{"id":195,"date":"2024-03-19T13:35:45","date_gmt":"2024-03-19T13:35:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.skyblue.org.uk\/foodinsecurity\/?page_id=195"},"modified":"2024-03-23T19:02:47","modified_gmt":"2024-03-23T19:02:47","slug":"community-of-practice-more-than-food","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.skyblue.org.uk\/foodinsecurity\/community-of-practice-more-than-food\/","title":{"rendered":"Community of Practice &#8211; More than Food"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>This community of practice (CoP) was hosted and filmed on the 14<sup>th<\/sup>&nbsp;of March 2024. It was organised to meet the demand from many Food Summit (21<sup>st<\/sup> September 2023) participants to learn more about models of wrap around support, advice, guidance and additional opportunities for individuals that present at community food provisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"NY COP   More than Food 14 03 24\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DZMXwhuiJqY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Background<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Adele Wilson-Hope provided the context for this CoP by referring to the different \u2018more than food\u2019 models discovered across York and North Yorkshire as part of this ongoing Project:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.skyblue.org.uk\/foodinsecurity\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/more_than_food.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-196\" width=\"456\" height=\"312\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.skyblue.org.uk\/foodinsecurity\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/more_than_food.png 608w, https:\/\/www.skyblue.org.uk\/foodinsecurity\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/more_than_food-300x205.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 456px) 100vw, 456px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Description<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This CoP explored two different \u2018more than food\u2019 models that had the common thread of seeking to help individuals connect to their benefits entitlements and \/ or accessing support linked to their financial situation \u2013 though different forms of support and help are also described in the film.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.skyblue.org.uk\/foodinsecurity\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/cab_law_centre.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-197\" width=\"309\" height=\"90\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.skyblue.org.uk\/foodinsecurity\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/cab_law_centre.png 412w, https:\/\/www.skyblue.org.uk\/foodinsecurity\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/cab_law_centre-300x87.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 309px) 100vw, 309px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In the recording you will hear firstly from Charlotte Wild and Jack McKenzie from the Foodbank Project Team that forms part of North Yorkshire Citizens Advice &amp; Law Centre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-file\"><a id=\"wp-block-file--media-194472e9-e31e-4c3a-aeee-0694bbb3db7e\" href=\"https:\/\/www.skyblue.org.uk\/foodinsecurity\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Community-of-Practice_-More-than-Food-March-2024-1.pdf\">Download the North Yorkshire Citizens Advice &amp; Law Centre Foodbank Project Team presentation<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Charlotte provides a context for the demand for their service since 2018, the volume of clients they support, the range of requests they respond to though their advice line and specialists. In summary Charlotte provided statistics and insights that confirmed they had <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-vivid-cyan-blue-color has-text-color\"><em>\u201c\u2026.seen an increase in demand over the past 5 years and all our teams feel busy; but that it\u2019s very difficult to predict demand.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She then describes the Foodbank Project which sees qualified Advisors situated within community food provisions including foodbanks in Starbeck (Harrogate) and Knaresborough, Selby and most recently since January 2024, in Skipton.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ll hear in the film about how the model works and from Jack, one of the qualified advisors, what this looks like and feels like in practice &#8211; from \u2018exploration\u2019 conversations with people to providing helpful and practical advice:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-vivid-cyan-blue-color has-text-color\"><em>\u201cWe try and understand why people are there and what events have led up to them needing to use a food bank. And what things to put in place to increase income or make life a bit easier. What do we help with? We try to help with anything, otherwise we signpost.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And when asked how does Jack build up trust with people in the foodbank?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-vivid-cyan-blue-color has-text-color\"><em>\u201cBeing human, not being robotic, or putting red tape in the way. We get a feel for how they are. Foodbanks have a lot of stigma already so talking about their finances to a stranger (advisor) in a place that, despite being confidential, can still be noisy we need to offer things that work for them like \u2018do you want to back to the office\u2019 or \u2018would you like me to call you later?\u2019 show that you\u2019re on their side. It can be multiple meetings to get rapport, but it helps that I\u2019m there all the time \u2013 a consistent face that they can get to know. That helps a lot.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ll also hear about the kind of results being achieved through this model too. In 2023, for example, across the Foodbank Project they had helped 675 people with 926 issues amounting to \u00a31,585,105 worth of annual financial gains for clients. The main issue has been \u2018benefits\u2019 followed by \u2018debt\u2019 in 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.skyblue.org.uk\/foodinsecurity\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/money_gilders.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-201\" width=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.skyblue.org.uk\/foodinsecurity\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/money_gilders.png 519w, https:\/\/www.skyblue.org.uk\/foodinsecurity\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/money_gilders-300x273.