Connecting Voices
Having a strong collective voice helps to raise the profile of our sector. We aim to ensure that the needs of the sector are represented at a policy and decision making level across North Yorkshire.
We ensure that the sector has representatives in the right place at the right meetings so that your views are heard. We also make sure that you are kept informed about discussions which impact on the sector.
The Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Sector has representatives on many of the committees and Boards in North Yorkshire which have the potential to impact on your work, income and funding. Click here for a list of all the meetings that we and our partners attend to ensure that the voluntary sector is represented. We’ve summarised these into the following areas and each section provides you with a link to agendas, minutes and papers for the groups listed, as well as relevant briefings and guidance notes:
- Rural
- Health & Social Care, including Safeguarding
- Equality & Diversity
- Children & Young People, including Safeguarding
- Skills & Business Development
- Supporting Communities & Community Safety
Community First Yorkshire also represents the sector on the North Yorkshire and York Chief Executives Group.
Creating a resilient voluntary and community sector: feedback from the North Yorkshire Partnership Conference (Nov 2021)
We led a workshop at the North Yorkshire Wider Partnership Conference (19 November 2021) to consider key questions about the sector’s resilience and understand how to overcome barriers. Take a look at our summary of the session to find examples of resilience, see what the barriers are, explore proposed solutions for individuals and community organisations and find out what action we will take next.
VCSE Resilience Survey September 2021 results
Our final VCSE Resilience Survey shows that while the sector is still facing challenges, the overall picture in North Yorkshire is much more positive than that painted in the last two surveys in November and May. Read the full ‘Supporting people and making connections’ report and key findings summary. You might find it useful to compare the results from the survey when we ran it in November 2020 and May 2020.
Measuring the impact of the voluntary and community sector 
Community First Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership (WY&H HCP), Humber, Coast and Vale Health and Care Partnership, West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Yorkshire Sport Foundation have published a joint report which celebrates the vital contribution the sector makes to the economy and the health and well-being of local people.
Take a look at this powerpoint presentation. The presentation looks not just at the economic value of the sector (which is estimated at £4.2 billion) but also at the impact of volunteers and volunteering, the sector’s social value, and benefits to personal and community health and wellbeing.
Take part in the latest consultations
VCSE organisations play an important part in delivering and supporting local services. Where important decisions are made about these services, the sector needs to ensure that its voice is heard.
We ensure that the needs and thoughts of the VCSE sector are represented and that information about consultations which could have an impact on the sector and the people it serves are made available to voluntary organisations.
We list relevant sector consultations here as they occur. If you can’t see any listed below, please keep checking this page. Consultations are also listed in our weekly Community First Yorkshire News. Sign up here.
