Click here to download the POP Page.
Notes for editors:
For more information, please contact Caroline Blackler on 07920 741718 or email carolineblackler@phonecoop.coop
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Stonehouse Library is now open!
There’s a rainbow of books on the shelves of the new Ocean Publishing Library as more than two thousand books have been filed according to colour. All the books have been donated. You’ll find best sellers and Classic Literature as well as some wonderful obscure titles, such as, Victorian Tales of Mystery and Detection and Pine Furniture Making.
The library has been set up in the café area of Ocean Studios in the Royal William Yard to encourage people to take a book along with some time to read it. As Alan Qualtrough, one of its proprietors says, the books are there to be enjoyed:
“The library is for everyone, the books are free to come and go, and its success will be measured by the number of titles that are off the shelves.”
Every library needs librarians and proprietor Emma Slate of Slate Publishing is hoping that local residents might be keen to volunteer as ‘caretakers of the books’.
“We hope that, as the first library in Stonehouse, people will make this their own. We’ll be doing what we can, putting on ‘rhyme-time’ sessions for children and hosting a regular book club but, really, we want this to be a place that belongs to the community.”
And because Ocean Publishing Library is about ‘publishing’, Alan and Emma are also encouraging people to write their own stories. Next month they will be starting the first of a series of Creative Writing Workshops for ten-to-twelve people including, among other things, ‘flash fiction’; poetry; lyrics and ‘experimental’ writing. At the end of the project, those participating will help to print a booklet of their finished work on one of the original printing presses within Ocean Studios. The booklet of published work from Stonehouse writers will then be available to everyone and, in doing so, help to ensure that the Ocean Publishing Library is succeeding in making literacy matter in Stonehouse.
Anyone interested in helping out with the library or taking part in the workshops can contact alan.qualtrough@realideas.org
A bold and brave Community Plan for Union Street
The first phase of a radical and ambitious plan to bring about positive, lasting change for Union Street is being launched this month. Nudge Community Builders, who have been working on the street for the last six years, are urging residents, business-owners and visitors to share their thoughts and ideas on how we might bring about long-lasting change to this historic part of the city.
Union street is world famous. Opened nearly 200 years ago as New Road in 1825, it brought together the three distinct towns of Stonehouse, Devonport and Plymouth.
Many of the original buildings, described in a guide book of 1823 as “neat and handsome, almost entirely occupied by genteel families”, were bombed during the Blitz and post-war Union Street would became notorious for significantly-less ‘genteel’ activities. Known as “The Strip” for decades, it consisted of more than 100 pubs, strip joints and nightclubs.
Many buildings are standing empty on the street, owned by distant landlords who aren’t investing in them. But over the last six years, Nudge Community Builders has been slowly and steadily working with the community to repurpose some of those empty buildings; re-energising, re-imagining the area and making it relevant again.
This change has happened alongside lots of organisations and small businesses
contributing to the area including the Millfields Trust, Plymouth Scrapstore and the Yoga Lofts, and small businesses like Cawfee, A Taskinah and Cabinet Supplies.
Hannah Sloggett, from Nudge, says Union Street requires a greater transition, one which will create lasting social and economic change through creativity, love and care:
“Community ownership and local solutions are key to creating a future that is resilient and provides opportunity for local people. So far, we have been tactical and disruptive, and our community has come together to make a real difference, but there is a lot more to do. The Mistress Plan is the first phase of the Stonehouse mission: together we can reimagine a future where everyone is included.”
Nudge, in partnership with several key organisations, including POP, Plymouth Culture and Plymouth Social Enterprise Network, is inviting everyone who has an interest in the area to co-design a Mistress Plan so that it will shape and sustain the street for the next hundred years.
“We know,” says Matt Bell from POP, “that only by working with, and for, the community in an open and inclusive way to identify and address local needs, can we hope to bring about the significant long-lasting changes that we all want for Union Street.”
It is deeply understood by POP, Nudge and all the other organisations involved, that
positive lasting change can only happen with the commitment, passion and will of the people. Building a fairer, healthier and happier Stonehouse is the goal.
Please come along to find out more, help write the plan and add ideas on Tuesday 23 April 2024 at The Plot. Drop in anytime from 4—8pm with talks happening at 4.30pm & 6.30pm.
Basic Cyber Security for charities and the VCSE sector
POP welcomed Mark Moore from The Cyber Resilience Centre for the South West. https://www.swcrc.co.uk/ at our last POP Bites member’s networking event to cover the basics of how to be safer digitally. The SWCRC helps to keep charities and organisations safe across the SW. Stats show 1 in 3 businesses and around 1 in 4 charities have been affected by cyber attacks.
