Supporting Voluntary and Community Action
Voscur members have had a busy summer campaigning and collaborating, and autumn looks just as exciting.
There are some fantastic opportunities to get involved with local organisations, as an individual donor, a volunteer, a business, or a service user.
One25, a charity that supports Bristol’s street sex workers, is inviting people to sign up for an unusual fundraising event: from 14-15 September, you can be sponsored to play board games or video games for 6, 12 or 24 hours. The challenge, called GameGood, is an opportunity to dig out your favourite games and play with family, friends, or as an individual.
Anyone playing online games for the challenge is encouraged to live stream their progress on Twitch and JustGiving. One25 will also live stream footage from well-known gamers on its own Twitch channel, and you can donate to the team page.
The money raised will help One25 work with vulnerable local women through its helpline, night outreach, drop-in centre and caseworkers.
The Savannah Development Foundation is launching an In Kind Directory of local black, Asian and minority ethnic community (BAME) services, thanks to £10,000 of National Lottery funding. The directory will hold contact details of experts in areas such as counselling, education, health advice, integration, mentoring, parenting, and tax.
The project will start this month, with the final directory issued in August 2020. This is a first for local people and for the BAME community, providing them with either free support or signposting to paid advice services.
“This is a ground-breaking initiative,” said a spokesperson for the Easton-based charity.
Congratulations to Resolve West, formerly known as Bristol Mediation, which has been awarded a Restorative Service Quality Mark for restorative justice work. This award comes from the Restorative Justice Council, and reassures the public, commissioners and funders that the service is trustworthy and valuable.
In order to be given the award, Resolve West had to meet six quality standards, including collaboration, strategical and operational planning, and evaluation and improvement. Participant safety is one of the main considerations running through the quality standards.
Resolve West works across Bristol, Bath, North Somerset, other areas of Somerset, and South Gloucestershire, as an independent charity.
Bristol Zero Tolerance is nearing the end of a summer appeal to raise £5,000, which will keep the project going. Its work includes raising awareness of gender-based violence, domestic violence, exploitation, and harassment or abuse on the street or in the workplace.
The project is part of Bristol Women’s Voice, and was started by Bristol Women’s Commission. It uses a wide range of strategies, such as toolkits for people who have experienced street harassment, safe spaces, workplace policies, and Sister Courage training for community groups and schools to understand and deal with harassment. So far, over 100 local organisations have partnered with Bristol Zero Tolerance.
The fundraising appeal will close on Monday 30 September 2019 and has so far raised 78% of its target. Click here to find out more.
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