Breakthrough HNY – a new health update

Did you know that colleagues across Humber and North Yorkshire are working together on important workforce issues through Humber and North Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership’ Breakthrough HNY transformation programme?

Through Breakthrough, health partners are working together to improve attraction, recruitment, training and retention of the people we need in our health and care workforce, now and in the future. Some ways you can get involved right now include:

Become an Ally: supporting your organisation’s staff networks as they work as part of HNY HCP’s ground-breaking Inclusion Assembly to promote allyship training, launching February – find out more from your organisation’s network chairs

Inspire the workforce of the future: can you and your team help provide careers experiences for young people in HNY? Contact melanie.drayton3@nhs.net to find out more

Develop your system leadership skills: find out about HNY HCP’s three new system-focused talent schemes for middle and senior leaders and for internationally educated colleagues. Email hnyicb-talent@nhs.net for more details

Read more about this month’s updates in Breakthrough HNY’s December Leaders Briefing.

HNY HCP want to build their 2025/26 programme around workforce issues that matter to you. Look out for their January news to find out more about how you can be involved.

Do Your PART

Below features an article from the North Yorkshire Safeguarding Children Partnership’s latest newsletter:

Remember these key steps to Do Your PART:

Protect: Enable parental controls on devices, set strong passwords, and review privacy settings.
Advise: Talk to your children about the importance of online safety, emphasising responsible sharing and the risks of oversharing.
Report: Encourage open communication so they feel comfortable reporting anything that makes them feel uneasy.
Teach: Show them how to recognise phishing attempts, secure their accounts, and spot inappropriate content.

Protect

Security and Parental Settings:

Use the parental control settings on your devices to restrict access to inappropriate content. Take time before gifting to understand how this can be done – we know that it’s a lot harder to set this up when you have an excited child on your hands on Christmas day!

Follow step-by-step guides to set up parental controls on your smartphone or tablet.

NSPCC: Offers comprehensive advice on setting up parental controls to keep children safe online. They provide guidance on managing content filters, screen time, and privacy settings.

Wi-Fi Security:

Enable content filters on your home Wi-Fi to block adult content:

Many ISPs (Internet Service Providers) implement safety restrictions at the network level when setting up home internet. These restrictions are designed to block access to potentially harmful or inappropriate content; however, checks need to be done with individual suppliers to understand the level to which this has been done. Parents can check with their provider or via websites such as Internet Matters Network, which offers comprehensive guides on setting up parental controls for various ISPs, including step-by-step videos and visual instruction.

Please be aware that further controls can be applied to devices themselves and at game or app level, and that wi-fi restrictions will not operate if children are using their devices on mobile data – these need to be set up separately.

Parental Control Options – Devices:

Remember that devices have content filters built in that require set up, which can include time management settings, for example on SMART TV’s that can manage what your child can watch/access.

Platform Guidelines:

There are privacy and data sharing policies of online platforms, apps and games, as well as recommended age limits. These can help you understand how your child’s data is used.  Age limits are applied for a reason and are not just limited to data protection. Age limits aims to protect children from risks such as cyberbullying, exposure to inappropriate content, and online harms.

Group messaging such as WhatsApp is a great way to keep in touch with multiple friends, however, they can quickly turn into a headache when the messages start piling up. Parents need to be aware of all features such as location sharing, and chat lock which will remove a chat thread from the app’s regular onscreen inbox and place it into a new folder that can only be opened by a password or biometric, such as facial recognition or a fingerprint.

Internet Matters has step-by-step guides to support users and outline key functions. Internet Matters_Social Media Settings

Advise

Managing Screen Time:

Set a daily screen time limit for recreational use on all devices. Set realistic and flexible screen time schedules that account for school, leisure, and family activities. We recognise that every family and child is different, and parents will know how device usage impacts their own child, so set goals and limits that are realistic and workable for you. Children could be asked to contribute to what they think is fair.

Encourage the use of apps with educational value, and balance screen use with physical play and outdoor activities. Know what works for your child, and what impacts their mood and wellbeing. You can use screen time management apps to set reminders for breaks.

Children will role model what they see, so it may be that we need to be mindful of our own device use, no matter how difficult that can be!

