The Aston-Mansfield Community Involvement Unit (CIU) is a team of specialists providing a comprehensive package of quality advice and information aimed at supporting and strengthening voluntary and community groups.

Our work with groups:

• We provide advice on organisational and financial development to voluntary and community groups across east London , working with on average almost 300 groups a year
• We provide fundraising advice and support including using Grant Finder, a comprehensive database of funding opportunities.
• We organise events including networking lunches and between 30 ­ 40 workshops each year.
• We provide a comprehensive Third Sector library and resource centre.
• We provide a community research service, which can provide either tailored research projects for groups or end-of-project evaluations.
• We offer two shared Community Offices - at the Froud Centre in Manor Park and the Harold Road Centre in Upton Park.
• We host an Annual Conference at Durning Hall for the Third Sector in east London allowing dissemination of information, practical workshops and opportunities for networking. Find out more about our conference here

Our Publications:

• We produce a quarterly 'Fundwatch' newsletter. (See Resources here )
• We produce a Community Development Toolkit on CD-ROM.
• We provide a monthly mailing to over 600 groups, available for local organisations to use at a minimal cost. (See Resources here )
• We produce the 'Newham Directory of Religious Groups', currently in its fourth edition. (See Resources here )

Our Networks:

• We are one of the partners in 'Newham Third Sector Funding', a collaboration with Newham Voluntary Sector Consortium and the Black & Ethnic Minority Community Care Forum.
• We have played an active part in the development of the Newham Compact.
• We play a key role in the Newham ChangeUp Partnership and in the Capacity Builders Working Group.
• We are part of the consortium wanting to establish an ESOL Exchange project that co-ordinates and improves provision of English for Speakers of Other Languages in the London Borough of Newham. (See Resources here )