How smart is smart heating for your community venue?

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Michael Fletcher, Digital Inclusion Project Manager at Community First Yorkshire, shares his thoughts on smart heating – it’s pros and cons and whether there are any cost benefits for your community building or village hall.

“In today’s world it seems that everything is digital this and smart that, and that’s before we even start talking about artificial intelligence. At the top of the smart pile lies smart heating systems. There’s a whole myriad of different types of devices on the market so if you’re thinking of installing one, make sure you do your research. Let’s delve into how smart they really are…

For a start, smart heaters still need a person to control them so you could argue they are not completely hassle-free, but the installation of one could provide significant benefits for your village hall or community building.

One of the primary benefits of smart heating systems is flagged as their ability to optimise energy usage. With uncertainty around energy costs and increasing awareness of environmental issues, improving energy efficiency is a crucial consideration for any community facility.

What is ‘smart heating’?

But first what do we mean by smart heating? Smart heating works by connecting your heating system to the internet so you can then control it remotely by using a device (such as a smartphone, a tablet or a laptop) via Wi-Fi.

How much control will a smart heating device give you?

There are several different types of smart heating devices that you can control, but the most important is your thermostat if your heating is run through a boiler. Basic models allow you to control the heating without being on site and, if you have different groups using your hall, you can adjust the temperature accordingly. You may want the heating set a little higher whilst a yoga class is on and knock it down a degree or two when the aerobics session is up and running.

Some more sophisticated devices may be able to sense movement in rooms and switch the heating on and off as the room is in and out of use. Some can even sense if a window has been left open. This is as conundrum I face at home as my partner insists on having windows open while the heating is on. I argue that if it’s warm enough to open the window, then you don’t need the heating on. Naturally, it’s an argument I never win . Back to the smartness of devices – while they may be able to detect an open window, I haven’t found one yet that will close it for you.

Taking this a step further, you can install smart radiator valves (or smart electric radiators), and rather than controlling just a single thermostat, you can control each one individually. If you have multiple rooms within your hall, you can have each one set at different temperatures in different parts, including switching radiators off/down in rooms while they’re not in use. Why heat the kitchen up if it’s not in use?

If you have a smart speaker installed, you can even control all of this through voice control. “Alexa turn down the radiator in the kitchen to 10 degrees” but be careful you can distinguish between the hall and any smart system you may have installed at home.

Smart heating systems include diagnostic and predictive maintenance capabilities. By monitoring the performance of heating equipment and detecting potential issues early on, village halls can schedule maintenance proactively, minimising downtime and costly repairs.

Using the data to help you understand your energy usage

One of the most valuable aspects of smart heating technology is the wealth of data they provide. If your hall is considering any energy saving/carbon reduction installations, then the most important thing to do first is to understand your current usage. Where is usage higher and where is it lower? Does this correlate with what you are expecting? Are there any spikes in usage at times you wouldn’t expect? Smart heating data can help you analyse this, although you may be able to get this information from your energy supplier also. Often, they can provide data broken down into half hour slots. As the famous quote goes, knowledge is power itself.

So, in summary smart heating could make managing your hall that bit simpler, could make you more energy efficient and could help save you money on your energy bills. But you must weigh this up against the cost of installation.

So how smart is smart heating? I would say it’s pretty smart, but still needs human intervention. We’re not all redundant just yet.”

If you want to speak to Michael in more detail about smart heating, do drop him a line by email: michael.fletcher@communityfirstyorkshire.org.uk 

How do you define ordinary and extraordinary leadership?

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Ahead of speaking at our Ordinary Extraordinary Leaders Conference in May, Johanna Hooper – Leadership and Change Management Expert from Limitless Peak Performance – shares her views on what makes a good leader.

Think of a leader you admire. What are their attributes? What do they look, speak, sound like? How do they make you feel?

When you thought of that leader, what image came to mind? Captain America? Churchill? Martin Luther King? Elon Musk? Your boss? Someone more local?

Now think about the image you have in your head – would you call them ordinary or extraordinary?

Do we put leadership on a pedestal?

Here’s the thing. I think we can be in danger of putting leadership on something of a pedestal and that can make it hard for us to feel like ‘good’ leaders, or recognise ‘good’ leaders around us.

Did you know, there’s a theory for this? Well, actually there’s a couple:

  • Implicit Leadership Theory says we have preconceived ideas about what a leader is, does, looks like and who they are. And these preconceived ideas are shaped by our experiences and images shared via the media.  No worries there then…..
  • Then there’s the Great Man (!) Theory. It states that ‘heroic’ individuals with certain laudable characteristics (intellect, courage, abilities) naturally emerge as leaders because of their inherent greatness.  I mean, there’s a bunch of aspects to that theory that can make us ordinary folk feel ‘less than’.