Report

Agree on Family Device Usage:

Be clear on rules from the outset. Ideas include creating a family charging station in a common area to keep devices out of bedrooms and non-shared areas and drafting a family agreement to ensure everyone’s on the same page regarding device usage. Commonsense Media and Internet Matters both have contract templates to download. Commonsense Media_ Device Contract.

Open Communication:

Regularly ask your child about their online activities and friends. We know that they will love to tell you about their latest Roblox or Minecraft adventures! Fostering open and honest conversations about online usage allows interests to be shared and for children to understand the many positives of online life as well as the pitfalls. Encourage co-viewing of online content to discuss and understand their interests and discuss the content.

Discuss acceptable online behaviour with your children, emphasising kindness and respect in digital interactions. Arm them with knowledge of how to mute groups, leave and to share worries with you. Make sure your children know they can come to you with any concerns about their online experiences without fear of punishment.

For older children, talk about consent, the sharing of images and how to report and get help.

CEOP – Think You Know has information on this, online sexual harassment, healthy relationships and more. 11-18s | CEOP Education.

They also have information for younger children as well as professionals, parents and carers.

Use shared accounts for younger children to keep tabs on their activity, and schedule regular check-ins to discuss any concerns or questions.

Teach

Health:

Promote a healthy balance of on and offline activity – with the understanding that our children’s lives are different to ours with much of their socialisation online.

Keep devices out of bedrooms overnight to promote better sleep habits. Explain to children how device activity before bed can hinder their sleep.

Start Early:

Preschoolers: Begin with basic concepts like not talking to strangers online and asking for permission before using devices.

Primary KS1: Introduce the idea of personal information and why it should be kept private. Use simple language to explain the risks.

Tweens and Teens: Discuss more complex topics such as cyberbullying, online predators, and the importance of a positive digital footprint.

Use Real-Life Scenarios:

Role-play situations where your child might encounter a stranger online or receive a suspicious message. Discuss how they should respond.

Teach Critical Thinking:

Encourage your children to question the authenticity of online information and to think before they click on links or share personal details.

Parental Advice Websites for Online Safety and Device Setup

NSPCC – Offers comprehensive advice on setting up parental controls and keeping children safe online. Keeping children safe online | NSPCC

Internet Matters – Provides detailed guides and resources for setting up parental controls on various devices and platforms. Keep Children Safe Online: Information, Advice, Support – Internet Matters

UK Safer Internet Centre – Offers a parents’ guide to technology, including safety tools and advice for responsible use. Homepage – UK Safer Internet Centre

CEOP – The National Crime Agency’s CEOP Education team. CEOP Education

Common Sense Media – Is an independent voice for kids, families, and communities everywhere. They combine original research with game-changing advocacy efforts to make the digital world work better for all kids. Common Sense Media: Age-Based Media Reviews for Families | Common Sense Media

Cost of living support

Below features an article from the North Yorkshire Safeguarding Children Partnership’s latest newsletter:

As winter approaches, many households face increased financial pressures due to higher heating bills and other seasonal expenses. The following organisations and schemes are available to support families that may need it.

Foodbanks: Foodbanks provide emergency food supplies to those in need. Organisations like the Trussell Trust operate foodbanks across North Yorkshire. You typically need a referral from a local agency to access these services.

Clothing Banks: Clothing banks offer free clothes and shoes to those in need. For example, the Harrogate Clothes Bank provides pre-loved clothing to the community, as does theclothingbank.org.uk

Community Support Organisations: Various local organisations offer support, including Warm Welcome Spaces where people can find a warm place to stay and access other resources.

Warm & Well – North Yorkshire Citizens Advice and Law Centre (NYCALC)

Emergency Payments:

Local Assistance Fund

The North Yorkshire Local Assistance Fund (NYLAF) provides emergency support for essential items such as food, utilities, and household goods. Applications are made through authorised agencies such as Children & Family Hubs, Living Well, IDAS.

North Yorkshire local assistance fund | North Yorkshire Partnerships

Budgeting Loans:

If you’re on certain benefits, you may be eligible for a budgeting loan to help with unexpected expenses. These loans are interest-free and repayable over time.

