Free

A celebration of the renewed Greater Manchester VCFSE Accord (2026–2035) – a shared agreement that sets out how the voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) sector and public sector partners, including the health and care system, will work together.

This celebration will bring together VCFSE organisations, public sector and system partners from across Greater Manchester to celebrate the role of the VCFSE sector, showcase what we have achieved together so far, and explore how we build on this over the next decade.

The Manchester Community Power Forum is bringing together residents, community groups and public services to explore how partnership working can strengthen community power.

The summit will share a theory of change and learning through action.

Join Manchester Met Business School for a free morning event bringing together neurodivergent business owners/leaders, academics and anyone else who thinks a little differently.

The event will feature a keynote from Dan Freeman — a multi-award winning writer and director who'll be sharing his story about being Autistic in the creative sector — plus round tables, great conversation, and of course lunch.

This course is for professionals working with children, families or in safeguarding roles, as it enhances practitioners’ confidence and competence in recognising the signs and indicators of child sexual abuse and responding appropriately.

It offers structured guidance, evidence‑informed tools, and opportunities for reflective practice, supporting professionals to engage in sensitive conversations, examine assumptions and ensure that the child’s wellbeing remains central to all decision‑making.

Using empathy mapping to build a deeper understanding of your audience.

In this training session, Head of Content and Research Callum Grantham joins Lucie to talk about empathy mapping and how it can help teams share and consolidate knowledge more effectively.

You’ll come away with a clear idea of:

• The benefits of empathy mapping
• How to complete an empathy map
• How to avoid pitfalls

Host: Lucie Sadler
Expert: Callum Grantham

Join Open Data Institute Director of Research Professor Elena Simperl and special guest as they make sense of the noise, scrutinising the boom in AI agents, exploring the landscape of misinformation and disinformation on social media, and clarifying the risks posed by increasingly powerful models.

They will outline the current trends in AI and what they think might be next on the horizon, always coming back to what is most important: what all of this means for data – and for you.

Operating with the spreadsheet from hell? Worried about using AI responsibly? Looking to scale faster or release your team from the admin burden?

Technology can help you improve your reach, effectiveness and efficiency. Join us (Tech for Good Alliance) to hear real use cases about charities just like yours, understand how we can help and why really understanding your constraints is more important than figuring out what the digital solution should be. 

Bring your questions and we'll bring the answers.

Additional dates

With small charities continuing to navigate uncertainty and ongoing challenges, the team at IVAR have announced two new dates for their free ‘Leading in Uncertainty’ sessions, designed specifically for leaders of small UK charities.

The 90-minute online sessions offer leaders the chance to pause, reflect and talk openly about the realities they’re facing, alongside peers who understand the pressures involved. Guided by IVAR’s experienced facilitators, the sessions create space for honest conversation, shared learning and mutual support.

What would it look like for communities to have real power in shaping their neighbourhoods?

Following the passage of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act, new neighbourhood governance arrangements are being rolled out across the country. Join Community Organisers and We're Right Here for a practical, interactive session exploring what this means in practice.

Join Mal Minhas for a dive into AI Leadership Readiness, From Frameworks to Implementation, to cover:

AI policy workshop
We (Third Sector Lab) will work through a one-page policy template live covering approved tools & tiers, data boundaries (green/amber/red), verification requirements, and trustee visibility. Attendees leave with a draft policy they can take back to their organisation.