Events and training

The Law & Volunteering

Date: 24 February 2026
Time: 1pm-4pm
Location: Online Event - via Zoom
Cost: Free

Understand the legal essentials that protect both your organisation and its volunteers. This course provides a clear overview of legal obligations, rights, and best practices to ensure compliance and reduce risk in volunteer programs.

• Gain an overview of key legal responsibilities in volunteer management
• Understand volunteer rights, organisational obligations, and boundaries
• Identify potential risks and learn strategies to minimise liability
• Explore best practices for compliance and safe programme delivery

This training is funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

AI Workshop

Date: 5 March 2026
Time: 9:30am-2pm
Location: Horsham District Council Offices, Albery House, Springfield Road, Horsham, West Sussex RH12 2GB
Cost: Free (£10 deposit when booking, refundable on attendance)

You went into the voluntary sector to make a difference. Not to spend your evenings formatting reports, chasing data, or half-finishing funding applications because there simply are not enough hours in the day.

Your team is stretched. Your time is eaten up by admin. And every hour you spend on the tedious stuff is an hour you are not spending on the work that actually matters.

You have probably heard people talking about AI. Maybe you have tried it and thought, “this isn’t for me.” Maybe it felt too techy or too far removed from the real challenges you face.

This workshop will change your mind.

On 5th March, join Mary Kemp at the Council Chambers in Albery House, Horsham, for a free, practical session designed specifically for the voluntary and community sector. No tech jargon. No slides full of theory. Just real tools, shown step by step, that you can start using that same evening.

You will learn how to summarise lengthy documents in minutes instead of hours, find and draft funding applications more effectively, capture and present your data without needing a specialist, and free up your time for the frontline work that drives your mission. You will also learn how to use these tools safely and responsibly, so you feel confident bringing AI into your organisation.

Bring your laptop or tablet. Bring the messy documents, the overflowing inbox, the reports you have been putting off. You will leave with real tools and the confidence to keep going.

Open to anyone working in or supporting the voluntary and community sector in Horsham District. No prior AI experience needed.

From Conflict to Closure: Managing Sensitive Volunteer Issues

Date: 19 March 2026
Time: 1pm-4pm
Location: Online Event - via Zoom
Cost: Free

Gain the confidence and tools to address difficult volunteer situations with professional-ism and empathy. This practical course guides you through managing conflict, resolving issues, and building stronger volunteer relationships—even in challenging circumstances.

The course will cover

• Identify common sources of conflict and sensitive issues that arise in volunteering setting
• Demonstrate the ability to approach and structure difficult conversations
• Assess the severity of sensitive scenarios and determine appropriate responses
• Apply conflict resolution and closure strategies
• Understanding the value of ending volunteering well

Where: Online via Zoom
This training is funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Mindfulness Retreat Workshop for Volunteers

Date: 25 March 2026
Time: 11am-1:30pm
Location: Discovery Hub, Warnham Local Nature Reserve, Warnham Road, Horsham, RH12 2RA
Cost: Free (£10 deposit when booking, refundable on attendance)

Recharge & Refresh: Mindfulness Retreat for Volunteers!

Calling all volunteers in the Horsham District! Join us for a Mindfulness Retreat Workshop designed to support your emotional wellbeing and enhance your volunteer experience.

Immerse yourself in a rejuvenating atmosphere where you’ll explore:

• Practical mindfulness techniques and psychological strategies to reduce stress and enhance focus, led by a qualified psychologist and mindfulness coach.
• A guided meditation session to cultivate inner peace and clarity.
• Discussions on the benefits of mindfulness and psychological techniques for personal and community wellbeing.

Attendees will also be permitted free access to explore Warnham Nature Reserve following the training.

This session is for charities, community groups, and not-for-profit organisations working in the Horsham District.

Governance and Structures

Date: 26 March 2026
Time: 9:30am-1pm
Location: Billingshurst Community and Conference Centre, Roman Way, Billingshurst, West Sussex, RH14 9QW
Cost: Free (£10 deposit when booking, refundable on attendance)

This is an interactive training session that will include a mixture of presentation, discussion and case studies. Content focusing on structures includes:

• When to use charities versus social enterprises.
• Different types of charities and other legal structures including community interest companies.
• When to use a trading subsidiary, how to make the structure tax-efficient and hmrc limits.
• Mergers and joint ventures, including issues, advantages and disadvantages.

From this training, you can expect to gain a deeper understanding on the following topics:

• An understanding of when it is most appropriate to use a charity and when a social enterprise.
• How to structure your organisation to ensure that it is attractive to funders and tax-efficient.
• How to change structures and merge with other entities if that is in the best interests of the organisation and its beneficiaries.

Active Bystander Training

Date: 2 April 2026
Time: 10am-12:30pm
Location: Online Event - via Zoom
Cost: Free

The expert-led sessions guide participants through a series of discussions, exploring how they can safely address identity-based harms in their community, or workplace.

You will learn:

• What it really means to be an active bystander - exploring perspectives, responsibilities, and boundaries
• How to intervene safely - practical techniques and scenario-based learning, from discriminatory comments to public harassment.
• A.C.T - Address, Connect, Tell - Immediate tools for real-life situations
• Creating a culture of care - simple, everyday actions that help reduce harm in the long term

This session is for charities, community groups, and not-for-profit organisations working in the Horsham District.