23 February 2012

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Bid Writing Workshop

14 February 2012 By Lydia Edwards Leave a Comment

As part of the Making Connections project I am pleased to invite you to an interactive 1-day course for organisations that need to prepare bids for funding.  As we all know, in these difficult times it is essential to make sure your grant application stands out from the rest!

By the end of the workshop you will be able to:

  • Use your knowledge of current policy to enhance your chances of securing funding
  • Identify key policies relevant to your work and where to find out more
  • Interpret commonly used funding jargon
  • Identify the most common errors which cause bids to fail
  • Explain the relevance of scoring and assessment criteria
  • Score funding bids
  • List some of the key funding regimes and sources of information
  • Recognise the significance of funding guidelines

Note:  This is not primarily a course about where to get funding

 

Reserve Your Place TODAY!

This workshop is FREE for PVSF members and costs £25 for non-members.

However to show your commitment and reserve ONE place for your organisation you need you to send a cheque to PVSF for £25, made payable to ‘Peckham Voluntary Sector Forum’, which will be returned to you on 15 March 2012 as long as you attend the workshop.   The cheque will not be returned if you reserve a place and then do not attend the workshop.  Lunch will be included for this one day course.

  • Date/Time: Thursday 15 March 2012 (10am to 4pm)
  • LunchProvided
  • Address: PVSF, 48 Willowbrook Road, London SE15 6BW
  • Cost:  Free to PVSF Members & Volunteers (£25 deposit refundable) / £25 to non members.
  • Tube:  Elephant & Castle
  • Train: Peckham Rye or Queens Road
  • Buses: 363, 63 or 78 to Peckham Hill Street

To book, please contact Lydia Edwards, PVSF, Marketing & Communications Project Officer, Email: lydia@peckhamforum.org.uk, Tel: 020 7732 2220

 

 

Filed Under: Events, Featured, Marketing Workshops

e-Business Start-Up Training

7 February 2012 By Creative Innovation Leave a Comment

Creative innovation is running an e-Business start-up training and is specifically designed to equip those who wish to start a business on the Internet.  The training will teach you all you need to know about starting your first internet business. You’ll be introduced to some very useful services and resources.

Date:    Mon 27 & Wed 29 Feb 2012
Time:   10am – 3:30pm
Venue: Unit 17 Brandon Street, Heygate Estate, London SE17 1NA (Just behind Walworth Road Library)

Registration is FREE!!!  To Register your interest, please contact us: Tel: 0208 144 0113 Email: info@creativeinnovation.biz
Web: http://c-itrainingcourse.creativeinnovation.biz Web: www.creativeinnovation.biz

Filed Under: Marketing & Communications, SE15 News, Training Tagged With: , , ,

PVSF Project Evaluation Workshop

10 January 2012 By Lydia Edwards Leave a Comment
Making Connections
Making Connections

On Saturday 28 January 2012 there will be a one day project evaluation framework workshop (details below).

Reserve One FREE Place – PVSF Members

Please note, we are NOT charging PVSF members for this course, however to show your commitment and reserve ONE place for your organisation you need you to send a cheque for £25 which will be returned to you on 28 January 2012 as long as you attend the workshop. Please make cheques payable to Peckham Voluntary Sector Forum (the cheque will not be returned if you reserve a place and then do not attend the workshop). Lunch will be included for this one day course – venue details to follow.

Not a Member of PVSF?

  1. Just complete and return an application form to join PVSF and return to us with your membership before 28 January and you can attend the workshop free of charge (£25 fee refundable on attending the course).
  2. If you do not want to join PVSF, the cost of the workshop is £25 – this  is non-returnable for non-members. 

 

Evaluation Workshop Outline:

The aim of the workshop is to help organisations develop an evaluation framework to produce an evaluation for your project in a systematic way by linking aims & objectives to outputs and outcomes and so to measure long term impact. Evaluation Frameworks can help you:

  • Demonstrate impact – how your project will benefit your participants
  • Show progression of beneficiaries – what your participants will go onto after your project.
  • Evidence track record – how past work has shaped your new project.
  • Convince funders why they should fund you in the future.
  • Produce an evaluation that reflects your achievements.

An evaluation framework will help you organise your project and act as measurement tool to enable you to set out how you will collect evidence from the start of your project and from what sources. This can help you produce a more effective evaluation that reflects your mission, milestones, outputs, outcomes and success of your work.

