POP – Page 3 – Plymouth Octopus

POP is delighted to announce the launch this month of its new-and-improved Collectives Fund.

Set up by POP in August 2020, The Collectives Fund exists to support POP members working at the ‘grassroots’ level of community action. Through the creation of many unique and innovative collaborations, the fund has helped to bring about real social change, by the people, for the people. Now, after a brief lull during which there has been a period of consideration, reflection and learning, POP declares the Collectives Fund Mark II open for new applications! This is our commitment to creating change through collaboration.

POP has invested more than £270,000 in 62 projects across the city in the last three years.

Here are some examples of collaborative projects that were helped by the POP Collectives Fund:

Ocean City Publishing – improving literacy and increasing literary opportunities in Stonehouse.
Vacancy Atlas and its Window of Opportunity – bringing creative ideas into empty shops and livening up the City Centre.
Setting Sail Together – providing sailing lessons for refugees and asylum seekers.
Pride Community Working Together – creating inclusive spaces so that we might share and learn from each other.

We know that Plymouth is buzzing with ideas and vibrating with the energies of so many people wanting to create change, particularly within their own communities. The Collectives Fund enables like-minded people to come together to generate change.

Different types of POP Collectives:

Working in geographic communities, e.g., in Stoke; Ernesettle and Chaddlewood
Those sharing an interest or passion, e.g. History and Storytelling
Collectives formed around ‘health & wellbeing’, such as, those supporting people with mental health; trauma and periods
Collaborating around shared ‘Sexuality’ such as the Pride Communities

The POP Collectives Fund is now open!

As before, you’ll need to be in a collaboration of (at least) three POP members. However, there will now be six rounds of funding throughout the year (roughly every two months) and we will be funding three projects chosen by your fellow POP members. Applicants can apply for up to £5,000.

Those organisations within a successful collective will need to wait twelve months before they can apply again. For more information visit https://support.plymouthoctopus.org/funding-details?recordId=recHw9DYbYyGkiZvC or email simon@plymouthoctopus.org

The Trail Therapy Project

Posted on 3 October 20233 October 2023 by POP

The evidence is overwhelming – being outside in ‘nature’ is good for our mental health. Combine this with physical exercise and you’re likely to raise, not only your heart rate, but your levels of dopamine and endorphins too. Now the social enterprise Bikespace is looking for people to take part in the next round of its popular Trail Therapy Project which puts adults on a bike, off road, in the ‘great outdoors’.

The eleven weeks’ programme starts in the Devonport workshops with participants learning basic bike mechanics before heading out on mountain bikes to some of the region’s most popular cycling trails, such as those on Dartmoor; at the Lanhydrock Estate near Bodmin and at Haldon Forest on the outskirts of Exeter. Accompanied by Bikespace staff, beginners are taught how to ride, gaining skills and experience each time they go out so that, by the time the programme ends, everyone can cycle with confidence and pedal for pleasure!

You don’t even need to have a bike – all the equipment is provided. And the best bit: after 11 weeks, those that finish the programme, will be given their own bike to keep.

If you know someone that might enjoy taking part in the next Trail Therapy Project email info@bikespace.org.uk or call 01752 500211

Powering social change in St Budeaux!

Posted on 2 October 20232 October 2023 by POP

We are delighted to report evidence of a collective power energising projects in St Budeaux. Witnesses confirm the source of the power to be emanating from the William Sutton Memorial Hall with recipients describing a greater sense of joy and wellbeing.

It all began two years ago when the Wellbeing Workshops Devon CIC joined forced with Colebrook South West (the community-based support organisation) to apply for £5,000 from the POP Collectives Fund to run some workshops in Crownhill for people experiencing ‘lockdown anxiety’. For the second round of workshops the collective switched the location to St Budeaux where they discovered the locally-based Arts, Crafts, and Laughter initiative holding court. It wasn’t long before they all joined up and, with further grants from POP, delivered another round of fun-filled workshops with some created around specific issues, such as, men’s wellbeing; confident dressing and sewing classes.

Laughter, says those involved, has helped to power the collective along with shared learning and mutual respect. Debbie Seldon, who set up the project six and a half years ago, and now runs five sessions a week, says laughter is definitely the best therapy:

“It doesn’t matter how much you’re struggling so long as you can still find your laughter you can find a way to keep yourself going.”

Kelly, who now helps to run some of the Arts, Crafts and Laughter sessions, firmly believes the jovial atmosphere really helps the participants to relax and enjoy themselves:

“We all use jokes and laughter as a way of expressing ourselves in the group and people see that’s it’s ok to be like that and so they join in as well. It’s helping us to bond with each other and to make friends.”

