VCSE Power showcase: Wakefield

Transforming Communities Through Collaborative Work

Nova Wakefield District

Nova Logo

Nova is a local charity that provides a range of services to support, grow and empower a vibrant Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector in Wakefield District, with everything from specialist advice to funding.

Nova has worked with the NHS for many years and we look forward to continuing to collaborate and work in partnership to help people across the District.

Member Spotlights

As a member organisation, Nova is proud to represent a whole host of organisations doing brilliant work for communities across Wakefield. To celebrate this, Nova feature a different member each month in our Member Spotlight!

The spotlights contain great examples of the positive health and wellbeing changes that can come from the work of VCSE organisations, for example:

Wakefield Trinity Amateur Boxing Club supporting people’s mental health through boxing:

Our House Wakefield creating a space that supports the wellbeing of local LGBTQ+ people:

"We think that's a really positive thing, that people feel safe and welcome and free to be themselves in Wakefield"

Heavy Metal Therapy using music to improve mental health and create community:

Live Well Wakefield

Nova and South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust deliver the social wellbeing service, Live Well Wakefield. This innovative and award-winning service supports people aged 18+ to improve their health and wellbeing through social prescribing and supported self-management interventions.

Nova is proud to support a service that has such incredible impact in communities across Wakefield District.

Take a look at their brilliant achievements over the past five years:

Nova Achievements Graphic

The Art House Wakefield

The Art House, Wakefield digital painting

The Art House was established in 1994 by a group of artists, led by Patrica Sutcliffe, with a determination and vision to provide studio space that was physically accessible and adaptable for as many artists as possible.

Working with people from all sorts of backgrounds and specialists groups, The Art House undertake a range of community projects to use arts, culture and the creative process to bring people together, nurture potential and contribute to the building of a cohesive community.

Re-emerge: Arts and Health

"We aim to help people whose mental health has particularly suffered during the pandemic, supporting them to gently re-engage with others in a creative and healthy setting."

The Art House, Leeds Hospital Charities and NHS Charities, have worked together to develop a programme to support people across Wakefield, to thrive and develop after the pandemic. They are committed to focusing on the diverse needs of the community and are working in partnership with Spectrum People, as well as a wide range of local organisations, charities and community groups across the district, to tailor the workshops and support offered.

Read more about Re-Emerge here: https://the-arthouse.org.uk/about-re-emerge/

Please see our previous VCSE Power event 'Harnessing the Power of Communities: Tackling Mental Health and Loneliness' to see other Wakefield initiatives: Wakefield District :: West Yorkshire Health & Care Partnership (wypartnership.co.uk)

Citizens Advice: Empowering Communities Since 1939!

Citizens Advice Logo

Citizens Advice is a national charity and also a network of independent local charities across the country that are members of the national Citizens Advice service. They offer free, confidential, impartial advice to everyone and their staff and volunteers are to advise on many issues including:

Benefits
Debt and Money
Employment
Consumer Rights
Housing
Education
Health
Immigration
Family Issues
Legal

History

Citizens Advice was founded on 3rd September 1939 – the day war against Germany was declared, as a service to meet the needs of the civilian population in war time.

By 4th September 1939, 200 local ‘bureaux’ had opened (including Wakefield).

Citizens Advice Wakefield building photo

By the 1960’s the number of bureaux had reached 416.

In the 1970’s, consumer protection became a big area of work.

In the 80’s and 90’s two recessions and changes to the benefits system generated a large proportion of enquiries about money and benefits.

In 2003, the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux changed its name to Citizens Advice.

In 2021 there were 265 independent local Citizens Advice organisations across England and Wales.

You can read more information about the history of Citizens Advice here: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/about-us1/history-of-the-citizens-advice-service/

Citizens Advice recently launched a new service at Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield

Following an official opening in 2022, the new office, located on Level E at Pinderfields, will serve as a community support hub, providing free, confidential, and impartial advice for both NHS and social care staff, alongside hospital patients, visitors, and local people across the Wakefield district.

The service will provide both drop-in sessions and scheduled appointments for advice on housing, debt, benefits, family, and consumer issues. Individuals can also access support via the phone, email or online.