Community Champions Programme

The Community Champions Programme supports the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector, by creating opportunities for networking, training and funding support as well as working with the sector to help build capacity and promote collaboration.  This support is fully funded.

The programme includes a free leadership course with Stronger Kent Communities, training with Social Enterprise Kent, volunteer support with Kent Coast Volunteering and funding support and mentorship with Funding for All.

The programme is being managed by Thanet District Council as part of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and is commissioning local VCSE organisations to deliver.
The Programme is funded by UK Government.

Email sharedprosperity@thanet.gov.uk for more information.

Visual representation of Community Champions Programme

This diagram outlines the support available through the Community Champions Programme. The programme is funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Our Mission

The goal is to support leaders in the Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector. We want to strengthen the network by sharing knowledge and ideas. By working together, we can have the most impact and avoid doing the same work twice.

Support Available

The programme offers support in seven key areas:

Training and Skills

• Provider: Social Enterprise Kent
• Topics: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion; Mental Health; IT and HR; Finance and Governance; Contracts; Strategy and Planning; Social Impact.

Bespoke (Custom) Training and Skills

• Provider: Various providers
• Topics: Environmental Sustainability; Disability and Autism Awareness; Neurodiversity; First Aid; Creative Sector Skills.

Leadership Support

• Provider: Stronger Kent Communities
• Topics: Building relationships and trust; Shared goals; Networking; Peer support; Accredited Level 2 Coaching Skills for Leaders.

Networking

• Provider: Thanet District Council
• Topics: Focused or themed sessions; Working with other sectors; Links to business; Face-to-face and online meetings; Celebrating success; Awards Event and Conference.

Fundraising Support

• Provider: Funding For All
• Topics: Funding conferences; One-to-one sessions; Mentor support; Help with writing bids; Measuring impact and data support; Partnership bids.

Volunteer Support

• Provider: Kent Coast Volunteering
• Topics: Best practice; Network and knowledge; Volunteer management; Recruitment and retention; DBS checks and safeguarding; Promotion and campaigns; Social events; Equality Act.

Thanet Youth Network

• Focus: Networking, training, partnerships, support, and representation for youth services.

Thanet Community Champions Awards 2026

Community heroes from across the district were celebrated on Wednesday 28 January 2026, at the Thanet Community Champions Awards, held at The Pavilion, Broadstairs.

Hosted by Thanet District Council and organised by Social Enterprise Kent (SEK), the awards recognised the outstanding contribution of individuals, groups and organisations who go above and beyond to improve the lives of others in Thanet.

Funded by the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund, the awards shone a spotlight on the vital role played by the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector, celebrating volunteers, charity workers, youth leaders and community groups whose dedication often goes unseen.

Overall Winners from 2026

Thanet Community Champions Awards 2025

Representatives from Thanet’s voluntary, community and social enterprise groups got together on Wednesday 12 March 2025 at the Thanet Community Champions Awards. Hosted by Thanet District Council in partnership with Social Enterprise Kent, the awards honoured the individuals and organisations making a real difference in their communities.

In all, 33 winners were each awarded a framed certificate at the ceremony at The Pavilion in Broadstairs. Nine winners were recognised as overall champions in their category and received an engraved Community Champions award. The overall winner, STAKLife CIC, won the highest accolade, Champion of Champions.

Local people were invited to submit nominations for their Community Champions in October 2025. A total of 157 nominations were received, with the winning entries selected by a panel including the Mayors of Margate, Broadstairs, Cabinet member for Regeneration and Property, Cllr Ruth Duckworth and CEO of Social Enterprise Kent, Rebecca Smith.

Funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Photo gallery from the event

Overall Winners from 2025

Email sharedprosperity@thanet.gov.uk for more information.

Photo gallery from the event

Highly Commended

View the photographs from the Community Champions Conference 2025.

EVENTS

Funding for All – Fundraising support for Thanet’s VCSEs

Who is Funding for All?

