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Information and advice directory of local services for adults with care and support needs.

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Help for Groups

Gosport Voluntary Action and Gosport Borough Council are bringing together key local partners and organisations so that we have a coordinated effort across our borough to organise volunteers and support those who need help. If you are an organisation or group in Gosport offering support related to the Coronavirus situation, please read through the Community Response information and complete our COVID-19 organisation information form.

The Latest

23 July 2020

  • Breathe HR is offering their cloud-based workplace rota software FREE until the end of 2020
  • Free online courses from Community First in late July include ‘Managing Remotely‘, ‘IT for Community Groups‘ and ‘Positive Thinking in Times of Crisis

Previous Updates

  • Hampshire County Council Adults’ Health and Care has put together a COVID-19 updates webpage for care providers in Hampshire, which includes a useful social care providers COVID-19 resource pack
  • Charities Aid Foundation have paused applications for their Emergency Fund, but have published a useful list of other funding/grant opportunities for small charities
  • Wave 105 Cash for Kids has money available to give out as emergency grants to help disadvantaged children: https://planetradio.co.uk/wave-105/charity/events/appeal-wave/
  • Additional funding opportunities added here
  • Hampshire County Council has increased the annual grant available for local projects, initiatives and organisations allocated by each county councillor, and brought forward the window for applications in response to the Coronavirus outbreak.  The maximum grant payable is £10,000, and the scheme is open now: https://www.hants.gov.uk/community/grants/grants-list/county-councillor
  • Sport England has launched a Community Emergency Fund to help the sport and physical activity sector through the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis: https://www.sportengland.org/how-we-can-help/our-funds/community-emergency-fund
  • UK Youth has published a report on the impact of COVID-19 on young people & the youth sector, containing data that could be helpful when applying for funding: https://www.ukyouth.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/UK-Youth-Covid-19-Impact-Report-External-Final-08.04.20.pdf
  • While Hampshire and IOW Community Foundation have unfortunately had to halt their regular grant programmes, two emergency grant programmes are now available to help local groups and organisations tackle the coronavirus crisis :
    HIWCF’s ‘We’re All Together’ Fund provides emergency support for charities and community groups that are supporting vulnerable people during the current crisis. ‘National Emergencies Trust (NET)‘ offers emergency support for organisations supporting local communities suffering hardship as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. For more information and to apply for a grant, please visit www.hiwcf.com/grants/
  • The National Lottery Heritage Fund has announced £50 million of funding to help heritage organisations at risk of financial crisis due to coronavirus. Grants will be between £3,000 and £50,000 and will be open to organisations across the full breadth of heritage, including historic sites, museums, libraries, parks and gardens.  Please visit the Heritage Fund website.
  • The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust have developed a special grants program for projects that assist vulnerable veterans at this time of the Covid-19 Pandemic, with emergency funding of up to £20,000. To find out more please visit The Covenant Fund website
  • Training is available from Community First for groups and individuals, including for those considering a role in Health and Social Care; looking to become self employed; and courses such as positive thinking in a crisis and being emotionally intelligent. Find out more at Community First Training Courses.
  • Lifeskills is a free employability and financial capability programme, has created easy-to-use virtual resources to supplement support package for adults and families. Find out more here.
  • Community Buildings- guidance for reopening has been developed for those who can reopen for preschools. Read more here. As well as general guidance for reopening community buildings and halls here.
  • The Media Trust has media and marketing experts who are offering their time and expertise for free to help charities meet the digital communications challenges they are facing during the Covid-19 outbreak. The support is being offered through the Media Trust’s Volunteer Platform, which matches communications experts with charities in need of help.
  • Friends Against Scams is a National Trading Standards Scams Team initiative, which aims to protect and prevent people from becoming victims of scams by empowering people to take a stand against scams. To find out more please visit their website.
  • Hampshire CVS Network is producing a monthly funding bulletin, the latest of which is available here.

Funding

Information on COVID-19 funding opportunities can be found here.


General Guidance

Updated 7 April 2020

What do we need to do to protect staff, volunteers and visitors?

