Council support for key stage 4 (GCSE) students

Exam Results GIFs | Tenor

With Key Stage 4 results day fast approaching, City of York Council is reminding young people across the city of the support available at this challenging time.

This year’s Key stage 4 results (GCSE level) will be based on grades predicted by teachers, as students were unable to take formal examinations because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Support is available for school leavers who are seeking an apprenticeship or employment opportunity, wanting to move into full time education in York or who are concerned about their personal circumstances acting as a barrier to accessing education, employment or training.

People can find support in York from:

Their school. Teaching staff will be able to support pupils with their next steps.
Careers Advisers employed by our schools
Admissions teams at York College and Askham Bryan College
City of York Council Learning and Work Advisers in our Young People’s Service at 30 Clarence Street; pre booked appointment slots are available and advisers can support with searching for vacancies, developing your CV, completing applications and preparing for interviews. Tel: 01904 555400
National Careers Service – for local employment and training opportunities; or call the national help-line 0800 100 900
Council-led ‘York Apprenticeship Hub’ – find us on Facebook @ York Apprenticeships; email us at York.apprenticeships@york.gov.uk; www.york.gov.uk/yorkapprenticeships for local apprenticeship vacancies. There are still around 50 opportunities in the city and many more in Leeds across a range of sectors and job roles and we can sign post you to agencies and training providers.

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Corona (COVID-19) update – effect on west York

The government has relaxed delivery restrictions on supermarkets. Click link. It means that deliveries can be made at any time of the day or night. Most local stores have their own delivery yards but neighbours of, for example, Morrisons on Green Lane may see lorries serving the store later at night.

Local residents associations have suggested that lists of local shops and takeaways who can deliver to these self isolating should be drawn up. They want to see a local neighbourhood coordinator appointed by the Council.

In the meantime they’re offering to publicise any local business that will accept remote orders (phone/email/online), pay electronically, and deliver to a doorstep. (Email Foxwoodra@btinternet.com)

Elsewhere community networks are getting established to deal with any escalation in the numbers confined to their own homes. The Leeds Council are, for example, taking steps to provide community support to safe and professional standards. click

Volunteer groups like #ViralKindness are also springing up.

Hospital patients get quicker access to social care

Patients and their relatives can get on-site help from a team of adult social care experts for any support needed to help them prepare to leave hospital and when they are back home.

Talking Points will open for monthly sessions at York Hospital from 26 March 2019. Drop-in support will be available between 2-3:45pm on 26 March, 9 April, 28 May, 25 June and 23 July for patients or relatives/friends of patients who are in hospital.

The Talking Point team can be found at the entrance to Ellerby’s Restaurant on the ground floor at Junction 2. Staff will be available for face-to-face conversations which allow them to provide timely, appropriate advice and support to residents about a variety of adult social care issues.

The hospital Talking Point is the latest addition to adult social care in York, allowing people to be seen quickly to discuss social care needs for themselves or their family. The original Talking Point opened at Lidgett Grove ‘Church Community Cafe, Acomb in March 2018, with an additional Talking Points opening shortly after at Oaken Grove in Haxby. Every week, people can also speak with expert social care staff York Explore on Museum Street.

So far, people using the service have expressed over 95% satisfaction with the outcome of their conversations and actions taken, with all saying they would recommend Talking Points.

Further Talking Points will continue to open across the city as the programme develops.

Find out more about where and when you can visit Talking Point at www.york.gov.uk/TalkingPoint .

Police Support Volunteers sought in York

Police Support Volunteers are members of the public who give up their own time to carry out a range of tasks for the police service.

The police are currently recruiting Neighbourhood Support Volunteers in York. Click here to read the role profile and apply

About volunteering roles

Police Support Volunteers provide support and assistance to their local police service. They perform a range of roles from delivering vehicles to getting involved in major events such as the Tour de Yorkshire cycle race. They don’t replace employed staff, but the work they do helps to free up time for paid-for police officers and staff to concentrate on activities that only they can deliver.

These are just a sample of the our volunteering roles…

Neighbourhood Support Volunteers work in their local community with the police and partner agencies in a preventative role. They work on crime prevention initiatives and are trained to spot vulnerable people who might be in need of advice or support. Their work can vary from area to area depending on the local requirements. Bob and Oliver are both NSVs in Scarborough – watch this video about their work and why they became a police volunteer.

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Survey Analysts contact victims of crime to conduct questionnaires to ensure North Yorkshire Police are delivering an effective and efficient service.
Drivers assist our transport services by moving vehicles and parts across the force area and support events through the driving of Police vehicles.
Force Control Room/Call Quality Monitors ensure North Yorkshire Police provides the expected service to the public by monitoring calls to our control room.
Role Players assist training services by taking part in a variety of role plays scenarios from training new officers to firearms exercises.

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Have your say on Council Tax Support consultation – Acomb Library 17th November

City of York Council is inviting residents to have their say on changes to its Council Tax Support Scheme.

Any change would remedy the unfairness of the last Labour Council which imposed a system which hit hardest the lowest paid members of society. They were told to pay several hundreds of pounds which many simply didn’t have. Labour had hoped that the government would be blamed for the cynical ploy. Instead electors kicked out the Labour leadership at May’s Council poll.

The consultation takes place from: Monday 2 to Sunday 29 November 2015 and asks whether the council should consider providing more assistance to residents by increasing the maximum 70 per cent discount they can receive.

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To complete the consultation visit www.york.gov.uk/consultation . Drop-in sessions are also taking place on:

•Wednesday 4 November West Offices, Station Rise, 2.30 – 7.30pm

• Thursday 12 November Burton Stone Community Centre 2.30 – 7.30pm

• Monday 16 November Haxby Explore 2.30 – 7.00pm

• Tuesday 17 November Acomb Explore 2.30 – 7.30pm

• Monday 23 November Tang Hall Explore 2.30 –7.30pm

• Tuesday 24 November Copmanthorpe Library 2.30–6.30pm

• Thursday 26 November Fulford Explore 2.30 – 5pm

A review of the York Council Tax Support (CTS) scheme was taken to Executive on Thursday 29 November, which saw members agree to progress with a consultation.

At the meeting, Executive were presented with a report which outlined what existing financial support was available to residents, the number of people seeking support and what further steps could be taken to support York’s most financially vulnerable residents in the short term but also in a sustainable way going forward.

City of York Council’s CTS scheme has been in place since April 2013 and is intended to provide low income and vulnerable council tax payers with financial help towards meeting their council tax liability.

Since April 2013, the maximum amount of Council Tax support or discount available to working age households in York is 70 per cent, which means every working age household is required to pay at least 30 per cent of their council tax bill regardless of their income or family circumstances.

The council is now considering whether to change the current 30 per cent cap and is asking residents to have their say, which could result in changes being implemented as soon as next year subject to Full Council approval.
Currently there are 5,096 working age residents who qualify for CTS – who are typically reliant on welfare benefits for their income because of illness, disability or unemployment, receive tax credits, are lone parents or who are in low paid work.

Residents who are state pension age and qualify on the basis of their income will continue to have support based on 100 per cent of their Council Tax liability and are not affected by this consultation.
Full details of the scheme can be found on the council’s website. www.york.gov.uk/counciltaxsupport

The council’s YFAS (Financial Assistance) scheme was only introduced in 2013 (the same time as CTS) and provides emergency financial support in a crisis but also support for qualifying residents with their council tax. This was initially grant funded by the Department of Work and Pensions, which then withdrew funding from April 2015.

The council has continued to commit a base budget of over £500k to the scheme, with additional funding for two years, to ensure the impact of withdrawal of the specific grant was not felt by YFAS residents.
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