About this Event
Are you a grassroots leader working to support your community and keen to amplify your impact? Alongside our friends at Yuvanis Foundation, and as part of our 32 Steps to Togetherness initiative, we are hosting a celebratory day in Oldham: with keynote speakers, hands-on training, and more. At this event, we will offer a platform for diverse voices to come together, share insights, and forge partnerships for a strong civil society.
Through our various streams of work, we’ve encountered that the weakening of community in the UK is causing all sorts of problems - high levels of loneliness and isolation across all age groups and the rise of social division. We have developed a vision for coming together in communities. We have launched , an initiative centered around a manual of 32 small but significant actions that we as individuals can do to build connections within and between communities. The project is all about mobilising and supporting a community of ‘Togetherness Champions’ through running events (like this one!).
Grassroots leaders are the key to bringing people together. Not only do they wonderfully support the communities they serve, but they often step in when other state institutions don’t. We believe they should be cherished and celebrated; that is why we have been organising several conferences and project visits to grassroots organisations. We want to spotlight your wonderful work, and amplify your value and reach!
Expect a day of celebrating your work, exchanging projects and free training! Sector experts will deliver hands-on training sessions on relevant topics for community organisations, such as income generation, filmmaking and podcasting. We will also be showcasing the work of community organisations that have participated in our Kinder Communities project working in Greater Manchester and across the UK such as Yuvanis Foundation, Become United, National Lottery Community Fund, Deaf Rhinos, Action Together, Oldham Council, Burnside Centre, Unity UK, Bangladesh Association Community Project, Caring & Sharing Rochdale, Oldham Interfaith Forum (TBC), Civic Power Fund and Awakening Minds CIC.
What will you get from coming?
- Exchange of support and ideas: We are thrilled to bring so many incredible organisations together for one day. We’re inspired by the work you do, and we’re keen for you to connect with each other! You will hear from speakers from Yuvanis Foundation, Oldham Council, the Hate Crime Ambassador, the Jo Cox Foundation (TBC), We Stand Together, Women in Colour, Alchemy Arts (TBC), Oldham Interfaith Association, and more.
- Learning, training and hands-on support: At our event in Oldham you can: speak with CSC consultants about the challenges you’re facing; participate in workshops on community podcasting, income generation and filmmaking; and learn about the latest funding information from the National Lottery Community Fund - and other funders - who have a sincere interest in the work of organisations like yours.
Please get in touch at [email protected] if you require any financial assistance to meet travel costs to attend this event, we have a small pot of funds for grassroots leaders in this position
Agenda for the day
10:30-11:00 Registration and welcome snacks
11:00-11:20 Cultural Activities: Poetry, Qawalli and more (Sarwar from CWTC)
11:20-11.30 Welcome from Civil Society Consulting CIC - Dewan Choudhury & Mark Ereira-Guyer
11:30-11:50 Hate Crime Talk by Virbai Kara (Senior Communities Officer) and Q&A
11:50-12:10 Presentation by Yasmine Dar (Women in Colour) - to be confirmed
12:10-12.30 Presentation by the Civil Society Consulting CIC Team - Rebecca Pauley - Building Social Connections & Reducing loneliness and isolation - local learning in Tameside, Rochdale and across the UK
12:30-13:00 Lunch and networking
13:00-13:30 Spotlight on Oldham groups
- Mohammed Tawhid (Director at Become United)
- Zakir Ahmad (Chief Officer at Yuvanis Foundation)
- Burnside Centre (TBC)
- Westwood & Coldhurst Women's Association (Ruji Surjan)
13:30-14:10 Keynote speakers
- Gillian Halliwell (Head of Regional Funding - North West at The National Lottery Community Fund)
- Nazrul Islam (Oldham Labour Councillor Business Leader)
- Mohammed Afridi (Director or Organising at Civic Power Fund)
- Meena Jeewa from Jo Cox Foundation
14:00-14:15 Break + Screenings
14:15-15:15 Training sessions
○ Income generation - How to make the best Lottery funding application - session with Gillian Halliwell
With information about the National Lottery's various grant programmes and other funder opportunities including We Stand Together andAction Together Oldham - plus Henry Smith Charity invited
OR
○ Community Podcasting - session with Gift Wrapped Media CIC
○ Communicating your impact through video, with ThroughFilm
15:15-15:30 Closing
About Civil Society Consulting
Civil Society Consulting CIC is a non-profit working across the UK, with strong connections in the North East, North West and East of England, as well as in London where we are based. In a nutshell: we want health, equality and social solidarity (cohesion). We believe that restoring a sense of community and developing communities is the key, and therefore that the voluntary community sector (VCS) is key! We aim to strengthen the VCS sector by being a reliable source of excellent support for VCS organisations, which is either affordable (to medium-sized and larger organisations) or free (to small, grassroots organisations led by and for marginalised communities).
About
The UK is experiencing high levels of loneliness across all age groups and social fragmentation is on the rise. Why? Because individuals and communities are becoming more and more isolated from each other. Fast-paced lifestyles and the privatisation of public spaces are major factors, with changing social norms and technology altering how we communicate. People are desperately missing a sense of community!
Civil Society Consulting has developed a resource for combating loneliness and social fragmentation from the bottom up - through small but significant actions. The 32 Steps manual provides practical suggestions for how we, as individuals and community leaders, can build connections within and between communities, setting out ideas for how to change our thinking habits, foster community connections, encourage workplace inclusivity, and recognise the political nature of building diverse social networks.
Over the next two years, Civil Society Consulting CIC has Bringing People Together funding from the National Lottery Community Fund. We want to:
- Grow a community of togetherness champions - people and organisations who support and endorse 32 Steps to Togetherness
- Spread a spirit of togetherness through them, inspiring individuals and community leaders to follow the 32 Steps.
- Support, catalyse and empower community leaders within the community through providing free support.
Over the next two years, we’re focused on building the foundations for a bigger movement - i.e. a strong network of supported civil society and faith leaders. These foundations will be a launching pad from which to scale. Join us!
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Middleton Road, Middleton Road, Oldham, United Kingdom
GBP 0.00