Funding for All is a registered charity that provides training in funding and fundraising for VCSE groups in Kent and Medway.

They do this by building fundraising skills and confidence within VCSE organisations to support:

• Resilience
• Long-term sustainability
• Diversification of funding streams

How they help

Thanks to Thanet District Council, as part of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, we will offer Thanet’s VCSEs, free, targeted fundraising support as part of the Community Champions Programme.

Here’s how, and where, you can access support:

Mentoring for Groups

• You can work 1-2-1 with a specialist mentor from our team to access in-depth support with the area of funding or fundraising that you need most.
• Improve bid writing skills
• Learn to diversify income
• Build resilience
• Increase your chance of success

For more information about Mentoring

For more information about Events & Training opportunities

Delivered by Social Enterprise Kent

SEK is proud to deliver the Community Champions Programme in Thanet, designed to strengthen and support local charities and social enterprises.

More information can be found on their website

Kent Coast Volunteering are the ‘go-to’ place for all things volunteering in Thanet, Dover, Folkestone and Hythe.

Their mission is to connect communities across Thanet, Dover, Folkestone and Hythe, through volunteering and community-led projects; supporting volunteers and volunteer involving organisations to meet needs and improve quality of life.

If you would like to get in touch with them please email info@kcv.org.uk

Thanet Youth Forum – Forum for networking and partnership working opportunities for participating organisations that offer activities for young people. Offer includes; Networking, training, partnerships, support, representation

They believe that all young people should have access to creative journeys.

Thanet Youth Network will provide a community of support in Thanet and collaborate to make that happen

Make contact via Pie Factory Music

Or email thanetyouthnetwork@piefactorymusic.com

Ethos and Values

• The Thanet Youth Network (TYN) is for organisations and practitioners – employed and freelance – working creatively with young people in Thanet.
• TYN is a space for practitioners first, and organisations second.
• When we come to TYN meetings, we leave our targets/agendas/business plans at the door (unless we are specifically sharing learning or practice). This is to enable an environment for problem sharing and problem-solving as a group, where the Chatham House Rule applies.
• TYN members are open-minded, and approach discussions with a positive, action-driven frame of mind. 
• TYN actively promotes a culture of collaboration, not competition. TYN takes at its heart the view that young people benefit most when true partnership working takes place.
• TYN fosters an environment where organisations and practitioners not only share resources and opportunities, but support and values.

What we aim to achieve

1. Increased collaboration opportunities between organisations working with young people in Thanet
2. Decreased feeling of competition between organisations working with young people in Thanet (i.e. around funding opportunities)
3. Increased knowledge, understanding and confidence of the youth sector workforce in Thanet 
4. Improved communication channels between the Thanet Youth Network and other boards / forums of influence in Thanet and wider (i.e. Thanet Regeneration Partnership Board, and Kent Youth Partnership)

Who we are

Our core group, who steer the Network, are made up of:

• Margate Creative Land Trust
• Discovery Planet
• Oasis Domestic Abuse Service
• Quench Gallery

The Thanet Youth Network is made up of over 50 freelancers and representatives from over 30 organisations working with young people in Thanet, including:

• 1927
• Aim4 Partnerships
• Albion Rooms
• Arts Education Exchange
• Arts in Ramsgate
• Catch 22
• CMK
• Co-relate
• Discovery Planet
• East Kent Libraries
• Inspiration Creative
• Kent Coast Volunteering
• Looping The Loop
• Margate Bookie
• Margate Creative Land Trust
• Margate Pride
• Oasis Domestic Abuse Service
• Open School East
• Pavilion Community Café
• People Dem Collective
• Pie Factory Music
• Porchlight
• POW! Thanet
• Rockstar Experience
• Stefan’s Acts of Kindness
• Thanet District Council
• This Museum is Not Obsolete 
• Turner Contemporary
• Westcoast CIC / Olby’s

Free mentoring for charity leaders, their chairs and senior board members across Kent and Medway. Visit Charity Mentors Kent and Medway’s website for more information.