procedures: Which ones? Why do they matter?
    • Accounting & Reporting – the essentials
    • Essential resources and links to help you on your way

    The training is suitable for new and existing trustees and will also give a valuable introduction to anyone thinking of taking on the role. In some small community groups you may refer to yourselves as the Comittee. If you have overall responsibility for your community group, then this course is for you.

    Please book online at www.eventbrite.co.uk. The cost is £10, which includes materials. Refreshments are provided.

  • Tue
    03
    Mar
    2020
    10:00 - 16:00Berkshire Youth

    Watlington House, 44 Watlington Street, Reading, RG1 4RJ

    Understand the key principles of how to engage, motivate and educate young people to make informed life choices. Explore key values and attitudes in effective and meaningful work with young people and expand your toolkit of activities to enhance your work and increase impact.

    If you are new to working with young people or want to refresh on your youth work approach this training session is a great opportunity for you. Light refreshments will be provided.

    Contact details
    Email: movement@ukyouth.org
    Phone: 02030 115995

  • Thu
    19
    Mar
    2020
    10:15 - 13:00Community Place (Conference Room A)

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

    Funding Club is a monthly forum hosted by RVA for those who are new to making funding applications or need a refresher. It will run from March to July 2020, with a different focus each month.

    We recommend you attend all the sessions if possible to get the most out of Funding Club, as each session will build on the previous session. By the end of the series, you will have learnt what is needed when applying for small pots of funding (anything from £100 up to a maximum of £10,000).

    Who it’s for:

    • Small, mostly volunteer-led community groups who are either new to applying for funding or would like to learn/refresh their basic skills.
    • You might be a trustee or a volunteer for the community group. We suggest a maximum of two people from one organisation.

    Themes for Funding Club sessions:

    • Session 1 (19 March 2020) Getting started: Your project, budget and team
    • Session 2 (23 April 2020) Know your funder
    • Session 3 (19 May 2020) Structuring your application
    • Session 4 (11 June 2020) IT skills and online applications
    • Session 5 (7 July 2020) Reporting and showing your impact

    Please book your place for the 19 March 2020 online at www.eventbrite.co.uk. Future sessions will go live for booking nearer the time. Free event.

  • Thu
    26
    Mar
    2020
    10:15 - 16:15Reading Voluntary Action

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

    Whether behind the scenes in an administrative roles or working directly with clients, volunteers play a vital role in supporting the work of organisations across our town. For many organisations, without the work of volunteers, it would not be possible for them to deliver the services they provide in the way they do.

    Given the central role that volunteers play in allowing organisations to achieve their objectives, it is perhaps surprising that many of those responsible for managing volunteers receive little or no specialised training.

    Content: This 1 day interactive session is designed to provide an overview of some of the key aspects to consider when involving volunteers in the work of your organisation, including:

    • First steps – a volunteer recruitment checklist.
    • Understanding volunteers’ desires – what motivates people to volunteer?
    • Standing out from the crowd – promoting your opportunities effectively.
    • Welcome aboard – integrating volunteers into your team and managing workloads.
    • Keeping it legal – exploring legal aspects of involving volunteers in your work.
    • Staying the course – keeping volunteers engaged and adapting to changing circumstances/ needs.

    This course is ideally suited to anyone who has responsibility for overseeing the work of volunteers, either as a Volunteer Manager or as part of a more wide reaching role.

    Ideal for those new to working with volunteers or for those looking for a refresher, the session will provide opportunities to put theory into practice by giving opportunities to explore your own organisation’s needs.

    The cost is £25 for a full day and includes refreshments, a light lunch and materials. Please book online at www.eventbrite.co.uk.

  • Thu
    07
    May
    2020
    10:15 - 13:15RVA Community Place

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

    This session has been postponed in view of our offices being closed in line with government guidance. We plan to rearrange the session for after July 2020. However, in the meantime you can access online safeguarding resources and training through our Coronavirus Community Acton page, or contact advice@rva.org.uk

    Voluntary and community groups provide much needed services, often to those who are most vulnerable in our communities. Anyone working with Children or vulnerable adults has a duty to ensure that safer recruitment practices are in place for their volunteers and staff.

    It’s not always easy to understand just what DBS checks are needed (formerly CRB). This course will help you to gain an overview and understand what steps you should take to identify whether and to what level a DBS check is needed for your volunteers and staff.

    The workshop will cover: This is a practical workshop and you will have the opportunity to apply what you have learnt.

    • Why did we see a change from CRB to DBS and why is it important?
    • What does ‘regulated activity’ mean and how to work out whether it applies to your volunteer/staff roles.
    • The levels of DBS checks that can be requested.
    • How to complete the DBS form.
    • What is the update service, the benefits and how to sign up?
    • What if the DBS shows your volunteers or staff have a criminal record or unspent convictions?
    • Your responsibilities.
    • Help, support and advice that is available.

    Who should attend? This workshop 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.

    Cost: The cost is £10 per person which covers refreshments and printed materials. Ticket will go on sale when ther rescheduled event is announced.

  • Thu
    25
    Jun
    2020
    10:00 - 11:15Online Event

    In the second of our series of interactive Zoom sessions, we will be looking at how your charity or community group might adapt/continue to adapt your services to deliver these online due to the current restrictions on meeting in person. This session would be useful for Trustees or Managers of charities or community groups in Reading and will include an an opportunity to discuss ideas with others in the sector.

    The session will include:

    1. Introduction and governance updates.
    2. Speaker: Ruth Pearse, CEO of Parenting Special Children, on how the charity adapted its services to provide these online and the thinking that went on behind this in the team and at Board level.
    3. Speaker: David Neale from Reading Voluntary Action on top tips in using Zoom. David manages the Get Online project in Reading.
    4. Break-out sessions to discuss the above and your own ideas with other trustees and managers.
    5. Q&A with the panel and wrap up

    The session will give you plenty of time to discuss in the break-out sessions and we hope you’ll go away with some ideas and pointers on what your group may be able to do to adapt to providing services online in the mid-term.

    Please note that the session will be available for a maximum of 10 attendees to enable as much interaction as possible and we ask that a maximum of 2 people attend from one charity or community group. If there is further demand, we can hold another session.

    We look forward to seeing you on Zoom. If you are unsure on how to use Zoom, take a look at this free video tutorial and don’t worry if this will be your first Zoom session, we’ll talk you through it so you can take part.

    Please book online at www.eventbrite.co.uk.

  • Wed
    09
    Sep
    2020
    13:00 - 14:00Online session

    All organisations, including charities and community groups, have a responsibility to safeguard the personal data of service users, staff, volunteers, contractors and anyone whose personal data they collect or use in the delivery of their services.

    This 1 hour online course will cover:

    • Data sharing and the law.
    • What does data sharing mean?
    • What is the difference between ‘systematic’, ‘ad hoc’ and ‘one off’ data sharing?
    • What factors to consider when deciding to share personal data.
    • How can you demonstrate fairness and transparency to individuals when sharing personal data about them?
    • What security considerations should you take into account before sharing personal data?
    • Data sharing agreements, what are they and when should they be used.
    • Respecting individual’s rights.
    • What to avoid.

    This is an accredited course and you will receive a certificate upon completion.

    Who should attend? Anyone who works or volunteers in a charity or community group who shares personal data with others outside of your organisation. For example if you work in partnership with other organisations or receive or make referrals to other organisation. You might be a volunteer, staff member or trustee.

    Cost: RVA has partnered with Databasix to offer a subsidised training offer to those working or volunteering for charities and community groups in Reading. The session is £10. Please book online at www.eventbrite.co.uk.