Events

We're excited to be working with partners to continue to equip and empower people to support their community to thrive and flourish via online training!

Online events and training sessions / workshops are a key part of our work.
Each week we create a menu of events and trainings to equip you to serve your community and wrestle with difficult issues like poverty, community cohesion and modern slavery during lockdown.
This page is updated regularly, so keep checking for the latest sessions.
Page updated 19th April 2021
This month

Faith, Finance and Climate Change
Increasing people’s knowledge of the different faith perspectives on climate change and the environment
Date And Time: Tue, 27 April 2021, 11:30-13:00 GMT
About this Event
Our aim with these sessions is to bring people together from across the Black Country and beyond to -
1. Increase people’s knowledge of the different faith perspectives on climate change and the environment
2. Increase people’s understanding of different religions
3. Increase social cohesion by bringing people together
4. Explore how we can all work TOGETHER across communities and faith groups, to improve financial wellbeing across the Black Country
Confirmed speakers include:
- Dr Zahid Parvez - Markfield Institute of Higher Edication
- Jasmine Khatri - Hindu Climate Action
- Simon Ross - Director of Marches Energy Agency
- Rosie Venner, National Programme Manager, Ecumenical Council for Corporate Responsibility
- Rev Richard Clarkson - Lichfield Diocese Environmental Officer
Coming SOON

Love God, Love People: "Let's Talk About Money..."
We are delighted to be working with St Mathew's Church, Walsall. Dont miss our very own Rev Cassius Francis as guest speaker here on Sunday 9th May 2021, 8.45am & 10.00am

Sexual Exploitation Happens Here
25th May 2021, Online 9:30am-4:30pm, Sandwell Anti-Slavery partnership
About this Event
The Sandwell Anti-Slavery Partnership are working together to highlight the important work around sexual exploitation. ‘Sexual Exploitation Still Happens Here’ conference is a stark reminder that despite the best efforts to stamp out modern slavery, sexual exploitation still exists in our communities, regionally nationally and across the world.
Sexual exploitation is becoming increasingly more complex to detect and investigate, with traffickers constantly changing their tactics. It is vitally important, now more than ever that we are working in true collaboration, to protect victims, pursue those who perpetrate sexual exploitation and disrupt locations where sexual exploitation occurs.
An estimated 4.8 million people are victims of forced sexual exploitation across the world. Victims are men, women and children of all ages, ethnicities and nationalities. Last year in the UK, there were 2042 victims of sexual exploitation reported across the UK to the NRM, of these 940 Females, 175 male victims and 624 girls 186 boys.
We cannot underestimate the true power that partnerships play, through the Sandwell Slavery and Human Trafficking Operational Partnership (SHOP) we have responded to 89 concerns of sexual exploitation since April 2019. In our multi-agency response to address modern slavery collectively our teams have carried out 150 multi agency collaboration visits, completed 198 safeguarding visits. We are beginning to understand the profile of sexual exploitation across our borough.
‘Sexual Exploitation Still Happens Here’ is a conference that will raise awareness of different aspects of sexual exploitation. Join us as we look through different lenses of sexual exploitation, especially where we need to adjust and alter those lenses. The wealth of professional knowledge and wisdom of the presenters who are the best in their field, is an opportunistic opportunity you do not want to miss.
Wendy Sims
Programme Manager – Prevention of Modern Slavery, Human Trafficking and Exploitation
Agenda for the day
we have some of the most amazing presenters in this field, book your place today to be part of this important day. Sexual exploitation still happens here, come and open your eyes
09.30 Welcome - Chair Robin Brierley (West Midlands Anti-slavery Network)
09.35 Opening - Dame Sara Thornton, (DBE QPM Independent anti-slavery Commissioner)
09.50 Lens 1: It still happens here - Tatiana Gren-Jarden (Skills for Justice)
10.00 Lens 2: Public health approach - Nikki Penniston (VRU)
10.20 Lens 3: Victim care and support - Morgan Mead, Amber Cagney (WMASN)
10.40 Lens 4: Victim Blaming - Jessica Phillips (MP)
Break 11am
11.10 Lens 5: Life Course Exploitation – Deb ward (SSAB ) Susan Walton (SSAB)
11:20 Lens 6: Never too late to tell - Samantha Woodhouse
11.40 Lens 7: The psychology of sexual exploitation - Zoe Lodrick
Lunch 12.30
13.00 Lens 8: Coordinating the response - DS Lisa Bird (WMP),
13.10 Lens 9: Safeguarding adults from sexual exploitation Nick Walton (WMASN)
13.20 Lens 10: Preventing exploitation at the boarders - Inspector Colin Gallier (WMP
13.40 Lens 11: Understanding Culture - Louise Brown (BCWA)
14.00 Lens 12: Working with male victims of sexual exploitation Phil Mitchell
14.20 Lens 13: Contextual safeguarding - Rachel Hopper (ICTG service)
Break 14.40
14.50 Lens 14: Through the eyes of a child - Kendra Houseman
Break 15.40
15.50 Lens 15: Sexual exploitation in Sandwell - Wendy Sims (SMBC) Piotr Pula (SMBC)
16.10 Lens 16: Can you see me now - Anna Geyer (New possibilities)
16.20 Closing speech - Clare Gallop - (VRU)
Regular Weekly Events

