Useful information – w/c 12/05/25
May 12, 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: 12/05/25 – items added on this date are marked as [NEW])
*** Please note: There will be no update next week, due to staff holidays **
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
GDPR and Data Security
Tues 13 May, online. Who is trying to access your data and what are the implications of this?
Also, what can you do to make it more difficult for people to steal your data.
AI For Charities: What You Need To Know
13th May 2025, online. Join Qlic IT for their upcoming webinar on AI for charities.
Discover how nonprofits are already using AI, which tools are worth exploring, and how to get started in a safe, ethical, and cost-effective way.
Perfect for charity leaders, managers, and anyone curious about using AI to do more with less, no technical background required.
Making the most of M365 apps – tips and tricks
13th May, online. This three-hour session shows you how to master 365 apps. The first section will cover an overview of the apps available. It will explore web vs desktop applications, the joys of Copilot, the best way to use Microsoft Forms, and the secrets of Sway.
The second section is dedicated to Teams, exploring meeting and channel management, file storage, whiteboards and polls, and so much more.
Menopause in the Workplace: Supporting Employees Through Change
14th May 2025, online. This session provides guidance on how organisations can better support employees experiencing menopause, a natural phase of life often misunderstood or overlooked.
This training offers practical advice on how to create a supportive environment that considers physical, emotional, and social factors while reducing stigma. By understanding menopause, participants will learn how to provide appropriate support and accommodations that benefit both the individual and the broader workplace.
Cumbria Sustainability Network | Citizen Influence: Shaping local climate and nature policies
Saturday 17th May, Carlisle.How do we get our voices heard and ensure that planners and policy-makers understand our concerns about the future for climate and nature?
Find out more about the recommendations from the Cumbria Climate Assembly and gain practical tools for getting your voice heard.
The event will profile the recommendations of the first Cumbria Climate Assembly which has brought together a diverse group of 40 randomly selected people from across the county to answer the question: ‘Many people in Cumbria feel unheard and unable to influence those who make decisions on climate change action. What can be done about this?’
How to manage charity finances
20 May, online. This course aims, in just three hours, to help you make sense of your finances. It provides a simple, straightforward, plain-English introduction, covering budgeting, reporting, governance, sustainability, futureproofing, and so much more.
In two back-to-back sessions, each lasting approximately 80 minutes, the course offers key insights into the essential elements of charity finance.
Webinar – A guide to co-producing services with users
22nd May, online. This webinar will shine a light on the process of co-production, with Mind in Camden CEO, Jon Higgs, exploring practical examples, discussing remote co-design, clarifying service design funding, and so much more.
We will discuss how the ability to meet users’ needs means being able to focus a charity’s efforts to achieve deeper impact in the ways that matter most.
Charity Digital Academy: How to master strategic planning
28th May – 4th June 2025, online. Master your long term planning with this two part course
Our course, in two three-hour sessions, inspires charities to embrace long-term planning. The course will allow you to think strategically, understand the importance of charity governance, develop an in-depth strategic plan, understand the tensions that arise between operational and strategic priorities, keep your strategic plan on track, and so much more.
Getting to work on Modern Slavery in Cumbria
Thursday 29 May, Penrith. Our keynote is from Causeway who provide a range of services which support survivors of modern slavery to recover from trauma, be protected from further harm, and develop safe and fulfilling lives.
They receive referrals from the Salvation Army, who are the government contract holders for adult victims of modern slavery in England & Wales.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Surveys, Research, Feedback and Reports
[NEW] Share your volunteering experiences with us!
Calling all blind and partially sighted people.
RNIB want to understand your motivations to volunteer, what stops you from volunteering, and what might encourage you to get involved with a volunteer role in the future.
Got a spare 15 minutes? Complete the latest Voice of the Customer survey here
Want to get involved in a different topic instead? Register your interest through this link
You will have the option to complete future surveys online or receive a call to go through it.
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.