SWCRC have a FREE service:
- Plain English guidance and 12-week starter programme
- Follow up contact to check you’re getting on ok (and a free consultation if you want it)
- Monthly updates to keep you briefed on new scams and protection
- Free webinars to talk organisations through key topics
- Links to useful collaborators
Key things we can all do now to protect our organisations and ourselves:
Passwords and 2fa (2 factor authentication)
This is the main thing we all need to get right as this is where most of the breaches will come from.
It’s better to remember a couple of really important passwords and not write anything down and leave on a post it next to your computer! https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/blog-post/three-random-words-or-thinkrandom-0
It’s ok to use the auto reminder function – browser security / password manager (as long as you’re not sharing your computer/mobile). If you use another computer it’s easy to do a password reset to access what you need. https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/blog-post/what-does-ncsc-think-password-managers
Password manager options – can be free. https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/blog-post/what-does-ncsc-think-password-managers
2fa – this is definitely a good thing and mostly sits in the background unless you login on a different device.
SWCRC can help you with all of this, there’s plenty of information on how to set things up and you can have a call with one of their advisors.
Backup
We often think our documents and data will be stored safely in the cloud but if you use MS Office or other software, you still need to back it up. If it gets scrambled, it would be saved BUT scrambled in the cloud. You can add an automated/manual backup solution for this and other software you’re using eg Airtable, Softr, Xero etc.
Do you have an IT support company looking after data? Have a 6 monthly check in with them to make sure all is in order.
Plan ahead – if you suffer an attack, what would your steps be???
Training
Train yourself, your staff and volunteers.
Devon & Cornwall has trainers available. There’s a half hour e-learning module for new people joining an organisation.
Run Updates
If you have volunteers using their own home computers or phones, this is a real risk – it could be downloading spyware / viruses onto your organisations system.
For mobile devices, if they fall out of updates then this is a real risk. It can be better to pay more for up-to-date hardware and software than suffer a breach.
Access Management
When people exit the organisation, do you have a process for shutting down their access? Closing their email etc.
Some useful links:
National Cyber Security Centre (part of GCHQ). Basic check service link: https://basiccheck.service.ncsc.gov.uk/
Forward spam to this email: report@phishing.gov.uk
Forward text spam to this number: 7726
Check if your email address is in a data breach: https://haveibeenpwned.com/
SWCRC’s Slides: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pZhRLDcN590fY_catahuiRu8pM4j5ZoR/view?usp=sharing
SWCRC’s 1-page Brochure: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1M0pEnO35Q9IBhI_-8bIIMM1sNaXrWGah/view?usp=sharing
Thanks to Mark Moore, Police Officer / CEO of The Cyber Resilience Centre for the South West. https://www.swcrc.co.uk/
POP April 2024 Newsletter
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POP March 2024 Newsletter
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POP February 2024 Newsletter
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Ringing the Changes to Keep 250 a POP Sustainable
By Simon Travers, POP Funds Sensemaker
Since 2020, 250 a POP has provided a level of support and solidarity for grassroots organisations in Plymouth that outweighs its monetary value. Hundreds of small and micro organisations have benefited from easy access to funds that cover unexpected expenses. 250 a POP has been used for everything from court hire for netball clubs to an outdoor mural for an arts organisation, from paper marbling equipment to helping pay for a bookkeeper. POP receives nothing but positive feedback about 250 a pop and it’s seen in the city as ‘a lovely little bit of funding.’
From 1st February, 2024, POP will be making changes to 250 a POP. We still believe in this fund and would love to offer support to every organisation that asks for it. We know that, as cost of living issues hit grassroots groups, the need for a helping hand is real. However, for 250 a POP to remain sustainable, it has to remain within budget. POP therefore intend to allocate 52 grants in the year ahead. That’s one 250 a POP grant a week.
Limiting the number of grants available has an impact on the 250 a POP process. We are still committed to making sure that access to technology, wealth or cashflow are no barriers to accessing the fund. We are trialling a more relational approach that we hope will improve the experience for people applying. Here are the key changes we are making:
· 250 a POP is now only available to POP Member organisations with a turnover of under £100,000.
· Applications can be made through the Members section of the POP website. You need to submit a simple form, with a bank statement and a photograph of the receipt you are claiming for. You do not need letters of support anymore.
· Applications can be made for expenses paid in the previous 6 months, or are expecting to pay within the next month.
· Applicants will need to attend a short, friendly zoom/online meeting that will usually be held on the last Wednesday of the month. Applicants who do not attend this meeting will not be eligible for funding.
· At this monthly meeting, a lottery process will determine which applications receive funding.
· Starting February 1, organizations receiving 250 a POP must wait 12 months before reapplying. The 6-month waiting period still applies to organizations that received a grant between August 1, 2023, and January 31, 2024.
The most important takeaway is that 250 a POP remains active and open for business. We encourage applications from all qualifying members who would benefit from the fund’s support. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to Simon, our POP Funds Sensemaker, at simon@plymouthoctopus.org.
