Our CASA team has created a new online Discord community for autistic adults, providing a safe, welcoming and supportive online space for people to connect with others who share similar experiences.

The new online community offers a range of activities and resources, including chats for special interests, mutual support with motivation and everyday tasks, online events, social meet-ups, as well as discussion and practical tips around sensory management.

"We're always looking at how we can expand our offer and increase our capacity to support more people," said Pippa Baker-Walsh, our Autism Support Lead. 

"We think that our new online community on the Discord platform will help autistic adults  find connection, understanding, and friendship without feeling the need to mask or fit in, and will complement the 'in person' social opportunities provided at our drop-ins really well.”

You can join the CASA online community using this link:

https://discord.gg/DXm89rEQP

Lucy Eccles, our Community Resilience Officer, writes:

"As part of 30Days30Ways, an annual preparedness initiative from The Emergency Planning Society, this month I've been  highlighting some of the ways communities can get better prepared and build resilience.

Emergencies can happen when we least expect them – from flooding and severe weather, to power outages and other unexpected events.  Being prepared doesn’t have to be complicated, and small steps taken now can make a big difference when an emergency happens.

At a household level, it's a good idea to make some basic preparations for unexpected emergencies by putting together a "grab bag" of essential items such as a first aid kit, a torch, a portable powerbank, some non-perishable food,  bottled water, hand sanitizer, wet wipes etc.  There's a lot more advice on the government website at https://prepare.campaign.gov.uk/get-prepared-for-emergencies/

In my role as GRCC's Community Resilience Officer, the two main areas I work on are running Volunteer Flood Warden Schemes on behalf of the District and Borough Councils, and Community Emergency Planning, which I usually work on with local Parish or Town Councils.

Use the button below to find out more about these topics.  If you have any questions, please do get in touch with me via cdt@grcc.org.uk"

Autumn can be a time of increasing worry for vulnerable people, as the prospect of high winter heating costs loom, along with constant financial pressure from other bills.

Often the cheapest tariffs are only available to people with the skills and confidence to go online to find and apply for them.  This means that digitally excluded people, who are often amongst the poorest in society, are also paying more than average for their household bills. 

Emma Eccleston, our Tech & Digital Inclusion Social Prescriber in the North Cotswolds, and Joshua Lee, our Digital & Tech Navigator in Tewkesbury Borough, can both help worried clients get online to find and apply for cheaper utility deals and social tariffs.   

"We can help low-income clients get onto low-cost social tariffs for broadband or mobile, and teach them how to use their digital devices to access comparison websites and research their options," said Emma. 

"We can also help vulnerable clients find specialist help for energy costs - for example the other day I sat with a gent and showed him the website for Severn Wye Energy Agency, because he was worried about his winter heating bills." 

Joshua added: "Most of us take it for granted that we can find the best utility deals or social tariffs when we need them.  But digitally excluded people need help to get online and manage their financial situation more effectively." 

Jo Main, our Social Prescribing Link Worker in the North Cotswolds,  recently took part in   "Advice First Aid Training" in Stow.  This was a full day of training for people who provide on-going support to clients, run by the Stroud and Cotswold District CAB.  The training focused on how to spot the early signs of social welfare issues, and on learning how to best guide clients to the right support.

“We explored scenarios where we discussed whether it was best to sign-post an individual or to refer them to a specialist caseworker at the CAB,” said Jo.

“Scenarios included an unsuitable housing situation, someone trying to find out about their benefits and entitlements, as well as someone who was concerned about a neighbour. It was a really informative day and I personally learnt so much from the training as well as from the discussions with staff from other organisations.”

Use the button below for a link to more information and booking for the Advice First Aid course, or you can find out more about our North Cotswolds Social Prescribing Link Workers here.

We're constantly amazed by the dedication, hard work and care shown by the good folk who run village halls and community buildings - and impressed with their creative thinking. 

Parking schemes, renewable energy, milk machines, parcel lockers, emergency hubs, internet cafes... or just a better way to store the chairs or take the bookings: village halls are always finding creative solutions to problems, and new ways to help their communities and the environment.   

