I just wanted to say a big ‘THANK YOU!’ to everyone who got involved in Small Charity Week in Dudley borough and to highlight the organisations that joined in our conversations.

We had quite a few conversations online and some busy activities that I really hope were useful and stimulating for everyone that joined in.

 

 

Among the groups that took part online, especially on Twitter, by sharing information about their great work were:

• Dudley CIL (Centre for Inclusive Living), is a registered charity which is run by disabled people for disabled people. You can find Dudley CIL on Twitter @DudleyCIL.

• More Mascots Please CIC, a social enterprise that offers party packages and invests its profits into supporting disabled children and young people and putting smiles on children’s faces. Talk to More Mascots Please on Twitter @MoreMascotsPls.

• DiscoverU, is a registered charity and a social enterprise that makes shabby chic products, supporting people with learning disabilities. Discover them on Twitter @DiscoverUdy5.

• SODA-WM – SODA stands for Survivors of Domestic Abuse and is a small group that supports people affected by, fleeing and surviving domestic abuse. You can also find SODA on Twitter @SODANationWide and they’re currently looking for trustees!

• No Limits Community Project also got in touch asking if we could help publicise their organisation and we included them in our monthly bulletin which went out during Small Charity Week. No Limits Community Project supports people aged 16 and over with Able Autism / Asperger Syndrome. The charity promotes independence and social inclusion, maximises people’s potential, raises self confidence and self esteem and enables people to achieve their goals. It also contributes to initiatives which heighten community autism awareness.For further information on how you can get involved in the charity’s social activities and to subscribe to No Limits Community Project’s newsletter, contact Nigel Blunt, Project Manager at projectmanager@nolimits4autism.org.uk

 

 

Big Advice Day

For Big Advice Day, Eileen and I ran a special DY1-stop shop, where we gave seven hours of support between us.

Two people dropped in for support around volunteering roles and advocacy. Three people learned more about setting up a charity and we had conversations around planning, legal structures, finance and funding, asset transfer and development and networking. Finally, one person from an established charity came along to discuss making another group she was involved in into a more formalised organisation. We had a good chat around building a committee and developing a plain-English constitution.

People that came along told us that they got exactly the information and guidance they needed and left with answers and clear sense of what to do next, where to get further support from Dudley CVS.

Remember, DY1-stop shop runs on the first Wednesday of each month between 10am and 1pm. Anyone is welcome to join us to chat more about being part of a voluntary and community group.

Other events throughout the week

Dudley’s business connect, Andy Mullaney, ran a special Synergy meeting on Fundraising Day and Eileen ran a networking and learning event for organisations that involve volunteers on Volunteering Day. 13 people from 12 groups joined Eileen and the opportunity to network was so great that Eileen plans on running similar activities every quarter.

And finally…

Small Charity Week has compiled a short storify of what happened up and down the country during Small Charity Week.