For further information, please see an extensive guide at – Cost of Living Support | North Yorkshire Council

Citizens Advice: Offers free, confidential advice on a range of issues, including benefits, debt, and housing. They can help you navigate the various support options available.

North Yorkshire Citizens Advice & Law Centre

Food Banks > Healthy Schools North Yorkshire – Information on Foodbanks

Vulnerability Commitment – Energy UK

Tackling Financial Insecurity Together | Turn2us – For advice, grants and support.

Anzac Remembrance CIO

Help with finding the right charity structure has secured the future for Anzac Remembrance CIO.

The Anzac Remembrance group secured the future of their event, with our development officer’s help, and expanded its reach by choosing the right charitable structure.

What was the challenge?

The Anzac Remembrance group organises the annual remembrance event in Harrogate, honoring the lives of the New Zealand and Australian pilots laid there to rest. The group wanted to secure the event’s long-term future and expand its reach across the North of England. They knew that they needed to change their charity structure – but were unsure about which one was right for them.   

How did Community First Yorkshire help?

Our development officer met with the group and chatted to them about their needs. He helped the group explore what their options were so that they could find the right charitable structure. They’d already looked at different governance structures but had found the information overwhelming. The development officer discussed practical options and helped them align their needs with Charity Commission guidance.

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What does the future look like?

Following our help, the group is now established as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). This means they have secured the future of the remembrance service and plans are underway for the first ceremony under the new structure to take place in April 2025. The trustees are now confident that the charity has a long-term future. This means that they can continue to honour fallen Australian and New Zealand pilots and support their descendants. The group are planning to develop a website and start a new fundraising campaign.

About the organisation

The Anzac Remembrance CIO provides support for friends, families and descendants of New Zealand and Australian pilots buried in Harrogate.

How we can help you

As a registered charity, we understand your needs. Our local advisers work across North Yorkshire and will come to you to ensure you get access to the best quality advice and guidance including funding advice, helping you set up as a community organisation, governance and trustees, finance support, marketing advice, and exploring ways to further develop your organisation.

If you know a community group, charity or social enterprise that needs some support to be even more successful, contact one of our friendly advisors on 01904 704177 or info@communityfirstyorkshire.org.uk 

We are funded by North Yorkshire Council and NHS North Yorkshire.

Do you need help with:

  • securing income for your organisation or project?
  • turning your ideas of becoming a new community organisation into a reality?
  • benefitting from greater security as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)?
  • thinking about reviewing your organisation and planning ahead?
  • understanding trustee’s legal roles and responsibilities?
  • benefitting from a financial health check?

Our advisers can help. Call us today 01904 704177 or email info@communityfirstyorkshire.org.uk

“I feel that I want to continue to share the good things that happen with Andy. He was amazing, so patient and understanding and turned everything around so quickly with constructive, knowledgeable advice.”

Anzac Remembrance Trustee

Swinton Excelsior Band

Changing their charity structure means that the group can apply for funding to improve their premises and help the band grow.

With the help of our development officer, the Swinton and District Excelsior Band explored whether becoming a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) was the right charitable structure.
What was the challenge?

Swinton and District Excelsior Band were concerned that, without the right charitable structure, their trustees were at risk in terms of liability. They were considering becoming a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) to give trustees more protection but weren’t sure on whether this was the right structure or how to go through the process. The trustees turned to Community First Yorkshire for some help and advice.

How did Community First Yorkshire help?

Our development officer played an important role in helping the group to look at  becoming a CIO. Working closely with the trustees, they reviewed legal structures, group membership strategies, and addressed challenges like band room ownership.

With their help, the trustees understood the process for becoming a CIO and confidently made a case to members to make the change.

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What does the future look like?

The group hopes that becoming a CIO will help them not only attract new trustees and members, but their new status will make it easier for the group to secure grants. They need vital funding to improve the building, including much-needed roof repairs.  They plan to return to Community First Yorkshire for support with funding applications.

About the organisation

Swinton and District Excelsior Band are a local village brass band with members from primary school age to 80+. They are based in Swinton near Malton, North Yorkshire.

