Fairer Scotland Funding
Regular readers will know that the Fairer Scotland Fund was set up by Scottish Government as the latest in a sequence of ring-fenced funds intended to tackle deprivation and reduce inequalities.
The Fairer Scotland Fund ring-fence was removed as of 31 March 2010, and Scottish Government called on Local Authorities (and their Community Planning Partners) to bring mainstream resources to bear on actions that would tackle disadvantage and deprivation – particularly in areas where people suffered multiple deprivation. The Scottish Government’s three linked Social Policy Frameworks – Achieving Our Potential
, the Early Years Framework (Part 1 and Part 2) and Equally Well – were intended to guide strategy and the application of resources.
In October of 2009 the Scottish Government and CoSLA released a joint statement ‘Equal Communities in a Fairer Scotland,’ and the City of Edinburgh Council’s Policy & Strategy Committee in January 2010 considered a thought-provoking
report on the joint statement.
Since then the Council has been preparing its Corporate Regeneration Strategy which is intended to cover issues relating to programmes of work previously funded by the Fairer Scotland Fund. A report is expected to be put before the (full) Council on Thursday 16 December 2010.
Further information on the Fairer Scotland Fund can be found on the Edinburgh Neighbourhood Partnership website.
Meanwhile, responding to concerns, Paul Hambleton, Social Strategy Manager for the City of Edinburgh Council, writing on 30 November – the day of the CEC’s Policy & Strategy Committee meeting, which it was hoped would consider a report on actions to tackle inequalities post-FSF - has clarified that:
"The Council learns its overall allocation from the Scottish Government in early December but has to consider a huge range of budget choices in allocating this to individual services and activities.
"This timescale means that it is not possible to decide the allocations at meetings this month, and the process has not reached that stage. Very urgent work has been carried out by lead departments on the information available, and discussed with the relevant strategic partnerships. Assessments are needed across the whole range of activity to support decisions to match the budget level when this is known. Work is continuing to complete this information, including dialogue with funded organisations and both neighbourhood and strategic partnerships, based on budget assumptions so that provision next year can be considered in a realistic context."
A report is expected to go to the (full) Council meeting on Thursday 16 December, and papers should be published via council-papers-on-line on Friday 10 December. Information will be published as it is received via the Edinburgh Compact website
under ‘what’s new.’
All neighbourhoods
Disability Benefits Briefing & Drop-In Information Session
Grapevine is running a Disability Benefits and Drop-in Information Session on Friday 28 January 2011 from 11am to 1pm at the European Room, City Chambers, High Street, Edinburgh.
Grapevine is run and managed by the Lothian Centre for Inclusive Living (LCiL) , a user-led Disabled People’s organisation, partly funded by the City of Edinburgh Council.
Why not come along and find out how Grapevine can support you to support your service users at this time of change. You can drop in at any point during the event and stay for as long as you wish.
Programme for the day
- 11.00am -11.30am Benefits Briefing on the latest changes to disability benefits including Disability Living Allowance, Employment Support Allowance (ESA) andIncapacity Benefit.
- 11.30am – 11.45am Celebration of the Awards for All, Big Lottery Project. Come and meet our volunteers and hear about our Information Roadshow which reached over 300 disabled people in Edinburgh in the past year.
- 11.45am – 1pm Open Door Session with information on our services and advice available on any disability issue.
A buffet lunch and refreshments will be available. For more information contact Grapevine by email.
Care and support services – consultation now open
The City of Edinburgh Council has produced a draft five-year strategy for the way it plans, buys and delivers care and support services. Now they want to hear your views.
The Edinburgh Commissioning Strategy for Care and Support Services 2011-2016 relates to every care and support service for adults and children of all ages. Linked to the strategy are three, more detailed plans for each of the main care groups. These are:
• adults
• children and families
• housing and homelessness.
At this stage, they also ask for your views on the draft Commissioning Plan for Adults. They will ask you about the other plans later in 2011.
