If you have any questions please contact Ellie Scott, Living Well Collaborative Co-ordinator on ellie@dva.org.uk

Get ready to wrap up 2024 with an event you won’t want to miss!

On Thursday, 5th December, join Derbyshire Voluntary Action for an inspiring afternoon of networking, celebration, and solidarity at our Winter Festival.

This is more than just a festive gathering—it’s a chance to share ideas, connect with like-minded individuals, and celebrate the resilience and impact of Derbyshire’s incredible VCSE sector.

What to Expect:

• Explore stalls showcasing amazing work across our community.
• Enjoy the uplifting sounds of live music from the talented Inspire Choir.
• Indulge in mince pies, connect with friends, and take part in our free raffle packed with exciting prizes!

Let’s Talk About the Future
While we celebrate, we’ll also tackle important conversations around Derbyshire County Council’s decision on discretionary funding cuts. Through practical workshops, we’ll focus on:

• Supporting groups impacted by these changes.
• Exploring how we can collaborate and create a sustainable future for Derbyshire’s VCSE sector.

This event is not just about celebration—it’s about empowering each other to navigate challenges and drive positive change in our communities.

Save Your Spot!
Spaces are limited, so make sure to book early and join us for an afternoon of connection, inspiration, and festive fun. Let’s come together, share ideas, and look forward to a brighter, more resilient future for Derbyshire.

Together, let’s celebrate our incredible community—see you there!

Voluntary sector is the backbone of Derbyshire and must be protected

As CEO of Derbyshire Voluntary Action (DVA), I’ve seen first-hand the impact these cuts will have on the charities and community groups that serve some of the county’s most vulnerable people.

In July, DVA hosted the Save Our Sector event at Chesterfield Football Club, where over 100 charities, community leaders, and organisations gathered to unite against these cuts.

The event was not just a show of solidarity, but a call to action. Attendees shared their fears, frustrations, and determination to protect the services that make such a difference to thousands of lives in Derbyshire.

Our petition to challenge the cuts gathered hundreds of signatures, with similar challenges bringing to total to over a thousand.

This petition was presented to Coun Carol Hart, cabinet member for health and communities, and our report on the impact of these cuts Derbyshire County Council and was published publicly which you can read by going to https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:eu:3e3ea532-fb52-414f-a8fe-828111edeb14?viewer%21megaVerb=group-discover.

While we may not know the outcome yet, our message was clear: the voluntary sector is indispensable, and these cuts must be reconsidered.

The fight doesn’t stop here. We must continue to speak up, spread the word, and engage with our local representatives.

Talk to your county councillor, contact your MP, and let them know how important these services are to our community’s wellbeing.

The voluntary sector is the backbone of Derbyshire, and together we can protect it. We’ve made our voices heard; now, we must ensure they listen.

Our communities deserve better.

Read the article on the Derbyshire Times website.

You are invited to our Joint Countywide Mental Health Forum, jointly hosted by Derbyshire Voluntary Action’s Mental Health Liaison Service and Derbyshire Mental Health Forum at Erewash Voluntary Action. The Forum is open to mental health voluntary sector organisations across Derby City and Derbyshire County

There will be presentations from across the Derbyshire mental health sector as well as time to network with your peers and colleagues. 

The agenda includes:

Download the Agenda
Download the Minutes from the last Forum

If you would like to attend please book your place using the link below: https://buytickets.at/derbyshirevoluntaryaction/1415026

You will receive a confirmation email with a ticket, you do not need to bring this with you on the day.

If you have any issues booking a place please contact us on bryony@dva.org.uk or joanne@erewashcvs.org.uk

Do you regularly encounter individuals affected by drug or alcohol use? If so, these courses are designed for you. To book a place see further details below. Alternatively, you may also take advantage of our free group training for 10 or more participants. For further details, please email training@daas.uk.com.

