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Thursday 21 May, Issue 7
Good morning,

Following feedback from our VCSE meeting in April, we're hosting our next Voluntary Sector Forum on 16 June to discuss and explore collaborative working. We're also moving our quarterly Volunteer Management Forum online. We'll be meeting next week (26 May) to discuss and share best practice regarding 'mobilising and managing volunteers in a pandemic'. We hope to see as many organisations at these meetings as possible so please book online using the details below. 

Responding to requests from the sector, we have published a range of guides and links on our website. The link to guidance produced by Tower Hamlets Volunteer Centre (featured below) on what roles need DBS checks is particularly useful at this time. If there is any guidance that you feel is missing, or your organisation needs support, please do continue to get in touch by emailing: jane.granville@yorkcvs.org.uk.
Alison Semmence 
Chief Executive 
York CVS
Chocolate and philanthropy - carrying on a local tradition
Continuing the city’s long standing tradition of chocolate and philanthropy, York Cocoa Works kindly donated 50 boxes of chocolate treats to York CVS, as a thank you for our hard-working volunteers who have spent the last 8 weeks taking and making hundreds of phone calls to vulnerable people, and people in crisis during the pandemic.

Due to the generosity of York Cocoa Works, we were able to deliver 20 boxes to The Supper Collective; a collective of local independent restaurants, cafes and bakeries, safely delivering free nutritious meals for the vulnerable, isolated, NHS and the homeless across the city. We're glad that we were able to give a little something back to The Supper Collective because they have and continue to provide vital support to people referred to them by our Welfare Calls Team.
Pictured left to right: Ashley from York Cocoa House, chocolates being delivered to The Supper Collective, the boxes of chocolates and volunteer Louis making the deliveries.
Volunteer Management Forum
Date and time: Tuesday 26 May, 10:00 - 11:00, online

The next quarterly Volunteer Management Forum will take place next week and will focus on mobilising and managing volunteers during the pandemic. As well as an opportunity to share best practice, this meeting will also provide a unique opportunity to network with local volunteer managers. Due to the current restrictions on gatherings and movement, we will be holding the meeting online via Zoom. Please book online below.
Book online
Voluntary Sector Forum - collaborative working
Date and time: Tuesday 16 June, 10:00 - 11:00, online

The next voluntary sector forum will bring York's voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector together to discuss collaborative working, focusing on how to get started and best practice. Due to the current restrictions on gatherings and movement, we will be holding this event online via Zoom. Please book online below.
Book online
Guides and resources
We have put together the following guides and documents based on the requests we have been receiving from the sector.  If your organisation needs further support please get in touch with our Funding and Development Officer, Jane Granville, or for HR-related support during the coronavirus pandemic, please email: HR@yorkcvs.org.uk.
Local information, guidance and resources
York Disability Human Rights Forum
York Human Rights City Network are currently exploring the establishment of a York Disability Human Rights Forum for anyone living or working in York or receiving services from York organisations, who additionally identify as disabled (and their carers and allies). The Forum will be led by disabled people and has the following provisional aims:
  • Provide a space for disabled people and their allies to come together, both face-to-face and through other routes
  • Decide what issues are a priority locally and what actions can be taken collectively
  • Be disabled people-led, activist, accessible, inclusive, underpinned by the social model of disability and upheld with a human rights-based approach
If you wish to join the mailing list specifically for York Disability Human Rights Forum, please email:  disability@yorkhumanrights.org.
Aging Without Children York
During lockdown, Aging Without Children (AWOC) York is holding weekly social chats on Skype on Thursday mornings as well as continuing to deliver monthly email/postal updates with speaker notes and resources to members. If you are someone ageing without the support of children and would like to join AWOC York, please phone Sue Lister on 01904 488870. Further information on ageing without children can be found on the national website below.
Visit the AWOC national website
Project lockdown for young carers
York Carers Centre's Project Lockdown is a programme of creative weekly activities for young carers to take part in. Last week the young carers baked the delicious treats pictured below! You can follow updates from York Carers Centre on twitter @yorkcarers, Facebook and Instragram to see all of the creative projects!
National guidance and resources
Which coronavirus roles require a DBS check?
Tower Hamlets Volunteer Centre has put together a comprehensive guide to help organisations decide whether to carry out DBS checks on volunteers who are applying for common roles that are being developed in response to the COVID-19 crisis. The advice follows guidance from the DBS, NCVO and the Government's safeguarding and DBS factsheet.
View guide
Free digital communications resources
The Media Trust's Resource Hub has a range of resources and articles offering practical tips to help your organisation thrive online. Resources include:
View resource hub
Governing during a pandemic - NCVO webinar recording
The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) has made a number of recordings from their live webinars available. Their webinar on 'Governing during a pandemic' looks at the key things trustees need to be focusing on and provides practical tips. Other available webinars include:
View 'Governing during a pandemic' webinar
Digital Heritage Lab
Digital Heritage Lab is a free digital skills development programme for small and medium heritage organisations seeking to develop their digital capabilities and capacity. The full programme is set to launch in June but with the current pressures on organisations they are offering one-to-one surgeries now on topics including:
  • fundraising
  • ecommerce
  • digital marketing
  • digital visitor engagement
  • digital collections
  • digital access and inclusion
Visit the Digital Heritage Lab
How to spot COVID-19 related fraud webinar
The Fraud Advisory Panel and Charity Commission has pre-recorded a webinar with sector partners to help organisations spot COVID-19 related fraud. They were joined by fraud experts from the City of London Police and Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy who shared practical advice and tips.
Watch webinar
Funding and Development
Visit our COVID-19 Funding Information page for more local and national funding information. If your organisation needs support with funding advice and applications, please contact our Funding and Development Officer, Jane Granville: jane.granville@yorkcvs.org.uk
Coronavirus Community Fund
Two Ridings Community Foundation established the Coronavirus Community Fund to support voluntary sector organisations including community groups, charities, social enterprises and other types of not for profit organisations through this unprecedented time. Here's everything you need to know about the fund and how to apply.

