Here is our Communities of Interest Network bulletin, which includes updates, invites and information we hope you will find useful. 

The sections of this bulletin are as follows:

• COIN News
• Forum Central Updates
• Member/Partner Updates
  
• Events/Training
• Signposting
• Voice and Influence
• Funding
• Other

COIN News

Our last COIN meeting - Funding Challenges

At our last COIN meeting we discussed the funding challenges facing Leeds in the NHS, Local Authority and the Third Sector. We talked about the impact of cuts on COIN member's work with Communities of Interest and ability to tackle health inequalities/influence the Leeds Health and Care system. Notes and the recording have been sent out. We also looked at the State of the Sector Report refresh and discussed challenges related to workforce and the availability of volunteers. Thanks to all those who shared such honest feedback and ideas. This is a difficult topic, but one of the main encouragements was a feeling that although we are all affected differently, we can feel like we are in this together as we share and support each other across organisations and sectors.

COIN's role

These are some of the ways that we hope that COIN can support you in this time:

• Signposting and support for organisations
• Highlighting the value of the Third Sector
• Feeding back about the impact of the cuts on the Third Sector and the communities it works with
• Promoting Third Sector leadership in relation to highlighting health inequalities
• Sharing your ideas of better ways of working that could improve access to services and help address health inequalities.

Please do let us know about how you are being impacted as an organisation, the knock-on effects to communities, or if you are not getting the answers you need around commissioned funding, and we will aim to feed this back. We will also let you know about any more formal ways you can feed into the discussions around changes to services.

Heath and Care Leader's Network - Monday 3 July

We would like to invite you to the Health and Care Leaders Network Meeting at St George’s Centre, 60 Great George Street, Leeds, LS1 3DL, Monday 3 Jul 2023, between 10.00am and 2.00pm.

Please sign up for tickets and lunch here. 

We see all our COIN members as Health and Care Leaders, and this is a great opportunity for you to discuss and develop ideas with your peers. We just ask that you nominate only one person from your organisation to attend.

Workforce support / the HR Network

Please see our Workforce Support / HR Network web page.

It includes information about the Third Sector Human Resources (HR) Network. Forum Central established the HR Network in 2022. Volition and Leeds Health and Care Academy work together to coordinate the meetings and ebulletins. We recognised a need to be talking to those who are responsible for workforce, recruitment, retention and development in their organisations. 

There is also plenty of other signposting information and links on the page related to workforce, training and recruitment. 

You Said, We Did...

GP Access

A report is currently being finalised about how Accessible Information Standards (AIS) are being met for every Leeds GP surgery. We will send it on to you as soon as we can.

Healthwatch have produced this video as part of their AIS programme, that they have worked closely on with the Integrated Care Board (ICB) team. 

The 'Getting the support you need to communicate' video aims to raise awareness of AIS amongst patients with additional communication needs. It focuses on what people need to know practically about what should be made available, rather than a theoretical approach to explaining rights under AIS. The ICB team is helping to circulate it to all GP practices for it to be shown in waiting rooms.

Next COIN meeting - Wellbeing theme

We will be meeting online again on the 26th of July. This is just on the edge of the summer holidays, so rather than having an involved discussion we will be will be taking some time to think about staff and volunteer wellbeing, as well as our own! We'll be finding out about some of the great services that are out there to help us with this. 

COIN Survey

We are currently writing a report on the last year of COIN and would really appreciate your feedback and thoughts on the network, what you think has worked well and any ideas for future development. If you can, please take 5-10 to please fill in this 5 question survey.

Communities of Interest Network members' satisfaction survey.

Forum Central Updates

Volition Board Vacancies

Volition is looking for up to four new trustees, including a Chair of the board. These vacancies are part of our succession planning for Ruth Kettle’s intention to step down as Chair later this year.

More information can be found on the Forum Central website.

Please note: the deadline for applications is 5.00pm Friday 30 June 2023.

Member/Partner Updates

Linking Leeds - Referral Update

Linking Leeds is an integrated, free city-wide Social Prescribing service for people in Leeds. Social Prescribing is a way of linking individuals with a range of local community services to improve social, emotional and mental wellbeing.

The way Linking Leeds accepts referrals is being streamlined to ensure that they are providing the best possible service to everyone. Professional referrals will now only be accepted by GPs or primary care staff, unless otherwise agreed with the provider, but self referrals, carer referrals and non-professional third party referrals will also be accepted.

For more information please contact: 0113 336 7612 or email [email protected].

Migrant Access Project

The Migrant Access project is a council led initiative that was set up over ten years ago to work with new and emerging communities.

The project works to ensure communities in Leeds get an understanding of local services/infrastructure on key priorities such as health and wellbeing, advocacy and advice, housing and environment, education and language  and employment and training, so they can navigate the city.

The project is delivered through a series of training sessions and provides people the opportunity to consult with services (providing a 2-way form of communication).

The project will be launching an 8 week training programme in September. If you are interested in the training, please email [email protected].

Below is a MAP leaflet with more information...

Events/Training

William Merritt Centre Open Day - Tuesday 11 July

The William Merritt Centre open day is on Tuesday 11 July 2023, between 9.00am and 3.00pm.

