To attend our events, training courses and webinars participants must be from voluntary, community or social enterprise organisations within the city of Manchester unless otherwise stated.

In today’s diverse communities and workplaces, people of all generations bring unique experiences, values, and perspectives. In Greater Manchester’s VCSE sector, this richness is part of what makes our organisations so impactful — but it can also present challenges.

This interactive lunchtime session explores what generational diversity looks like, why it matters, and how we can make the most of the different experiences, expectations, and working styles we each bring.

Together, we’ll explore:

• What we mean by ‘generational differences’
• What might shape the way different generations think and work
• Challenges and opportunities and how to navigate them
• Practical ideas for building connection

Perfect for those leading, working or volunteering alongside people from different generations, this session offers a fresh take on building understanding and stronger working relationships.

Delivered by Sarah Montgomery and Jo Leese from Delve, specialists in workplace culture and intergenerational collaboration.

Participants must be from voluntary, community or social enterprise organisations (VCSE) within Greater Manchester.

A webinar specifically for VCSE groups within the city of Manchester looking at how to choose the right structure for your organisation. .

Are you thinking of formalising and incorporating your voluntary and community organisation?

This webinar offers the opportunity to explore if the structure you are considering is best suited to the purpose of your organisation and to help you understand what next steps you need to take to adopt a suitable structure.

It will also be a good opportunity to meet a number of other groups who are setting out on the same journey.

Areas covered:

• Incorporation and risk –why adopt a legal structure?
• Understanding how to choose the right structure
• Types of structures available and the differences between them
• Overview of how to register common legal structures
• What support is available?

This session focuses on the legal obligations of managing volunteers.

The session aims to give coordinators of volunteers a better understanding of their legal obligations in managing their volunteers effectively. It covers employment law, health and safety and lone working.

The course is appropriate for trustees, committee members and paid staff responsible for making decisions about volunteers.

At the end of this session, learners should be able to:

• Identify areas of the law that relate to involving volunteers
• Recognise ways to reduce risks and potential legal challenges around involving volunteers
• Understand how to create good practice in involving volunteers in your organisation

This session is a welcoming, reflective space designed to help participants begin exploring their relationship with AI in a way that centres human values, connection, and wellbeing. It is particularly suited to those in the VCSE sector who may be curious, cautious, or unsure where to begin.

Rather than diving straight into technicalities, we start with conversation: What are people feeling about AI? What hopes, concerns, and questions do they hold? What role might AI play in their organisations, and where are the boundaries?

Facilitated by Jolene Sheehan, the session will involve the sharing of some experiential learning of AI tools, but only to ground the conversation. This is not a training or sales pitch. It's a space for curiosity, reflection, and honest exploration—anchored in the lived realities of the VCSE sector.

Session elements

• Mindful check-ins using self-care circle tools to support awareness and grounding
• Facilitated discussion to explore feelings, hopes, and challenges around AI
• Interactive activities for example, a quiz and collaborative mapping exercise
• Live demos of tools like ChatGPT and Otter AI, (incorporating other screen-free based learning activities), with a focus on practical, human-centred use cases
• Shared reflection including a range of views and values

Purpose and outcomes

Participants will:

• Feel heard and connected in a shared space of reflection
• Gain initial insight into how AI might fit (or not) in their specific context
• Leave with greater clarity around their needs, hopes, and boundaries
• Help shape any future Macc learning offers around AI

This webinar will have interactive and discussion-based elements, and will broadly cover:

• Different methods of recruitment
• How and why data and research on volunteering can influence recruitment and retention
• Developing a volunteering programme
• Reward and recognition for volunteers

Would you like to explore what working with businesses could look like for your organisation?

This is an introductory session is aimed at voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) groups who support people and causes in Manchester and are interested in developing meaningful relationships with local businesses.

You will:

• Understand the various ways to engage with businesses and how to start building relationships, including looking at your existing networks
• Have the opportunity to connect with others in a similar position to you, starting out on their business partnerships journey
• Meet Macc’s Business Partnerships Lead and other team members

The session will be delivered online lasting two and half hours, including breaks. There will be a mix of presentation, discussion, interactive activities and group break-outs.

This session is being delivered as we develop our offer around connecting VCSE groups with businesses.

All the hard work that goes into recruiting volunteers is often lost due to lack of management.

We will use a variety of learning methods to help you ensure that your volunteers are managed well.

This course is suitable for paid staff and volunteers who have a responsibility for managing volunteers.

Join Manchester Community Central for this event all about helping businesses to work with voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations in a mutually beneficial way.

Manchester Community Central's purpose is to encourage, support and develop VCSE organisations and local people to have a real influence over the places and communities in which they live.

This networking event is open to both VCSEs and businesses of all sizes with an interest in finding out more about what the VCSE sector is about and how they can work together to make Manchester a better place to live. There will be opportunities to begin to develop mutually beneficial relationships, while hearing about the experiences of those who already do it now, to inspire new methods of working. A lunch prepared by a sector organisation will be provided for you to sample!

Participants will:

• Hear more about what the VCSE sector is, its importance to Manchester and the role Manchester Community Central plays in helping it to grow and thrive
• Find out about experiences of businesses and VCSE organisations working across the sectors and what they have gained from this
• Understand what Manchester Community Central currently offers to help businesses and VCSEs work together that attendees can immediately make use of
• Meet some of the amazing organisations that make up the sector

This event is for:

• Businesses who may be completely new to working with the VCSE sector, or want to build on what they currently do
• VCSE organisations who want to engage with businesses
• Offering insight and inspiration on the value of working together with potential benefits for all
• Information and support on finding a VCSE organisation to work with

We can deliver in-house training direct to your organisation. If you have a number of people requiring the same training or development it can often be more affordable to arrange a workshop at your own premises. Get in contact with us: training@mcrcommunitycentral.org

On our training calendar you can search for current up to date training opportunities available in Manchester

If you are unable to find a suitable course or need further assistance please contact the Training Co-ordinator 0333 321 3021, or click here to send an email

To get in touch

Telephone information service: 0333 321 3021

• Support line open Monday to Friday 10am - 4pm
• Calls are charged at the same rate as a local call, whether made from a landline or mobile phone

Email: info@mcrcommunitycentral.org

Web: www.manchestercommunitycentral.org