  • Government advice is to reduce social contact including working from home where possible.
  • Information: Provide clear information using communication channels including posters and email.
  • Handwashing facilities: Handwashing facilities should be available and well supplied. More regular handwashing may require more supplies. Provide hand sanitiser, tissues and cleaning products around your buildings for staff and visitors. GOV.UK has published clear and printable instructions on handwashing techniques (PDF, 130KB) which can be displayed around the workplace.
  • Cleaning regimes: Viruses can live on hard surfaces for up to eight hours. Frequently clean key areas including keyboards and door handles.
  • There is government advice on social care and educational settings you may want to review if they apply to your organisation.
  • Review travel arrangements. Is travel necessary? Are there possible alternatives such as video conferencing? Maintain updated and clear advice for staff travelling.
  • Ensure emergency contact details are up to date
  • For specific HR-related coronavirus enquires, NCVO members can contact Croner

Should our employees take sick leave?

  • As of 17 March, the government has issued new guidance for households with possible covid-19 infection.
  • Staff should stay at home for 14 days if someone in their household has symptoms of covid-19.
  • If other members of the household develop symptoms during the 14 days, then they must not leave the home for 7 days from when these symptoms started.
  • To reduce the risk of the spread of infection the government has introduce a number of social distancing measures.
  • Those who are under 70, have no underlying health conditions and remain well, are strictly instructed to limit their social contact. The only sanctioned reasons to go out are to shop for basic necessities (as infrequently as possible), one daily form of exercise (a run/walk/cycle with members of their own household only), medical needs (including giving blood and providing help to a vulnerable person) and travelling to work if working from home is not possible.
  • Those who are over 70, have an underlying health condition or are pregnant should not leave their home, and make arrangements for friends, neighbours or organisations to deliver necessities such as food and medication.
  • Those who display symptoms of covid-19 do not need to call the NHS to go into self-isolation. If these symptoms continue or worsen after seven days, then contact NHS 111 online. Those without access to the internet should call NHS 111.
  • Those in self-isolation should also refer to the government’s stay at home guidance.
  • The previous government advice regarding high risk areas/countries was withdrawn on 13 March 2020 and has been superseded by the above advice.
  • Employees who are recommended to self-isolate are entitled to sick leave but not necessarily sick pay, though you may well want to provide this anyway as a matter of being a good employer.
  • If employees are required to self-isolate due to covid-19 or displaying a high temperature or a new continuous cough then they would qualify for statutory sick pay subject to meeting eligibility requirements.
  • Employees are entitled to time off to care for a dependent. There is no statutory right to pay for this time off, but your organisation may already have a policy on this. You may want to consider revisiting this policy for the covid-19 situation.
  • Further advice on employee sick leave and sick pay entitlements can be found on the Acas website.
  • NCVO’s HR consultancy Trusted Supplier Croner has also compiled answers to frequently asked questions about covid-19, including self-isolation and sick pay.

What should we do about events, board meetings or AGMs?

  • Any form of physical gathering is prohibited.
  • If your constitution requires you to hold a formal meeting, such as an AGM, you should refer to your organisation’s governing document to see what it says about remote participation and quorum. See NCVO’s advice on coronavirus and governance for more information.  If a virtual meeting is not possible, the only reasonable expectation of a small charity is to hold the meeting as soon as it is safe for all to attend.
  • Approach venues to discuss postponement or cancellation of bookings.
  • Further advice on planning formal meetings can be found on the Bates Wells website.

How do we support our beneficiaries/service users?

  • Generally, infections can cause more severe symptoms in people with weakened immune systems, older people, and those with long-term conditions like diabetes, cancer and chronic lung disease. See below for resources from charities for different groups.
  • Some of your service users or beneficiaries may be more at risk or highly concerned about the virus.
  • You can play a role in providing clear and updated information to raise awareness of prevention measures like handwashing, but at this stage the most important message may simply be one of reassurance.
  • NCVO will be working alongside the NHS and the Health and Wellbeing Alliance on how best to support vulnerable service users and people in our communities, and will keep NCVO members updated with the latest information on this.

How will we develop a contingency plan and how will our insurance be impacted?

  • You need to plan for how your organisation will run if a significant proportion of staff or volunteers were unavailable. Who will make decisions about your operations, how and when? Also see the section below on working from home.
  • Given the fast-changing situation, as far as possible, try to focus on the immediate future – over the next week or so – rather than trying to make firm plans based on what the situation might be beyond that.
  • This checklist from Trusted Supplier Zurich Insurance (PDF, 290KB) helps you think through some of the issues and plan for them. The Charities Facility Management Group has more information on how to develop a business continuity plan.
  • Every insurance policy will have varying terms and conditions so you should check directly with your insurance company or broker.

What immediate actions do we need to take to manage our finances?

The implications of covid-19 will create a financial crunch and charities should now do what they can to prepare for this. These are a few things you may want to consider.

