Everywhere you look in York there are daffodils springing up. Sunny, warm days will soon be upon us. Spring is a time of new beginnings and this is certainly true at York CVS.
We have been making some changes to our staff team and the way we deliver our services. You will start to see this during April and May, so watch this space.
At the heart of what we do at York CVS is support the voluntary and community sector in York. We help new groups to get off the ground; supporting existing local groups to survive and thrive. We try to influence decision makers to take action to support the most disadvantaged and vulnerable in York, so we don’t have people in our community living in poverty, going hungry, suffering from health problems or loneliness and isolation.
Our aims won’t change. The ways we work with the voluntary and community sector to bring about change together will be strengthened.
Together we can bring about change and make York a great place to live- for everyone.
Why being a trustee is good for you!
By Jane Hustwit, Chair, York CVS
Recently I’ve been thinking about why people become trustees of VCSE organisations, taking up the challenge of responsibility for an important organisation they care about. I’ve come to three conclusions:
Concern Because you believe in and ideally are passionate about a cause, an organisation, a place. As a trustee there’s an opportunity to contribute, with others, steering whatever it is to the next stage.
Community Shared experience and community matters to human beings. Put simply, “making a difference” collectively is a fine thing to do. We feel good, we learn, something we care about grows and progresses.
Contrast I’ve always valued balance in my life, thought it can be hard to find. Being a trustee has allowed me to be stimulated by, get involved and learn about something new, quite different from the rest of my life, whilst making good use of my skills, experience, insights.
Useful reading to give you a flavour of life as a CVS Trustee: Click here.
Funding opportunity available through Your Consortium
Your Consortium have just announced the launch of the TEWV Innovation Fund Round 3. They are currently open to applications from community organisations in York and Selby. Information, the application form and guidance are available on their website here: http://yourconsortium.org/projects/grants/tewv-innovation-fund/
The fund is looking for projects that support people facing mental health challenges. Organisations can apply for up to £10k.
Do you want to find out more about volunteering opportunities with charities and organisations in York?
If so, you need to drop in at our Volunteering Fair at The Priory Street Centre on Tuesday 4th June between 3-6pm. The fair has been organised in collaboration with Re:shape and connected Communities, a multiagency, community-focused partnership project, providing a centralised way for voluntary, community, statutory agencies and businesses to work together to prevent sexual harm in York and North Yorkshire. We’re located in central York, so we’re nice and easy to get to. We’ll also be running talks on the benefits of volunteering as part of the event.The fair coincides with Volunteers’ Week, and there will be lots of fantastic organisations exhibiting.
Want to find out more about who will be there? Click here
This report has been produced by the York: Human Rights City network for everyone in York. The aim is to inspire debate, encourage activism for human rights, challenge discrimination, and build on the momentum of York becoming the UK’s first Human Rights City.
Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms that belong to everyone, based on shared values of dignity, fairness, justice and equality.
In York, we report on two or three indicators for each of the five human rights that have been selected as priorities by the people of York. These rights are: equality and non-discrimination, education, health and social care, a decent standard of living, and the right to housing. To download the full report click here.
AoC’s Beacon Programme - webinars
The Association of Chairs is now running a series of free webinars as part of their Beacon Programme for Chairs / Vice Chairs of charities in England with an income under £1m. Sessions complement their 4-module programme and are ideal for people who have less time, missed dates or who are unable to get to the workshop locations. They are currently taking bookings for Being an Effective Chair, and Strengthening your Organisation webinars.
There are also in-person workshops running in Newcastle, Manchester, Somerset and Cornwall in March and April.
Tribe York is now six months old (yey!) and we’ve celebrated by signing a long term lease to keep us in the Nursery Block for the foreseeable future. We set out on a mission last year to create a collaborative co-working space for social entrepreneurs, freelancers and consultants with a social purpose. We also had ambitions to host regular events where those starting off their journey could be inspired and get support. Well, we’re not doing too bad!
Our members
We’ve got a core of regular members at Tribe, who use our office space on a daily basis, and we’re getting more and more hotdeskers turning up for a day at a time. These are coming from all over the country and Scotland, and have included the CEO of our local Age UK! Our regulars include graphic designers, social media consultants, online payment providers and festival organisers – so a real mix. It’s great because we’ve created a little community here where they all buy, share and socialise with each other.
Tribe Talks
The talks have been going really well – with over 115 people attending our 3 talks so far. The first talk ‘Breaking Free’ invited people to explore what it would be like to quit the 9-5 and do something you love. Our second talk focussed on financing your idea including social impact funding. And our latest talk focussed on wellbeing and stress management when you’re self-employed or running your own organisation. The talks are free, roughly every 5 or 6 weeks, and just round the corner at Everyman Cinema (who kindly donate the venue free of charge).
Spaces for hire!
And finally, we still have spaces available to hire by the day (£10) or monthly (£100). So if you’re thinking of doing your own thing, are currently working form home or a coffee shop, or know anybody who would benefit from our space, please send them our way. And if you’d like to come and try us for a day, please email me direct (joe@tribeyork.com) to arrange a free day pass.