In terms of marketing, the framework will help you plan which tools you will use to publicise your project’s activities as well as use the results from your project evalution as a marketing tool itself.  Please note, places will be allocated on a first come first serve basis.

  • Date/Time: Saturday 28 January 2012 (10am to 4pm)
  • Refreshments Provided
  • Address: PVSF, 48 Willowbrook Road, London SE15 6BW
  • Cost:  Free to PVSF Members & Volunteers (£25 deposit refundable) / £25 to non members.
  • Tube:  Elephant & Castle
  • Train: Peckham Rye or Queens Road
  • Buses: 363, 63 or 78 to Peckham Hill Street

To book, please contact Lydia Edwards, PVSF, Marketing & Communications Project Officer, Email: lydia@peckhamforum.org.uk, Tel: 020 7732 2220

Filed Under: Events, Marketing Workshops, Training

Leaflets, Posters & Annual Reports Workshop

26 October 2011 By Lydia Edwards Leave a Comment

Peckham Voluntary Sector Forum (PVSF) is running a Leaflets, Posters & Annual Reports workshop on Wednesday 26 October 2011 (10am – 1pm)  as part of its innovative Making Connections Marketing Project.  This is the final workshop in the first year of the Making Connections project and will cover the ‘best practices’ for content and design of leaflets, posters and annual reports.

  • Marc Green, Freelance Designer and volunteer Newsletter Editor at EdBus.com, will give a short talk about how he helped to design the EdBus.com printed newsletter in-house on a minimal budget using Microsoft Publisher.
  • David Reid, Coordinator for Peckham Voluntary Sector Forum will also discuss what the required contents of an annual report are and which organisations are required to complete one.
  • We will outline the elements required to create successful marketing communications printed material e.g. the ‘marketing message’, essential information and a call to action.

Making Connections is a pioneering marketing communications project, that helps community groups and charitable organisations in Peckham and Nunhead promote the good work that they do.  This innovative project empowers organisations to implement low cost high impact marketing communications tools which will help to attract volunteers/trustees, raise funds, find potential partners, and increase the number of users of their services.

  • Date/Time: Wednesday 26 October 2011 (10am to 1pm)
  • Refreshments: Tea & Coffee Provided
  • Address: PVSF, 48 Willowbrook Road, London SE15 6BW
  • Cost:  Free to PVSF Members & Volunteers (£15 to non members).
  • Tube:  Elephant & Castle
  • Train: Peckham Rye or Queens Road
  • Buses: 363, 63 or 78 to Peckham Hill Street

To book, please contact Lydia Edwards, PVSF, Marketing & Communications Project Officer, Email: lydia@peckhamforum.org.uk, Tel: 020 7732 2220

Filed Under: Events, Marketing Workshops, Training

Making Connections Year 2 (2011-2012)

4 October 2011 By Lydia Edwards Leave a Comment

Making Connections Marketing Project - Year 2

Applications are now open for the second year of Peckham Voluntary Sector Forum’s innovative Making Connections project where we will help even more organisations achieve their marketing objectives.  

As part  of the Making Connections Project, we provide free marketing help to member organisations that are based in Peckham & Nunhead or those that serve the community in these areas.   Through a variety of interactive worshops and one-to-one mentoring sessions we will cover a wide range of topics including Photography, Websites, Annual Reports and Public Relations.

 

Download the Making Connections Application Pack – Apply NOW!

  • Download a full application pack with further details with a hand-written application form and return to PVSF.  The second year of the project has started but places are still available.  Apply no so that you do not miss out!
  • A Word version application form that can be typed can be downloaded as an alternative.  However, you must make sure to ‘Enable the content’ by clicking on the ‘Options’ button (top right) first so that you can type in the boxes available.

 

Marketing Workshops (November – December 2011)

  • A series of workshops will initially run every Tuesday (10am – 1pm) at PVSF offices from 15 November 2011 (subsequent dates in 2012 tbc).   The workshops are free to all PVSF members including those accepted on the Making Connections project. 
  • For non-members each workshop will cost £15 per workshop with a discounted rate of £60 (a saving of £15) if all five workshops are booked at the same time.   