Virtual Coffee Mornings
What?
Virtual Coffee Mornings for anyone supporting people with money worries.If you are supporting people who have money worries or debt concerns you are welcome to drop in to our virtual coffee morning on Thursdays
When?
Our virtual coffee morning is on Thursdays between 10:00-11:00am using Zoom.They are a space for colleagues to take a few minutes out and have a chat over coffee, keep up-to-date developments and initiatives in the world of financial capability.
Even if you can only stay few minutes you are welcome!
These are hosted by Transforming Communities Together and our friends Compassionate Communities (who aim to engage and support every parish in the Diocese of London in tackling poverty and the causes of poverty).
Our weekly virtual coffee mornings have restarted - every Thursday @ 10:00 - 11:00
Online via Zoom: Zoom Meeting ID: 862 9476 0368 and Passcode: 154934
For more information contact Cassius.

Modern Slavery Awareness Training
2021 dates now available to book!
- Thursday, 22 April 2021 @10:00
- Wednesday, 28 April 2021 @ 19:30
- Thursday, 6 May 2021@10:00
- Wednesday, 12 May 2021 @ 19:30
- Thursday, 20 May 2021 @ 10:00
We're delighted to be working with Lichfield Diocese Mothers' Union to deliver weekly online Modern Slavery Awareness Training. This is for anyone, because Modern Slavery is present in every major town and city, and increasingly in rural areas too!
We want to create a communities that are safe for all and where everyone can thrive and flourish.
Contact Debbie for more information.

Join a local Bringing People Together (BPT) group
Bringing People Together is an National Lottery funded network, designed to connect people to others from the comfort of their own home.
We have an expanding number of groups across the Black country and Staffordshire (and hope to get some across northern Shropshire).
Check out the website to find a group near you!

Dementia-Friendly Churches Network meetings
TUESDAY 20 APRIL
7-8.30pm
Wellington / Telford / Newport / Shifnal / Albrighton
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8199...
Meeting ID: 819 9307 6933
Passcode: DFC
Or, if you prefer to join by phone, dial in on 0203 901 7895 or 0203 481 5237 (Meeting ID: 819 9307 6933 Passcode: 514161)
WEDNESDAY 5 MAY
2-3.30pm
Wem / Whitchurch / Market Drayton
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8491...
Meeting ID: 849 1942 7444
Passcode: DFC
Or, if you prefer to join by phone, dial in on 0203 481 5237 or 0203 901 7895 (Meeting ID: 849 1942 7444 Passcode: 866150)