Are you involved in coordinating or supporting volunteers? If so, this course is for you. Our in-depth Volunteer Management training is perfect for those looking to expand on their knowledge of volunteer management beyond our Introduction to Volunteer Management training. Throughout the course, we will cover a range of topics that are essential for any volunteer manager: Planning for a volunteer Overcoming barriers Equity, diversity & inclusion Recruitment and DBS Checks Support, supervision and retaining volunteers Conflict management/problem solving Reward and recognition The training will take place at The Dudson Centre in Hanley and will be a full day course with breaks and lunch in between. If you're new to volunteer management, we recommend attending our Introduction to Volunteer Management training alongside this course for a comprehensive understanding of volunteer management. VAST has a wealth of knowledge and a century of experience so you can rest assured that youre getting the training you deserve. This training is available for VAST members. Not a member? Sign up here. [https://vast.org.uk/membership/] Did you know that the VAST bursary can be used for our chargeable training sessions? Find out more here. [https://vast.org.uk/bursaryfund/] For more information, please email [email protected]

Your organisation plays a pivotal role in effecting positive change within the community. Monitoring and evaluating your progress in achieving desired outcomes is paramount. This process not only ensures effective grant management but also aids in designing projects that align with your goals, identify milestones reached, and assess overall impact. In this training session, we will delve into the following areas: Importance of monitoring & evaluation Data collection and measurement planning Tools for data collection Application of data collection processes Data safety measures Evidencing impact Comprehensive report writing This training aims to empower you with the knowledge and skills necessary for precise monitoring, evaluation, and reporting. This equips you to provide informed feedback to funders, trustees, and other stakeholders, showcasing the tangible impact of your efforts within the local community. This training session is followed by an additional afternoon session on Monitoring and Evaluation: Tools and Techniques. Book your space on this session here. [https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/vast/monitoring-and-evaluation-tools-and-techniques-training/e-bvvamk] A discount is available if you attend both sessions. VAST has a wealth of knowledge and a century of experience so you can rest assured that youre getting the training you deserve. This training is available for VAST members. Not a member? Sign uphere. [https://vast.org.uk/membership/] Did you know that the VAST bursary can be used for our chargeable training sessions? Find out morehere. [https://vast.org.uk/bursaryfund/] For more information, please email [email protected]

Good governance is fundamental to a CICs success. This training is aimed at helping CIC directors to provide strong leadership, enhance their decision-making and make the most of their collective capabilities. From detailing effective board procedures and organisational strategy to highlighting directors' duties and key reporting deadlines, the framework is essential reading for leaders involved in, or thinking of setting up a CIC. We will cover: Implementing effective board procedures Clarifying Directors duties Understanding important reporting deadlines Well provide support to Directors to develop and maintain high standards of governance, equipping you with the knowledge and skills to govern your organisation efficiently, effectively, and legally. VAST has a wealth of knowledge and a century of experience so you can rest assured that youre getting the training you deserve. This training is free for VAST members. Not a member? Sign up here. [https://vast.org.uk/membership/] For more information, please email [email protected]

Effective governance stands as the cornerstone of success for any charitable organisation. It serves as the bedrock for ensuring compliance with relevant laws and regulations governing the structural framework of voluntary groups. Moreover, it cultivates a culture where every aspect aligns harmoniously to realise the charitys overarching vision. Governance is a term used to describe the strategic management and operations of charities and not for profits. Our session will encompass three crucial areas: Understanding the essence of a governing document Exploring the seven fundamental principles of good governance Introduction to the Governance App During this session we will navigate the complexities so that you and your board can best serve your charity with the confidence that you will be complying with key requirements of the law and acting in the best interests of your organisation. Well provide support to Trustees and senior management teams to develop and maintain high standards of governance, equipping you with the knowledge and skills to govern your organisation efficiently, effectively, and legally. This training session will be followed by VASTs Trustee Essentials training, detailing the duties, responsibilities and requirements for effective Trustees. Book your space on this sessionhere. [https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/vast/trustee-essentials-training/e-meemox] As these sessions are back to back, if attending both we advise you to bring lunch, or there is a variety of hot and cold food available in the Dudson Centre Caf. Is your organisation a CIC? If so, ourGovernance and Best Practice for CICs [https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/vast/governance-and-best-practice-for-cics/e-pqqpym]training may be more suitable. VAST has a wealth of knowledge and a century of experience so you can rest assured that youre getting the training you deserve. This training is free for VAST members. Not a member? Sign uphere. [https://vast.org.uk/membership/] For more information, please email [email protected]