Come along to meet their Occupational Therapists for advice, information and to experience mobility equipment and driving with a disability.

To find out more about the William Merritt open day, please follow this link.

Leeds Crime Reduction Network Meeting - Wednesday 12 July

The theme of the meeting is:

Prison Releases

They will be welcoming guest speakers, to be announced shortly, along with their interactive workshop and the opportunity to catch up with colleagues and make new connections.

Refreshments will be provided.

This event will be held at The Vinery Centre, 20 Vinery Terrace, Leeds LS9 9LU.

The meeting will begin at promptly at 9.30am until 12.30pm.

The Leeds Crime Reduction Network meeting can be booked here.

Papyrus - Free training for key sectors in West Yorkshire

Papyrus is inviting expressions of interest in its upcoming two-day ASIST suicide prevention course, funded by West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership’s Suicide Prevention Programme.

Dates and deadlines for West Yorkshire are: ASIST, November 1st-2nd 2023 – deadline for applications August 1st 2023.

More information about the ASIST course can be found on the Payprus website.

Please contact [email protected] for more information about the Leeds course.

Suicide prevention training

Have you completed suicide prevention training? The West Yorkshire Suicide Prevention website is a great place to go to find out about all the different training packages they provide across West Yorkshire. The training can range from 20-minutes on a smartphone to a 2 day in-person event.

To find the training sessions which best suits your needs, all you have to do is answer a short questionnaire on their website.

Signposting

Stepping down from NHS level three incident to Covid-19 - letter of thanks

Rob Webster, CEO-Lead for West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership and Chief Executive Officer, NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, has written a letter to explain the decision behind the NHS stepping down from its level three incident (regionally led) response to COVID-19.

Read Rob Webster's letter here.

Baby Bubble Leeds

Baby Bubble Leeds is a closed Facebook support group for Mums to be that begins at sixteen weeks pregnant and is there for you up to six months after your baby is born.

0-19 Public Health Integrated Nursing Service (Health Visiting and School Nursing) and Leeds Teaching Hospitals Midwifery Service are working together to provide dedicated support and advice on all questions baby related.

• Ask questions and get expert advice from registered midwives and 0-19 Specialist Public Health Nurse (HealthVisitor) in your local area.
• Be in a small group and chat with other Mums through pregnancy and becoming a new parent.
• Get specialist support and advice on all questions pregnancy and baby related in a safe space.

If you are a mum to be speak to your midwife or email [email protected] to see how you can join Baby Bubble.

You can also sign up by completing the Baby Bubble Leeds sign up form.

Free Social Media workshop with the men in your group / organisation

Aims

The aims of the workshops are to:

• Explore Men’s health and wellbeing.
• Host an open discussion around what’s important for them, what keeps them healthy and what they think is important for men’s health.
• Support the group to create and share health messages on the Men’s Health Unlocked social media channels.
• Learn social media skills.

Book onto the workshops

These workshops are running from now until the end of September, tailored to meet the needs of your group. For more information or to book please contact Joe Kemp, 07741 328786 or [email protected].

Yorkshire and Humber Public Health Network: Links and Resources

Yorkshire Humber and Public Health Network has created a one stop shop of some of their most useful links and resources. This includes resources on:

• Understanding the Health Needs of LGBT+ People
• Webinar Programme: Building Vaccine and Screening Confidence
• Wider Determinants of Health
• And much more!

The links can be found on the Yorkshire and Humber Public Health Network website.

Trans Mental Health Drop-In

The Leeds Mental Wellbeing Service is hosting drop-in services on the second Thursday of every month for trans people. Some of the services available at the sessions will include:

• 1-1 emotional support
• Therapy referrals
• Signposting

The sessions will run from 12.00 noon till 3.00pm and will be based at:

Rainbow Junktion
24 Regent Terrace
Leeds
LS4 2NG

If you need more information, please text Jess (They/Them) on 07918 604 662.

Carer Passport

The Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust (LTHT) has launched its first Carer Passport for unpaid Carers. The passport enables Carers to be recognised and feel welcome when visiting their loved one in hospital as well as offering discounts. 

How does it work?

During the time your loved one is in hospital you may be eligible for a passport. The passport offers discounted parking, discount in our onsite restaurants and refreshments from the tea trolley. It also enables you to visit outside of visiting hours so you are able to continue providing care to the person you care for.

More information

For more information on how to get a Carer Passport and supporting information, please visit the LTHT website. 

If you have any questions, please contact one of the Trust’s Campaign Ambassadors - Jenny Gaunt on [email protected].

Leeds Asylum Seekers Support Network Welcome & Connect project

Welcome and Connect is a new befriending project from Leeds Asylum Seeker Support Network (LASSN). It supports with welcoming refugees and asylum seekers to the city and assists them with making new and meaningful connections. This could be 1:1 support and/or group support in meeting people, attending community events or taking part in workshops that fulfil their personal or professional development goals.

