- Inspiring women in the voluntary sector
- Thank you to our colleagues
- Roadmap for easing lockdown restrictions
- Community Testing Programme
- Shielding support for new and existing clinically extremely vulnerable residents
- Transport to COVID-19 vaccinations
- Facebook Live COVID-19 briefing
- New funding opportunities
- Resources for VCSE organisations
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- Support with COVID-19 legislation webinars
- Do you #CEtheSigns of child exploitation?
- Safeguarding and support
- Support videos for parents
- Ban on bailiff evictions extended
- New adult social care charging policy
- Help for EU citizens
- Previous issues of the Voluntary and Community Sector Update
- Important links
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Voluntary and Community Sector COVID-19 Update - 26 February 2021
Dear Colleagues
Welcome to the latest VCSE newsletter, jointly produced by Cornwall Voluntary Sector Forum (VSF) and Cornwall Council.
In this edition we want to focus your attention on International Women’s Day on Monday 8 March as we have some wonderful women in Cornwall that we would like to recognise, celebrate and affirm. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. We would love you to join us in this endeavour by nominating someone who inspires you or taking part in the numerous activities taking place around Cornwall.
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Inspiring women in the voluntary sector
International Women’s Day is coming up and Cornwall VSF wants to shine a light on the women doing wonderful things in the voluntary sector in Cornwall. From Monday 8 March, Cornwall VSF will be sharing the stories of the women who have gone the extra mile in their work, provided support in exceptional circumstances or simply someone who stays positive and motivates others during uncertain times. If you would like to nominate someone in the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector, please complete and submit a short nomination form by 5pm on Tuesday 2 March. Find out what else is happening in Cornwall to mark International Women’s Day on Cornwall VSF’s website.
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Thank you to our colleagues
NHS and council leaders in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly have recognised the outstanding role that colleagues across Cornwall, including those in the VCSE sector, have played and continue to play, during the pandemic.
You can read their thank you letter on the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Health and Care Partnership website.
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Roadmap for easing lockdown restrictions
The Government has announced a four step plan to ease lockdown in England. The first stage is set to begin on 8 March. Cornwall VSF will keep you updated with the changes that apply to the VCSE sector.
Each step forward on the roadmap will only be taken if four key objectives have been met ahead of each proposed relaxation of restrictions. These are:
- The vaccine deployment programme continues successfully.
- Evidence shows vaccines are sufficiently effective in reducing hospitalisations and deaths in those vaccinated.
- Infection rates do not risk a surge in hospitalisations which would put unsustainable pressure on the NHS.
- The assessment of the risks is not fundamentally changed by new variants of concern.
Therefore we must ensure we do not collectively relax our guard too early if we want to see the restrictions lifted. Please pass on this message to those you work with whenever you have the chance to do so.
It’s important that we all continue to stay at home and follow the hands-face-space guidance to stop the spread of coronavirus. See the current national lockdown guidance for a reminder what you can and can’t do at present.
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Community Testing Programme
Volunteers who carry out essential duties but are unable to work from home will have access to twice-weekly asymptomatic testing from Monday, March 1.
It is part of the national Community Testing Programme, which is being delivered in Cornwall by Cornwall Council.
The scheme uses rapid Lateral Flow Tests (LFTs) to ensure organisations can continue to operate as efficiently as possible while protecting their staff and the wider community.
Staff and volunteers can be tested at one of three drive-through sites in the car parks of the Council offices in Camborne (Dolcoath Avenue), St Austell (Penwinnick Road) or Liskeard (Luxstowe House). They are open seven days a week between 9.30am and 4.30pm.
Those who test positive will be asked to self-isolate immediately to help prevent the spread of Covid-19.
Around one in three people who test positive have no symptoms.
People can book a COVID-19 lateral flow test online.
For more information visit the Community testing and Lateral Flow Devices page on Cornwall Council’s website.
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Shielding support for new and existing clinically extremely vulnerable residents
Cornwall Council, NHS Kernow and Volunteer Cornwall are reassuring all clinically extremely vulnerable residents that support is available as more people are asked to shield as part of new Government guidelines.
The Department of Health and Social Care is writing to more people who have been identified under a new scientific model as having multiple risk factors which make them more vulnerable to the effects of COVID-19. As well as being advised to shield, they will also now be invited for vaccination more quickly.