This course is a perfect starting point for anyone who coordinates and/or supports volunteers in any capacity, or for anyone who would like to start involving volunteers in their organisation. This course is aimed at covering the basics of volunteer management and therefore, is also suitable as a refresher for anyone already in a volunteer management role. Delivered by our highly experienced volunteering team, the course will cover: What is volunteering? What drives people to volunteer? Who can volunteer? Volunteer recruitment. How you can support, train, and retain your volunteers VAST has a wealth of knowledge and a century of experience so you can rest assured that youre getting the training you deserve. This training is free for VAST members. Not a member? Sign uphere. [https://vast.org.uk/membership/] For more information, please email [email protected]

Being a Trustee can be demanding on your time, skills, knowledge, and abilities but the rewards can be truly fulfilling. And thats why most Trustees, become Trustees. The more you put into it, the more you get out of it. Trustees have control of a charity in making the important decisions. Their responsibility entails ensuring the organisation aligns with its founding principles, achieves its objectives, and serves the community effectively. Being fully aware of your duties will help you to carry out your role in a way that not only serves your charity well but also gives you the confidence to know that you will be complying with the key requirements of the law. This training aims to equip you with essential information, enabling you to be an effective and conscientious Trustee, fostering your charity's growth. We will cover: The importance of a governing document/constitution Board roles & responsibilities Six legal & regulatory duties of trustee Charitable purposes Board meetings Join us in this session where well take a deep dive into the role of a Trustee, the responsibilities and duties of the board, and governance best-practice so you dont have to navigate the daunting complexities of governance and trusteeship on your own. This training session follows on from VASTs Governance The Basics training session, covering the requirements for effective governance within your organisation. Book your space on this sessionhere. [https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/vast/governance-the-basics-training/e-lqqgdv] As these sessions are back to back, if attending both we advise you to bring lunch, or there is a variety of hot and cold food available in the Dudson Centre Caf. VAST has a wealth of knowledge and a century of experience so you can rest assured that youre getting the training you deserve. This training is free for VAST members. Not a member? Sign uphere. [https://vast.org.uk/membership/] For more information, please email [email protected]

Engaging with your local community can be the key to success. Join us to learn how to engage and make the most of this valuable asset on your doorstep. You will often need to demonstrate to funders how you work with and involve your local community, proving in advance of projects that what you plan to deliver is truly needed, during projects that you are achieving the impact you hoped for, and following projects the results, outcomes and changes made to peoples lives. In this training well look at the benefits of engaging local people, how to get people involved and how to take them on a journey of engagement with you. Well touch on the legalities of gathering personal details and information, and how to make this information work for you. Youll also learn how to demonstrate the impact your work has on local people. VAST has a wealth of knowledge and a century of experience so you can rest assured that youre getting the training you deserve. This training is free for VAST members. Not a member? Sign up here. [https://vast.org.uk/membership/] For more information, please email [email protected]

This Introduction to Safeguarding training will teach you about your responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults with care and support needs and safeguarding children. You will learn about the relevant safeguarding legislation and the importance of safeguarding training for everyone that works with adults at risk and children. This course will also teach you about the safeguarding process and how to respond to, report and record any concerns, as well as what happens after a referral is made and the common barriers that can prevent those involved from speaking out. VAST has a wealth of knowledge and a century of experience so you can rest assured that youre getting the training you deserve. This training is free for VAST members. Not a member? Sign up here. [https://vast.org.uk/membership/] For more information, please email [email protected]

Through this session, you will learn about the importance of creating an inclusive environment within your organisation. We will discuss the benefits of diversity, not only for your clients but also for volunteers, staff and communities as a whole. You will gain a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by marginalised groups and how we can all work together to promote equity and fairness. We will explore strategies for creating a more inclusive workplace, including relevant policies and procedures, recruitment and retention practices, and communication strategies. By the end of this session, you will have a solid understanding of equity, diversity and inclusion, and be equipped with the knowledge and tools to make a positive impact within your organisation. VAST has a wealth of knowledge and a century of experience so you can rest assured that youre getting the training you deserve. This training is free for VAST members. Not a member? Sign up here. [https://vast.org.uk/membership/] For more information, please email [email protected]