Missed the first session? No problem. Here it is again...back by popular demand! Calling all voluntary organisations, local residents, community groups, social enterprises and charities in York!
Do you want to make new connections and raise awareness of what you do?
Are you interested in how you can find out more about community activities, sharing ‘stuff, space and skills’ or finding volunteers/volunteering opportunities locally?
Did you know that in York we have a toolkit of FREE easy to use online resources that can help you do this?
Join us for the Community Tools Demo Sessions. There will be additional space and time for networking too.When:Thursday 16 May one hour slots bookable between 9am-12noon (sessions last approx 45 mins)Where: Lister training room – West Offices. Just report to reception on arrival and one of us will come and greet you. West Offices is fully accessible. To book your slot: click here
The Association of Child Protection Professionals is the new name for BASPCAN. We are a professional membership organisation which has been driving improvement in child protection for nearly 40 years by working with those in the field to influence policy and practice.
Our mission
Our mission is to improve the lives and safety of children by providing research, representation, training and support for those working in child protection.
Our name might have changed but our aims remain the same:
To promote increased understanding of the causes, ways of identifying and reducing the incidence of child abuse and neglect
To encourage a greater understanding of the consequences for children of abuse and neglect and how these can be prevented and treated
To improve cooperation and liaison between professionals and agencies locally, nationally, and internationally
To influence policy and practice based on high quality research evidence and practitioner experience
To represent, support, and advocate for child protection professionals
Our identity
Our new identity follows a process of review and consultation about how to explain what we do more widely, and symbolises who we are and what we stand for.
We hope it will encourage more of those working in the field of child protection research and practice, who are sometimes isolated within their roles, to realise we are here as a community of like-minded professionals sharing knowledge, experience and best practice, and supporting one another in these challenging times.
Volunteering through Live Well York
Did you know that you can now also find volunteering opportunities through Live Well York? This easy to use new community information and advice website for adults and families officially launched last month at venues across the city, including York Explore. We're excited to share this additional feature with Voluntary Voice readers!
People Helping People
Live Well York now has a community actions filter button as a People Helping People badge. This can be found on the right hand side of the filter when you search for activities. You will see when activated that there are 97 community groups that have indicated they would like volunteers. You can then narrow down the options based on 'Where, Who and What'.
To browse groups and organisations with volunteering opportunities, simply click on the activities directory and use the People Helping People Volunteering Opportunities filter.
Other places to explore volunteering opportunities:
The upcoming Priory Street Volunteering Fair on Tuesday 4 June 3pm – 6pm. More information here. The Do it Website
Another good source of volunteering is the Do it Website: simply add ‘York’ to the search bar to see what is going on across the city.
JustServe.org connects faith, nonprofit, community and governmental organisations in need of help with volunteers willing and ready to serve. Find service opportunities in your community and make a difference.
Comoodle which is a fantastic online platform sharing 'stuff, space and skills' to strengthen communities and benefit others locally.
York Timebank Timebank is a way for you to get involved in your community through exchanging skills and knowledge, and be rewarded for it – in time credits. Everyone’s time is valued equally. For every hour you give helping someone, you receive one time credit.
If you want to refer back to the range of volunteering options, you can go to this page.
You can often spot opportunities to volunteer directly on organisations and charities websites. Check out the organisations based with us page here for some ideas. Did you know we also post paid and voluntary opportunities on our website? Click here
YUMI, York’s intercultural friendship group, is about to open the gates of its international community garden for the 2019 growing season, and are on the lookout for new friends and volunteers to help them out.
YUMI welcomes everyone! You might be a keen gardener, totally new to growing or someone who just wants to sit in a deckchair, chat and watch the world go by. And kids are most certainly part of the crew. Click here for full article
Beetle Bank Social Farm is a livestock farm which uses traditional farming practices to provide meaningful activity and support to people living with dementia in York and the surrounding areas. Interested in volunteering with people and animals in a relaxed and friendly environment? There are lots of opportunities to get involved. Email Justin Mazzotta at beetlebanksocialfarm@gmail.com for more information.
Want to find out more about volunteering at Beetle Bank Social Farm? Emily, a Beetle Bank Social Farm Volunteer shares her story with us here
Healthwatch York are currently gathering views on the new NHS Long Term Plan and want you to have your say. How would you help people live healthier lives? What would you do to improve local health services in your area?How would you make it easier for people to take control of their own health and wellbeing? Click here to share your views with Healthwatch York and help make care better.
Youth Mental Health First Aid courses 2018-19
Youth Mental Health First Aid is a set of courses that aim to train those who work or live with children and young people aged 8-18 years in how to support their mental health, provide help in an emergency and guide them towards appropriate support.
NEW in 2019 – Youth Mental Health First Aid Champions!
Based on the Youth Mental Health First Aid Two Day course, the Youth Mental Health First Aid Champions course has been designed specifically for teachers, support staff, youth workers, sports and activity coaches and parents/carers. For more information click here
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