All clinically extremely vulnerable residents, including the new additions to the list, have now been advised to stay at home until 31 March. The latest shielding guidance is available on the GOV.UK website.
Cornwall Council is working with partners in the health and voluntary sector to continue to support all clinically extremely vulnerable residents in accessing food, essential supplies and wellbeing advice during the lockdown. See Cornwall Council’s website for details of the support available.
For more information or advice on shielding contact Cornwall Council on covid19@cornwall.gov.uk or ring 0300 1234 334.
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Transport to COVID-19 vaccinations
There’s information for volunteer and community providers of transportation to vaccination sites in Cornwall – and those referring people with transport needs – on Cornwall VSF’s website. It includes how to book a volunteer driver plus guidance for providers, drivers, and passengers. The guidance has been produced by a multi-agency working group.
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Facebook Live COVID-19 briefing
If you missed Cornwall Council’s COVID-19 briefing on Facebook Live on 25 February, you can view the recording online. You don’t need a Facebook account to watch the recording.
The speakers include:
- Cornwall Council Leader Julian German
- Councillor Sally Hawken, Portfolio Holder for Children, Wellbeing and Public Health
- Councillor Rob Nolan, Portfolio Holder for Environment and Public Protection
- Director of Public Health Rachel Wigglesworth
You can also view recordings of previous COVID-19 briefings, including the COVID vaccine Q&A from 9 February, on Cornwall Council’s Facebook page.
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New funding opportunities
Cornwall VSF’s weekly funding updates, include details of grants currently offering support to voluntary organisations:
- Funding update for 25 February – Assorted funding for human rights matters, homelessness, people with disabilities, women and girls' mental health, environment projects, encourage angling, and various other charitable causes. Plus awards for museums and heritage.
- Funding update for 19 February – A wide range of smaller grants, from £200-£5,000, for smaller charities, covering young people, older people, heritage, equine, arts and more. Small amounts can make a big difference to a small charity, or provide seed funding to test a project.
- Data to support your funding applications – Cornwall VSF has collected together some reports that show how the pandemic, and the Government response, have impacted certain demographic groups unequally, and the increase in poverty, rent arrears, homeless deaths and the impact on parents who are home schooling. This could be helpful information to use in support of funding bids.
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Resources for VCSE organisations
If you need support around funding, sustainability, data sharing or all things digital, see Cornwall VSF’s round up of resources for VCSE organisations.
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Support with COVID-19 legislation webinars
Cornwall Council’s Business Regulatory Support team is running more free support webinar on COVID rules and regulations for businesses, town and parish councils, and voluntary and community groups in March and April.
The next session will be at 11am on Thursday 11 March and will run through some of the key areas you can be preparing now in order to open your business or community facility safely. You can sign up on Eventbrite.
You can also catch up with recordings of previous webinars online, including the one from 25 February, which covers preparing to reopen, an update from Public Health, and information on how to access lateral flow testing for your employees and volunteers.
If you have any questions that you want to put to the team prior to the webinar, please email them to businessadvice@cornwall.gov.uk.
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Do you #CEtheSigns of child exploitation?
Cornwall Council and ‘Our Safeguarding Children Partnership for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly’ (OSCP) are asking the VCSE sector to help spread the word about the dangers of child exploitation as part of their exploitation awareness campaign #CEtheSigns. Please take a look at the OSCP website to make sure you know the signs and ways to report, share social media posts, and use the free resources provided.
The Council and OSCP will be reaching out to all secondary school-aged children and young people from across Cornwall – and their family members and friends – to highlight the dangers of exploitation. Everyone needs to know the signs to watch out for and, most importantly, the help and support that’s available to children and young people if they’re worried about themselves or someone they know.
VCSE organisations can download a series of creative tools, developed with help from young people from the Cornwall College Group, Young People Cornwall and HeadStart Kernow, from the OSCP website. Over the next couple of weeks, there will also be content on the Together for Families social media channels that you can share:
• Together for Families Facebook
• Together for Families Twitter
• Together for Families Instagram
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Safeguarding and support
The Government is calling for evidence to contribute to reviews in two areas:
- Gambling laws – to bring them up to date for the digital age
- The Human Rights Act
If you have things you want to share on these topics, Cornwall VSF’s website has more details. There’s also a round-up of news around changes to employment law around Brexit and DBS changes, a new obligation on councils to house domestic abuse survivors, and better protection for witnesses and victims in cases of violent and sexual offences.
