• If you would like to volunteer to support your local community and others please read our ‘how to’ guide.
• Our Community Support North Yorkshire service have outlined here the new support they are offering to Volunteer Involving Organisations, along with producing Volunteer Involving Organisations FAQs.
• Our Community Support North Yorkshire service has produced guidance for community groups to help with the increase in people wanting to help their community through volunteering their time.
• The government has an extensive guide on planning the coordination of spontaneous volunteers and a factsheet on safeguarding community volunteers during the outbreak.
• North Yorkshire County Council has provided advice for how you can help your community.
• Through Covid-19 Mutual Aid UK you can find your local mutual aid community group to help out in your area.
• North Yorkshire County Council are co-ordinating the county’s community response to help those isolated by the pandemic. Read more about it here.
• The team who run our Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) have produced this statement on how their work continues and any changes made.
• The government has issued guidelines on how to stay safe and protect yourself from the coronavirus while volunteering.
• For resources on safeguarding and supporting volunteers in your organisation visit our Community Gateway.

• The government scheme for employers to claim back employees wages as part of the Job Retention Scheme goes live. Find the step-by-step guide and how to claim here.
• Our Employment Support Advisors have produced an update on the extension to the furlough scheme announced on 12 May.
• The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) keep updated information for charities and volunteer organisations.
• Our Employment Support Advisors have written advice for staff, guidance on Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) in relation to self-isolation and updated guidance for holiday for furloughed employees.  
• Support for Community Interest Companies (CICs) – Government advice includes continuing to deliver community benefit, filing accounts and annual reports and business support.
• The government has released guidance for the charity sector.
• ACAS has information and webinars on subjects such as managing mental health and furloughing. 
• CIPD also have a range of webinars available for employers including guidance on returning to the workplace and how to lead through a crisis. 
• The government has guidance for educational settings.
• For more webinars and digital resources to support your organisation visit our Community Gateway.

• It is likely that from the 1 June the government will be asking nurseries and pre-schools to re-open to begin welcoming back children below statutory school age. With many of these housed in village halls and community buildings, ACRE have issued a guidance document for management committees to help them prepare.
• We’ve produced a Village Halls & Community Buildings FAQ which aims to answer your questions from hall closures and funding, to building works and insurance.
• Allied Westminster has updated a statement about insurance and village halls and community buildings.
• ACRE have released guidelines on the eligibility for support from the government for village halls and rural community buildings.
• Download venue posters from Public Health England.
• Further useful information can be found in our funding and financial advice section.

If you have a specific query please contact communitybuildings@communityfirstyorkshire.org.uk

• The Coronavirus Act, which the government introduced on 19 March, postpones any elections that were due to be held in May 2020 until 6 May 2021. Any other electoral events, such as the council or parliamentary by-elections, will also be postponed until May 2021.
• Councils have been given new powers to hold meetings remotely.

For more information on coronavirus issues affecting local councils, please visit the National Association of Local Councils and Yorkshire Local Council Association.

Information for carers and people with health conditions

• North Yorkshire County Council has collated information and include advice for community care, schools and educational settings.
• Carers UK have useful information on protecting the person you care for and making contingency plans.
• Healthwatch North Yorkshire are collating information relating to specific health conditions.
• RNIB have essential information for those who are blind or partially sighted on shopping in supermarkets at this time.

• North Yorkshire Safeguarding Adults Board have compiled easy-read guidance for people with autism and/or learning disabilities and their families.
• Doctors of the World and the British Red Cross have put together advice in a number of languages. So far there is English, Albanian,  Dari, French, Pashto, Portuguese, Bengali, Vietnamese, Kurdish Sorani, Mandarin, Hindi, Urdu, Arabic, Spanish, Turkish and Farsi, with others coming soon.
• Migration Yorkshire have launched a Migrant Information Hub offering information and resources to migrants, and those supporting them.
• You can find a range of translated documents on social distancing on the government website.  It was reported by some local authority Arabic speakers that the Arabic translation was not adequate, so North Yorkshire County Council have produced this Arabic translation and a poster in Arabic for the prevention of spreading and catching the virus.
• Healthwatch North Yorkshire have provided us with various translated documents in Nepalese, particularly useful for our Ghurka population in Richmondshire. They include advice on hand washing, hand sanitising, isolation and universal credit.