The draft Edinburgh Commissioning Strategy for Care and Support Services 2011-2016
This draft strategy is a guide for how the Council commissions services over the next five years. They can provide the best possible care and support for each individual by planning services over this longer period.
They will work with those who use services to look at the choice available, decide on the best way to provide services and review them to make sure they are working well. It is very important that they do this by working closely with the person who needs care and support and the people and organisations who provide the care and support.
Read the draft strategy.
The draft Commissioning Plan for Adult Care and Support Services
This covers the six care groups of:
• older people
• mental health and wellbeing
• learning disability
• physical disability
• drug and alcohol addictions
• HIV/AIDS.
The plan also looks at the support given to carers and how they can be more involved in planning care packages.
Read the draft plan.
Who can comment?
Anyone who receives care and support, their family members, carers, the organisations that support them and the wider community can comment on the proposals.
Key dates
From now until Friday 18 February 2011, you can comment on the draft strategy and the draft plan for adult care and support services.
The Council will use the feedback you give them to finalise the strategy and the adult plan and let you know the outcome by May 2011.
Later in 2011, they will tell you more about the draft commissioning plans for children and families and housing and homelessness.
How to give your views
Complete the online questionnaire where you can also get copies of the full commissioning strategy and the plan for adults.
If you would prefer to have a printed copy of the consultation questionnaire, call 0131 553 8314 or email.
A number of consultation meetings are being held. For more information call 0131 553 8314 or go to the website. You could also talk to your carer or care provider.
Certificate in Researching Poverty at Community Level
Black & Ethnic Minorities Infrastructure in Scotland (BEMIS) in partnership with Glasgow Caledonian University (Scottish Poverty Information Unit
) and Faiths in Community Scotland (FiCS) have teamed up to develop and deliver a unique training opportunity aiming at empowering local community and faith groups with much needed necessary skills in relation to research and tackling poverty.
The training will run as two pilot schemes: the first cohort starts on 12 January 2011 with the second cohort starting in April 2011. The training will be delivered free of charge as the partnership will be supporting costs, and it is available to:
• Diverse ethnic, cultural and faith minority community groups / activists
• Wider community, faith and equality groups / activists who work with disadvantaged groups
Closing date for registration will be Wednesday 15 December.
Please see this information leaflet for details about the programme, and the booking form. For further information or a copy of the Researching Poverty Guide please contact
Neil Foster or Tanveer Parnez.
Support Aberlour in their video bid to reach Christmas single number one
Aberlour is the largest, solely Scottish, children’s charity providing help to over 6000 of Scotland’s most vulnerable children, young people and their families each year.
They are asking for support in their campaign to reach number one with their charity Christmas single, "Where Will You Sleep This Christmas?" It features the unique singing talents of Gamu Nhengu who wowed the nation on this year's X-Factor and who has supported Aberlour for several years.
To join the campaign see the Facebook page.
Free telephone counselling available for male survivors of childhood sexual abuse in Scotland
Health in Mind have launched a unique telephone counselling service to support male survivors of childhood sexual abuse in Scotland. Known as Trauma Counselling Line Scotland
, this is a free and fully confidential service funded by SurvivorScotland. It is intended to help male survivors of such abuse to move on with their lives.
The telephone line is staffed by qualified, experienced counsellors. Team Leader Eileen Hone explained the need for this service:
“It’s a counselling service available over the phone, it’s free and men can access it anywhere in Scotland. This has not been available before, there’s nothing else filling this need.”
The service has only been up and running for one week and has already been very well received, with one caller saying “I was helped very quickly, I've never had this standard of service before."
Calls to the counselling line can be made during the following times:
• Monday – Wednesday 5pm – 7pm
• Thursday and Friday 11am – 2pm
Call free on 08088 020406. A message can be left at all other times and the call will be returned. Counselling sessions will be offered at a time suitable to the caller.
