COMPLETED FUNDED PROGRAMME
Building Stronger Communities Through Learning
This funded programme has now ended. The information on this page is retained to provide an overview of the programme and training delivered. Courses and funded places previously offered through this programme are no longer available.
Overview
Strong communities depend on people having the confidence, knowledge and practical skills to support others, lead local initiatives and respond to changing needs.
Town & Country Housing partnered with Social Enterprise Kent to create a flexible Community Capacity Building Programme, providing funded learning opportunities for residents, volunteers and community organisations across Kent, Surrey and Sussex. Rather than offering a fixed series of standalone courses, the programme responded to community interest and demand, enabling participants to access learning relevant to their roles, aspirations and communities.
During 2026, the programme delivered 20 learning opportunities across eight topics, generating 242 bookings from 90 individuals and achieving 86% utilisation of available places.
Status: This funded programme has now been completed.
Programme at a Glance
20
Learning opportunities delivered
8
Learning topics
281
Funded places made available
242
Places booked
90
Individual participants registered
86%
Utilisation of available capacity
Shortlisted in the Excellent Community Project category
Kent Housing Group Excellent Community Project Award 2026
Reaching Communities Across the Region
The programme was designed to reach Town & Country Housing residents while also supporting community organisations and volunteers working within local communities.
Participants joined from across the region, with 92% of bookings from Kent, 5% from Surrey and 3% from Sussex. Three quarters of participants who completed a learning opportunity identified themselves as Town & Country Housing residents, demonstrating strong engagement with the programme’s intended audience.
92% Kent | 5% Surrey | 3% Sussex
- Residents
- Volunteers
- Community Organisations
- Charity Staff
- Resident Representatives
Learning Opportunities
3 sessions | 43 bookings - Supporting participants to plan, deliver and evaluate community projects with confidence.
3 sessions | 30 bookings - Building practical skills to engage residents, strengthen relationships and encourage participation.
3 sessions | 28 bookings - Strengthening safeguarding knowledge and promoting safer practice within community settings.
2 sessions | 25 bookings - Encouraging inclusive practice and greater understanding of equality and diversity.
2 sessions | 14 bookings - Supporting organisations to recruit safely and responsibly while protecting vulnerable people.
2 sessions | 30 bookings - Helping community organisations strengthen funding applications and organisational sustainability.
1 session | 20 bookings - Developing the skills and confidence needed to recruit, support and retain volunteers.
5 sessions | 52 bookings - Increasing awareness of mental health and confidence in providing appropriate support.
Responding to Community Demand
Rather than delivering a fixed programme regardless of take-up, Town & Country Housing and SEK worked together throughout delivery to respond to booking patterns and community interest.
Additional access was provided across subjects experiencing particularly strong demand, including First Aid for Mental Health, Project Management to Impact, Safeguarding and Community Engagement. This flexible approach helped maximise the available funding while keeping the programme relevant to participants and local communities.
Building Confidence Through Learning
100% felt more skilled following their learning opportunity
100% said they could apply their learning in practice
100% would recommend SEK to others
4.96/5 average course rating
What Participants Told Us
“I learnt so much that I can take away and use in my job.”
“I feel much more confident applying people management skills.”
“Really comprehensive training that can be applied to any type of project.”
Building Community Capability
Supporting Safer Communities
Safeguarding, mental health and safer recruitment learning helped participants build confidence to support residents, volunteers and vulnerable people more safely.
Strengthening Community Organisations
Project management, volunteer management, community engagement and grant writing helped develop skills that can support stronger projects, participation and organisational sustainability.
Encouraging Inclusive Communities
Equality, diversity and inclusion learning supported greater awareness of how to create welcoming and accessible environments for the people and communities participants work with.
Across the programme, participants reported leaving with greater confidence to use their knowledge within their workplaces, voluntary roles and communities
Partnership in Action
The Community Capacity Building Programme combined funding, community reach and responsive programme management to create accessible learning opportunities across a wide geographical area.
SEK supported the programme from promotion and learner recruitment through to booking, delivery, participant communication and evaluation. Delivery remained flexible throughout, allowing the programme to respond to demand while maintaining access to scheduled learning opportunities.
Programme design
Promotion
Learner recruitment
Booking management
Live online delivery
Responsive scheduling
Evaluation
Impact reporting
External Recognition
Shortlisted for the Kent Housing Group Excellent Community Project Award 2026
The programme was shortlisted for the Kent Housing Group Excellent Community Project Award 2026, recognising the value created through Town & Country Housing and Social Enterprise Kent’s shared commitment to investing in people, building capability and creating opportunities within local communities.
Programme Completed
The Town & Country Housing Community Capacity Building Programme 2026 has now been completed and is no longer accepting bookings.
This page remains available as a record of the funded learning delivered, the communities reached and the impact created through the partnership between Town & Country Housing and Social Enterprise Kent.