With all that external influence as to what makes a ‘good’ leader, is it any wonder that not many of us are in a rush to claim our “Best Leader Ever” badges?

Are you and ordinary or extraordinary leader?

Now mull on this: are you an ordinary or extraordinary leader?

Funny question, huh? Presumably, we might all want to be extraordinary but we might feel that we are *just* ordinary leaders? And if we think we’re *just* ordinary leaders, what is that doing to our performance, mindset, self-esteem?

For my money, it’s time to shake off this notion that you can’t be ordinary and extraordinary at the same time.  Leadership is both a privilege and a responsibility. It comes in many different forms and there is no ‘one size fits all’ model. Great leaders are all around us, even in positions that aren’t technically leadership roles.

When you think of the person who has had the most profound impact on you, are they extraordinary ordinary? Mine was. Not in my command chain, not formally designated as ‘leader’, not heroic, not lauded, but the impact on me was powerful. What impact are you having on the folks around you?”

Want to hear more?

Want to hear more from Johanna? She will be speaking at and facilitating our Ordinary Extraordinary Leaders conference on 22 May at The Pavilions, Harrogate.

Book your place now and discover the leader you could be.

Johanna is a retired Commander who, since leaving the Royal Navy in 2014, has had a career in management consultancy and now runs her own business, working with both small business leaders and executives in larger organisations across public and private sectors.

Meet Alex Sutcliffe – Volunteer manager and arctic explorer!

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As part of our work to highlight the contributions of people whose work involves or supports volunteers, we met up with Alex Sutcliffe, North Yorkshire Council’s Major Incident Response Team Manager. We asked her about her role and also found out something unexpected!

Please introduce yourself

Hello everyone. I am Alex Sutcliffe and I work at North Yorkshire Council. I’m the Major Incident Response Team (MIRT) Manager of the Resilience and Emergencies team, and Manager of the Ready for Anything volunteer group. I have worked in my current role for the last 10 years and prior to that was a volunteer in the MIRT team myself for 8 years. I have the best job in the world!

What attracted you to the organisation and role?

I have always enjoyed working for the public sector. I started my career in the NHS and then moved across to local government. I had coveted the MIRT Manager’s role for a number of years while being a volunteer. I have always wanted to assist in helping those in emotional trauma within our communities. So, being able to lead a team in a council that shares the same ideals made this the perfect job in my eyes.

What would you say to anyone thinking of becoming a Volunteer Coordinator/ Manager?

Do it! It is so rewarding being the custodian of volunteers. You learn so much from them, and they bring a wealth of experience with them. I am humbled every day by the selflessness of our volunteers, and it is very satisfying to be able to help them enhance their skills, keep them engaged and looked after and knowing the value of the work they do in their own time.

What have you learnt about yourself while in this role?

I have learnt that I’m not afraid to walk towards someone’s pain; I will not shy away from approaching someone who has been caught up in something very distressing. I have also learnt that you must never ‘assume’ anything – everyone has a story and we don’t always see their story. They might be outwardly happy (the life and soul of the party even), while inwardly they have a lot of unhappiness. Treating everyone with kindness and respect, never judging and just being myself seems to work.

Finally, please tell us something about yourself that your colleagues would be surprised to know.

In 2022 I circumnavigated Iceland and crossed the Arctic circle before it moves – did you know that the Arctic circle moves? Soon it will be out at sea and we won’t be able to cross it on foot!  It was super cold, but worth the two-hour walk.

Want to find out more about how we can support you?

If you are currently in a volunteer coordinator role, why not have a look at our specialised training or why not join our coordinator’s network that offers practical guidance and support to volunteer coordinators and managers across North Yorkshire.

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.

 

Health in an ageing society: what does the Chief Medical Officer’s annual report mean to our sector?

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Last week (10 November) the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Sir Chris Whitty, launched his annual report: Health in an Ageing Society.

Dena Dalton, Head of Health Collaboration at Community First Yorkshire, shares her thoughts and response to the report below:

Why is this report relevant to the VCSE sector? Why should people read it?

The aim of the report is to concentrate on issues looking at improving the quality of life in an adult’s later years. The Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Professor Sir Chris Whitty, states that improving the quality of life can broadly be divided into two key approaches: 1) things which reduce disability and ill health, and 2) things which can be done to adapt the environment to allow an individual (with a set amount of disability) in older age to live as independent and enjoyable a life as possible.