How we can help you

As a registered charity, we understand your needs. Our local advisers work across North Yorkshire and will come to you to ensure you get access to the best quality advice and guidance including funding advice, helping you set up as a community organisation, governance and trustees, finance support, marketing advice, and exploring ways to further develop your organisation.

If you know a community group, charity or social enterprise that needs some support to be even more successful, contact one of our friendly advisors on 01904 704177 or info@communityfirstyorkshire.org.uk

Do you need help with:
  • securing income for your organisation or project?
  • turning your ideas of becoming a new community organisation into a reality?
  • benefitting from greater security as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)? 
  • thinking about reviewing your organisation and planning ahead?
  • understanding trustee’s legal roles and responsibilities?
  • benefitting from a financial health check? 

We are funded by North Yorkshire Council and NHS North Yorkshire.

“It’s helping to keep us on the straight and narrow and to know we can be hopefully doing it right. Next steps will be the renovation of our historic building – we will be in touch for help with the funding application.”

Museum of North Craven Life

Advice on the right training for volunteers has boosted their skills and confidence, plus helped the museum to retain these valuable team members.

Working with Community First Yorkshire helped the Museum of North Craven Life invest in it’s volunteers.
What was the challenge?

Front-of-house volunteers at the museum felt that they needed some specialist training on customer service. However, with the museum’s annual training budget already fully allocated, the trustees were finding it difficult to identify the right training and the potential funding required to run the sessions.

How did Community First Yorkshire help?

Our development officer initially met the museum trustee at a Community First Yorkshire volunteer management training session. They worked closely with the trustee to look at what training options were available and used their own experience in the volunteering sector to provide guidance, encouragement and practical suggestions.

Working with the development officer gave the trustee confidence to look at different options and successfully request a review of the museum’s internal funding priorities. As a result, the museum board reallocated funds to bring in a bespoke external trainer, ensuring their team received the tailored support they needed.

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What does the future look like? 

The new training has helped the volunteers to feel valued and gave them more confidence in dealing with different scenarios, as well as boosting their skill levels. The team of volunteers are essential to the museum’s operation. By investing in their training, their volunteering experience at the museum has improved which, in turn, will help the museum to retain these important team members and recruit more volunteers when needed.

About the organisation

The Museum of North Craven Life is based at The Folly, a historic house in Settle. The museum tells the story of North Craven, from the local landscape and its influence on all aspects of life in the area.

How we can help you

As a registered charity, we understand your needs. Our local advisers work across North Yorkshire and will come to you to ensure you get access to the best quality advice and guidance including funding advice, helping you set up as a community organisation, governance and trustees, finance support, marketing advice, and exploring ways to further develop your organisation.

If you know a community group, charity or social enterprise that needs some support to be even more successful, contact one of our friendly advisors on 01904 704177 or info@communityfirstyorkshire.org.uk.

We are funded by North Yorkshire Council and NHS North Yorkshire.

Do you need help with:
  • securing income for your organisation or project?
  • turning your ideas of becoming a new community organisation into a reality?
  • benefitting from greater security as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)?
  • thinking about reviewing your organisation and planning ahead?
  • understanding trustee’s legal roles and responsibilities?
  • benefitting from a financial health check?

Our advisers can help. Call us today 01904 704177 or email info@communityfirstyorkshire.org.uk.

“Vicki was very good at responding, in fact she was often waiting patiently for me to get back to her. I would absolutely go back to Vicki for further support. I felt she understood exactly what it was we were looking for and this was particularly true because she had worked in the same sector.”

Free safeguarding training now available!

North Yorkshire Council’s Safeguarding Children Basic Awareness training is now free to access.

This virtual training package is aimed at individuals in organisations and voluntary groups who work with both children and young people to give basic awareness of child protection issues and how to safeguard children from abuse.

To access the training, click here.

It will take approximately 45 to complete and you will get a certificate at the end.

 

When somebody opens up, everybody wins

More than four in five people (86 per cent) surveyed for a recent report by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) highlighted cost of living as one of the most important issues facing the UK.

Selby-based charity Up for Yorkshire provides a wide range of support for residents on issues including the cost of living, mental health and community transport. They’ve seen a surge in demand in recent years – from receiving 12,000 enquiries in 2020 to more than 40,000 this year.