Alcohol Awareness and Introduction to Brief Interventions
DAAS offers a free 4-hour CPD UK course delivered on MS Teams on problematic alcohol use. The course covers:

• Alcohol unit measurements
• UK alcohol guidelines
• Health risks associated with drinking too much
• Starting conversations and intervening where alcohol is an issue
• How to refer into specialist substance misuse services

Day	Date	Start	Finish	Link
Wednesday	6th Nov 24	10.00am	2.00pm	Book here
Thursday	5th Dec 24	12.30pm	4.30pm	Book here

Substance (Drug) Awareness
DAAS offers a free 4-hour CPD UK certified course delivered on-line using MS Teams, focusing on substances commonly misused. The course covers:

• Identifying the different types of drugs that are commonly misused
• Classifying them into categories (stimulants, depressants, hallucinogens)
• Differentiating between myths and facts about illegal substances
• How to refer clients to specialist substance misuse services

Day	Date	Start	Finish	Link
Wednesday	16th Oct 24	12.30am	4.30pm	Book here
Tuesday	12th Nov 24	10.00am	2.00pm	Book here
Wednesday	11th Dec 24	12.30pm	4.30pm	Book here

Addiction and Interventions in Substance Use
DAAS provide a free 5 hour course delivered on MS Teams. It is led by experienced trainers and helps you understand and engage with people struggling with addiction. The course covers:

• The effects of addiction to drugs and alcohol
• Identifying the warning signs
• How drugs work and how addiction develops
• Skills and techniques for dealing with addiction challenges.

Day	Date	Start	Finish	Link
Thursday	21st Nov 24	10.00am	3.00pm	Book here
Tuesday	17th Dec 24	12.30pm	5.00pm	Book here

If the free training slots are full, you can check our website here for dates in January 2025 or enquire about free training for groups of 10 or more by sending an email to training@daas.uk.com.

October 14th-20th is this year’s Get Online Week, a national effort set up by the Good Things Foundation to support people with their digital literacy.
 
As part of this effort, on 17th October between 10am and 2pm, the Digital Connect project with Citizens Advice North East Derbyshire will be hosting digi-drop-in sessions, our Digital Champions will be available in outreaches to help with any digital problems there may be – whether that’s sending an email or getting started with social media.

We can help with:

• Using Your Devices: Get help with smartphones, tablets, or laptops.
• Online Banking & Shopping: Stay safe while managing your money or shopping online.
• Online Safety: Tips for protecting your information and avoiding scams.
• Accessing Services Online: Find out how to book doctor appointments or manage council services online.

We’ve been kindly supported by venues in the community, so our digi-drop-ins are as accessible to as many people as possible; find us in:

• Dronfield Library
• Eckington Library
• Killamarsh Active
• Citizens Advice Drop-In Centre in Clay Cross

For more information, call us on 0808 250 5702

In direct response to the proposed cuts to discretionary funding which will affect voluntary and community organisations (VCSE) across Derbyshire, Derbyshire Voluntary Action hosted an interactive event to explore the potential impact of these cuts to the health and wellbeing of communities across Derbyshire.

The event held in partnership with Chesterfield Football Club was at capacity with directly impacted VCSE organisations, the wider VCSE sector and key supportive stakeholders.

Read the Save Our Sector Impact Report

VCSE organisations want to work in collaboration with Derbyshire County Council to find appropriate solutions to the current challenges.

We hope this report will be considered and play an influential role in the decision making process.

This Report has been circulated to all VCSE partners, all Derbyshire MPs, Claire Ward Mayor, Derbyshire County Council Cabinet members and elected members.

Thank you to everyone who provided information to support this report. If we haven’t included your facts or quotes please be assured we’ll be using them elsewhere during our continued campaign.

On behalf of Erewash CVS, and Joined Up Care Derbyshire, we are now accepting applications for a new Mental Health Small Grants Fund.

The objective of this fund is to enable local voluntary and community groups and organisations to improve or extend their work supporting Derby and Derbyshire residents aged 18 plus to maintain good mental health.

Maximum Grant Award £5,000 per organisation

​Applicants will be expected to show a clear link between the activity they are applying to fund and the impact this has on participants’ mental health.

Grants can be used for a defined ‘one off’ project. All funds need to be spent and evaluations completed by 31^st March 2025. Groups will need to provide evidence of how the grant has been spent and it’s impact on local residents.

Application Deadline: Monday 21^st October at 5pm

A second funding round may be opened if all funds are not allocated during the first round.

Please Note: This grant is for Capital expenditure only. This could involve the purchase of assets or the refurbishing of existing assets. As such, grants can be used for small items of equipment to support delivery. Examples include (but are not limited to) laptops, kitchen equipment, repairs to building etc.