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 519px) 100vw, 519px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Next you\u2019ll hear from Susan Wood, Welfare Benefits and Strategic Partnership Manager at City of York Council, and how she has been working with The Collective Sharehouse to shape and soon trial a way of training volunteers up at their community food provision to become <strong>\u2018Money Guiders.\u2019<\/strong> This will see them providing guidance to individuals that come to their venue with greater confidence stressing that the approach is NOT advice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-vivid-cyan-blue-color has-text-color\"><em>\u201cWe\u2019re very clear this is not an advisor role. We\u2019re clear about the boundaries of the role. It\u2019s not advice it\u2019s about guidance, signposting and awareness raising and helping people know where they can get more support and guiding them through that.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-file\"><a id=\"wp-block-file--media-6f7def5f-2445-4f70-899c-d44fdc07d387\" href=\"https:\/\/www.skyblue.org.uk\/foodinsecurity\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/CoP-Presentation-March-24-TCS-Money-Guiders-pilot.pptx\">Download the Money Guiders pilot presentation<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This development was born out of a reality that York doesn\u2019t have enough advice resources to provide an adviser \u2013 paid or otherwise in every (food) setting so alternatives were required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Collective Sharehouse asked: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-vivid-cyan-blue-color has-text-color\"><em>\u201cHow can we do more ourselves?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ll see from Susan\u2019s presentation some of the topics covered in the induction pack for volunteers and the journey that they are about to go on with some willing volunteers to see how this works in practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-vivid-cyan-blue-color has-text-color\"><em>\u201cWe\u2019re training volunteers to ask simple questions so they can signpost and refer on to those specific agencies that can help with more support. It\u2019s about these Volunteers having tools resources and confidence to have those conversations with people about why they\u2019re coming in and hopefully getting that extra financial support and signposting to that further advice if they need it.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s still early days but Susan comments:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-vivid-cyan-blue-color has-text-color\"><em>\u201cAs we\u2019ve learned together when bringing volunteers into this role there needs to be a coordinator for them to train them so we\u2019ve produced an induction \u2018flier\u2019 so when people (volunteers) show an interest in the Money Guiders role some information can be supplied about what\u2019s expected and involved. If they say, \u2018yes\u2019 to that we\u2019re putting together an induction training and support package that will support them into that role and the resources the service needs to do that.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What next?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>CoP participants from around York and North Yorkshire showed immediate interest in these approaches, particularly other VCSEs and community food provisions who felt they might be able to develop something along similar lines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-vivid-cyan-blue-color has-text-color\"><em>\u201cIt sounds really interesting, and I\u2019d like to have a go in our provision with the money guidance. We think people are coming in for tea and a chat, but we want to unearth why they\u2019re there as the money issues are there too. Definitely interested in trying something like this.\u201d (CoP participant in North Yorkshire)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The film and presentation slides found on this page can help others looking to know more about each approach and make connections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Working together to get \u2018more than food\u2019 models across York and north Yorkshire<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There was also some discussion about if, and how to work together, \u2018at scale\u2019 such as developing a collective bid to someone like The National Lottery where we could perhaps see support for \u2018more than food\u2019 approaches in York and north Yorkshire \u2013 importantly building on the good practice and provisions already in place, whilst also targeting areas where there were gaps in \u2018more than food models\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There were some great ideas shared already on the CoP and we\u2019d like to build on these with your help please.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>If you would like to get involved in a conversation about the opportunity to shape a collective bid or simply identify good practice and gaps in \u2018more than food\u2019 models in York and North Yorkshire please contact <\/strong><a href=\"mailto:Adele.Wilson-Hope@northyorks.gov.uk\"><strong>Adele.Wilson-Hope@northyorks.gov.uk<\/strong><\/a><strong> <\/strong>and<strong> <\/strong><a href=\"mailto:alan@skyblue.org.uk\"><strong>alan@skyblue.org.uk<\/strong><\/a><strong> <\/strong>who would be happy to put some energy into facilitating this kind of collaboration should the appetite be there amongst CoP participants.<strong><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This community of practice (CoP) was hosted and filmed on the 14th&nbsp;of March 2024. It was organised to meet the demand from many Food Summit (21st September 2023) participants to learn more about models of wrap around support, advice, guidance and additional opportunities for individuals that present at community food provisions. Background Adele Wilson-Hope provided [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-195","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.skyblue.org.uk\/foodinsecurity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/195","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.skyblue.org.uk\/foodinsecurity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.skyblue.org.uk\/foodinsecurity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.skyblue.org.uk\/foodinsecurity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.skyblue.org.uk\/foodinsecurity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=195"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.skyblue.org.uk\/foodinsecurity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/195\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":206,"href":"https:\/\/www.skyblue.org.uk\/foodinsecurity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/195\/revisions\/206"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.skyblue.org.uk\/foodinsecurity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=195"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}