Forget Black Friday, we always have a great deal!

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This Black Friday, we’re reaching out to all voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations in North Yorkshire. We’ve got a deal that’ll make you smile like any shopper walking down a freshly stocked discount aisle.

Picture this: aisles filled with tailored support, shelves stocked with invaluable resources, and racks bursting with networking opportunities – all yours for the taking and absolutely free! So, there’s no need to queue or scramble for this one-day-only offer because thanks to funding from North Yorkshire Council and NHS North Yorkshire and we have a great offer every day.

Training Galore: Need to sharpen those skills? We’ve got you covered with an abundance of training sessions tailored just for you. From digital marketing mastery to grant-writing wizardry, we’re here to empower your team.

Networking Nirvana: Connect, collaborate, and conquer with our vibrant networks. Rub shoulders with like-minded people, exchange ideas, and achieve the support network you’ve always dreamed of.

Resource Wonderland: Dive into our treasure trove of resources, where a wealth of information and guidance awaits. From toolkits to templates, consider it your personal toolkit for success.

This Black Friday, skip the chaos and treat yourself to something that will really help improve your skills – delivered with a smile and a helping hand.

Mark your calendars, spread the word, and let this Black Friday be the day you bag the best deal of all – empowerment, growth, and community development – all at no cost and just a click away.

Visit our Community Support North Yorkshire website today.

 

Collaboration in the Community 

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[pictured left to right: Carole, Lizzie, Nicky and Hilary at the Wider Partnership Conference]

Members of our Community Led Housing and our Community Support North Yorkshire teams attended the North Yorkshire Wider Partnership conference (27 October) and these are their takeaways from the event. Carole Roberts, our Community Support Delivery Manager, shares her thoughts below.

Inspiration! Inspiration! Inspiration!

We made our way to Harrogate to take part in the annual North Yorkshire Council Wider Partnership conference at the end of October, bursting with anticipation. It was a great day, full of motivational talks, award-winning community groups, a chance to de-Zoom and meet people face-to-face, pick up information, network and share how we can support local organisations.

Connect 4, cookies and community connections

Over coffee and cookies, we browsed the marketplace, trading leaflets and sweets, making introductions and finding old friends. We also had a stand, with a game of Connect 4, a volunteering survey, case studies and lots of information. Then we all joined together for a range of fascinating talks, focussing on the power of positive relationships and community wealth building; inspirational stories backed up by evidence of impact.

What do a professor, a police officer and a policy maker have in common?

It was all about the multiple perspectives of what makes a community as we broke into workshops.

Mine was on managing community tensions, looking at risk, relationships and roles. Sitting with a professor, a police officer and a policy maker meant we covered so many different perspectives and learnt from one another.

A singalong, sobs and celebrations

After that we came back together for the community awards, where I had been lucky enough to be on the judging panel for one category. We were shown a short video of each of the nominees, with one leaving everyone in tears and even a singalong from an award-winner who had been volunteering for 70 years! Seeing the award winners was a joy and so good that they were recognised for their amazing community work. What incredible people and organisations there are in North Yorkshire.

Finally, balancing sandwiches and coffee, there was time for a final round of networking before heading off home feeling thoroughly uplifted and like a good day’s work was done in only a morning.

And, if you haven’t noticed, I think I’ve used enough alliteration in this blog apart from to say, my biggest takeaway from the day was the power of community, connections and collaboration. Where would we be without these three Cs?

 

Take a look at these videos from the Community Awards winners – there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

Anne Galloway

Sustainable Swaledale

Neurodiverse Community Catterick

If you want to find out more about how to make connections in your community, or have an idea to develop your own community project do get in touch with the VCSE Support team.

Looking to make connections? We have a variety of networks which give you the chance to chat with your peers, share ideas and be inspired. Networks cover areas such as community buildings, managing volunteering, community finance, and reuse and recycling.

The cornerstones to building a healthy trustee/chief executive relationship

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Trustees’ Week (6-10 November) is a time to celebrate the achievements of over 1 million trustees across the UK.

The relationship between a chief executive and a trustee board can be complex, so we sat down with our chief executive, Jane Colthup, to talk about the part the organisation’s trustees play in her role and the importance of building a transparent, trusting relationship between trustees and executives.

What do you think makes a healthy board/chief executive relationship?

