Useful information – w/c 02/06/25
June 2, 2025
Events, training, charity news, surveys, research, feedback, reports, services and much more – in one handy place!
This page will be updated with new information as we receive it during the week. Please check back regularly. (Last update: 02/06/25 – items added on this date are marked as [NEW])
You’ll also find the latest Health and Wellbeing news, events and opportunities in the current post on our News page here.
You can view previous Useful Information posts here to catch up on our archive of information.
For useful resources, information, news and events, updates on our climate commitment, blog posts from colleagues about what they’re doing (in a work capacity and privately) to minimise environmental impact and more take a look at Cumbria CVS Green
If you’ve seen something you think we should be sharing, let us know! Email us: info@cumbriacvs.org.uk
Looking for funding information? Check out the latest edition of Focus on Funding here
Training and Events
Charity Digital Academy: Practical uses of AI for your charity
3rd June, online. This course aims, in just three hours, to boost your everyday use of AI.
The course takes a hands-on, practical approach, showing charities how to use AI to improve meetings, boost email marketing, smash data analytics, enhance workflow efficiency, and so much more.
Webinar: AI for charities – what leaders need to know
5th June, online. Artificial Intelligence is transforming the charity sector, helping organisations do more with less. Join our webinar to learn how AI can streamline operations, boost efficiency, and provide valuable insights for better decision-making.
Attendees can expect to learn:
- How AI can simplify day-to-day operations
- The real-world applications of AI in the charity sector
- How to identify areas within your organisation that could benefit from AI
Whether you’re curious about AI’s potential for your organisation or ready to get started, this session will demystify AI and provide clear, practical takeaways.
How to use Canva for Social Media
Monday 9 June, online. Canva is the great free-to-use online graphic design tool which you can use to create great graphics as well as presentations and videos amongst other things.
This is an introductory session about Canva with a few tips about using it for social media.
Free introduction to coaching and development
Tuesday 11 June, online. If you’re supporting other people’s development, this free upcoming webinar explores how we build strong foundations for coaching and development that actually sticks. Simon Hill – a former fundraiser and partnerships lead – has worked with social purpose leaders to create a practical toolkit for coaching that’s sustainable, effective, and shaped by your values.
What’s in it for you?
- Real-world tools you can adapt to fit what you already do
- Ways to support colleagues without piling on more work
- Space to reflect on how coaching can strengthen your purpose
Sign up here Open to anyone supporting others in a local infrastructure or VCSE context.
Reimagining Service Delivery Summit
12 June, online. A free online event for charity professionals to unlock new perspectives on service delivery and help maximise value to service users.
Whether you’re a charity leader or a volunteer, working in service delivery, fundraising, or marketing, this event will have something for you. Sessions will help you re-evaluate the relationship between charities and their service users, consider how digital can help charity services go further, and make more room for hope and optimism in service delivery for meaningful change.
Find out more and register here
Introduction to Improving Quality
Thurs 12th June 2025, online. Improving Quality is a clear, simple system, and focuses on the key issues that make a difference for charities.
IQ can either be used for self-assessment or accreditation, and has international recognition: a number of organisations in the UK and the Republic of Ireland are already accredited to it.
Carers Health and Wellbeing information event
Friday 13th June, Barrow. This event is for unpaid Carers, their families, and anyone else to come along and see the free support that is available from the many wonderful organisations in our community.
There will be café style seating in the hall for FREE tea, coffee, refreshments and pie and peas (until they run out!).
Click here to view a flyer with more information
Introduction to Engaging with Businesses: Five Things I Wish I’d Known
Tuesday 17 June, online. A basic introduction to engaging and connecting with your local business community.
This session is aimed at small charities and voluntary groups, whether they are at the beginning of their journey in engaging with businesses or wish to develop stronger contacts.
[NEW] Camp Jojo – showcase open weekend
21st & 22nd June, Hoff. Camp Jojo offer camping experiences for families of children with complex needs & disabilities, and are excitingly establishing their first site in the north of England.
CampJojo are holding a showcase Open Weekend to show people around what they can offer. If you would like to attend or know of any organisations that it would be relevant to, please let Alex know which session you would like to attend.
Contact: Alex Chalmers Alex@campjojo.org.uk
Crafting your perfect team: Strategies for requirements gathering and partner selection
3rd July, online. Join Hart Square for this webinar, where we’ll cover how to effectively gather your business and technical requirements to ensure your project is well defined and set up for success from the start.
We’ll share proven techniques for identifying, capturing, and documenting your requirements and how best to align stakeholders, prioritise needs, and avoid the common pitfalls at this stage of a project.
Reserves – What They Are and How to Calculate Them
Tuesday 8 July, online. Reserves are a critical element when building small charity resilience. However, they are often, for very valid reasons, miscalculated.
The session will look at Why we hold reserves, how to calculate reserves, what a good reserves policy looks like and how to report on reserves.
VCFSE News and Information
[NEW] The Charity Awards 2025 shortlist is announced
A vaccination programme to eliminate rabies in Kabul, the enrolment of thousands of schoolchildren in music ensembles in Birmingham, and a campaign to help people feel more comfortable talking about death and dying with their loved ones, are among 30 inspiring projects shortlisted for the Charity Awards 2025.
The Charity Awards, which announced its shortlist last month, is celebrating 25 years as the charity world’s longest-running, biggest and best-known awards ceremony. This year’s charities have been judged by an independent panel of charity leaders as having demonstrated outstanding best practice in leadership and management, from which other organisations can learn.
Amongst those shortlisted is Cumbria Community Foundation.
[NEW] The best AI tools for meeting notes
Charity Digital used one of their own meetings to compare three of the best artificial intelligence tools to see which offers the best meeting notes.
[NEW] NCIC Member and stakeholder bulletin
The latest news from North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust is now available, including:
- Latest NHS data published
- NCIC launches new era of research and innovation
- Could you join our patient panel?
Surveys, Research, Feedback and Reports
Disclaimer
The information above is provided in good faith. Whilst every care is taken to ensure that it is correct, Cumbria CVS cannot accept liability for any omissions or inaccuracies and does not take responsibility for the quality for any services or products mentioned.