In today's digital age, co-ordinating your organisations communications can feel like a mammoth task. How do you best access your target audience? What should you include in your organisations branding? Which social media platforms should you be using? How do you start to build a communications strategy? Communications can be anything from printed leaflets, to social media campaigns, to TV and radio. Understanding the best tools and platforms to use can have a huge impact on your reach and the ways you engage with your community. This training will cover how to access your target demographics, how to create an effective brand, how to build an effective social media campaign, how to decide which platforms to use, and how to use analytics to measure your success. We will also share a variety of tools and techniques; from creating content, to sourcing stock images, to perfecting your elevator pitch. VAST has a wealth of knowledge and a century of experience so you can rest assured that youre getting the training you deserve. This training is available for VAST members. Not a member? Sign up here. [https://vast.org.uk/membership/] Did you know that the VAST bursary can be used for our chargeable training sessions? Find out more here. [https://vast.org.uk/bursaryfund/] For more information, please email [email protected]

Have you just set up a not-for-profit organisation? Or are you thinking of starting a charitable venture but dont know where to start? This 2-day course will provide you with the following, whilst allowing the opportunity to meet others in the same position, a great opportunity to ask questions, learn lots and network with others at a similar place in their start up journey. Day 1 Morning session - Structures We will explain the various Legal Structures covering Charities and Social Enterprise What to consider when choosing your legal structure Understanding Charity status and registration is Charity registration needed and right for you? Importance of a strong board Further guidance and advice Afternoon session Policies & procedures What are policies and procedures and why are they important Policies and procedures required by law Other policies to consider Guidance for writing policies and procedures Day 2 Morning session Business planning What is a business plan and why is it important Vision, mission and values What you should include in your business plan Understanding your strengths and weaknesses, as individuals and as a whole Marketing - getting the word out without breaking the bank Afternoon session Introduction to Funding Understanding your aims and objectives. Identifying need and opportunities is what youre planning needed? What are the opportunities for growth? Funding & revenue what are your startup costs? how will you establish a sustainable income? Common pitfalls Please select which sessions you will be attending when booking your ticket.As these are full day sessions, we advise you to bring lunch, or there is a variety of hot and cold food available in the Dudson Centre Caf. VAST has a wealth of knowledge and a century of experience so you can rest assured that youre getting the training you deserve. This training is free for VAST members. Not a member? Sign uphere. [https://vast.org.uk/membership/] For more information, please email [email protected]

Your organisation plays a pivotal role in effecting positive change within the community. Monitoring and evaluating your progress in achieving desired outcomes is paramount. This process not only ensures effective grant management but also aids in designing projects that align with your goals, identify milestones reached, and assess overall impact. There are a wide variety of tools and techniques available to support your organisations monitoring and evaluation. This session following on from VASTs Monitoring and Evaluation training session - will equip you with practical strategies and tools to track progress, measure impact, and make data-driven decisions. Learn about the different types of tools and how to design effective monitoring systems to ensure accountability. Whether you're new to monitoring or looking to enhance your existing practices, this session will provide actionable insights to help your organisation achieve greater transparency, efficiency, and results. This training follows on from VASTs Monitoring and Evaluation training session. Book your space on this session here. [https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/vast/monitoring-and-evaluation-training/e-oddxzz] A discount is available if you attend both sessions. This training is available for VAST members. Not a member? Sign up here. [https://vast.org.uk/membership/] Did you know that the VAST bursary can be used for our chargeable training sessions? Find out more here. [https://vast.org.uk/bursaryfund/] For more information, please email [email protected]

This training session will explore ways to get the most from your financial information. We will cover budgeting, cashflow forecasts, and the benefits of maintaining up-to-date financial information for your organisation. This is an introductory session aimed at smaller charities and social enterprises, without specialist finance staff, who are looking to develop their financial management and reporting. The training will be delivered by members of VASTs Community Accounts Team. VAST has a wealth of knowledge and a century of experience so you can rest assured that youre getting the training you deserve. This training is free for VAST members. Not a member? Sign up here. For more information, please email [email protected]