I think you need a set of skills on the board that are different to those of the chief executive. It’s not healthy just to deal with people who are like you; you need trustees who make you think, and who ask you challenging questions – who’ll come at things from a different perspective.

I think it’s important to understand that trustees aren’t there to catch you out but are there to round out your thinking and make sure that you’ve covered all the bases.

Some of our trustees have planning or environmental science expertise which are is different to mine. I also find that having other VCSE chief executives on the trustee board is, for me, particularly helpful as a great sounding board, enabling me to take the pulse of others in the sector.

What do you value the most about your trustee board and how do your trustees help you with your role as chief executive?

I think I value most that they’re not me! That they make me think and make me sing for my supper a bit – because they do! And if I’m grappling with something I often think ‘What will the trustees think about that?’. It’s a good safety net to think that you have to run an idea by the board and if you’re apprehensive then it’s probably not a good idea!

We’re really lucky at Community First Yorkshire because our board are massively supportive and ask questions in a non-confrontational way – they get that sweet spot between being supportive and being challenging.

During your time as chief executive at Community First Yorkshire, is there anything you’ve learnt from your trustee board?

Yes, tons! I don’t know where to start! I’m constantly blown away by how committed they are and how much they want to support the organisation, and how passionately they care about it.

When you first become a chief executive, you might think ‘No one is my boss now!’

Absolutely not! Your trustee board is a very good check to runaway chief execs.

I’ve learnt that the diversity of your trustee board – in terms of different backgrounds, sectors and ages – is key because your board shouldn’t be just like you. They’ve got to make you think.

Also, it’s fine not knowing all the answers. The day you walk into a board meeting and think it’s a walk in the park is probably the day you should give up.

How do you think trustee boards might change in the future?

I think it’s a big ask to have quarterly two or three hour meetings and this is something that may need to be done differently down the line. Board meetings tend to have to be during the day; of necessity that means that we’re not representative enough of the people we are here to serve.

We might need to look at holding subject specific micro sessions to explore what’s happening in a particular area rather than chunky board meetings – but, this is with the caveat that you risk losing the flow of a meeting.

What do you think makes a good trustee?

Someone who genuinely cares about the vision and mission of your organisation; who has the time and expertise, and the right skills to bear. You want someone who actually wants to bring something and are net contributors, rather than exporters. Most importantly, you are looking for someone who truly understands how much time is needed to be a trustee – but who also knows when to let people get on and do the job.

 

If you want to find out more about what trustees do, take a look at this video.

Empowering Trustees: navigating the landscape with Community First Yorkshire

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A chronicle of Support, Guidance, and Purpose

Greetings esteemed trustees. As Trustees’ Week (6-10 November) approaches, we at Community First Yorkshire wish to extend our hand in support, embracing this year’s theme: Many voices. Working together. With purpose.

To get ready for next week, here’s my run down of the Trustee Survival Arsenal:

  1. Grant Acquisition Expertise: our dedicated team possesses a wealth of experience in grant procurement. Allow us to assist you in identifying and securing the financial resources your organisation requires to thrive.
  2. Mastery of Governance Frameworks: navigating the legal and regulatory intricacies of trusteeship can be formidable. Rely on our seasoned professionals to provide you with the guidance and tools necessary to navigate this complex landscape.
  3. Strategic Marketing Prowess: effective outreach and engagement are pivotal in furthering your charitable objectives. Our specialists are poised to equip you with the skills needed to amplify your organisation’s message and impact.
  4. Volunteer Management Proficiency: volunteers are the lifeblood of any charity. Allow us to empower you in the recruitment, training, and retention of dedicated individuals who share in your vision.
  5. Organisational Health Assessment: a robust charity necessitates periodic evaluation. Our team stands ready to conduct a comprehensive assessment, ensuring your organisation’s continued vitality.

To access your free support from us, simply complete our online enquiry form, or call 01904 704177 or email us.

By Andy Shield, Development Officer at Community First Yorkshire.

Helping people to discover, connect and mobilise for healthier communities

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Hi, I’m Marion, new in post with Community First Yorkshire as Health Connector Co-ordinator in Craven.

It’s possible I could get an award for shortest retirement ever! I left my post as Stronger Communities Delivery Manager with North Yorkshire Council on 30 June, and had the luxury of the summer months to recharge my batteries before starting this new post mid-September.

So what does a Health Connector Co-ordinator do?

