If you are starting a new group, there is so much to think about you may feel you're sinking. But spending valuable time getting the right structures and processes in place will make life much easier in the long run. Here's some help to get started.
The 100 Day Challenge Resources Pack
The 100 Day challenge may have come to an end, but we don’t want you to feel alone or like you cannot reach out for support! Empowering Communities has created this resource booklet so you know who you can go to for help in and around Norfolk.
WEBSITE - Parks Community
The National Federation of Parks and Green Spaces, have relaunched their website to give you access to a wide range of “How to” Guides and documents designed to help Friends groups understand common issues and to provide solutions. The site has a wealth of knowledge from setting up a new group, to how to plant a wild flower meadow; an excellent resource for any green space community project!
WEBSITE - The Charity Commission
Models, templates and guidance for constitutions, articles of association and trust deeds for a new charity or charitable trust
www.gov.uk/government/publications/setting-up-a-charity-model-governing-documents
Charity Registration (The Brighton Resource Centre)
This information sheet aims to give some guidance as to whether your group should register as a charity. It is intended mainly for smaller community groups although the information is equally relevant to larger organisations in the voluntary sector.
Charity Registration (The Charity Commission)
A full guide on how to register with the Charity Commission as a charity. Your structure will determine how and when you should register.
Determining the right legal structure for social enterprises (UnLtd)
This guide by UnLtd explores the typical legal structures that are used in the social enterprise sector, the core advantages and disadvantages of the respective structures, and the key issues for consideration when deciding on the right legal structure for your organisation.
Full Guide: Get Legal: Choosing a legal structure, (Devon Voluntary Action)
Easy to follow guide and explanation of organisations and structures to choose from includes advice, information and specific links.
Involving people in your group (The Brighton Resource Centre)
How do you get lots of people along to your meetings and events? How do you make sure that more than a handful of you are doing the bulk of the work? These are difficult questions for every group, and there are no quick fixes or easy answers.
Legal Structures (The Brighton Resource Centre)
Finding a legal structure to suit your group. This guidance looks at legal structures suitable for community organisations, ranging from small neighbourhood groups run by local people to
larger voluntary agencies with staff.
Mutual aid guide to starting a group: The Loss Project
Produced by The Loss Project, this simple and useful guide helps with understanding and setting up mutual aid.
It is a practical guide and planning tool for individuals and workers to support the creation of as many Mutual Aid Groups as are necessary. Building real and practical capacity, on the ground, to deal with the tough times now. And to be sure we don’t forget what is important, as and when we get this virus under control.
Download your copy for free here: www.thelossproject.com/product-page/let-s-get-started-with-mutual-aid
Not for profit organisations (The Brighton Resource Centre)
A brief guide to legal structures for not-for-profit organisations
Quick Guide: Get Legal: Choosing a legal structure (Devon Voluntary Action)
Brief bullet pointed overview of different legal structures with links.
How to start a community growing group
Social Farms and Gardens have gather vital information in their Resources Section to help get a community garden, allotment started.
They have divided resources up into broad categories, including getting started and governance plus some useful information around the health and safety elements.
Setting up a community allotment
The Wigan Growing Network provides a range of useful resources to help you get going, get your allotment group off the ground and answer some of those initial questions. They even helpfully provide a sample constitution.
www.wigangrowingnetwork.org.uk/get-involved/info-sheets/setting-up-a-community-allotment
Starting a friends of group
Establishing a friends of a park group is a way you can make a real difference, not just to the quality of your own life, but also for your family, your friends and your neighbours. It is very rewarding to see a precious green space giving a focus to community spirit and activity, used well and enjoyed.
Produced by Green Space & Cabe Space this comprehensive toolkit helps people wanting to start or develop a community group aimed at improving local green spaces. It shows the benefits and mutual support that can be achieved by working closely in partnership with the local council.
WhatsApp tips for community groups
A wide range of existing and new community groups have used WhatsApp as their key tool for communicating with each other. But when you have a lot of people communicating together through WhatsApp it can be a bit of a head ache. But it’s still a great tool!
We’ve put together 3 simple tips for community groups to help you maximise its impact and reduce some of the pressure.