JESSICA (Scotland) Trust: A new £15 million investment in Scotland to help disadvantaged urban communities
Big Lottery Fund Scotland has established a £15 million JESSICA (Scotland) Trust which will build on the European Investment Bank’s Scotland JESSICA Fund (SJF) by investing in complementary projects that create opportunities for local people and community-led organisations to develop locally owned, led and controlled assets that will lead to local regeneration.
Applications are open from Tuesday 30 November 2010 to the deadline date of Monday 31 January 2011.
For further information about SJF and the application process see the Big Lottery Fund Scotland website.
The Gathering – February 2011
SCVO has launched the Gathering website for 2011
. The seventh annual Gathering will return to the EICC on Wednesday 23 and Thursday 24 February 2011 at EICC, Edinburgh. An anticipated 3,000 visitors are expected to attend the Gathering 2011. This year you can book online to host an event or host an exhibition.
Age Unlimited Scotland
NESTA’s Age Unlimited Scotland programme, now in its second year, is open for applications.
There is the potential of gaining up to £10,000 innovation grant funding* on completion of the programme, however participants also benefit from the intensive development support, confidence building and networks gained whilst taking part in the programme.
*Please note that the grant funding is aimed at developing new services, and cannot fund building acquisitions or capital investments.
You can read about some of the innovative ventures which have improved communities across Scotland, in last year’s programme.
What sort of people may apply to the programme?
They are looking for people who are:
• in their 50s and 60s and living in Scotland,
• have an idea for a new community or social venture that could benefit their community,
• team players - people willing to share ideas and to work collaboratively,
• understanding of the issues involved, you do not have to be an expert.
• have the time to take part. They start with a one day workshop in February and then work with you and your venture fairly intensively between March and June 2010 where you will be expected to attend a workshop every 2-3 weeks.
They particularly welcome applications from disabled older people and older people who come from the BME community.
How much money is available to support a venture?
On completion of the programme, each venture can pitch their idea to a panel for up to £10,000. This will be payable in instalments based on milestones for the venture and awarded on a competitive basis.
There are up to 100 places available and they are looking for a good mix of people and ideas at each workshop. If you want to take part in the Age Unlimited programme you have to participate in one of these workshops.
Where and when will the workshops be held?
The workshops will be run on the following dates and locations:
• Aberdeen on Wednesday 23rd February 2011
• Inverness on Thursday 24th February 2011
• Edinburgh on Friday 25th February 2011
• Dundee on Saturday 26th February 2011
• Glasgow on Monday 28th February 2011
Choose the date and location that suits you best. It is a condition of the programme that you attend one of these workshops. Please note these dates are available subject to demand.
The closing date for submitting an application is midnight on 7 February 2011.
For more details see the Age Unlimited Scotland pages on NESTA's website or email.
Monitoring poverty and social exclusion 2010
Monitoring poverty and social exclusion 2010 is the latest annual report on the state of poverty and social exclusion in the United Kingdom from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation
and the New Policy Institute.
Each report, using official government data, is built around a set of 50 indicators. The analysis covers a wide range of issues, ranging from low income, worklessness and debt, to ill-health, poor education and problems in communities.
The Scottish version of this report, Monitoring poverty and social exclusion in Scotland 2010, was published in September 2010.
Social Inclusion News
The December issue of Capital City Partnership’s Social Inclusion News is now available.
How Fair is Britain?
Every three years the Equalities and Human Rights Commission is required to report to Parliament on the progress that society is making in relation to equality, human rights and good relations. It has just published its first Triennial Review,
How Fair is Britain?
A new tool to measure wellbeing and resilience in local communities
The Wellbeing and Resilience Measure (WARM) is a new tool that has been developed to make the most of existing data about localities, combining statistics on such things as jobs and health with new ways of thinking about how happy and resilient communities are.
Developed by the Young Foundation in partnership with a wide range of local authorities, community groups and national organisations, the tool focuses not just on community needs and vulnerabilities (such as crime or mental illness) but also on community assets (such as strong families and social supports).
