CEO Chat #27
Last week kicked off with a fabulously energetic and inspiring meeting of the Helping Hands steering group, where along with hosts, volunteering leads and community partners was the regional manager of the funding. When this project was first introduced to CDA it seemed like a wonderful idea but, as with most things, faced the challenge of daily living and societal barriers that many people face. However, through careful planning and a broad remit for improving access, which could include BSL interpreters or communication support workers, has developed into a meaningful project, enabling people to access a wide range of volunteering opportunities across Cumbria.
If you have ever considered volunteering but are unsure or feel you may need extra support, encouragement, equipment, practical support etc then please take a look at https://cumbriamuseums.org.uk/helping-hands/ for more information, or ask one of the CDA staff team.
Thanks to the Cumbria Chamber of Commerce/Growth Hub project I was able to join an online learning lunch session about how to write or devise the Mission and Values of a company. It’s amazing how much information, and how many ideas can start filling my head within 30minutes. The learning was presented by Rebecca Smith, the owner of Box Box Solutions, a Cumbrian based business. Rebecca and I met at a business networking event a few months ago, where we talked about the need to include the whole team in identifying, shaping and adopting new strategies within a business, and considered the language and form of the training with English being the second language for half of our staff. With our conversation still echoing in Rebecca’s mind, she kindly sent over the slides ahead of the online presentation so that I could familiarise myself with the words and context. This simple action better equips me to lipread or to rapidly adjust the spelling or phrasing that comes out on closed captions – which can often be hysterical.
The resources available through the Chamber are certainly worth the membership, and it now includes a staff benefits package for members employees, which is really beneficial for a small organisation like us who ordinarily might not be able to afford an assistance programme. https://www.cumbriachamber.co.uk/