How we can support you

While running a local society is fun and rewarding, it’s also a serious responsibility. You may be required to register as a charity , follow charity laws and work with regulators.

Working with official documents and following legal processes may sound intimidating, especially if you’ve not run a charity before. Luckily, the Connecting Families team is here to support you. We can offer loads of to support and guidance to help you confidently meet your legal responsibilities.

• We provide a full handbook with detailed guidance on charities’ legal obligations.
• We can help with any questions – email [email protected].

Safeguarding is very important and is everyone’s responsibility. You must make sure you are protecting the safety and wellbeing of children, young people and vulnerable adults connected to your society.

We can give you lots of support with safeguarding.

• We give training and advice to your Designated Person for Safeguarding.
• We provide free safeguarding online training for committee members.
• We have a full Child Protection Policy which local societies must follow.
• We finance Criminal Records Checks and can support with applications.
• Our NDCS Safeguarding Team can offer support to deal with safeguarding concerns.

Managing finances and bringing in money can be tricky, and there are lots of rules you need to follow. Luckily, our team is here to help you make sense of your money.

• We offer one-time start-up grants to help new societies.
• Every society is eligible for a yearly £500 grant from NDCS.
• We can support with finding and applying for grants from other organisations.
• Our handbook and Treasurer Guide gives full written guidance for looking after your finances.
• We can help with fundraising ideas and queries.

Events are loads of fun and great for the families and young people you support. But planning events can also be complicated and there’s lots of things to consider. The Connecting Families team can help!

• We offer all local societies a free insurance policy, which covers loads of different activities.
• Our handbook includes written guidance, as well as example risk assessments.
• Our team can help with questions and queries.

A good marketing plan creates awareness for your group in the community and helps families find you. We can give you help and support to promote your group.

• Affiliated groups are able to use our 'registered association' logo, and we provide guidance on how to use it.
• We provide lots of editable templates for marketing materials, like posters and leaflets.
• We offer branded t-shirts, fleeces and hoodies with your society’s name and logo. We cover the price of screen printing and delivery, so you just pay for the cost of the garment.
• We give all groups their own official NDCS email address.
• We can help with marketing ideas.

No one knows more about running a local society than local societies themselves! You can learn so much from networking with other groups. We provide lots of opportunities to do this.

All committees have access to a private Facebook group, including members of groups from across the country. It’s a supportive community where you can share advice, discuss problems and celebrate successes.

You can also join us for our Local Groups Annual Meetings. These are amazing opportunities to make new connections and learn ways to make your society even better. We can cover the cost of transport for two representatives from each society. We can also help with the cost of accommodation for those travelling long distances and provide a free lunch and communication support.

Upcoming meetings:

Local Groups Connect: Northern Ireland
Saturday 24 February 2024
10am – 5pm
Dunsilly Hotel, 20 Dunsilly Road, Antrim, Co. Antrim, BT41 2JH 

Local Groups Connect: Manchester
Saturday 2 March 2024
10am – 5pm
St Thomas Centre, Ardwick Green North, Manchester, M12 6FZ

Local Groups Connect: London
Saturday 16 March 2024
10am – 5pm
National Deaf Children's Society, Castle House, 37- 45 Paul Street, London, EC2A 4LS

All committee members have access to our handbook - a comprehensive guide to running your society. 

It includes information about:

• committee roles
• promoting deaf awareness and inclusivity
• safeguarding and criminal records checks
• fundraising and managing money
• organising events
• promotion and marketing
• networking with other groups