The REVISED workshop schedule and topics include:

  1. 15 November 2011 – Making Connections Intro & Working Within the Law
  2. 22 November 2011 – Media, PR, Networking & Presenting (revised date)
  3. 29 November 2011 – Photography for Community & Voluntary Groups (revised date)
  4. 6 December 2011 – Websites & Social Media Introduction
  5. 13 December 2011 – Annual Reports, Posters & Leaflets

 All run from 10am – 1pm (tea & coffee available)

FREE Marketing Consultancy (to organisations accepted onto Making Connections project)

  • Each PVSF member / community organisation accepted onto the project will be helped to implement action points from the Making Connections workshops. 
  • During a 12 month period, a series of FREE one-to-one mentoring sessions and/or consultancy will be arranged with individual groups (up to 20 hours per organisation during the project period). 
  • For non-members marketing consultancy for non-members can also be arranged.  If you are interested, please contact us for further information.

 

Filed Under: Marketing Workshops, SE15 News, Training

Website Development & Social Media Workshop

9 August 2011 By Lydia Edwards Leave a Comment

The workshop outline is as follows:

Peckham Voluntary Sector Forum (PVSF) is running a Website Development & Social Media workshop on Tuesday 6 December 2011 (10am – 1pm)  as part of its innovative Making Connections Marketing Project aimed at community and voluntary organisations.   Topics will include:

  • Website layout & web design software
  • Content – images, copy writing & story telling
  • Web hosting & domain names
  • Multi media – audio (podcasts), presentations & video
  • Social media marketing – using Facebook, Twitter, Blogs & YouTube etc
  • Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), online marketing, keywords
  • Online tools e.g. donations, statistics & advertising

Making Connections is a pioneering marketing communications project, that helps community groups and charitable organisations in Peckham and Nunhead promote the good work that they do.  This innovative project empowers organisations to implement low cost high impact marketing communications tools which will help to attract volunteers/trustees, raise funds, find potential partners, and increase the number of users of their services.

  • Refreshments: Tea & Coffee Provided
  • Address: PVSF, 48 Willowbrook Road, London SE15 6BW
  • Cost:  Free to PVSF Members (£15 to non members).
  • Tube:  Elephant & Castle
  • Train: Peckham Rye or Queens Road
  • Buses: 363, 63 or 78 to Peckham Hill Street

To book or for further information, please contact Lydia Edwards, PVSF, Marketing & Communications Project Officer, Email: lydia@peckhamforum.org.uk, Tel: 020 7732 2220

Filed Under: Events, Marketing Workshops, Training

Tips for Better Portrait Photographs

19 July 2011 By Lydia Edwards Leave a Comment

TIPS FOR BETTER PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHS FOR BUSINESS & SOCIAL MEDIA SITES

  •  Don’t have a distracting background, something plain is better. We’re all naturally curious, if there’s something going on behind you, people will be inclined to look at whatever it is, taking their attention away from you.
  • Get in close, fill the picture with your face.  Nobody is going to recognise you from your arms or the top that you’re wearing that day.
  • Don’t wear sunglasses, especially if you’re indoors. It may look cool in the summer but not in January.  Also people want to see your eyes, they’re the “window to your soul”.  You want people to trust you, let them look you straight in the eye.
  • Look straight at the camera, similar to above, you want to engage with people who are viewing your profile.  Beware though you don’t want to end up with a passport photograph.  Don’t sit or stand straight on, possibly have one shoulder towards the camera, be slightly three quarters on and turn your head a bit to the camera.
  • Smile.  Not too much, you don’t want to look scary or manic.  On the other hand, you don’t want to look too serious or mean (unless you’re a bailiff).  Just a relaxed, welcoming half smile. People like to engage with people who they think will be pleasant to deal with.
  • Dress smart, wear something professional looking. The visual equivalent of having a polished C.V.
  • Try, wherever possible to find a soft light source such as from a large window.   Avoid harsh lighting such as direct sunlight, as not only will the subject most probably be squinting but it will be very unflattering.  Most advertising photographs are very softly lit and you are in essence advertising yourself.  On camera flash should also be avoided as it often gives “redeye” and can cast hard shadows against the background.
  •  If all this sounds way to difficult, go to a professional photographer.

 

By Colin Crisford – Photographer

29th June 2011

www.colincrisford.co.uk

 Tel: 07956 142077

Filed Under: Marketing Tips

Media, Networking & Presentation Workshop

13 July 2011 By Lydia Edwards Leave a Comment

The workshop outline is as follows:

Peckham Voluntary Sector Forum (PVSF) is repeating its Media, Presentation & Networking workshop on Tuesday 22 November 2011 (10am – 1pm)  as part of its innovative Making Connections Marketing Project.  Please note, you will be required to prepare some material to present to the group (full details will be supplied on application). Topics will include:

  • Public Relations
  • Media Relations
  • Event Publicity
  • Networking
  • Presentation Skills

Making Connections is a pioneering marketing communications project, that helps community groups and charitable organisations in Peckham and Nunhead promote the good work that they do.  This innovative project empowers organisations to implement low cost high impact marketing communications tools which will help to attract volunteers/trustees, raise funds, find potential partners, and increase the number of users of their services.