Canva is a powerful, accessible, and simple-to-use design tool which can be used to create attractive print and digital materials and if youre a not-for-profit organisation, its free to use! While Canva has a wide range of template documents which can be easily edited for any purpose, theres much more it can do. In this training session, we will cover how to use Canva to: Create a brand kit Design leaflets and business cards Create and source icons and graphics Create social media images Edit photographs Design attractive reports And more! This training session is followed by VASTs Communications and Social Media training, which goes in-depth into the platforms, tools, and techniques you need to know for effective communications. Book your space on this session here. [https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/vast/communications-and-social-media-training/e-eyyedb] As these sessions are back to back, if attending both we advise you to bring lunch, or there is a variety of hot and cold food available in the Dudson Centre Caf. VAST has a wealth of knowledge and a century of experience so you can rest assured that youre getting the training you deserve. This training is free for VAST members. Not a member? Sign uphere. [https://vast.org.uk/membership/] For more information, please email [email protected]

This session will equip you with practical skills to identify and develop strong partnerships, enhance teamwork and communication, and navigate common challenges to ensure sustainable and successful collaborations. Whether youre looking to expand your reach, align organisational goals, or strengthen your collective impact, this training provides the tools and strategies to make your partnerships thrive. We will cover: Partnership Development: Learn how to identify potential partners, establish mutually beneficial relationships, and align organisational goals for success. Effective Collaboration Techniques: Discover practical strategies for fostering teamwork, communication, and collaboration both within your organisation and with external stakeholders. Navigating Challenges: Gain insights into common challenges in collaborations and acquire problem solving skills to overcome obstacles, ensuring the longevity and success of your partnerships. This course is ideal for local organisations eager to strengthen their community presence and create lasting change through collaborative efforts. VAST has a wealth of knowledge and a century of experience so you can rest assured that youre getting the training you deserve. This training is free for VAST members. Not a member? Sign uphere. [https://vast.org.uk/membership/] For more information, please email [email protected]

Developing a funding strategy is crucial for the sustainability and success of your organisation, but finding enough time for the strategic thinking and development behind a successful fundraising plan can feel impossible. A well-thought-out funding strategy will outline and guide your approach to your organisations potential funding streams and fundraising activities, providing you with focus, direction, and clarity, and crucially, an easy-to-follow action plan. From identifying funding sources to monitoring and evaluating effectiveness, a clear and effective funding strategy will help you to achieve your goals, all while supporting your organisations mission. This session will help you understand what you need to include to create an effective funding strategy, as well as exploring practical approaches to identifying the right funding opportunities for you, diversifying income streams, and ensuring financial sustainability. Whether youre thinking about a new funding strategy, or looking to improve your current one, this training will equip you with the tools and knowledge to achieve long-term success securing the funds you need to what you do best: serving your community. This is a full day training session with lunch provided. VAST has a wealth of knowledge and a century of experience so you can rest assured that youre getting the training you deserve. This training is available for VAST members. Not a member? Sign up here. [https://vast.org.uk/membership/] Did you know that the VAST bursary can be used for our chargeable training sessions? Find out more here. [https://vast.org.uk/bursaryfund/] For more information, please email [email protected]

Difficult conversations are an inevitable but uncomfortable part of any role in the VCSE sector. Whether youre delivering bad news, addressing conflict, or discussing a performance issue, difficult conversations can be required with staff, volunteers, and service users. Its important to make sure that youre well prepared for these topics to arise, and equipped with the correct information, tools, and techniques to de-escalate a conflict or deliver information in a sensitive way. This training session will cover how to prepare, deliver, and document these conversations. Working from real-world examples, this session will support you by drawing on the experience of your peers, and offering resources and ideas to support you in moving your situation forward. The session will aim to equip you with the confidence to deal with difficult conversations as they arise. VAST has a wealth of knowledge and a century of experience so you can rest assured that youre getting the training you deserve. This training is free for VAST members. Not a member? Sign up here. [https://vast.org.uk/membership/] For more information, please email [email protected]