Size of grants:
  • Small grants up to £2,000
  • Large grants up to £10,000
  • Partnership bids over £10,000
Who can apply?
Groups must:
  • Be based in North Yorkshire, York, East Riding of Yorkshire or Hull
  • Have a management committee with at least 3 unrelated members
  • Be a voluntary organisation, community group, small charity or other not for profit organisation
  • Have a bank account in the group’s name (with two unrelated signatories)
How to apply?
The guidance notes for each programme contain all information relevant to the scheme as well as the priorities and examples of the sort of activity that may be funded. For organisations seeking to develop a partnership bid, please contact Jackie McCafferty by email: jmccafferty@tworidingscf.org.uk to discuss your proposal. You might also it useful to attend our Voluntary Sector Forum on collaborative working on 16 June.
More information
Update from Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust (JRHT)
JRHT York Committee Community Grants are enabling vital work in communities across York, providing resources for 23 organisations since the beginning of the year. For the remainder of 2020, JRHT is working in partnership with the Two Ridings Community Foundation to support the voluntary sector in York. JRF has made a donation to Two Ridings to help give community and voluntary organisations a lifeline so they are able to keep working through the coming weeks and months and plan for the future. If you were considering applying to the June deadline for the York Committee, please make your application through Two Ridings (above).
Independent Age Grants Fund
Deadline: 9am 4 June (first round - 3 further rounds)
Independent Age has released £2 million of funding to help smaller organisations across the UK working with older people that have been impacted heavily by COVID-19.
More information
Resilience and Recovery Loan Fund
Applications are open for the Resilience and Recovery Loan Fund (RRLF) offered by Social Investment Business (SIB). Charity Bank is supporting SIB by helping to deliver the Fund for eligible organisations, who believe the Fund is appropriate for their needs. RRLF is not appropriate for everyone and will not work for all charities and social enterprises. For many, grants or other support may be more appropriate.
More information
Health and Wellbeing
Mental Health Awareness Week
This week is Mental Health Awareness Week! Running from 18-24 May, this year’s theme is kindness and Time To Change York has an action packed week planned, follow them on twitter @TtcYork and take a look at their new YouTube channel. This powerful poem written by Time to Change York Champion, Lauren Ruddock and performed by Champions across the UK is a must watch:
Free online training to make York a Suicide Safer Community

One of the greatest challenges we face in preventing suicide is stigma and lack of understanding. Andy Chapman, City of York Council’s (CYC) Suicide Prevention Officer, is leading on work to make York a Suicide Safer Community. This is a concept devised by The Living Works Foundation Canada, which promotes a whole community approach to prevention through training, closer partnership working and more open, informed and supportive conversations about suicide.

Face to face training is not currently available due to the current situation however, a great introduction to suicide prevention training is the free online package from the Zero Suicide Alliance. This training features in the regional Humber, Coast and Vale ‘Talk Suicide’ Campaign which is encouraging as many people as possible to take the training.
Access free online training
Kindness Information Pack
To mark Mental Health Awareness Week, York Mind has published a Kindness Information Pack, which includes day to day self-kindness tips, guidance for families in lockdown and information about York Mind's services during COVID-19. Download the pack below.
Download info pack
Staying well while working at home during COVID-19
Central and North West London NHS Trust has published a 'Stay well at home isolation pack' to help people maintain good mental health during the pandemic. The pack includes information on:
  • Maintaining a healthy and balanced daily routine
  • Managing anxiety
  • Good sleep habits
  • Useful Apps
  • Tips on healthy living - diet and exercise
  • Relaxation guide
  • Activities - puzzles, quizzes, brain teasers
Download isolation pack
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