Community Development Team

• mentoring and guidance to help you develop new ideas and build on existing actions
• help to identify your next steps, whether you’re thinking of developing a community group or wanting to become more involved in the community
• find connections with similar-minded people and groups to support you to achieve your goals
• signpost you to other specialist support to help you to progress your ideas

• help to get started on your funding applications, offering hints and tips for success
• assisting with access to search for funding i.e. GrantFinder or Open 4 Community
• search on your behalf on a variety of funding streams
• support you to access data sources specific to Solihull to strengthen applications
• linking you to other relevant support, such as Meet the funder events

Connect you with low cost and no cost training to support and strengthen your organisation such as:

• safeguarding training, Child and young person focussed or Adult focussed
• mental health first aid, first aid awareness
• food safety, risk assessments and event planning
• workshops to assist leaders/volunteers to enhance their knowledge to support local residents
• children and young person focused: Parental conflict, brain development and positive parenting, communicating with children and young people, Family Hubs training
• adult focussed awareness sessions, e.g. dementia workshops, scam awareness, digital inclusion

• we organise networking events where you can meet other groups with the same focus or within the same neighbourhood where you can share good practice, problem solve and build positive relationships
• connect you with Corporate Volunteering opportunities to develop and strengthen your organisation, local businesses can offer valuable support to groups such as mentoring, resources and volunteer days. We can also help you register on Match my project
• the team work alongside children’s services, adult social care, schools and local health services to better connect them with local community groups and activities. Promoting community participation as a key form of prevention and early intervention. We can introduce you to teams to better understand your work and the support you offer to residents.

• we can publicise your organisation and activity to help engage local residents, such as the use of My Solihull Map and our Community Updates newsletter and use of social media
• spotlight your activities with support from our Communications team to be able to highlight activities that support those residents most in need
• connect you to opportunities to apply for the Kings Award for Voluntary Service (KAVS). An award equivalent to an MBE, KAVS is the highest Award given to local voluntary groups in the UK, and they are awarded for life. The King's Award for Voluntary Service - official website