And, it would seem, this jolly space is helping to generate a positive atmosphere beyond the confines of the William Sutton Memorial Hall and out into St Budeaux! If you’d like to join in the happy sessions contact Debbie at artcraftandlaughter@hotmail.com

POP Page September 2023

Posted on 30 September 20236 November 2023 by POP

Empowering Collaboration – A Fresh Look For Pop Collectives

Posted on 10 August 202314 August 2023 by POP

by Simon Travers – POP Learning Champion, August 2023

This autumn, POP Collectives will be rocking a fresh look for a new season. We’ve seen great growth in the last three years as diverse organisations have collaborated around shared values and purpose. Grassroots Plymouth has embraced Collectives and we couldn’t be prouder.

The success of Collectives has led to some necessary changes in our process. More organisations want to be involved than our budget can accommodate.

POP are still committed to the spirit of Collectives. Collectives is unique and we want to hold on to what makes it special. We will continue to award £5000 to three POP Member organisations with a turnover of less than £500k to collaborate on projects that benefit Plymouth. Applications will always be open and easy to do and funding decisions will still be made by POP Members.

Starting September 2023, POP are making four big changes to Collectives:

· DATES FOR YOUR DIARY: There will be six opportunities a year to claim one of three available Collectives grants.

· NEW VOTING: We will replace the current rating system with a new two-week voting process to select which Collectives receive funding.

· NEW VOICES: The Collectives with the most votes will be funded, but we will ensure one grant in each process is reserved for Collectives that include new organisations.

· WAITING PERIOD: If an organisation is part of a successful collective, that organisation cannot be listed as part of another collective for 12 months.

OPEN TO ALL

Collectives has supported a variety of organisations with ideas that serve diverse communities across Plymouth. We have achieved this by attempting to reduce the amount of competition that can arise in funding. By introducing a timed voting system, we accept that some competition is unavoidable in Collectives.

POP have worked hard as a team, and talked to partners inside and outside of Plymouth, to keep Collectives open to all. We want applications from every grassroots community within Plymouth working on the most level playing field possible. We have heard a strong message that this means we need to continue investing in building networks and relationships. We want to keep reaching out to all Plymouth communities, with appropriate support, to ensure POP’s funding works towards a vision of an inclusive Plymouth where no one feels forgotten.

We have learnt that Collectives has worked better for groups with established networks and the capacity for self-promotion. POP recognise that, done well, connecting with others and gathering support is a positive network building skill. However, it is unlikely young organisations will have as deep networks or as much capacity for self-promotion as more established groups. Matching new

organisations against established Collectives with city wide reputations feels unfair. That is why we are reserving a Collectives grant in every decision making process for a New Voices Collective. We define a New Voices Collective as a Collective with two or more organisations that have been established for less than two years.

POP have also decided to limit how often organisations can be involved in Collectives. If an organisation is part of a successful collective, they will now not be able to join another Collective for 12 months. Our hope is that this helps more groups get a chance at being funded. If a Collective is unsuccessful in the voting process, that Collective can reapply for as many future processes as they wish. Any collectives choosing to do this will have to repeat the whole application process.

HOW THE PROCESS WILL UNFOLD

Collectives will open again for applications on Monday 4th September. To fit six decision making processes into the year, the first process will have a short window for applications. To be in the first process, your Collective must apply by Monday 25th September. Don’t worry if you miss this deadline though, your application will just go into the next decision making process.

Once your Collective is in the decision making process, things will feel familiar. We are rebranding the advice session and hoping to make it even more helpful. There will still be an opportunity to rewrite your submission if your circumstances change. Then there will be a 2 week voting process for POP member organisations to choose their 3 favourite Collectives from those available.

Part of diarising the Collectives process is to increase efficiency after the voting process closes. We will now expect Collectives to complete their learning agreement, set up their Open Collective page, and connect with our Learning Champion within three weeks after voting wraps up.

Setting dates for Collectives means POP can plan when grants will be paid. POP Collectives funding has never been available for work already done. In the new process, any work completed before the date of grant payment cannot be funded. We have learnt that Collectives is not effective as a last-minute, urgent option for funding. Good collectives need time to plan, evolve and build relationship. The new voting process means Collectives cannot guarantee they will be funded on application. It is not in any Collective’s interest to have less than a month to find other funding options if they are unsuccessful in Collectives voting.

Successful Collectives in the first decision making process will receive their grants on the week commencing 27th November, 2023. The payment date for the second decision making process is expected to be week commencing 29th January 2024. If your Collective hopes to run events between 27th November and 28th January, you need to apply in the first decision making process.

GET INVOLVED

Collectives belongs to POP’s members. You are the ones with the great ideas. You are the ones committing to building a collaborative culture in Plymouth. You are the decision makers. Collectives doesn’t work without you. However, organisations can only be involved in applying and voting for POP Collectives if they have re-registered as members within the new POP membership structure. Take a moment to ensure your organization’s membership is good to go.

POP Collectives remains one part of the POP grassroots funding package. 250-a-POP is still operative for any POP Members organisation. There will also be opportunities for organisations to seek funding through the Plymouth Sparks programme starting in the Autumn. Check your inbox for the POP newsletter and weekly mailings for all the up to date information you need.