Over the past few months, Barnet Together has been running a new training programme to support local community groups – and the response has been brilliant.
This training was shaped by what organisations told us they needed help with: things like fundraising, budgeting, evaluation, governance, and leadership. We know many local groups are doing vital work with limited resources, so the sessions were designed to be practical, accessible, and easy to put into action straight away.
Between January and March this year, we delivered 11 sessions covering everything from ‘Fundraising 101’ and ‘Writing for Impact’ to budgeting, health and safety, volunteer management and AI. A further session on full cost recovery had to be postponed, but it is still very much on our radar.
Across the sessions, we had 190 attendees – representing 104 different organisations. That’s a great turnout and shows how much appetite there is for this kind of support.
Some of the most popular sessions were those focused on funding, which isn’t surprising. Groups from all over the borough joined us – from youth services and cultural projects to health, food support and resident-led initiatives. Many organisations attended more than one session, which is a good sign that they found the content helpful and worth coming back for.
To understand the impact, we asked people before and after each session how confident they felt about the topic. In every case, we saw a clear jump. For example, in the ‘Writing for Impact’ session, the number of people who rated their knowledge as “pretty good” went from just three at the start to thirteen by the end. In the ‘Impact Measurement’ workshop, nearly 80% finished the session feeling confident, compared to just over half who started with limited knowledge.
People told us they now feel better equipped to write funding applications, explain the difference their work makes, and manage their finances more clearly. That kind of confidence boost can make a big difference – especially when you’re running a small organisation and wearing multiple hats.
The feedback we received was really encouraging – not just about the sessions themselves, but about what they unlocked for people.
One participant said, “I feel more confident to apply for funding now. I used to find it intimidating, but now I know what funders are really looking for.”
Another shared how valuable the Barnet Insight session was: “I didn’t realise we had access to all this local data – it’s going to help so much with our planning.”
Quite a few people mentioned how reassuring it was to hear from other organisations facing similar challenges. One person said, “It was great to share ideas and know we’re not alone in this.”
Although it’s still early days, we’re already seeing signs of real impact. Several organisations are planning to apply for funding using strategies they picked up in the sessions. Others have started reviewing their governance and trustee recruitment processes. And smaller groups told us they’ve got a much clearer handle on budgeting, which will help them present their work more effectively to funders and partners.
One thing that came up again and again was how helpful it was to learn alongside peers. The opportunity to connect, share stories and ask questions in a supportive environment really stood out for many participants.
The training created a space where people felt safe to ask questions and be honest about what they found hard. It also helped that the groups who joined us were so diverse – in size, background, and focus. Many came from women-led or ethnically diverse-led organisations, which added valuable perspectives and made the discussions richer and more inclusive. This training has made a real difference – not just in terms of knowledge and confidence, but in creating a sense of connection across Barnet’s community sector.
With the right investment, we can help Barnet’s voluntary and community groups stay resilient, skilled and ready for whatever’s next.