COVID-19: FREE FAST Testing for Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Sector Volunteers and Workforce with No Symptoms

Who is coronavirus rapid testing available to: 

• Anyone working with the public 
  
• Anyone working in a shared workplace
  
• Anyone performing a key worker task who can’t ‘stay at home’

Oldham (along with other Greater Manchester areas) is part of the national programme to offer regular rapid testing to people with no symptoms. In Oldham, regular weekly testing is being offered to people who are at higher risk of coming into contact with the virus (for example due to working in public facing roles or in workplaces with high numbers of staff), as well as settings where the risks of spreading the virus are greatest. 

We're inviting you and your staff to drop in to one of the following sites once a week to obtain a test. For more information visit the website.

We need your help!
 
It has been almost a year since we first went into lockdown. I don’t think any of us anticipated how disruptive the COVID-19 pandemic would be for us all and how long we would be affected by it. The nature of the restrictions and the supporting Government guidance constantly changed because of an ever shifting situation. What has become clearer than ever is how vital the work of your organisation is.

We're looking at how we can best support you, and really understanding what your critical pinch points are. We are really aware of the financial pressures and we continue to work with funders to try to make sure that funding is available in the areas and for the support that is most needed, so that your work can continue.

Please can you help us by completing this short survey about the impact that COVID-19 continues to have on your organisation so that we have a clear and detailed understanding of the nature of the support that is needed. 

Responses are anonymous, and we won’t name your organisation individually,
but draw out themes using the data we receive. We will work with you 1-2-1 on any of the issues raised. You can also call us, and we can complete the survey together.

Thank you for completing this but if you need help now, please don’t
wait to hear back from us. Pick up the phone and speak to one of our team on Tel: 0161 339 2345 or Email: development@actiontogether.org.uk.

Following the Government announcement on 4 January, England has been placed in National Lockdown: Stay at Home. See the National Lockdown Guidance here.

Are you unsure how COVID-19 restrictions will affect your local community and voluntary group to make informed decisions about your group, activity or building? Click here to see the key points for consideration for groups looking at how to operate during the pandemic and details on how you can keep in touch with us. Join us for our next online drop-in session. 

If you would like support for your voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise  (VCFSE) organisation, please contact us on 0161 339 2345 or email development@actiontogether.org.uk if you would like to discuss how we can support you during this confusing and difficult time. 

Click here for dedicated coronavirus information and advice for residents, charities, and community and voluntary groups in Oldham, Rochdale, and Tameside.

Skills for Growth - SME Support is a fully funded, tailored service offering 1-2-1, personalised and impartial advice from skills coaches, wellbeing champions and change specialists to help organisations grow through re-shaping, developing talent and enhancing team performance.

Interested in volunteering? Unsure of what is involved? Come along to one of our introductions to find out more before making a commitment. Click here for more information

This introduction is for anyone who would like to volunteer in the Oldham area. 
 
When: Thursday 4 March at 1pm - 2pm
 
Location: Online via Zoom

Are you interested in keeping updated on volunteer roles and connected with other volunteers in Oldham? Join #TeamOldham group on Facebook. This group has been setup by the Oldham team at Action Together. It allows volunteers to connect, share experiences and keep updated on what volunteer roles are available in Oldham.

The group is for anyone interested in volunteering in Oldham. Everyone in this group is a volunteer or keen to help in their local community. We are looking for more people to join us and make a difference in the Oldham community.

Not on Facebook? Email: volunteering@actiontogether.org.uk or call 0161 339 2345 to find out how we can help you volunteer.

The restrictions of the past 12 months have seen the biggest disruption to school and college life in the modern era. Oldham Council want to know about young people's experiences of what they have faced, both negatives and positives and want to know to what young people expect from their education over the next few years. 

Event to be held at Thursday 18 February, 3pm - 4.30pm. 