It is described as being designed to help areas compare themselves with other similar places, and as a tool to help communities struggling with difficult decisions about priorities for spending and cuts.
Reciprocate to Accumulate
Please see the latest issue of the Assist Social Capital bulletin 'Reciprocate to Accumulate.'
A Glass Half-full – How an asset approach can improve community health and wellbeing
'A Glass Half-full' (published April 2010) looks at how to reduce inequalities in community health and wellbeing. It proposes assessing and building on the strengths and resources in a community to increase resilience and social capital, and develop better ways of delivering health outcomes.
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City Centre
Strange Town Christmas Shows
Strange Town is a theatre company which aims to enable young people to fulfil their creative potential. Strange Town seeks to fill a gap in quality theatre provision for 5-25 year olds in Edinburgh. They are performing four new plays this month at the Scottish Storytelling Centre on the Royal Mile. All of the plays have been written by members of its Young Company for the youth theatre.
The performances take place on Friday 17 December and Saturday 18 December.
Please see the Strange Town website for information about these performances. To book tickets contact the Scottish Storytelling Centre on 556 9579.
Craft Bazaar from the Welcoming
The Welcoming is a non- profit making project which supports newcomers to Edinburgh. They will be holding a craft Bazaar on Saturday 11 December from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m at Tollcross Community Centre. For more details please see this flyer.
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Leith
Reporting graffiti and fly posting
The Leith Neighbourhood Partnership area now comes under the Leith and City-Centre Team Services for Communities Management. To report any incidences of graffiti and fly posting please contact the City Centre Team email as this is regularly monitored throughout the week. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact
Claire Ironside ,Partnership and Information Manager (City Centre/Leith) on 0131 529 7763.
Christmas panto: A-lad-in Leith
Leith Festival productions present their pantomime, A-lad-in Leith which will take place from Wednesday 15 to Saturday 18 December at The Gate, Cruise Liner Terminal, Ocean Drive, Leith. For details see the flyer or the Leith Festival website
for information on booking tickets.
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Liberton & Gilmerton
Bridgend Inspiring Growth Stakeholders Event
The new arranged date for the Bridgend Inspiring Growth Stakeholders Event and open meeting is Thursday 20 January from 3 to 5 pm at the Inch Community Centre downstairs.
The organisers hope that you will be able to make this. Please take the opportunity provided by the extra time. You are welcome to bring a stall or information on your organisation if you wish, please contact Bridgend Inspiring Growth.
The Bridgend Winter Festival is still scheduled to go ahead on Saturday 11 December from 11 am to 5pm at the Bridgend Allotments site. For more details see this website.
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Portobello & Craigmillar
New premises for Craigmillar Volunteer Centre hub
From this week onwards the Craigmillar Volunteer Centre hub will be based at the Learning & Work office (Cyrenians) which is at the Hays Community Business Centre on Hay Drive, right above the post office. The office is fully accessible and our new phone number will be 0131 657 5099.
Helen Ewing can take appointments at the Craigmillar hub on Mondays and Thursdays, and at the South Edinburgh hub (Gilmerton Community Centre) on Wednesdays and Fridays. Unfortunately we do not operate a drop in service at either office but if people want to make an appointment Helen can usually see them within a week.
Bridgend Inspiring Growth Stakeholders Event
The new arranged date for the Bridgend Inspiring Growth Stakeholders Event and open meeting is Thursday 20 January from 3 to 5 pm at the Inch Community Centre downstairs.
The organisers hope that you will be able to make this. Please take the opportunity provided by the extra time. You are welcome to bring a stall or information on your organisation if you wish, please contact Bridgend Inspiring Growth.
The Bridgend Winter Festival is still scheduled to go ahead on Saturday 11 December from 11 am to 5pm at the Bridgend Allotments site. For more details see this website.
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Send us your news!
Do you have any news to be circulated among the Voluntary Sector Forums? For inclusion in the next issue, please send your announcements and events dates to Julia no later than 5 pm on Monday 10 January.
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