To be honest, the title isn’t much of a clue, but it’s helpful to have that focus on health in it. Our health system is fragmented, it’s hard to understand, hard to navigate and it can be difficult for the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector (VCSE) to find its place and voice within it. This is despite the fact that I see and hear so many great stories of how VCSE organisations are making huge positive impacts to people’s lives, and at the same time reducing the need for (expensive) health interventions that people are glad they don’t need.

This role is in part an exploration of how together we bridge this divide; helping VCSE colleagues better understand the health economy in which they work, supporting them to tell their story in ways that really capture the essence of work in communities: building trust, providing safe and welcoming places for people to meet, share with others, tell their stories and find practical and emotional support.

Community connections are key

Whilst writing this blog I’m listening to the podcast, ‘The Connected Community’, with Cormac Russell. He says: ‘the neighbourhood is the unit of change’, and this is a great link to the other area of my role: working with Community Anchor Organisations (in Craven as the funding for the role comes from West Yorkshire Integrated Care System) to support them to develop connections with their local grassroots community groups and organisations.

In our very rural part of the county, the vibrancy and creativity of these small, usually volunteer led, groups are the fuel of connection and care, enabling local people to give and receive in ways that benefit all. You and I know so many examples.

Another phrase of Cormac’s is: ‘discover, connect, mobilise’. So this role encompasses supporting our Community Anchor Organisations (CAO’s) to discover, value and support this very local social action, developing relationships with local leaders and activists, and providing them with the information and support needed to connect people in their community with other more specialist sources of support when they need it.

So the ambition of the role is, in many ways, about building different types of connection: between CAO’s, between CAO’s and their local communities, and between the VCSE and health. All in the service of happier healthier communities, a thriving VCSE and a less pressured health system.

Get in touch with Marion by email.

Can the World’s Worst Novel help you develop a growth mindset?

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Mike Hickman, Leadership Development and Training Manager at Community First Yorkshire, has been in post for a few months. Here he shares his thoughts on the power of growth mindsets and how we all need to embrace challenges through continued learning and development.

“I kept the World’s Worst Novel on my person for the longest time. It came with me in my bag to conferences and events, both national and international. It was there when I taught primary age children, teacher trainees, and drama students.

It will probably come as no surprise to learn that what I call the World’s Worst Novel was not published. Neither was it the World’s Worst Novel – it was a very determined and brave first attempt.

It might come as more of a surprise that it was written by me.

When I was twelve. On an Olivetti Lettera typewriter. Drafted the once, bundled into a Jiffy bag and sent off to the publisher I knew was going to snap it up for a seven figure sum.

When I worked in teacher education, I was introduced to Carol Dweck’s concept of fixed and growth mindsets. As Senior Lecturer and later Head of Programme and Department at York St John, I worked with undergraduate and postgraduate students from ages 22 through to 60+. And I wanted them to know that the Ofsted-badged outstanding practitioner could one day be them. With the right work and the right care and attention in the right places, they would become leaders of classes, subjects, schools, and communities.

It helped for them to know about things like the World’s Worst Novel, which found itself relabelled as my personal Draft Zero for everything that followed for me, all the way to a doctorate and beyond.

It helped me to model my own attempts to fulfil Dweck’s goal of a growth mindset.

And now I find myself at Community First Yorkshire as Leadership Development and Training Manager. Picking up on the excellent work already done to craft a training programme for VCSE organisations in North Yorkshire. Striving to ensure that our training reaches ever more people and is of the highest possible quality, so that we can achieve our collective ambition in the sector of creating more resilient, resourceful, and confident communities. I could not be more delighted in playing my part in such an important mission and growing together.”

 

If you need guidance on running your charity or group in North Yorkshire, take a look at our training and leadership development programmes. From being an effective trustee, fulfilling your potential as a leader or raising the profile of your organisation, we can help.

 

 

Finance and Treasurers Network meeting – Insurance for charities 19 January 2023

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Do you know if you have enough insurance in place for your organisation to cover every eventuality?

Charities, just like all businesses, need to safeguard their assets. Ensuring that you have the correct insurance in place is one of the ways you can do that.

Charities come in all shapes and sizes and their insurance needs will vary accordingly. What your organisation does will shape the kind of insurance you need. Here’s some food for thought when considering insurance:

  • Do you have contact with members of the public?
  • Do you offer a service or advice?
  • What is the structure of your organisation?
  • Do you have employees and volunteers?
  • Do your trustees need indemnity insurance and what is it?
  • Do you own buildings and are they hired out?
  • Do you own vehicles or specialist equipment?