Is your Oldham group or organisation looking for places to share information, challenges, and explore opportunities to work together? We have pulled together information on the following Oldham networks:

• Oldham Food Solution Network
• Oldham NRPF Network 
  
• Oldham Poverty Action Group
  
• Oldham Real Change Network
  
• Oldham VCFSE Women’s Network

In October 2020, Oldham Council purchased Spindles Town Square Shopping Centre. By investing in the centre, it is able to safeguard its future, support town centre regeneration and help Oldham’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

Please tell us your views on what you like and dislike about the current offer and how you would like to see Tommyfield Market and Spindles Town Square Shopping Centre develop.

Manchester City of Literature and partners – the Local History and Archives services for Oldham, Tameside and Manchester – want to create a new way to engage residents in local history as part of the gradual recovery from COVID. Community groups will work with a Creative Facilitator and archivists to co-create physical resources based on local archives to connect and support wider groups of local residents most impacted by the pandemic.

The fund will help communities tackle the problems that matter to them by connecting them with research professionals so they can work together to bring their ideas to life and both build new skills and relationships.

Themed pre-application workshops followed by time with The Ideas Fund team to ask questions. These are an opportunity hear more about aspects of the Fund, and you don't need to already have an idea or a link to a researcher to join. The talks will be recorded for you to watch back and will all have live captions and BSL interpretation.

• Thursday 18 February, 2pm - Why The Ideas Fund
• Thursday 4 March, 2pm - What does Mental Wellbeing mean to you?
  
• Thursday 18 March, 2pm - What does your ideal partnership look like? Building community-researcher partnerships.

It is also holding local sessions in each area between these workshops, so you can get to know your local development coordinator and start to think through your idea. For Oldham this is:

Oldham - 2pm on Friday 26 February. Click here to book your place on a pre-application workshop.

Grant amount: Early stage grants of up to £25,000 and larger grants of around £90,000.

Deadline: The application form will be online from mid-April and the deadline for applications is 12pm on Friday 14 May.

Organisations across Greater Manchester are being encouraged to come together to submit bids for local funding after the region secured £500,000 government funding for green social prescribing to improve the region’s mental health. Green social prescribing connects people with nature-based activities such as walking and cycling, community gardening and food-growing projects, as well as tasks such as tree planting. Greater Manchester will be building on this need to improve our connection with, and access to, the natural world through two strands of work: Click here for more information.

Deadline: Applications will need to be emailed to gmhscp.pcca@nhs.net by 5pm, Friday 26 February 2021. Applications will be assessed by a selection panel and notified of the outcome on Thursday 11 March.

#WednesdaysWeekly is Action Together's weekly training during lockdown and possibly beyond. The idea is that we meet for short, informative trainings followed by a Q&A or the chance to share your thoughts. 

The training is open to any voluntary, community, faith or social enterprise (VCFSE), mutual aid, statutory body or business that is currently supporting the community response to the pandemic.

Wednesday 24 February

• 10am - 11am - Easy Fundraising Webinar
  10am - 11am - Too Great for Hate: Hate Crime Awareness Session
  
• 12pm - 1pm - Virtual Facilitation (Week 3 - Creative uses of breakout rooms)
  

Wednesday 3 March

• 10am - 11am - Census 2021
• 11am - 12pm - Lets End Hate Crime 2021 Tameside
  
• 12pm - 1pm - Virtual Facilitation (Week 4 - Collaborative note taking)

Wednesday 10 March

• 10am - 11am - Volunteer Policies
  
• 12pm - 1pm - Virtual Facilitation (Week 5 - Virtual facilitation clinic)

For the full details of current vacancies, visit the jobs section on our website.

• Community Development Worker - Big Local
• Land Apprentice - Groundwork Greater Manchester
• Community Projects Lead (maternity cover) - Groundwork Greater Manchester
• Family Support Worker (Manchester) - Caritas Diocese of Shrewsbury
• Branch Manager North Manchester - Being There
• Variety of roles - Census 2021