You can apply for 250 a POP here: https://support.plymouthoctopus.org/funding-details?recordId=rece0XO2dqe1cZzzx
POP Page January 2024
Click here to download the POP Page.
Notes for editors:
For more information, please contact Caroline Blackler on 07920 741718 or email carolineblackler@phonecoop.coop
POP Bites Members’ event on Volunteering
We had our 1st in-person event of 2024 at the Beacon in North Prospect and were delighted to have 2 speakers come and share their knowledge and experiences around volunteering.
Neil Minnion, Volunteer Service Manager at Plymouth City Council
Neil works within the Community Empowerment Programme supporting a citywide network of volunteer co-ordinators who support organisations across the city. He explained there are 2 types of volunteering: formal and organised by organisations, or informal within communities, and gave us a good definition of a volunteer:
A volunteer is someone who freely offers their time and skills to benefit others or the environment without financial reward except the reimbursement of expenses.
There are a number of services that Neil supports, working with c. 600 volunteers in a more formal setting eg Good Neighbour Support Volunteers. See slides for more details: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1TvWCfLhO_HV_YltFMRGQDDBgxCJihQHM/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116432733055579106575&rtpof=true&sd=true
An important part of this support is offering training such as safeguarding and he announced a new training initiative for volunteers which will start February 2024: Volunteer Passport. This will be provided by On Course Southwest (OCSW), it will be free and will enable volunteers to get skills so they can more easily move around different organisations and opportunities.
Other useful information:
GoVolunteering (formerly Our Plymouth)
For Volunteers; An easy to use place to find personalised opportunities and manage their volunteering portfolio
For Volunteer Managers; An end to end experience that allows you to self serve, schedule, manage and retain volunteers. Reduces admin time and improves your volunteer experience.
For Organisations; Centralise your Employee Volunteer Scheme with our customised software that goes beyond the basics
ann.holman@engagedcommunities.co.uk
Plymouth has a number of Community Builders who are working with the Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise sector to support networks and share learning and expertise. Link to Community Builders website: https://www.plymouth.gov.uk/get-involved-your-community
Lastly, Neil is about to commence Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) training. They are hoping to offer this locally later this year.
Scrapstore – Charlotte Brew (Creative Co-ordinator) and Judith Dalton (Volunteer Co-ordinator)
Thanks for Charlotte and Judith for telling us about the unique way Scrapstore finds and oversees volunteers!
They have 2 types of roles: not public facing / behind the scenes and those that are more public – in the shop, dealing with the public, sorting, till work etc. They have a number of volunteers, that Judith looks after, many of whom have been there for several years. They deliver on a wide variety of activities from story telling to Playwork, from bags of loveliness to customer service and from shop/garage rearranging to bid writing and everything in between! Whether they come on a work placement and stay for 10 years or come from college for a couple of weeks it’s all vitally important, as are their personal stories and reasons for staying.
The importance of conversations and connections was very clear and Charlotte gets the word out both at the Scrapstore and doing workshops around the city. They also get involved in events offering activities such as ‘junk modelling’ – loved by children and adults alike!
It feels like they have a ready source of potential volunteers in their customers who come in to donate, share stories and skills. They are happy to share info for other organisations who might not have this ‘shop front’ so do get in touch with Charlotte at scrapstoreconnector@gmail.com
Other resources / suggestions:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBC7SOzAYFs POP ideas Workshop recording – Recruiting, Retaining, and Managing Volunteers
https://www.plymouth.gov.uk/volunteering
https://www.plymouthonlinedirectory.com/article/285/Volunteering-and-unpaid-work get your group on this directory!
https://restless.co.uk/volunteer/submit-volunteer-role/ Digital community for the over 50s – you can advertise volunteer posts free.
NCVO: https://www.ncvo.org.uk/help-and-guidance/involving-volunteers/
https://reachvolunteering.org.uk focus on trusteeship and skills-based volunteering (opportunities that require specific professional skills in areas such as HR, digital or finance).
We also mentioned the Co-op who have a number of Member Pioneers doing a similar thing. https://www.coop.co.uk/membership/contact-a-member-pioneer
And do check out and use local libraries and noticeboards in your community.
If you are currently looking to recruit volunteers then the University of Plymouth Careers Service and UPSU would like to invite you along to our 2024 Summer Opportunities Fair!
The event will be held on Wednesday 6th March from 12-2.30pm and will take place in the Rolle Marquee on campus.
If you are a registered charity, the event will be free of charge.
Find out more and book your space here!
Useful POP links:
https://support.plymouthoctopus.org/ Member info and support:
Training/Funding/Events/Networks
https://www.plymouthoctopus.org/ News, Jobs, About us
POP email: info@plymouthoctopus.org
Eventbrite events and training: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/pop-and-pop-ideas-7936569800
https://www.instagram.com/pop_community_guru/ POP Community Guru Instagram link – Share your groups activities with us!
