NEW TRAINING TOPIC COMES TO BERKSHIRE! Listening Skills for Community Organising, 22.11.19

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What is ‘Community Organising’?

When communities work together, the possibilities for positive change are endless. Community organising is the work of bringing people together to take action around their common concerns and overcome social injustice. Community organisers reach out and listen, connect and motivate people to build their collective power. When people are organised, communities get heard and power begins to shift creating real change for good

This interactive, quality-assured course will help you to develop the skills and confidence to start listening to people to build relationships and activate people as part of a community organising strategy. Listening to people is the foundation of community organising because it builds trust and relationships, uncovers issues and is an essential starting point for bringing people together to share stories, ideas and action.

The course is taking place on Friday 22nd November from 9.30am – 5pm at Beech Hill Memorial Hall, Berkshire, RG7 2BE. To reserve your place please click here:

https://ccberks.wufoo.com/forms/listening-skills-for-community-organising/

This interactive, quality-assured community organising course you will build on your knowledge and explore:

  • ‘relational’ listening and its importance in community organising
  • How to plan a listening campaign to kick-start your organising work
  • Practical listening tools you can use to engage people, build relationships and find leaders
  • How asking powerful questions helps people to tell their stories
  • How community organisers reflect to improve their work

“The listening exercise made me reflect on how I have been listening to others and sometimes not hearing them.”

People that have attended Community Organisers Ltd courses have gone on to achieve great things and make a real difference to their community. To read some case studies and get a better idea of what YOU could help achieve please click here: https://www.corganisers.org.uk/what-is-community-organising/stories/

Government advice ensuring rural communities are ready for Brexit

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In common with other Government Departments, Defra issues advice on preparing for Brexit. The www.gov.uk website carries the most up-to-date advice on a range of topics, including:

  • Importing and exporting food
  • Food and organic produce labelling
  • Marketing standards
  • Your employees
  • Chemical regulations
  • Using personal data and Brexit
  • European Temporary Right to Remain
  • French Customs Guidance

You can sign up to receive email updates from Defra HERE.

West Berkshire Community Champion: help reward someone that goes the extra mile!

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We all know someone that goes the extra mile for the good of others and their community. We also know that much of this work goes unnoticed.

West Berkshire Council wants to acknowledge and thank those people within the District for the work that they do and launched the Community Champion Awards 2019. This is your opportunity to nominate an individual or group who deserves recognition for their work in the community.

Nominating couldn’t be easier; nominees simply need to live within West Berkshire and fit one of the following categories:

  • The Pat Eastop MBE Junior Citizen of the Year Award (nominees must be 18 or under)
  • Volunteer of the Year Award
  • Community Group of the Year Award
  • Lifetime Achievement Award

The web page link (www.westberks.gov.uk/communitychampion) is now live and you can complete the nomination forms.

The closing date for nominations is Friday 25th October 2019.

Silver Sunday: Celebrating Older People: Sunday 6th October

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The Silver Sunday concept began in 2012 by the by The Sir Simon Milton Foundation and Westminster City Councillor Christabel Flight. The thinking behind the idea was inspired by a report that found more than a third of people over 75 said they were lonely.

The aim of the project was to celebrate older residents, recognise their contribution to their communities and help them get out and about to meet new people. This year’s Silver Sunday will be held on the 6th October.

The first Silver Sunday in 2012 was a success with 2,000 people taking part in 19 events in Westminster. Since then, the event has grown rapidly with around 1,000 events last year with 50,000 older people participating in events. These events included walking football, art classes, tea parties, dances, tai chi, boat rides and cultural experiences.

CCB supports this day and we hope that you’ll be taking part this year. There are some events taking place in Berkshire like the Silver Sunday Tea Dance at Bupa Thatcham Court (please click here to see if there’s one near you.) but if there isn’t one near you, you can organise an event with a multitude of resources available on their website to help you with this.

Just visit their website to find out more, there is a link just below. On the website, you’ll be able to find an event, find out how to organise an event and learn how to volunteer for the day if you are unable to organise an event.

To take part in this year’s Silver Sunday, you can visit their website by clicking here.

Help change the future, come to our Environmental Impact Conference

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Are you involved with running a community building? Perhaps you’re on the committee of your Village Hall? Or do you run a community shop or pub? Do you help run and maintain your church or place of worship? If yes then this is the conference for YOU!

Come along to CCB’s Environmental Impact Conference on Thursday 7th November (immediately following our AGM) at 10.15am at Beech Hill Memorial Hall.

This event will be a perfect place and space for you to consider how your Community Building or Village Hall impacts on the local environment and what you and your community can do to improve things.

From simple local solutions to more forward thinking planning, there is something that everyone can do to help reduce the negative impacts that our facilities have on the environment and plenty of steps we can take to enhance it too.

Join us for a morning of information, discussion and networking. The conference will cover:

  • Speakers – Utility Aid, Heat Save, SWA (Architects) & more TBC
  • Simple, easy actions for community buildings
  • Energy efficiency / heat saving
  • Funding
  • Building with environmental consideration
  • Environmental audit tool

Refreshments will be provided. FREE to CCB Members and CBAS Members and £10 to non-members. This training is supported by West Berkshire Council Adult Community Learning and Englefield Charitable Trust. PLACES MUST BE BOOKED: Please click on this link to book a place: