You’ll find information and advice related to Coronavirus on things like volunteering, funding, trustees and governance, and health and wellbeing.
On this page we’ve collated all of our Covid-19 guidance and resources for voluntary organisations in Wales
Funding
- The recently launched Recovery Loan Fund is currently available for voluntary organisations in the UK that have been impacted by COVID-19 and need funds to help them to survive, recover and grow
- PHASE 3 FUNDING NOW OPEN – The new phase of the Third Sector Resilience Fund will provide ‘survive’ and ‘thrive’ grant funding for voluntary organisations that are facing existing and new challenges as they deal with the ongoing effects of COVID-19
- Voluntary Services Recovery Fund recipients Brighter Futures used their funding to adapt their services to stay open throughout the pandemic, and they received a visit from Prince William. If you’ve received any media coverage of progress you’ve made due to your COVID emergency grant funding, please let us know
- Right now, charities are doing everything they can to make a difference – but they need more support. The #RightNow campaign is your opportunity to send a public message to UK Government that charities urgently need an Emergency Support Fund so they can provide vital support to our communities. Find out how you can support the campaign
- The Moondance Foundation has announced an additional £10 million in 2021 to distribute to Welsh voluntary organisations struggling as a result of the pandemic
- The #NeverMoreNeeded campaign team are pressing for more funding for the UK voluntary sector, and are consulting on three different ideas to get the government’s attention. Let them know what you think here
- Full details of how smaller organisations apply to the DWP’s Kickstart scheme are now available on our website. The scheme will provide fully subsidised jobs for young people, and WCVA is assisting smaller voluntary organisations with applications
- Tenancy Saver Loans are now available from Credit Unions. WCVA is pleased to be running this new scheme with Welsh Government and Credit Unions Wales. More information on our website
- Find the latest funds to support the sector through the pandemic over at Funding Wales
- Has COVID-19 effected your local sport activity? You can now apply for a grant through Sport Wales’ Be Active Wales Fund in order to ensure your sport offer survives the pandemic, or to help you prepare for your activity to restart safely
- We’ve collated a list of various funders’ responses to the virus
Volunteering
- During the pandemic more health and social care services have engaged with volunteers than ever before. Fiona Liddell talks about the new Framework for Volunteering in Health and Social Care, designed to support any organisation to involve volunteers
- It’s Volunteers’ Week! Find out how you can get involved and say a big thank you to all the amazing volunteers in Wales that have done so much during this difficult time
- One of our most read articles this year has been this article on how volunteers can support vaccinations across Wales, including information on who to contact about local NHS volunteering
- Volunteers have made a huge difference during the pandemic. Here’s how to keep your volunteers safe in line with Welsh Government guidance when supporting their communities
- If you’d like to volunteer or offer support during alert level 4, it’s important that you keep yourself and others safe. We’ve updated our guidance on volunteering during the pandemic
- You can still do voluntary work under Welsh Government guidelines – but must do so from home if practicable. Find out more about alert level 4 restrictions in the Welsh Government FAQs
- People with a clinical background can find out more about volunteering to support the COVID-19 vaccination programme in Wales and register their interest
- Volunteers will have a vital role to play in the upcoming vaccine rollout. Find out how you can get involved here
- The National Lottery, ITV and STV have teamed up on a new campaign encouraging viewers to miss an episode of their fave TV show to lend a helping hand by volunteering in their community
- The Welsh Government has launched a community survey into the impact of the restrictions imposed by Covid-19 on volunteering through the medium of Welsh and use of the Welsh language
- As we gradually ease out of lockdown from the Coronavirus pandemic during the coming months, we look forward to involving volunteers once again. Fiona Liddell, Helpforce Cymru Manager at WCVA, discusses the way forward and identifies some useful resources
- WCVA Volunteering Manager Felicitie Walls covers the main points of consideration when preparing or returning to volunteering after lockdown
- The first volunteering podcast from Volunteering Wales and Helpforce Cymru talks about the role played by volunteers in response to the Covid-19 pandemic
- Felicitie Walls, Volunteering Manager at WCVA, explores how changes to volunteering could enable young people to counteract the negative effects of lockdown restrictions on their lives, in the short and medium term
- Emma Morgan, Volunteer at WCVA, explains why you should consider creating volunteer virtual fundraising roles for your organisation during the pandemic
- Cardiff’s Coronavirus Relief Project marked Ramadan with a fantastic community response, sending out 500 food parcels and collecting over £5,000 in generous donations, with over 100 volunteers signing up to help. Read their story
- E-gift cards for volunteers – updated guidance from Welsh Government on supermarkets schemes to help volunteers shop for the vulnerable (English only)
- This list of free resources will help you to equip volunteers for new roles, or for roles that they will be carrying out under different circumstances at this time
- You can now find or register volunteering opportunities for coronavirus support on Volunteering Wales
- If you are unable to get support from friends and family and need support from volunteers, please contact your local council
- WLGA has a hub of resources and useful information on volunteering available on their website
- Here is some guidance for volunteering in social care settings for staff who are or likely to manage volunteers within social care
- Guidance for staff who manage volunteers within the NHS in Wales, in primary or secondary care – NHS Volunteers and response to COVID-19
Safeguarding
WCVA RESOURCES
- WCVA’s Safeguarding team, Suzanne Mollison and Mair Rigby, share their reflections on what we have learned about safeguarding from COVID-19.
- UPDATED: Community response to COVID-19 – enabling safe and effective practice
- Safeguarding recognition and response procedures
- DBS Checks and COVID-19
- Guidance on safeguarding issues relating to financial transactions
- Checklist – Accepting substantial offers of help
- Covid-19 – Safeguarding and moving services online
- Sample risk assessment for staff or volunteers working from home
- Volunteering and COVID-19 – Managing unsuitable applicants
- Checklist: Reviewing your Safeguarding Policy in the light of COVID-19
OTHER RESOURCES
- This factsheet and FAQs provide advice on DBS checks for those organising a community volunteer group, and individuals wanting to assist those in their local community
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Together we can keep people safe – Welsh Government guidance on what do and who to contact if you suspect a friend, a family member or a neighbour is at risk of harm, abuse or neglect
- Here’s a blog from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) on using videoconferencing software safely
- Protecting and Safeguarding Older People – an information pack from the Older People’s Commissioner
- Get Safe Online have launched a campaign to combat social media scams
- NSPCC guidance on the coronavirus and child safeguarding
- Welsh Women’s Aid toolkit to help support survivors of domestic violence and abuse during the COVID-19 pandemic
Governance, leadership & management
GOOD GOVERNANCE
- WCVA’s Governance and Safeguarding Manager, Mair Rigby hosts a new WCVA podcast in which she’s joined by WCVA’s Resilience Officer, Sian Eagar, to discuss the concept of resilience in the voluntary sector
- New Philanthropy Capital has produced a Coronavirus Response Toolkit with resources to help charities face a range of challenges.
- COVID – How do I make tomorrow better than yesterday? This toolkit asks seven simple questions to help you think about impact
- Charity Commission guidance for trustees on what matters may need to be reported as a serious incident during the coronavirus pandemic
- This blog from Association of Chairs focuses on health and safety for trustees
- These tips aim to give Chairs some ideas for making online meetings work well for their boards
- Guidance from the Charity Commission for trustees on how to manage financial difficulties caused by coronavirus
- This blog from the ICO clarifies some of the basics of data protection for community groups
- Inspiring Impact has created a webpage to support organisations with measuring their impact during the crisis
- Free business support is available for charities from Cranfield Trust during the crisis
- The Charity Commission has issued an alert for charities about fraud and cybercrime
- The ICO have shared a guide on working from home for organisations
- Filing charity returns during the coronavirus pandemic (English only)
- The coronavirus pandemic has raised serious issues for trustees of all charities, meaning that risk management and effective decision-making are more important than ever. Read our guide for trustees
- NCVO – Coronavirus and governance: what trustees need to think about (English only)
- Russell Cooke Solicitors have released a briefing for charities on a number of legal points relating to COVID-19 with links to other sources of information
LEADERSHIP
- Menai Owen-Jones blogs about the role of leadership in building a different and better future for Wales, and how we have choices and decisions to make that will profoundly influence what comes next
- Adam Fletcher, Head of The British Heart Foundation Cymru talks about the benefits of working together with other organisations across the voluntary sector
- Judi Rhys, CEO at Tenovus Cancer Care raised in a recent #DifferentFuturesWales event that voluntary orgs should consider mergers as a way to adapt post-pandemic. In this blog she shares her views on merger and her personal experiences of mergers as CEO of Arthritis Care
- How can charities keep doing social good during social distancing? Judith Stone, our Assistant Director of Sector Development, makes a return from secondment to talk about what charities can do to continue their vital work
- What the pandemic has meant for delivering services, and the implications for how we deliver services in the future. A blog from Jess Blair
MANAGEMENT
- We have updated our guidance for community centres based in Wales to provide you with a brief overview of how to restart and deliver services safely
- The pandemic has made us all examine our working practices. We’re running two courses to help you plan for the future – The future of the workplace: managing employee wellbeing and The future of the workplace: practical and legal considerations
- Third Sector Support Wales have created a survey to look at the impacts of lifting COVID-19 restrictions on voluntary organisations in Wales. This will be followed by an event to touch on the key themes from the survey results, discuss the challenges facing organisations, share experiences and ideas, and identify what further support is needed
- In the face of Covid-19 people and communities stepped up with new ideas and approaches to get things done. A new practical action programme has now been launched to explore how community led action can help build a fairer, greener, healthier future
- Our information sheets for reopening community centres in Wales have been updated with the latest information
- We’ve released sample Terms and Conditions for community centre managers in Wales to use when hiring out community centres
- Korina Tsioni at WCVA blogs about five simple ways to keep on top of your quality assurance during the pandemic
- Mike Corcoran, Evaluation Specialist with Co-Production Network for Wales, outlines seven questions for meaningful evaluation of your services in a time of crisis
- Short-term homeworking solutions could be costing charities more. Jonathan Levy, Managing Director of Class Networks, explains why it’s time to set up longer term solutions and business continuity plans
- The Charity Retail Association has published an updated version of its Covid-19 Operational Guide. The guide provides guidance on operating safely during the pandemic.
- Wales Council for the Blind and Wales Council for Deaf People have released guidance on making meetings accessible for people with sensory loss
Health and wellbeing
CORONAVIRUS CONTROL INCLUDING TEST, TRACE, PROTECT
- Following the move to alert level zero the Welsh Government have issued new guidance for patient-service user facing health and social care workers following potential contact with COVID 19
- The Chief Medical Officer has given his advice to the First Minister on 21 day review of COVID-19 restrictions
- The Chief Medical Officer for Wales is sending a letter to all those on the Shielding Patient List (SPL) which should arrive soon. The letter does not advise to follow any particular shielding measures but contains advice on how to stay safe as restrictions will be reduced over the next few weeks
- Carers and unpaid carers can now get free rapid COVID-19 lateral flow tests delivered to their home
- In Wales, people doing voluntary work that cannot be done from home are being encouraged to test themselves regularly with rapid self-tests. Collect tests from your nearest Local Test Site (LTS)
- The First Minister has confirmed the current conditions mean Wales has met the criteria in the new traffic-light Coronavirus Control Plan to move to alert level four
- Governments across the UK have issued a statement on staying safe over Christmas
- Welsh Government have published an update to their Coronavirus Control Plan, which builds on the traffic-light framework of restrictions originally put in place in May
- Routine testing of asymptomatic frontline health and social care staff will start this month in Wales
- Public Health Wales have published FAQ’s about the COVID-19 vaccine
- An online COVID response map has been developed by Public Health Wales to help agencies, public and voluntary organisations better identify where there may be a need for greater support
- Vaughan Gething MS, Minister for Health and Social Services has published a Coronavirus Control Plan for Wales (18 August 2020)
- The self-isolation period has moved from seven days to ten days from the onset of symptoms across the UK (update 4 August 2020)
- The Distance Aware NHS symbol is a badge for members of the public that reminds others to socially distance. More information here
- Wales’ coronavirus testing strategy has been published by Health Minister Vaughan Gething
- The Information Commissioner’s Office have produced five simple steps for collecting visitor’s personal details for contact tracing
- Welsh Government have produced an easy read overview on ‘What happens when you get a test for coronavirus’
- Test, trace, protect: process summary – Welsh Government guidance available in a range of languages on what you need to do to help contact tracing control the spread of coronavirus
- The Welsh Government is following updated advice from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and recommending people in Wales wear three-layer face coverings in situations where social distancing is not possible
- Coronavirus guidance from Welsh Government for those who provide unpaid care for family and friends
- The COVID Response Map Wales has been designed to help identify areas where there are more people who may be more vulnerable to COVID-19
- The Minister for Health and Social Services has issued a Written Statement Test, Trace, Protect
- Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services Julie Morgan has published a written statement about coronavirus and older people’s rights
- If you’re experiencing coronavirus symptoms, you can now apply for a home test. Find out more here
- Housing, health, social care and support settings: Examples to inform implementation of the updated Infection Prevention and Control guidance from Public Health Wales
VACCINE PROGRAMME
- With the Welsh Government announcing its Autumn & Winter Strategy Public Health Wales has put together a booster vaccine FAQ
- As 12-15 year old’s are now eligible for vaccination NHS Wales has produced a leaflet to answer any questions young people might have
- The Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation have recommend an expansion of the list of specific underlying health conditions for children and young people aged 12 -15 years who are eligible for two doses of COVID-19 vaccine
- Following recent JCVI advice, all health boards are now inviting everyone aged 16 or over to be vaccinated
- The Welsh Government is encouraging employers to do all they can to support their workforce to get vaccinated. A new toolkit is today being launched to support businesses and organisations to help their workers get the COVID-19 vaccine
- Over 18s who have yet to have their first dose of the vaccine can now visit walk in vaccine centres without an appointment. More information available from local health boards
- The #ValuingVaccines campaign has put together new resources to help share the facts about vaccination
- Find out how the voluntary sector can support the vaccine programme through communications at this free webinar, Thursday 4 February, 3pm – 4pm
- Some criminals are using the COVID-19 vaccine as a way to target the public by tricking them to hand over cash or financial details. The UK Government have released this guidance and this poster to help raise awareness
- Letters about the Welsh Government’s COVID-19 vaccination plans will shortly begin to arrive at the front door of every household in Wales
- This map outlines the locations of vaccination centres in Wales
- The British Society for Immunology has lots of helpful guidance and resources to help you address common issues and concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine
- Public Health Wales have updated their vaccine FAQs for Health and Social Care professionals
- Following the Welsh Government’s vaccine announcement today, Elen Notley, Marketing and Communications Manager at WCVA outlines how voluntary organisation can support the roll out of the COVID-19 vaccine in Wales by sharing communications
- As we gear up for a COVID-19 vaccine, we hosted a webinar to discuss how the sector can help with vaccine communications. Find information and resources here
- Health Minister Vaughan Gething has published a written statement about the COVID-19 vaccine deployment
- The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) is launching a new campaign called #ValuingVaccines to help tackle misinformation about vaccines and put the UK in a better place to beat coronavirus when a vaccine for it is found. ABPI is asking for people to get involved in the campaign – there are shareable resources available on their website
- As we prepare for the launch of the Covid-19 vaccine, Welsh Government have issued this statement
- The new Winter Protection Plan describes Welsh Government’s priorities for health and social care until March 2021
CARE AND SUPPORT FOR ADULTS, CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE
- Minister for Mental Health Eluned Morgan has made a statement about strengthening our response to the impact the pandemic is having on people’s mental health
- New revised NHS Wales hospital visiting guidance during the coronavirus outbreak has now been published
- There is new guidance for people shielding around Christmas
- The new national measures in place after the firebreak allow care home visits to take place – each local authority will advise care home providers about the approach in their area based on their local circumstances
- As Covid-19 restrictions ease, the Welsh Government is stepping up support to promote face to face services for victims and survivors of violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence (VAWDASV)
- Welsh Government has announced £22.7m in extra funding to help meet the additional costs adult social care providers are incurring as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic
- The Chief Medical Officer for Wales Dr Frank Atherton has confirmed people in Wales who are shielding will no longer need to do so after 16 August and that shielding has been paused
- Vaughan Gething has said that the voluntary sector was ‘hugely important’ in the coronavirus crisis as service deliverers
- During this time, we need to look out for signs that children, young people or adults in our communities may be being abused, neglected or harmed. Call 101 or visit the Welsh Gov website if you are concerned someone is at risk
- VAWDASV (violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence) services in Wales are set to receive an additional £1.5m in revenue to help them respond to increased demands on services as a result of Covid-19
- Wales Carers Alliance has sent a letter to Welsh Government on the impact on unpaid carers
- Adults living alone, including single parents, in areas under local restrictions are now able to form a temporary bubble with another household in their local area under the new rules
SOURCING PPE & RESOURCES
- 2buy2 are supporting the PPE requirements of organisations throughout the UK by creating a PPE buying group. Find out more info and join their aggregation here
DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY
- Care homes across Wales are benefiting from digital devices being delivered to them as part of a Welsh Government scheme to help residents keep in touch with friends and family, and to assist with video medical consultations
USEFUL TOOLS, WEBINARS & ONLINE TRAINING
- This online tool from Welsh Government will help people in Wales find advice and support for their individual circumstances during the COVID-19 pandemic
- The Violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence team have made online training accessible to all for free during the coronavirus outbreak, to help people recognise the signs of abuse and how they can safely help to help combat the increased risk of some people stuck in abusive relationships during lockdown – you can access it through guest log on at wales.nhs.uk/course/view.php?id=71
BRIEFING PAPERS, REPORTS, & OTHER GUIDANCE
- Here’s new Welsh Government guidance for care home providers for adults and children on how to enable safe visiting during the coronavirus pandemic
- This informative guide from Building Materials focuses on safe independent living for older people, with useful tips and advice on well-being, safety and dealing with loneliness
- The Welsh NHS Confederation has published a briefing paper on cross-sector partnership working to support the response to COVID-19 in Wales
- Wales Council for the Blind and Wales Council for Deaf People have released guidance on making meetings accessible for people with sensory loss
- Welsh Government’s official report of the BAME Covid-19 Socioeconomic Subgroup that identifies systemic racism as a risk factor is now available to read in full
- Updated discharge guidance for health, social care, third and independent sector partners in Wales has been published
- To mark VE Day Carers Wales, in partnership with Age Cymru’s Project 3600, has produced a guide on entitlements and support for veteran carers and people caring for veterans
- Association of Charitable Foundations – Response to coronavirus (English only)
- Mind have provided guidance on mental health and wellbeing while dealing with the coronavirus(English only)
- The British Lung Foundation have guidance for people with pre-existing lung conditions(English only)
- The Welsh Government COVID-19 FAQ has been updated to reflect the new Wales-wide changes. FAQs in the local lockdown section of the site have also been amended
ADVICE & BEFRIENDING HELPLINES
- A partnership of BAME organisations in Wales have collaborated to launch a new multi-lingual helpline offering a range of specialist guidance for BAME people
- A new Samaritans enhanced helpline is available for health and social care workers in Wales
- Family Lives, the parenting and family advice charity, has been awarded funding to extend its helpline service to Welsh speakers
- Age Cymru is launching the Friend In Need service to help tackle loneliness and isolation amongst the over 70s as a result of social distancing, self-isolation and shielding
- British Red Cross has set up a coronavirus support line to provide a listening ear and help to people affected by the pandemic
- NHS hygiene advice
- Eight fully-funded counselling sessions for people struggling with mental health are available through Breathe
CAMPAIGNS
- Help Keep Wales Safe through the pandemic by using this campaign pack from Welsh Government – featuring materials to help you promote the latest guidance
- Social Care Heroes is a social media initiative developed by a partnership of agencies and individuals who want to raise awareness of the social care workforce in Wales
- ‘Now more than ever we need people to think carefully about where to seek advice to avoid extra pressure on the NHS this winter’ – This is the call from the Minister for Health Vaughan Gething as our health care services and health boards continue to deal with the coronavirus pandemic
- Community pharmacies are reporting an increased flu vaccine uptake as Wales embarks on biggest vaccination programme
- People across Wales and England are being urged to download the new NHS COVID-19 app to help stop the spread of coronavirus and protect themselves and their loved ones as case numbers rise