We'd love to hear about good ideas and innovations that you've put in place in your village hall, so that we can share them with readers of GRCC Newsbites.   Please tell us via an email to info@grcc.org.uk - and if you can send a photo as well, so much the better!

Gloucestershire Employment and Skills Hub provides fully funded, personalised employment support for people facing barriers to employment.

Their Employment Specialists work one-to-one with people to understand their goals, build confidence, develop employability skills and overcome challenges that may be preventing them from working.

Support can include help with job searching, CVs, interview preparation, wellbeing, financial concerns, travel difficulties, workplace adjustments and ongoing in-work support.

Contact the Hub staff via employmentandskillshub@gloucestershire.gov.uk 

Gloucestershire Domestic Abuse Support Service (GDASS) is offering free training to professionals in Gloucestershire on various topics around Domestic Abuse awareness and risk. The list of sessions includes:

• Basic Awareness Training
• Enhanced Training
• Domestic Abuse and Older People
• Impact on Children and Young People
• Domestic Abuse and LGBTQ+
• Technology Facilitated Domestic Abuse

GDASS is a county-wide service,  commissioned by Gloucestershire County Council and delivered by Green Square Accord.

For a full list of sessions and dates, and online booking, use the button below.

Fund Gloucestershire is a new non-profit organisation which aims to save time and admin for VCSE organisations in Gloucestershire seeking funding, and for funders.  

Fund Gloucestershire aims to offer VCSE organisations and community groups a clear and consistent way to find and apply for a variety of funding opportunities, and will be free to use. 

Fund Gloucestershire also aims to reduce the administrative burden for funders such as charitable trusts, foundations and philanthropists who wish to distribute funds to VCSE organisations or community groups in Gloucestershire. 

Gloucestershire County Council's Thriving Communities Grants  (deadline 16 October) and NHS Gloucestershire ICB's Community Health and Wellbeing Fund (deadline 23 November) are two of the first grant schemes which will be administered via the new platform. 

The Eco Hub is Inclusion Gloucestershire's new monthly group for adults with a learning disability to learn about climate change and the environment.

The sessions will involve talks, arts and crafts, games and quizzes, outdoor activities, nature walks and more, and will take place on Thursdays from 10.30am to 12.30pm.  

Anyone interested in attending needs to register in advance using this form, or by calling 01452 234003.

Community-owned pubs as well as pub-businesses are eligible to apply for new grants to add activities and services that would expand their role as community hubs and promote wellbeing in their communities. 

Examples include adding village stores, community cafes, play areas and arts and crafts activities.

£3M of government funding from the Department of Business, Innovation, Science and Trade will be available to support such projects, via the charity "Pub is The Hub".

Gloucestershire Older Persons' Association (GOPA) and the Grace Network are organising a celebration for the International Day of Older People on 1st October.

The event will be held at Brimscombe Mill, Stroud GL5 2QN, from 11am until 3pm. A number of statutory and voluntary organisations working with and on behalf of older people will be running information stands and activities.

Refreshments can be purchased during the day as well as pay-as-you-can meals.

There will be plenty of parking on site which is at GL5 2QN (what3words location baker.fended.tutored). If travelling by public transport, take Stagecoach bus numbers 67 or 620 from Stroud to the Brimscombe Port bus stop on the A419.

Gloucester City Homes is looking for two new board members, who are preferably current social housing tenants or people with recent experience of social housing.  

The role involves a mixture of online and in-person meetings, taking around two days per month, and there is an annual remuneration of £5,000 for the role.

Applications close on 12th October, and you can find full details using the button below.  

If you've had contact with us, or support from us, or only visited our website to try to find information, we'd really love to know how we're doing!  Were we brilliant, just OK, or not very good? 

Please use this online form to let us know.  All feedback, good and bad, helps us to shape our services to better fit your needs.   

If you're able to support our work financially, you can donate online here, or find out about leaving a legacy here.