If you would like to find out more about this project, please head to the Leeds Migration Partnership's website, or email [email protected]

New guidance: Tackling Maternal Health Inequalities in Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Communities

In May 2023, Friends, Families and Travellers, in collaboration with Roma Support Group released a new set of guidance offering insights into the experiences of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities relating to maternity, with a view to improve knowledge and understanding of how to approach the planning and provision of maternity services for these groups. The work was delivered as part of the Health and Wellbeing Alliance.

To read more about the new guidance, please follow this link to the Friends, Families and Traveller's website.

Health and Care Job Opportunities

If you or someone you work with are keen to work within health and care and have a passion for helping patients and service users, the Leeds Health and Care Academy want to hear from you.

Please visit the Leeds Health and Care Academy website and read about the exciting roles and training opportunities that are available for you to access.

West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership Blog

The most recent West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership leadership messages came from:

• Fatima Khan-Shah, West Yorkshire Inclusivity Champion and Chair of the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership Strategic Race Equality Network
• Tim Gill, Programme Manager for Global Partnerships at West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board.
• A blog for Carer's Week from Kulvant Sandhu, Senior Programme Manager for Unpaid Carers and Personalisation in the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership.

Read the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership Blog here.

Managing meetings and wellbeing

We all know how important it is to maintain a good sense of mental wellbeing and we know that there are different factors in our work and personal lives that may affect it. One such factor is meetings and the stresses that come with them.

The Huffington Post have published an article which researches the effects of meeting overload on mental wellbeing and stress levels and the positive impact of small breaks. If you would like to find out more about what was found during this research, please follow this link to the Huffington Post article.

Voice and Influence

Community Cohesion Survey

Leeds City Council would like to better understand what more they and their partners can do to make Leeds a truly inclusive city, where people from all backgrounds feel that they belong and are valued, enjoy similar life opportunities, and interact with other groups. 

The latest census data has shown that Leeds has become increasingly diverse over the last decade, and they want to seek the views of local people and groups to create a range of opportunities for meaningful interaction, dialogue, and understanding between people from different backgrounds and identities.

To access the Leeds City Council survey, please click here. It should take no more than 15 minutes to complete.  The survey is now open and will close on Monday 3 July 2023.

Please can you share this with your networks (internal and external), colleagues, partners, third sector organisations and community groups, family and friends…they would like as many people as possible to complete the survey.

For any queries, please contact [email protected]

Change Heritage Project

CHANGE are working with organisations and people with lived experience of learning disabilities to make an exhibition of the history of people with learning disabilities in Leeds.

If you have a learning disability and live in Leeds, they would like to hear from you.

They want to know:

• Something you have achieved or something that should be celebrated.
• If you are in paid work or you volunteer, and what the experience is like.
• What you think would make Leeds better for people who have a learning disability.
  

If you would like to share your story with them, please contact the CHANGE team on [email protected] or call 0113 244 0606 and ask to speak to a CHANGE project worker.

Community Engagement Sessions - non-surgical cancer care - 28 June 2023

Healthwatch Wakefield and the West Yorkshire Cancer Alliance are running engagement sessions across West Yorkshire and Harrogate. They want to know your views about non-surgical cancer care, for example chemotherapy, to help shape and improve services in the future.

Refreshments will be provided, and everyone is welcome. The Leeds session will be held at the Hamara Centre, Beeston, LS11 6RD

Wednesday 28 June 10.30am to 12.30pm
Please book through Eventbrite or call 01924 787 379.

West Yorkshire Voice Newsletter

West Yorkshire Voice (WYV) is a new network that wants to hear from people, groups, local panels, networks, and organisations. It wants to ensure the voice of people is at the heart of decisions made about health and care by the new West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB).

Read the latest edition of the new West Yorkshire Voice newsletter. 

Funding

Leeds Encouraging Activity in People (LEAP) Community Grants for Middleton Park Ward

Grants up to £1,500 are available to support those living with a long-term condition to become active or more active and to create independent exercise to improve their quality of life.

Larger grants may be awarded where evidence of need and an evidence based approach is taken. Contact Nicola from Public Health for a preliminary discussion [email protected].

An application form and guidance is available from [email protected].

Guidance form can be found here.

Application form can be found here.

Round 2 HATCH Local Care Partnership Community Grants Fund

Are you part of the local voluntary, community, social enterprise and faith sector? Do you have trusted relationships with people living in the Burmantofts, Richmond Hill, Harehills & Chapeltown areas?  

Two funding pots are available up to £1,500 and £1,500 - £5,000 to build on existing good work and further improve the health and wellbeing in our most underserved of communities.

Deadline

The deadline for applications is 5.00pm on Friday 30 June.

How to apply

For an application form and guidance sheet, please email [email protected].

Contact Information

For further information please call Bhranti Naik on 0113 3805677 or email [email protected].

Lloyd's Bank funding for d/Deaf and Disabled people's organisations

This funding programme is for small and local charities with an income between £25,000 to £500,000 which are led by and working with d/Deaf and Disabled people who are experiencing poverty. Organisations can apply for a three year unrestricted grant of £75,000.

The deadline for applications is 5.00pm on Thursday 31 August 2023

To find out more and apply for the funding, please follow this link to the article on the Lloyds Banks website.

Thank you for reading.

Please do get in contact if you have any news, updates or events you'd like to share with the network.