21 November 2011

South Yorkshire ProHelp provides free professional advice and support to local community groups and voluntary organisations. It helps with issues that might otherwise hold back groups' work and projects. Prohelp focus it's support in areas of greatest need.
Examples of the sorts of projects that can be helped are:

• When and how should I negotiate a new lease for my building?
• Are my employment contracts in good order?
• How can I adapt my building to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act?
• Does my organisation need a brand identity?
• Are my accounting systems robust enough to deal with our rapid growth?

How ProHelp works:

South Yorkshire ProHelp is a local network of professional firms, supported by a manager who acts as a ‘broker' and matches the needs of the community organisation with the professional firm who has offered their support.

What Prohelp offer:

• Access to a range of professional expertise - South Yorkshire ProHelp members include solicitors, accountants, surveyors, architects, public relations, marketing and management consultants who undertake one-off projects. As South Yorkshire ProHelp is a network of professional firms, they can often work collaboratively on larger projects
• A professional service - community organisations receive the same level of service as a fee-paying client; the only difference is that the community client is not charged for the work undertaken
• An experienced broker - a broker will process your application for support and help to match you with a professional firm member of South Yorkshire ProHelp
• Advice surgeries - South Yorkshire ProHelp also runs general advice surgeries and workshops on specific topics impacting on local community groups.
There is an application process and criteria that needs to be met to be eligible for support.

More information is available by contacting Michelle Dickinson, Yorkshire and Humberside ProHelp Manager at Business in the Community (BITC), or by visiting the BITC website here.
Contact: Michelle Dickinson, Yorkshire and Humberside ProHelp Manager
Telephone: 0114 201 3307
Email: michelle.dickinson@bitc.org.uk
Website: http://www.bitc.org.uk/yorkshire_and_humber/programmes/community_investment/for_community.html