Better Business

How the VCFSE sector has benefitted from the Better Business Programme

• 15 of our member organisations attended a series of GDPR workshops throughout 2019. We gained the agreement of a local B2B training consultancy specialising in GDPR to deliver the workshops free of charge to our VCSFE member organisations. The workshops helped them review their data protection policies and implement new procedures to ensure the new legal requirements were met. 

• Linked Morrisons supermarket with the Trussell Trust in St Albans at the start of the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020, leading to a weekly delivery of food crates for those isolated or in need. 

• Launched our Inspire education KS3 Masterclasses, with the support of volunteer mentors from the business community. 

• Established Communities 1st as a Gateway organisation for the government’s Kickstart scheme. Successfully applied for government funding to help 15 local VCSFE groups recruit a total of 61 new employees on 6-month contracts, fully funded by the Kickstart scheme. 

• Designed and delivered a 6-month Employability Skills training programme for all 61 young people employed via our Kickstart Gateway, improving their prospects of gaining lasting employment. 

• Represents Communities 1st on the Abbey Line and New River Line Community Rail Partnerships, helping to link the partnerships with new volunteers and promote links to local communities via our network of VCSFE members and partner organisations. 

• Gained agreement from West Midlands Trains and Govia Thameslink to display our series of mental health awareness posters, which are now permanently installed at all the railway stations between St Albans Abbey and Watford Junction, as well as St Albans City Station and Harpenden, Radlett and Elstree & Borehamwood stations.