  • Time: 10am to 1pm
  • Refreshments: Tea & Coffee Provided
  • Address: PVSF, 48 Willowbrook Road, London SE15 6BW
  • Cost:  Free to PVSF Members (£15 to non members).
  • Tube:  Elephant & Castle
  • Train: Peckham Rye or Queens Road
  • Buses: 363, 63 or 78 to Peckham Hill Street

To book, please contact Lydia Edwards, PVSF, Marketing & Communications Project Officer, Email: lydia@peckhamforum.org.uk, Tel: 020 7732 2220

Filed Under: Events, Marketing Workshops, Training

The Importance of Good PR

12 July 2011 By Tricia Edeam Leave a Comment

The closure of the News of the World newspaper after 168 years of  publication demonstrates the power of media and the impact that public relations (PR) – good and bad - can have. 

PR can be used to protect the reputation of your non-profit organisation, its message and what it stands for.  PR can help to inform the public about your cause, create a positive attitude but most importantly build a reservoir of goodwill.

Therefore it is important that you understand which audiences you are trying to target and the different people or organisations that will be interested in the work you do.  Once you know this, you can target your public relations activity to these groups and use different techniques and types of media to get your message across. 

Apart from promote your services to the community within which you work you should also engage with employees and/or volunteers about up and coming events, project and fundraising activities.  ’Internal Public Relations’ as a great tool to inspire staff about your cause.

The next question is which type of media can you use to connect with your target audience? 

  • Traditional media – newspapers, radio, TV & magazines.
  • New/Digital media - the internet, blogs, websites and emails.
  • Social media – Facebook, Twitter, Utube, Flickr etc.
  • Ambient media – non intrusive advertising e.g. on the back of bus tickets, in public toilets or on the back of receipts. 

Here are some examples of low-costtools that can be used:

  • Your website.
  • Word of mouth / recommendations. 
  • Email newsletters or printed direct mail to people on your database who may have previously donated.
  • Press releases to local media about your events and fundraising activites. 
  • Presentations to stakeholders including staff and volunteers about your organisation’s vision for the future.
  • Annual reports to show that your non-profit organisation is transparent.

 The Making Connections Project is running a workshop which will include Public Relations in the near future.  For more details contact Lydia Edwards at lydia@peckhamforum.org.uk or have a look at the Making Connections workshop information.

Filed Under: Marketing & Communications, Marketing Tips

What’s in a Photograph?

27 June 2011 By Tricia Edeam Leave a Comment

Photographic images can help tell a story of an organisation and what their true values are.  In non-profit organisations it can be used for so much more, for example:

  • To gain more supporters.
  • To aid fundraising activities.
  • To raise an organisation’s profile in their arena.
  • To help support a branding message and develop your story.

Your organisation is your brand; one which you need to develop and market for the following reasons:

  • To encourage volunteer participation.
  • To develop partnerships with other organisations.
  • To ensure your community is aware of what you do and how you can help them.

The community will want to see your work in action. Include photographs of open days, community projects or just yourselves at work!  Part of marketing is striving to make a connection with all your stakeholders.  A powerful image can last for just as long as a verbal conversation. As the saying goes ‘A picture tells a thousand words’.  If you use photos that you’ve taken, remember to gain the consent of any living individuals included.

Images stay in the memory for a long period. Relate your photos to the message of your organisation.  Set your digital camera to a high resolution so that images can be reproduced at their best.  At least 300 dpi (dots per inch) is necessary to get a decent print quality. 

Remember to log dates of when and where they’ve been taken so you can also produce a photographic folder on your computer and keep an actual photograph album.  The first can be used for PR purposes; the other to show interested parties what you’re about.  And guess what?  In the future you’ll be able to look back – history as the name suggests cannot be reproduced.

The Making Connections Project is running a a series of workshops to help you with your marketing communications. For more details contact Lydia Edwards, Marketing & Communications Project Officer at lydia@peckhamforum.org.uk or find more details here.

Filed Under: Marketing Tips, Recent News
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