The report states that the expansion of longer periods of older age living with disease and disability are not inevitable and that compression of morbidity so that people spend less time living with ill health is entirely realistic and, as such, should be a major aim of policy and medical practice.

Very often, our sector is closest to communities

This is why this report is so relevant to the VCSE sector. Charities, voluntary organisations and community groups are closest to older adults due to the communities they work within and the relationships they hold within those. By 2043, it is estimated that 33% of the demographic of North Yorkshire will be over 65 years with many living in rural and coastal areas, where there is less access to health and care services.

The VCSE sector is ideally placed in supporting the prevention of onset of disability and disease through the range of person-centred services, activities and interventions they provide. The CMO identifies the concern around the rise in mental health conditions in older age and key to improving an overall quality of life in people’s later years, there needs to be a renewed focus on mental health improvement interventions. We know that contributory factors to poor mental health include social isolation, reduced mobility and declining physical health and we also know that interventions that help to address these factors are already in evidence in village halls, community hubs and within organisations themselves – all designed, developed and delivered by the sector.

Familiarise yourself with the report. Little of it will be a surprise, yet being able to amplify the evidence and messages that arise from it will help to influence the change that is needed to shift the dial to a prevention focus so that adding life to years becomes the reality.

Is there anything else we think should have been considered for the sector in the report?

There is actually little consideration for the valuable role that the VCSE sector contributes in enabling older adults to spend less time living with ill-health. It is a report very much focused on the medical profession, social care and central and local government. It misses an opportunity to look more holistically on prevention and, instead, tends to look through a more medicalised lens. Social care is mentioned, yet we must ensure partners separate out social care from the VCSE sector and there is clarity about the differences between the two.

What are the next steps? For the sector? And what could the Government be doing next?

Prevention! Prevention! Prevention!

The Government’s dial needs to be left-shifted and resource focused into community services and interventions. Bold and ambitious funding decisions need to be made and acceptance that outcomes will follow, yet will take time.

The sector needs to demonstrate and communicate more effectively the impact they are having within their communities and align that impact with wider system priorities. It is almost impossible to measure something that didn’t occur (i.e. declining physical and mental health), yet what can be measured is the impact that the intervention is having on an individual (e.g. Rockwood Frailty Scale, wellbeing scales etc). The VCSE sector is already delivering many prevention interventions, yet cannot do more without adequate resource investment.

In order to carry out the recommendations within the report, the sector needs to ensure it works effectively with system partners. This is the aim of integrated care systems, yet we need to ensure that the VCSE sector is seen and treated as an equitable partner. We need to ensure that in our interactions with health partners we are referencing the report. If not, there is the real risk that many of the recommendations made within the report will not become a reality.

 

If you’d like to have further discussions with Dena about her insights on the report, do get in touch by email: dena.dalton@communityfirstyorkshire.org.uk

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.

Prepare to set sail on a sea of potential

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Community First Yorkshire colleagues, Dena Dalton, Vicki Sharp and Andy Shield attended the York & North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership Business Summit on 27 Oct in York. Below they share their thoughts on the future for the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector:

‘Potential’ was one of our key takeaways from Business Summit – and that’s an exciting place to be.

This blog starts with the sea…

Who knew we would walk away learning about the potential of seaweed for mitigating climate change and that just off the Scarborough coast, there exists a first-of-its-kind marine organisation dedicated to growing kelp and, as importantly, contributing to the local economy and community through recruiting and developing a local workforce.

York’s UNESCO Status

Who knew we would walk away learning about the potential of York as a media arts city and as such, has been awarded UNESCO status. Creative industries deliver outcomes way beyond economic development: they enable social cohesion, talent development and innovation. Aesthetica is a great example of that.

Artificial Intelligence: A Revolution Unfolds

Who knew we would walk away, equally inspired and alarmed about the potential of artificial intelligence (AI). Piers Linney, a former BBC Dragon’s Den Dragon, spoke of AI ushering in the fourth industrial revolution. He won’t mind us sharing that he converses daily with his ChatGPT Plus (check it out), regularly asking it questions, the answers of which have helped him enormously in developing his successful strategic thinking.

Devolution and Community Empowerment

Speeches from both Helen Simpson, Chair of York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership, and Councillor Claire Douglas, Leader of York City Council, referenced the economic and social potential for the future of our regions when devolution comes to fruition and the Mayoral Combined Authority is created next year. Opportunities will arise to improve our regions’ infrastructure and help address key local priorities through decision-making made closer to our communities. For the VCSE sector, what is our potential to ensure we remain fully engaged and influence positive change and collaboration in empowering our communities when this change happens?

