Category Archives: Yorkshire region

It’s not going to be easy…

Having an interim role provides discipline for someone like me who loves to think about the big picture and makes things happen. It means you have to focus:  there’s a deadline. So I’ve probably paid less attention to the commentaries … Continue reading

Posted in Opinion, Policy & influencing, Voluntary Sector Services, Yorkshire region | Leave a comment

Welfare reform “enablers and life changers”: Putting the voluntary sector at the heart of delivery

Guest blog post by David Smith, Chief Executive of Hull and East Yorkshire MIND Last year I was honoured to be asked to write a guest blog for Involve on the impact of welfare reform and in particular how that … Continue reading

Posted in Front Line Services, Health & social care, Opinion, Policy & influencing, Welfare reform, Yorkshire region | Leave a comment

Creating our own future: what opportunities for the voluntary sector in 2015?

At the beginning of this month, I took up the role of Acting Chief Executive here at Involve. Working three days each week, I’ll be around until the end of 2015, navigating through a period of uncertainty, change and opportunity. … Continue reading

Posted in 2015 General Election, Devolution, Events, Health & social care, Infrastructure Services, Opinion, Policy & influencing, Welfare reform, Yorkshire region | 3 Comments

Doing Better Together: sign up to the VCS Manifesto!

Everyone’s at it…writing manifestos, I mean! Involve has been busy collating responses and shaping our manifesto for the voluntary and community sector (VCS) in Yorkshire and Humber, in consultation with our members and other VCS colleagues. The final version has … Continue reading

Posted in 2015 General Election, Opinion, Policy & influencing, Yorkshire region | Leave a comment

Infrastructure Angst

Happy New Year to all our readers! Government funding for ACRE Network under threat The New Year brings disappointing news that there is a threat to the funding from the Department of Farming and Rural Affairs to Action with Communities … Continue reading

Posted in 2015 General Election, Civil society, Community engagement, Front Line Services, Infrastructure Services, Policy & influencing, Research & information, Support & development, Voluntary Sector Services, Yorkshire region | Leave a comment

Devolution: it’s still a long way from Whitehall and the town hall

You can hardly move at the moment without falling over reports on Northern devolution, or ministers in high-vis jackets looking purposefully at manufactured things. Does this mean there’s a fast train coming round the corner soon? Or, more realistically, a … Continue reading

Posted in Civil society, Community engagement, Devolution, Economy, Equalities & human rights, Opinion, Policy & influencing, Yorkshire region | 1 Comment

5 fatal flaws of charity boards – and how to fix them

The Association of Chairs (AoC) will launch a new guide for chairs at an open event in Leeds on 4 November. The AoC is inviting chairs (both current and aspiring) to join them, get advice from the authors and other … Continue reading

Posted in Events, Finance and governance, Yorkshire region | 2 Comments

Devo Max and Northern Futures: what role for VCOs?

The results of the Scottish independence referendum didn’t stop with the announcement of the vote. Local authority leaders, especially in the North, are pushing for more devolution to the regions or combined authorities. The campaign is being strongly supported by … Continue reading

Posted in Civil society, Devolution, Policy & influencing, Yorkshire region | Leave a comment

From Scotland to Yorkshire: devolution back on the agenda

As Involve predicted [Why Scotland matters in Yorkshire and A grand depart-ure from centralised spending for Yorkshire], the Scottish independence vote has prompted thinking about powers and governance in the rest of England. The English regions are back on the … Continue reading

Posted in Civil society, Devolution, Yorkshire region | Leave a comment

How digital and social media are giving rural communities a voice

Guest blog post by Candice Dowson, Marketing, Public Relations & Operations Officer at Rural Action Yorkshire. When most people think of ‘charity’, they think first of large, international organisations like Oxfam or the Red Cross; or that time they found … Continue reading

Posted in Community engagement, Learning & skills, Rural network, Technology and social media, Yorkshire region | Leave a comment