Chris Hailey-Norris, chief executive of Up for Yorkshire, reports:

“We’ve seen a huge increase in demand – a staggering increase – but that’s also something we’re happy about, because it means more and more people are joining the conversation, talking to us and getting help. My message is that it’s great to share what your concerns are, and there’s always options available. Some people assume nothing can be done, which is absolutely not the case. On the one side you’ve got so many families that are struggling, and then on the other there’s all these benefits going unclaimed – we want to encourage people to come forward and talk, to say if they are struggling and need help, because help is there. Sometimes it’s about confidence, breaking down the stigma of asking for help, and sometimes it’s about not knowing what help is available – that’s what we’re here for.”

To support those struggling to pay for food as well as reduce waste, Up for Yorkshire runs a community fridge each week where residents can take home quality, fresh produce that has been donated by local supermarkets, businesses and residents.

Chris added: “Our community fridge has been running for a number of years and it helps hundreds of people a week. We’re delighted when people come, and it is humbling to see the relief on their faces. It’s a team effort and that’s the beauty of North Yorkshire – we’re all in it together. We’re a proud county all about honesty and openness, and it’s our pleasure working with so many amazing colleagues, volunteers and partners to help so many people who are worried and need our support. Sometimes people come in not knowing what they want to chat about or where to start, and that’s fine – it’s about starting that conversation and finding out what is on offer. When somebody opens up, everybody wins – the person themselves, their loved ones, the whole community.”

You can also watch a short video with Chris.

In November North Yorkshire Council launched a campaign aimed at promoting the wide range of support available for people concerned about the cost of living, which aims to make sure residents know about the range of schemes and organisations available if they’re struggling. This includes information about emergency support with everyday living costs, benefits, energy bills, food and managing debt as well as pension credit which can all be found all in one place here.

The council’s cost of living web page also has information about schemes to help families, free adult learning courses and local community-based support including Warm Welcome spaces as well as advice on staying well. People can also go into any North Yorkshire library or North Yorkshire Council office to find out more about the support that is available.

FEAST activities this festive season

As the countdown to Christmas is on, there are still over 1,000 places available on FREE activities in your area during the school holiday.  All children and young people across North Yorkshire can get involved, with free places and a free meal for eligible families, thanks to funding from the Department for Education.

Please find the downloadable list of available FEAST activities here.

If your child is eligible for benefits-related Free School Meals or is made eligible by exception (see the FEAST FAQs for details), a unique electronic voucher will have been sent by their school via an email or text, through an online platform called Holiday Activities. This will enable you to book school holiday activities that are part of the FEAST programme for free. Watch this step-by-step guide on how to redeem your FEAST voucher and book free activities.

Don’t worry if there’s a waiting list – it doesn’t always mean that an activity is full. To ensure that a wide range of families get to take part in FEAST, providers wait a number of days after vouchers are issued before accepting any bookings. Please request a place and you should receive a notification from Holiday Activities if your place is confirmed.

Transport to Activities

Families can request assistance with transport. Once you have a confirmed booking on an activity, you can apply for free transport to the activities by filling in this transport request form.

Ready to unleash the festive fun? Head over to the FEAST website now to learn more. Don’t miss out on the magic – book your place today!

Free DBS guidance

We’re pleased to let you know that free, one-to-one appointments with a Disclosure & Barring Service Adviser are available for groups and organisations looking to seek information and guidance on DBS products and services.

The Regional Outreach Adviser service is available for one-to-one appointments either over the phone or Microsoft Teams.

The DBS Adviser for Yorkshire & The Humber can answer questions on the different levels and types of DBS check available, including when eligibility is met for higher levels of DBS check, information on the Update Service, responding to DBS information requests and making a referral to DBS when safeguarding concerns have been raised about a staff member or volunteer.

Appointments can be made between 9am-3pm, Monday to Friday (where slots are available).

To book a one-to-one appointment please email: DBSregionaloutreach@dbs.gov.uk

Please note appointments are available to staff and volunteers within groups and organisations and not individual people making enquiries about their own DBS check application or referral with DBS.