This leads to the key reflection on what the potential impact is for, and on, the VCSE sector when it comes to looking at the future beyond the opportunity of devolution.

Navigating AI’s Potential: is this a lifeboat or an iceberg?

What does the potential of artificial intelligence look like for the sector and how can we best harness that opportunity? We already know the challenge that exists for many of our communities when it comes to digital access and connectivity, which could lend itself to a deepening exclusion and even greater inequity; yet also, the challenge exists for the sector itself if we do not stay on, or ahead, of the AI curve. As Piers Linney stated in his talk, artificial intelligence is currently a ship in the harbour, as it sets sail it will gather speed, moving further and faster away and those who are left behind on the harbour will remain there.

So this blog started with the sea… and it ends in the ocean

How can we ensure our sector and the communities that we work within do not remain moored and unable to leave the harbour? We need to ensure that we are ready to set sail and embark on the ocean of the fourth industrial revolution.

 

If you want to get in touch with Dena, Vicki or Andy to discuss these ideas further please email them:

Dena Dalton, Head of Health Collaboration

Vicki Sharp, Development Officer

Andy Shield, Development Officer

Leeds celebrates 10 years of inspirational community development

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Miranda Foster, our former Rothwell ABCD Community Builder, shares her thoughts on celebrating a decade of Leeds community development:

It’s not often a work event includes ice cream rewards, advice on walking more dogs than you own or the event round up delivered through poetry – but this celebration was not your usual run of the mill occasion.

A decade of building communities

The amount of good work showcased at the ABCD (Asset Based Community Development) 10-year celebration event, held at the end of October, was outstanding. People came together not only to learn how ABCD has been working in Leeds over the last decade but also to listen to the amazing stories that the local residents had to share.

The centrepiece was an interactive map that linked to each area of Leeds where a Community Builder is working their magic. They all had a range of different showstoppers representing their area – from maps to local market stalls and walks around Holbeck.

People attended not only from Leeds but also from a range of other areas – with everyone keen to chat to the Community Builders and see how the ABCD way of working could be implemented in their area. This brought a real buzz to the event, with people inquisitive to find out how they can adapt their way of working in different places across the UK. It was great to see Leeds recognised as a shining light in all things ABCD!

A fun day for all

Volunteers from Voluntary Action Leeds and Leeds City Council employees not only made sure the event ran really smoothly, they also made it a fun day for everyone. It’s not every day you get an ice-cream for sharing your gift/talent with the ice cream seller!

Workshops were well attended and encouraged participants to question their way of thinking and working. I don’t believe I’ve ever been to a workshop called ‘Walking more dogs than your own’, but each workshop was different and interactive. The discussions from these workshops were an important part of the day and gave everyone the opportunity to share what they had learnt with a stranger who then became a friend.

Artists helped capture the day

Art was a major theme throughout the day. Not only was there a focus on the art of asset mapping, but elements of the day were captured by the absolutely brilliant artist, Tom Bailey, who produced a fabulous piece of wall art. The captions and pictures were superb.

To finish the day, we heard from a Leeds resident who had walked around the venue listening to numerous conversations throughout the day and brought everything together in an amazing poem. This was the final element of the day and left me thinking about how successful it had been and all the good things that had been celebrated by everyone for everyone.

How I became a trustee

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By Rebecca Buckley, trustee at Community First Yorkshire

I first came across Community First Yorkshire through my role as volunteer treasurer for a couple of local community groups, when I benefitted from the support of their Treasurers’ Network. I was very impressed with the expertise of the Community First Yorkshire staff and their work to help voluntary groups be more effective and efficient. When I saw the advert for new trustees, I decided to apply as it was clear to me that Community First Yorkshire was a great organisation and one that I would be keen to help in the role of trustee. I was really impressed with the scope and scale of its activities and its role as a voice for the voluntary sector and rural communities.

The board of trustees are responsible for governing the charity and directing how it is managed and run. We must act in the charity’s best interest, manage resources responsibly and ensure the charity complies with its governing document and the law. The trustees have a broad range of skills, experience, and perspectives which is very important in ensuring we carry out our duties effectively.

I am really enjoying being a trustee and using my time, skills, knowledge, and experience to further the objectives of this great organisation. It is a great way to meet new people, learn new things and give back to my community.

If you’re looking for trustees and need help with finding them, check out our handy Trustee Recruitment Toolkit for tips.