Community First Yorkshire recently spent the day at Scarborough Library, meeting local charities, community groups and places of worship to share advice, guidance and encouragement.

For many organisations, finding the right funding, governance support or training opportunities can feel daunting. Our Development Officers are here to make that journey easier – offering face-to-face conversations, practical advice and connections that help local groups to grow and thrive.

Meeting people where they are

“Our role is all about reaching out to organisations in the local area,” explained Su Morgan, Development Officer at Community First Yorkshire.

“People can come and talk to us, ask questions, and get advice – whether they’re looking for funding, governance support, or maybe just starting a new organisation.”
Events like these provide the chance to connect in a relaxed, welcoming space. Su added:

“We can always speak to people online or by phone, but sometimes it’s much easier face-to-face. Lots of people can just pop down to see us when it’s convenient. That’s really valuable.”

The impact of Development Officers
Every conversation is different – and that’s what makes the work so rewarding.

“The best part of being a Development Officer is the wide variety of conversations,” said Su. “It’s inspiring to meet so many people doing wonderful work across the county, and to help in ways they may not have thought of before.”

Local groups share their experience
The day also gave local organisations the chance to reflect on what support means to them.

Michael Whiteley, Chair of Trustees at The Sparks Project, said:

“Like a lot of small charities, funding is a big issue for us. We popped in and got some fantastically useful advice and good connections. I’m more confident we’ll be able to move from being largely grant funded to getting more donations and income, which will help sustain our charity.”

From St Martin’s Church in Scarborough, Father James Kenny and Craig Henderson described how helpful the event had been:

“It’s given us an insight on where we can go for funding, what we can do to improve our services and get the word out into the community. Coming here face-to-face has been great – I’d say to others, come down, have a chat. It’s always worthwhile.”

You’re not on your own
Su’s message to any organisation in need of support was clear:

“If you need help, contact us. You’re not on your own – just talk it over with somebody. We’ve spoken to lots of organisations in similar situations and we can help you grow.”

Come and see us in Selby
Our next library drop-in is at Selby Library on 18 September. It’s another opportunity to meet our team, ask questions, and explore the support available for your organisation.

📍 Find out more and see the full programme of drop-in sessions in our poster here.