Connect
Bridging Communities, Building Opportunities
Connect stands as the heartbeat of collaboration in Dacorum. It’s a unique initiative that unites local businesses, public institutions, and charitable organisations under one common goal: to foster a thriving, inclusive community where opportunities abound and partnerships flourish.
Key Initiatives
Networking: We provide a dynamic platform for local businesses to connect, collaborate, and grow. Through regular networking events, entrepreneurs, business leaders and local charities exchange ideas, forge partnerships and stay updated.
Community Engagement: We are deeply rooted in our community, working closely with schools, nonprofits, and public services to address local challenges. From educational programmes to social outreach initiatives, Connect actively contributes to the well-being of our residents.
Skill Development: We empower individuals with the tools they need to succeed and to share those skills with others. Whether it’s honing entrepreneurial skills or enhancing employability, we believe in the transformative power of education and mentorship.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Connect encourages businesses to give back to society. We facilitate partnerships between corporations and local charities, enabling them to support causes that matter. Through CSR initiatives, we create a positive impact on the lives of those in need.
Events: Connect organises a range of events that bring people together. These events not only showcase the rich diversity of our community but also strengthen the bonds that make Dacorum a wonderful place to live and work.
Join Us
Connect invites you to be a part of this commitment to be more involved in your local community. Whether you’re a business looking to expand your horizons, an individual seeking new opportunities, or a charitable organisation dedicated to making a difference, there’s a place for you here. We offer a Bronze, Silver and Gold membership package so that you can choose a package that suits your business. To find out about the packages click here.
Connecting Businesses and Communities
How Connect can help your company’s Corporate Social Responsibility objectives
Connect assists companies to improve their CSR activities within the local community. We are the only organisation helping businesses work together, unite with Dacorum based charities and schools and benefit from the rewards of giving back to the local community. Did you know that 97% of people would think more positively about a company that contributes to their community?
We hold regular networking events which includes a great mix of both charities and businesses (so it’s not just about CSR, you can also reap the benefits of meeting like-minded businesses!).
We can introduce your company to many socially responsible topics, including giving your unwanted office equipment and furniture to local charities, offering your technical experience, volunteering activities and team building opportunities, environmental advice and the employment of disabled or disadvantaged people. We also run various projects that your staff could get involved in with the local secondary schools.
- Giving a Gift
Consider the product or service that your company provides and then try to link that to a local charity. Alternatively through us you can offer your redundant equipment or furniture to a good cause or offer the use of meeting or conference facilities for AGMs etc. - Giving Financial Donations
Raise money through sponsorship, event days, social evenings, competitions, etc. Employee and company donations to a charity can be as large or small as is comfortable and are tax free. Introduce staff salary giving schemes - Volunteering
We can help set up and encourage a staff volunteering scheme. This will allow your staff to participate in a vast array of local opportunities, improving their moral and motivation. Volunteering can be in your own time or in company time like the very popular team building challenges. - Employing a Disabled or Disadvantaged Person
We work closely with various agencies who help get people back into work so instead of paying advertising and agency costs consider up-skilling an existing employee and employ a disabled or disadvantaged person either full time, part time or on a job trial or work experience basis. - Becoming a More Environmentally Friendly Company
Recycle your office paper, cardboard and printer cartridges. Adopt a car sharing scheme, be aware of savings to your company and the environment. We have members who can give you ideas and support. - Offering Technical Support
Be proud of your excellence, offer your expertise in marketing, IT, law, finance, etc to a start up company or local charity. Through us you can offer excess training day places to charities, offer work experience, give some technical advice to charities. - Dragons Apprentice Challenge
This is a challenge for Year 12 students from Dacorum secondary schools. The team is matched with a business mentor (the Dragon) and also a local charity and they are challenged to turn £100 into £1000 or more for a Dacorum charity by means of business related ideas.
Participation in the Dragons’ Apprentice Challenge offers a win-win opportunity for all parties involved, creating the opportunity for excellent partnerships between local community groups and charities,businesses and young people, creating a stronger community over the long term. It provides a structured means to promote and encourage engagement between charity/community groups, local businesses and schools. It helps raise the profile of your organisationand the third sector in the area and it is a great development tool for an employee’s continual professional development. - Employability days at local secondary schools
We’ve all got CVs and gone for interviews so we all have experience to pass on to the next generation. Can you help secondary schools give valuable advice on CV writing and interview techniques through one of the projects we run. - Generation Dacorum Schools Careers Fair This is an opportunity to get your business in front of over 1,000 students from all 9 secondary schools in Dacorum plus special needs schools and promote your industry and current roles.
Benefits of being a member of Connect
Connect is a member organisation made up of like-minded local businesses and charities all committed to becoming more actively involved in their community. As a Connect member you’ll enjoy a wide range of valuable benefits, including:
· Stronger integration with the local community in which your business operates.
· Access to a collaborative network of forward thinking, innovative partners who share your commitment to making a positive local impact.
· Opportunities to build new business relationships through our networking events.
· Featured advertising on our website including a dedicated business profile and web links.
· Monthly updates and alerts about local events, initiatives and opportunities.
· Priority access to unique community projects such as the Dragons Apprentice Challenge and Employability Days.
· Discounted advertising rates on Radio Dacorum and via Shopmobility scooters.
· Opportunities to offer gifts and pro bono advice to local charitable organisations.
· Free publicity for your community involvement, boosting your brand’s reputation, public recognition and PR.
We offer a Bronze, Silver or Gold membership package to suit your business. To find out more about the packages click here.