There’s a lot to think about in terms of insurance especially when you consider that charities are evolving all the time. It’s important to regularly review your insurance policies to ensure you have the right cover for your current situation.

How can we help?
Community First Yorkshire is hosting a network meeting for finance staff and treasurers on 19 January 2023 where we will be looking at insurance for charities.

A representative from McClarron Insurance will be joining us at this meeting to talk through the types of insurance charities may need to consider and to answer your questions.

There will also be an opportunity to explore this and any issues you’re currently facing with peers and to raise any issues or concerns you may have about any aspect of finance in your organisation.

If you have any specific questions you would like to put to the network, please submit these before the meeting.

Book your place here.

Increasing a charity’s income by charitable trading: a treasurer’s point of view

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Your charity has identified that it needs to increase its income but is not sure how it is possible.

You have considered a number of income streams. You’ve applied for grants, you’ve had donations from a few local businesses and you run a really successful bingo night on the first Friday in every month, but still your income is not enough to cover the ongoing maintenance costs of the ageing building.

The building is located in the heart of the village on a popular route for walkers in the area, and at one of your board meetings an idea starts to develop – what about opening a café in the annex which is currently rarely used? The idea starts with selling teas, coffee and a few cakes on a Saturday but quickly snowballs with suggestions of ‘why only a Saturday?’, ‘what about bacon sandwiches on a morning?’ and ‘we could do salads for lunch!’.

After the initial enthusiasm for the idea, thoughts turn to the practicalities of how the charity trustees can make their ambition of opening a café a reality, and what legal issues they need to consider. You start looking at the rules governing charity trading and quickly discover that as a charity, the ability to trade is limited, because making money is not in itself a charitable purpose, even if it is done to support the charitable activities of the organisation. To carry out trading activities you will need to set up a trading subsidiary. This is a separate company that is usually owned by the charity, and donates the bulk of its profits to the charity via gift aid.

But there are still so many questions:

  • What trading can charities do?
  • When must a charity set up a trading subsidiary?
  • How can a trading subsidiary pay funds to its parent charity?

Fortunately, you know where to look to find these answers. The following websites are particularly helpful:

Now that you have all the information you need, it’s time to talk to the charity’s accountant. They have lots of experience of working with voluntary sector groups and you’re confident they will be able to give her the expert help you’re looking for.

The accountant proves invaluable and the trustees can now open that café they dreamed of safe in the knowledge that they are fully compliant with all legal requirements.

 

If you want to find out more about the issues charities need to consider if they plan to carry out any trading, come along to our next Treasurer’s Network Meeting on 13 October.  These network meetings are for both new and experienced treasurers of voluntary community and social enterprise sector organisations across North Yorkshire.

They’re small but beautifully formed!

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It’s Small Charities Week – time to shine a spotlight on all the fabulous small charities in our region and the vital work they do to support our communities. And this week we’re BIGGING up the SMALL!

Small charities are specialists, working on a niche project like homelessness, which means they are usually experts. Because they often work locally, they are able to react quickly – take the local response to the pandemic, for example. Because of their expertise and local focus, they are able to build strong relationships in a community and help those hardest to reach.

Think of all the amazing things that go on in your community – your local library, community transport, your food bank. Litter picks, Jubilee celebrations, meals on wheels – all of this support is provided by small charities.

Just because a charity is small, doesn’t mean it doesn’t make a big difference.

Often small charities are limited by their small income – they have big dreams and big ambitions, but the pennies can often make it difficult for them to fulfil them. That’s where we can help.

We want small charities to flourish and continue to provide the vital services that are essential to thriving communities.

How can we help?

We offer free, bespoke advice to small charities in North Yorkshire. Whether you want to find new sources of funding, attract new volunteers, or become a Charitable Incorporate Organisation (CIO) or community interest company (CIC) and access new funding, we’re here to help.

You may want to join one of our networks to share peer learning or help aspiring leaders within your organisation to grow.

Our training programme will inspire you to become a better trustee, get to grips with social media, complete a winning funding application and help you manage your trustees.

Find out more on our website or get in touch. You can email us on info@communityfirstyorkshire.org.uk, call us on 01904 704177 or fill in our online enquiry form.