  • Focus on cash flow management.
  • Know what your fixed costs are and when you will need to pay them.
  • Delay committing to any expenditure that you can.
  • Chase all outstanding debts.
  • Invoice for all services already delivered and then ensure that these invoices are paid.
  • If you are receiving funding, submit any required reports on time to make sure that you receive future instalments on time.  It is worth checking the funder’s website to see if reports are required at this time.
  • Talk to your bank manager and see if they will offer you an overdraft facility (even if you don’t need one right now).
  • If you have loan repayments the lender may be willing to delay the capital repayment.
  • Implement a recruitment freeze on all vacant posts.
  • The Charity Finance Group has compiled a guide for charity finance professionals which will be updated with new information and advice as the crisis unfolds

What other financial implications should we think about?

You and your board may want to consider potential financial impacts of the virus’s spread continuing, and what steps you might need to take.

  • You may want to budget for increased contingency costs over the next financial year.
  • You may face increased need for support from people who rely on your organisation.
  • You may also face increased costs if the impact on global trade continues.
  • The Institute of Fundraising has developed guidance for fundraisers in relation to covid-19.
  • Speak to your funders about the impact of cancelling or delaying project activities which are part of funding agreements. The Association of Charitable Funders have encouraged funders to contact their grantees and discuss how they can best support them.
  • The Charity Commission has said that it will take a pragmatic approach to regulation during this period. They’ve said that if you’re due to file an annual return but don’t feel you can, then you can call them to request an extension.

What should I expect from funders?

We think funders should take a supportive and pragmatic approach to helping the organisations they fund throughout this period.

  • Speak to your funders about the impact of cancelling or delaying project activities which are part of funding agreements.
  • London Funders has released a joint statement, signed by an alliance of funders from across sectors, pledging to offer support to civil society groups affected by the coronavirus outbreak.
  • The Association of Charitable Funders have encouraged funders to contact their grantees and discuss how they can best support them.
  • Arts Council England will refocus grant programmes to support artists and freelancers who have lost income.
  • The Blagrave Trust has written to grant holders to reassure them of their continued support and flexibility around awarded funding and how it can be used.
  • In addition to signing the London Funders’ joint statement, the City Bridge Trust is promoting a survey from London Plus to assess the impact of covid-19 on London’s civil society.
  • Esmée Fairbairn is offering flexibility with payments and reporting dates and is offering grants plus support.
  • The Garfield Weston Foundation is continuing to support its grantees and will be as flexible as possible regarding projects and timelines.
  • Good Finance has released a joint statement from social funders stating their continued support and flexibility for all the organisations that they invest in.
  • JRF is focusing its efforts to support people on low incomes by working closely with people with direct experience of poverty and listening to their concerns.
  • The National Lottery Community Fund will continue funds to support people, communities and organisations.
  • Nesta will continue to support grantees and will be flexible if grantees need to stop work or change the work they are doing.
  • The Paul Hamlyn Foundation are adjusting reporting requirements and/or suspending them.
  • The UK Community Foundations is looking to coordinate its network of community foundations and partners to respond to the impact covid-19 will have on those they support.
  • The William Grant Foundation has converted all existing revenue grants to unrestricted for the current year.
  • In Scotland the Corra Foundation will continue to support grantees.

How do we support our staff and volunteers to work from home?

To reduce the risk of spreading covid-19 the government has introduce a normal of social distancing measures including working from home where possible. These are some areas to consider in supporting staff and volunteers to work from home:

  • Hardware: Staff will need access to computers and a good internet connection. Are you able to provide them with laptops to bring home? Where possible avoid having staff use personal devices, as this can cause issues in relation to security and data protection.
  • Software: Choose the right tools to suit your teams’ needs. Do you need a shared messaging system or a video conferencing system?
  • Meetings: Can you conduct your meeting via video conferencing or over the phone? Appoint a chair to run the meetings and select the next speaker to ensure you’re not shouting over each other.
  • Processes: Consider your team’s day-to-day processes and what’s essential to continue. What are the normal ways you share information, tasks and feedback? Can these be done when working remotely? Allow for trial-and-error. These processes can change and develop to best suit your team’s needs.
  • Support: Working remotely will bring challenges and cause disruptions to the daily working routine. It’s important that staff feel supported. Be flexible.
  • Self-care: When working from home it is good to create a space between work and personal time, where possible. This could mean setting your working hours, working in a different room, putting your laptop away. Mind has released guidance on covid-19 and caring for your mental health during self-isolation.
  • Read this article for further advice on remote working.

Sector-specific guidance

Risk management

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