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Support videos for parents
Cornwall Council has produced five films on emotion coaching to offer advice and support for parents. Educational psychologists explain the key principles of emotion coaching and how parents can use it to support their children and their behaviour. You can access the films using these links:
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Ban on bailiff evictions extended
The ban on bailiff evictions has been extended until 31 March. Landlords are still required to give 6 months’ notice to tenants before starting possession proceedings. See Cornwall VSF’s support resources for a range of practical support for people in hardship.
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New adult social care charging policy
Cornwall Council has a new adult social care charging policy aimed at better meeting the needs of residents through a clearer and fairer charging system. The policy was written following informal engagement with the voluntary and community sector and five months of public consultation with residents.
Key changes in the policy, which are already used in many other local authority areas, include:
- Charging for care at home from the date care services start instead of when a financial assessment is completed
- Calculating respite care charges in line with the rules for short stays at care homes
- A new fee for arranging care for self-funding residents who pay all their care costs
- Removing a £2.50 set price subsidy for meals supplied at home
This will come into effect on 12 April.
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Help for EU citizens
Support is available for EU citizens living in Cornwall to complete the Home Office EU Settlement Scheme process (EUSS). People who need to apply include those born in the UK but without British citizenship, those with a UK Permanent Residence document, and EU, EEA or Swiss citizens with a British family member.
The deadline for applications to the EUSS scheme is 30 June 2021, but people are urged to make their applications as soon as possible to ensure they’re allowed to stay in the UK.
Cornwall Council is once again providing an ID scanning service that makes appointments available for anyone looking for help with their application. To book an appointment, contact Cornwall Registration Service on 0300 1234 181 between 9am-5pm on Monday to Friday. Appointments will take place at Truro Registration Office, Dalvenie House, New County Hall, Truro. TR1 3AY.
Inclusion Cornwall can provide practical support to people who need help to complete their applications, including directing applicants to IT support or help with complex applications. If you, or someone you know, is having difficulties applying for settled status, please contact Inclusion Cornwall on 01872 326440 or by email at hello@inclusioncornwall.co.uk.
Further support in applying to the EU Settlement Scheme is available from Citizens Advice Cornwall. Call 03333 440061 for free EUSS advice and support. Alternatively, email EUSS@citizensadvicecornwall.org.uk or text ADVICE EUSS to 78866 and a member of the team will call you back.
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Previous issues of the Voluntary and Community Sector Update
You can view previous issues of the Voluntary and Community Sector COVID-19 Update on Cornwall VSF’s website. As this newsletter is now issued on an as required basis, people who are interested in receiving regular sector-specific news should sign up to the Cornwall VSF newsletter here.
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Important links
Anyone who needs help can request a volunteer by ringing Volunteer Cornwall on 01872 266988 or emailing requestforhelp@volunteercornwall.org.uk.
Community volunteers can register with Volunteer Cornwall on their website or by emailing mid@volunteercornwall.org.uk. Volunteer Cornwall will match people who ring up needing help with the community volunteers in their local area – or, if they have more complex needs, with specialist services.
Find out more about Cornwall Voluntary Sector Forum, including joining as a Member (which is free), at www.cornwallvsf.org, or email office@cornwallvsf.org.
Please send all coronavirus related enquiries or issues to Cornwall Council’s dedicated email address covid19@cornwall.gov.uk. Residents can also ring 0300 1231 118 for any COVID-19 related queries.
There’s an information page on Cornwall Council’s website and a dedicated telephone line 0300 1234 334 specifically for residents who are in the clinically extremely vulnerable group.
You can see the latest COVID-19 data for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly on Cornwall Council’s website.
Support for those living with domestic abuse is available from Safer Futures. People can make a referral online, email saferfutures@firstlight.org.uk or ring 0300 777 4777. There is also refuge and support via the Cornwall Refuge Trust website and their 24 hour helpline 01872 225629.
There’s information about support for those facing hardship or redundancy, including help with food, benefits and council tax, on the Do you need a helping hand? page on Cornwall Council’s website.
Please encourage your partners to sign up to receive the Cornwall VSF daily news, using the link below.
Stay in touch, stay strong, stay safe.
With very best wishes,
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Julian German
Leader of Cornwall Council
Hembrenkyas an Konsel
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Helen Boardman
CEO of Cornwall Voluntary
Sector Forum
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