As a Community Health Champion, you play a crucial role in bridging the gap between healthcare providers and the community. Your ability to communicate health messages clearly and compassionately can empower individuals to take control of their well-being and lead healthier lives. Through this training, delivered by Dr Mike Oliver - Chartered Psychologist and Registered Health Psychologist of Health Literacy Matters [https://www.healthliteracymatters.co.uk/]- you will gain valuable insights into the best practices for engaging with diverse populations, and the best way to communicate health messages. Low health literacy is common throughout Stoke-on-Trent; that many people across the city may struggle to read and understand medical information that is intended for members of the public. This training is about allowing Community Health Champions to support people to understand these health messages in a way that empowers them to make informed decisions and take the necessary actions to manage or improve their health and well-being. This training is available for registered Community Health Champions. Community Health Champions are local volunteers who help improve the health and wellbeing of people in Stoke-on-Trent, by connecting with their community to share health messages, and feeding back on the health needs of the communities they live and/or work within. For more information about the Community Health Champions project, or to register as a Community Health Champion and gain access to this training (alongside other training and resources), visit chc.vast.org.uk [https://chc.vast.org.uk/] or [email protected].

We keep hearing the phrase health inequalities, but what does it actually mean? VAST have partnered with Mike Oliver [https://www.healthpsychologymatters.co.uk/], whom many of you will have met at theHealth Literacy training [https://www.healthliteracymatters.co.uk/] he runs, to deliver a workshop for Community Health Champions. This workshop will help you understand: what we mean by health inequalities why it is important for the day-to-day lives of people and community groups in and around Stoke-on-Trent what can be done to address health inequalities how community groups can use knowledge about health inequalities to influence decisions that affect their lives This training is free forCommunity Health Champions [https://chc.vast.org.uk]. Our network of over 200 Community Health Champions share important health messages within their communities and help us to feed back to our healthcare partners. Registering as a champion is free, and gives you access to our regular training sessions, networking events, and bi-weekly bulletin. Want to learn more about being a Community Health Champion? Visit our website at chc.vast.org.uk [https://chc.vast.org.uk] or contact our team by [email protected] This workshop is taking place at the Dudson Centre.

Welcome to your VAST membership! As a VAST member, you gain access to a wide variety of benefits, including but not limited to: VASTs free member-only training sessions, covering topics from funding and bid writing to social media Networking sessions, including our Finance Forum, our Share Network and our Volunteer Managers Network Our volunteer brokerage service One-to-one support from our projects team Opportunity to apply for the VAST Bursary Our regular voluntary sector newsletters, keeping you updated on sector news, funding opportunities, events and more. These new member mixer sessions will provide the opportunity for you to meet members of the VAST team, learn about the services youre able to access, and network with other new VAST members to build partnerships within our local VCSE sector. It will also give you the chance to visit the Dudson Centre and learn about the organisations and projects based here. We look forward to meeting you and learning more about your work!

Community events can be hugely important for VCSE organisations; for raising awareness, fundraising, networking, or celebrating your organisations successes. Planning an event doesnt need to be complicated but its important to make sure youre prepared. Knowing about licensing and permissions can leave your head spinning, but it doesn't have to be all red tape and legal barriers if you understand the requirements. In this session, well explain what you need to know about the legal side of planning events so that you can start to discuss these things and have the right conversations early in the planning process. Youll also get some advice and guidance on how to plan your events to meet your aims and objectives, to attract the right audiences, and manage staff and volunteers effectively. From brainstorming to evaluation, this training will equip you with the knowledge and skills to ensure your event goes smoothly from inception to delivery, and beyond VAST has a wealth of knowledge and a century of experience so you can rest assured that youre getting the training you deserve. This training is free for VAST members. Not a member? Sign uphere. [https://vast.org.uk/membership/] For more information, please email [email protected]

Planning your communications and events is never an easy task. Sometimes its hard to even know where to start, never mind how to improve. This can be even harder for small organisations where its often just one person running the comms and planning the events. But thats what this network is for. Any members of staff or volunteers in the voluntary sector that work on their organisations comms or events, this is the network for you! Keep an eye on this page for more information about the theme and guest speakers for this session. If you have any questions, please contact [email protected]